2013 Volendam Christmas/New Year Cruise.

2013 Volendam Christmas/New Year Cruise.

Friday 20 Dec 2013

It was very relaxing doing the final packing as I was flying to Hong Kong on the lunchtime Cathay Pacific direct flight from Cairns which is much better than going on the 5.30am Qantas flight via Brisbane. My friend Steve drove me to the airport at 10 am and the check in was very efficient and quick.

As I was flying Business class I was invited to the Reef Lounge to relax before the flight which was a bonus as the flight was running an hour late because of bad weather in Brisbane.

The 7 hour flight was very relaxing and the service was excellent.  The individual seat pods on Cathay are a very comfortable way to travel.

The arrival at Hong Kong went very smoothly and in no time I was on the Shuttle to the Marco Polo Hotel. 

The Hotel had upgraded me to a suite and WOW, I was very impressed with the size and the set out of the suite. The night lights and views of the city and the harbour were brilliant.  I called it a night just before mid night.

Saturday 21 Dec 2013

After a very relaxing night’s sleep I was up and having green tea before getting ready to meet Denis and Colleen who  joined me for brekkie and then helped me with the luggage down to the ship. 

The Marco Polo is adjacent to the Cruise Ship Terminal so we didn’t have to leave the building to go into the terminal and board the ship.

The welcome back on board was fantastic and I’m sure there is no way I would ever be able to sneak on board the Volendam.

I spent most of the day catching up with my Volendam family.  We just had a snack in the Lido for dinner before going up to the Crows Nest.

I think it was all the celebrations and excitement of being back on the ship, so I was very tired when I went to bed after midnight.

Sunday 22 Dec 2013

Today was a total rest day.

I didn’t venture out until Happy hour and then dinner as we did the sail away from Hong Kong. I was allocated a table with Colleen and Denis up on level 5 for late fixed time dining so that was great.

I only had one night cap in the Crows Nest before calling it an early night just after 10.30 pm.

Monday 23 Dec 2013

Today was a sea day so it was a beaut time to catch up with crew and other guests that knew me from previous cruises.

I tried to do some work in my Lido office but gave up because of the interruptions of folk coming up to say G’Day. I guess it could have been worst and nobody talked to me.

After the lido lunch I went to the very enjoyable wine tasting which was very well attended.

I couldn't fit in my nanna nap before meeting Denis for Happy Hour up at the Crows Nest. 

Tuesday 24 Dec 2013

I awoke to all the activity of Halong Bay with heaps of fishing boats and tourist boats nearby. The air was very smoggy and the rock limestone formations looked very spooky.

Denis Colleen and I met up for brekkie in the lido and we planned  for our day ashore.

At 9 am we met and went down for the tender ride over to the town. The tender ride was not crowded and very comfortable. The outside air temp was a very cool refreshing 12C. Don’t worry the boy from the tropics was well rugged up. We negotiated a good price for a van to show us around for 3 hours and off we went to explore.  This was my first visit to the port of Halong Bay and I was impressed with all the building and infrastructure work going on.

The first stop was a 3 story local market, OMG the goods were so cheap and of good quality. I bought a very good Adidas pair of dark track suit pants for $12  and other goods I required.

Our drive then came back at the appointed time and drove us around the sights. I was impressed with the friendly local folk and they were not all over us trying to sell us their wares. We visited to a fishing village and I was amazed how clean the wharf was and the day to day activities of the fishermen.

Then we were off to a huge under canvas market that would have been the size of a couple of average city blocks. Wow, it sold just about everything from live chickens to luggage and clothing. There again we were able to walk around without being rested by over zealous merchants. There was a bonus at these markets of free wifi.

After a 90 minute period we were back in the van for the final part of the tour and then back to the tender dock for the return to the ship.

Denis and I had a few bloody Marys in my lido office and then joined Colleen for a beaut lunch of roast pork on a sandwich.

I had a couple of hours nanna nap before it was time to go up to the Lido for Happy hour. Marcel and Angelo look after Papako and friends very well. 

This is the 3^rd Christmas in a row that Marcel has been on the same ship as me. ‘Gelo’ (Angelo) and Louis (Louie the fly) have been split up on this cruise and it is a bit of a shame as they were a great working combination on the other cruise.

Dinner was great and we are still at table 20 which is great and the service is top notch.  We then returned to the Crows Nest for the late Happy hour and to wish all our friends (the bar staff) which have become part of our family a Merry Christmas. I called it a night about 10.45 pm and had a bit of an early night for Christmas eve.

Wed 25 Dec 2013  -  Christmas day

It is a day at sea so we met up for brekkie at 7.30am and then had a relaxing morning out on the Lido deck. I tried to get on line but being Christmas day I think a 1000 other folk had the same idea, so it was impossible.

We decided over a Bloody Mary to go to the dining room for lunch. I had traditional fish and chips which was yummy. The dining room was very busy for lunch.

Why is it that I over eat on Christmas day so after lunch it was down to bed for a nanna nap.

We went up to Happy hour before getting ready for the formal Christmas dinner. 

 I had the turkey and Christmas plum pudding. It was a very enjoyable dinner.

We finished off the evening with a night cap in the Crows Nest, which was very busy with the Nut Cracker Ball being held up there. I called it a night about 10.30 pm.

Thur 26 Dec 2013

After a great sleep I caught up with the blog and was able to send the update email off before brekkie.

We had a full brekkie up in the Lido before getting ready to go ashore at 9 am.

We got a good deal from a taxi driver on the wharf and we were off to the ancient city of Hoi An.  I was amazed at the amount of building and new infrastructure that had gone on singe my last visit to Da Nang just over 4 years ago. 

The 25 minute drive to Hoi An was very enjoyable and as this was the first visit to this area for Denis and Colleen I played the part of tourist guide. The driver had only a very limited of English.

It was great to walk around the old streets and the markets. We spent about 90 minutes exploring and shopping in Hoi An before setting off to Marble Mountain to look at the works of art.

We then had the driver take us to a local restaurant for a beer and a light snack. The service was excellent and with free wifi being thrown in with the total cost amounting to just on $15 for the 3 of us.

After lunch it was time to return back to the ship and a couple of Bloody Marys before a short nanna nap.

Happy hour was a little quitter than usual up in the Crows Nest then it was time to get ready for formal dinner.

Dinner was the usual good time with us having fun with the crew. We called it an early night, after just a few drinks about 10.45 pm.

Fri 27 Dec 2013

I had a beaut sleep in as it was a ‘sea day’ and went up to brekkie about 8 am. I only had cereal and toast as we had the Mariner’s Brunch at 11.30 am.

The pre brunch presentation was well attended and a large number of 650 Mariners joined the brunch so both floors of the dining room had to be used to fit every one in the one sitting.

I had a great mob at my table and we had a most enjoyable meal.

I went down after lunch for a Nanna nap before Happy Hour in the Crows Nest at 4 pm.

Happy hour was the usual fun time as most of the regulars have relaxed and are starting to interact with each other.

We went to the Canaletto for dinner and it was packed but as usual the meal was excellent. Denis and I finished off the evening with a night cap in the Crows Nest and I was in bed by 11 pm.

Saturday 28 Dec 2013

We arrived at Nha Trang while we were having brekkie in the Lido. It was a very smoggy foggy day and a bit on the cool side. After brekkie we went for a walk around the port town and then decided to catch the shuttle bus into the city.

 The smog was trying to clear up a bit by the time we arrived in the city. We caught a taxi down to the main markets and arranged with the driver to pick us up again after 90 minutes of looking around.

We had a good look around and I was trying to get a good bargain to buy a port (suit case). I gave up on that as I could get a better deal in the little markets set up on the wharf.

I bought a Vietnam sim card for my phone for only $9 and thought it was a great deal.

We had a drink at a little stall and then set back to meet our cab driver. Well these friendly folk all look the same and a bloke had us in his cab (the same company as the other cab). We had only moved about 20 metres when the original cabbie came running after us and we realised we were in the wrong cab. The new cabbie went from a friendly bloke to a screaming madman as we got out of his cab to go with the first guy.

We found a little bar coffee lounge near where we were to catch the shuttle back to the ship. 

OMG the noise and the smokers nearly drove us crazy and even though it had free wifi it was very hard to concentrate on the laptop. After a beer we gave up and caught the shuttle back to the wharf.

I got my suitcase for a great buy and headed back on board for a late lunch.

I took advantage of my new sim card and made 2 calls back to Australia. One call would have been about 10 minutes and the other was into the 4^th minute when the sim card ran out of credit and ended the call. So what looked like a smart move was a bit of a dud. 

Well it gave the Happy hour folk a good laugh. Although the boys said it was a good deal because the same phone calls on Telstra would have cost over $30 and I was able to check emails and Facebook also before the money ran out.

After dinner we went to the show lounge for the Filipino crew show, which as usual was a beaut show.

So it was midnight by the time I got to bed.

Sunday 29 Dec 2013

It was just after 10 am when the ship docked at a commercial wharf at Phu My. As it was miles away from any where we decided to have a rest day on board and recharge the batteries. The ships internet was non existent while we were in port.

I had lunch in the Lido and then a long nanna nap in the afternoon. So we were well and truly ready for Happy Hour in the Crows Nest. 

We tried a beaut bottle of Rosemount Shiraz Cabernet with dinner which went down very well. Then it was up to the Crows nest for a night cap.

Monday 30 Dec 2013

After brekkie we walked out of the dock area and then got a good deal for a cab to take us into Vung Tau an hour away for some sight seeing. It was just over 4 years since I last visited this resort town. 

Photo stops were made at the large marble statue of Jesus, the bay of colourful fishing boats and we had a drink at a local seafood restaurant. After doing some shopping at a coop mart it was time to make the return trip back to the ship.

After a late lunch and a short nanna nap it was time for the Crows Nest Happy Hour.

The lights as we left the port and sailed down the river were a sight to see as we passed many ships and well lit infrastructure along the shore.

We had another bottle of the Rosemont with our dinner and then just for a few night caps before having an early night by 10.30.

Tues 31 Dec 2013

The last day of the year was a sea day as we cruised from Vietnam to Cambodia. We had a very restful day as we prepared for the evenings celebrations.

Our evening started with the Crows Nest Happy Hour which was very popular with most of the folk on board who enjoyed a drink.

My dinner table was hosted by Frances the Guest Relations Manager who was great company and we had a beaut time, her choice of wine was excellent.

After dinner we went up to the Crows Nest to see in the New Year. Boy oh boy, the place was crowded and everyone was having a good time. It was a much younger crowd up there to what I recall on previous years. The bulk of the oldies had gone down to the main theatre for the festivities.

The bar staff were kept extremely busy with the sales of bubbly and other drinks. We stayed until 12.30 am before we called it a night. The bar staff were kept going until about 5am.

Wed 1 Jan 2014

The ship arrived in Sihanoukville Cambodia just after 7.30 am however not many folk were up after last nights festivities. I got up just before 8 am and met up with Denis and Colleen for brekkie in the Lido.

About 10 am we were on the shuttle bus into the city for a look around. WOW, we were mobbed on arrival by the Tut Tut drivers wanting to take us on tours in there vehicles. We choose a great vehicle and the driver had a good command of English which was a bonus.

We had a beaut time over the next 4 hours taking in the sights, sounds and smells of this 3rd world city. 

The Tut Tut was a great way to experience this city and its culture. I will let the photos tell the story. We enjoyed a drink at a seaside resort before returning back to the ship for a late lunch.

After a well earned nanna nap it was up to the Happy Hour which was no where as hectic as last night. We had an enjoyable dinner followed by a night cap before an early night.

Thur 2 Jan 2014

We arrived at Laem Chabang, Thailand just after 9.30 and as we had a late brekkie we watched the pilot transfers and the berthing of the ship from the heights of the Lido. Then down to get ready for the day. I caught up on some photo transfers and getting the blog up to date.

I had lunch at my Lido office and had a beaut chat with the Hotel Director’s wife who is on board for the Christmas break. As Denis and Colleen had gone on the tiger zoo tour I then went ashore to the markets set up on the wharf.

The prices were very expensive compared with Vietnam as a $4 polo shirt bought in Vietnam was costing $18 here.

I then went up to Happy hour and we had a fun time as there were only 4 other guests up there because most folk were still ashore. The dining room was very quiet so we got heaps of attention from the staff.

A few night caps finished off the night and I was in bed by midnight.

Friday 3 Jan 2014

We were up early for brekkie in order to plan our day trip too Pattaya. By 9m we were outside the Port area doing heaps of bartering with the cab drivers to get a good deal. Denis is great at getting the price down. Most cabbies wanted to charge about $120 for the return trip of about 40 minutes each way. We ended up agreeing on a rate of $30 for the return trip. The driver was great and could speak English a little so we had no communication problems.

It was a pity the thick fog/smog spoilt some of the views as we approached the city. As we got into town before most of the shops/stalls had opened we found a great people watching coffee shop that also had free wifi.

I was able to catch up with the emails/facebook while Denis and Colleen went and did some shopping. 

We stayed on and had a beaut lunch and a local beer.

After lunch we went on a bit of a tour around the city and noticed many old over weight tragic men pretending they were young and trying to pick up the young ladies or guys.

We had to be back on the ship by 3 pm so there was no time for a nanna nap before Happy hour.

We have made good friends with Al and Maree a couple from Hawaii that sit on our side of the Crows Nest bar, so we had a great time talking about our trips ashore.

At 7.30 pm we had a VIP guest cocktail party with the Captain and the senior officers. The new Captain is a Pom so we didn’t mention the cricket.

After dinner we called into the Asian Market night out on the Lido deck which was very popular and a credit to the officers and the crew that had put in so much time to set it up.

At 11pm we had front row seats for the Indonesian crew show which was excellent. 



As I expected Papaku was called up on the stage, along with other guests for the final act to play a bamboo shaker instrument.

I got to bed just after midnight.

Saturday 4 Jan 2014

The ship arrived off Koh Samui just after 8 am for the tender transfers to the island. We had brekkie watching the island through the fog/smog before meeting up with Andrew the Assist Bar Manager for our day ashore. We left the ship about 10 am and were shortly after arrival negotiating a price for a cab for our sight seeing day around the island. With the four of us we needed a larger cab than the little one they wanted to put us in. Andrew wheeled and dealed and we got a larger 4wd wagon for the same price.

 Our first stop was off the see the elephant park which was a fantastic experience and we were able to get up very close to them. 

For the next hour we toured the island before our driver took us to a beach with a beaut restaurant right on the beach. The meal was excellent and the bird watching of the well tanned folk on the beach was brilliant.

After lunch we walked along the beach with our feet in the water before the 40 minute ride back to the wharf to get the tender to the ship. Once again we made it back just in time for happy hour.

Tonight was a formal night so we got suited up for the occasion and enjoyed another beaut meal. The dining room was very busy maybe as it was the last formal night on this leg of the cruise.

After a night cap in the crows nest it was off to bed. We also had to put the time forward an hour.

Sunday 5 Jan 2014

It was a sea day for the last day of this cruise segment as we headed south to Singapore. Last days are always sad as most folk don’t want to get off the ship. I also hate having to say G’bye to friends before they leave the ship.

I had a beaut lunch of fish and sweet potato chips with a bowl of Bourbon Street Gumbo.

You are not going to believe this but I didn't have any drinks until the afternoon happy hour.

We went to the Pinnacle grill for dinner as it was Colleen and Denis’s last night. The food and the service were excellent. Then it was up to the crows nest for one or two night caps. 

I ended up having a late night and got to bed about 2 am.