Sailing takes me away to where I’ve always heard it could be…Ship couldn’t leave…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 25, 2015 with 0 Comment

Balcony view of our cabin.

With a party to attend at 9:30 am today, I wanted to be able to stay and enjoy ourselves without leaving early to upload today’s post. Thus, I’m rushing a bit. We’ll check back later for error corrections.

Consistency means a lot to us and to our much appreciated worldwide readership which last night grew well over 300,000 reads. Perhaps, that’s nothing compared to millions of other sites but, for us who aren’t necessarily bogged down by these numbers, it’s astounding. hanks to all of our readers for the dedication to following along with us.

As for today’s heading, this song has been running through my brain over the past few days. The next few lines in this 1980s song continue with:

“Just a dream and the wind to carry me
And soon I will be free

Well it’s not far back to sanity, at least it’s not for me
And if the wind is right you can sail away and find serenity
Oh, the canvas can do miracles, just you wait and see
Believe me”

Our cabin, small but well equipped.

Ah, these words not only bring back memories from another era of my life when I was single at the time, owned a 26′ Chris Craft cabin cruiser that I kept in a slip on Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota, had two kids, owned a house and a business and life was a combination of raging responsibility and occasional carefree fun at age 32.

This song also holds true today for the joy and freedom we experience in our daily lives. We’ve already met and made friends with a lovely couple from Australia, Judy, and Mal, whom we’ll surely see again. And last night, at dinner we had an excellent time with Michael, Allison, Jenny, Jenny, (two named Jenny), and Ken, again all from Australia.

View of Honolulu.

The ship is supposed to be on it’s way to Australia and the South Pacific, where we’ll live for the next almost two years. However, last night there was an announcement regarding mechanical problems. Here we are at 9:00 am Monday and we still haven’t sailed away. We’re still in the harbor in Honolulu.

This morning the captain announced we’ll be ready to sail by noon, 13 hours later than last night’s schedule 11 pm departure. We’d never experienced a late departure of a cruise ship. Hopefully, it’s not a sign of things to come.

Tugboat.

Boarding the ship was painless. We arrived at noon and within 30 minutes, our bags were whisked away (we kept our carry on with us on the cart). By 4:00 pm when the bags hadn’t yet arrived, we grabbed our laptops and headed to the bar.

Before it was time to dress for dinner, the bags were awaiting us outside of our cabin door. I’d been wearing the same clothes for two full days and was anxious to unpack and freshen up to get ready for the evening.

Lobby bar.

Two things are different on this cruise than on the 10 cruises over the past 27 months. For one, this time Tom purchased the drink package for the first time at $57 per day, $1026 for the entire 18 night cruise.

At the ship’s prices of $10 to $12 a drink (in a small glass), economically it made more sense. Tom is generally a lightweight drinker but why shouldn’t he splurge a little and have all he wants? Besides, that’s part of the fun of the venue; cruising, schmoozing, and whooping!

Honolulu.

Luckily, this cruise ship doesn’t require both of us to purchase a package or he wouldn’t have done it. That rule prohibits the “sharing” of one package. All I drink is water, iced tea, plain coffee, and hot tea, definitely not worth a “package” when all of these are included in the fare.

What precipitated Tom’s decision to purchase the drink package was the second item that’s different on this cruise. We were able to purchase an unlimited wifi package for the entire cruise, suitable for two devices concurrently, for a grand total of $299!

A barge and tugboat from our balcony.

A package such as this had never been available on any past cruises when we often paid well over $1000 for metered wifi, jumping off and on to avoid ringing up a bigger bill. We’d sign up for two $400 packages, using every last minute. Writing and posting alone would eat up most of that.

You may ask, why would we be online when we’re on a cruise? When we’re not eating, participating in activities, going on tours, hanging out with others, attending parties, seminars, and movies, or reading books, our lives continue as always.

A view looking up.

A cruise for us is not a vacation/holiday. It’s a continuation of our worldwide travels and daily lives that happens to be on a ship which we use for transportation when possible. The tasks we continue to document and the searching for future locations continue regardless of where we are, on a ship or on land. Tom enjoys Facebook, email, and Ancestry.com. I enjoy researching our travels and my other interests.

Plus, we particularly enjoy staying in touch with friends and family wherever we may be. Yesterday while we were relaxing in the main lobby bar, I received a Skype call from my dear friend Chere. I admit the signal was bad and will be worse out to sea but we had an opportunity for a few minute conversations to be resumed once we’re on land.

Luckily, we can’t be pressured into buying art aboard a ship. We don’t own a wall!

As for the ship, Royal Caribbean’s Legend of the Seas is old and a bit worn in spots. A toilet overflowed before we boarded and there was an awful stench in the hallway outside our door. We addressed it with the maintenance department. They explained that they’ve made the repairs but, the smell remains until the carpets are all cleaned this morning. We shall see how that goes.

Otherwise, it’s not unlike the other ships on which we’ve sailed in the past. The cabin is small as always but has a full-sized sofa and coffee table which makes us happy that we don’t have to sit on the bed when we stop in to relax, unwind or watch the news.

A short time later, the band began to play.

More on the ship later as we continue on and become more familiar. We’re content, excited to spend these 18 days and night aboard ship, see the sites and ports of call along the way, and to interact with the many people we’ll meet during the days and at dinner.

The view from the main lobby area.

So far we haven’t met any Americans. This cruise ends in Sydney. In speaking with many Australians, they arrived in Honolulu early for the beginning of their vacation, then taking the cruise back home.

Tom, shortly after signing up for unlimited drinks. Check out his eyes!

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with a reminder of the upcoming itinerary, more ship photos, and perhaps people photos.

We hope our US friends and readers have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day especially in remembering the powerful message on this important holiday.

Photo from one year ago today, May 25, 2014:

Gina, the property manager, brought us this gorgeous rose. For more details on our post from one year ago, please click here.

Synonyms for “Hopefully”

The Kilauea Lighthouse…A popular site for tourists…

Posted by worldwide-admin on May 8, 2015 with 0 Comment

A special thanks to my sister Julie for her contribution to today’s photos.

View of the drive to the Kilauea Lighthouse when it was closed.

On several occasions we’ve made our way to the Kilauea Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuse only to be put off by the crowds. The scenery surrounding the area is beautiful with birds of many species making this area their home, including the Laysan Albatross, Red-Footed Booby, and the Hawaiian State Bird, the Nene Bird, often found on golf courses.

Although we weren’t certain that we spotted the Red Footed Booby, we’ve included a photo of one here:

These may be a family of the Red Footed Booby sleeping in their nests.

The ocean cliff in this area provides a safe habitat and breeding ground for many other species of Hawaiian seabirds.

The Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1885 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and is noted by its towering lighthouse. We never had an opportunity to enter the lighthouse due to the size of the crowds and now as time winds down, it doesn’t look promising that we will.

The fact that there’s only a $5 admission fee per person with children under 15 free, this low-cost attraction is a huge draw for families traveling with children. Where in Hawaii can a couple with two children enjoy such a venue for $10?

Many birds flock to the cliffs in this area.

For us, having the opportunity to see the lighthouse, take photos and enjoy the wildlife refuse was all we needed for a pleasant experience. Entering the lighthouse itself, wasn’t as important to us as seeing the surrounding area. We’d have enjoyed hearing about the tour, especially with our friend Alice who conducts tours on Wednesdays.

The Kilauea Lighthouse.

Instead, wandering the grounds taking photos, hearing the sounds of the surf slamming into the ocean cliffs along with the myriad of calls from the many birds, was all we needed.

The top of the lighthouse.

As for the geography of the area, Kilauea Point is a narrow lava formed peninsula which protrudes from the northern shore of Kauai, a short 15-minute drive from Princeville.

It’s obvious that the lighthouse has been well maintained.

The land was purchased from the Kilauea Sugar Plantation Company (tomorrow, we’ll be writing about sugar plantations in Kauai)in 1909 for $1. Construction plans went into play with decisions made to deliver supplies to the point by boat when there was a serious lack of roads in the from the Nawiliwili Harbor.

View from the railing at the entrance to the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuse.

The Nawiliwili Harbor is 1.9 miles south of Lihue, where the airport is located and the cruise ship, Norwegian Pride of America, docks for tours every Friday. Every Friday evening around 6:00 pm we can see this particular ship sail away from Kauai after the day tours have ended.

After four years of planning, construction began in July 1912 and the lighthouse was dedicated on May 1, 1913. The tower is approximately 52 feet high and built in the Classical Revival architecture style of reinforced concrete.

Distant view of the lighthouse.

“The upper portion has a steel circular walkway with handrail. The lens one of only seven second-order Fresnel lenses remaining in a lighthouse in the US. Barbier, Bernard, and Turenne manufactured the lens in Paris, France. The 9,000-pound (4,100 kg) lens floated on mercury and compressed air. The lens was rotated by a system of pulleys powered by weights that needed to be reset by an operator every 3.5 hours.

A radio beacon was added in 1930, and with the added generator the light was changed to be powered by electricity. Originally 250,000 candle power, the light reached 2,500,000 candle power in 1958. The station was manned until 1974 when it was automated. In February 1976 the light was moved to a nearby smaller tower and the tower was sealed. It was one of the last lights converted to automation by the United States Coast Guard in the Hawaiian Islands. The radio beacon was replaced in 1956, and then in the 1980s converted to a visitor center. On October 18, 1979, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in Hawaii as site 79000759. The historic district included 31 acres.

The oceanview from the grounds.

“In 1985 the Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, starting with the original Coast Guard Station, and then expanding to preserve the surrounding habitat. A new visitor center was built in 1988. The buildings were damaged by Hurricane Iniki in September 1992 but repaired. The visitors center is operated by the Kilauea Point Natural History Association. Starting in late 2008, the group raised funds for the restoration of the lighthouse.”

The lighthouse tickets were sold out. Waiting for the next tour would have required a 90-minute wait.

The lighthouse and wildlife refuse will surely continue to be a great source of interest for tourists to Kauai for years to come. The love, pride and care the citizens of the state of Hawaii provide for all of their national treasures is evidenced in the preservation of the beauty and nature bestowed upon these magical islands.

Although tickets were sold out to enter the main area of the lighthouse, this museum area was open to the public.

Have a fabulous Friday and Mother’s Day weekend. Make it special! You’ll never regret any effort exercised in honoring moms.

Photo from one year ago today, May 8, 2014:

A display area at a restaurant, Le Jardin, which we frequented in Marrakech. On this date last year we were leaving Morocco in one week. For details, please click here.

You’re cancelling on us?…How can that be?…

Posted by worldwide-admin on April 30, 2015 with 2 Comments

We never tire of this amazing view of Hideaways Beach and Hanalei Bay.

We knew the possibility existed that a vacation rental, a flight, or a cruise could be canceled over which we’d have no control. If it were a flight, in most cases that would be remedied within 24 hours. If it were a vacation rental, especially if we’d booked it for weeks or months, it would be a difficult scenario to resolve the above three possibilities.

If it was a cruise, leaving two weeks or more of our lives with a hole in our schedule, this could be costly in trying to fill the period of time. Besides, we often use cruises as a means of getting us to one location or another resulting in added airfare expenses.

The combination of colors of the sea and the vegetation is always breathtaking.

The worst-case scenario would be the necessity of paying for a hotel, airfare, and meals for two weeks, which if planned carefully, we could accomplish for a cost similar to the cost of the cruise. Inconvenient? Yes. Costly? To a degree (see below).

Yesterday, we discovered that our booked cruise was canceled, scheduled from Sydney to Perth from April 12, 2016, to April 28, 2016, for a total of 16 nights.

Tom had been reading comments online at cruisecritic.com about this possibility. We were never notified directly nor were our online friends, Staci and Glenn, who were also scheduled on this cruise, whom we were looking forward to meeting in person.

Beautiful orchids.

Yesterday, Tom called our rep at Vacationstogo.com to inquire as to the status of the cruise. They weren’t notified either. Or perhaps with the thousands of cruises in their system, it could easily have been missed.

In any case, it was canceled, as we’ve discovered due to it being booked in its entirety for a private charter. If a wealthy individual or company chose to book an entire ship for an event, someone would be inconvenienced. They often begin to book as soon as they posted at a time two years out. In this case, the inconvenience lies with us. Good thing we didn’t wait any longer to find out.

Remote Hideaways Beach, accessible only by a steep partially paved path.

Yesterday, after speaking with our rep about alternatives, Tom went ahead instructing her to book us on a similar cruise that Royal Caribbean was offering as one of three options for replacement, all different dates, all different itineraries. Should we choose one of these three options, we’d been given a $200 onboard credit.

In reviewing the three options, only one offered dates similar to the canceled cruise, the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas, sailing from April 16, 2016, to April 30, 2016, for a total of 14 nights, the price slightly less for the shorter by two-night cruise.

Another portion of Hideaways Beach.

Originally, we paid $4714.20 for a balcony cabin with taxes and gratuities included. The new cruise at $4510.36 for the same type of cabin, is not an appreciable difference although shorter by two days. The $200 credit will be sucked up in the first 30 minutes on a cruise when we order the $800 Internet package.

Sure, we could call RC and make some noise. Then again, what’s the point? Plus, that’s just not our style. In reality, we’re being compensated and for most of us, kinking a cruise a few days, a year in advance for $200 may not seem to be such a big deal. Although, we wonder how long they’d have waited before telling the passengers?

Zooming in, we spotted these sunbathers on the beach. Looks like the guy standing is adjusting his snorkel.

For us, it presents a few issues, none of which we can’t manage with relative ease. One, we need to stay in New Zealand at the alpaca farm for four more nights or, if not available, a hotel in Sydney. On the other end, we’ll be two days late in arriving for our booked rental in Bali. They will either accept our change of dates or we’ll have to pay for two nights that we won’t be there.

In all, this could cost us for six nights somewhere at an average cost of $200 per night, including housing and meals. It’s the nature of the beast. We budgeted for scenarios such as this and have seldom had to tap into that. Who’s to complain? Instead, it becomes a matter of figuring it out on both ends and biting the bullet for the added costs.

Future lily pods. They almost look like apples and are almost as large.

So far, we’re waiting to hear back from the property owners to see what transpires. We’ll post updates as to how it is resolved. In the meanwhile, here is the itinerary for the canceled cruise and then, the new cruise:

Canceled cruise itinerary:
Royal Caribbean – Explorer of the Seas, departs 4/12/16, 16 nights
Tue Apr 12 Sydney, Australia 9:00 pm
Wed Apr 13 At Sea
Thu Apr 14 At Sea
Fri Apr 15 Wellington, New Zealand 3:00pm 10:00pm
Sat Apr 16 Picton, New Zealand 8:00 am 6:00 pm
Sun Apr 17 At Sea
Mon Apr 18 Dunedin (Port Chalmers), New Zealand 7:00 am 5:00 pm
Tue Apr 19 Dusky Sound, New Zealand (Cruising) 9:00 am 10:00 am
Tue Apr 19 Doubtful Sound, New Zealand (Cruising) Noon 1:00 pm
Tue Apr 19 Milford Sound, New Zealand (Cruising) 4:30 pm 5:30 pm
Wed Apr 20 At Sea
Thu Apr 21 At Sea
Fri Apr 22 Melbourne, Australia 8:00am 7:00pm
Sat Apr 23 At Sea
Sun Apr 24 Adelaide, Australia 8:00am 7:00pm
Mon Apr 25 At Sea
Tue Apr 26 At Sea
Wed Apr 27 At Sea
Thu Apr 28 Perth (Fremantle), Australia 6:00 am

New cruise itinerary:
Royal Caribbean – Voyager of the Seas, departs 4/16/16, 14 nights
Sat Apr 16 Sydney, Australia 5:00 pm
Sun Apr 17 At Sea
Mon Apr 18 Brisbane, Australia 7:00am 4:00pm
Tue Apr 19 At Sea
Wed Apr 20 At Sea
Thu Apr 21 At Sea
Fri Apr 22 At Sea
Sat Apr 23 Darwin, Australia 9:00am 5:00pm
Sun Apr 24 At Sea
Mon Apr 25 At Sea
Tue Apr 26 At Sea
Wed Apr 27 At Sea
Thu Apr 28 Kuala Lumpur (Port Kelang), Malaysia 8:00am 5:00pm
Fri Apr 29 Singapore 10:00am Sat Apr 30 Singapore Disembark

As shown, this second cruise is by no means as exciting as the first with considerably fewer ports of call and yet the price is comparable. Based on visa restrictions we must proceed with this new cruise or we’ll end up staying too long in either location.

Pools refilled each day from the surf at high tide.

We booked it. Our previously paid $900 deposit transferred over, the $200 cabin credit is listed in our new cruise documents and the balance is due on the same date, January 16, 2016. Yesterday, I entered all the changes in our spreadsheet in several locations: itinerary, Deposits Paid, and Balances Due, Cruises.

There it is, folks, the realities of the possible inconveniences of living a life in motion. We both took this in our stride. I suppose if this was our only vacation for a year or more, we may have felt differently. But, in this life, it goes with the territory. Literally.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, May 1, 2014:

In between the enclosed area of the souks were outdoor areas where more products are offered for sale. For details from that date, please click here.

Flight and rental car booked for Australia…Great deals! Sharing the best prices we’ve found for car rentals…

Posted by worldwide-admin on April 22, 2015 with 0 Comment

Taro root, growing in this field, is a popular item used in Hawaiian cooking.

As many of our long term readers are well aware, often our photos don’t match our stories. We continue to search for new and hopefully interesting photo ops in our explorations of any area in which we’re living at any given time. This is the case today, as is often the case, with the exception of the car photo listed below.

The Hawaiian Coot, most often found near water. It was our first sighting of this bird.

We commence with today’s story:

We booked all of our airfare through the Expedia link on our website. As a listed advertiser for us, we get a tiny commission for using it although the pricing is no better or worse than through Expedia directly.

If our readers click on any of our advertiser links, we receive more tiny commissions, none of which will make us rich but help offset some of the costs of maintaining our site. Please feel free to use them as needed.

The Hanalei Wildlife Refuse provides a lush habitat for a considerable number of birds in Kauai.

There’s no pressure from us to use these links. Our site is “free” to our worldwide readers. But, if you’re going to shop at any of these sites, please consider doing so through us. We appreciate it!

However, when shopping for flights and car rentals, the best pricing is always our first consideration. For airline tickets, we’ve had considerable luck with Expedia.

We were surprised it had taken us so long to travel this particular road. We were glad we did.

However, with car rentals, especially for our extended periods, we’ve had to perform extended searches for the best possible pricing. Over these past 30 months, we’ve spent hundreds of hours researching off and on as to where to get the best pricing on car rentals.

So far, for us, the best bet has been at this link for rentalcars.com. Once we enter dates and times, their site searches all providers allowing us to choose the best cars for the best prices. Here’s what we locked up a few days ago:

The Okolehao Trail begins here, leading up a steep incline using ropes to assist experienced hikers only up a two to three-hour hike up the mountains. Not quite suitable for us. Click here for details.

Car Group: Hyundai i20 or similar
Supplier: Europcar

Pick-up details:
Country: Australia
City: Cairns
Location: Cairns Airport
Date: 11 Jun 2015 10:00

Drop-off details:
Location: Cairns Airport
Date: 8 Sep 2015 10:00

Total Cost: US$1709.50
Flight number:

That’s US $1709.50 for 89 days! That total at $19.21 per day, not too bad or an average of $576 24 per month. Here in Kauai, we paid a little more at $677 per month, still an excellent deal.

Sure, a Hyundai 120 is a small car. See photo below:

This Hyundai i20 is ideal for our needs with excellent gas mileage and, we can easily fit all of our luggage between the hatchback and back seat, our first consideration when renting a car.

Often, once we arrive at the desk of the provider at the airport, they often try to up-sell us a larger car. We rarely consider an upgrade. What’s the purpose? However, when we lived in Madeira almost a year ago, we chose a larger car with a more powerful engine in order to navigate the many steep hills.

The difference, if I recall correctly, was about $50 more a month and well worth the expense under those special circumstances. Those steep winding hills with Tom driving a stick shift were tough enough in our upgrade.

It’s good to know that cattle are no longer branded, instead, wearing tags (in this case orange tags) on their ears as shown in this photo.

Our next expenditure a few days ago was to purchase airline tickets from Sydney, Australia to Cairns, Australia when we arrive by ship on June 11th. Careful planning, considering the time of day the ship reaches the dock, the time it will take to disembark 2000 passengers, and how long it will take to get a taxi to the airport in Sydney.

The ship will dock in Sydney at 6:00 am and be ready for passengers to disembark by 8:00 am. However, based on past experience it can take several hours to get our luggage, go through customs and immigration, and to wait in line for a taxi.

A lone horse, tied to a rope looked our way as we stopped for this photo.

With only a few nonstop flights to Cairns each day (pronounced Cannes, like the French city), we chose the afternoon flight, leaving us almost about five hours to run through the entire process.

We often set up our transportation from cruises in this same manner, leaving lots of time for the process. We lay back on getting off the ship, staying in our cabin until they kick us out. It’s either, wait on the ship or wait at the airport, neither of which makes any difference to us.

The Hanalei River continues for 15 miles.

Why didn’t we chose an earlier flight? As it says in our tag line or motto: “Wafting Through Our World Wide Travels with Ease, Joy and Simplicity,” we always attempt to take the less stress-invoking means of arriving at our next location.

What if there were a customs or immigration delay at the ship? We don’t want to be rushing and worrying. A day of travel is a day of travel. The things we control we plan to be easy and hopefully seamless. The things we have no control over…we plan for extra time to accommodate them.

Driving down a road we hadn’t traveled, we followed the shore of the Hanalei River.

The cost of this nonstop one-way flight for both of us, from Sydney to Cairns, is as follows:

Qantas Price Summary

Traveler 1: Adult $235.40
- Flight $218.00
- Taxes & Fees $17.40
Traveler 2: Adult $235.40
- Flight $218.00
- Taxes & Fees $17.40
- Total: $470.80

Based on the fact we’re able to fly Qantas Airline, one of the highest-rated airlines in the world, we’re pleased with this booking.

We’ll pick up the rental car and be on our way on the relatively short drive from the airport to Trinity Beach, the location of our next 89-day rental. The estimated drive time is 22 minutes or 12.18 miles, 19.6 kilometers.

Nene birds, the Hawaiian state bird are often found near water as in this case as we drove along the Hanalei River.

Hopefully, by 6 pm, we’ll arrive at our new home, get settled, and head out to dinner. These days, unpacking only requires about 30 minutes. The following day we’ll find a grocery store and familiarize ourselves with the area.

With these two bookings out of the way, we have peace of mind, a valued commodity in our lifestyle. Low stress…good for health…good for life.

Have a wild and wonderful Wednesday!

Photo from one year ago today, April 22, 2014:

Our photo from this January while we visited the Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre in Hoedspruit, South Africa, a day we’ll always remember. For more photos, from this date, one year ago, please click here.

Cloudy days, rainy nights and roosters crowing in the morning…Our Panama Canal expedition, 26 months ago…

Posted by worldwide-admin on March 4, 2015 with 2 Comments

We always feel fortunate to have the opportunity to embrace these special scenes.

The roosters start crowing around 4:00 am and continue throughout the day. Whoever said roosters just crow in the mornings didn’t know what they were talking about.

It isn’t that they crow more in the mornings. It’s just that they, like us, sleep a few hours during the night and happen to be early risers, and then the fun begins. They no longer awaken either of us. During the day, we hear them and more often, giggle to ourselves at how prevalent it is here in Kauai.

The clouds often gather close to the mountains.

It’s a wonderful place, rain or shine. We’ve met travelers renting the unit next door (the same owner as our unit) coming and going these past few weeks and it rained the entire time they were here. Many have managed to have a great time, hiking, and exploring even in the wet weather.

And yet, here we are with plenty of time to wait it out to again see the sun in this magical place with exquisite greenery, outstanding views, and friendly people, of course with chickens clucking and roosters crowing in the background.

This Cattle Egret stopped by for a peek. “Got any worms?” Sorry, none today.

Then, there are the other birds, endless birds, many of whom come to call, sitting atop the railing on our lanai checking us out wondering what morsels we might toss their way. The chickens, roosters, and birds on this island are used to people leaving crumbs for them. On occasion, we leave a few bits of raw walnuts for the same visiting cardinals that visit each day.

Life is simple here in many ways. We’ve already seen so much of the island and we’ll see more when my dear sister Julie comes to visit us soon. The last time I saw her was in January 2013 when we boarded the Celebrity Century in San Diego, California for a 15-day cruise that would eventually traverse the Panama Canal.

A shoreline view from the cliffs above.

Julie and son Richard had come to see us off. What a day it was! Here’s the link to our post on the day we left and also the link and the photos from the day we traversed the Panama Canal.

The Panama Canal was Tom’s dream. When planning our travels during Tom’s last 10 months of work before retirement, we booked the cruise through the canal right out of the chute. Why not start with his dream when mine was yet to come many months later when we’d arrive in Africa?

Neither of us ever dreamed about traveling the world. Nor did we ever mention it to one another in all of our years together. Never, did either of us say, “Oh, I’d like to travel the world someday.”

The colors of the ocean never cease to amaze us.

On a few rare occasions, I may have mentioned how much I’ve wanted to visit Africa since I was a child, longing to see the wildlife. When Tom was in grade school with history and geography as his favorite topics, he longed to see the Panama Canal.

In early 2012, during our early planning stages, we decided to take the Panama Canal cruise when Tom was excited about the building of the new larger locks being built in order to accommodate larger ships. He wanted to traverse the old locks before the new locks were completed. Someday, we’ll return for the opportunity to traverse the new locks.

These peculiar above-ground tree roots are found in many areas on the Hawaiian Islands.

It was surprising to both of us how much I also loved seeing the Panama Canal. At that point, 26 months ago, it was the most extraordinary thing I’d ever seen, soon to outdone by other extraordinary places that came along the way.

But, each event has been unique in its own way and who’s to say that Petra was more amazing than the Panama Canal. Here are the links to see our journey to Petra, Jordan, Part 1, and Part 2, a day emblazoned in our hearts and minds forever.

Cloudy days continue.

Ah, the memories we’ve built along the way and above all, having the ability to look back at our posts to see what we’ve done, where we’ve been and the unexpected adventures along the way. Wow!

If in fact we didn’t have several hundred thousand worldwide readers, only having this site for our own reference and as a legacy for our grandchildren and their children in generations to come, it all would have been worthwhile.

There’s a forest-like area behind the Foodland grocery store in Princeville. a habitat for hundreds of chickens and roosters. Notice, how the female’s colors blend into the background. I suppose its nature’s way of protecting her young. Of course, whenever we see a female, there’s a rooster lurking nearby.

Adding the absolutely exquisite knowledge that readers from all over the world are traveling along with us, means so much. With our reader’s daily perusal and comments on our posts, we’ll never feel alone.

Thank you, dear readers, for your loyalty, for your acceptance of our mundane days, for our boring recipes, and discussions of food (for the non-foodie types). You stay with us day after day, as we always stay with you…

Photo from one year ago today, March 4, 2014:

The riad, (a house with a central courtyard open to the sky), located in the Medina in Marrakech, steps out the door to the souks was a beautiful well-built property with a full staff of four (included in the rent) a cook, Madame Zahra and her assistant, Ouimama, Adil and Samir, both housemen attending to our needs. For details and more photos of the riad, please click here.

Food on the Celebrity Solstice…High expectations…

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 28, 2014 with 0 Comment

Sunset over the Pacific Ocean in calmer waters.

This is our third Celebrity cruise of 10 cruises since January 3, 2013. From past experience we feel comfortable stating that Celebrity is our favorite cruise line for several reasons:

1. Service: There is one staff member for every two passengers, making service over the top. Each time, we pass by an employee they smile and say hello, from the cabin stewards to the captain.

2. Cleanliness and general condition: No other cruise line we’ve experienced has this high level of perfection in maintaining every area of the ship, from the spotless common restrooms to the lounges and dining areas.

3. No pressure to purchase extras: Many cruise lines have photographers constantly harassing the passengers to have their photos taken, others pestering for attendance at art auctions, and others annoyingly promoting spa services. The sales staff in the myriad shops are respectful don’t try to make a sale unless asked for help. We appreciate this.

All of these desserts in the Al Bacio Bar are included in the fare., no purchase necessary. However, there is a charge for specialty coffees also available in this area. Oddly, Tom wasn’t interested in anything in this case.

4. The amenities: Larger bathroom and showers, larger balconies, and larger cabins in this category. Robes are included in balcony cabins as well as shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion as opposed to cheap gels for hair and body. There are more areas where one can snack at no cost although specialty coffees and drinks are an extra charge. And, the desserts in the cases are included at no extra cost (those shown in photos).

5. Parties are included for loyalty members (we’ve attended two so far) which include better quality cocktails and beverage options and upscale appetizers.

6. Food: The food is of a higher quality including more menu choices and variety each evening in the dining room.

No charge for a piece (or two) of this lovely strawberry cake.

As our readers are well aware, my way of eating can be tricky for staff to manage. With literally a few thousand diners to feed each evening in the main dining rooms, it’s hard for us to believe the special care given to my dietary needs.

Natasha, one of the dining room managers, has paid such special attention to me, its almost embarrassing how often she checks to ensure I am happy during each evening at dinner.

I ended up ordering a second serving of this fabulous Pistachio Duck Terrine.

For breakfast each day, we dine in the Oceanview buffet, an enormous buffet to accommodate everyone’s tastes and desires. Each morning, I order three fresh eggs over medium made to order and pile my plate with smoked salmon, bacon, cucumber slices, cream cheese, capers, and sautéed mushrooms, a satisfying meal that holds me all day until our usual 8:00 pm dinner.

For dinner, we dine in the Epernay Main Dining Room for those that choose “My Time” dining at whatever time we prefer. For us, a late dinner is ideal since we’re often still full from breakfast. Since many passengers eat at the earlier seating starting at 5:30 pm, our later dining results in a less busy, more relaxed environment.

Tom’s escargot was green due to the use of spinach in the buttery sauce. If I told him the green was spinach, he probably wouldn’t eat it. He did!

We always request a shared table for no less than six away from the kitchen (too much commotion near the kitchen doors). This has worked out perfectly over the past five nights, each time resulting in meeting no less than
four new people. This couldn’t be more enjoyable.

Have they got my food right so far? Without a doubt, they haven’t given me a single item on my plate that I am unable to eat. Has the food been good for most of the meals? Overall, yes. Although there’s been a bit of inconsistency in taste, portions, and variety. Am I complaining? Not at all.

My dinner consisted of salmon and steamed vegetables which with the addition of a side dish of Hollandaise sauce was fine.

Without flour laden sauces, some of the meat portions have been dry, and let’s face it, steamed veggies leave lots to be desired. But, they’ve made homemade salad dressing for me each night that are delicious, that I often keep after eating my salad, for dipping the otherwise dry protein.

Plus, they’ve been making Hollandaise sauce for me, the authentic, from scratch recipe that I am able to eat: egg yolks, real butter, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt. This adds a fabulous flavor to anything on my plate, keeping in mind my diet consists of almost 80% fat and almost no carbs. (I know.

It’s hard to believe I never gain an ounce eating this way. But, fat doesn’t make one gain weight. (Its the combination of carbs, fat, starch, and sugar that are the culprits).

Overall, I am very happy with the attention and care both the waiters and lovely Natasha have paid to my diet. At least on this cruise, I haven’t still been hungry after dinner, when they freely provide me with adequate portions.

Tom, on the other hand, able to eat whatever he likes (yes, gaining weight on cruises), has enjoyed his food on this ship, a considerable step above our recent Royal Caribbean cruise with more options, more flavor, and more unique dishes.

Is the food as good as on our first cruise on the smaller Celebrity Century? No, but, he’s more than satisfied. Although we never eat lunch, Tom may occasionally have an ice cream cone that is available at no cost in the Oceanview café.

Tom’s dinner of Beef Cheeks over Parsnip Puree, Carrots, Broccoli, and Demi Glace Sauce which he found to be excellent.

As for cocktails, Tom orders Brandy and Sprite on the rocks at a usual cost of US $9.20 including tip. Our cruise fare included gratuities for all staff but, we’ve found that he is served a “better” cocktail by adding a tip to each check. On most nights, Tom doesn’t order more than two cocktails.

I rarely order a beverage for which there’s an additional charge, other than occasional sparkling water. On the worst of the rough seas nights, I ordered two club sodas with lime, each at US $3, in an effort to settle my bit of queasiness which along with eating, seemed to help the cause.

We brought along several bags of raw nuts, none of which I’ve yet to open having no room for anything after dinner. After an 8:00 am breakfast this morning and it now after 6 pm as I write this, I’m still full from breakfast, wondering how I’ll be able to eat dinner.

But, then, when one is on a cruise, one is less inclined to miss more than one meal per day, considering that meals are included in the fare. I’m sure that by the time, my special meal is in front of me, close to 9 pm, I’ll eat most of which I’ve been served.

The lively conversations at dinner with new people each night only add to the enjoyment of dining and ultimately in cruising in general.

In one more day, we’ll arrive in the Hawaiian Islands. We’re as excited as we could be!

___________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, September 28, 2013:

Due to a high risk of crime in Kenya, the house we rented was enclosed by an iron fence and guarded 24 hours a day inside the fence and also at the entrance gate to the group of homes. Overall, we felt safe but many horrific crimes occurred in Kenya while we were there. For details of this date, please click here.

Big storm…Raging seas..Bad Wifi…Video of storm…

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 25, 2014 with 0 Comment

Statue on the ship.

The past 38 hours have been comparable to Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride from my childhood memories of Disneyland. The ship’s WiFi is the worst we’ve seen. I can hardly upload a photo.

Up until yesterday morning, I’d never been hit with any amount of seasickness until Tuesday our first night at sea as we made our way into the Pacific Ocean from Vancouver, British Columbia.

The pier in Vancouver.

After breakfast, Wednesday morning, in the not too crowded buffet (many passengers were sick in their cabins), a wave of nausea washed over me remaining throughout the entire day and evening.

Much to our disappointment, it was a formal night. On our prior cruise ending on the 14th, the formal night dress code allowed casual dressy which is easy for us to accommodate. Whereas, the formal attire rules on the Celebrity Solstice require more dressy clothes including a long sleeve shirt with a collar for the men and a skirt, dress, or pants suit for the ladies.

With the raging seas and my queasiness, I hardly felt like dressing in anything but my jeans and tee shirt. However, my special food was already ordered the prior night and we felt there was no other good dining option for me.

Tom has two long sleeve shirts, one, a khaki BugsAway and two, a white BugsAqay shirt, neither of which was ideal. He opted for the white shirt and hung it in the bathroom with the shower turned to remove the wrinkles.

In any case, we made it to dinner and were allowed inside for a nice dinner at a table for six where once I ate a little, I began to feel better and enjoy the conversation and dinner.

As for the storm at sea, it quickly began to work its way up to the caliber of the extreme storm we experience in April 2013 on the Norwegian Epic when we crossed the Atlantic Ocean with 50 foot swells for three days.

The sails at the pier in Vancouver.

Tom, having spent years on the railroad traveling on wobbly trains never felt nauseous for a moment, although I did notice him losing his footing on a few occasions when no one could have remained on their feet the way the ship violently heaved to and fro.

Included today are photos from the sailing away from Vancouver and of course, the video of the wild ride at sea. Hopefully, by the time this post uploads the storm will have ended and our usual fun will be in full swing.

Hopefully, we’ll be back tomorrow with our itinerary, updates, and photos of this beautiful ship as our journey continues on.

Photo from one year ago today, September 25, 2013:

Signal too poor to post more today.

Goodbye, Vancouver!…Hello, Hawaii!…Excited for the new cruise on our favorite cruise line…

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 23, 2014 with 0 Comment

St. Andrew’s Wesley Church in downtown Vancouver.

The “to-do” list is complete. We did it all; the laundry filled the pill cases, did the mani/pedi, packed everything, and, notified the family. This morning we’ll grab a taxi for the short drive to the Port Metro Vancouver where the Celebrity Solstice will be prepared for boarding.

As on our prior nine cruises, we prefer to arrive at the pier an hour or two earlier than suggested in the documents, allowing us plenty of time to become familiar with the ship, meet with the maître ‘d regarding my restrictive diet, sign up for the ship’s WiFi, and relax for a while in the buffet dining room for a casual bite to eat.

The church across the street from our hotel. Photo is taken through the glass on the 30th floor.

In most cases, gaining access to the cabins is restricted until around 1:30 pm, allowing staff to prepare and clean the cabins from the last cruise that most likely arrived the same morning, making way for the new passengers.

Tom says this was a Ferrari we spotted in downtown Vancouver.

Checking in for the cruise is usually relatively quick and painless especially when our early arrival allows us to avoid long lines. A few days before each cruise, we check-in online in a similar manner as when flying.

Vancouver is often a starting point (and often ending point) for cruises to Alaska which we’ll definitely book sometime in the future.

It’s unnecessary to print the documents when passengers are able to show the bar code from their tickets on their smart phone. With no cell service, until we purchase SIM cards, we’ve printed the documents although we’d always prefer to use digital documents.

Fountain, outside our hotel.

Later today, once aboard the ship, we’ll post again with photos of the ship, our cabin, and any special features that may catch our eye. Once the muster drill (emergency procedures) is completed, we’ll attend the Sail Away Party, hosted by the cruise line. Usually, there’s another party that we’ll attend, the “Meet and Mingle” which is intended for members of CruiseCritic.com, many of whom Tom has met online.

On the first day on the ship, we check out the main dining room’s reservation process. This avoids waiting in line to be seated. On this last Royal Caribbean cruise, we’d selected 8:00 pm, primarily due to the fact that we often have breakfast and aren’t hungry until later.

Much of the produce was imported as is the case in many major grocery stores in the US. This is unlike the organic produce we’ve enjoyed in many countries throughout our travels.

Most cruise passengers (during the school season) are senior citizens as opposed to families with children. Many seniors prefer to dine by 6 pm. We’re still full from breakfast by 6 pm and prefer to dine at 8 pm.

With “My Time” dining, we can select dining times that work best for us allowing us the opportunity to meet new people each night at “shared” tables. Other passengers may sign up for fixed dinnertime, sitting with the same group each night.

We’re also able to choose to dine with people we’ve met when we’re arranged a time to meet in the dining room. On this last cruise, on three evenings, we dined with new friends in the specialty restaurants but, could easily have dined with them in the main dining room.

We were surprised that prices on produce were less than we’d seen two years ago in the US.

The social frenzy of cruising is the aspect we enjoy the most. As social butterflies we love meeting new people, learning from their travel experiences, and sharing our own. A cruise is the most appealing social venue we’ve encountered in our travels.

We’re grateful for all the fabulous friends we’ve made from all over the world on our most recent cruise and also, those on the past eight cruises in 2013, many of whom we happily remain in contact.

Tom eyeballed the baked goods, especially the doughnuts but decided against trying any when the cruise is imminent, a virtual food fantasy on Celebrity.

Look for us tomorrow morning which will include the itinerary for this cruise. Hopefully, we won’t have the WiFi issues we’d experienced on Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas when I was unable to get online. We’ll be out to sea for the first five days of this cruise making it necessary to access to the ship’s slow connection. As always, while in port we’ll be able to use XComGlobal’s MiFi for a strong connection and ease of use.

Happy Day to all!

No photo was posted one year ago today, September 23, 2013:
Ironically, we posted the cruise itinerary for the cruise we disembarked on September 14, 2014. For details of the post, please click here.

End of cruise…Final cruise bill…Hello, Boston!…The city where I was born…Three days until we depart for Vancouver…

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 14, 2014 with 0 Comment

On our last day at sea, the sun peeked out. The photo was taken using my new camera! Yeah!

The fare for both of us for an upgraded balcony cabin for the 14-night cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas was US $3976.70 including taxes and gratuities.

Always on top of the fare is the bill for items not included in the fare. For the 14 nights, our bill was US $939 which included: Tom’s drinks, one of four (at US $379) excursions three of which we’d paid in advance for private tours, one US $399 Internet package for Tom’s computer and the cost of dining in specialty restaurants on three occasions.

We were cautious with our spending staying well within our budget of US $1200 for extras aboard the ship. As a result, the grand total US $4915.70. For the 14 days, the average daily rate was US $351.12, certainly no more than the average cost per day for a hotel, transportation, and meals.

It’s hard to believe the cruise is over. We’ve had a fabulous time meeting new people, hanging out with other fans of CruiseCritic, and engaging in several planned fun activities including Meet and Mingle, Slot Pull (58 of us won US $1 each), the Cabin Crawl, a special luncheon, dining in specialty restaurants with new friends and more.

We’ll stay in touch with our news friends whom we hope to see in the future.

A sunny morning at the pier in Boston.

Somehow, with the annoying WiFi issues, we’ve managed to post for most of the 14-day cruise.

We didn’t become ill on this cruise by beefing up our sanitation methods including wrapping cloth napkins on our hands when using tongs and salt and pepper shakers in the buffet restaurant.

When walking up or down stairs we avoiding touching handrails and made every effort to avoid shaking hands which when unavoidable, prompted us to immediately wash our hands. We washed the exterior of our mugs several times daily.

Neither of us suffered from seasickness on several days of rough seas. Nor did either of us get carsick on the 4×4 off-road adventure in Iceland.

We visited Normandy, France, soaking up the emotional historical facts and stories. We walked around Stonehenge in England and visited the Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland, and sites in the port of Cobh, Ireland, the last port of call for the Titanic, a hundred years ago. We dined in an authentic pub in Ireland.

We toured barren Iceland, fascinated with its geothermal activity where the most active volcano is currently hinging on a major eruption. We traveled in a crazy beefed up 4×4 vehicle on a fast running river and up mountains with no roads. We never saw the Northern Lights in the two days in Iceland when it rained constantly nor the volcano which was too far away.

We dined, we laughed, we slept well including on the nights of rough seas, of which there many. We experienced seven-time zone changes, flipping our digital equipment and biological clocks back and forth.

We purchased a new camera aboard the ship, tax-free, at a competitive price, and learned to use it when lounging in the cabin. More on that later when we post our first photos.

The port in Boston.

We attended a few shows, a few seminars, and listened to a welcoming speech by the ship’s captain. We dined in specialty restaurants on three occasions at a total combined cost of US $128 with excellent food and service.

As I write this now, it’s Sunday morning on September 14th. We’re waiting to be the last off the ship as we usually do, to avoid standing in line with our luggage, the MiFi keeping us online.

Soon, we’ll disembark the ship to grab a taxi to the airport to pick up the rental car to head to our prepaid hotel in Stoughton, Massachusetts, close to where family members reside.

Most likely, we’ll arrive too early for check-in but, we’ll use the time wisely to run a few errands while we wait including a much-needed trip to a laundromat where we desperately need to do laundry. We’ve placed all the dirty clothing in the duffel bag, making doing so easy.

It’s our first time on US soil in 17 months when we were in Florida for a cruise. Shopping in a US store will be a novelty which I anticipate with childlike wonder.

It’s been a good cruise. As always, we’ve reveled in each moment, all the while knowing what lies ahead is exciting, carrying with us the memories of everyone we’ve met, everywhere we’ve been and, everywhere we’ll be in the future.

Of course, we excitedly anticipate seeing our loved ones in December as we work our way to the next leg of our journey, the cruise to Hawaii where we’ll live for seven months on four different islands.

The other night, I was engaged in a conversation with a passenger who asked what we’ll do in Hawaii for seven months. I paused for a moment, looked into her eyes, and said, “We’ll live our lives, our lives of simplicity and ease, cherishing all the exquisite gifts the islands have to offer all the while sharing our story in words and photos about life in Hawaii.

Buildings at the busy port of Boston.

We’ll share the beauty of each island, its natural wonders, its vegetation, its wildlife, and the expenses one might incur living full or part time in the islands. We’ll research its rich history, mingle with its people, embrace its authentic culture, hoping the avoid the typical tourist attractions.

With ocean views at each location, we’ll spend many hours exploring and many more hours gazing at the sea whale and other wildlife watching.

And now, over these next few days, we’ll be in Boston, where I was born many moons ago, where my father passed away when I was 12, when we lived in Massachusetts for a mere two years, only to lose him while living there.

In the next few days, after we visit his gravesite, we’ll share photos and the story of losing him through a horrifying tragic accident in 1960.

Life is filled with many joys and many sorrows. We’ve all been blessed with the exquisite opportunity and privilege of choosing the course of our lives and how we handle the challenges along the way. We’ve chosen ours, dear readers, which we’ll continue to share with all of you each and every day.

Photo from one year ago today, September 14, 2013:
Due to WiFi problems in Kenya and multiple power outages, we weren’t able to post on this date one year ago.

Dining aboard Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas Specialty Restaurant, Giovanni’s…Excellent!

Posted by worldwide-admin on September 11, 2014 with 2 Comments

Tom and I during dinner at Giovanni’s specialty restaurant for a fabulous meal.

Many travelers choose to cruise for the food, more than anything. Although the cost of meals is included in the fare, one’s perception that the food is “free” and “all you can eat” is a driving force.

The window view from Giovanni as the sunset behind the fog and clouds.

Also, many travelers who may not eat three meals a day and snacks at home, find themselves eating several meals a day and snacks at every opportunity. We often hear passengers commenting on how much weight they gain when cruising and how full and uncomfortable they feel.

For me, my way of eating, the food is only important in that the food has flavor and I’m no longer hungry. Since boarding the ship we’ve had two meals a day except for the few days with early morning tours. On a few occasions, I didn’t have breakfast when I simply didn’t feel like eating, not having anything until dinner.

Deli meat and prosciutto slicing machine Giovanni’s purchased from the restaurant but were unable to use due to possible safety issues. It stands in an area near the entrance to the restaurant as a decorative item.

As I perused the lunch menu on the days I’ve missed breakfast, there hasn’t been anything acceptable except plain, unseasoned baked fish and steamed vegetables, not worthy of my attention when many of my dinners in the main dining room have consisted of the same.

Page 1 of Giovanni’s menu. Gluten-free items are marked with a wheat symbol.

Other than dining in the specialty restaurant, my meals in the main dining room, Minstral, have been mediocre at best. For Tom, the sauces over his meat have added enough flavor and depth to his meals that he’s rarely complained. Other passengers have commented that the food in the main dining room is inconsistent and tasteless at times and fabulous at others.

Page 2 Giovanni’s menu.

Serving 2000 or more passengers at two separate seatings for dinner is comparable to serving at a convention when the food is rarely the highlight of the event. This is usually the case in the ship’s main dining room.

Our new friends, Judy and Gary, whom Tom met communicating on Cruise Critic, joined us for dinner in Giovanni’s on Friday night.

On other cruises, such as on the Celebrity Century, we had extraordinary food, making the diners feel as if they are in an expensive restaurant with each item cooked to order. We experienced the same high quality of food on the Carnival Liberty in both the dining room and also our most extraordinary specialty dining experience to date.

Carpaccio di Manzo. It was delicious.

Here on the Brilliance of the Seas, the specialty restaurants one of which we’ve highlighted today have been excellent with some of the best service we’ve seen anywhere. The food has been “over the top.” The effort to accommodate my way of eating has been impeccable by the conscientious chefs eager to please.

Mozzarella in Carozza alla Giovanni was Tom’s appetizer.

On Friday, September 5th, we dined at Giovanni’s specialty restaurant with another fine couple, Judy and Gary, whom we’d met aboard ship through Tom’s perpetual perusing on the website, CruiseCritic.

Focaccio Della Casa, a shared cheesy bread item for three, not including me.

The food at Giovanni’s was fantastic at only US $20 per person. Since we’d booked three reservations at specialty restaurants, we received a 20% discount at each of the three venues. Thus, the dinner at Giovanni’s for both of us was only US $32. Although tips were included, we couldn’t resist leaving a generous tip for our fabulous waiter

Capesanti al Forno, scallops with buttery parmesan crust was my second appetizer. Unbelievably delicious!

Not only did the four of us have a superb time chatting through the divine four-course dinner, we all thoroughly enjoyed the food as shown in these photos. On Tuesday evening we dined again with Judy and Gary at Chop’s Grille, a steak house, and then again we’ll be dining with another couple we adore Laura and Michael, whom we met on a private tour early on in the cruise.

Tom’s second course, Risotto al Fungi Trifolati. He said it was excellent.

Chop’s Grille has been rated as another fine venue with excellent starters, succulents steaks, sides, seafood, salads, and desserts. We opted for the 9-ounce filet mignon as we often do when dining in steak restaurants. Again, the conversation was sheer pleasure, as well as the food and service.

Judy’s second course, Ravioli di Polpa Granchio, crab-stuffed ravioli. She said it was excellent.

With the one night in Giovanni’s and two at Chop’s Grill, we qualified for the 20% discount at both venues since we’re dining in Chop’s Grill twice. The cost for dinner in Chop’s Grill, after the discount, totaled US $48 without cocktails.

As with my other plates, the chef prepared this dish or me to comply with my restrictions, Fagottini di Vatella Ripienni al Funghi..long name. It was delicious. I’d love to have it again.

The Windjammer Café, the buffet restaurant on the 11th deck, is a mixed bag. There are few items in this restaurant that work for me. At breakfast each day, I’ve ordered three fresh eggs over well. (We don’t like eating raw yolks aboard ship).

After wrapping a cloth napkin completely around my hand to avoid germs (which I dispose of as soon as I get to the table, taking a fresh napkin for my lap), I usually take a few pieces of reasonably good bacon, sliced cheese, and cucumbers. Other than those items, there is nothing additional that I’m able to eat at the buffet.

Tom’s main course at Giovanni’s, Filletto di Manzo, filet mignon with an au jus, fries, and broccoli. I tasted the steak and it was great.

Most shipborne illnesses are a result of dining in the self serve buffet restaurants. Touching the tongs and surfaces in and about the buffet restaurant is an illness waiting to happen. As soon as we’ve finished dining, we immediately wash our hands with hot soapy water and continue to wash many times throughout the day.

My dessert, a cheese platter minus crackers and fruit.

Although neither of us has ever been stricken by Norovirus even when there’s a rampant outbreak aboard a ship, on prior cruises we’ve both fallen prey to the “cruise cough” which for me had resulted in chronic sinus infections on three occasions, one requiring antibiotics which luckily we had on hand. In most cases, passengers aren’t charged for a visit to the ship’s doctor when the illness is contracted from being onboard. Otherwise, a single doctor visit is usually US $250.

The dessert cart from which Tom, Judy, and Gary chose. Tom selected Tiramisu and Chocolate Cannelloni.

When living in a foreign country, often far from quality medical care, allowing an illness to linger for an extended period may be foolhardy. It’s been almost two years since either of us has yet to visit a doctor. One must exercise caution aboard ship, touching door handles, surfaces, stair railings, and particularly when dining.

There are other casual dining areas on other ship which we haven’t and most likely won’t try when there’s nothing on the menu that is acceptable for me. Tom is always content to dine where it works for me, never complaining or mentioning other options he may prefer.

When we arrive in Boston, I’ll have seafood on my mind. Tom, not so much. As always, we’ll figure it out.

Photo from one year ago, September 12, 2013:

My most dreaded creature when we were in Kenya, the poisonous centipede whose bite requires a trip to a hospital for care. For details of this post one year ago today, please click here.

Tag: Cruise Shiips and Itinerary

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