Auckland... Wellington... Home

Quote of the day: “Make sure you finish your blog off properly. Don’t just leave it hanging at the last port like some people do.”

After a late night last night saying goodbye to friends around the ship (all except Mr Gadget Man, who unfortunately was down with sea sickness) it was a rude awakening at 5:30am as the booster engines rumbled down below, signaling our arrival in Auckland. It was even ruder to discover it was a mere 11°C outside… I decided to stay in my cabin to watch the sail in.

There was time for a final breakfast in the dining room before disembarking, but not time for coffee and a crossword. I queued up one more time to drop my cruise card into the slot, collected my bags inside the terminal, then made my way across the road to meet a young friend I’ve known for a long time (does that work for you, K?). She kindly dropped me off at the airport, and before I could seriously catch up on any sleep, I was back in Wellington.

A quick unpack, then off for a decent coffee and scone in one of my favorite cafes. Wonderful! I then sat in the sun on Oriental beach, listening to my iPod, and savoring the view. It might not be Deck 7 on the Dawn Princess, but it comes pretty close…

To finish, a few random observations and comments, which others thinking of a seriously long cruise may find helpful:

1. To be successful, it requires effort and commitment. If you are traveling with a partner or spouse, make sure you both have the same level of commitment. Compromise might work for a 7-day cruise, but not for over 3 months.

2. Do breakfasts in the dining room. The omelets are to die for.

3. Avoid the laundry. It’s a hotbed of unfounded rumour and discontent!

4. Talk to the crew as equals, and get to know them. They are lovely people, and over time you will hear some amazing stories.

5. Try to make friends with people who are different to your friends back home. This will enrich your experience.

6. Take some tours from the ship where they are the best option, but do you own thing sometimes too. Do your homework before you leave so you know what you want to see and do.

7. Chill. You’re on a cruise ship, and at sea. Shit will happen, as it would in the same period of time at home. And once you start moaning, it’s a downhill spiral…

8. And if you do need to complain about something, do it with a smile and you may well find you get a better result.

So thank you everyone for your interest in my blog. Thank you for your comments, emails and for stopping on board to talk about it. It’s been fun to write - all 72 posts of it...

That’s all folks… “Live long and prosper.” I’m so glad I got to see that movie again!

On the downhill slide to Auckland...

Quote of the day: “I don’t really know why I’m still buying things. I promised myself I wouldn’t this time. I’ve still got bags of stuff I bought on last year’s round the world cruise I haven’t even opened yet.”

Apparently I slept right through Saturday 28th… no, wait a minute – we crossed the dateline… Phew, had me worried there…

The temperatures are steadily dropping, the seas are increasing, and we’re all trying to fit everything into the suitcases. Last night I had planned on watching a movie outside on the big screen, but it rained. The rest of the entertainment was repeats from earlier in the cruise. There’s a definite feeling that things are drawing to a close.

So today will be a day of meeting friends for a final lunch, followed by a final dinner with my dinner table, and a final drink with Mr Gadget Man. BJ says cut the nostalgia, and just get on with it. He reckons his days at sea are over, and now wants to retire to a high rise city apartment, where he can ignore the world, and dream of the good old days in Gibraltar. However I suspect that his real fate will be to be stuffed into a draw somewhere, to languish until I take him on his next adventure… which I’m already starting to think about…

Pago Pago, American Samoa

Quote of the day: “I’ve put on 10kg during this cruise so far, and now this is the only shirt that still fits.” Guy in the laundry today.

This was the last port for me, so unfortunately the last gasp for my voyage. Despite the weather forecast, it turned out to be a lovely sunny day, with not a lot to do. I had expected there would be a little more to Pago Pago than there was, but it was such a friendly place that I had a great day anyway.

Again I opted for a tour, and that was definitely the way to go. It got us out of town, and gave us the chance to see something of the beautiful scenery, see the locals call the sharks and turtles up from the sea, and ride in a rickety, hard-seated, non-air conditioned bus complete with bald tyres. With the steel showing through, I’m sure it was a death trap. Thankfully it didn’t go very fast…

Seeing the wrecked houses from the tsunami along the waterfront was a sobering reminder of what the forces of nature can do in this part of the world. Recovery is obviously taking a long time...

Mr Gadget Man had a field day, with a whopping 550 photos taken! I’m sure he was trying to see if he could break the shutter on his camera… We followed up the tour with a late lunch at a Sushi place near the pier, which was excellent. We ordered off the menu – checked out what the locals were having and asked for the same. That was followed by a wander around town, just to assure ourselves that there really was nothing there, and a quick peek at the souvenir stalls, before heading to the pizzeria on board – and this time it was open! First and last time, but I would rate their pizzas…

In preparation for my return to the real world, I’m progressively modifying my diet: the deserts pretty well went west last week (just mixed berries now), the wine was dropped several nights ago when I finished a bottle, no more bread rolls with dinner as of yesterday, and the wonderful scones with jam and cream for afternoon tea were off the menu today. So how boring is that??? Well maybe just one more round of scones before Tuesday…

Tahiti day number two...

Quote of the day: “I see it says we cross the date line in a couple of days. Does that mean we lose a day or gain a day? It’s all so confusing.”

I think I’ve discovered Paradise: Moorea. White sandy beaches, palm trees, a gentle breeze, warm, clear water, guitars playing and two part harmony over a barbecued lunch… yep, that sounds like it to me.

With just 3 tours to choose from, and little to do here on your own, Mr Gadget Man (MGM) and I, and about half the ship, opted for the beach and burn tour with food. I chose on the basis of the menu, and it proved to be a great choice. So we tendered in from the ship to the bay (no real township here), then took a small boat to a remote lagoon… or at least it was remote until the other tour boats flocked in, but hey, that’s part of the deal. Fortunately, while most people worked on achieving the popular lobster look, several of us wandered off to the next bay, and some peace and quiet… wonderful!

Back at the beachfront, we watched the kids play “kiss the stingray”. The locals assured us all that the stingrays here aren’t dangerous, and as no one got stung, I guess he was right. I just hope Mum and Dad tell the kids that the stingrays back home aren’t so cuddly.

I achieved a personal best today in the photo stakes – 24 shots. Somehow, MGM managed to squeeze 250 shots into the same period of time, plus video! Remind me never to accept an invite to an evening of his home movies of the trip – I’d be there a week! (Sorry man – just joking – really!)

Tahiti stop number one...

Quote of the day: “So who’s bright idea was it to come to Tahiti on a Sunday?”

We came to Papeete, Tahiti, and everything was closed… well just about everything. All the major shops were closed, with just a few tourist places open. Church and family lunch are the big events for Sunday in this part of the world. So yes, the ports lecturer was right in recommending we took a tour - you really needed to get out of town to see the beauty of this place.

So I decided to take it easy, with a “Highlights” tour. It consisted of a leisurely drive along the west coast of the island, taking in waterfalls, blowholes, tropical flora, with the occasional historical site thrown in. There was much talk of Mutiny on the Bounty, and James Norman Hall, and Captains Bligh and Cook, but for me it was really all about soaking up the atmosphere, and enjoying a relaxing day.

After the tour, there was time for a wander around town, plus a siesta, before heading out to the cultural show and food vendors stationed along side the pier. This is apparently a regular event, not just something organized for the tourists, and lots of locals turned up. I declined the offer of hula dancing with the performers, on the basis that I hadn’t had enough to drink to let myself look that ridiculous…

In theory we don’t have to be back on board until something like 3:30am, but I think most bars and eateries will be closed by midnight. Then it’s just a 2 hour sail across to the island of Moorea, and another laid back day in Paradise…

One more sea day before Tahiti...

Quote of the day: “The gym doesn’t open until 7am, but the Captain had been in there and was just leaving about 10 minutes before 7am. I guess when you’re the Captain you can do whatever you want.”


The sun is rising later and setting earlier as we head further south. BJ says that’s just as well as he needs his beauty sleep. Conversations are now turning to what life will be like once we leave this floating hotel. Most people agree that they want to take the staff home with them…

Temperatures remain in the mid-20’s, but the wind blows more now. Even so, I’m finding the conditions quite pleasant. Sitting out on my favorite deck does leave you covered in sea spray though, giving you the “salty lips” sensation. My trusty old crossword book, my other constant companion in addition to BJ, and my protector against unwanted conservationists, is now starting to look a little ragged. Major achievement for the day was to finally get one crossword completed without corrections. It’s only taken me 74 attempts! Sometimes I really do wish I could spell…

In the Doldrums

Quote of the day: “Our cabin steward told us he lives in the area of Mumbai where they filmed “Slumdog Millionaire”. He works on the ships to try to improve the living standards for his family. Every time he comes back to work he feels guilty because he lives on this beautiful ship, while his wife and daughter live in the slums.”

No, I’m not talking about my frame of mind. We really are in the area of the Pacific known as the Doldrums. It’s the area where the northern and southern hemisphere weather patterns converge, and is marked by low pressure systems. Net result is fog and rain, unpredictable weather, and a day spent inside. Good job I sat out on the decks most of yesterday… I guess it’s just a gentle reminder of what to expect when I get home, but without the cold.

Aloha Hawaii...

Quote of the day: “No, I’m staying on board today. I’ve had enough of this trip. I just want to go home now.”

Some days on holiday are better than others, and on this holiday, today was one of the best. We sailed into Honolulu at dawn, with just a light shower falling. The temperature was just right, and there was a gentle sea breeze blowing most of the day.

I’d previously had two holidays in Hawaii, and hadn’t made any great plans for the day. However my friend from the ship (who I’ve nicknamed MGM: Mr Gadget Man, because he always heads ashore armed with a still camera, a video camera, and a GPS unit!) encouraged me to get off my butt, and sign up for the tour to Pearl Harbour. Yes, I know. Everyone who goes to Hawaii goes to Pearl Harbour, but somehow I’d never got around to it…

I have no great interest in either war history or American history, but I really enjoyed the visit. We used the time we had to wait to get on the boat across to the Arizona Memorial to indulge in a bit of American culture: hotdogs… Now, I never eat junk food, but I made an exception today, and actually quite enjoyed it. I even washed it down with Pepsi that wasn’t diet. Much to my surprise, my digestive system didn’t protest too much, even when I followed it up with a burger and fries later in the day. Ah, the things we do for world peace and understanding!

The second part of the tour was a quick drive through the countryside, then through the centre of Honolulu. At that point we left the tour, and grabbed a trolley to Waikiki. Yes, it’s commercial; yes, it’s touristy; yes, it’s not the “real” Hawaii – but I love the place! I got to have a latte at the wonderful Hawaiian Coffee Company, and it was divine: the first seriously good coffee I’ve had in over 2 months. In fact, I threatened to stay put in the café for the rest of the day… However, eventually I managed to drag myself away, and we wandered along the beach to my favorite park area. There we sat in the shade of a palm tree, and just watched the world go by. It doesn’t get much better than that, folks!

After dinner in a café above the International Marketplace, we grabbed a taxi back to the ship for good dessert and bad coffee, followed by the sail away bash up on the top decks. I sat up there for a long time watching the lights of Waikiki slowly fade into the distance, and contemplated my return visit to this wonderful part of the world…

Somewhere else in the Pacific

Quote of the day: “I’m going to complain to Princess about the maintenance on this ship. We sit by a window at dinner, and you can see the dirt on the outside. I don’t think they clean them very often. I hope the sun’s shining today so I can take a photo of it.” More garbage over breakfast!

Another lovely lady stopped me today to ask if I was responsible for this blog. While I’d love to blame BJ, I had to confess. Yes, it’s true. Apparently there are now quite a few people on the ship reading my ramblings. Which is a worry, as that increases the chances of someone recognizing the quote of the day… So as a precaution, I cut short my usual afternoon siesta (a habit that’s still lingering on from Mexico) and made an emergency visit to the Lotus Spa for a haircut. So I’m in disguise - try stalking me now! And as an extra precaution against being tossed overboard, I’ve had a GPS unit strapped to my leg…

Big excitement (you can just tell we’ve had several sea days in a row) – I’ve been upgraded. I now proudly carry a Platinum cruise card, and get some free internet time! Yeah! Shame I’ve already spent the equivalent of the GDP of Panama on the internet packages…

Pacific ocean somewhere...

Quote of the day: “I wouldn’t bother with cosmetic surgery myself. I’ve got a girlfriend who has had the bags lifted from under her eyes. But she is 68. I think that could be part of her problem.”

Heading southwest, and the temperatures are gradually increasing. I still wouldn’t lie out by the pool, but the sun worshippers are back in full force, fake tan and all. Somewhere along the way I seem to have lost a day… and no, it wasn’t the booze!

I’ve changed dining tables. The new people on the old table and myself were “incompatible”. The guy picked an argument with me within 10 minutes of meeting, so I’m out of there. No second chance given! I’m now with a lovely group of people in the other dining room, so will be set for the rest of the trip.

Tonight I sat at the bar out on the deck with a friend and watched Elton John on the big screen. I’m an Elton John fan from way back, so that was a very pleasant. Apparently some people dining outside complained about the noise. Hey folks, it’s advertised as a concert… go somewhere else if you don’t like the music…

A day in LA...

Quote of the day: “Every port I go to I buy a nice piece of jewelry. Sometimes it’s just something small, but sometimes I’ll lash out on a really expensive piece. So now I have memories of everywhere I’ve been. It’s so much better than fridge magnets.”


Wonderful weather, delicious food, and long conversations with old friends. What a great way to spend the day in LA. It was also a reality check, spending time doing normal, everyday things away from the ship. Priceless. Thanks again L and T so much for the day, and let’s hope we can all get together again before too long. (Hehehe)

We’ve now started the downhill leg back to NZ. Just 18 more sleeps and they’ll kick me off here. Wow, how the time just evaporates…

"Six Months In A Leaking Boat..."

Quote of the day: “My cabin got flooded in the middle of the night. They’ve had blowers going for hours. I ended up sleeping with my head under the pillow to block out the noise.”

Bonus quote: “I thought we were sinking, and the water was already up to the 10th floor.”

The occupants of 22 cabins awoke during the night to find water in their cabins. Apparently there had been a burst water main, and the water flowed down the corridor and into the cabins. So most had to evacuate and spend the rest of the night and through the day roaming the lounges and eateries.

I ran into several sleep-deprived people in the course of the day. And to make matters worse, the outside temperature was only 16°C by mid-afternoon, so they couldn’t even doze off out on the deck in a deck chair…

Last night was dinner in the Steakhouse with J and M, my table companions for the last few weeks. We had a wonderful meal, great atmosphere, and even got to see a pod of whales performing… just as I’d been complaining I hadn’t yet seen a whale on this trip. Unfortunately, these lovely people get off tomorrow in LA, so I’ll be very interested to see who replaces them. I’ve had a couple of offers to join other tables, but for better or worse, will let fate take it’s course…

Manzanillo...

Quote of the day: “Quite frankly, I can’t understand why Princess Cruises decided that we should call at Manzanillo. There are a number of far more interesting places to stop along the Mexican Riviera. Now I’ll probably get fired for saying that, but that’s my opinion.” Richard, the Ports lecturer.

On a sleepy Sunday, where better to be than a sleepy little Mexican town. Maybe that was the rationale behind coming here. Or maybe it was the fact that the local church had Mass tree times during our visit…

There was the usual assortment of tourist tack for sale, but the quality was considerably lower than most places we’ve visited. That didn’t seem to stop the shopaholics though, who seemed determined to give the local economy a boost.

The big claim to fame here is that this is the Sailfish Capital of the world. And just to make the point, they have erected a massive sculpture of a sailfish by Mexican sculptor Sebastian (he's so famous he just has one name…) on the edge of the harbour – think big carrot, plum, onion, turnip, gear, needle, tower, dolphin etc. that you see dotted around the world. Oh, and the entire waterfront area is decked out with speakers playing Mexican music for the gringos off the cruise ship… nice touch if you’re into that sort of thing.

Personally, I didn’t find the place terribly attractive, so after a quick wander around, I headed back to the ship, and got my ironing done while it was all fairly quiet in the laundry. That was followed by siesta, seeing we’re in siesta country. When I say that the most exciting thing to happen today was that the crew did a full safety drill, you’ll get the picture of how the day went!

Acapulco...

Quote of the day: “You have to watch out for thieves on this ship. One lady had her cardigan taken, and then saw someone wearing it, and another saw someone with her stolen camera. It was the same model and the same camera case so she was certain it was hers.”

Acapulco was a revisit for me, so I didn’t have to do the trip to the cliff divers. Being a male by myself here meant that I got special treatment: the taxi drivers first offered to take me to ladies of ill repute, before they offering to take me to the usual tourist sights! I just laughed and kept walking…

And walking, and walking and walking – a good distance along Acapulco beach in the relative cool of the morning. And very pleasant it was too, before all the commercial activities of the day got into full swing. The downside was that having walked that far, I then had to walk all the way back… and by then it was hitting 30°C, with high humidity. Briefly wandered through a flea market on the way, but quickly decided it could well be a flea market with genuine fleas…

Back on board for lunch, a hose down and a new set of clothes, then off for a wander around the fort up the hill. I didn’t last too long in the heat though, and was soon forced to retreat back to HQ… just in time for freshly baked scones for afternoon tea. Yum.

Back at the cruise terminal, it was shopping time for quite a few. I sat and watched the feeding frenzy for a while, but it just followed the same pattern: ladies into the jewelry shops, men buying up the booze… For those who missed out there, consolation was to be had on board this evening with yet another “sale” of Guess watches. Just what we needed!

Sick at sea, but not sea sick, and not sick of the sea...

Quote of the day: “Every week they have a night when there’s not much on entertainment-wise. And those nights they wheel out the piles of junk on special at the ‘boutiques’. I don’t think that’s a coincidence, and it works well judging by the crowds that show up.”


I threw a sickie for a couple of days, on and off. I claim it was migraine and fighting off microbes, but BJ reckons it was too much red wine. At one glass a night? Hardly. But then I guess that at his size, if he drank a glass of wine he’d be dead…

So here we are, plodding our way slowly up the Pacific coast of Mexico. Sometimes we go fast, and sometimes we go slow – more engine problems in the offing?? Hmmm… now that’s how rumours start… must take a trip to the laundry…

We’ve had company in the last couple of days too, in the form of dolphins, sea turtles and flying fish. All very exciting, but usually by the time I get to the place everyone’s gathered, they’ve vanished. Oh, and I did spend a frustrating hour or so trying to get a photo of these sea birds. But they just wouldn’t cooperate so this was the best I could do.

Strange coincidence this evening. Met a couple from San Diego who had been following this blog, and are traveling from New York to LA. Coincidence because tonight was the first time I’d ever sat on the deck chairs on Deck 7 – I usually look for a quieter place to listen to my iPod. So thanks for looking out for me guys.

And now I’m in shock. Notice when I got back to HQ saying the coffee machines could be out of action tomorrow morning as they are having a full steam shut down. I can see I’ll be losing sleep tonight over that. May have to set the alarm early to fit in a cup or two before the drugs are cut off… oops, that could have different connotations in Acapulco!!

Panama Canal

Quote of the day: “I just got off the phone from talking to my internet company. I had to get them to reset my password. The guy wasn’t too good with his English so he spelt it out: a is for apple, a is for elephant…”

Today’s passage through the Panama Canal was a real education. We got to the start around 5am, and that’s when the commentary started. The next 8 hours saw us pass from the Caribbean to the Pacific via six sets locks, and the Gutan Lake.

I did this as a 7 year old, and I was surprised that I had actually remembered it fairly accurately. But then the basic layout of the system is virtually unchanged over the last 100 years or so. Sure, the Canal has been deepened and widened, and the gates are now hydraulic, but the system for moving the ships, and for pumping the water in and out of the locks, is still the same.

One thing that surprised me was how green the rain forest was on either side of the Canal. It’s the rain from these areas though (over 200 inches per year) which provides the fresh water needed to operate the system.

Dawn Princess was designed to be the maximum size that can fit through the Canal. I think there was about a metre to spare each side, and a couple of times we scraped the hull a couple of times along the way. We also saw the new construction for the deeper, wider second canal being built along side the existing Canal. That will allow even the world’s biggest ships to pass through, plus larger ships which may be built well into the future.

Sobering statistic: 25,000 people died building the original canal, which is 500 for each mile of its length. These days that would be considered far too high a price, but little comment was made about it at the time. No Health and Safety in those days...

Tahiti stop number two...

Quote of the day: “I see it says we cross the date line in a couple of days. Does that mean we lose a day or gain a day? It’s all so confusing.”

I think I’ve discovered Paradise: Moorea. White sandy beaches, palm trees, a gentle breeze, warm, clear water, guitars playing and two part harmony over a barbecued lunch… yep, that sounds like it to me.

With just 3 tours to choose from, and little to do here on your own, Mr Gadget Man (MGM) and I, and about half the ship, opted for the beach and burn tour with food. I chose on the basis of the menu, and it proved to be a great choice. So we tendered in from the ship to the bay (no real township here), then took a small boat to a remote lagoon… or at least it was remote until the other tour boats flocked in, but hey, that’s part of the deal. Fortunately, while most people worked on achieving the popular lobster look, several of us wandered off to the next bay, and some peace and quiet… wonderful!

Back at the beachfront, we watched the kids play “kiss the stingray”. The locals assured us all that the stingrays here aren’t dangerous, and as no one got stung, I guess he was right. I just hope Mum and Dad tell the kids that the stingrays back home aren’t so cuddly.

I achieved a personal best today in the photo stakes – 24 shots. Somehow, MGM managed to squeeze 250 shots into the same period of time, plus video! Remind me never to accept an invite to an evening of his home movies of the trip – I’d be there a week! (Sorry man – just joking – really!)

Pirates strike in the Caribbean...

Quote of the day: “A couple of years ago my daughter and son-in-law got married in Las Vegas. None of the family was invited. I asked them what they wore, and they said denim shorts and T-shirts, and they didn’t even get out of the car. I thought at least they might go somewhere decent for dinner afterwards, but they just went to an ice cream parlor…”

Last week we got new carpet in the corridor, and today we all got our old box TVs replaced with brand new flat screen models. All very exciting on an otherwise uneventful, hot and humid sea day in the Caribbean.

Oh, and I think pirates struck my cabin. And I’m not just talking about the “Pirates” movies they’ve been screening on TV and on the big screen either. I found that some of the dollar coins I keep for the laundry had gone missing. I guess the technicians who did the TV installation thought they were sitting there as a tip… I decided their need must be greater than mine, and didn’t bother complaining about it… I’m just too soft…

Curacao – a slice of Amsterdam in the Caribbean…

Quote of the day: “I think I’ll stay on the ship today and read my book. Once you’ve seen one Caribbean island you’ve seen them all.”

Today completed the ABC island hop (Antigua, Barbados, Curacao). This was my favorite of the three by far. It’s small enough to get around the main town centre on foot, while being large enough to be interesting.

All the buildings are painted different pastel colours. The story goes that a Governor of the island, way back, complained that all the white buildings in town were giving him migraines, so he ordered that they be painted different colours to prevent this. Then after his death, it was discovered that he held shares in the local paint company… Hmmm. The fashion, however, caught on and has continued until today. It certainly gives the town a cheerful appearance.

I spent quite a while wandering around the shops, but not a lot were open being a Sunday. I was amazed though to see so many women from the ship in the jewelry stores. Surely they’ve done them to death by now?

Last night I managed to pick up a ticket for a tour that had been sold out for weeks. Lucky once again… so I did the semi-submarine thingy out on the coral reef, and got to see some of the tropical fish close up. Even though the boat doesn’t dive down, you sit below the surface, and it feels like you’re much deeper than you are. Very enjoyable, heaps of fish, but the reef was looking a bit sad.

The boat set off from one of the resort hotels. Now that was a lovely spot, where I could quite happily have stayed for a week or so. Just a shame that it’s such a long way to come back again…migration is very tempting though!