Today was another ‘misty’ day at sea. The temperature was mostly 22 C. The Captain, the Entertainment Director, Excursion Manager and many guests are looking for blue sky sunshine! I feel privileged to have another day at sea, even if it is rainy, when I know snow has fallen at home!
While J did his exercises on the Promenade, I went to two presentations at the MainStage. The first one was the Excursion Manager talking about opportunities in French Polynesia. The second one was Ian and Kainoa talking about the Kingdom of Tonga - where we arrive tomorrow.
Something exciting at the pier in Nuku’Alofa, Tongatapu, the Kingdom of Tonga is scheduled to happen is scheduled for 10:30 am tomorrow. This will be the Zuiderdam’s Maiden Call to this port and the Prime Minister of Tonga is expected to participate in a Plaque Exchange ceremony tomorrow, in welcoming our ship to this Kingdom. As we don’t have a formal excursion planned - we plan to watch this!
After lunch in the dining room, I went to watch a documentary on the MainStage called “Under a Jarvis Moon”. It told the story of 12 Hawaiian young men taking residence on three islands around the equator so that the United States could claim they had residents on these islands and thus assume land title. It was informative, and a story not told in the History books. As J was still at bridge, I then went to hear the Quartet perform Brahms.
As I don’t have much to report, I will convey something helpful with this Holland America ship. All staterooms (verandah and oceanview that we have had) have a bathroom on one side and a bank of three closets on the other side, with a corridor in between, before the room opens up to the bed. There is a curtain to be drawn across the corridor, after the closets and before the bedroom area. When one gets up in the middle of the night, there is a night light motion detector that is set off underneathe the middle closet. It is perfect for lighting the way into the bathroom. Then, in the bathroom there is a nice night light that is activated too. All these night lights are helpful to navigate the way for the person seeking the bathroom, the curtain shields the light from awaking the person who is still sleeping! Just a thoughtful design detail incorporated into the Zuiderdam!
A couple of things that I packed that are particularly helpful for an extended cruise: an over the door shoe organizer and a clothesline with magnetic hooks. The shoe organizer is used to organize sunscreen, jewellery, sunglasses, makeup etc. When we come back from a day in the water - we hang bathings suits and rashers over the tub to drip dry. In the morning, when they are still wet, but no longer dripping, I move the items to the clothes line hanging from metal magnetic hooks attached to the ceiling. They dry far more effectively in the room with more air circulation (but the line is discreetly placed so you don’t feel like it is intrusive!)
Tonight the Comedian onstage didn’t appeal to me so we will find a movie on demand to watch! Though COVID is on the ship we are still feeling lucky to be cruising! We continue to wear masks outside of our own room - and most other guests do too!
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