Day 9 – At Sea enroute to Nuku Hiva

Warm, overcast skies greeted us this morning as we continue west toward Nuku Hiva at around 18 knots.   The Seaview pool was empty as was the Lido Pool. Rain threatened so it was easy to decide to sleep in or relax inside.

Our first event was the Shell Necklace Class organized by the Polynesian group. We sailed with this same group on the Veendam to Hawaii and we knew how popular their classes were going to be. The Shell Necklace class was scheduled to start at 9AM on the Lido deck next to the pool.   I stopped by at 8:15 and the designated seats were half full. They were completely full 20 minutes prior to the scheduled class starting time. Some people who arrived 15 minutes early probably thought they were EARLY – but they were out of luck.

The class was fun and in about 15 minutes we completed the stringing of our necklaces and wore them proudly for the rest of the day.

Good Morning Amsterdam is turning into one of our regular stops at either 9 or 9:30.   They usually interview the entertainer from the evening before and you always learn a little more about the performer and their interesting backgrounds. Today Kermet Apio was the guest and he related his interesting story about how he started his career in comedy. We received 10 Dam dollars for the attending the second show, but now we are getting only $3 for attendance. This is the same amount the winning trivia team may get for a lot less work.

The first Book Club book was announced: “Light Between the Oceans” by ML Stedman.   I won’t be reading them, but I recall from last year people were interested in what books were being used for the monthly book club.

While Judy was knitting with the Stich and Knit group, I stopped by the Queens lounge to listen to Barbara’s tips about Nuku Hiva.

Ukulele lessons were scheduled twice at 12:30 at 1:15 in the Crows Nest. The ship is supposed to have tables and chairs set up for this event, but something slipped thru the crack and the tables and chairs were not there and the class had to use the standard Crows Nest chairs. The Polynesian team provides Ukuleles to use during class, but you can’t borrow them to practice after class. We brought the Ukuleles we purchased on Maui last year, so at least we will have to have a different excuse for not practicing. The first song we are learning is “Vini Vini Vana Vana”, which is very popular in Tahiti and we have been told that we will hear it often during our time in Papeete.

At 3:00 pm, Philip Huber, the Marionette performer, presented a fascinating lecture on how he got started in the business, along with a explanation of how he builds his puppets and creates the characters. Phillip has performed in many commercials as well as in movies and late night television. If you have a chance to catch him live – don’t miss it – he is really very good.

We relaxed in our cabin until it was time to get ready for Gala Night and the Black and Silver Ball. The dining room was transformed into a sea of black, white and silver.   Compliance with the suggested dress code was near 100%.   Many, many tuxedos and the vast majority of people were dressed in the Black and Silver theme. Lobster tails and Filet of Beef Wellington were stars of the Gala menu. They were outstanding and the service, as always, remains exceptional. We are fortunate to have an incredible wait staff team. The menu is on the blog and was easily the best dinner of the cruise to date.

The Queens Lounge was transformed into a Grand Ballroom and when filled with guests dressed in a common theme – the ambience was incredible and a lot of fun to simply soak it all in or take to the dance floor and enjoy the fantastic band. Couples were dancing on the stage as well as a clear area in the center of the room.

This Grand World Voyage is truly grand and we wonder if it will be possible to continue to exceed our expectations.

Another relaxing sea day tomorrow.   The clocks continue to be rolled back every night which makes the late nights easier to deal with.

• Black & Silver Ball