Tag Archives: cruise

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Sailing to Valparaiso – 2 sea days

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March 18, 2020 – sailing north to Valparaiso, Chile

2020 South America cruise

I have breakfast in the main dining room this morning, and share a table with a woman from Calgary on a small group tour, and a couple from Florida who I shared the breakfast table with yesterday. They spend 6 months in Chicago and 6 months in Florida. He is a retired paediatric dentist.

Bridge report: The ship is on a northerly course offshore from land, proceeding through overcast, misty skies with very light sea conditions and mild temperatures at 14°C. We have 1,256 passengers and 586 crew aboard.

The Secret Language of Ships is presented today by our cruise director Kevin. He talks about hull markings, flags, and whistle blasts.

It is Gala night, so we get dressed up to go for dinner in the main dining room this evening. I have escargot and sea bass for dinner, and a meringue for dessert. We then go up to the Crow’s Nest bar for an after dinner drink. I have a martini, and my friend has single malt scotch.

March 19, 2020 – sailing north to Valparaiso, Chile

The captain updates us this morning on our situation. He tells us we are cleared to load provisions and fuel at Valparaiso, where we are scheduled to arrive at 8:30am tomorrow. Since we will be at anchor, provisioning will take at least 24 hours, considering we need 6-7 shipping containers for our food and supplies for up to a 3 week voyage, although the Captain is quick to point out that our cruise shouldn’t last that long. Once fully provisioned, we will then resume our northerly course, with our final destination still unknown, although I’m sure the captain has plans in place for a few alternatives.

When I join two couples for breakfast this morning, three possible destinations are discussed: Panama, San Diego, or Fort Lauderdale. I would prefer to see us disembark in San Diego, since that would make it relatively easy for my travel companion and I to make our way home by either driving a rental car, taking the Amtrak train, or flying through Vancouver. Fort Lauderdale also makes sense, since that is where the cruise was planned to terminate, and the ship is scheduled for a refit in the nearby Bahamas. Panama is the closest port, and has a big airport where we could likely find flights to return to Canada.

I spot some Juan Fernandez Petrels following the ship today. Obviously, we are not too far offshore for them to fly the distance.

Juan Fernandez Petrels following the ship
Juan Fernandez Petrels following the ship

I can’t motivate myself to write a blog post for my JoeTourist.ca website. I think many of my friends would be interested in knowing more about my experiences so far on this cruise. I have posted regular updates to Facebook, but a significant number of my friends don’t use social media. We actually accomplished many of our goals early in the cruise, experiencing Buenos Aires, Montevideo, the Falkland Islands (penguins!), Punta Arenas and the Strait of Magellan, and scenic cruising through the Chilean fjords.

Lots of people are taking advantage of the warmer weather to sunbathe either beside the Lido Pool or the Sea View Pool. We have a beautiful sunset over the Pacific Ocean this evening, but no green flash was visible.

Panoramic of the Sea View pool and deck
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Scenic cruising through the Chilean fjords

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March 17, 2020 – sailing north through Summer Passage and Sarmiento Channel, Pacific coast of Chile

2020 South America cruise

The captain updates us twice today. At 8:30am, he tells us that we are sailing through Summer Passage where there is only 2 metres sea depth below us, so we slow down to 14 knots as we proceed on a high tide. We sail through Passo Franco and then spend the afternoon sailing through very scenic Sarmiento Channel before entering into open Pacific Ocan waters this evening. Our destination remains either San Antonio or Valparaiso for reprovisioning.

At Noon the captain reports that our course will result in sailing 1,279 nmi to San Antonio. We have 50 kt winds on the nose right now while we are in Sarmiento Channel, which will switch to NW 15-20 kt winds by tomorrow, with 3 metre swells when we emerge into the open Pacific Ocean. He also mentions that passengers who are in need of critical prescriptions should fill in the form and present themselves with their prescription bottles to the medical staff this afternoon in the Atrium.

The Flying Dutchman ghost ship
The Flying Dutchman, a legendary ghost ship

My travel buddy first thought of this, but I agree there is a distinct connection that the Netherlands flagged Zaandam feels like The Flying Dutchman, a legendary ghost ship that never makes port and is doomed to sail the oceans forever. Of course, according to the story the Flying Dutchman’s crew were all dead, but the Zaandam’s crew are a long way from dead – they are very engaged, and very much alive and well!

As we sail through the scenic Sarmiento Channel this afternoon, I spend quite a bit of time on the Lower Promenade deck taking photos with my Canon EOS R, making good use of my zoom lenses. I also take a few panoramas with my iPhone XS. We meet the predicted 3 metre swells this evening, so some passengers disappear for the evening, while the St. Patrick’s Day celebrants party on.

Pacific Coast of Chile
Pacific Coast of Chile
11 photos
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Leaving Punta Arenas

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March 16, 2020 – sailing from Punta Arenas, Chile

2020 South America cruise

Line up for temperature and health check questionnaire by Chilean authorities
Line up for temperature and health check questionnaire by Chilean authorities

There appears to be some progress this morning, since Chile has issued us entry visas after we have our temperatures taken and answer yet another health questionnaire. We also receive our passports, which the ship’s office has kept on file for this voyage to facilitate port clearances. Although we are still not alongside the dock, this is a very encouraging step to enable us to disembark in time to catch our flight to Santiago on Wednesday afternoon.

The Captain reports to us this morning that the Dutch embassy and US consulate are applying maximum pressure to get us alongside. He thanks us for our patience and cooperation, and he is hopeful we will tie up at the dock today.

Apparently there are 11 more ships heading to Punta Arenas, and we have already spotted a few more anchored in our area, so it is going to be a busy time for this town in the next while! Of course, that all depends on getting passengers and crew ashore.

Ship's position at 11pm, heading NW through the Chilean fjords
Ship’s position at 11pm, heading NW through the Chilean fjords

Late this afternoon, the captain announces that Chile has closed all borders and imposed a 14-day quarantine on our ship. He states we will depart immediately and head north for San Antonio or Valparaiso, where the ship will have a service and provisioning call. He states that we will eventually disembark “well past Chile”, whatever that means. Most passengers agree that we will now proceed to our original destination, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The captain doesn’t waste any time getting underway by dinner time (see banner image above). A couple of hours later, we are almost through the Strait of Magellan as the sun sets, and turn north to wind through the Chilean fjords, which will give us some spectacular scenery to enjoy tomorrow!

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Punta Arenas, Chile – day 2

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March 15, 2020 – Punta Arenas, Chile – facing uncertainty

2020 South America cruise

The captain announces this morning that Chile has closed its ports to incoming cruise ship traffic due to the just-declared global pandemic (COVID-19), so we are at anchor in Punta Arenas awaiting further information. He made the decision to return to Punta Arenas and end the cruise here, since there are good transportation options for passengers to return home. We shall see how that plays out…I must confess, I’m worried that it has come to this.

Noon – The captain is working with Chilean authorities and he detects some movement with his requests to dock and to disembark passengers here, but he has nothing to formally announce yet. He assures us he will keep us informed.

I go for lunch to the main dining room where I have seafood poutine. This is a first for me, since despite being Canadian, I have never eaten poutine before. It is good, but there is no gravy on the fries. We spot a small whale beside the ship as my table of six eat our lunch.

I’m certainly depressed about this whole scenario. We are less than a mile from shore. The bridge is having to use thrusters to keep the ship from dragging anchor due to the strong winds and currents. When we were docked yesterday, special bracing lines were being used!

Chilean navy ship between the Zaandam and the Punta Arenas dock
Chilean navy ship between the Zaandam and the Punta Arenas dock

We receive an official letter today from Holland America’s President Orlando Ashford, which offers a choice of refunds and/or credits for the cruise. After receiving this letter, I book flights leaving March 18th from Punta Arenas to Santiago, where we will spend three nights before flying Aeromexico on the 21st through Mexico City and Vancouver, arriving in Victoria on WestJet on the 22nd. Everything is confirmed, so now we just have to get off the ship by Wednesday afternoon. Apparently, Holland America will shuttle us to the airport.

Punta Arenas
Punta Arenas
23 photos
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Punta Arenas, Chile

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March 14, 2020 – Punta Arenas – last day of liberty

2020 South America cruise

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.

Punta Arenas
Punta Arenas
23 photos
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Day at sea – to Strait of Magellan

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March 13, 2020 – day at sea from Falkland Islands to Strait of Magellan

2020 South America cruise

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
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.

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Houston to Buenos Aires flight

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March 7, 2020 – Houston, Texas, USA to Buenos Aires, Argentina

2020 South America cruise

Clouds off the coast of Peru lit by the setting Moon
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
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.

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Arriving in Barbados

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Dec 15, 2018 – Bridgetown, Barbados

2018 Caribbean Sail Cruise

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.

My suite overlooking the pool at 10 Springcourt rental

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.

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Dominica

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Dec 12, 2018 – Cabrits, Dominica

2018 Caribbean Sail Cruise

I have breakfast with two women who are travel friends, and arrange to go ashore with them to look around Cabrits. We are on the first tender just before Noon. As it turns out, we are in a National Park, which charges US$5 each for admission to the trails and facilities, however none of us are interested in hiking in the tropical heat.

Hiroula Bay along the beautiful north coast of Antigua

We talk to a couple of taxi drivers who approach us, and eventually retain Patrickson Wallace. Our original plan was to wander around the nearby small town, but there really isn’t much there. He offers to take us on a short tour for a reasonable fare in US$, which we agree to, providing he returns us to the tender dock by 4PM at the latest. We drive north across the island through the tropical rainforest, passing through many small communities and the Indian River, one of 365 rivers on Dominica. There is damage from Hurricane Maria apparent everywhere, even inland.

Pointe Baptiste chocolate making factory

The north coast of Dominica is particularly beautiful, so we stop at viewpoints along the way before arriving at Pointe Baptiste Estate chocolate factory in Calibishie. This quaint establishment is off the beaten path, but it turns out to be a treasure for the three of us, who appreciate the tour given by a Dominican woman.

She shows us the cocoa fruit, how they ferment and air dry the cocoa beans, grind and combine the cocoa with the other ingredients, and finally make the result into chocolate bars. Each of us buy two chocolate bars of various flavours and give the woman a small tip as well.

Patrickson drives us back along the same scenic route. It turns out to be a very nice tour which we all enjoy, and we are back at the tender dock by about 3:30PM. We pay him the agreed-to fare and also give him a tip for his “building fund” for house repairs, as we say our goodbyes.

Patrickson Wallace – email
Live Edge Tours and Taxi, 1519 Pembroke St., Portsmouth, Dominica
+1 (767) 235-5346 or +1 (767) 445-5346

Once I’m back on board the ship and get cleaned up, I take my MacBook Pro up to the Tropical Bar and have a beer as I work on my photos and journal. For the first time on this cruise, I take advantage of the afternoon snack served at 5PM in the Tropical Bar, since I had no lunch today. Despite normally ordering cappuccinos, today I finish off with two cups of brewed coffee, which tastes pretty good too!

Dominica
Dominica
16 photos
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Ile des Saintes

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Dec 11, 2018 – Terre de Haut, Ile des Saintes

2018 Caribbean Sail Cruise

Ile des Saintes is a tiny bit of France that happens to be in the Caribbean. There are fast passenger ferries zooming into the harbour at Terre de Haut as the Royal Clipper sets anchor.

There are no excursions on this small French island today, and the beach for our use was supposed to be a pebble beach with a wet landing – not ideal. After the captain checks it out he discovers it has too much weed, so he arranges for a much better beach which has a dock (dry landing), full service hotel, and great swimming and snorkelling from a beautiful sand beach! (See banner image above.)

I’m on the first tender to the beach, and spend the whole morning relaxing in a beach chair, swimming and snorkelling. There are reefs at both ends of the beach, where I take some pretty good underwater video and photos. I return to the ship for a late lunch, a shower, and an afternoon nap. This is the life!

Harbour waterfront, Terre de Haute, Ile des Saintes

I take the launch into the little town in the afternoon when it cools down a bit. It’s a cute place and another French department, so there are some pretty fancy shops on the main street aimed at high-end travellers. I take a few photos, but I’m on the next tender back to the ship. We are treated to a beautiful sunset as we leave the harbour, bound for the island of Dominica tomorrow.

Ile des Saintes
Ile des Saintes
19 photos