February 16, 17 & 18
February 16 Embarkation
We got a
cab to Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, and I have to say it was the easiest
embarkation we have ever experienced. We basically had to stop briefly at a few
stations just to show them the paper we received (like a receipt) and then just
walked on. Our cabins were ready (before noon) and our room keys were on the
bed. Our cabin steward Nyoman introduced himself and has been very responsive
to small requests.
Oddly,
there wasn’t really a show on our embarkation night. (Mind you, some people
have been on for a couple of months as they got on in Singapore.) They did a narrated film of Holland America Line's Origin Story. It was interesting but there
would be no need to see it again.
The cruise was set up to be in 2-week cruise segments. (meaning entertainment and food repeats) Ours was sold as 28 days so didn't realize that. Must have been a surprise to those that got on in Jan. It wasn't an issue for us, but we did hear a few people that didn't realize that was how it was set up and whined about it.
Seems that all carpeting is new as are drapes. The ship seems to me to be in great shape. The soft goods (towels/sheets) have seen better days. (later in the cruise I overheard one lady saying how old and tired the ship was and specifically mentioning the tired carpeting) Where? There was still that fuzz that needs to wear off over time and not any wear-marks anywhere.
They still print a daily schedule of events as well as their Navigator App.
Tomorrow
is our first of 2 sea days.
February 17 -
We had our Cruise Critic Meet & Greet today after lunch. We met most of the people that will be on our tours. We met Jim & Pam (Jim kept a
wonderful elaborate spreadsheet of the cruise) and they are on quite a few of our tours and he gave
us a nice magnet that is the itinerary of our cruise.
One lady there kept asking me how I find the tours and what there is to do in all the ports. "Tell me about all your tours." (I said I have over 20 of them so I really can’t do that now) "But how do I know what I want to do in the ports?" I asked her what she is interested in, and she responded that she likes people. She said she didn’t really see anything she liked on the cruise ship tours. Mine won’t be that different, just smaller. One lady at the meeting told me she thought the lady was trying to be added to tours.
We found out today that our return train tickets from Lake
Kawaguchiko at Mt Fuji was canceled. Our money was refunded but no
explanation was given. Online we could see that the train time changed by 3
minutes. So, we rebooked them, and they were accepted. I let our tour mates
know but they also had gotten the same message and everyone, but one couple had also
already rebooked. The other needed internet to get his done and was successful
the next day when we were close enough to land to access internet.
Dinner tonight took forever. Partly due to a lady that had a
lot of dietary issues and ordering took forever and then getting the food took
forever. It was a “Dressy Night”. They no longer say formal, and it really
wasn’t that much different from a casual night.
February 18 -
We played Bingo for the first time this afternoon. Greg won
$75.00. I was one away from the final jackpot. We met Bobby & Shera (from
New York) for dinner and shared the table with 2 widowed ladies traveling
together.
The group that sings in the Rolling Stone is very good. Both
the male and female leads have great range.
The 2 piano players/singers in the one lounge (Billboard) are not to our
taste at all. (just can’t sing)
Tomorrow, our first port is Puerto Princesa, Philippines.
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