·         Time is short before we sail.  I wanted to send off one more blog with some additional examples of what goes into our planning.  Our luggage was picked up on December 16th.  Based on our booking level we get free FedEx shipping of unlimited number and weight.  I have to watch the weight because it may be unlimited for FedEx but I still have to pick them up to put on the bed for unpacking.  This is what our entrance foyer looked like on the morning of the 16th.

In addition we’ll take two more suitcases when we board with all the clothes and things we needed between the 16th and sailing.  There will also be three carry-on bags with valuables, electronics, meds, etc.  And one computer bag with a full size laptop and a smaller travel pc.  We do have a lot of clothes.  But then again we are going from the cold of Antarctica to the heat of South Africa and everything in between.  There Is no  norm for the number of bags; we know people who sail with 23 suitcases and others who sail with a duffle bag and backpack.

In addition to our regular clothes we have our formal and costume attire.  We can be Chinese, Mid-eastern, pirates (for Pitcairn Island; they were mutineers but what do mutineers wear?  So we are pirates.), 1920s gangsters and others I don’t remember.   To give you an idea I’ve included a list of our special dinners and galas (formals) during this cruise at the end of the blog.

The off-ship excursions are all set for Ken.  We’re still looking for some lunch and/or dinner cruises in the various ports.

We wish everyone a healthy, happy and safe 2020.  We’ll “see” you in the next blog.  As always we look forward to your comments and questions.  The best way to get a message to us is to reply to this e-mail or directly at kstein29@cfl.rr.com.

 

2020 Dinners and Gala Schedule

January 4 Complimentary Bon Voyage Sail Away on Lido Deck (meet up with all your friends on board as we depart on the Grand World Voyage 2020)

January 6 Captain’s Welcome Aboard Reception and Black & Gold Dinner (our first Gala Night, complimentary pre-dinner cocktail party with staff introductions followed by the Black and Gold Dinner)

January 10 Grand Gala Party (Gala night, a “ball of a party” in the Mainstage with live music to dance the night away)

January 14 Samba Brazil Night (feast Brazilian style for dinner, then Samba it off at the Crow’s Nest)

January 17 Gold, Glitz & Gleam Gala (Gala night, a great night to let it shine for wealth, grandeur, or prosperity)

January 25 Chinese New Year Celebration (Lido Restaurant will turn into China Town for dinner)

January 26 Black & White Formal Dinner (Gala night, reminiscent of yesteryear, and an excellent opportunity to show off you black and white formal attire)

January 29 Antarctic Adventure Dinner (getting into the spirit of our 4-day Antarctic Experience to commence tomorrow)

January 31 Winter Wonderland Dinner and Great White Way Party (dine amidst the icefields while being pampered by the warmth of our crew, then, let’s take it to Broadway and party as only the ‘cool’ can do)

February 2 Super Bowl (the event is “on” in the Mainstage, reception permitting)

February 5 Dinner with Darwin (enjoy the genesis of this multicourse meal of evolutionary gastronomy)

February 8 Paparazzi Dinner (Gala night, on the way to the Oscars)

February 9 Chilean Seafood Dinner (join us at our own ‘Mercado Central’ in the Lido to feast your eyes and your palate)

February 14 Valentine’s Dinner and Party (Gala night to celebrate the time-honored serenade to love)

February 16 Rapa Nui Dinner (concluding our call to Easter Island)

February 19 Adamstown on Board (see Pitcairn come alongside via Longboat and onto Lido Deck with souvenirs galore)

February 20 Joie de Vivre Dinner (Gala night, cheerfully enjoy life as the French do en-route to French Polynesia)

February 23 Tropical Paradise Dinner (kick back and dine between lush ‘palm trees’)

February 25 Mardi Gras Bead Party (eat, party and celebrate the merriment of Fat Tuesday)

February 29 Bowlers & Bumper Shoots (Gala night, enroute to Commonwealth nations)

March 4 Quintessential Kiwi Dinner (Fresh, diverse and delicious, Kiwis love their food. While you’re in New Zealand, seek out the quintessential Kiwi foods in the Lido)

March 5 Gala Surprise Dinner

March 8 Australian Wine & Cheese Feast (a fun evening in the Lido, featuring a fine selection of Australian wines and cheeses, and other favorite dinner items)

March 10 Aboriginal Night Fire Dinner (indigenous Australian dinner theme with the mesmerizing sounds of the didgeridoo)

March 14 Under the Sea Dinner (Gala night with aquatic theme and a focus on seafood)

March 17 St. Patrick’s Day Dinner and Pub Crawl (partake in the “wearing of the green” and look for that pot of gold)

March 21 Indonesian Dinner (Gala night, all your Indonesian favorites served by your very own staff)

March 26 Makansutra Dinner in the Lido areas (featuring all the local food stalls that Singapore is known for)

March 28 Secret Garden Dinner (Gala night to enjoy the mystery and wonderment of this floral inspired dinner)

March 30 Tiffin Dinner (typical Indian dishes featured in the Lido, much more than a snack alone, and you might even see a Tiffin Wallah trying to make a delivery)

April 1 April Fool’s Day Costume Party (need we say more; let’s have some fun in the Crow’s Nest)

April 4 Seafood Grill Creole Dinner (enjoy a great array of spectacular traditional Creole dishes in the Lido to best represent the Seychelles)

April 6 The White Dinner and Party (Gala night, all white clothing theme symbolizing purity and elegance)

April 8 African Kaleidoscope Dinner (amalgamation dinner in the Lido of all African cuisines available to us on this itinerary)

April 12 Easter on Amsterdam (enjoy Easter for all its splendor to include traditional classics)

April 14 African Safari Dinner (Gala night, Safari style in the safety of our ‘boma’ Amsterdam)

April 17 African Braai (grilled meats of all kind served in the Lido with an African twist)

April 18 Holland America Line’s Birthday Dinner (celebrating our 148th year as cruise line company)

April 19 Vuvuzela Dinner (Gala night, festive dinner to welcome, unite and celebrate our calls to South Africa)

April 22 South African Wine & Cheese Feast (a fun evening in the Lido, featuring a fine selection of South African wines and cheeses, and other favorite dinner items)

April 25 Biergarten Festival (good old oompah-fest in the Lido with beer, sausage ‘n kraut and so much more)

April 26 Disco Night (relive the music, the fashion, the lyrics and all other cultural phenomena that are disco at this party in the Crow’s Nest)

April 27 King’s Day Orange Dinner (Gala night to celebrate the Dutch King’s birthday, and wear something abundantly orange)

April 30 King Neptune Ceremony (daytime event to commemorate a sailor’s first crossing of the equator)

May 2 Mad Hat Night (on this day of the Kentucky Derby, not only women but men too can wear their ‘mad’ signature hat)

May 3 Fabulous Las Vegas (“what happens on Amsterdam, stays on Amsterdam”)

May 5 Mariner’s Appreciation Night and Dinner (final Gala night, to include pre-dinner cocktail parties in the Mainstage honoring your Mariner status)

May 7 Caribbean Dreams Dinner (enjoy the food of the islands, as the islands will enjoy you)

May 8 Speakeasy Dinner and Party (let the good times roll from the depths of the Prohibition Era at the Dining Room’s Supper Club and at the Crow’s Nest Libation Club)

May 9 American Cookin’ Dinner in the Lido areas (all your classic favorites with trimming and helpings galore)

May 10 Mother’s Day Brunch (celebrating all Mothers on board)

May 10 Chef’s Farewell Dinner (culinary excellence in the La Fontaine Dining Room)

May 10 The Grand Farewell Night (a special evening nearing the end of the Grand World Voyage)

May 11 International Favorites Dinner (summing up our culinary journey with all-time favorites)

We are two months out of our seventh world cruise and getting down to the really detailed planning.  One thing we need to do is verify that this blog is working and you are receiving the posts.  If you are reading this it works.

The 2020 Grand World Voyage has a couple of unique aspects.  First, it is 128 days which will be the longest time we have ever cruised on one voyage.  The past longest was 115 days.  The reason for the length is the second unique aspect.   We are not going to use the Panama or Suez Canals.  That means we’ll be cruising around South America and Africa.  That is old school; the way ships would travel the world before the canals were built.  We’re looking forward to visiting several ports we haven’t been to in a while, including Antarctica.  The cruise has one sad aspect.  It is the retirement cruise for Captain Jonathan Mercer.  We have sailed all over the world with CPT Mercer on world voyages and other itineraries for the past 10 years.  After 51 years at sea he has decided to hang up his cap.  His wife, Karen, sails with him and is one of my on-board gym partners.  They live about five miles from us on Merritt Island.  We will miss him as our captain but may see him and Karen as fellow passengers.

Here is our Itinerary.   We sail from January 4th to May 12th.

Ken has two off-ship excursions planned this year so far.  Ken plans on visiting Zululand when we get to South Africa.  On January 22, 1879 a British Expeditionary  invasion force was defeated at the Battle of Isandlwana by the Zulu’s (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Isandlwana ).  The battle was portrayed in the movie Zulu Dawn (1979).  The following day, January 23, 1879, the Zulu’s attacked the mission station at Rorke’s Drift where just over 150 British and colonial troops defended the station against attacks by 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu  warriors (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Rorke%27s_Drift ).  The battle was portrayed in the movie Zulu (1964).  Ken and our tablemate Tim will rent a four-wheel SUV in Richard’s Bay and set out to visit both battle grounds and learn more about the Zulu nation.  Hopefully (If they don’t get lost) they will rejoin the ship in Durban.

The second off-ship excursion is a little more ambitious.  Kew will leave the ship in Bali and head for Sumatra for a jungle trek in search of orangutans.  It looks like five days off the ship with one overnight in the jungle looking for his furry friends.  He’ll rejoin the ship and Noreen in Singapore.

Noreen is looking forward to a number of sunset sails in various ports, especially Sydney.  She is also cross referencing each country with the indigenous precious stones and metals that deserve her attention. 

One of our planned stops is the British Overseas Territory of St. Helena located in the South Pacific.  It is the site of the last exile of Napoleon and his death.  There is a gravesite there but the body was exhumed and moved to France in 1840.   It is also the home of Jacob’s Ladder (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob%27s_Ladder_(Saint_Helena);  a very steep 699 step climb that serves as a challenge to tourists.  Ken did it several years ago in about 22 minutes.  We’ll see what his time is on this voyage.

Jacob’s Ladder, St. Helena

We’re looking over our other ports-of-call for more adventures and new experiences.  You’ll just have to follow along and see what we find.

We’re glad you are joining us in 2020 for our next adventure.  We look forward to your comments and questions.  You can reach us directly at kstein29@cfl.rr.com.  For anyone that hasn’t heard that is our new e-mail address.

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