I gained four pounds. You may be saying to yourself, “oh poor you, what do you expect being on a cruise?”
Well, if you do the math, that comes out to a pound per day. Being that this is a ten-day cruise, I’m going to come off the ship ten… oh forget it.
Gaining weight on a cruise is inevitable. It’s going to happen. For me my downfall is breakfast. While I don’t eat the “stoke-up meal of the day” back home, on a ship I do. I’m not sure if it has anything to do with the limitless supply of bacon, four different flavors of jelly for my toasted bagel, or the incredibly sticky, sticky buns, but this one meal is my downfall.
I try my hardest to work off whatever calories I packed on before 10am throughout the day. Whether this is by hitting the ship’s gym or power-walking the open decks, in order to not double the pound-per-day gain I do “something” to at least make myself “think” that piling all that food on my plate first thing in the morning can be worked off by the end of the day.
Wishful thinking I know.
While on the subject of breakfast, I hit the Lido this morning around 9:30am, and being that it’s a sea day, I thought it would be much busier than it was. While a tad bit more crowded than other days so far, there was only a short wait for eggs, and this was due to the person in front of me wanting his fried eggs “hard.” So hard that the cook had to make them over three times because they weren’t “hard” enough.
No matter how demanding the guest, things are always “excellent” onboard a Holland America Line ship.
Once again there were plenty of open tables and many were outside around the pool enjoying their food in the warm sun as we sail the Caribbean Sea en route to Bonaire. I did not use the ketchup dispenser this morning for fear of a repeat of yesterday’s massacre but a noticeable addition was single-serve packets of Heinz. By the way, my shirt is due back from the laundry today.
Yesterday we spent the day at anchor off of Samana in the Dominican Republic. Around 8:30am we began to sail into the Bay of Samana and all eyes were on the water as my fellow passengers were hoping to catch a glimpse of the many whales that make their way to the bay for mating season. Unfortunately, none were sighted.
Cruising in and out of the Bay of Samana is very scenic, as there are many islands that line the bay… some with native huts and others with large mansions. One thing that was quite noticeable was the many fires burning on all parts of these islands. Smoke could be seen from almost everywhere. I’m assuming these were brush fires, but they could have been something else.
Around 10:30am the ship’s tenders were lowered and passengers started making their way ashore. Now, the Dominican Republic is home to some very high-end, luxury resorts and there are many beautiful parts of this island nation. Samana, however, does not fall into this category.
When going ashore in Samana it is best to keep an open mind and a keen sense of situational awareness. Like many Caribbean islands, tourists are a target for those con artists and criminals looking to take advantage of unsuspecting visitors.
Samana itself is not what one would consider “modern.” Villages are primitive and poor. For many, a visit to Samana is quite eye-opening. I remember on my first visit, I took a Jeep adventure shore excursion where we got a few hours to drive around the area as a group. Living quarters are mere tents, roads are unpaved, wild animals roam all over, and villagers line the streets to get a glimpse of people from different parts of the world.
At the start of that trip, we were advised to stow away jewelry, watches, or anything of value and if we were approached, keep in mind that a watch is easier to replace than a hand.
If you’re looking to experience a different culture and a way of life that is far different from the one you’re accustomed to, an organized shore excursion as a group is recommended. I do not recommend attempting to tour on your own in this port-of-call. One side note, there are no stores here for you to pick up some of those famous Caribbean bargains. Although if you’re a cigar smoker, many of the shore excursions do stop at a few of the local cigar factories where you can watch the craftsman hand-roll a smoke with some of the Dominican’s finest tobacco leaves and take a few back home with you to enjoy.
There is no cruise port in Samana, and the “dock” is just that. A small dock, just large enough to accommodate a ship’s tender. The tender boat ride from the ship to the dock takes about 20 minutes and tenders were running continuously throughout the day.
For those like me who felt that Samana was too much of a culture shock, there were plenty of activities onboard to keep oneself occupied.
The casino was open all-day for slot play, trivia contests were held at various times, and a game of Shuffle Board was hosted along with a Ping Pong tournament. For the ladies, the Greenhouse Spa was having a “Pamper Party and there were other events happening around the ship throughout the day.
With the sun blazing, many were out at the Lido and Sea View pool soaking up some rays but quickly found themselves retreating to a shady spot for a frozen beverage or a cold beer. I for one, consumed a few Red Stripes to cool things down a bit.
It was anchors up around 5pm and once again all were out on the open decks or verandahs hoping to see some whales as we cruised through scenic Samana Bay. With the exception of a large school of dolphins dancing along the port side of the ship, we came up empty as far as whale sightings were concerned.
I received an invite to a cocktail party which I attended at 7:30pm in the Crow’s Nest. The captain, hotel director, cruise director, and several officers and staff were there and champagne, cocktails, and light snacks were served for about 45 minutes.
While in line to meet the captain, a middle-aged woman and her husband who were in front of me expressed their disappointment in the lack of the previously mentioned whales. She told the captain he could have “done a better job at coordinating things so we could see the whales.” Her mild-mannered husband stood silent and still, as did those in the receiving line.
With hand-shaking not allowed at this event in order to limit exposure to the dreaded norovirus, head nodding was the official greeting.
With a glass of champagne in hand, I made my way through the room and sat down with a couple from Chicago. With hand-shake-less introductions out of the way, the couple told me of their various adventures onboard Holland America Line ships.
Her: “We’ve spent over 700 nights onboard.”
Him: “Not the same ship, you know.”
Her: “No, we’re on here for back-to-back cruises.”
Him: “Honey it’s not really 700 nights, it’s more around 500 by my math.”
Her: “Well, our thing says 700 and something.”
Him: “That’s because we get double points for suites.”
Her: “But it’s still 700 nights.”
Him: “Not really, it’s more like 500 and some.”
Me: “How about another glass of champagne?”
Her: “What’s your name again?”
Me: “Scott Sanfilippo.”
Her: “Were you on a Panama Canal cruise?”
Me: “I was on the Zuiderdam for one, yes.”
Her: “Are you the blog guy?”
Me: “Yes.”
Her: “Honey, this is the guy I emailed back and forth with questions about that cruise.”
It turns out, the wife read my review of my journey through the Panama Canal on Holland America Line’s ms Zuiderdam and emailed me back and forth several times with questions about the ship, shore excursions, whether or not to do the full canal transit, etc.
They credited my review and my answers to their questions for having one of the best cruises ever – a sentiment I continue to share about that journey as well. Taking my advice, they booked a Neptune Suite on the Zuiderdam and did the excursion where you take a ferry from when the ship docks in Gatun Lake through the remaining locks of the Canal over to the Pacific Ocean side then board a bus back to the ship.
It’s things like this that make doing what I do worthwhile.
As if that small world moment wasn’t enough, when I was leaving the cocktail party, one of the bartenders called out, “Mr. Scott, is that you?” Turns out he remembered me from two cruises I was on a few years ago on the ms Eurodam.
After the cocktail party, it was off for dinner in the Pinnacle Grill, the ship’s $29 per-person steakhouse. Tonight instead of deciding what to have for my meal, I let my server, Mario, make the choices for me.
To start off, a scallop on a squash puree was served compliments of the chef.
Next up was a rich and creamy Lobster Bisque complete with a swirl of crème followed by a shrimp cocktail.
For the main course, Mario brought me a double-cut pork chop marinated and grilled medium served with mashed potatoes.
Excellent choices all around, including the fruit he made up for me for dessert.
The evening’s entertainment in the Vista Lounge a ballroom dance duo featuring World Grand Prix Champions Romand and Svetlana. On my way to see the 10pm show, I happened to pass the B.B. King Blues Club. Let’s just say, I never made it to see the ballroom dancers.
The 8 members of the “B.B. King All-Star Band” packed the room and kept everyone on their feet with not only blues but some Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and even a rendition of Blurred Lines. I always enjoyed the Blues Club on other Holland America Line ships, and this was no exception.
When the band took a 15-minute break, I headed next door to see what was going on in Northern Lights, the ship’s disco where it happened to be country night with sounds of Alan Jackson echoing through the room which only had a few people in it.
I went back out for the next set in the Blues Club which lasted until 11:30pm. After that, it was a walk around the Promenade Deck and back to my stateroom where my pillow was waiting for me.
As I mentioned earlier, we are sailing towards Kralendijk, Bonaire which is going to be a maiden port for me, so I’ll be getting off ship tomorrow to explore the town. We are expected to arrive there at 8am tomorrow and will sail away at 6pm. For now, though, it’s a day at sea and a beautiful one as well.
A quick walk around the ship this morning revealed that many, many people are out at the ship’s two pools and even some of the upper decks, such as the observation deck, are being used by sun worshippers. Here in the Retreat Cabana area, there are a few additional cabanas being rented for the day in addition to those like myself who booked one for the entire journey.
That’s all for today, next installment will be from Bonaire in the morning!
Personal Day-By-Day Noordam Cruise Review:
Photo Tour of the Noordam:
Join me as we embark on a photographic journey to see this incredible ship and all that it has to offer. This tour will take you on a visual journey through this magnificent cruise ship, showcasing its beauty and elegance through the lens of my camera. From the stunning public spaces to the comfortable and luxurious staterooms, this Noordam Photo Tour will give you a glimpse into the unforgettable experience that I had on board the Noordam.