Kauai to Vancouver – day 5 at sea

Posted on October 23, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 23, 2022 – Day 5 at sea aboard Koningsdam

2022 Hawai’i Cruise

I wake up to a dreary, wet morning, although the sunrise over the ocean is a beautiful study in blue (see banner photo above). We are obviously approaching Vancouver and sailing into the weather I took this cruise to escape!

Captain’s Report

210 miles to Victoria pilot station
2,145 nm from Nawiliwili
18.9 kts average speed from Kaua’i
Arrivals
- 8:15PM – Cape Flattery
- 6:30AM sailing under Lion’s Gate Bridge
- 7:15AM dock at Canada Place

HAL Your (wildlife) Shot – Naturalist Natalie shows passengers’ photos of wildlife they have taken while on this cruise. I tell her about finding the White-chinned Petrel resting on the Promenade deck on Oct 19th. If she had known, she would have picked the bird up using a towel, and thrown it overboard, where it would have had the best chance of survival. I wish I had known…instead of telling Customer Service about the bird.

I meet a friend in the Crow’s Nest Lounge for an afternoon drink while it pours rain outside. Even though it is a repeat performance, I listen to the Lincoln Center Stage ensemble one last time, and give them a positive review in the Navigator app. I go for dinner in the Lido, having my favourite salmon fillets with vegetables and jasmine rice. By the time I finish my meal, the server comes around to offer me water! Service in the Lido continues to be very spotty.

I pack all my non-essential stuff late this afternoon, pull out all the valuables from the safe, and empty all the drawers and closets so I don’t leave anything behind when I disembark tomorrow. I finish by 7PM, so I go up to the Crow’s Nest for one last drink, but the new server up there never comes by, so I go to the Dutch Cafe and have a brown ale while I sit working on my photos on my notebook computer. I verify with the barista Kaye that they will be open tomorrow morning, so I can go down there for my cappuccino and breakfast before I disembark.

Kauai to Vancouver – day 4 at sea

Posted on October 23, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 22, 2022 – Day 4 at sea aboard Koningsdam

2022 Hawai’i cruise

I’m up in the middle of the night and look out the verandah window to see the stars of Orion shining brightly in a clear sky, and the brighter ones are even reflecting off the calm sea. So I try taking some night photos using my Canon R5 and manage to handhold a decent shot using high ISO.

I sleep in until just after 8AM, get dressed and go down to the Grand Dutch Cafe for my breakfast of cappuccino, bran muffin and yogurt, cereal and fruit parfait. My cabin steward thanks me for the cash I gave him yesterday to share with his partner for their good service.

EXC Talk: Catching Waves – The Story of Surfing – Cruise Director Jayme

Captain’s Report

19.1 kts average speed
631 nm to Victoria
25 kt wind from NNW
4m waves

I go down to the Grand Dutch Cafe for a late lunch of Dutch Pea soup with buttered pumpernickel bread and speck ham, and finish with a Triple Berry Pannenkoek.

On Music Walk: The British Isles – interesting arrangements of Danny Boy for piano, Beatles for string, and they finish with Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen). Performed by the chamber music quartet at Lincoln Center Stage.

Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail and sparkling rose French wine - Pinnacle Grill — Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail and sparkling rose French wine – Pinnacle Grill

My last included premium restaurant with the Have It All package happens this evening at the Pinnacle Grill (see banner photo above). I start with the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail with brandy-horseradish cocktail sauce and accompanied by a sparkling rose French wine. My main course is the rather large Boneless 12 oz ribeye steak with Bernaise sauce, onion rings, sautéed mushrooms and a loaded baked potato. Dessert is the Jacques Torres Chocolate souffle. I’m a bit uncomfortable by this point – too much rich food! The service is uninspiring, however the food is very good, although I played safe ordering the steak since I know Holland America is having supply issues with the seafood side of the menu.

Kauai to Vancouver – day 3 at sea

Posted on October 21, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 21, 2022 – Day 3 at sea aboard Koningsdam

2022 Hawai’i cruise

Sunrise over the ocean with the Crescent Moon high in the sky

The ship’s clocks advanced an hour last night as we sail east. The sunrise this morning is beautiful, which I can see from my verandah since I’m on the southeast-facing side of the ship. The Crescent Moon is high in the sky, above the impressive clouds to our south at sunrise. As usual, I go to the Grand Dutch Cafe for breakfast: cappuccino, blueberry muffin, fruit & yogurt parfait. I spend some time in the Crow’s Nest Lounge this morning, chatting with my fellow passengers and working on my photos. The man I talked with yesterday who’s wife has COVID-19 and is in isolation, has tested negative for the second time, so he will stay in their original stateroom while she remains in quarantine.

I attend the Stanley Park: Vancouver’s Crown Jewel presentation by our new naturalist at 1PM, but leave after she gets a couple of facts wrong about the park. I go for lunch in the Lido, having two lovely grilled fillets of Salmon with some rice. It is a beautiful day outside with smooth seas (see banner photo above), so I spend some time on my verandah enjoying the 20ºC calm weather, although its no longer warm enough to stay out there too long.

Ask the Captain is presented by Captain Henk Draper at 3PM in Main Stage, with an intro before and questions after from the Cruise Director Jayme. The captain has a dry sense of humour, sharing that his wife is aboard with him, and he has plans to retire within the next year after having worked for Holland America as a bridge officer since 1994. He reveals they kept 92 crew on board the ship during the pandemic shutdown. He wryly observes that it would be nice to have faster Internet on the ship from SpaceX’s Starlink, considering Holland America’s current satellite Internet is down fleet-wide today. The ship is currently running at just over 20 knots to try to outrun a weather system that promises to bring much bigger seas and winds than we are currently experiencing unless we can get ahead of it.

Yunita (waiter) and Himli (chef) at Nami Sushi, Tamaraind restaurant

Since it is dressy night, I make a reservation to have dinner at Nami Sushi at 6PM this evening – my favourite specialty restaurant (along with Tamarind) aboard Koningsdam. I go early to have a martini in the bar before dinner, and then have the yummy Hamachi, Salmon and Scallop ceviche again – so good! My main course is the Thai Basil Szechuan Shrimp – giant-sized shrimp and such a lovely spicy dish. I have amazing service from my server Tunita, chef Hilmi, and the sushi chef. Such superb food, and the bartender was great too…sadly, only two days left. US$29.50 for the a la cart items, a saving of $10 over the US$38 standard charge for Tamarind. It’s a 3-martini night, but I only have to find my stateroom, so who cares?

I finish the evening in the Crow’s Nest, where it is quiet. I give my Jethro Mobile prepaid SIM to the barista in the Explorations Cafe, so she can call home when the ship is in USA ports. It has unlimited calling to most countries, and there is still 1.2Gb of data on it, even after me using it while in Hawai’i.

Kauai to Vancouver – day 2 at sea

Posted on October 20, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 20, 2022 – Day 2 at sea aboard Koningsdam

2022 Hawai’i cruise

Apparently there are 1,617 Canadians and 608 Americans aboard, which illustrates how appealing a return sailing out of Vancouver is to Canadians. It’s also appealing to many dedicated cruisers who are weary of cancelled sailings, and waiting over two years for pandemic travel restrictions to ease sufficiently so they can enjoy themselves.

The Wizard of Wireless – Marconi– an EXC Talk delivered by Cruise Director Jayme

1901 first signal from England to Newfoundland
1903 first signal from England to Boston
Marconi radios aboard the Titanic – new technology at the time

Captain’s Report

18.1 kts average
19 kts needed to arrive on time in Vancouver

I talk with a man in the Crow’s Nest who’s wife has COVID-19 and is in isolation in a separate stateroom, as well as a woman seated beside us who’s husband is on oxygen with pneumonia. The man who’s wife has COVID-19 tested negative, but he will be tested again tomorrow. I walk the upper decks this afternoon, taking some photos of the ship’s sports facilities: pickle ball (see banner image above), jogging, swimming. I’m impressed by the size of the bow waves from the big swells we are currently sailing through.

Grilled Blue Marlin in the Main Dining Room

I have dinner in the Main Dining Room this evening with a couple from Kelowna I met earlier. The Grilled Blue Marlin main course is very good, accompanied with a couple of glasses of white wine. Marlin can be dry when grilled, but this is done to perfection, so it’s quite moist.

BBC Earth Presents: Planet Earth II in Concert – accompanied by the ship’s musicians. It’s a good documentary, but I walk out after the first two scenes since this is the same production I saw aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam earlier this year while on my Alaska cruise.

BBC Earth Presents: Planet Earth II in Concert - accompanied by the musicians — BBC Earth Presents: Planet Earth II in Concert – accompanied by the musicians

Kauai to Vancouver – day 1 at sea

Posted on October 19, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 19, 2022 – Day 1 at sea aboard Koningsdam

2022 Hawai’i cruise

Our first day at sea out of Hawaii is pretty rough. Although the outside decks are not closed, everyone is weaving a bit when walking. Most passengers are wearing masks today – a good thing! I have breakfast in the Grand Dutch Cafe: cappuccino, blueberry muffin and a fruit and yogurt parfait.

Captain Cook – The often-surprising tale of a well-traveled explorer – an EXC Talk delivered by Cruise Director Jayme.

At noon, the captain reports we are averaging just over 16 knots but need to average 18 knots to arrive in Vancouver at the scheduled time. The 20 knot NE wind we are currently bucking is predicted to switch to a southerly later this afternoon, so that should help increase the ship’s speed. The captain also mentions there are cases of the virus onboard, “so be careful out there, wear a mask, and wash your hands often.”

Shades of Buble performing on Main Stage

This evening I listen to the two piano players playing pop tunes in the Billboard Onboard lounge while enjoying a Tanqueray 10 gin martini (see banner photo above), and then briefly listen to the adjacent Rolling Stones Rock Room musicians playing a good rendition of House of the Rising Sun while all us old folks get in the groove! I catch the late show of Shades of Buble performing on Main Stage – a 3-man tribute to Michael Buble’s music. They sound great, and put on a good show backed by the ship’s musicians.

Before retiring to my stateroom, I take another walk around the Promenade Deck, finding a White-chinned Petrel resting on the deck. I report it to the Customer Service desk, asking them to consult with the on-board naturalist to deal with the situation. White-chinned Petrels are known to follow ships out to sea, so this isn’t entirely unexpected.

Senior ship's officers and crew — Senior ship’s officers and crew

Vancouver to Maui – day 5

Posted on October 13, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 13, 2022 – Day 4 at sea aboard Koningsdam

2022 Hawai’i cruise

I have a look at the Main Dining Room for breakfast around 9AM, but the line up puts me off, so I have a Cappuccino, blueberry muffin an a fruit/yogurt parfait in the Royal Dutch Cafe, which is not busy. I have a chicken burger, fries and a Dos Equis XX beer for lunch, eating at the Lido Bar, since there is no other nearby seating.

I booked this cruise partly to try out Holland America’s Pinnacle class ships, which Koningsdam is the first built, with capacity for 2,600 passengers. I’m finding this ship is significantly more crowded, with line-ups or no seats left at most popular venues. Even though Holland America’s smaller ships have fewer venues, I never encountered these problems on past voyages. Perhaps some of the crowding is due to inexperienced staff still learning how to be efficient when serving passengers, but I think they were generally doing a great job under the circumstances.

Guide to Hawaiian Reefs – Naturalist John gives another comprehensive talk, this time about reefs to be found in Hawai’i

Coral polyps are the living part of coral
7,000 species in NW Hawaiian reefs
Fringe Reef
- Lanidai, Oahu – pristine
Barrier Reef
- Kanaohe Bay, Oahu – manmade harm
Atoll
- Kure Atoll, NW Hawaiian Island
Hard Corals
Soft Corals – look like plants, no stoney skeletons
Species (Hawaiian names)
- Trigger fish
- Long-nosed Butterfly fish
- Urchins (wana)
- Surgeon fishes
  - Yellow tang
  - Convict tang
- Parrot
- Butterfly
- Wrasse – 600 species
- Morris Idol – looks like an angelfish
- Trumpet fish
- Lionfish – Dragonfly fish
- Squirrel fish
- Octopus (He’e)
- Sharks (mano)
  - Black-tipped
- Manta Ray (hahalua)
- Jellyfish (olea)
  - Man-O-War
  - Nudibranch
- Green Sea Turtle (Honu)
- Monk seal

Joe with his 70th birthday cake in the Tamarind restaurant

Today is my 70th birthday, the reason I’m on this cruise. I have a reservation at the Tamarind Asian Fusion restaurant for dinner, so I get dressed up before heading up to the Tamarind bar for a Tanqueray 10 Martini to start things off. Once seated, I have a glass of Proscecco sparkling Italian wine with my starter: Chinese Five Spice Baby Back Ribs with masago, pineapple, red chili, scallions. My main course: Mongolian Barbeque Lamb Chops with baby bok choy, toasted sesame seeds, mirin plum sauce with Oyster Sauce, Dungeness Crab Fried Rice. As usual, the staff are right on top of things, bringing me a chocolate happy birthday cake with some lychee sorbet.

When I return to my stateroom to freshen up, my room steward brings me a chocolate cupcake with birthday wishes from the captain. I end the evening in the Crow’s Nest lounge, where I meet some friends for drinks. What a wonderful birthday, celebrated on my terms aboard this beautiful ship!

Celebrating Joe's 70th birthday in the Crow's Nest lounge with Marilyn and Lyle aboard Koningsdam, sailing the North Pacific Ocean — Celebrating Joe’s 70th birthday in the Crow’s Nest lounge with Marilyn and Lyle aboard Koningsdam, sailing the North Pacific Ocean

Vancouver to Maui – day 3

Posted on October 11, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 11, 2022 – Day 3 at sea aboard Koningsdam

2022 Hawai’i cruise

The ship changed time zones last night to Hawai’i time – back another hour.

Lox, cream cheese and bagel for breakfast

I couldn’t face the lines to have breakfast in the Lido or the Main Dining Room, so I ordered breakfast last night to have in my stateroom. So this morning I enjoy my favourite bagel, lox and cream cheese, fruit, yogurt and pastries. I ordered breakfast for 9AM, so I have time to pick up a cappuccino from the Explorations Cafe ahead of time. I also get a Perrier sparkling water to take back to my stateroom to put in the fridge for later. So decadent!

I go for a walk on the Upper Promenade Deck after breakfast. It is 21ºC and 82% humidity outside this morning at 10AM as I walk around the ship twice, which gives me 19 minutes of my 30 minute daily target for exercise. The view of the wake from the stern tells me we are getting closer to tropical waters, since the colour is now a lovely blue colour (see banner image above).

The shops are having a 75% off sale today and I need a pair of shorts, but I don’t see any on sale. I talk myself out of going to a free massage sampler in the spa, instead going up to the Explorations Cafe for a second cappuccino. I find a spot in the Captain’s Lounge, which is is a bit quieter, since it’s partitioned from the activities going on in the Crow’s Nest lounge.

Captain’s Noon Report: It is 1,100 nm to Kahalui, and we have sailed 1,200 nm from Vancouver. We need to average 17.3 kts to arrive in Kahalui on time at 4AM on October 14th.

Dutch pea soup and Beenham sandwich - Royal Dutch Cafe — Dutch pea soup and Beenham sandwich – Royal Dutch Cafe

I very much enjoy the Dutch pea soup and Beenham sandwich (ham and mustard on a crusty corn role) for lunch in the Royal Dutch Cafe. This cafe is quickly becoming my favourite for a quick meal or snack, and they are open from 7AM to 8PM, so it’s very convenient when other food venues are busy.

I attend a complementary James Suckling Wine Tasting offered this afternoon in the Main Dining Room for 4 & 5 star Mariners. I’m not a wine connoisseur, however I find the five wines presented to us interesting, and some I even like, despite the high prices (up to US$78) for a bottle. The sommelier relates interesting history for each vintner, gives us the strong points offered by each wine, and what foods go best with each.

Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut NV, Columbia Valley, Washington State – nice bubbly, but too dry for me
Los Vascos Chardonnay 2019, Domains Barons de Rothschild, Colchagua Valley, Chile – not for me
Domaine Ott Rose 2019, Clos Mireille, Cotes de Provence, France – beautiful earthy undertone over dried fruit, but light-tasting. The best of the five wines for me.
Craggy Range Pinot Noir 2015, Martinborough, New Zealand – OK, but not a wine I would buy
Ruffino Modus 2015, Super Tuscan Blend, Tuscany, Italy – a very good, full-bodied red

Hamachi, salmon and scallop ceviche in Nami Sushi/Tamarind

I go to Nami Sushi for dinner this evening, which is part of my favourite Tamarind restaurant, but it is priced a la cart. I have a Tanqueray 10 Martini in the bar, and then I’m seated at the sushi bar. I have Hamachi, salmon and scallop ceviche to start, and Penang chicken curry and Jasmine rice for the main. Both are delicious, and very much worth the US$24 charge to have a civilized dinner instead of doing battle with the crowds at the Lido, or coping with the long lineup at the Main Dining Room.

Seven Worlds One Planet in Concert – 7:30pm – World Stage, 2 & 3 – Breathtaking footage from BBC Earth’s Seven Worlds One Planet with live orchestration performed by the Koningsdam Lincoln Center musicians.

Vancouver to Maui – day 2

Posted on October 10, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 10, 2022 – Day 2 at sea aboard Koningsdam

2022 Hawai’i cruise

We changed time zones last night to Alaska time – back 1 hour. I go down to the Grand Dutch Cafe for breakfast: cappuccino, blueberry muffin and a fruit & yogurt parfait.

Seabirds of the North Pacific – Naturalist John basically takes us through his biology thesis during his 45 minute presentation in World Stage. No doubt it was too deep for most of the audience, but he certainly knows his oceanic species, as my notes reveal.

Cold to warm water – San Francisco to Hawaii
Diving birds close to the North American coastline
- Shearwaters – surface and swim underwater
- Brant’s Cormorant – diver
- Tufted Puffin – skimmers
- Common Murre
- Pigeon Guillemot – red feet, divers
- Brown Pelican – plunge divers very close to shore
- Western Gull – eats anything
Subsurface Predators near Hawai’i
- Humpback whale
- Spotted, Striped & Bottle-nosed dolphin
- Elephant seal
Hawaiian ocean birds
- Black-footed Albatross- dynamic soaring
- Layson Albatross – 7-8′ wingspan
- Leechy
- Hawaiian Petrel
- Wedge-tailed Shearwater – sensitive to artificial lights – collisions
Hawaiian shore birds
- Red-footed, Brown, Masked Booby – diving, plunging
- Frigatebird – stealing food, don’t have webbed feet so they drown if they land on the water
- White, Red-tailed Tropicbird – long tail feathers
- Brown & Black Noddy – plunge divers
- Sooty Tern – most abundant
- White Tern – urban nesters

I attend the Kahului, Maui Port Talk, but I don’t pick up any useful information that I don’t already know. Since there are no lines at 1PM, I have lunch in the Main Dining Room. I’m seated by myself between two server stations, so it’s very noisy. I have a Heineken beer and a rather uninspiring Croque Monsieur.

On Music Walk: La Musica Latina - Lincoln Center Stage quartet — On Music Walk: La Musica Latina – Lincoln Center Stage quartet

On Music Walk: La Musica Latina – the art of the Tango. This performance by the Lincoln Center quartet reminds me of my visit to Argentina and Uruguay in 2020.

Later in the afternoon, I return to the Crow’s Nest to enjoy the Aloha Sunset Music Hour again. I have some good conversation with my fellow Canadians while enjoying two very nicely made Tanqueray 10 Martinis.

I have to wait for over an hour to be seated in the Main Dining Room for dinner, since it is Canadian Thanksgiving today. I find the turkey, stuffing and vegetables are nothing special, but I appreciate the effort by the chefs and enjoy the company of my fellow Canadians while seated at a large table for dinner.

Vancouver to Maui – day 1

Posted on October 9, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 9, 2022 – Day 1 at sea aboard Koningsdam

2022 Hawai’i cruise

I attend a meet-and-greet for the Facebook group for this cruise this morning. There is a good crowd, but of course there are a lot of old folks like me, and mainly Canadians! It’s held in the Captain’s Lounge, a private function area in the Crow’s Nest.

I have lunch on the Lido Pool deck, having a Dive In (Impossible) burger and fries, along with a Heineken beer. The burger tastes very good and the fries are nice and crispy. Since I purchased the Have-It-All (HIA) package, I’m having beer, wine and cocktails at every opportunity, since they are included.

I see a World View Films: Where the Crawdads Sing – a 2-hour love story movie with murder involved. I almost get up and leave the World Stage a couple of times due to disturbing scenes, but manage to sit through the whole movie – a first for me for many years.

Kalehua, Kimo, Lani & Braddah J in the Crow’s Nest Lounge. Aboard Koningsdam, North Pacific Ocean

There are a group of four Hawaiians aboard for our Vancouver to Hawai’i segment. They entertain everyone during Happy Hour in the Crow’s Nest with their Aloha Sunset Music Hour, a combination of Hawaiian music and hula dance.

It is Dressy Night aboard ship, so after having drinks and conversation with a couple from the mid-west and another couple from Kelowna, B.C., we decide to have dinner together in the Main Dining room. I stop in my stateroom to put on dressier clothes before meeting them downstairs.

The ship’s Step One Dance Company performs: Humanity in the Main Stage this evening, a great performance with a South Beach vibe which I enjoyed while sipping a Benedictine & Brandy liqueur.

Kaua’i to Vancouver – day 5 at sea

Posted on October 16, 2017 by JoeTourist

Monday, Oct 16, 2017 – Kaua’i, Hawai’i to Vancouver, BC

Hawai’i Cruise 2017

Crepuscular rays at sunrise over the Pacific Ocean

The ship’s clock is set forward one hour again last night. I’m awake at 5AM and see Crepuscular rays at sunrise over the ocean, so take some photos before going back to bed to sleep in until just after 8AM. I go to the main dining room for my cappuccino and breakfast. I’m seated at a table with a couple from Nanaimo, a woman from Ohio, and a man from the Silicon Valley.

This is our last day aboard the ship before we disembark in Vancouver tomorrow morning. Some lucky passengers are staying on the ship as it transitions to the Caribbean ending in Fort Lauderdale. I have heard some passengers want to extend their cruise, but the ship is fully-booked out of Vancouver. There are many more people aboard in wheelchairs than on my previous voyages with Holland America. I’m thinking this might be because there was only one tender port on this cruise (Lahaina), so these people could disembark at all the other ports-of-call.

While we are having lunch in the main dining room, Captain Scott comes on the PA system to report that we are a bit ahead of schedule, so we will be in Juan de Fuca Strait by 6PM this evening, will pick up the pilot off Victoria at 11PM, and will dock in Vancouver by 5AM tomorrow morning.

Lawrence Tartaglino’s Talk: Vancouver: The Man, Island and the City – George Vancouver was one of Britain’s greatest navigators and cartographers; a man who influenced the world, yet died in almost total obscurity. This is the story of his life and legacy.

I learned that George Vancouver settled the details of the Nootka Convention of 1790 between Spain and England with Bodega y Quadra. He circumnavigated the world from England to Africa, Australia, Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest of North America, then around Cape Horn and back the England – some 65,000 miles!

I go over to my friends’ cabin for a sip of wine at 4PM…the last of the white riesling we had last night at the Tamarind, and I then go for a two circuit 1km walk on the Upper Promenade deck. We are into some serious rollers coming from a northerly direction…I expect we are now over the continental shelf, and out of deep water. It is raining and foggy as the ship enters Juan de Fuca Strait to rendezvous with the pilot just off Victoria’s shoreline. I spot the two little Pomeranian dogs that are aboard as part of the magician and illusionist show.

The farewell march by the kitchen staff through the Eurodam's main dining room — The farewell march by the kitchen staff through the Eurodam’s main dining room

My friends and I change our minds about dining in the Lido and instead decide to go to the main dining room for dinner this evening. The Executive Chefs are featured on the menu, so there are some interesting menu choices! We all select the lamb shank, which is slow-roasted with the bone-in just like I get from our local Greek restaurants. I have potato soup with shrimp to start, and finish with chocolate ginger mouse cake. It is all superb! The farewell march by the kitchen staff through the dining room happens as well, so we all give them a well-deserved round of applause.

When I return to my cabin, I pack everything except what I will need for the morning. I am rolling my own bag off the ship, so I don’t have to put my bag out this evening…a much better option since I can finish packing last minute items tomorrow morning. I have breakfast ordered to be delivered to my room tomorrow morning, so I will stay out of the passageways until it’s time for me to leave the ship at 8:30AM.

I go up to the Crow’s Nest on the north side of the ship and catch an LTE connection from my Canadian cellular carrier from there. Once I catch up on a few online things, I shut down and return to my cabin. It faces south, so I’m picking up AT&T, so I make sure I shut off data roaming before I go to bed at 10PM.