The Inside Cabin

Day 24, At Sea

by | Jan 27, 2018 | 2018 Grand World Voyage, Sea Day | 0 comments

  1. The Journey Begins – The 2018 Grand World Voyage
  2. Leaving San Diego for Fort Lauderdale
  3. Arriving in Fort Lauderdale and our first day
  4. Fort Lauderdale – Day 2
  5. Day 1 – The Adventure Begins
  6. Day 2 – Our First Sea Day – Abba Fabulous!
  7. Day 3, Georgetown, Grand Cayman
  8. Day 4, At Sea En Route Puerto Limon (San Jose), Costa Rica
  9. Day 5, Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
  10. Day 6, Transit the Panama Canal
  11. Day 7, Fuerte Amador, Panama
  12. Day 8, At Sea
  13. Day 9, At Sea
  14. Day 10, At Sea
  15. Day 11, At Sea
  16. Day 12, At Sea
  17. Day 13, At Sea – Enroute to Nuku Hiva
  18. Day 14, At Sea, Enroute to Nuku Hiva
  19. Day 15, At Sea – Enroute to Nuku Hiva
  20. Day 16, Taiohae, Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia
  21. Day 17, At Sea
  22. Day 18, Avatoru, Rangiroa, French Polynesia
  23. Day 19, Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia
  24. Day 20, Mooera, French Polynesia
  25. Day 21, Bora Bora, French Polynesia
  26. Day 22 – At Sea
  27. Day 23, Avarua, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
  28. Day 24, At Sea
  29. Day 25 – Alofi, Niue
  30. Day 26 – At Sea – Crossed Dateline – Jan 29th GONE!
  31. Day 27 – At Sea
  32. Day 28 – At Sea
  33. Day 29 – Auckland, NZ
  34. Day 30 – Tauranga – 3 Feb 2018
  35. Day 31 – Napier
  36. Day 32, At Sea – Super Bowl Monday
  37. Day 33, Port Chalmers, Dunedin
  38. Day 34, Fjordlands National Park – Milford Sound
  39. Day 35 – At Sea – Enroute Sydney
  40. Day 36 – At Sea
  41. Day 37 – Sydney, Australia
  42. Day 38 – Sydney, Australia
  43. Day 39 – At Sea
  44. 2020 World Cruise Possibilities
  45. Day 40, Hobart, Tasmania
  46. Day 41, At Sea
  47. Day 42, At Sea
  48. Day 43 – Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island
  49. Day 44 – Adelaide, South Australia
  50. Day 45 – At Sea
  51. Day 46 – At Sea
  52. Day 47 – Albany, Western Australia
  53. Day 48 – 21 Feb Perth
  54. Day 49 – Perth Yarn Crawl
  55. Day 50 – At Sea
  56. Day 51 – At Sea
  57. Day 52 – At Sea
  58. Day 53 – Benoa, Bali
  59. Day 54 – Benoa – Bali
  60. Day 55 – At Sea
  61. Day 56 – At Sea
  62. Day 57 – At Sea
  63. Day 58, Puerto Princesa
  64. Day 59, – At Sea
  65. Day 60, Manila, Philippines
  66. Day 61, Manila, Philippines
  67. Day 62 – At Sea
  68. Day 63 – Hong Kong
  69. Day 64, Hong Kong
  70. Day 65 – At Sea
  71. Day 66 – At Sea
  72. Day 67 – Phu My, Vietnam
  73. Day 68 – Siem Reap (ms Amsterdam at Sea)
  74. Day 69 – Siem Reap
  75. 2020 World Cruise – w/detailed dates
  76. Day 70 – Singapore
  77. Day 71 – At Sea
  78. Day 72 – Phuket
  79. Day 73 – At Sea
  80. Day 74 – At Sea – Enroute to Sri Lanka
  81. Day 75 – Columbo, Sri Lanka
  82. Day 76 – At Sea – Enroute to the Seychelles
  83. Day 77 – At Sea
  84. Day 78 – At Sea
  85. Day 79 – Victoria, Seychelles
  86. Day 80 – At Sea
  87. Day 81 – At Sea
  88. Day 82 – St Denis – Reunion Island
  89. Day 83 – At Sea
  90. Day 84 – At Sea
  91. Day 85 – At Sea
  92. Day 86 – Maputo – Safari Day 1
  93. Day 87 – Kambaku River Sands – Safari Day 2
  94. Day 88 – Kambaku River Sands – Safari Day 3
  95. Day 89 – Kambaku River Sands – Safari Day 4
  96. Day 90 – Cape Town, South Africa
  97. Day 91, Cape Town, South Africa
  98. Day 92 – At Sea
  99. Day 93, Walvis Bay, Namibia
  100. Day 94 – At Sea
  101. Day 95 – At Sea
  102. Day 96 -Luanda, Angola
  103. Day 97 – At Sea
  104. Day 98 – At Sea
  105. Day 99 – Crossing the Equator
  106. Day 100 – At Sea
  107. Day 101 – At Sea
  108. Day 102 – Banjul, Gambia
  109. Day 103 – Dakar, Senegal
  110. Day 104 – At Sea
  111. Day 105, Praia – Cape Verde
  112. Day 106 – At Sea
  113. Day 107 – At Sea
  114. Day 108 – At Sea
  115. Day 109 – At Sea – April 23, 2018
  116. Day 110 – At Sea
  117. Day 111 – San Juan, Puerto Rico
  118. Day 112 – At Sea
  119. Day 113 – At Sea
  120. Day 114 – Fort Lauderdale
  121. 2018 World Cruise Entertainers

Day 24 – At Sea – 27 January

Sea Day

Another sea day was welcome after our long day ashore yesterday.

Coffee Chat

I went down to the Explorer’s lounge around 9 AM to watch Hyperion Knight practice before his interview with Hamish at the 9:30 Coffee Chat.  One of the many features I enjoy about cruising in general and Grand Voyages in particular, is the variety of outstanding live performances available.  A special bonus is the opportunity to talk with artists afterwards and gain a greater appreciation for their incredible talents.

Hyperion played for about 20 minutes, only stopping when it was time for the crew to set up for the 9:30 show.

Hamish always does a wonderful job interviewing his guests on Coffee Chat.  He asks the questions that are on everyone’s mind and then gives the guests plenty of time to expand on their answers.

Hyperion showed talent for the piano when he was a small boy and received a lot of support from his family while growing up.  He ultimately attended the Julliard School where he was able to hone his talent.  After graduation, he discovered that earning a living as a musician required perseverance and a willingness to adapt to what the market was will to pay for.  His first job was with a restaurant associated with the Cleveland Clinic where he played with some string instruments in almost an Adagio type of setup.  It was here that he realized that he needed to expand his range to include more popular tunes that the audience was always requesting.  He still practices 6 hours daily to stay sharp and work on new material.

After a few years of honing his skills in satisfying audiences, he had an opportunity to work as a substitute for an ill cruise ship pianist on short notice.   Years later, Hyperion is a fixture on Holland America and other cruise lines in addition to maintaining a busy schedule playing with orchestras ashore.

Texas Hold’em

Playing the morning Texas Hold’em games requires you to arrive at the Casino cage 40 minutes in advance.  I arrive when they are open and take whatever games are is left, which is the 3:00 PM game and sometimes the game at 1:30 PM.  I played twice today, finishing in the money once.

Knitting

Not playing in the morning Texas Hold’em game gave me more time to work on my knitting.  I did about 8 rows today – slowing progressing toward finishing my first ball of yarn.

Afternoon around the ship

Judy and I met for lunch by the pool, where I enjoyed a bowl of Hot and Sour soup and some sushi while Judy continues to get her turkey and provolone panini.

There wasn’t any drawing class today because the Wajang theatre, which is also America’s Test Kitchen, was being used for a baking class for the children in Club HAL.  This allowed Judy to get to crafts 30 minutes early which she discovered wasn’t really early at all, as most people are now getting to the craft area, which is in the Lido Market, port side, aft, a full 2 hours early to eat lunch and then linger until class starts.  Nevertheless she did manage to snare one of the available crafts which involved making a paper bead and stringing it on a bracelet.

Today’s craft project

Pub Trivia at 5 PM continues to be a lot of fun, but we have never finished in the top tier.

Dinner

Dinner continues to be amazing.  The selections are always outstanding and the service is incredible.  We are seated at a 10 top but still manage to finish by 9:30 and only stay longer when we choose to linger over coffee or tea.

Queen’s Lounge

Frank King was the headliner in the Queen’s Lounge this evening.  I have seen dozens of cruise ship comedians over the years and he in one of the best.  He show is titled “Comedy and Conversation” with Frank King which set the expectation that he would engage with the audience more than you might expect from a comedian.  The house lights stayed up as the show opened which was a sure sign that audience participation is sure to follow.

Much to my pleasant surprise, Frank didn’t wander into the tired terrain of commenting on the size of the late-night show nor calling out audience members who wandered in a few minutes late.  Instead he launched into a very timely series of jokes commenting on the recent situation aboard regarding tender tickets and how he may be in the middle of a black market selling tender tickets from his stateroom.  His other observations about cruise ship life and life in general was refreshingly original and quite funny.  On the few occasions he engaged with an audience member he skillfully elicited numerous humorous interactions without insulting anyone or resorting to other gimmicks.  He concluded his show with an amusing narration of a slide show showing various signs that he as accumulated over the years.

Frank King is an outstanding comedian.  If you have the chance to catch his show – it is a must see.

Here is the LINK to Frank King’s website

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