Oct 16 - Oct 20 Sea Days

The next 5 days are sea days as we head towards San Diego, Ca. from Hawaii. We will be setting our clocks ahead 3 hours in the process. Holland is making the adjustment at noon instead of in the middle of the night. There are at least two reasons for this. First it is much easier on the body to make the adjustment during the day. Secondly, workers schedules do not need to be adjusted as much to keep in compliance with international work rules governing minimum sleep hours for the crew.

When we left the islands the seas are about 5 feet. By the second day the wind has picked up to 25 knots on our bow, and the seas have increased to 10 or 12 feet. Since the waves are almost directly on our bow, the ship's stability is not impacted. Roll in minimal. The impact of the wind is most apparent on the outer decks, just better hold on to your hat.

The comedian does his second show. The house is full, but the show is only 30 minutes instead of the usual 45. I guess he has just run out of material.

I spend part of the second day doing train club stuff. Providing the internet connection holds up I can do most of the accounting functions from anywhere in the world.

I have been given a cold by an unknown passenger. The symptoms are well managed with standard OTC remedies, and I do not need to dig deep into my stash of "just in case" drugs. I remain kind to my fellow passsengers and spend most of the day in our cabin or on the balcony watching the sea go by.

There were four likely bugs, dreaded covid, the flu, norovirus, or a common cold. After referring to several differential tables from the likes of Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Web MD and others, based on my symptoms, or lack thereof, I conclude the highest probability is that I have a common cold and I proceed accordingly. I will know for sure in a few days.

As we pass the halfway mark across the ocean the swells have subsided to 3 or 4 feet. The temperatures remain in the mid 70's, the skies partly cloudy to overcast.

We have seen rain in the distance, but not on the ship. We have had just fantastically amazing weather since leaving Florida.

Yesterday I was reminded of rhe infamous Carnival "poop" cruise where they drifted for days in the Gulf of Mexico without power, water, AC, or sanitary facilities. The head in our stateroom ceased to function. Fortunately the response time was only 15 minutes and the repair time 3 hours. I don't know what failed but whatever it was affected a row of cabins on our deck. Unlike your toilets at home that work on gravity, on a ship it is a complicated sytem of valves and a vacuum system. Very fast and water efficient, but also very complicated compared to your home system

Ship maintenance is a critical component of passenger comfort and a line's ultimate success. This morning a staff member was checking every cabin door peep hole for scratches or other issues, compiling a list for repair. It is this attention to detail that separates the men from the boys.

On longer cruises with multiple sea days extra stuff is added to the activities list to help keep passengers entertained. Special programs are presented, guest lectures on all sorts of varied topics, guest competitions like boat building or paper aitplane fltinf are often the usual additions.

Last night the crew made hundreds of towel animals and had them on display all around the pool. Of course there was the usual faire of turtles, monkeys, and swans, but they also made several life size animals including elephants and octopus.

By the fourth day at sea the ocean is almost flat with just a few one meter swells. The skies are broken clouds, and the daytime temperatures are just under 70. A few brave the chilly air at the pool, but only a few.

The gambling group on board is definitely committed to their addiction. The casino is packed day and night. Occasionally you hear someone bragging about their big win, but not what it cost them before or since. One thing I did learn today is that the most comfortable chairs on the ship are the ones in front of the slot machines. No I haven't taken to gambling, but they were the only chairs near the ocenview bar. I had no problem using them since the slot machines had taken over a large amount of seating area from the bar.

As with our crossing from Vancouver to Hawaii we have yet to see another ship or boat. Maybe tomorrow.

It is now our last sea day. I always try to learm new things., today its a new use for a life ring. It is floated in the pool and used as the "cup" for a golf chipping contest. Only three guests compete. One point for getting the golf ball in the pool. Three for getting it in the life ring. Even if you are an experienced golfer, it wouldn't be much help. The balls are about half the weight of normal golf balls. A whole new set of paramaters to adjust to. The winnings? Maybe a keychain.

The weather remains perfect. The air temperatures in the low 70's, mostly sunny with scattered clouds. The seas calm. Perfect cruising weather.

Many passengers will be getting off the ship tomorrow in San Diego, we will be staying on for four more days until Oct 25.

My diagnosis of the common cold is accurate. Now several days later I am 100% confident. Most symptoms are gone and there is no need of further intervention.

Oct 15 - Nawiliwili, Kauai

This morning we go out on the bow as the sun is rising and we approach the port of Nawiliwili. There is a brisk wind on our starboard side, the air temperature about 70. The humidity very high. Only a dozen or so passengers brave the early time and the elements.

The surise is non spectacular, in fact it isn't even worthy of a picture. A crew member raises our flag. We head for breakfast.

They usually have most stations open by 6:30 even though the scheduled opening time is 7.

We have a 3 hour morning sightseeing tour. The process is the same. Check in at the theater, get a bus number, wait to go to the busses. As usual we cheat and go outside where we will catch the group on the way to the bus.

There are several free shuttles to town, you can walk the 2 miles, or there are taxis starting at $30.00 minimum. Few use taxis. A tour precludes having to make that decision.

The island is by far the nicest we have visited in Hawaii. Uncrowded, lush green vegetation, picture perfect views. The only navigable river in Hawaii looks tempting. Parts of the island get 40 or 50 feet of rain per year. Some years as much as 70 feet.  Yes that is feet of rain not inches. 

Our tour takes us to several scenic overlooks and then to a former sugar cane plantation to view the manor house and several gift shops before taking a short train ride around what remains of the once vast sugar cane plantation.

The tour is a little disorganized. Before we even leave the pier several people get on and off the bus after being told they are on the wrong bus and then no, they were on the correct bus. The driver does not do a head count until after the first stop. She has 1 less passenger than the staff at the pier says she has. None of the passengers feel we are missing anyone. We move on.

At our last stop, the remains of a very large sugar plantation, we take a short ride on a narrrow gauge railroad around the plantation. Pulled by a 1945 GE 25 ton diesel engine, an engine that is as mature as me. Obviously restored several times, she runs pretty well. At the conclusion of the train ride we indulge in some pineapple ice cream. Excellent! 

Our tour is running late. The driver asked us to board the bus at 1:30 in spite of the fact we were supposed to be back to the ship by 1:00. Oh well, it is a ship sponsored tour, they will wait for us.

People gather to board the bus. Several head counts. Definitely missing two passengers. She checks several places and finds no one. We head back to the ship. Not the drivers problem. The fate of the missing remains undetermined.

We finally untie from the pier and sail at about 3:30, just a little late, leaving behind our last glimpse of the hawaiian islands and an unknown number of passengers. The band is playing on the aft deck, and special beverages and appetizers are served for the occassion.

The harbor is one of the more challenging for the captain given its small size and zig zag path. As we leave we pass under the approach to the airport. Several planes coming in to land pass directly above us..

As the island fades in the distance we can see rain falling. Rain that has completely missed us since we left Florida almost three weeks ago.

BBQ pork ribs for dinner tonight. Personally one of the best meals so far. The food has really been very good. The hot food has always been served hot, even in the buffet. One of my primary quality measurements.

Entertainment tonight is the ships dancers. The first show I remember where the house hasn't been completely full. I quickly learn why. No story, no vocals, just 45 minutes of excellent dancers. Kinda boring for many. Yes I slept through part of it.

As we head east towards San Diego over the next 5 days the seas are gentle with about a 5 foot swell. We see an occasional shower in the distance. The air temperatures several hours after dark are still in the uppr 70's.

Oct 14 - Kona

We receive notice that the majority of our shore excursion for today has been cancelled due to the government shutdown. What was left had no appeal so we cancel the excursion and will just go ashore on our own.

Kona is a tender port where we will use the lifeboats for tendering. As lifeboats, the capacity of each is 150. As tenders they load a maximum of 85 passengers, and believe me they are quite full. Hopefully the boats never need to be used at full capacity. There is a several foot swell, which in itself will not rock the Koningsdam, but the lifeboats are a different story. The boats move up and down about two feet relative to the boarding platform on the ship and the dock at shore. The crew works very hard to help passengers board and disembark safely. Many passengers are apprehensive, but to the best of my knowledge there are no mishaps.

Once ashore we consult a port map, Waze, and the local information booth. We settle on "Kona Brewery" as our destination. Not because I am a beer drinker, but my oldest daughter and her husband would definitely head there if they were here, so we will do it for them.

Some of the steps are steep and the handrails so hot from the sun that you can't touch them. After having to backtrack because one road was totally blocked even to pedestrian traffic we make it. Probably amongst the first half dozen ship passengers to arrive.

Lynn tries several of the beers, one she found much to her liking. I stuck to two ice cold diet coke's.

We stayed for an hour or so, enjoyed a very lite lunch and were entertained by several mongoose playing near the edge of the patio. I may have slipped a coaster in Lynn's purse for my son in law Steve. By the time we leave nearly every table is full, mostly with people I recognize from the ship.

This was probably the hottest day we have had. By the time we are back to the ship all our clothing is only fit for the laundry, and a shower is definitely in order.

It has been four days since we have been to the dining room, so we definitely make it tonight. The veal meatballs were good. For some unexplainable reason the diningroom is very noisy tonight. Possibly the end result of many passengers going to the Kona Brewery. Or maybe more guest have caught on to the happy hour at 3 of the bars between 4 and 6.

The headliners have changed. Tonight's performance by Ryan Ahern was excellent. A concert piano player with a very energetic varied program.

Tomorrow we will  be in Nawiliwili, Kauai. Our last Hawaiian port.

Oct 12 - 2 Days in Honolulu

As we pull into Honolulu harbor the sun is rising over the city. I look at where we are heading and realize that what I see is not what I expected. The docks don't match the description of where we were supposed to dock. Soon an announcement from the captain says our pier assignment has been changed.

Dr. Google provides the rest of the story. The Coral Princess is still in the slip we were supposed to occupy. Yesterday she lost all power for several hours and is awaiting inspection before she can continue. We anticipate that we will change docks during the night.

After breakfast we take a shuttle to the Ala Moana shopping center, the 8th largest in the world. A hawaiian shirt is a must from Hilo Hattie, a producer and retailer of Hawiian garments for years.

The sales clerk is good and Lynn gets a matching one for 50% off. Even though hawaiian, they will be fine for tropical nights anywhere.

At one point 4 or 5 fighter jets roar over the ship as they leave on a routine training mission. I am sure the locals adapt to the thunderous roar.

The weather is again perfect.

We enjoy a special dinner outside on deck 10. Beef, chicken and lamb starter, coconut chicken soup, and beef tenderloin or baked snapper for the main entree. Dessert was pineapple mango and almond crumble with a chocolate coconut.

Food and service very good, the sunset enjoyable. The only problem was that the portions were way too big, but I suffered through it. It has been hard but I have learned it is ok to leave food on the plate.

While we are finishing dinner the Coral Princess finally leaves. In the middle of the night we will move to the pier we were originally assigned, and in the morning the Anthem Of The Seas will take the dock we are in. It is all about size.

Main stage entertainment tonight is a local group of Hawaiian drummers and dancers. Who doesn't enjoy hulu dancing.

On our second day in Honolulu we take an 8 hour bus trip around the island. I remember nothing from my previous visits over 30 years ago. There has been a lot of growth. Many highrise apartment buildings and very congested traffic. Honolulu even has a lighr rsil sytem opening in 4 days.

The scenery is nice, but honestly 8 hours on a tour bus is too long.

We stop for lunch on our own about 2:30. We choose a close by mexicsn bar and have chips and salsa and chese dip. The service was exceptional and the food excellent. Then the fun begins.

We wander back to the bus a few minutes early, we are still missing 12 passengers. By departure time we are still missing two. 15 minutes later, no one in sight. The driver calls his contact on the ship. After a few more minutes he is given permission to leave them. We drive to the exit of the parking area just as the two stragglers wander towards the bus. "Are we late?"  I wonder if they will remember next time how close they were to being left behind.

Our next stop was supposed to be Dole Pineapple, but of course we are late. Late because of accumulated traffic delays all day and late because of two inconsiderate passengers. We find the entrance gates closed. Our driver shares with us that now nearly all pineapple grown in Hawaii is consumed locally. Little or non is sent to the mainland or other markets.

We continue back to the pier where we arrive a few minutes before all aboard time.

With lunch so late, we skip the dining room and enjoy two sets of the "The Dam Band" in the crow's nest bar as we sail from Honolulu towards our next Island, Kona.

I grab a meatball sandwich at the New York Deli on deck 10 before going to the "late show" at 8:00. It is comfortable and not busy. Our entertainment tonight is a comedian that joined the ship today. He is enjoyable and plays to an overfull house.

Seas are cal and skies are clear as we sail to Kona.

Oct 11 - Maui, Hawaii

We arrive in port and are cleared for disembarkation by 8:00 am. We have no excursion planned for today. Anything that I would be interested in was sold out before I booked.

I can't imagine why but a 14 mile downhill bike ride just doesn't appeal to me. The port itself is commercial in nature. There is a swap meet about a mile and a half away. Some passengers go for it, again I see no appeal.

From the crows nest on deck 12 we overlook Maui's airport. Traffic is steady from a number of carriers.

Dozens of sail boarders are gliding back and forth from the nearby beach a half mile or so into the ocean and then back. Some are very good, others are just learning.

The ship is nice and quiet, probably 60% of the passengers are on some type of tour today.

The band plays in the crow's nest today. The Hawaiian singers and dancers are leaving the ship tomorrow.

To celebrate my birthday we go to the Pinnacle Grill. HAL'S steak house.

The candied bacon OK, but not as good as I have enjoyed in the past. The tenderloin was excellent and perfectly prepared. Initially the service was lacking but improved after finally taking our beverage order.

I ordered baked alaska for desert. While it tasted good, the portion would easily have served six. I ate very little of it.

Just as I am finushing desert the waiter brings a birthday cake, drops it on the table and mutters a few indistinguishable words. Very poorly done. The two blackberries are all I can manage.

A few minutes later he takes a similar cake to a nearby table after they have started on their desert. The reaction is the same. I overhear "what are we going to do with this".

As we leave,  the maitre de is at the door. I explain to him how poorly the birthday cake was handled. Basically he cared less and didn't want to hear anything. I understand why the room was only 60% full.

Such a contrast to the dining room last night where our waiter asks if he can bring me a birthday cake since we will not be there on the 11th. Having said yes, the cake is brought and a number of the staff join in a short celebration.

The tape has been removed from cabin 6049. For whatever reason it was taped, that has now passed.

Chris Bannister an English singer and guitar player has a different show for tonight. He is excellent and performs to a full house again.

Tomorrow we will be in Honolulu where we will stay for 2 days.

Hilo Hawaii

We arrive in port with a bright rainbow off the starboard side of the ship.

Breakfast doesn't start until 7:00 but by 6:30 the Lido is very busy.  We have a tour at 8:00 so we are up early as usual.

The ship is cleared and tour groups begin to gather in the theater.  We are the second group to be called. The terminal is an old open warehouse with areas roped off for tour groups to gather.

12 of us are soon in our 14 passenger van on our way to the OK farm. A delightful day. The farm grows a multitude of crops including coffee, nuts, chocolate, star fruit, bananas, pineapple, vanilla, and many different spices. We are treated to a picnic of tropical fruits and macadamia nuts. The scenery is beautiful including a waterfall and small hydo electric plant. One of the best takeaways is the best nutcracker I have ever used. Need to find one.

Our driver and tour guide works on the farm when not doing tours. Mostly sorting priduct by quality and packaging for shipment. Originally from Montana, now in her 40's she has been here most of her life.

The past several years rainfall has been low. Many of the fields show the effect. Some of the crops are struggling and the owner is considering irrigation, not a small investment. No climate change anyone?

Back on the ship it is grilled pastrami on rye at the New York deli for a late lunch.

At dinner I risk the lasagna again. Not nearly as good as Royal's, but  better than last week. Since we won't be in the MDR for a few days, the staff insists on a birthday cake for me. Fun and excellent.

The show tonight is comedian and magician Doc Dixon. He has been on this ship for 9 weeks straight, working 2 nights a week. He already has a 16 week contract with HAL for next summer. A contract spreading over several ships, primarilt in Alaska.

The seas remain mild, skies mostly clear and the air warm and humid. Just like Florida. Tomorrow we will be in Maui.

More Sea Days Before Hawaii

As we get closer to Hawaii the seas have calmed, the swells are almost gone, the skies are mostly sunny, and the temperatures warmer. There is no pitch to the ship, and the roll is slight. Unless you are watching the horizon you wouldn't even know there was any roll.

We have been putting our clocks back every other night to adjust to Hawaiian time. We are now six hours behind Florida. An hour every other day is so much easier than six hours at once.

The nationalities of passengers are nearly as diverse as the crew. Erin mentioned at least 20 countries represented. Canadians and Americans are the two largest groups as you might expect. Age diversity is a little different. My guess would be 90 % of the passengers are over 65, many over 80.

By day 5 the retractable roof is fully open, and many of the pool chairs are occupied by 7 AM. Last night I saw a passenger with one of the worst sunburns I have ever seen. His face was as red as my car, with two pink circles around his eyes where he was apparently wearing sunglasses. He is going to remember this cruise, but for the wrong reasons. 

The gamblers are still busy. I don't know if they stayed all night, or have just started early but the slot machines are busy early in the morning. The smoke from the casino drifts throughout decks 2 and 3 at times. I keep overhearing conversations of passengrs losing, but never of winning. Trust me, if anyone won they would be talking about it. That is the nature of gamblers. Brag about winnings, and deny losses.

The staff has been excellent. Our cabin is serviced twice each day by our cabin steward and his helper, I will assume a trainee. We sent two bags of laundry as soon as we left Vancouver. I always do wash dry and fold, and never iron anything at home, so why should I here? Well I didn't know it was possible to leave so many wrinkles in a pair of slacks. The next day we send the now clean laundry for pressing. Better but not as good as tumble dry and hang it up as I do at home.

We have not seen a single ship since we left Vancouver. Not surprising as this is not a commercial shipping route. But we do have some extra unplanned cargo on board. A sparrow has been seen around the ship. Hitching a ride to Hawaii for the winter I guess. 

Fortunately there have been no more medical calls that I have heard. The cabin where they were called the other night has the door taped closed.  The preprinted writing on the tape is not in a language I even recognize. I don't know why, but can only imagine it needs to be sealed for inspection by some type of authority when we dock. Whether it is medical, health, or police, we will likely never know.

As I mentionwd earlier it is a very mature crowd on this ship. You can probably count first time cruisers on one hand, and the number of passengrs under 40 is probably 10 at the most.

HAL'S app is rather outdated. Navigation is not intuitive, and lots of information that you would expect isn't there. Venue hours, entertainment schedules, menus are totally missing or in the case of menues only available for the current day.

We are told to use the app to make reservations, but you can't. Our maitre de, also known as "bad boy", solves our menu problem. He prints out the dining room menu for the remainder of the cruise. Now we can decide which nights to forgo the dining room for a different restaurant.

There is a special hawaiian dinner while we are in Honolulu. Of course not listed anywhere Lynn learns about it during a cooking demonstration. The waiters and bad boy know nothing about it even though the passengers are told to make reservations through them.

After some research bad boy makes arrangements for us.

The production show tonight is the HAL  dancers. High energy and talented, it was a good show. Volume in the theater has been good, the other musical venues, often very loud.

Tomorrow morning we arrive in Hilo, our first hawaiian port. We have a tour in the morning leaving at 8.

First 3 Days Across The Pacific

I soon learn the reason for the added slot machines. 500 cabins were sold to a "gambling group". It shows. The casino and the extra slot machines are always busy. Some other usually popular locations like the Crow's Nest on deck 12 forward are relatively empty.

As we head west and south towards the Hawaian islands the temperatures gently rise. High's the first day were about 70. Day 2 a little warmer and by day 3 we awake to 70 degree partly sunny skies, and by lunch time it is 80! The roof is open over the pool deck and many people are now outside enjoying the tropical breeze. The lobster red sunburns are already present.

The captain has been very guarded on his weather forecast. Maybe he knows something that he doesn't want to share, but so far the weather has been excellent.

A number of passengers were confused about the ships behavior shortly after leaving port. We stopped in open water and the ship went in circles.  What we were doing was calibratng the compass, a task that needs to be done occasionally. If you ignored the announcement and then saw rhe behavior you might begin to question your wisdom in booking this cruise.

The main shows have been good. Music in the Rolling Stones Lounge deafening. A fact that was shared with the cruise director, Erin, by many passengers during her first morning coffee chat. Not surprising, but new to me as I don't own a smart watch, when noise levels are too high the smart watch app issues a danger warning to the wearer. Several passengers pointed this out to Erin.

Later that day while walking by I measured the sound at a constant 110 db noise level. Definetely harmful to your ears.

On Monday, October 6 I had the opportunity to be a doctor. It was time to remove the stitches from my hand. It looks well healed. I run warm water over it for a few minutes to soften the skin. Three snips with my scissors and the stitches slip out effortlessly. I still haven't seen a bill from the clinic, but I bet it will be substantial. Fortunately, for the moment I have good insurance.

We now just walk into the dining room for dinner. The wating lines between 5 and 6 are long. The food and beverage manager tells everyone that if they would eat at 7:30 there would be no line. That is not what this mature crowd wants.

There are several talks each day. I had forgotten but what Holland is now doing for presentations is having a professional organization write and prepare the presentation, and then the CD (cruise director) gives the presentation with the aid of a teleprompter. The best of both worlds. Quality content and excellent presentation. So far most of the presentations have been about Hawaii.

Starlink is beginning to get intermittent today. I have connection for a few minutes, then lose it.  But much better than when I crossed the PacIfic almost 10 years ago and we had no internet for days. 

So far we have had at least 3 medical emergencies. No ports to divert to here, all we can do is wish them well and continue on our way.

Oct 4 -A Tour Then Boarding The Koningsdam

We are awake before the alarm goes off. We ordered hotel room service for breakfast as we had no idea what service in the dining room would be like. If was anything like in the bar last night we would never make our excursion.

Delivery was right on time. Food good, and arrived hot as appropriate. The only downside - the cost. I'm not sure that I have ever spent $50 for an egg, a couple of bacon strips and a glass of $orange, juice and a pastry. Before taxes and tip I might add.

While Lynn stops at the desk to check out, the cab driver takes our luggage from the hotel lobby to his cab. It is no more than 10 minutes to Canada Place where we are to start our tour. Traffic on a Saturday morning is almost nonexistent. There are a handfull of passengers appearing to be looking for the same tour. We join them.

Shortly a tour company representative comes by and affirms we are in the correct spot. The bus will arrive shortly.

Luggage to go directly to the ship and our cabins is stored in the bottom of the bus. All other carryon items must be on the bus with the passengers. Lynn's is on her lap, it won't fit in the overhead.

Once everyone is onboard, and have signed the obligatory waivers, we are missing 6 guests. We wait an extra 5 minutes but they never arrive. Too bad.

Our tour takes us around the city but primarily to stanley park, 1200 acres of well preserved 2nd growth trees now approaching 100 years of being left natural.

Land and housing are very expensive in Vancouver. A typical 2 bedroom home sells for over $1,000,000. Apartments in high rises typically cost $2000 per square foot. One of the most recently built sold out in days. 2 vacant lots totaling about 1/4 acre were recently purchased for 2 billion dollars. No that is not a typo. No wonder my breakfast cost so much.

We see the totem poles, spend time visiting a fish ladder and fish hatchey. It would take several attemps for the spawing salmon to make it up one step, but eventually they did. Nearly a million salmon are raised here each year.

I skip the part of the tour where everyone walks into the dense forest. I did not feel comfortable attempting the slippery trails.

I wait for the others at the picnic area where we all are given a snack and water. Delicious. Many locals use the park. I chated with a gentleman that has been coming here every Saturday for 20 years.

The weather for Vancouver was good. A mixture of fog, clouds and partly sunny. Often this time of year it is quite rainy.

Our tour guides were excellent. One was a local high school principal and the other a teacher. This is a part time weekend gig they have worked together for years.  This is the last tour this year. No more cruise ships this season.

Our bus gets us back to the pier to board the ship by 1:00. There are no lines, but it takes almost 45 minutes to walk through the process. The Anthem of the Seas is docked with us. Passengers start out in different lines for each ship then intermingle for security, then separate. I lost count but I felt like I walked from one end to the other of the long terminal building at least 5 times.

We are some of the last passengers to board as boarding was to be completed by 1:30. We were late, but it was a Holland America tour so they wait.

At our 3:00 scheduled departure time the ship is still waiting for a few passengers. We are finally underway by 4:30.

Our cabin is exactly as expected. We were on a sister ship earlier this year so the layout of the ship quicky falls into place. Our first disappointment was to see that our favorite lounge, the ocean view bar, has been turned into a space for many slot machines. Not a product of a refurbishment, but a change made in the past 12 hours. Oh well, no profit from me with them.

This is a very mature crowd of seasoned cruisers. When I booked months ago many of the shore excursons were already sold out, and early dining was no longer available. Luggage arrives in our cabin. Everything is stashed away in our "home" for the next three weeks.

My first task was to make dinner reservations. Done 5:15.

We arrive at the dining room just after 5:00. The line is manageable. After pushing back at the hostess who wanted us to return at 7:30 despite a 5:15 reservation we are seated in a very quiet table for 2 close to the door and the galley. Our staff is excellent and we ask the maitre de to book us here every night. Problem solved. I will note there were numerous tables that were never used by 6:45 when we left.

The early dining gives us plenty of time after dinner to make the "late" show at 8:00. Yes, late show.  The early show is at 6:00. Not the timing of most cruise ships, but yes this is a very mature manifest.

The show is good, most seats are full, and I don't need earplugs. It has been a long day and we retire for the night.

As we enter the Pacific to begin our 5 day passage towards Hawaii, the ship has a gentle 2 degree roll due to 6 to 8 foot swells on our starboard side. Even though I am not as agile as I used to be, the roll causes no problem. I probaby just walk less straight than usual.

Oct 3 - Vancouver bound.

The alarm is set for 5:00 AM. No free breakfast at the Comfort Inn, they don't start serving until 7:00. We are ready for the 6:00 AM shuttle to the Minneapolis airport by 5:45. He leaves at 5:55. The airports is only about a 15 minute drive.  We are dropped of in a special drop off zone for shuttles and taxis. It is just a few minutes walk to the Delta ticket counter. Bags are checked and it is off to TSA and security. Delta has our boarding passes properly labeled as "TSA Precheck". The wait for security is short, the process normal without incident. There were a few concerns as congess hasn't passed a budget and the government is in shutdown mode.

It takes just over an hour until we are close to our gate. We stop and grab a bite at McDonalds.  After placing your order they have a server that brings your food. A delightful lady that also helps guests with ordering and any other questions. Definitely one of the most friendly, helpful fast food employees that I have encountered in a long time.

Our almost full flight leaves early and we are airborne before our scheduled departure time. A first for me in a long time.

The flight to Vancouver is smooth, The walk from the gate to Canadian Customs is long. I had filed my customs declarations form in advance on line, and this made the process easier. Having no clue as to where or how far it would be to a taxi, we engage a porter to handle our luggage. He takes us directly to an awaiting taxi. A task I would not have easily accomplished on my own as signage was sparse and my right hand is still healing from a glass cut just before we left home.

The cab driver is from India, but has been in Vancouver for 8 years. His english is better than that of most americans. It takes about 45 minutes due to heavy traffic. I follow our progress on Waze. He takes the fastest direct route. The fare is under $40 USD.

Checkin time at The Fairmont Hotel isn't until 3:00  We have another lucky day. They have a room available for us. The clerk shares that they have 350 checkins today, I can only assume many cruise ship passengers. The Fairmont is an old elegant hotel. I booked this location because an excursion we are taking tomorrow was scheduled to originate here and end at the cruise terminal. As can happen, a couple of weeks ago I received notice that plans had changed and the excursion would now be leaving from Canada Place near the cruise terminal. Only a half mile away, but by cab as we have all our luggage.

Our accomodations are large and spacious. I think the bathroom alone is nearly as large as our cabin will be on the ship. All the amenities you would expect in a five star facility. Large closet, coffee maker, iron and ironing board, etc. I'll chalk it up to an aged facility, but there was no heat in the rooms, the room temperature never got above 65. As soon as I check in I receive a text message from the hotel. Just an invite to text with any questons. I inquire as to cab availability and travel time in the morning. I get a prompt accurate reply. I really think a person not AI.

They have "pub food" during happy hour at the bar. This will be our dinner. With a very early start to the day, losing several hours due to time zones, and needing to meet our tour by 7:45 AM tomorrow, it is an early night. The bed is very comfortable, and for the most part very quiet except for a group of party goers in the hall about midnight. I sleep soundly for at least 8 hours.

Tomorrow we tour Vancouver and board Holland America's Koningsdam which we will call home for the next 21 days.

Days of Visiting Relatives

We spend the next four days visiting various family friends and relatives of Lynn. Her two brothers, Brian that we are staying with and Kent, and their respective wives Noel and Joan.

David Tucker a nephew. Uncle Clark and his daughter Susy. David and Jan Truckenbrod, life long family friends.

Wednesday morning it was breakfast with Greg Rediske and his daughter Abby and her 8 month old son. Karla Woody a niece, David and Jan Truckenbrod and their daughter Jenny. Beckey, a niece and her husband Tom Sawyer. Tom's daughter. Debbie, another niece.

Will I remember all of these names? Guaranteed not.

Clark is a real character. At 97 his wit is sharp as a tack. A retired railroad fireman from the time when the raiload was running steam. He is recovering from a recent fall where he dislocated a shoulder, broke an arm, and broke his neck for starters. He had many railroad stories to share.

Brian is recently retired from a real estate broker career. Kent is retired from truck driving and still spends a lot of time volunteering at the American Legion.

David Tucker has just sold his share of a marine repair and storage business. About a year ago he suffered severe injury in a water skiing accident and is still recovering.

Our visit is short to visit these few of Lynn's relatives that live in this area. Next year there are plans for a family reunion which will probably be attended by 150. A number of relatives I can not comprehend.

Wednesday afternoon we drive to Minneapolis, and check into our hotel.

We spend the evening with Lynn's grand-daughter Hanna and her husband Taylor. Hanna is an engineer in the medical appliance industry. We talked 3d printing. Taylor works at the zoo teaching.

On Thursday Oct 2nd we spent the afternoon with Per and Lori. Lori is a niece of Lynn's.

Per was a professional photographer, often working on assignment for National Geographic. An Antartica expedition was one of his most memorable.

We return the car at the airport and take the shuttle back to our hotel.

Tomorrow we head to Vancouver, BC.

 

Sept 28 - The First Day of Travel.

The alarm is set for 6:00. The party last night was great. The children did a perfect job of planning and execution. Of course I am up before the alarm goes off. The last items are packed and we are off to the Orlando airport.

With difficulty we get our bags checked. The computers aren't working properly and the agent needs help from a supervisor. Eventually we have our paper boarding passes and luggage receipts. Unfortunately American missed the fact I am a trusted traveller, so I don't have precheck, but "Clear" is offering 2 week free trials of their service.  We decide why not try it.

The process is easy, and essentially bypasses the TSA waiting line.  Security is quick and we head to our terminal. Will I pay the $200 annual fee? No. I don't fly enough.

The flight is smooth and comfortable but arrives about 30 minutes late. Once on the ground there are no gates available and we circle around the terminals for another 20 minutes or so. Many passengers will miss their connecting flights.

Baggage is retrieved and we use a cart to haul our bags towards car rental. About a 15 minute walk and several stops away on the terminal transit train. I have no idea how, but the app shows us with 2 extra pieces of luggage. I can only guess someone is missing some.

We get a break as we approach the airport transit train. Information clearly states that carts are not allowed, and I was aware of this days ago. Don't always believe everything you read. An airport official approaches us and tells us we can take the cart all the way to our rental car. His job is exclusively to grant exception permissions. Probably it is the grey hair, bandaged hand and my staggered walk.

The car pickup process is easy and we are on our way. Traffic flow is good once we get a couple miles from the airport. We stop for a bite along the way and arrive at Brian's before dark.

We will be staying here for 3 nights while we visit a number of Lynn's relatives in the Onalaska, LaCross, Wiscousin area.

After a dinner of beer brats its time for a good nights sleep.