The captain comes on the PA system this morning at 8AM to tell us our cruise will be ending when we arrive in Santiago. Holland America has decided to suspend operations worldwide for 30 days. Needless to say, all the passengers are upset, depressed, and rather anxious about what comes next.
I go on my excursion this morning, which is a standard city tour, including: the Plaza de Armas Muñoz Gamero which includes a statue of Magellan, Cerro de la Cruz viewpoint of the city and the Strait of Magellan, and Maggiorino Borgatello museum. Our last stop is Museo Nao Victoria, which has life-size replicas of three historic ships: HMS Beagle (Darwin’s ship), Nao Victoria (Magellan’s ship), and Goleta Ancud (a Chilean exploration and colonization vessel).
The captain makes another report this afternoon at 4pm, telling us that Argentina has closed their ports to cruise ships, so our scheduled stop in Ushuaia tomorrow won’t be happening. He outlined an enhanced scenic cruising schedule to fill in the time before our next port-of-call, Puerto Mont on the west coast of Chile. I adjourn to the Explorations Lounge, to consider all this ominous news today.
Free wi-fi and worldwide telephone calling is now available to all passengers so they can keep in touch with their families and friends, make any needed arrangements, and keep up on the world news.
I go to the main dining room and have a lovely prime rib dinner, and after go to see Planet Earth II in concert, a BBC Earth movie. I enjoy this well-done documentary, but the sound is far too loud.
I go for breakfast in the main dining room this morning. I am the last to join the table, but the other four people wait for about an hour for service. One couple is from Sydney, Australia, and are veteran cruisers. The other couple are from Burlington/Toronto area.
Captain’s noon report:
He will immediately notify us of any changes caused by coronavirus that will impact our cruise
Princess Cruises is suspending operations for two months
Our position: 52° 40’S 65° 16’ W
Arrive at pilot station at 9:30pm
Punta Arenas – 5:00am arrival
Lots of currents in the Strait of Magellan, so navigation will be challenging
Tomorrow’s weather: cloudy, some showers, cool
Heading from Falkland Islands to Magellan Strait
Everyone aboard has filled out a health questionnaire for the Chilean government, so hopefully we are clear to enjoy the numerous ports-of-call in that country. From my perspective, we have been on the ship for a week, and everyone appears to be healthy, so I’m inclined to stay on the ship and complete the cruise. I have confidence that Holland America will take care of everyone as best they can, no matter what situation might develop. Despite being anxious, I refuse to succumb to fear, and I detect the same attitude among most of my fellow passengers, including my travel companion.
As I walk circuits on the Promenade Deck this morning, we are currently sailing through thick fog. The ship’s horn is sounding every couple of minutes, making our voyage feel particularly “nautical”. Later in the afternoon, the skies clear, and we have remarkably calm seas as we approach the Strait of Magellan.
I have a cappuccino and a brownie in the Exploration Lounge just after noon, and find a recliner to sit in. I strike up a conversation with the man sitting beside me about the coronavirus and how it might affect our cruise. Like us, he is sailing all the way to Fort Lauderdale. He is also taking a wait-and-see approach, and trying to remain calm. He lives in Texas, about 800 miles from Ft. Lauderdale, so he isn’t concerned about getting back home, but the uncertainty of our cruise completing as originally planned is obviously on everyones’ mind.
I go to see the live show this evening in Main Stage: the cello-playing Polish duo Celli and an illusionist who starts the show with a few card tricks. Neither act are too terrific compared with their previous performances. I go outside on deck to see the stars from the Southern Hemisphere under a clear sky.
Clouds off the coast of Peru lit by the setting Moon
Neither my friend nor I sleep much on this long 9.5-hour flight…just half hour naps once in awhile. I admire the Moon setting over the Pacific Ocean as we approach Lima. The light from the Moon illuminates the clouds below us – very pretty. Later, with a darker sky once the Moon has set, I observe the Southern Milky Way.
United flight path from Houston to Buenos Aires
The sun rises as we fly off the coast of Chile, so I can see the thick cloud cover below us. The aircraft has travelled down the coast on a southerly route, but makes a turn to head southeast to Buenos Aires two hours before our arrival. When the heading changes just north of Coquimbo, Chile, we lose our 50 mph tailwind and pickup a 15 mph headwind increasing to 25 mph, which explains why we were flying this heading down the west coast of South America.
We cross over the Andes Mountains and then the Pampas as we approach Buenos Aires. The headwind picks up to 58 mph as we get closer to the airport. Buenos Aires airport is quite large, and our 777 is given the second-to-last gate, so we have quite a hike to get to the immigration hall, where there are well over a thousand people waiting to be processed. We manage to pick a just-formed line, and get through in under a half hour, claim our checked bags, and clear customs. The Holland America reps are waiting for us in their orange shirts to take our checked bags from us, and we board a bus which transfers us to the dock area.
The cruise check-in process is a bit convoluted, since we now have to clear Argentinian immigration again, fill in a health questionnaire about the coronavirus, before being processed by Holland America. We obtain our key cards for the ship, and give our passports to Holland America for safekeeping and so they can clear us at each port-of-call.
Once we go aboard and find our stateroom, we get cleaned up a bit and go for lunch in the Lido. By the time we return to our stateroom, our checked bags are waiting for us. I call home to let my family know I’ve arrived without a problem and I’m aboard the ship. Later, we have dinner in the Main Dining Room. My friend has a pork rib entree that looks great and I have very tasty Flat Iron Steak with grilled onions, and a cappuccino for dessert.
We are both obviously very, very tired after our 22-hour marathon travel session, so a good sleep is welcome! Tomorrow, we get to explore Buenos Aires before our departure.
I wake up at 6:30AM as the Royal Clipper enters Bridgetown harbour and docks. It takes until 8:30AM for the ship to be cleared by customs and immigration. I don’t have to rush, since my airport transfer is scheduled between 9:30AM and 10AM. I go to the dining room and have an omelette and coffee with my friends, and say my goodbyes to them. I then leave the ship for the last time, retrieve my big bag in the cruise ship terminal, and clear customs and immigration.
There are three big cruise ships in port in addition to our tiny ship: P&O Azura, Seaborn Odyssey and Norwegian Escape, so there are lots of people in the terminal, and it’s a bit chaotic. That said, the Barbadians are well-organized, and keep people moving onto their tour buses. I have pre-booked a van transfer direct to the airport, so I can pick up my rental car for the next few days I’m spending in Barbados. Once everyone checks in for the van, we are away from the crowds and down the new highways that have been built since I was last here in the mid-1980s.
I’m dropped off at the end of the airport terminal where Stoute’s Car Rentals is located, and arrange for my rental car – a Mazda 3, which is considered a full-sized car in Barbados! I drive to the Lantern’s Mall on the main road in Hastings to hang out for a couple of hours, since I’m too early to check into my vacation rental. There is a Royal Bank ATM in the mall so I withdraw some Barbados Dollars, have a small pizza for lunch, and also have a cappuccino later on while I catch up on social media using the coffee shop Wi-fi. I also purchase a few snacks and some beverages at a convenience store located in the mall to take with me.
I drive the short distance to the vacation rental using Google Maps navigation on my iPhone, but it still takes me a couple of tries to find the place. Street number addresses are not often used in Barbados, but I eventually find the 10 Springcourt vacation rental after asking a man walking the New Rockley Road for directions. I meet the rental representative there, and pay for the 4-nights. After I unpack and get settled, I have a beer and some chips while I run some clothes through the in-suite washing machine. It’s a nicely-configured studio suite that meets my needs perfectly.
The 5,000-passenger MSC Preziosa docks before we anchor, so their passengers are crowding the dock area and the downtown. Some of us walk the few blocks to the town, where there are festivals and busy open air markets. I soon return to the ship to escape the heat and chaos.
An excursion is late returning passengers to the ship, so we depart Kingstown at 2:00PM instead of 12:30PM. I’m concerned, since I have an excursion scheduled for a 2:15PM departure from Bequia, the next island. The Cruise Director assures us the excursion will run, since it is a short trip to Bequia.
I try some roast suckling pig for lunch. The crackly skin is pretty tough and the meat is dry, so I use some gravy to make it edible. There is a 30 knot wind in the harbour by lunch time, and the crossing to Bequia is exceedingly rough, with the ship rolling wildly – passengers are struggling to not crash into things and each other. Welcome to the Windward Islands!
Our Magical Coast of Bequia excursion this afternoon is delayed but still leaves from Port Elizabeth as promised. It isn’t pleasant because of the high winds and being on a speed boat means we are pitching and banging wildly. The crew are constantly asking us to move to a drier part of the boat as they struggle to put up tarps to keep us from getting completely soaked. Nobody can hear the narration describing the sights we are passing because of the roar of the engines and the strong wind.
Moon Hole is one location where the waves and wind subside, so we can actually take some photos and hear the fascinating story behind the place. Nearby is an old whaling station at Sempler’s Cay. Apparently residents of Bequia still have the right to take a whale or two each year, but it hasn’t happened for awhile.
We also go around West Cay to see the airport (unimpressive) before retracing our route. The last stop before we return to the ship is to swim and snorkel at Princess Margaret Beach. Due to the late start, it is almost sunset by the time we arrive, so it is pointless for me (and others) to go in the water, since we won’t see anything and we only have 20 minutes. Some go in for a swim anyway, while the rest of us stay aboard and enjoy the rum punch.
Map showing the points-of-interest for our speedboat tour of Bequia
The ship’s servers and kitchen staff all parade through the dining room at dinner this evening, and sing “We Are The World” waving flags as the rest of us wave our napkins. Tomorrow the cruise is over when we dock in Bridgetown, Barbados. After returning to my cabin, I pack everything in my big travel bag, and put it out for the porters to take ashore tomorrow morning. I’m feeling a bit nauseous due to the extreme pitching of the ship as she takes the strong winds on the nose. Once I finish packing and go to bed I am fine, and sleep well.
A day at sea between Port Antonio, Jamaica and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
I sleep in until 8:30AM this morning since this is a sea day, and go to the Piano Bar for pastries and a cappuccino. It’s much quieter in this area than the main dining room, where the feeding frenzy is well underway.
I decide to climb the rigging to the crows nest this morning, so I get my GoPro action cam ready with a head strap, leave all my other stuff in the cabin except my room card, and head forward. The sports crew are there to put on a harness, clip me onto the safety line, and give instructions. Getting to the crows nest involves climbing a rope ladder to the mid-point of the second forward mast, where there is another sports crew person up there to help un-clip and for safety. Two or three passengers at a time are in the crows nest, since it is quite a big platform.
After climbing down, I’m thirsty, so I go to the nearby bar on deck for a couple of good-tasting German Flensburger draught beers. I have a chat with the German guy who was ahead of me in the climb, and a couple of Brits. I also go forward and spend some time on the bow net watching the bow wave dancing in the sun glint (see banner image above).
At lunch I sit with a couple from Thunder Bay (Ontario, Canada). We talk about our travels in southern Africa, and South Africa in particular. The food aboard the ship is very good, and they offer lots of variety, including vegetarian. Drinks are reasonably priced – 3.50€ for a glass of Flensburger draught beer, which is about CAD$4.25 Smoking is allowed in designated spots outside only, which is fine with me. Close to half the passengers are German, but the English-speaking Americans, Canadians, and Brits are the biggest combined group, with French-speakers being a small third group.
Sunset over the Caribbean framed by the stern wheel
I go to the top deck forward near the bridge to observe the sunset, and see the Green Flash. What I observed might be better described as a green glow, since there was some cloud on the horizon partially obscuring the Sun. I captured it on video with my iPhone.
I sleep in until about 8AM, meet my friends downstairs for breakfast, and then it’s time to return to my room to pack. We check out at 12PM, check our bags with the hotel and go across the street to the Starbucks at Doctor’s Cave Beach for coffee, snacks, and to hang out for awhile. We return to the hotel lobby and leave for the ship a bit after 3PM for a 4PM check-in.
We have to clear Jamaican customs and immigration before we embark the ship. They shake us down for a Departure Fee of US$35 each, applicable to anyone who stays in Jamaica for more than 24 hours! Once aboard, the usual cruise ship check-in takes place, where they take passports, preauthorize a credit card to pay the shipboard account, photograph everyone, and issue a passenger ID card to run the accounts on and for leaving/returning the ship at the various ports-of-call (in place of a passport).
After everyone is aboard, there is a lifeboat drill, which is conducted in English, German and French, so it takes quite awhile! I go to dinner with my friends, where we are seated with an American and two Brits. The meal is lovely – I have escargot and a salad to start, sea bass for my main course, and three almond cookies with strawberry sauce for dessert. I finish with a cappuccino, which costs 2.50 Euros (CD$3.75).
The crew set two of the four staysails during the evening departure of the Royal Clipper from Montego Bay. They play Conquest of Paradise every time they raise sails on the trip, which gets a bit tedious after awhile!
Champagne is served on deck as we depart the port. It is a lovely evening with warm tropical breezes in my face. Despite not having stabilizers, the ship rides surprisingly well as we sail offshore for the overnight passage to Port Antonio – a small town further along the coast of Jamaica.
Vancouver at night as Eurodam docks at Canada Place cruise ship terminal
I wake up at 4:15AM, just after the ship sails under Lion’s Gate Bridge. I get my dSLR out and take some photos of the bridge, Stanley Park, and the downtown, all lit at night. I capture some excellent photos, especially as the ship turns and docks at Canada Place.
Since it is 5AM, there is no coffee available anywhere on board. I go up to the Explorations Cafe on the off chance they are open at 6:30AM (their usual opening time), but no luck! My continental breakfast arrives right on time at 7:30AM in my cabin, so I have a cup of tea, a scone and pastry, yogurt, and cranberry juice.
I pack my last minute items and get ready for departure, double and triple checking the closets, drawers and bathroom to ensure I don’t forget anything. My friends call me at 8AM saying they are ready to disembark. Although it is a bit early for our time slot, I am ready to go as well, so we meet in the hallway outside their cabin. The passengers who have Expedited Departures are ahead of us, and they are still clogging the elevators, but we manage to get to the gangway deck and scan our ship security cards for the last time and leave the ship. Canada Customs and Immigration are waiting for us in the passageways to the main cruise ship terminal. They take our forms and wave us through, not even wanting to see our passports – welcome to Canada!
We are in the terminal an hour early, but find the waiting area for the bus to Victoria. Unfortunately, there are no chairs to sit on, so we stand, waiting in line until the two buses board everyone. We are on our way at 9:15AM, right on schedule, and our bus goes straight to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal. We are one of several buses on the 11AM sailing aboard the Coastal Celebration ferry, so it is a crush to get up the stairs. However, once we enter the Seawest Lounge, we leave the mayhem behind for serenity and quiet.
A two-masted schooner sailing along the Pender Island coastline
The Seawest Lounge has a choice of two Starbuck’s roasts of brewed coffee, so I finally enjoy some good coffee and a bit of quiet time. I go back for some snacks: sliced cheese and muffins, and a second cup of coffee, so I’m finally ready to greet the day properly! As usual, the onboard Internet service offered by BC Ferries is totally swamped, so I use my own cellular LTE hotspot to catch up with online happenings as we sail to Swartz Bay. There is a two-masted schooner sailing along the Pender Island coastline – very pretty on such a gorgeous day.
Once the bus rolls off the ferry, it makes several stops along the way to drop people off. I am dropped off a few blocks away from where I live, and since it’s a nice day, I roll my bags home.
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.
Captain George Vancouver
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
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.
I wake up at 4AM this morning, but manage to get back to sleep until 6:30AM. Setting the ship’s clocks forward almost daily is starting to catch up with me. I meet my friend in the Explorations Cafe for cappuccino and a snack at 7:30AM. I go to the Lido for some scrambled eggs and toast before walking the circuit on Promenade Deck a couple of times for a 1km distance. It is cool outside, so I zip up my fleece jacket, although the seas are much calmer and the wind isn’t a factor today. When I return to my cabin, I give my cabin stewards envelopes with some US$ for all their cheerful work keeping my cabin clean.
Ginny Stibolt’s final talk: Public Gardens – Traditional public gardens are well-trimmed and orderly, but newer public gardens have emphasized native plants. When I visit New York City, I want to see Highline Park – a natural park on a elevated rail bed; and when I visit Chicago – Lurie Garden.
A Belgian ship’s officer hosts an Interest Corner session: Classic Sports Cars and Photography. He shows his selection of the top ten classic sports cars for each of America and Europe, and then follows up with some of his photos from his recent helicopter tour of Kauai, including the spectacular Napili coast. (Slide show of my photos of the Napili Coast)
Ginger and garlic wok-seared lobster
My friends and I go to the Tamarind restaurant this evening, on Gala Night. We all have Martinis in the beautiful but quiet Tamarind bar before dinner, and then dig into the menu to select some items we didn’t try the first time we were here. I select an Austrian Riesling wine, which goes well with the seafood that dominates the menu.
We have: spicy Thai Chicken and rice soup, Shrimp Tempura Indochine, Ginger and garlic wok-seared lobster with sake-braised oyster and shiitake mushrooms, brown rice, Java mint and coconut rice pudding, Mango Cloud – a light egg white soufflé mango sorbet. It was all excellent! I think the Tamarind is perhaps the best restaurant aboard the ship, although there is a modest premium charge to dine here.
