Auckland, New Zealand

Walking Along the Pier

Tuesday, 26 Feb 2019 – Sally didn’t sleep well again, so Jesse let her sleep until 9:30 AM.  We had toured Auckland previously in 2012, so we did not sign u- for an excursion.   Auckland is New Zealand's most populous city with nearly 1.3 million residents.  Also called the “City of Sails,” it has more sailboats per capita than any other place in the world.  It has a unique blend of modern cosmopolitan influences and Polynesian traditions.  In the heart of the city is the Auckland Domain, which consists of nearly 200 acres of parkland.  Auckland has a reputation of being old-fashioned and traditional, which visitors find refreshing.  The polite manner of the local people and the cleanliness of the streets are what help to keep visitors returning year after year.

After breakfast, she went back to sleep, while Jesse went off the ship for a few photos.  Sally slept until lunchtime; then worked on her genealogy book the remainder of the afternoon.  The pool was covered for maintenance all day, so there was no swimming today.  We were a little late getting to the Horizons, so we danced for only 30 minutes before dinner.  There was no pre-show dancing tonight.

Bay of Islands, New Zealand

            Monday, 25 Feb 2019 – Sally hadn’t slept well, so she was still tired when we hurried to breakfast at 9:25 AM.  After returning to our cabin, she napped for a little over an hour which helped.  Since we had visited New Zealand in 2012 but not the Bay of Islands, we booked an excursion, “Relaxing Lunch Cruise to Historic Russell.”

            We boarded the tender at 12:15 PM for a 25-minute ride to the pier.  Most passengers were at lunch or had gone ashore earlier, so there were only six passengers in our tender.  Since we made the mistake of sitting near the door, we endured a constant sea spray through the entire ride.  We thought about trying to change seats, but the ride was much too rough for that.  While waiting for our cruise boat, we sat in shade in chairs provided by Oceania.  It was only 70 degrees, so Sally was very comfortable, although Jesse was cold, even with his jogging jacket.

            Our cruise began in Waitangi, where in 1840 New Zealand's founding document between the British Crown and the Maori chieftains was signed.  As we cruised along the bay’s coastline, we sailed past a vineyard, an oyster farm and several historical sites that have influenced the country's history.  Omata, once a favored destination for European immigrants, has now established itself as one of New Zealand's premier wine-growing regions.  In the early 19th-century, Kororareka was the largest whaling port in the southern hemisphere and notoriously inhabited by hard-living seamen, deserters and escaped convicts.   As we sailed along, one of the crew took our lunch orders.  We had a choice of veal, lamb, fish, or vegetable lasagna.  Jesse also ordered us Ginger beers, which were very tasty.  Although brewed and bottled in Australia, we were told that the beer is available in the USA.

We arrived at Historic Russell just as we finished our lunch.  Okiato, also known as Old Russell, was New Zealand's seat of government before it moved to Auckland and then Wellington.  Once known as the “Hell Hole of the Pacific,” by whalers, traders, and sealers, Russell was the original port in the North Island. Today, Russell is a picturesque waterfront village full of old homesteads, historic churches, and wooden cottages.   The historical town is filled with meticulously restored buildings from the mid-19th century.

On the Historic Russell Pier

            During our hour of free time, we walked past an ice cream parlor and several restaurants, and browsed several souvenir shops before finding comfortable seats in the shade.  While we waited for “Darryl’s Dinner Cruise” boat to re-dock, we conversed with a couple of other passengers.  We found out that they are on the world cruise and staying in the “owner’s suite,” which means they paid a lot more for the cruise than we did!

            It was 4:30 PM when we returned to the ship and Sally was too tired to swim or dance.  So after dinner, we retired to our cabin for the night.

2 Days at Sea

Saturday, 23 Feb 2019 – We awoke at about 7:00 AM and went to breakfast at about 8:45 AM.  Jesse did laundry after breakfast, the heavy items in the self-service laundry room and the lighter items by hand.  The “Insignia’s Country Fair” was held on the pool deck from 10:30 – 11: 30 AM.  The officers and staff had various booths set up for games and prizes, while the Insignia Orchestra played music in the background.  We didn’t participate, but Jesse did make a short visit to snap a few photos.  After the crew had finished rearranging the deck, we swam for a half hour before lunch.  Although the water was quite rough, we endured.   We enjoyed lunch as usual and Sally napped in the afternoon.  After dinner, we danced for a half hour in the Insignia Lounge.  Our friend Al was in the audience.  He had come to watch us dance and cheer us on.  He thought the other couple that dances regularly, Nancy and Paul, knows a lot more routines than us, and Al encouraged us to practice more because he wants us to be the best!  He kept us laughing as we sat between songs.  We moved our clocks ahead by one hour before retiring.

Sunday, 24 Feb 2019 – Sally awoke at 9:00 AM.  Sally rushed us to breakfast, which Jesse didn’t understand until he realized it was already 9:30 AM.  There were several other late participants, all using the excuse that we had lost an hour of sleep!  We swam for half hour, starting at 12:05 PM and went to lunch immediately afterwards.  Sally took her usual nap in the afternoon, while Jesse watched a new version of “Robin Hood” on TV, with Jamie Fox.  It was an amusing alternative to the traditional “Robin Hood.”  After dinner, we danced for a half hour in the Insignia Lounge.  The band played one waltz this time!

Suva, Fiji

            Friday, 22 Feb 2019 – We went to breakfast at about 9:00 AM, and watched out of the window as the ship docked at Suva, Fuji.  Since we had not visited this island before, we had signed up for an excursion, “Pacific Harbor Cultural Extravaganza.”  After breakfast, we met in the Insignia Lounge at our designated 10:45 AM meeting time.

Fiji is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean about 1,130 miles northeast of New Zealand's North Island.  The British established the Colony of Fiji in 1874, and it operated as a Crown colony until 1970, when it gained independence.  Fiji remains a member of Britain’s Commonwealth of Nations.  The indigenous people look African to us, but they are not; their ancestors are believed to have migrated from Southeast Asia.,

Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands, only 110 of which are permanently inhabited, amounting to a total land area of about 7,100 square miles. The two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, account for 87% of the total population of 898,760.  Fiji’s major industries are tourism and sugar cane.  Suva is Fiji’s capital and is located on Viti Levu.

Our tour guide was Joveci (Joe) and our driver was Arvin.  The bus left the pier at about 11:12 AM for our 4-hour excursion.  During the 1-hour drive to the Pacific Harbor, Joe taught us how to say “Bulah” for “hello” in his native language.  He also talked about cannibalism, which is part of the island’s history.  When a tribe conquered one of their neighboring tribes, the chief would take the most beautiful maidens as his wives, and the tribe would cook and eat the others.  Joe pointed out 3 or 4 of the nation’s prisons.  Many of the cells are now empty, because the crime rate in Fiji is on the decline.  During their incarceration, the prisoners are trained in various trades and paid for their work, with many becoming highly educated.  So the majority of the released prisoners become productive citizens.  Joe pointed out the “Devil’s Thumb,” which is a famous mountain that is very difficult to climb, more difficult than even Mt. Everest.  Wild boars roam the mountains and are the only animals native to Fiji.  Several movies have been filmed in Fiji, including “Cast Away.”

Upon arrival at Pacific Harbor, we were greeted by the reverberating sound of a hollow drum beaten by a Fijian warrior, the blowing of a conch shell and the welcoming song of the villagers.  White shell necklaces were placed around the passengers’ necks and we were given bottled water.

Pacific Harbor

We were allowed 45 minutes to browse the local shops before being escorted to the amphitheater, while being serenaded by the village singers.  From our shaded seats, we saw Fiji's storied past come alive.  We first watched the Fijian Firewalkers demonstrating their mysterious power over flame.  As an elder chanted, young men removed burning logs from a smoking pit to reveal the white-hot stones signaling the beginning of this ancient ceremony.  Eventually, we watched as the elder, followed by the young men, walked slowly over the hot stones.  Next, the group was joined by a group of young women.  We were entertained with traditional dancing, as the group re-enacted their legends and history.  During our 1-hour return drive to the pier, Joe continued telling us more about Fiji and answering questions.  Education through 18 years of age is free in Fiji, except for “exclusive” private schools.  Even the Christian schools are free.  Those wishing to attend college are given free tuition, but it is gradually repaid by students once they graduate and start their careers.

The temperature and humidity were very high for our Fiji visit.  Although we were warned that local buses might not be air-conditioned, luckily our bus was.  However, even though we sat in the shade while watching the performances, it was still miserably hot.

About 12 passengers were dropped off downtown for additional shopping opportunities.  The remainder of us returned to the ship at about 3:30 PM.  Only the Wave’s Grill was still open by then, so that we could enjoy salads, finger sandwiches, lemonade, and ice cream for lunch.  At our late dinner, we sat at a table adjacent to our neighbors, Maurice and Liz.  We learned that Maurice and Jesse are the same age!   Maurice is a retired physician, and Liz helped manage his practice.  There was no swimming or dancing today.

At Sea

            Thursday, 21 Feb 2019 – We crossed the International Date Line and lost Wednesday, 20 Feb 2019.  This was very confusing!  Luckily, we’ll get the day back when we return home.  We’ll be leaving Tokyo on March 31st and returning home 4.5 hours later on the same day, even though our total travel time will be about 16 hours.

Terrace Cafe with Camellia & Mike

            We were up early, but still didn’t get around to going to breakfast until 9:00 AM.  The dining room was crowded but we found a table for two; a little later, we were joined by Camellia & Mike at the next table.  We talked a lot about politics.  So far, we have not met anyone from any other country in the world that likes our current president!  However, we haven’t spoken with anyone from North Korea on the subject.  One of our Russian waitresses told us that she thought Trump is a businessman and only interested in making more money for himself, and is not concerned about other people.  Camellia and Mike also shared their complaints about the Canadian medical system, which could use many improvements.  They said the Canadian system is not as good as European medical care.

Hot Tub with Sally's New Hat

            After breakfast, we went for a swim.  Three people were already “standing” in the pool, but Jesse asked if they would mind standing on one side so we could swim laps and they politely agreed.  The water was dangerously choppy, so we only swam for 20 minutes.  After lunch, Sally continued to work on her genealogy book.  We danced for 45 minutes in the Horizons.  Except for one Cha Cha, Sally was not very happy with the music.

Pago Pago, American Samoa

On the Pier

Souvenir Shops

            Tuesday, 19 Feb 2019 – At 9:00 AM, while we were enjoying breakfast, we docked at Pago Pago, pronounced Pango Pango.  Apparently, the name was misspelled by missionaries years ago as they translated religious text into the local language.  The “misspelling” has continued through today.  The Samoan islands are divided into the independent Kingdom of Samoa and American Samoa, which is a non-incorporated territory of the US.  Pago Pago is the capital of America Samoa and home for 9,000 of American Samoa’s total 65,000 person population.  Tuna canning is the area’s main economic activity.

We had already visited Pago Pago a few years ago, so we didn’t sign up for an excursion.   We went off the ship as early as possible to avoid some of the mid-day heat.  While walking around on the pier, we visited several vendor booths.  Sally still needed a hat for the hot tub to avoid further sun burning.  Oceania sold baseball caps in their boutique for $44.00 each, which was $24.00 more than the price we refused to pay in Papeete, Tahiti, or Bora Bora!  At last, we found a nice hat for only $10.00.  Then we took a few photos and returned to the ship.  We had the pool to ourselves as we swam for 30 minutes.  Another woman was entering the pool as we were leaving and remarked, “It looks like I have a private pool!”  Sally napped after lunch, and then she worked on her genealogy book.

At dinner, some of the other passengers complained to us about their hot, uncomfortable bus ride and other uncomfortable aspects of their excursions.  We recalled similar experiences when we visited Pago Pago back in 2012.  We heard another passenger complaining that he would be missing his February 20th birthday on the ship.  Since we would be crossing the International Date Line, the ship will be skipping that day!  We had intended to dance in the Horizons at 9:00 PM, but as had happened previously, the band was not there, so we returned to our cabin.  Before retiring, we set our clocks back one hour.

2 Days at Sea

            Sunday, 17 Feb 2019 – Apparently, it takes the ship two days to sail from Bora Bora, French Polynesia, to Pago Pago, American Samoa, so we had two relaxing at-sea days to enjoy.  Jesse was “shaken” awake at 6:00 AM by the really rough sea, but managed to get back to sleep for a while longer.  Sally awoke at 7:45 AM.  Sunday Brunch was being served in the Grand Dining Room, but we opted for our usual breakfast in the Terrace Café.  The cruise director had announced that the sea was very rough (11.5 foot waves) and passengers should be careful to use the railings in the hallways, elevators, etc.  It was also raining outside and the pool was covered, so no swimming today.  After breakfast, we lounged in our cabin until going to lunch at 1:30 PM.  Then Sally napped for the rest of the afternoon, while Jesse mostly napped while trying to watch “Avengers Infinity War” on TV.  It did get a little more exciting towards the end, but Sally wasn’t at all impressed.  After dinner we danced for 30 minutes, and before retiring, we set our clocks back one hour.

            Monday, 18 Feb 2019 – Sally had been awake for most of the night, but we went to breakfast after Jesse awoke at 8:00 AM.  She was still very tired, so she napped before and after lunch and was much too tired to swim.  Before dinner, we got all dressed up and attended a private cocktail party for Oceania Club members, where we danced, enjoyed complementary drinks, and received our Silver Tier membership pins.  We received compliments on our attire.  At dinner, one of the waitresses told Jesse that he looked like President Obama, which made him feel very slim!

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

            Saturday, 16 Feb 2019 – This morning, the ship had been anchored off shore since 8:00 AM.  As with most of the ports on this cruise, we had already visited Bora Bora a few years ago, so we didn’t sign up for an excursion.  Bora Bora is one of the Tuamotu Islands.

Paroisse Saint Pierre-Celestin Church

            After breakfast, we took one of the ship’s tenders to the pier.  One of the other passengers, Flora, was alone, and asked if she could walk with us.  We had met Flora and her husband, Phil, in the laundry room near the start of the cruise.  They are from the Los Angeles area and have only been married for six years, but have been “together” for about 20 years.   Phil cannot walk without the use of his walker and, therefore, is not allowed to take tenders ashore.  As it turned out, Flora wanted to walk much further than Sally did, so we returned to the ship, while she walked further.  Even then, we had walked much farther than we would have otherwise.  Flora wanted to visit the famous “Bloody Mary’s Bar” which was apparently quite a distance from the pier.  We had visited the bar on our previous cruise in 2012.  (By the way, Jesse always wants to go ashore; Sally goes grudgingly, not wanting Jesse to get lost or buy something for her that she doesn’t need!)

            After returning to the ship, we swam for 30 minutes and then went to lunch.  Later, we had prime rib and lobster for dinner, along with our usual scrumptious desserts.  Then at 8:45, we danced for 30 minutes in the Insignia Lounge.  The Insignia “Currents” publication calls it “preshow dancing.”  The shows start at 9:30 PM, but we never stay for them.  A couple of our new friends suggested that we stay for this one because it was going to be really good!  We thought about it, but instead, retired to our cabin for night.

Papeete (Tahiti), French Polynesia

Place Vai'ete (Park by the Sea)

            Friday, 15 Feb 2019 – Sally awoke at 7:45 AM, before Jesse for a change!  Since we had been to Tahiti previously, we did not schedule an excursion.  After breakfast, we walked off the ship to tour the city on our own.  Tahiti, which is located within the Society Islands, is the most populous island, having close to 69% of the population of French Polynesia as of 2017.  It is home of French Polynesia’s capital city, Papeete.  The island of Tahiti is divided into two parts.  The larger portion to the northwest is known as Tahiti Nui, while the smaller, southeastern peninsula is known as Tahiti Iti.  Tahiti Nui is dominated by three extinct volcanic mountains including Mount Orohena, the tallest in French Polynesia; Mount Aorai, known for its incredible views; and Le Diadéme, which appears to crown the island as the rightful queen.

Souvenir Shops

            Papeete is the economic center of French Polynesia, with all flights arriving through Faa’a International Airport.  It is a vibrant and multicultural city with busy boulevards and a bustling harbor.  The downtown municipal market, Le Marché, is an exciting place to purchase all things Tahiti.

Oceania Insignia

           We walked through the outdoor market and a few stores.  We were looking for a cap for Sally, since her scalp had gotten sunburned earlier while in the hot tub.  (She brought two hats, but the large bill and cord tend to get wet in the hot tub.)  We found one that we liked, but the price was $20.00!  We thought we could get a better price in the ship’s boutique.  We were ashore for only about and hour, but by then, the heat was exhausting for Sally.  After swimming in the ship’s pool for 30 minutes we went to lunch.  As we had done at breakfast, we watched out the window as fork trucks unloaded endless pallets of food and supplies.  We were hoping that blueberries were included in the shipment since the cooks had run out of them a few days ago – and apparently they were.

            We had intended to dance in the Horizon’s after dinner, but apparently, there was a scheduling error in the ship’s “Currents” publication.  When we arrived at the Horizons at the scheduled time, 8:45 PM, the ship’s entertainment team had just begun a “Brainteaser Trivia” game!  So, we returned to the cabin, where Sally worked on her “Henry” genealogy book and Jesse watched TV.

Rangiroa, French Polynesia

            Thursday, 14 Feb 2019 – This morning the ship was anchored off shore of Rangiroa about 8:00 AM.   We went to breakfast, where we found that most of the passengers had already eaten and apparently taken one of the ship’s tender’s ashore.  Only three ship’s excursions were scheduled for this port:  a glass bottom boat, a pearl farm, and snorkeling.  So we opted to visit the island on our own.  Rangiroa is French Polynesia’s largest atoll and the second largest in the world.  The string of coral encircling a luminous turquoise and jade-green lagoon is one of the world’s greatest dive destinations.  It is one of the Tuamotu’s set of islands and atolls.

On the Rangiroa Pier

            Our tender left the ship a little before 11:00 AM for our 5 minute ride to the pier.  We looked briefly at the items on the tables being sold by vendors, had another passenger snap a photo of us, and re-boarded the same tender for the return trip to the ship!   Afterwards, we went for a 30 minute swim, then to lunch, then back to the cabin for Sally’s afternoon nap.

Although this was Valentine’s Day, there were no chocolate desserts being served at dinner in the Terrace Café.  Sally was very disappointed!  We danced for 30 minutes before retiring for the night.

Day At Sea

            Wednesday, 13 Feb 2019 – Since Sally didn’t sleep well and was up by 6:30 PM, we went to breakfast at 7:00 AM and napped afterward, only to be awakened for a mandatory lifeboat drill.  Apparently, drills are required every 14 days.  (Since we did not remember this occurring on previous cruises, it might be a new requirement.)  After the drill, we swam for a half hour.  Others were standing in the pool, but they were kind enough to stay to one side while we swam our laps.

Terrace Cafe with Marie & Pamela

At lunch, we sat at a table for four with Dean and Darlene, where we enjoyed good conversation.  We found out that Dean’s birthday is the day after Jesse’s (in March), but we can’t celebrate together; by then, they will have left this ship for a different cruise.  Also, Jesse had one of the waitresses take a photo of him with Marie and Pamela who were sitting at the table next to ours.  We danced again after dinner and the orchestra actually played a waltz!

Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

            Tuesday, 12 Feb 2019 – At 8:30 AM, we opened our draperies to see gorgeous scenery of mountains (or just big rocks) rising up from the sea; our ship was pulling into Nuku Hiva.  We enjoyed breakfast while sitting by a window in the Terrace Café; then we took photos of the surrounding area from the top deck.  Moving quickly, we went for a half-hour swim.  The pool was cool, but calm and empty, so we had a really nice swim.

            At lunch we watched out windows as the ship’s tenders transported passengers ashore before meeting in the Insignia Lounge for our excursion at 1:30 PM.  The name of our tour was, “Visit to Taipivai Valley.”  First, we boarded one of the ship’s tenders for a five minute ride to the pier.  The tour was conducted caravan style with a group of 15 4WD vehicles, which held four passengers each, plus the driver.  We were in vehicle number 2, along with Charlotte and Joan from Philadelphia.  Cruising to Sydney, Charlotte has been widowed for six years, and Joan is divorced.

            French Polynesia is a collection of 118 islands and atolls scattered across an impressive nautical surface area the size of Western Europe.  An atoll, sometimes called a coral atoll, is a ring-shaped coral reef including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon.  These tiny islands and atolls, only 67 of which are inhabited, make up a total landmass of only 1,600 square miles.  (Rhode Island is 1,545 square miles, total.)  The islands are situated just south of the equator and halfway between Los Angeles, California, and Sydney, Australia.  French Polynesia is divided into five groups of islands: the Society Islands archipelago (a sea or stretch of water containing many islands), composed of the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands; the Tuamotu Archipelago; the Gambier Islands; the Marquesas Islands; and the Austral Islands.

            Nuku Hiva is the largest of the Marquesas Islands.  The coastline of Western Nuku Hiva is characterized by steep, but fairly regular coastline, indented occasionally by small bays leading to deep valleys, which lead into the interior.  There are no villages on this side.  The coastline of the eastern part of the island has few places to land by sea and takes the brunt of the ocean swells.  The north on the other hand, is indented by deep bays, the largest of which are Anaho and Hatiheu.  The south has fewer bays.

            Our driver was a very large woman who did not appear to speak much English.  Joan sat in the front seat and we shared the back seat with Charlotte.  We drove to the Taipivai Valley, one of the richest archeological sites in the Marquesas Islands.  The Taipivai Valley was made famous by the American writer and former sailor, Herman Melville (1819-1891), who deserted his ship and hid in this valley.  Captured by the indigenous natives, he lived in the Taipivai Valley for three weeks, a period during which he observed their way of life.  This experience was the inspiration for his novel, Typee.  This landmark was most recently made famous by being the base camp for the Survivor TV show, filmed there in 2001.

A Memorial Near Notre Dame Cathedral

            Our first stop was the open-air Notre Dame Cathedral, which was adorned with great carvings, including an eagle on the lectern, a large crucifix behind the altar, the Stations of the Cross, and others.  The church was built in about 1974.  Our next stop was along the coast, where historically, the ships would send their landing craft ashore.  The original building is still on location, except the roof has been replaced with plastic material that lasts about 25 years.  The original thatched roof needed replacing every year; this roof has the same outward appearance, but is much more durable.  Several stone structures also line the shore, apparently designed to resemble those on Easter Island. 

            We made two other photo stops along the way, where we could see the water and valley far below.  Our next stop was the site of Te A’Aitua where we enjoyed light refreshments that included breadfruit and various tropical fruits.  Handicraft items, such necklaces, bracelets, and carvings, were set up for sale on tables.  Our final stop was a black sand beach, where the locals come on weekends for a little rest and relaxation.

            Along the way, we saw many horses and a few cows grazing on the edge of the narrow, winding road; some tethered, some not.  Most of the area was covered with trees and heavy undergrowth, without much area for grazing.  We also saw numerous wild roosters and hens.  We saw one small, dark pig running way from our vehicles, which may or may not have been wild.

            Finally, we were back at the pier where the last ship’s tender was waiting for us.  After resting a bit in our cabin, we went to the Terrace Café for dinner.  Jesse would have liked to dance, but Sally was too exhausted.  It had been hot and somewhat uncomfortable, crammed into the windy (un-air conditioned) middle back seat of that truck!  So instead, we watched a cute movie, “A Simple Favor.”  Before retiring, we sat our clocks back by one-half hour.

4 Days at Sea

            Friday, 8 Feb 2018 – We were up by 7:45 AM.  After breakfast, we went for a swim, where we were joined for a little while by a couple from Switzerland.  French is their native language, but the man speaks pretty good English; the woman very little.  Then we joined a couple from Czech Republic in the hot tub, but didn’t stay there very long since Sally had gotten a little sunburned yesterday.  Afterwards, Sally continued to work on her family genealogy.  After lunch, she napped for two hours, while Jesse enjoyed watching TV.  We danced for 45 minutes before dinner.  Sally had lobster for dinner for the ninth time.

            On a side note, we’ve been getting an amusing notice on our I-Phone:  “DO NOT DISTURB WHILE DRIVING.  You will not receive notification while you are driving.”  (I don’t think there’s any chance that the ship’s captain will allow either of us to pilot the ship!)

Dinner in the Grand Dining Room

            Saturday, 9 Feb 2019 – We were up by 9:00 AM and went for a late breakfast.  Since the sea was rough again, Jesse thought the pool was sloshing a little too much to swim safely.  Except for lunch, Sally worked on genealogy all day.   The Insignia Crew Purser, Thamantha, had invited us (and another couple) to dinner at 7:00 PM in the Grand Dining Room, so we dressed up a little more tonight.  Thamantha lives in Granada, but was originally from Trinidad/Tobago.  Before Oceania, she worked for Princess Cruises for 7 years.  Also invited were Kathleen and Richard from Tallahassee, FL.  Richard spent 15 years in the army; the first seven years as a military policeman before he suffered a broken back.  Then he was trained as an air traffic controller.  After leaving the army, he worked as an accountant/credit manager until retiring 4 years ago.  He is very overweight and diabetic, and walks only about a block and a half without a walker.   He has also fallen twice since boarding the cruise ship and is wearing an arm brace from his second fall.  Kathleen retired only about 6 months ago.  They are on the world cruise, roundtrip Miami, with a cabin on Deck 3 (the lowest deck – our cabin is on Deck 4).  Thamantha also purchased a bottle of white wine, which she shared with the table.

            It was two hours later (after 9:00 PM) by the time we finished dinner, so we missed dancing for the night and retired to our cabin.

            Sunday, 10 Feb 2019 – This morning we were up early (about 6:15 AM) and went to breakfast at 8:00 AM.  We sat near two very friendly couples from Hermosa Beach, CA (near Los Angeles).  Marie and Ken have been together for 20 years, but married for only 6 years.  Pamela and Henry have been married for 36 years.  After breakfast, we swam for about 20 minutes before the waves in the pool became dangerously high.  Jesse kept envisioning one of us getting slammed against the side of the pool.  We sat in the hot tub for a little while; Sally sat very low in the tub to prevent getting sunburned again.  A crossing the equator ceremony was held on the pool deck at 11:00 AM.  We had crossed the equator several times before, so we did not attend: however, Jesse did take a few photos of the ceremony.

A special stir-fry station was set up in the Terrace Café for dinner, where Jesse enjoyed an extra-spicy chicken stir-fry and three desserts.  Sally enjoyed lobster and brownies and ice cream for desserts.  After dinner, we danced for in the Insignia Lounge.  Before retiring, we sat our clocks forward by 30 minutes.  This is the life!

            Monday, 11 Feb 2019 – We went to breakfast early, a little after 8:00 AM.  (Breakfast is served until 10:00; therefore, 8:00 is “early.”)  Afterwards we swam for half an hour, even though the water was a little rough.  For a little while, we were joined by the Swiss couple.  They have cruised a lot, but mostly on Costa Cruise Lines.  The woman asked Jesse if he speaks French and he responded, “Bonjour!”  We went to lunch at about 1:30 PM; Sally napped afterwards and Jesse nodded while trying to watch the “Destinations” channel on the TV.  Before dinner we danced for 45 minutes in the Horizons.  Jesse asked the band to play a waltz, which we really enjoyed.  (Otherwise, they still play mostly jazz.)  Afterwards, one of the passengers and a crew member complimented us on our dancing.  On this cruise, we’ve been given lots of complements on our dancing and swimming.  Also, Jesse was told by a group of the Terrace Café waitstaff that he looks like a movie star!  Look out, Hollywood!  (It’s a good world here on the ocean!)

Hilo, Hawaii

            Thursday, 7 Feb 2019 – Since we were scheduled for an excursion this morning, we sat our alarm for 7:00 AM.  At breakfast, we watched as Matson trucks hauling CONEX containers arrived at the pier, and then the huge cranes lifted the containers from the trucks and stacked them in various locations.  Jesse was thinking that would have been a great career for him!  (It looked like fun!)

Rainbow Falls

            Then we waited in the Insignia Lounge for our excursion number to be called.  Our excursion was a two-hour “Panoramic Hilo” tour.  Hilo is located on Hawaii, the big island.  Our driver and tour guide, Dennis was very tall and portly, with a heavy Hawaiian accent.  We first set out for Liliuokalani Gardens, where we rode past numerous large and very old banyan trees, with smaller growths along the side.  One tree was named Amelia Earhart, who was there in about 1936.  We continued on past Coconut Island to Rainbow Falls, where we stopped for about 30 minutes and we climbed steep, uneven, rough stone steps to be about level with the falls.  Of course, Hawaii is part of the U.S., so there was a safety railing alongside the steps.  From there, we had an excellent view of the 80-foot waterfall as it rushed into the large pool below that is almost 100 feet wide.  Also, a viewpoint below gave us a different perspective.

King Kamehameha Statue

            Our next stop was the Shinmachi Memorial that was erected in honor of the many residents of Hilo who lost their lives to the 1946 tsunami.  Adjacent to the memorial was a small art museum, where local artists display their work.  Sally especially enjoyed the paintings of the recent volcano.  Also, nearby was a Vietnam War memorial, in honor of the island’s fallen heroes.  Afterwards, we stopped at the beautiful gold statue of King Kamehameha, who unified the Hawaiian Islands in 1840.  Our guide, Dennis, told us that there are actually three statues of the king, one located in Washington, DC.   He also told us that a little known fact is that the king had about 1000 canoes (with warriors) that assisted him with the unification.  Our last stop was at the Big Island Candies factory, where we were given free samples and an opportunity to purchase tasty treats.

            After returning to the ship, we swam for a half hour.  On our way to lunch, we met Maurice and Liz from the cabin next door to ours.  They are from the LA area, just south of the Los Angeles Airport.  They boarded in LA (as we did) but are on the world cruise.  Afterwards, Sally napped for 2.5 hours while Jesse worked on his expenses spreadsheet.  (He tracks every penny that we spend, despite Sally’s complaints about his use of time for this!)  After dinner, we danced for 30 minutes.  Since a “British Invasion” dance party had been advertised, we went to the Horizons at 10:00 PM, hoping to dance more; however, there was only recorded music (no band); we returned to our cabin.  Sally stayed up until 1:30 AM working on genealogy, while Jesse watched movies on TV.  With the unlimited internet access (and not having to cook meals), Sally has been making great headway on her “Henry Family” genealogy book.

Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

            Wednesday, 6 Feb 2019 – We went to breakfast at about 8:00 AM; then Sally called her friend, Maggie, back in Iowa.  As with Kauai, we had visited Honolulu previously, so we did not sign up for an excursion.  Honolulu is the capital of the state of Hawaii and is situated on the island of Oahu.  It is the most populous city in the state of Hawaii and both the westernmost and southernmost major American City.  Tourist attractions include Diamond Head and the world-famous beaches of Waikiki, the inspiring memorials of Pearl Harbor and the Punchbowl National Cemetery, and the only royal palace ever constructed on U.S. soil.

Walk to Wal-Mart

Since it appeared that Jesse had forgotten the charger for his camera, we decided to take a “free” shuttle to Wal-Mart again.  We received “stickers” for the shuttle; however, the woman in charge told us that if we only wanted to go to Wal-Mart, there was a much closer store within a 15-minute walk.  After she gave us directions, we set out on foot.  It took us 45 minutes to get there!  Although we were hoping that Wal-Mart would sell universal battery chargers, of course they did not.  We also tried two drug stores and a business supply store in the area, but they were unable to help us either.  So, we made our 45-minute walk back to the ship empty handed!

            Although we were both exhausted as we re-boarded the ship, we felt a somewhat revived after a light lunch.  Then we showered and both of us napped.  Before dinner, Sally made a few phone calls, while Jesse made another search for his camera charger.  And eureka!  He found it!  After dinner, we were still too tired to dance, so we called it an early night.

Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii

            Tuesday, 5 Feb 2019 – Although Sally hadn’t slept well, we were up by 8:30 AM, and sat next to a window for breakfast in the Terrace Café.  While eating, we could see passengers outside boarding various “free” shuttles.  We did not purchase an excursion for this port since we had visited the island previously.  Kauai is the fourth largest and northernmost island in the Hawaiian group, and the oldest of the large islands.  It is the top of an enormous volcano rising from the ocean floor, with lava flows dated to about 5 million years ago.  Kauai’s terrain ranges from the volcanic slopes of Mt. Waialeale and the desert-like beauty of Waimea Canyon to the Wailua River’s lush Fern Grotto.

"Free" Shuttle to Wal-Margt

Multi-Colored Wild Rooster

            After breakfast, we went ashore and boarded a shuttle to Wal-Mart.  Jesse had a list of items that he needed.  While waiting near the Wal-Mart store for the return shuttle, a beautiful, multi-colored rooster was strutting about nearby.  A native of Hawaii sitting nearby told us that, ever since a 1946 tsunami that released a lot of penned-up chickens, many have been roaming wild.  When we returned to the pier, it was raining but we waited inside for another open-air shuttle that would be good for photos.  Although this second shuttle trip was only a 15-minute roundtrip ride, we took a few nice photos of the area.

            We were back on the ship by 2:00 PM, just in time for lunch in the Terrace Café before closing time.  When we returned to the cabin, Jesse called his friend, Janet, back in Iowa, and called and texted a few family members; then we napped.

Free Open-Air Shuttle

            Since a Chinese New Year celebration was taking place in the Terrace Café for dinner, seats were a little hard to find.  We sat at a table for four and were joined by Camellia and Mike from Ottawa, Canada.  Camellia retired in 2000, Mike in 2003.  Mike’s career was with the Canadian Army.  They use to travel a lot by car until they got older.  Now, they have been on lots of cruises, mostly Holland America and Princess, but this is their first on Oceania.  They have one son who is a diplomat in Sydney, Australia, and one granddaughter, who is attending school in Adelaide.  Camellia is originally from Quebec and her first language is French.  After dinner, we danced for 30 minutes.

5 Days at Sea

            Thursday, 31 Jan 2019 – Sally awoke at 9:05 AM, and we went to the Terrace Café for breakfast.  (Jesse had been awake for a few hours.)  We had our usual oatmeal with blueberries and various other fruit; a mushroom, spinach, ham, and cheese omelet, which we shared; and salmon.  Back in our cabin, we saw on FaceBook that it was minus 33 degrees Fahrenheit in Bettendorf!  We both felt very guilty for not being home, suffering in the cold with our friends; but not that guilty, because a little later we went for a swim in the ship’s pool.  The outside temperature was a little cool, but the water was heated.  One problem is that the pool is saltwater, so swim goggles are a must.  As we were getting out of the pool, Sally realized that she had forgotten to take out her hearing aids!  One was still dangling from her left ear, and the other was missing.  After a brief search, Jesse found the second hearing aid at the bottom of the pool.  After returning to our cabin, we removed the batteries, rinsed the hearing aids thoroughly with tap water, and placed them on the window sill to dry out in the sunlight.  According to the internet, hearing aids may need to dry out as long as 24 hours before they start back to working properly after being immersed in water.

After lunch, we ran into Dan and Carrissa.  They were our next door cabin neighbors on our 2018 cruise.  They have taken world cruises for the last few years on the same ship and always in the same cabin.   This time, we’re a few doors down from them.   Before leaving for dinner, Sally decided to try out her hearing aids.  They both worked great!   After dinner, we danced to the Insignia Orchestra for 30 minutes.  This orchestra plays in the jazz style, which Sally does not like. The songs were difficult to dance to (all sounding a lot alike), and none of them had familiar tunes.  (It is definitely not a ballroom dance orchestra this time!)

Friday, 1 Feb 2019 – Sally awoke a little late.  We made it to breakfast just before the 10:00 AM closing time; however, the omelet cook was already out of mushrooms and spinach.  Since Jesse has decided to wean himself off caffeine for this cruise, he skipped coffee.   It was raining outside, the sea was rough, and the pool was covered with a net; hence no swimming for today.  At lunch, the Terrace Café was very crowded, so we joined Dean & Darlene at their table for four.  They used to live in Virginia, but recently sold their house and put their furniture in storage.  They will be cruising until May.  Afterwards, they plan to purchase a house near their kids in Reno.  Dean has been doing genealogy since 2008 and Darlene is an avid Sci-Fi fan, so we had a lot to talk about.

We donned our dress-up clothes for the Captain’s welcome party, starting at 5:15 PM.  After being seated at tables, we enjoyed complimentary drinks and danced for 30 minutes before Insignia’s senior staff was introduced to the group.  We remembered the cruise director and one other senior staff member and they remembered us also.  We sat near two friendly couples: two sisters, Leslie and Betty, both originally from Massachusetts, and their husbands, Paul and Stephen.  Leslie still lives in Massachusetts, but Betty and her husband now live in Texas.  They boarded the ship in Los Angeles and are on the world cruise.  On our way to dinner, we ran into Jalynn (Jay) and Mike, from last year’s cruise.  They were playing cards as they were doing when we first met them.  We sat our clocks back one hour (gladly!) before retiring for the night.

Saturday, 2 Feb 2019 – Jesse let Sally sleep until 9:15 AM.  Jesse had decided to do laundry today.  While Sally slept, he finished about half of the laundry by hand.  Being just a little bit earlier for breakfast than yesterday, the cook had all of our favorite omelet ingredients still available.  After breakfast, Jesse did the other half by machine in the laundry room.  Both washers and dryers are $2.00 per load.  He enjoyed interesting conversation in the laundry room, helping a couple of the women retrieve their laundry from the dryers, which were stacked high above the washers.  Sally joined him towards the end to make sure Jesse wasn’t “over-drying” the clothes.  The pool was still covered with a net, so no swimming again today!  After lunch, we both napped for a couple of hours.  Jesse doesn’t usually nap, but he is having trouble staying awake without caffeine.  Before dinner, we went to the Horizons for dancing, where we met another dance couple, Paul and Nancy from Delaware.  They boarded the ship in New York and are cruising to Sydney.  We were able to dance the swing and a couple of cha-cha’s.  We stayed up until 11:30 PM, Sally working on genealogy (unlimited internet) and Jesse watching movies on TV. 

Sunday, 3 Feb 2019 – Sally slept well for a change, so we were both up by 7:30 AM, and went to breakfast at 9:00 AM.  Since the nets were off the pool, we went for a swim.  The water felt colder than usual, so Jesse had been swimming for 15 minutes before Sally finally got into the water.  (The pool is quite small compared to the YMCA pool at home, so that we usually swim for a half hour to get enough exercise.)  In the hot tub, we talked with Don and Pam from Toronto.  Pam worked as a physical therapist.  They lived on a sailboat after Don retired 13 years ago, but sold it recently.  They’ve cruised a lot on Oceania and get free laundry, and have also cruised a lot on Seaborne.  Pam has had several back surgeries and walks with a cane.  Don needs two hip replacements, but he keeps putting them off.  Don will be turning 80 this year and Pam next year.

After lunch, the Super Bowl was showing in the Insignia Lounge, but we chose to spend the afternoon in our cabin.  We danced for 45 minutes in the Horizons before dinner.  Before retiring, we set our clocks back one hour.

Monday, 4 Feb 2019 – We awoke at 8:00 AM this morning.  At breakfast, we talked with Margaret.  She remembered us from the 2018 cruise.   Originally from Germany, she has lived and worked in Washington, DC with her husband, Carl.  Now they live in San Francisco.  Carl has a severe eye infection and was told, initially, that he would be transported to Hawaii by a Coast Guard helicopter at 3:00 PM; however, the captain later decided that he would speed up the cruise ship and arrive in Hawaii as early as possible.  They are booked through to Sydney, but may not be able to complete the cruise.

At lunch, we talked with Al and Amelia from Florida, but previously from New Jersey.  Amelia has a strong resemblance to our friend Helma.  She will be 68 in June, and he is 73.  She was originally from Brooklyn, NY, and he from New Jersey.  Amelia is his third wife and they will be celebrating their 26 wedding anniversary on St. Patrick’s Day.  They are on the World Cruise, roundtrip to Miami.  After lunch, we swam for 25 minutes until three kids got into the pool.  Since they weren’t staying out of our path as the adults had done, we decided to cut our swim short rather than risk plowing over one of them.

We danced in the Horizon’s for 45 minutes before dinner.  At dinner, we sat next to a couple who also like to dance, but they haven’t danced at all so far on this cruise.  They appear to have several other interests and activities which have taken up much of their time, whereas we concentrate mostly on swimming and dancing.