Vancouver & Ms Noordam Trans-Pacific Cruise
Wed 21 Sept 2016
I woke before the alarm at 2.45 am so I got up and started to get ready for the long day. The Taxi was on time at 4.15 am and I was checking in at the airport by 4.25 for the Virgin flight to Brisbane.
The flight left on time at 5.45 am and was very relaxing as I managed to sleep for just over an hour.
The transfer to the Brisbane international terminal and the check-in went very smoothly so I was able to relax before the flight and make a few phone calls.
I was given priority boarding on to the aircraft and was impressed with the friendliness of the crew and the very clean condition of the plane. The seats were comfortable and seemed very roomie compared with other companies.
I was in Cattle Class in the rear section of the aircraft and handy the rear toilets. I must congratulate the Virgin crew for the way they kept the toilets clean at all times throughout the flights. The meals were very good and the service excellent.
The 12 and a half hour flight went very well.
The arrival in LAX was very crowded and large lines queued up to use the machines to do the immigration bits like passport recognition, fingerprints, etc. I played dumb and had a lovely lady assist me.
Overall the whole process went very well as from getting off the aircraft to rechecking in the luggage only took about 90 minutes. The officers were very friendly, helpful and welcoming to the USA.
I walked 10 minutes from the international terminal to Terminal 6 as I didn’t want to risk the security for my hand luggage in the small shuttle bus’s luggage compartment. (You may recall I had hand luggage stolen from the shuttle coach at LAX about 4 years ago with all my meds and cameras etc.)
The check-in to Delta went very smoothly and I only had just over 30 minutes before boarding the smaller commuter Jet to Vancouver.
The 2.5 hour flight offered excellent views of the West Coast of the USA and Canada. I had 2 seats to myself so I was very comfortable and I think I may have ‘rested my eyes’ for a half hour or so. This was my first Delta flight and was impressed.
Vancouver looked postcard perfect as we approached for the landing. It was a brisk 15C with a slight breeze.
Immigration was a scream as the Yanks and Canadians went through one section and “Other Visitors’ another section. So as many Asian flights had landed about the same time I found myself in a large line with Half of China, Korea, and Japan. I did see one guy with a Pommie passport and he like me looks like fish out of water with the pushy Asians trying to jump the que.
The Canadian Officer was so funny when I finally got up to the head of the line. After a quick look through my passport he exclaimed “Hay Man you have been everywhere.” He told me he was looking forward to his retirement so he could travel like me.
I headed over to get the air train into the city. What an efficient service and the views for the first part of the travel were excellent before going underground under the city.
This proved to be a Papaku adventure as I went past my stop and then had to get a taxi back to the Hotel. This proved a bonus as I got a bit of a city sights tour.
My 1 Bedroom suite is just fantastic and is excellently furnished. It will make a perfect home for the next 4 days.
The Suite is located on the 11th floor of the Le Soleil Hotel Building and offers excellent views of the city skyline.
Late afternoon I went for a walk to buy something to eat for the evening meal as I didn’t really feel up to going to the Hotel restaurant for dinner. For me it was very cool and the breeze was cold so I had my old faithful HAL jacket on to keep me warm.
It was good to get out and stretch my legs and explore the parts of the city nearby. I was a bit surprised to smell dope being smoked so openly by business people walking along to catch their transport home.
I finally got some take away food and an iced coffee from Tim Hortons to have back in the suite. By this time it was 6.45pm and the sun was setting.
I thought I would look in on the ground floor after I had had the meal, however after eating I didn’t feel like going out again. I spent the rest of the evening by doing this update and chatting to a few friends on Viber.
I managed to keep awake until 10.30pm before going to bed. It had been 42 hours since getting out of my bed in Cairns. For me the 21st Sept had been a very long day and I had been in 3 countries Australia, USA and Canada.
Thursday 22 September 2016
Surprise, Surprise!! I woke up at 11.30am so that’s 13 hours sleep. So I hope the body clock has adjusted. I slept like a baby in a very comfortable bed.
I made myself a cup of pomegranate raspberry green tea. OMG there is a first time for everything. Wow it was very refreshing so I had another.
After making a few phone calls on Viber and updating Facebook I set out to do some more exploring of the city on this sunny afternoon. After a while I found a beaut coffee lounge to have afternoon tea (Brunch).
The young guy made a perfect flat white for me and I didn’t have to explain what a flat white coffee was and had a delicious date slice.
From there I went over to a Drug Store and bought some supplies for the Suite, and some products to take on the ship.
It was about 6.30pm by the time I got back to the accommodation.
I caught up with the news, FB and emails as well relaxing with the complementary bottle of white wine in the suite before preparing the sweat and sour microwave dinner I had purchased earlier.
It was a yummy meal and complemented with the chardonnay.
The weather forecast is for colder and rainy weather for tomorrow so I plan to do the hop on hop off bus in the late morning and the pass will let me do some more on Saturday morning.
I made it to bed about 10.45pm.
Friday 23 September 2016
The slightly out of sync body clock woke me at just before 5 am so I got up and had some green tea and checked emails. Day light didn’t arrive because of the wet and cloudy conditions until after 7am.
So I worked on getting the first update out and checking emails.
By 8am I decided it would not be a good morning to do the Hop on Hop off bus tour as it was heavy rain so I went back to bed.
When I got up about 11.30 am I found I had an email from my mate Mac. I met him on my Voyager of the Seas cruise about 4 years ago and we were table mates. Anyway Mac advised me he also is in Vancouver to do a cruise also on Sunday and he suggested catching up for lunch and a drink.
This was a fantastic surprise and brightened up my gloomy day.
Mac met me in the foyer of my Hotel building and we headed off to a Greek restaurant in Davis Street that my mate Ken had recommended to me.
Boy oh boy it was so good to catch up with Mac again and we chatted away for about 3 hours enjoying the meal. The food was excellent
After we had finished we set out in the rain to explore the very Gay Davis Street. Even the Zebra crossings are painted in the rainbow colours.
We checked out one of the shops that sold toys and other items for adults. No, I didn’t buy anything.
We checked out one of the shops that sold toys and other items for adults. No, I didn’t buy anything.
We called it a night about 10 pm and Mac headed back to his hotel about a block away and I headed up to my suite and had a microwave crumbed chicken meal before heading off to bed about 11.30pm.
What looked like being a disaster of a day turned out to be a fantastic day.
Saturday 24 September 2016
I was up at 6.30pm and it was still dark outside and 11C but not raining so I made a green tea.
My PC decided it would a Windows 10 update and that lasted over an hour so I made some toast for brekkie.
Daylight finally broke just after 7 am and I pleased to advise the rain had stopped however it is very overcast and the wind has increased with the temp now going up to 13C.
I met up with Mac for lunch and we went to the Cactus Club Café which was only around the corner from my hotel.
The friendly waitress contributed to this being a fun filled meal. I was not too hungry so I thought I would order something light like a bacon and cheese burger. OMG it was the largest burger I have ever seen.
After lunch we came back to my Suite for a white wine and watched Wills and Kate arrive in Victoria BC for the royal visit.
Mac at 4.30 had to go over to the Hyatt to meet friends that had flown in to go on his cruise and I had to go to Days Hotel to meet John and Betsy who also had just arrived from Quebec to do the Amsterdam cruise leaving on Monday.
John Betsy and I had some enjoyable drinks at the ‘English’ Pub called Elephant and Castle. It was great to catch up with these guys after a few years since we last cruised together.
I returned back to my suite for some hot chocolate and toast before going to bed just before midnight. I had a surprise Viber call from my sister Frances in Japan after her Cruise.
Sunday 25 September 2016
Today is the day of the cruise so I had to repack and have some brekkie before leaving to go to the cruise terminal.
I caught a cab at 10.30 am for the 5 minute ride down to the Cruise Terminal. At the time the check in process seemed a bit complicated as there were a few other ships also using the terminal, however I was on the ship by 11.30 am.
The fun begun with being welcomed on board by the crew that recognised me from other ships with their calls of ‘Papaku Papaku’.
I found my cabin and sorted out my clothes from the past 5 days for the laundry and dry cleaning.
I met up with Mark the Culinary Operations Manager who spoilt me with a nice bottle of ‘medicine’ for my room. I then went up to the Lido where I caught up with Sir Raymond the Asst Beverage Manager and heaps of staff I knew from other cruises.
I sat down with Dianne for a roast beef roll for lunch.
After lunch I went up to say G’Day to the crew up at the Crows Nest before having to go down for the mandatory life boat drill.
Then it was back to the Crows Nest for a drink and meeting a some very new folk.
Mark had arranged with the Dining room for me to have a very nice Papaku table by the window. Wow the service was excellent and I had a very enjoyable meal.
I finished the evening off with night cap and a catch up chat with Sir Raymund.
I called it a night about 11.30 pm.
Monday 26 September 2016
WOW what a great night’s sleep I had and the motion of the Ocean certainly increased the quality of the sleep.
Mark had arranged for me to have Brekkie in the Pinnacle Grill which was excellent. Mark called in to have coffee with me.
We arrived at Astoria Oregon about mid-day so I only got off the ship to say I have been in Oregon. Well stepped foot on the soil.
Back on the ship I had a great roast turkey sandwich and then had a few hours nanna nap. Then up to the Crows Nest for Happy Hour where I met a nice Canadian couple that live 4 months in Vancouver and the remainder of the year in Picton NZ. They were heading back to their Kiwi home.
I invited Dianne to join me at the Papaku table for dinner and that proved to be a fun filled meal. Then it was down to the Ocean Bar for a night cap.
Tuesday 26 September 2016
I slept in until 7.45 and then after a quick shower I was off to the Pinnacle Grill for brekkie. Mark joined me for Coffee and then informed me they were setting up a Bloody Mary bar around the Lido Pool and he wanted me to come up with him as he inspected it.
Yes you guessed it, he had the lad make me a Bloody Mary at 9.30 in the morning, and then of course he left me to run off to go to a meeting.
After I finished the BM I headed down to my cabin to do the updates on this newsletter and after 39 minutes Mark rings me to come up to the Lido Bar to try some cocktails for the Mixology course. Well one of my titles on board is Beverage Taster so I guess this task fell in my job description.
By the time this was over it was time to meet Dianne as we had been invited to Lunch at the Pinnacle Grill. After a relaxing meal I headed off to the cabin for a well earnt nanna nap.
I had a great sleep and woke up in time to make it up to Happy Hour in the Crows Nest .
I caught up for my daily chat with Sir Raymund and then was joined by Larry and Gail the nice Canadian couple I have mentioned earlier. They have me playing Culinary Trivia with them. Gail is very good but Larry and I are hopeless.
Tonight was a Gala night which I call a Galah night so I put on the Bow Tie and jacket to look the part. Dianne joined me at the table for a fun filled meal with the waiters joining in also. I handed them small Koalas as a gift.
Tonight I was not letting myself get trapped so I went to the OB for only one night cap.
I was in bed by 10.30.
Wednesday 28 September 2016
Feeling great after the earlier night I got up and caught up on this newsletter.
Today is the 2nd consecutive sea day as he cruise from Astoria towards San Diego.
It’s a bit of a cold rainy day outside so no outside decks today.
I had only a light brekkie in the Pinnacle Grill as I was going to the hands on cooking class in the Culinary Arts Centre and then to the Pinnacle Grill for lunch.
It was heaps of fun and I was in the team that made a Mushroom Risotto. OMG all that stirring that was required to achieve the results.
At the table for the meal I sat with 4 very nice Canadians and guess what, that TRUMP bloke was not mentioned once.
After lunch it was time for a 2 hour nanna nap before going to Happy Hour in the Crows Nest.
I have a breakdown of the nationalities and Mariner status on this segment from Vancouver to San Diego.
President’s Club Member 1
Five Star 24
Four Star 118
Three Star 279
The remainder are 2 and 1 star Mariners
The Nationality breakdown Is:-
Canadian 658
Yanks 641
Aussies 177
Poms 33
The remainder of the 20 nations on board have only small numbers. The total for this segment 1588
I went to the Crows Nest for a great Happy Hour as many were celebrating their last day on board.
Dianne joined me again for dinner and I’m not sure if we entertained the waiters or if they entertained us. Anyway it was a fun filled meal.
We went to the OB for a night cap and when I got down to my cabin and realised it was only 10 pm I decided to go up to the Crows Nest and have a few more. Well it was full on ‘Soapy Soapy’ as there was a chance of a US Health inspection tomorrow in San Diego. Soapy Soapy is an in house term for a huge clean up where everything is scrubbed and wiped.
I got down to bed about 1 am.
Thursday 29 September 2016
I slept in and woke up at 9.45am so we were already docked in San Diego. I had a shower and got ready then I realised I was too late for brekkie at the Pinnacle Grill. I was too late even for the Lido however a waiter felt sorry for me and got me some Special K and green tea.
I then had brekkie out by the Lido pool and took in the views of San Diego. What a great day it was, sunny clear skies and a warm 27C.
I took advantage of this relaxing time to update the newsletter, download the photos and re size them. I got the newsletter off in the email.
I took advantage of this relaxing time to update the newsletter, download the photos and re size them. I got the newsletter off in the email.
By this time it was well past lunchtime so I had a chicken burger from the Dive in food bar with a glass of wine.
I didn’t go ashore as it was all on board by 3 pm and I watched the sail away from the Lido deck.
Being an embarking day of a new segment there was no Happy Hour so I had a late nana nap.
I went up to the OB to have a drink with Mark before dinner and then Dianne came along to go to dinner.
The roast turkey was spot on excellent and another enjoyable meal was had.
I decided to have an early night after dinner so retired for the night at 9.30 pm and as we had to put the clocks back an hour it was actually 8.30 pm.
OMG Papaku you must be getting old.
Friday 30 September 2016
Today is the first of five sea days as we cruise to Hawaii.
I woke up at 6.15 feeling great after a beaut nights sleep.
Brekkie was great this morning in the Pinnacle Grill and the eggs Benedict were done to perfection.
The sun is trying to break through the overcast sky and the seas have a slight swell so there is a bit of motion in the ocean. I had a brief meeting with Mark before getting ready to go up to my Lido office to do some work.
The sun is trying to break through the overcast sky and the seas have a slight swell so there is a bit of motion in the ocean. I had a brief meeting with Mark before getting ready to go up to my Lido office to do some work.
I have obtained for this segment the Mariner status and the Nationality breakdown of the major nations.
Mariner Status:-
Pres Club 1
5 Star 29
4 Star 189
3 Star 346
Nationality Breakdown:-
Yanks 722
Canadian 492
Aussies 214
Poms 41
Germans 35
Dutch 21
Kiwis 20
The remaining 17 nations represented had smaller numbers to make up the ships total Pax number of 1594.
At 10 am I went to the talk on the ports to be visited during the crossing which was most informative.
I went up to the Lido deck to my office and had a couple of Bloody Marys and held court with Aussies and Canadians. For lunch I had a Papaku Masarap Chicken Burger.
Then it was time for the Nanna nap before the Crows Nest Happy Hour.
We had a good time at Happy Hour as I was joined by Larry and Gail and there is a regular group that seem to be up at the bar each afternoon.
I met Mark for a Canaletto Italian dinner and my chicken meal was excellent. We had a great time and the service was perfect.
I went to the Crows Nest for a night cap and then Sir Raymund took me down to the sports bar for a final drink.
It was just after midnight by the time I made it to bed.
Saturday 1 October 2016
I woke to a sunny day with reasonably calm seas so I made it up to the Pinnacle Grill for Brekkie.
I decided to just have my cereal and a croissant of course with Vegemite. I have to cut back on my food intake as my waistline is expanding. The nice warm sunlight was shining through the window and I put on sunglasses.
I picked up the Aussie newspaper on the way back to the cabin to find the sun was shining through my window and on to my bed. I decided to read the paper in the warm sunshine. Well it was not long before I was so relaxed and sound asleep.
I met up with Larry and Gail for a pre- lunch drink at the Lido Bar. The Lido deck was very popular and many were enjoying the sunshine and the pool. The boys surprised me with Blue Coco Mojito (the drink of the day).
I had the Papaku Masarap Chicken Burger for lunch and then held court until 2 pm when it was time for the nanna nap before Happy Hour.
I met a nice Kiwi couple who were great company during Happy Hour.
I had dinner by myself but of course was entertained by the young waiter. The roast lamb was delicious and a great choice.
I went down to the OB for a Spanish Coffee as a night cap and had an early night. I was in bed by 10pm however as we had to put the clocks back by an hour it was actually 9pm. OMG I must be getting old to be hitting the cot at that early time.
Sunday 2 October 2016
Today is the 3rd consecutive sea day as we head towards Hawaii through calm seas.
For brekkie in the Pinnacle Grill I had a Ham cheese and olive omelette which was very enjoyable.
We have now lost the satellite connection and will not get it back until just before Hawaii.
About mid-morning I headed up to my Lido office with the pc and started playing Free Cell and shortly after Gail joined me. So we held court until Patrick from Chicago came along and we had lunch. Many others of our new friends were dropping in to say G’Day as they passed by.
Just after 1.30 pm I was down to the cabin for my nanna nap.
It was a very busy Happy Hour in the Crows Nest and I was joined by Gail and Larry.
Tonight Larry and Gail joined me at the Papaku table in the dining room. Dianne also sat with us so it was a fun filled meal with great conversation.
I had only one Spanish Coffee for a night cap and was in bed by 11 pm.
Monday 3 October 2016
I did brekkie at the Pinnacle Grill and was joined by Mark for coffee.
After reading the Aussie paper I headed up to my Lido office to hold court for the morning. Many of the guest and of course the staff keep me busy by dropping in for a chat.
Gail and Larry joined me for lunch, they had Indonesian and I decided to make a Chicken Schnitzel sandwich which meant me going into the dreaded Lido self-service cafeteria.
OMG all those overweight pushy shovie folk barging in and queue jumping as if the food was going to run out and they were dying of hunger. No wonder I hate eating in the Lido.
Finally in a shell shocked state I returned to the office and enjoyed my sandwich with a glass of Rose.
Today I had a great 2 hour Nanna nap before going up to the Crows Nest.
I had dinner by myself and had some good humour with 2 Dutch guys at a nearby table. These 2 have also been on a few other cruises I have been on.
I had a fantastic seafood chowder followed a pork chop and then a yummy Mango crunch.
I had a fantastic seafood chowder followed a pork chop and then a yummy Mango crunch.
After a night cap I went to the Filipino Crew show and as Papaku sat in the front seat and enjoyed this display of national pride. I was pleased to see a very large crowd there.
Tuesday 4 October 2016
Mark joined me for Brekkie in the Pinnacle Grill and I only had a light brekkie as I have the cooking class at 11am then followed by lunch also in the Pinnacle Grill.
I was surprised to be able to tune into Joe’s radio show on ICMR by the internet and communicate with him for the last 30 minutes of his segment.
I will not be able to work from my Lido office today because of the schedule change with the cooking class.
The Cooking class was so much fun and my group was tasked with preparing the main meal.
Shitake Macadamia Nut Stuffed Pork Chops was what we cooked. Lots of chopping was involved.
The couple of glasses of red wine assisted me in having a fantastic nanna nap before going up to the new Tiki Bar opening on the Lido Deck where Pina Coladas where the speciality.
After getting ready for the evening I went up to the OB and had a chat with Ian and Jo from Sydney. Larry and Gail called in to say G’Bye as they will leave the ship tomorrow in Hawaii.
Gail joined Dianne and I for dinner and that was a great time.
I had an early night and skipped the night cap, so I was in bed by 10.45pm. Tomorrow we arrive at Honolulu, so after 5 consecutive days at sea some pax have developed cabin fever and will be rushing the gang plank to go ashore when we arrive.
Wednesday 5 October 2016
It was 8am by the time the ship was cleared for the guests to go ashore. About 200 pax left the ship after doing this segment and another 500 guests replaced them for the segment Honolulu to Sydney. I will obtain the new nationality breakdown in the next day or so.
All other times of visiting Honolulu on the Ms Amsterdam or the Ms Volendam we landed at the ‘Clock Tower’ wharf but this time on the larger ship we docked at the main terminal wharf which is about 500 metres from the other wharf.
I had a very relaxing brekkie in the Pinnacle Grill while I caught up on the Aussie news.
I spent the mid-morning in my office catching up on emails, Facebook and banking. The temps were perfect and in the high 20Cs and a fantastic sunny day was experienced.
The ship was just about deserted as most had gone ashore to stretch their legs and I had the Sea View bar to myself for pre-lunch drinks.
Lunch was back in the office and I had the Papaku Masarap chicken burger. I was joined by Sir Raymond who ate a very healthy stir-fry.
At 2 pm I was invited to the VIP drinks for the new guests and I ended up being an unofficial information officer answering some of the newbies questions and giving advice on settling into ship life. It seemed many were first timers on this segment of the Trans-Pacific crossing.
After a shower I was up to the OB for a pre-dinner drink with Ian and his wife Jo. I had dinner by myself but had a lot of fun with the nearby tables.
I only had one night cap in the sports bar and was in bed before 11.30 pm.
Thursday 6 October 2016
I watched the Ms Amsterdam arrive and dock from my cabin as I got ready for Brekkie.
I had a leisurely brekkie in the Pinnacle Grill and the entertainment was provided by an old Aussie couple (Darby and Joan) that had only just joined the ship. Darby was hard of hearing so when Joan spoke to him the whole restaurant heard what she was saying and even what she was thinking.
They were going on an excursion and she was panicking she would not get her breakfast in time. She got so worked up she sent Darby off to chase up the waiters. She wore the pants of that relationship.
Joan noticed I was being served without ordering my meal and the staff were very friendly to me, so she told Herby I must be an Officer and that’s why I was getting special service. She later asked a waiter who I was and was told I was a guest. So then on full volume she asked how everyone knew me and was told Papaku is a regular and popular guest on Holland America Ships and has been on board this ship for a few weeks already.
There was another Aussie couple at the table next to mine and in no way were we going to claim them as Aussies. OMG ! what an embarrassment they were. Joan had finished her meal so she bundled up Darby before he had finished his and marched him out. I presume they made their tour.
When they left the rest of us had a giggle. By the way the service in the Pinnacle is excellent.
I got organised and went out on the shuttle to the Maui Divers coral and pearl jewellery works and then got the shuttle back to Ala Moana Shopping centre. The jewellery was very expensive however I broke the first Commandment of the Papaku Travels, Thou shall not buy another Tshirt.
I got another shuttle back to the ship and surprise surprise!! In the front seat was my good friend John from the Ms Amsterdam.
Back on the ship I joined some friends for lunch in my Lido office. I introduced them to the Papaku Masarap Chicken Burger and had a glass of Rose with them.
Later in the afternoon I met up with Rene (The Spar Manager on the Amsterdam) and were joined by Sir Raymond and Dianne.
I made it late to Happy Hour on the Crows Nest and we have a good group there now as the regulars are all getting to know each other and the conversation is heaps of fun.
Dianne didn’t make it to dinner so I had fun with the folks of the adjoining tables.
I had a night cap in the OB and was down in bed by 11.15pm.
Friday 7 October 2016
By the time I was ready to go to brekkie the ship was already moored of Lahaina as it is a tender port.
During brekkie Mark joined me for coffee and a catch up chat. Darby and Joan didn’t turn up for brekkie and I’m not sure if everyone was pleased or disappointed to miss another one of their performances.
After brekkie I got myself organised to go down to get the tender. May I say the tender process went very well and efficient. Even with my priority tender boarding there was no waiting at all.
It is a post card perfect day, clear skies and calm seas so the tender ride was a bonus experience.
On arrival I went for a walk around the small town in this tropical paradise, did some shopping and had a drink.
By 11 am I caught an empty tender back with some nice Aussies and up to my office for pre-lunch drinks. For lunch as the ship was deserted I bravely went into the Lido and got some crumbed fish and made a fish and salad sandwich.
I obtained the Nationality Breakdown of the passengers on this segment from Honolulu to Sydney. They are:-
Yanks 829
Canadians 423
Aussies 390
Poms 67
Germans 48
Kiwis 32
Dutch 23
The other 19 nations had less than 20 and the total number passengers on board are 1882.
I had a beaut 3 hour nana nap before going up to the Crows Nest to join the gang for Happy Hour. It is so strange that you can meet guys from other parts of OZ or Kiwiland and when you get talking you find you have friends or former work colleagues in common. It’s a small world.
Dianne had well and truly made herself at home at the Papaku table when I arrived for dinner and had just about finished her meal. I had a sweet potato soup followed by delicious pork chops. By now Dianne had left the table so I had banana crumble for sweets and hot chocolate while having fun with the nearby tables.
I called into the OB for a night cap and was in bed by 11 pm.
Saturday 8 October 2016
We docked in the Port of Hilo, Hawaii just before 7.45 am and it was a warm 22C partly cloudy day and it had been raining as we were docking.
I had brekkie in the PG and as they were expecting the US health inspection Mark only had time to pop in and say hello.
Brekkie was most enjoyable and my ham and cheese omelette was excellent.
About 10 am I decided to go ashore and catch the shuttle to Walmart and the adjoining shops. As I was leaving the ship I joined my friend Sir Raymund and some of his beverage staff so we got a cab as there was a long list for the shuttle.
OMG Walmart in Hilo is a fantastic people watching experience. Raymund and I had a light lunch in Maccas before going over to Ross.
Ross is a great store for bargains so I came out with new Sony earphones, a Hawaiian shirt and some slide on sandals.
Ross is a great store for bargains so I came out with new Sony earphones, a Hawaiian shirt and some slide on sandals.
Of course half the ship was also visiting these stores and stocking up on bargains.
We made it back to the front of Walmart just in time to catch a shuttle back to the ship about 2pm.
I tried to have a short nanna nap before going up to the Crows Nest for Happy Hour, but after about 40 minutes gave up and worked on this update.
Happy Hour was a great time with the band of regulars but we experienced noise from the Cruise Director loudly mumbling his way through trivia. He speaks to close to the mic and with the bar noise we cannot understand a word he says or do we want to. Surely he could do his trivia somewhere else on the on the ship. (Papaku you are a grumpy old man.)
I wore my new Hawaiian shirt to dinner and it seemed to be a hit with the kids.
The schnitzel I had for dinner was just perfect and an enjoyable meal. During the meal we sailed past the volcano on Hilo, What a fantastic sight watching the molten red hot lava cascade down into the sea.
I met up with Jo and Ian in the OB for a few night caps and Jim and I closed the bar. The crew were looking forward to an early night to party as this was the first night in 6 that there was no ‘soapy soapy’. Bye the way the US officials did not turn up to do the expected health inspections in any of the American ports. With all the soapy soapy (super cleaning) that has been conducted to prepare for the expected surprise inspection the ship is extremely clean.
I was in bed by 11.30 pm
Sunday 9 October 2016
Brekkie was a fun time at the PG and I gave the female staff a little Koala each to help them prepare for Aussie. Mark dropped in for a quick coffee between meetings.
I got organised and went up to the Lido to work in my office.
But shock and horror someone was in sitting there and they looked like they had settled in. Where ‘my’ table is there is a wall behind so I don’t get the bright reflection on the screen. So I had to soldier on with great difficulty as I worked on reducing photos.
I eventually joined Ian and Jo at their table for my Papaku Masarap Chicken Burger. There was a fresh fish bake out on the Lido for lunch. Boy oh boy you should have seen the ques lined up. I don’t know why folk have to all hit the food at the same time. Then the rain came so the roof had to be closed and the place filled with smoke. We ended up all smelling of BBQ smoke. Fortunately the rain did not last long and the roof was reopened and the smoke escaped.
It’s fun watching human behaviour as for the last hour of the Bake out there was virtually no lines at all. So if folk waited a little there would not have been the large lines in the initial rush.
The 2 hour nanna nap was a welcome break from my busy day.
I met up with the boys at happy hours and we solved a lot of the world’s problems.
Mark met me for a pre-dinner drink and when I got down to dinner on time for the Papaku table booking time of 8.15pm I found Dianne already there and finished her main meal. So she was ready to leave as my soup was served. That’s when all the interaction with the other nearby tables begun.
I met up with Ian for a night cap in the OB and then we had another one in the Sports Bar.
It was after 1 am by the time I got to bed.
Monday 10 October 2016
Another sea day and the conditions were calm and the skies overcast as we made our way south towards Pago Pago.
Brekkie was not too busy as many had chosen to sleep in and eat later. I had the eggs benedict for a change.
I had a leisurely brekkie and read the Aussie news and chatted with a few nearby tables before going down to get ready for another day at sea.
When I got up to my office I noticed folk were sitting there already and was pleasantly surprised to find it was Jo and Ian and they were minding the table for me.
I gave Jo a lesson on Viber and Gmail voice which she appreciated. We chatted for an hour or so and as I didn’t feel hungry I just had 2 hot dog snags for a snack lunch.
Today is Canada Day so there were some special celebrations at lunch time and throughout the day.
I made it down to the cabin for my nana nap about 1.30 pm and had an hours sleep before going up to Happy Hour in the Crows Nest.
Our Happy Hour team of Keith the Kiwi Sea Captain, Ian my Aussie mate and myself have a great time with so many varied topics of conversations.
After I got scrubbed up I had to meet Mark at 7.30 for the South Pacific Dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. Wow what a fantastic menu and I had the Barramundi and Calamari for the main dish.
The Barra was to die for, so fresh, anyone would have thought it was caught a few hours before on the Great Barrier Reef.
The Barra was to die for, so fresh, anyone would have thought it was caught a few hours before on the Great Barrier Reef.
It was a very relaxing and enjoyable meal with great company.
After dinner I met up with Jo and Ian for a night cap in the OB and I think it was about midnight by the time I got to bed.
Tuesday 11 October 2016
I enjoyed a sleep in until 7.30 am before getting ready to go to brekkie. I had a light brekkie as I have Cooking class and then Lunch in the Pinnacle today so I didn’t want to spoil my appetite for lunch.
Today at 10am we crossed the Equator and as usual there was the King Neptune Ceremony which was heaps of fun.
It’s a pleasant sunny day with calm seas and a mild temp of 27C.
The lunch the Pinnacle Grill later was a lively and fun time and we chatted and laughed for ages. The red wine was flowing freely so this assisted with the conversation.
I got in a good nanna nap before Happy Hour.
At 7 pm there were drinks with the officers for the 5 Star Mariners and that proved to be a great gathering as there were only about 30 invited.
Arnold one of the ships doctors joined us for dinner and he was great company.
I finished the evening with a night cap in the OB. Tonight we had to put the clocks back an hour so we had the bonus of an extra hours sleep.
Wednesday 12 October 2016
The sleep in was greatly appreciated and I made it to brekkie 20 minutes late which caused comment from some of the regulars. I only had a light brekkie as I feel I have gained a few kilos with all the good eating on this cruise.
As it was a sea day with rainy overcast but calm weather I decided I would go back to bed.
I ended up having a Papaku alcohol free day so I had room service lunch. I was amazed at how much sleep I had.
I joined the guys for Happy Hour and only drank water up in the Crows Nest.
Returning to my cabin I watched TV and a video so I decided to get room service again for a light dinner and was in bed by 9 pm.
Thursday 13 October 2016
I woke up just after 6 am feeling great and the batteries charged again. I updated this newsletter and then got ready for brekkie in the Pinnacle Grill.
I take up a few Aussie papers each morning to brekkie for some of the other Aussies having brekkie so they have named me the paper boy.
Later in the morning I went to one of the guest lectures on Sport, Change and Community in the Pacific. The Kiwi guy gave a very good presentation.
After the lecture it was off to my Lido Office which of course was taken so I sat with Dianne. I had a hotdog for lunch as I was not that hungry.
My 2 hour nanna nap in my cooler cabin was most welcome as the days are getting warmer and a little more humid.
Happy hour was crowded as there was a Hula dance and Hawaiian dancing show up at the Crows Nest.
I called into the OB for a pre-dinner drink and then went to dinner.
Having decided to have an early night I was down in bed by 9.30 pm.
Friday 14 October 2016
Brekkie was great this morning as I tried some Oatmeal and then followed it with small Ham and cheese omelette. The regulars there are all starting to chat to one another so it is a very friendly place.
We arrived at Pago Pago just after 8 am and a couple were taken away by Ambulance before the other guests could go ashore. The lines to get off blocked my hallway when I was returning from Brekkie and were still there up until 9.50 am. This was further complicated by the ships general drill for the crew.
Just when I was ready to leave the ship to go ashore we experienced a heavy tropical downpour of rain. So I decided to stay on board, well I have been here four or five times before.
I had the Papaku Masarap Chicken Burger for lunch with a glass of wine before going down for my nana nap.
The word is out and I think half the ship went up to the Crows Nest for Happy Hour. OMG it was so crowded and they also had Trivia up there so the noise levels were very high.
Tonight I had dinner with Arnold (The ships Doctor) and Dianne at the Papaku table in the dining room. It was a great meal with lots of good conversation.
I decided to have another early night and was down in by 10 pm but as we have to put the time back an hour it was actually only 9 pm.
Sunday 16 October 2016
As we have crossed the International Date Line we skip a day so therefore there is no Saturday 15 October.
It is another sunny calm sea day as we head towards Suva Fiji. Brekkie was the usual enjoyable meal in the PG.
Mid-morning I went up to Lido and sat with Dianne and entertained other folk that came along to say hello.
I had a Masarap chicken burger for lunch with a glass of Rose before going down for my nanna nap.
I only had a short time with the guys up at happy hour because at 5.30pm I was to meet with Jessica the Hotel Director and Mark to have pre-dinner drinks before they hosted their table for dinner. It was a great group of 8 guests and the conversation flowed well with everyone getting involved. The meal was excellent and most enjoyable.
I decided to have an early night and was in bed by 9.30 pm.
Monday 17 October 2016
Today we arrived in Suva for overcast and rainy weather so I had a leisurely brekkie in the PG and read the Aussie paper.
After brekkie I went down to the cabin to change my flight home as I would not have made it in time to the airport to check in for my 9 am flight to Cairns. I spent 50 minutes on line and as there are no seats available on Qantas I now have a Jetstar flight at 11.35 am so that will give me time to get off the ship and go through Customs, get a taxi and check in on time.
That is a relief even if it means giving up my Business Qantas flight for an economy seat on Jetstar.
That is a relief even if it means giving up my Business Qantas flight for an economy seat on Jetstar.
The rain set in by the mid-morning so I decided to work in my office have lunch and then go down for a nanna nap. This was a wise move as the rain continued all day. As I have been here many times before and done all the tours I was not disappointed by not going ashore.
I did happy hour with the guys in the Crows Nest before getting ready for dinner.
Dinner was a fun time holding court with the waiters and the folks at the nearby tables.
I was back in the cabin by 10 pm and watched a video before going to bed.
Tuesday 18 October 2016
Today we anchored of Dravuni and visits to this small island will be by tender. The rain is still falling so I most likely will give going ashore a miss. It is only a short visit from 7am to 1.30 pm.
I went to brekkie in the PG and gave out the Aussie newspaper to some of the other Aussies. It was a the usual great brekkie.
After getting the laundry sorted and dispatched I went up to the office to do some work.
Well the plan was to pretend I was working and watch a video. No chance a Canadian lady at the table next to me wanted to chat and you know Papaku has been known to like a chat and an hour slipped by very quickly.
Then Dianne came over and started telling me her stories for the hundredth time. OMG Saint Papaku you surprise me with your patience.
Well the plan was to pretend I was working and watch a video. No chance a Canadian lady at the table next to me wanted to chat and you know Papaku has been known to like a chat and an hour slipped by very quickly.
Then Dianne came over and started telling me her stories for the hundredth time. OMG Saint Papaku you surprise me with your patience.
I had a roast beef sandwich for lunch and by now the weather had cleared up for a short time and the views of the island made an excellent background setting as we ate.
I ended up having a fantastic 3 hour nanna nap as the weather turned rainy again.
Happy Hour was a short one as I was a guest for the Taj Mahal Dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. The meal consisted of 6 delectable Indian courses.
The company was fantastic and we had such a great time. Joanne (a President’s Club Member) and I joined Farrah the Marketing Manager and Mark the Culinary Operations Manager for the dinner.
The company was fantastic and we had such a great time. Joanne (a President’s Club Member) and I joined Farrah the Marketing Manager and Mark the Culinary Operations Manager for the dinner.
I called in to the OB for a couple of night caps with Ian and Jo before heading off to bed.
I had a reminder to turn back the clock by an hour, so I watched a video to fill in time and went to bed at the amended time of 11.15pm.
Wednesday 19 October 2016
As today is a sea day I had a leisurely Brekkie. PB was the entertainment for the female staff. I then sorted out the laundry before going up to the office to hold court.
After lunch I went down for a nanna nap at about 1.45 pm.
Well you can imagine how surprised I was when I woke up in the dark and discovered it was 7.45 pm. Yes 6 hours
sleep and I missed happy hour in the Crows Nest.
sleep and I missed happy hour in the Crows Nest.
I quickly got ready and went up to the OB for a pre-dinner drink before going to my table at 8.15 pm.
Well Shock and Horror greeted me to find Dianne entertaining a German lady who I had never met at the Papaku table and not only that they were half way through their meal.
The Boys were quickly starting to set up another place at the table for me. I said no way and went to another vacant table and ate by myself without causing a fuss even though I was fuming.
The Boys were quickly starting to set up another place at the table for me. I said no way and went to another vacant table and ate by myself without causing a fuss even though I was fuming.
Well what’s the point of having the Papaku table if some old lady who has taken advantage of my hospitality and then treated it as if it was her table?
After dinner I went to the OB for a drink and then Arnold the ships Doctor joined me for a few. Of course after my huge nanna nap I was still wide awake so I went down to the Piano Bar for a night cap.
That was a fun place and heaps of laughter so I stayed there until 12.30 am when it closed. I made it to bed by 12.45am.
Thursday 20 October 2016
I headed off to Brekkie at 7.30 am this morning as we had arrived at Port Vila Vanuatu. It is always a very scenic tropical to cruise into. Today promised to be a perfect day with the climate predicted to be mainly fine and max temps in the mid to high 20 Cs.
Brekkie was a fun time and I arranged to take Yelena (Pinnacle Grill Manager) and Leo (Photographic Manager) on a Papaku Port Vila day tour as they had not been here before.
We left the ship at 11 am and went through the market stalls on the wharf and caught a water taxi into the town. This was a fantastic way to travel and see the sights from the sea. There was so much re-construction going on and there was still some evidence of the damage caused by the cyclone earlier this year.
Our first stop was the Oyster Bar overlooking the sea and harbour where we enjoyed a local beer and toe tapped to the music of by the very talented singer and musician.
Then we set out on the mission for Mark to purchase hot and spicy sauces. Well after going to nearly every shop and the markets we realised all was in vain so we gave up the search and headed off to the Grand Hotel for lunch. Mark the things we do for you!!
It was so funny on our walk to the hotel to hear the calls of Papaku Papaku, but what was different they were coming from other passengers of the ship.
We all decided on the fish and what a beaut choice that proved to be. We were seated out on the deck overlooking the harbour. What a fantastic venue for a relaxed meal and drink. Yelena tried her first fresh coconut and drank the milk through a straw.
After lunch we took an air-conditioned taxi on a short tour before going back to the ship.
I got back to the ship just in time to make it to Happy Hour in the Crows Nest. It was great to swap stories of our shore adventures with the guys at the bar.
After a shower I had a pre-dinner in to the OB before going to dinner.
The roast chicken was an excellent choice and made it a delightful meal as I held court with the nearby tables.
I went to the show with Ian and Joe to see the Irish Comedian Patrick McCullagh. He was bloody hopeless and not so funny at all (in my opinion). I fell asleep; well I did miss out on the nanna nap. I think he was here as it as far away from Ireland as possible because he would have been booed off stage in Ireland.
I headed off to bed just after 11 pm.
Friday 21 October 2016
It was a perfect postcard scenic morning for our arrival at the tropical island of Easo, Lifou. The photos can show the scene much better than I can describe this beautiful site.
What a fantastic background setting to enjoy my brekkie and read the news.
Today was a tender port, so I decided to stay onboard and work from my office for a while. Ian came along after a while so I joined him for a pre-lunch drink on the rear Lido deck. I decided on a Wang Wang as I hadn’t had one so far on this cruise.
For lunch I had some pizza slices with my Rose. Then it was off to have the nanna nap. The Barman said he would give me a wakeup call at 3.45 pm so I wouldn’t over sleep like the other day.
Happy Hour was very busy and to top it off there was Trivia so the noise levels were very high. It was beaut after the trivia and Happy hour had ended it was a pleasure to have a drink in a nice peaceful bar.
Then it was off to get cleaned up and get ready for the Officer’s and 5 Star Cocktails. This was another pleasant function before Dinner.
I had the Papaku Table to myself so this gave me the freedom to engage with the other nearby tables as we had our meal.
After dinner I called in on the show starring Alana Conway from Australia and what a show this talented young 26 year old put on. She had the voice of an angel and her Harp playing skills were excellent.
I had one Night cap in the OB and was in bed by 11.15 pm.
Saturday 22 October 2016
We arrived early in the commercial part of the Port of Noumea so shuttle busses were required to drive us to the Terminal.
I had a leisurely brekkie in the PG and Mark joined me for coffee.
After organising my laundry I got ready to go ashore. The first step was to take the shuttle into the cruise terminal. As I was walking around the town I heard the Aussie call of QueWee so I looked around and there was Jo and Ian so we joined forces to walk along the scenic waterfront.
Then when we thought we had had enough exercise we headed back to the terminal where we had some fun with the local ladies selling tours.
Back on the ship we sat at my office and had drinks and a late light lunch. Actually Ian shared half my Papaku Masarap Chicken Burger.
The roast turkey was my choice for the main meal for dinner which was a very good choice. Then I joined Jo and Ian for a coffee as they finished their Le Cirque dinner.
I was in bed by 11.30 pm.
Sunday 23 October 2016
Today is the first of 2 sea days as we head towards Sydney. The seas are calm and the temps have cooled down a bit. I had a light brekkie in the PG as today there is the Mariner’s Brunch.
I was invited to the reception before the brunch where I was awarded my platinum medallion so that meant getting a photo with the Captain and the Hotel Director.
The brunch was excellent and instead of sitting up with the VIP’s I sat with Ian and Jo and we had a great time.
Ian and I adjourned to the Lido Bar for a after lunch drink, OMG it was so cold up there. It was beaut to get down to the cabin to warm up and have my nana nap.
I got in a great 2 hour sleep before I got the wakeup call to go to Happy Hour.
Tonight was a Gala night which I have named Galah night
which is supposed to mean a formal night. The Officers Black and White ball was held up in the Crows Nest starting at 10 pm.
I gave it a miss and went to the OB for a night Cap. Just after 11 pm I was joined by Joanne (Madam Presidents Club) and Mark for a night cap.
I gave it a miss and went to the OB for a night Cap. Just after 11 pm I was joined by Joanne (Madam Presidents Club) and Mark for a night cap.
I called it a night and was in bed by 11.45 pm.
Monday 24 October 2015
This morning there is a lot more motion in the Ocean as we plough through the bigger seas towards Sydney. Today is the last day of the cruise as tomorrow we disembark in Sydney.
Well you know what that means, yes the packing. Well actually I’m fairly organised as I have had my laundry for the past week come back folded so it’s just a matter of putting it in the bags.
Brekkie was the usual fun time in the PG with interaction with the other tables.
Meatloaf was on the menu for cooking class today and I had a great team to help me with the cooking. I never realised there was so much involved in creating this dish.
Lunch was in the PG afterwards and the company was excellent.
I had a nanna nap before going up to my last Happy hour for the cruise. It’s always a bit of sad time saying goodbyes to all the new friends of over the past month.
I spent a little time to finalise the packing as the last of the laundry had come back. What a relief to have the packing (a job I hate) finished. I could relax now.
Ian and Jo invited me to dinner with them at their table for the last dinner. It was a beaut meal and the company was excellent. I had the roast beef and it was done to perfection.
I joined Ian for one final night cap in the OB and I was in bed by 11.15 pm.
Tuesday 25 October 2016
I was up at 5 am and did a final bit of internet before my time ran out.
It was a relief to arrive in the smooth waters of Sydney harbour just before 6 am and see the skyline of the tall buildings against the sunrise sky as we made our way up to the White Island Cruise Terminal.
The golden rays of the newly risen sun looked fantastic on the Sails of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. We passed under ‘the bridge’ as we proceeded along to the Dock.
I had a quick brekkie with Mark before leaving the ship.
Oh the reality of leaving the ship where Papaku becomes Pat Dunworth.
The official process of Customs and Immigration went very efficiently and I was on the coach to the Airport within 20 minutes of leaving the ship.
I had a snack at the Qantas Club before flying out of Sydney to Brisbane. The flight was excellent and the skies so clear it was like flying over a giant Google Map.
I had a 2 hour stay over in Brissie so I had some lunch in the Qantas Club and caught up with some friends in Brisbane by phone. Then it was back to the flight to Cairns.
Again this flight was excellent as we flew the 1600 kms over and along the coastline up to Cairns with again perfect flying conditions. The Great Barrier Reef was a brilliant sight from the air.
My friend Graham was there to pick me up and take me home via the supermarket to get a few supplies.
So back home again and I start the countdown for the next cruise to the Amazon in November 2016.
