post

Astoria to Kaua’i – Day 5 at sea

2023 Vancouver-Hawai’i Cruise

Oct 13, 2023 – My Birthday at sea – Astoria, Oregon to Nawiliwili, Kaua’i

I have poached eggs on avocado toast for breakfast in the Main Dining room this morning. I join two couples from Parksville and Ottawa. The men start complaining about gas prices, so I drop the bombshell that I haven’t bought gas since 2014. They then commence to diss electric vehicles, but I take the high road and tell them about how much fun EVs are to drive, great for road trips, how quiet and reliable they are, and point out the low operating cost.

A chocolate cupcake arrives in my stateroom with best wishes from the Captain on my birthday (see banner above). Ovation of the Seas is visible on the horizon to the south of us at 11AM heading to Honolulu, so I take a photo using my long telephoto lens from my balcony.

Ovation of the Seas is on the horizon beside our ship

I have my first swim in the Sea View pool this morning, since it has warmed up nicely as we approach Hawai’i. It is very crowded on the stern deck on this lovely sunny day, but I find a table and chair in the shade. I have a Cannonball burger made with an Impossible patty, fries and a Heineken beer, which hits the spot for my lunch.

A busy Sea View pool on the first warm day of the cruise

Captain’s Noon report

  • 302 nmi to go before we arrive in Nawiliwili on the island of Kaua’i
  • 2m swells

I have a lazy afternoon in my stateroom and enjoying my balcony, and then go down to the Dutch Cafe later for a cappuccino. I stay to browse the web and work on my journal and photos with my Macbook Pro. Having a Starlink connection has greatly improved the Internet experience aboard ship! There are some Red-footed Booby swooping beside the ship’s bow late this afternoon. They are magnificent birds that feed on the small fish on the ocean surface by swooping down into dives.

Red-footed Booby swooping beside the ship's bow

I thoroughly enjoy my birthday dinner at my favourite specialty restaurant the Tamarind, which is an Asian fusion restaurant that also has a sushi bar and chef. I stick to the main menu this evening and have a couple of martinis to celebrate my 71st birthday:

  • Chinese Five Spice Baby Back Ribs
  • Thai Basil Szechuan Shrimp with Dungeness Crab Fried rice
  • 3 Sorbets: lemon-basil, yuzu, lychee
Chinese Five Spice Baby Back Ribs

After dinner, I go to the Main Stage where pianist Ryan Ahern performs blues, Broadway, movie themes, and Liberace. He has an amazing repertoire, and is based in Las Vegas with his band when he’s not touring solo. When I return to my stateroom, there are more Happy Birthday wishes from the captain and three towel art from my room stewards waiting for me to discover on my bed. What a lovely day at sea!

Happy Birthday wishes from the captain and 3 towel art from my room stewards
Happy Birthday wishes from the captain and 3 towel art from my room stewards
post

Astoria to Kaua’i – Day 4 at sea

2023 Vancouver-Hawai’i Cruise

Oct 12, 2023 – Day 4 at sea – Astoria, Oregon to Nawiliwili, Kaua’i

I have Lox and bagel with a passion fruit parfait for breakfast in the Main Dining room this morning.

Bagel, lox and creme cheese for breakfast

EXC Talk: Aloha Baby – The True Story of Iconic Hawaiian Symbols

  • History of the ukulele – 3 Portuguese immigrants made furniture and musical instruments, King David Kalākaua the Merrie Monarch popularized the instrument.
  • The Aloha Shirt – not a Hawaiian shirt.
Joe in a tie and jacket for Dressy Night. Flowers in the Ocean Bar aboard Koningsdam.
Joe in a tie and jacket for Dressy Night. Flowers in the Ocean Bar aboard Koningsdam.

Noon Captain’s Report

  • We have sailed 1,157 miles from Astoria, with 770 miles to go for arrival in Kauai
  • Wind is 20 kts from the North, Force 5, 8′ swells
  • Our arrival in Nawiliwili will be delayed due to a cruise ship already being docked. New estimated arrival is 8:30AM, depending on when the other ship departs and releases the pilot.

It is Dressy night, so I put on a tie and jacket and go to the Main Dining Room for dinner. I then catch the The Runaround Kids – Prom Dance music in Main Stage.

post

Astoria to Kaua’i – Day 2 at sea

2023 Vancouver-Hawai’i Cruise

Oct 10, 2023 – Day 2 at sea – Astoria, Oregon to Nawiliwili, Kaua’i

The ship was pitching a lot again last night, so there were strange noises, however I got to sleep. The ship’s clocks turned back an hour last night, so we have an extra hour of sleep. It looks like it will take us another day to sail clear of the huge storm north of us. It continues to cause the ship to pitch, so the outside decks are closed.

9am Captain’s Report: A large low pressure area is 600 miles to the north of us, with winds of 40 kts and 15’ swells.

Noon Captain’s Report: NW winds at 35kts – Force 8 with 15′ swells, reducing to 15kts by this evening.

Just before lunch, our Cruise Director Stephanie takes the World Stage to deliver an EXC Talk: The Kingdom of Hawai’i – Native Hawaiian Spirit. She confesses to being seasick from the ship’s motion, but does a great job of delivering the presentation. Continuing on with the cultural theme, a Hawaiian Brunch is served in the Main Dining Room today. I have the Hawaiian Plate – teriyaki pork and chicken, rice, macaroni salad. My table mates are a couple from Oliver, formerly from White Rock, and a couple from Pennsylvania, all well-travelled who offer interesting conversation.

Aloha Sunset Music Hour in the Crow’s Nest

There is Hula at the Aloha Sunset Music Hour in the Crow’s Nest at 6PM, performed by our three Hawaiian ambassadors: Jay, Jamie and Keoni. After having a prime rib dinner in the Main Dining room this evening, I go to Main Stage to enjoy a performance by Ryan Ahern, a talented pianist from Las Vegas.

Ryan Ahern, a pianist from Las Vegas
post

Astoria to Kauai – Day 1 at sea

2023 Vancouver-Hawai’i Cruise

Oct 9, 2023 – Day 1 at sea – Astoria, Oregon to Nawiliwili, Kaua’i

We sail into very windy conditions with high seas after the ship leaves Astoria. The ship is slamming into big waves and the wind is howling through the gaps in my balcony door seals as I try to sleep. I’m awake until conditions lessen some time after 1:30AM.

Huge low pressure region west of us, so the ship's course to Hawai'i is skirting the worst of it.
Huge low pressure region west of us, so the ship’s course to Hawai’i is skirting the worst of it.

Captain’s Noon Report – NW wind 20 kts, increasing slightly this evening to 25 kts with 6-8 foot swells. Ship’s time sets back one hour this evening.

Conditions at 9:12PM

  • 35 mph wind from SSW
  • Ship proceeding at 17.5 knots on SW heading 227

We have a huge storm west of us, and it looks like it will take us another day or two to sail clear of it. Outside decks are closed and the ship is lurching quite a bit.

Traditional Canadian Thanksgiving Turkey dinner served in the Main Dining Room

Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated this evening by the large number of Canadians aboard the ship. It is Dressy Night so I put on a dress shirt, tie and jacket and go to the Main Dining Room to have a lovely turkey dinner with my fellow Canadians.

The Birth of Rock and Roll- featuring- The Runaround Kids

World Stage. The RKs are a multi awardwinning vintage band who are here to play the best of 1950’s and 1960’s rock and roll. Join them in the theatre for their spectacular show which charts the greatest music ever written. 
Aboard Koningsdam, , , North Pacific Ocean
2023-10-09, 8:22:22 PM
World Stage. The RKs are a multi awardwinning vintage band who are here to play the best of 1950’s and 1960’s rock and roll. Join them in the theatre for their spectacular show which charts the greatest music ever written. Aboard Koningsdam, , , North Pacific Ocean 2023-10-09, 8:22:22 PM

The Birth of Rock and Roll – featuring The Runaround Kids give an energetic performance this evening on The World Stage.

post

Vancouver Departure

2023 Vancouver-Hawai’i Cruise

I have a coffee and a cereal bar in my hotel room before checking out and rolling my bag the few blocks down to Canada Place, stopping for a quick selfie before going inside. I am through the check-in at the cruise terminal shortly after my10:20AM boarding time, however it takes about an hour for the ship to start accepting passengers aboard. Since I roll my own bag aboard, I’m soon settled into my stateroom #5023.

I then head to the Grand Dutch Cafe for lunch: Beenam’s ham sandwich and a bowl of Dutch pea soup. The couple ordering ahead of me insist on loading up with two giant sized chocolate-covered cream puffs and two slices of Dutch apple pie each! The server and I have a chuckle about their greed. I take a cappuccino and a Perrier bottled water back to my stateroom.

Dutch apple pie, Chocolate vanilla cake, bran, chocolate and blueberry muffins, giant-sized chocolate covered cream puff. Dutch pea soup, Beenam’s ham sandwich. Grand Dutch Cafe aboard Koningsdam
Dutch apple pie, Chocolate vanilla cake, bran, chocolate and blueberry muffins, giant-sized chocolate covered cream puff. Dutch pea soup, Beenam’s ham sandwich. Grand Dutch Cafe aboard Koningsdam

It’s a lovely sunny day in Vancouver as the ship pulls away from the dock at about 4:45pm, which is a bit late due to a passenger having to be taken off the ship at the last minute for medical reasons. I never get tired of being aboard a ship at it sails under Lion’s Gate Bridge, passing Stanley Park and the North Shore heading out into the Strait of Georgia. It is dark by the time we pass my home city of Victoria, so rather than spend time on deck, I have my first Martini on this voyage and enjoy the jazz, blues and rock on the Music Walk venues this evening.

Harbour Air seaplane taxiing to the dock in Coal Harbour with pleasure craft and Chevron fuel dock, Brockton Point, Stanley Park, Lion's Gate bridge and the North Shore mountains
post

Cabo San Lucas to San Diego

April 25, 2023 – Tuesday – Sailing from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico to San Diego, California, USA

2023 Panama Canal Cruise

I was exceedingly tired last night from the excursion, and later the big meal at Canaletto. I wake up this morning well rested and feeling much better. Since it’s only 7am, I go up to the Explorations Cafe for a cappuccino and a bottle of Perrier. Around 8:30am I go to the Main Dining room for breakfast – they have blitzes, which are quite good along with a second cappuccino.

There is nothing on the daily program that interests me until this evening, when the Boy Band Evolution are performing again, so I just chill out for most of the day. I pick up a new book from the library – Julia Child’s My Time in France, which is short enough for me to finish before we arrive in Vancouver. The crew have put a huge number of towel art animals around the Lido Pool this morning, so I have a look at the display and take some photos, posting to Facebook. See banner image above.

Dive In Impossible burger

I preorder a Dive In Impossible Burger with fries, and go back up to the Lido Pool to have my lunch with a Dos Equis beer – one of my favourite meals. Although the Lido Pool area can be noisy like today when they are playing canned music, eating in the Lido Market is even more stressful since there are so many people in there. When I return to my stateroom, a Delft tile from Holland America Line commemorating sailing 150 years is waiting for me.

My room steward lets me know that he is flying home tomorrow from San Diego, so I give him an additional gratuity for his excellent service. His partner is staying with the ship, so I will give him some cash later.

The Boy Band Evolution performance this evening is just as good as their last time in Main Stage. A group that is a real crowd pleaser!

post

Costa Rica to Mexico – Sea Day 2

April 20, 2023 – Thursday – Costa Rica to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – day 2 at sea 17 nmi offshore from Oaxaca, Mexico

2023 Panama Canal Cruise

This is my first day of not wearing a mask. Previously, I wore a mask when walking the hallways and venues, using elevators, and especially when I expected crowds during performances at Main Stage or B.B. Kings. I wouldn’t wear a mask in my stateroom or when outside. I’ve decided to accept the risk and go maskless everywhere for the rest of the voyage.

It’s great to have another sea day, where I don’t have to get up early for an excursion, so I sleep in until 8am. I go down to the Main Dining Room around 8:30am for breakfast at a shared table with two couples, one from Nanaimo and the other from the Napa Valley in California who I have had breakfast with before. Spinner dolphins appear off the stern of the ship, so I jump up to take some mediocre video through the windows with my iPhone.

Spinner dolphins off the ship's bow

After returning to my stateroom, my laundry is delivered – such a luxury! I spend the next hour out on my verandah spotting more Spinner dolphins and Sea turtles. I’m using my 100-500 zoom lens, so take some pretty good photos!

Beef sliders, coleslaw, sharp cheese

I go for a swim in the Sea View pool , and then return to my stateroom to keep checking for more turtles, but they seem to be behind us now. I wait until 1:30pm before going to the Lido Market for lunch. The beef sliders speak to me, so I have two along with some coleslaw and two kinds of sharp white cheese, finishing off with a slice of chocolate caramel cake for dessert.

After not spotting any turtles from my verandah, I go up to the Explorations Cafe for a cappuccino and find a quiet spot in the Crow’s Nest to work on my photos and journal, while I enjoy my cappuccino. At dinner this evening in the Main Dining Room, I learn from someone at the table that the ship has 1,899 total passengers aboard, with 894 Canadians and 839 Americans.

I attend the late show of Boy Band Evolution in Main Stage, which I enjoy a lot. The four young singers all have their harmonies perfected, and the nostalgia factor of their songs is appreciated by this mainly Baby Boomer audience. Before returning to my stateroom, I go to the Ocean Bar for a nightcap martini, where the server always makes a point of charging me $2 extra for the Tanqueray 10 premium gin I always specify. The surcharge never appears on my bill.

Boy Band Evolution
post

Costa Rica to Mexico – Sea Day 1

April 19, 2023 – Wednesday – Costa Rica to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – day 1 at sea

2023 Panama Canal Cruise

I go to the Explorations Cafe in the Crow’s Nest to pick up a cappuccino and a small bottle of Perrier sparkling water this morning, which I take back to my stateroom. Later, I have breakfast in the Main Dining Room sharing a table with all Canadians this morning, who are from: Victoria, Sunshine Coast, and Ontario.

I attend the Ask the Captain event in the Main Stage at 10am this morning hosted by Cruise Director Kimberly. Thankfully, no stupid or embarrassing questions are asked of Captain Jeroen van Donselaar. I always find these sessions interesting, since the Captains almost always reveal little snippets of behind-the-scenes information on how the ship works and the issues they deal with.

Nazca Booby in flight

I see flying fish this morning and Nazca Boobys are swooping down into the water near the bow of the ship catching them. I take more photos, despite already having many of the similar Caribbean Booby Gulls from past sightings on the Atlantic side and Brown Boobys on this coast. There is one mostly white Booby and another with mottled white, brown and black plumage among the rest.

Barramundi Red Curry

I have a Martini in the Tamarind bar this evening before going into the Tamarind restaurant for dinner. I start with lobster and shrimp potstickers served with smoked shoyu and pickled ginger. My main course is Barramundi Red Curry with Crab rice and bok choy – all very tasty. I finish the meal with a selection of House-made Sorbets: lemon-basil, yuzu, and lychee.

People watching – Two young male crew members (South Asian and Eastern European) are seated next to me with two old American biddies. It’s a pretty awkward “date” for the young men, but the two women lap it up and carry the conversation. A young couple in their twenties are seated next to my table on the other side. They really stick out since they don’t fit the demographic for this cruise, and don’t seem to socialize with other passengers. However, they appear to be enjoying themselves, so perhaps it’s an opportunity for them to get away…

Trumpter Nathan Samuelson performing on Main Stage

Trumpeter Nathan Samuelson gives an energetic performance in Main Stage at 9pm this evening, however 45 minutes of solo trumpet playing is a bit much. The house band is backing him up, which improves the experience greatly. He has a very good singing voice in the Michael Buble style, which I would have liked to hear more of. Nathan Samuelson Music

post

Aruba to Cartagena – sea day

April 14, 2023 – Friday – sailing from Oranjestad, Aruba to Cartagena, Colombia

2023 Panama Canal Cruise

The ship is sailing from Aruba to Cartagena today in some choppy seas, so this area is living up to its reputation as one of the rougher areas of the Caribbean weather-wise. I see Flying fish off the bow of the ship late this morning while walking the Promenade Deck, so I return to my stateroom and use my 100-500 zoom on my Canon R5 to capture some mediocre photo and video. It’s exceedingly hard to capture the brief moments when flying fish are in the air!

There is another spectacular sunset this evening as we sail along the Colombian coast, with just a hint of Green Flash visible as the Sun descends through some cloud layers (see banner image above). These conditions enlarge and distort the solar disk but the Green Flash is not nearly as apparent as on April 11th.

Jerk Pork Ribs

I enjoy Jerk Pork Ribs for dinner in the Main Dining room this evening. Since I always share a table with others, I converse with lots of my fellow Canadians most evenings in the various venues aboard ship.

Pianist John Bressler performs again on Main Stage this evening. He gives another wonderful performance, but doesn’t do as much funny banter this time, since he wants to give us more piano playing accompanied by his raspy singing voice! John Bressler | Facebook

I enjoy sea days where I can relax, enjoy the warm breezes from my balcony and the outside decks, and take in the onboard activities and entertainment.

post

Grand Turk to Aruba – sea day

April 12, 2023 – Wednesday – sailing from Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands to Oranjestad, Aruba

2023 Panama Canal Cruise

About a dozen Brown Boobys fly beside the ship this morning, so I take some photographs of them from my balcony. It is hard to identify the Brown Booby from the Caribbean Bobby Gull, since their markings vary so much. I also notice lots of Caribbean Sargassum seaweed (see banner image above) in Mona Passage as we sail south between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, bound for Aruba tomorrow.

Brown Booby flying beside the ship

I go to a Cocktails with Kimberly event featuring pianist John Bressler this afternoon. He shares that it is his 69th birthday today, and happily answers lots of questions from the audience as well as from Kimberly.

I have dinner this evening in the Main Dining Room, where I walk in with three couples as we are seated at a big table. I have the curried lamb, which is very tasty. Two of my dinner companions from Kelowna recommend the Galapagos Legend ship to explore the Galapagos Islands – less expensive than other excursion ships, and just as good.

Vocalist Maria Campos is the Main Stage performer this evening, singing Broadway songs that became Hollywood movie classics in film. She has a powerful voice, and performs an impressive one-woman show.