Tag: Holland America Line

Maui, Hawaii

Saturday, April 12, 2025

Whale watching in Hawaii is a lot of fun and Maui is a great place to do it. The best months to see them are December through March. It is April so we did not research any tours. I wish we had.

We decided to take a 2-mile loop hike to see some waterfalls. There would be opportunities to swim or wade in if we chose to do so. Sounded like fun.

We started our day with a room service breakfast. Right on time at 6:45. We got to the world stage at 7:45 and we’re heading for the vans by 8:00

Our HAL tour today – Rain Forest & Waterfall Hiking Adventure

ABOUT THE EXCURSION – Walk to several waterfalls in one of Maui’s most popular rain forest valleys. The falls are between 10 and 40 feet tall, and all have large pools perfect for swimming or toe-dipping (there is time for a swim for those who wish to do so). This valley is unusual because it has so many waterfalls close together.

You’ll experience Maui at its best as you explore among gorgeous bamboo and tropical rain forests, freshwater streams, numerous waterfalls and pools, ferns, flowers and fruit trees.

The whole area is a playground of beauty and adventure, and there is nothing as refreshing and bracing as showering under a Hawaiian waterfall.

Your rain forest walk is enhanced by expert naturalist guides — these ‘walking encyclopedias’ can answer your questions about botany, ethnobotany, geology, culture and history.

The tour operator won Hawaii’s Eco-Tour Company of the Year award in 2010.

Notes: The hike is two miles round trip. Footing can be tricky since there are rocks, roots, streams and sometimes mud to navigate. This is not a strenuous hike, but participants should be in reasonable physical condition and should expect to encounter occasional steep inclines. Lunch, backpack, rain poncho, insect repellent (when needed) and bottled water are provided. Wear your swimsuit under your clothing; bring a towel, reef-safe/biodegradable sunscreen, light clothing to act as a full cover-up for further protection from the sun, and a hat. Wear sturdy walking shoes or heavy-duty sandals for the hike. Minimum age is 10 years.

So the van was comfortable, and the driver was also the guide. She liked to laugh at her own jokes. It wasn’t long before we arrived at the parking lot for the rainforest hike. The hike would be going through both public and private land.

We were directed to the porta-potties. Then she handed out our lunches – sandwiches, bottled water, chips, and a cookie to be carried in our backpacks. She also handed out some disposable ponchos. She offered everyone a backpack to use and a walking stick. We had our own backpacks. I took a walking stick to help with stability.

We started out on a level, gravel pathway. She stopped every so often to explain the different plants we were seeing. She would pick leaves or berries to let us smell or taste. Smell – okay. Taste – nope.

She was very knowledgeable. We soon left this nice public path onto the private farmland that this company has a contract with to provide hiking opportunities to unsuspecting tourists.

The path soon became more difficult. Now, we have hiked many places over the years and some much longer than 2 miles, and were used to roots, mud, rocks. But this path took it to a whole other level.

You just didn’t step over roots. You had to high step over the roots and there were lots of roots. You had to bend down and limbo under fallen trees. Any rock could move and trip you up, so I was always looking down and missed the scenery along the way. The mud just splattered everywhere on every step. Don’t get me started on the humidity. My hair ballooned out like a dandelion puff.

Then to add to the excitement, it started to rain. Really rain. Rainforest rain. We started scrambling to get our ponchos on which wasn’t easy when you are sweating. We were definitely in the rainforest.

Then the sun came back out in force and decided we should all boil inside the plastic ponchos. We scrambled to get the ponchos off. They did not want to come off – you would get part of it to unstick from your skin or clothes and only to have it cling to another part. It was if a python had you in its clutches. Chuck finally ripped his off like Superman ripping off his Clark Kent outfit.

We finally got to our first waterfall. You could view it or you could jump in from the ledge and swim. We viewed.

Our next stop was a lunch break, and people could swim if they wanted. Several people took advantage of the pool ignoring the large crawly things with legs that were swimming along side of them. We did not swim. We sat on a log, not speaking, and contemplating our life choices.

Finally, we made it back to the public gravel path. We could choose to see the last waterfall or go back toward the rest area. I decided to see the waterfall. How much worse could it get?

Chuck decided to go to the rest area. I should have chosen that option. To even get to the waterfall, we had to walk into the creek on the slippery rocks. Once we got to the fall, I changed into my swim shoes (that I had packed for the hike) and waded into the pool for just a short way.

Now it was time for all of us to trudge back to the vans. We found Chuck enjoying the shade in the rest area and happily chatting with all the other happy people from other hikes who also chose to rest.

As we made our way closer to the van, after all the walking over all the roots, all the slippery rocks, and all through mud, one man in our group suddenly slipped on the gravel and hit hard.

He was really scraped up, but he said he didn’t hit his head. It was bleeding a bit, so I think he did. I was really surprised it was him as he was one of the few in the group who jumped in at the first waterfall and then swam at all the others. Very athletic. Gravel got him. Mother Nature can be cruel.

I was very happy to get back to the ship and get a hot shower. I had to really scrub to get that mud off of my legs. It was if the mud just wanted to come home with me as a souvenir of my time in Maui.

I’m sure the laundry personnel were going to take one look at our clothes and say, “what the hell happened here? I don’t get paid enough for this mess.”

The hike description said “not strenuous.” Others in the group did not find it strenuous but we did. So much so, that I cancelled a similar tour for Kona. Not going to go through this again. Really, I’ve seen better waterfalls less than 30 miles from our house.

I do want to say again that the guide was informative, attentive, and cheerful (so very cheerful). She tried to make the hike from hell a pleasant one but came up way short.

After our showers, Chuck went to the Sea View to describe in great detail to his friends the horror I put him through today.

I stayed in the room to read. I was done for the day and was not coming out of the room. When Chuck came back and asked about dinner, I said I was ordering room service. He said that sounded good to him too, so we both had club sandwiches, chips, and chocolate cake. We went to bed early.

I love whale watching.

Tomorrow – Honolulu

Hilo, Hawaii

Friday, April 11, 2025

We were not in a hurry this morning. We have been to the Volcanic National Park, Rainbow Falls, the Macadamia Nut Factory, and the Orchid Farm so our plan today was just to explore closer to the ship.

We were greeted as we came into port with a beautiful full rainbow. It lasted quite a while. Once we finished admiring the colors, we made our way to the main dining room for breakfast.

After breakfast, we walked out to the port area to ask about the pick-up point for an Uber. We just had to walk past the security area and go to a building up the street. Very short walk.

Our destination was the Lili’uokalani Garden, a 24.5-acre park that is named for Hawaii’s last reigning monarch, Queen Lili’uokalani. It was a mile and a half from the port.

Despite the high humidity, we had a pleasant 2-hour stroll through the park. One of the most interesting moments was when we met a young man with a dog. The dog’s name was Ula’ula which is a Hawaiian word for Red.

The dog was frantically searching the rocks for a mongoose. You could hear the mongoose chittering, and it was making the dog crazy. The young man said the dog always searches but can never catch one.

If the dog had been with us, he might have been successful as we spotted a mongoose running among the roots of the Banyan tree. But it did manage to elude two toddlers who tried their best to catch it.

We just strolled the paths looking at the plants and birds.

Zebra Dove
Finch
Pacific Golden Plover
Pacific Golden Plover
Nenes

Our next stop was Coconut Island which was just over a walking bridge from the park. There was very little beach, but the people were enjoying it. We walked the path that circled the small island.

We walked over to the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel and was able to summon an Uber back to the port. Coming back, the Uber driver was able to go through security and take us right to the pier entrance. We just had to show our ID’s and ship card to security.

We had lunch on the ship at the New York Deli and then spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing by the pool.

Our evening was spent eating dinner in the Lido and then we went to the Rolling Stone Lounge to finish out the evening.

It was a very nice day for our first port in Hawaii.

Tomorrow – Maui

Sea Days

Sunday, April 6 – Thursday, April 10, 2025

When you have several sea days together, they seem to blend. You get into a routine of activities (or not), meals, evening activities (or not) – rinse, repeat.

We had 5 sea days before we reached Hilo, Hawaii. Those days consisted of

Coffee from the Grand Cafe.

Clock turning back 3 times before Hilo arrival.

Time in the Casino (slots now open 24/7 because the Casino will be closed while we’re in Hawaii)

Daily Activities – Many people went to the Hawaiian cultural ambassador events such as hula dancing, making bracelets, ukulele lessons, etc. I’ve done most of them before.

I chose to go to a future cruise presentation to see if there were any must-do itineraries coming up. I attended multiple lectures by Australian author Michael Adams –

I participated in the Lido games to win door prizes (I didn’t) –

And, I attended the coffee chats with Cruise Director Gage interviewing various ship personnel.

Cruise Director on Left, HR Manager on Right,

Chuck preferred playing cards or hanging out with his buddies on the Sea View Deck. Cruising has something for everyone.

We spent a lot of time eating or thinking about where and when we would be eating.

Here are some examples of our food during the times I thought about getting a photo before I started chomping away.

Evening activities – A band was brought in to play jazz music during the dinner hours in the Ocean Bar.

Ocean Bar Band

We spent some time in the Casino, but it was usually very crowded in the evenings so we never stayed long. And we went to both the Rolling Stone Lounge band and the BB King band sets.

We only attended one world stage show – Jose Sarduy’s second show (which I didn’t think was as funny as the first). Other shows by the HAL singers and dancers or the FlyRights we had already seen.

I even managed one day to walk 2 miles around the track on the Sports Deck. Small victory – probably burnt enough calories for 1/2 of a dinner roll.

The days actually passed very quickly to me and it seemed like we were reaching Hawaii sooner than I thought. But we were right on schedule.

Tomorrow – Hilo, Hawaii

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Saturday, April 5, 2025

Today was disembarkation for some, embarkation for others. For us, it was an in-transit day.

It was a bright sunny day but still chilly. We had no plans to leave the ship today so after a Lido breakfast, we made our way to the world stage so that all in-transit guests would be taken off the ship in a group – have our passports verified, and then you could either leave the ship or go back to the ship.

Once I was back on the ship, I took the time to go to the Specialty Dining Reservation booth to make a couple of reservations. I also had to go to Guest Services to show them that we were charged for our dinner last night at the Tamarind when we should have had it comped. I had tried taking care of it using the HAL Navigator app but the charge stayed on, so I had to go in person.

We had a pleasant afternoon chatting with new guests on the Sea View and enjoying the sun. We had to go to our muster station at 2:00, but we only had to have our cards scanned.

The sail-away party was at 3:30.

The Casino party was at 4:00. We received another Casino gift.

We were surprised to see that they had changed the times of the world stage performances from 7:30 and 9:30 to 6:00 and 8:00. We don’t know if this is a permanent change or just for tonight.

The comedian Jose Sarduy was performing his same show from last week, so we skipped it. We ate dinner in the Lido.

We went to the BB King Lounge to listen to the band. They started with a moment of silence for their friend. We stayed for the entire first set. I know it must have been hard for them to muster the energy to play.

We then went to the Rolling Stone Lounge to listen to their last two sets.

We decided not to wait up for the Casino to open and called it a night. When I hung up my jacket, I found that I managed to lose one of my gloves. Glad we are headed to Hawaii instead of Alaska. Will try lost and found at Guest Services tomorrow.

Also, Nathan the gnat is still with us. He has managed to elude our room stewards so far. I admire his spunk.

Tomorrow – Sea Days

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Friday, April 4, 2025

I was really looking forward to today and didn’t even mind that it was cloudy and 41 degrees.

Today we would be in port until 9:30 pm so I would finally get to go to the Butchart Gardens.

Our tour was not scheduled to leave until 10:00 so we were able to have an early breakfast in the main dining room. There was an announcement that the officers of the Koningsdam were meeting with representatives of the First Nation for a welcoming ceremony.

I never did understand if this meeting was because it was the Koningsdam’s first time ever in Victoria, BC or just the first time this year.

We walked out on the third deck to watch the welcoming ceremony. The deck was very crowded so I could only see a little of what was going on. I do know that the ceremony was a long one.

We were not allowed to disembark until the ceremony was completed. The lines to the gangway on Decks 2 and 3 were stretched down the hall and spilled over to other halls. People on private tours or renting cars were the most anxious as their time ashore was getting used up.

We were on a HAL tour – Butchart Gardens & Short City Drive

ABOUT THE EXCURSION – This tour offers the very best of Victoria, combining the city’s unique highlights with a visit to the world-famous Butchart Gardens. On a panoramic drive you’ll take in Chinatown and the Gates of Harmonious Interest, along with the Old Town and scenic Marine Drive.

At beautiful Butchart Gardens, see how the Butchart family has transformed a barren rock quarry into what is now one of the world’s best-known horticultural attractions, covering more than 55 acres.

The gardens are a lush paradise of flowers, rare trees and winding paths and were created more than 100 years ago. Enjoy the cascading fountains and footbridges connecting the many themed gardens, including the beautiful Sunken Garden, the Japanese Garden and the Rose Garden. A map will help you on your self-guided tour.

Notes: This tour operates during daytime calls to Victoria only. Due to ongoing road construction, panoramic tours of Chinatown may not be possible.

I like when the Shore Excursion staff tells us to meet at the World Stage and then, when the busses are ready for us, we can all go out as a group to our bus(ses).

Unfortunately, today we were to meet at the busses in the parking lot, so we were caught up in the long lines trying to get off the ship. I wasn’t as anxious as the private tour people because I knew that HAL would have to give us the full tour experience no matter what time we left or would refund part of our money if they cut it short.

It was even more chaotic at the busses because there were several busses that had tours going to the Gardens but no clear lines as to which bus we would be getting on. Of course, once we figured it out – it was the longest line, and we were at the back of it. Sigh.

We were 1/2 hour late leaving. It was a double-decker bus, and we were on the top deck. The views were great. Luckily, the sound system was very good, so we had no problem hearing the guide. He had a lot of stories and information as we drove through Victoria. We had seen some of Victoria the last time we were here, but we didn’t have the depth of information he was able to give.

I was so happy that the weather was good when we got to the Gardens. We received our tickets and were told to be back at the bus in 2 hours. The people at the Gardens were apologetic that the roses weren’t blooming yet, but I was thrilled at all the spring flowers and blooming trees.

We had plenty of time to wander through the entire Garden with no rush. Really amazing how a quarry was turned into something so beautiful.

A working carousel
The Star Fountain/Garden

I didn’t even mind spotting one of the local residents sunning on top of the hedges.

We returned to the ship about 4:00 and it was time to get ready for the evening. We had reservations at the Tamarind, the Asian specialty restaurant. Our server told us that they are planning to update their menu in the next few months. That news usually means that some of our favorites are going away.

We had an excellent meal tonight. I had the crispy ginger duck and Chuck had the wasabi-crusted tenderloin.

After the meal we went to the early show of Elliott Finkle. We’ve seen him on other HAL ships but he never ceases to amaze us with his wonderful piano-playing and story-telling.

The Rolling Stone Lounge band was off tonight, and the Casino was closed. We decided to go see the BB King Lounge band only to find that they would not be performing tonight because they had learned that day that one of their original band members had passed away. He was supposed to join back with the band tomorrow when we dock at Vancouver. Sad.

We stayed to listen to the DJ play some songs but then decided to call it a night and relax in the cabin.

I really enjoyed our day in Victoria. Chuck said it was nice. High praise from someone who groaned when I first told him I very much wanted to see it. 😊 At least I didn’t ask to go to High Tea at the Empress Hotel (but maybe next time). 🤫

Tomorrow – Vancouver, BC

Astoria, Oregon

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Nice sunny day today but a brisk 47 degrees.

After a leisurely breakfast again in the main dining room, we decided to skip the state park. We were just going to walk the mile to downtown Astoria via the Riverwalk.

The path to the downtown area was clearly marked and we were not the only ones who decided to walk. Others opted for the shuttle that was provided for a fee. Some people rented cars while others took taxis or Ubers to their destinations.

Our first stop was the Astoria Riverwalk Viewpoint. With no fog, we could see across the Columbia River to the state of Washington.

The green bridge is the Astoria-Megler Bridge connecting Oregon and Washington.

Our next stop was the Oregon film museum in downtown Astoria. The museum is located in a converted old jail.

It was small but a very interesting museum. I was not aware of the number of movies that had been filmed in and around Astoria, Oregon.

Some sample movies –

But the over-whelming draw to this museum is the 1985 movie The Goonies. They had several items of memorabilia from the movie. A person could even film themselves starring in various clips of the movie.

I saw a number of tourists of all ages in the museum who were wearing Goonies apparel and were quoting scenes from the movie. I kind of remember The Goonies but I feel I should watch it again since apparently it is a cult classic. The actual Goonies house is somewhere in Astoria, but we did not seek it out.

Our next stop, just right around the corner, was the Flavel House Museum. It was the 1886 Queen Anne home of Captain George Flavel, one of the first millionaires in Oregon.

You get your tickets at the Carriage House which has exhibits also.

Then you walk over to the house.

There is a docent that greets you at the door and can answer any questions. The tour through the two-story house is self-guided. The furnishings were beautiful.

Indoor plumbing – a luxury

There were other museums we could have visited once we finished here, but we decided to head back to the ship again via the Riverwalk.

Once we were at the pier, I did a little souvenir shopping at the booths that were set up (have to get that Christmas ornament).

We spent the afternoon sunning by the pool until it was time to get ready for the evening. When we got back to the room we had another gift from the Casino – a beach bag.

Tonight, we had a reservation at the Canaletto, the specialty Italian restaurant. I ordered the Chianti-braised beef brisket and Chuck ordered the Chicken Parmesan.

The show in the world stage tonight was Move by the HAL singers and dancers. We had seen it before on a different ship, so we opted to go to the Casino.

The Casino was very busy as it is the last day/evening it will be open for this trip. We played for a while until it was too busy to enjoy it. We settled our account and made our way to the Orange Party.

The Orange Party, the celebration of the Dutch heritage, is held on every sailing. Tonight, the party would be in the BB King Lounge. Most people wear something orange, with several going all-out in costumes, wigs, etc. Chuck likes to wear his bright orange wig.

We stayed for a while listening to the music, but the dance floor was packed. We then made our way to our favorite venue – the Rolling Stone Lounge.

Once they finished their last set, we called it a night.

Back in our cabin, we were greeted by a towel animal, and some chocolate.

We really did enjoy our time in Astoria and agreed it would be a place we would like to come back to visit more in-depth.

Tomorrow – Victoria, BC

Travel Trivia*

Founded in 1811 by John Jacob Astor’s Pacific Fur Company, Astoria is the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies.

The Astoria-Megler Bridge, which spans the Columbia River and connects Astoria to Washington State, is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America.

The Columbia River Bar is one of the most dangerous navigational hazards in the world, with treacherous currents, shifting sandbars, and strong winds. The Coast Guard has a station in Astoria to monitor the bar and perform rescues when needed.

Located near Astoria, Fort Clatsop National Memorial Park is where the Lewis and Clark expedition spent the winter of 1805-1806.

*trivia supplied by Oregon and Astoria marketing materials

Sea Day #2

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

The seas were very rocky last night, so it wasn’t a restful night’s sleep. I was looking forward to my first latte of the day. Unfortunately, I had a longer wait than usual. The Grand Dutch Cafe was short-staffed, so the line of caffeine-starved passengers was stretched down the hallway. Sigh.

Once we did have sufficient caffeine, we went to the main dining room for a leisurely late breakfast. Then I went to a presentation by Gage, the Cruise Director, regarding information about Astoria, our next port. I was interested in going out to the state park but needed to know if Uber was available. If not, finding out what would be interesting within walking distance.

Spent some time in the Casino. It was very crowded since people had not been able to play until they re-opened the slot machines around 11:00 pm last night.

Since I didn’t sleep that well last night, I decided to return to the room to read and take a nap while Chuck stayed to play some cards.

I was reading when maintenance knocked on the door. Our room stewards had reported that our shower needed some grout work, and he had come to fix it. I had not even noticed the problem. He was in there about 30 minutes.

I thought I could still take a short nap but just as I was drifting off, there was another knock. Room service was delivering a gift of chocolate covered strawberries compliments of the Casino. Can’t be mad at someone giving you free chocolate.

Tonight was another dressy night, and we had been invited to HAL’s Awards Ceremony at 4:30 so my hopes for a nap were now dashed. It was time to get ready.

We weren’t getting any Medallions on this cruise. We have received our Silver Medallions, but we have many more sea days to go before getting a Gold one. There were several people on this cruise who received their Gold Medallions signifying 500 cruise days. We enjoyed chatting with other passengers.

We opted for an early dinner in hopes that we would avoid the fiasco of the last dressy night dinner. It was a good decision. The line was long but once we got to the host desk, he was able to seat us right away. No beeper needed.

Chuck and I each had the Beef Tenderloin Oscar. It was very tender and the crab meat on top was very sweet.

We went to the early show in the world stage. The show was a talented group of vocalists and dancers called The FlyRights. We really enjoyed their show.

After the show, we listened to the last two sets of the BB King Lounge band. They were better than the other night, but I still prefer the Rolling Stone Lounge Band.

We called it a night and hoped for a more restful sleep.

Tomorrow – Astoria, Oregon

San Francisco – Day 2

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

It’s another cloudy, windy 55-degree day with a wind chill of 38 degrees. So much for sunny California.

We had a room service breakfast because we needed to meet our HAL tour at 8:30. I ordered a bowl of cereal for me and a bacon and egg breakfast for Chuck. They brought the bowl of cereal and two bacon and egg breakfasts. I guess they thought the bowl of cereal was just an appetizer. I put the cup of milk in the refrigerator and the bowl of dry cereal on a shelf for later. I ate the bacon and egg breakfast.

Our HAL tour today was titled: Muir Woods and Sausalito

ABOUT THE EXCURSION – Cross the spectacular Golden Gate Bridge en route to visit one of the few remaining groves of virgin coastal redwood. These world-famous trees are among the tallest and oldest of their kind.

The nature trail at Muir Woods leads you into the heart of the cathedral-like grove of trees. Take a moment to enjoy the serenity of this majestic setting while learning the fascinating history of the giant redwoods.

The artist colony of Sausalito features winding roads, cliff-side homes, and houseboat havens — it’s one of the quaintest parts of the San Francisco region.

Enjoy some free time here to explore the many art galleries, boutiques and quaint shops. Don’t miss the spectacular San Francisco skyline view across the bay from this picturesque city on the water.

Notes: Wear comfortable walking shoes.

Our bus was comfortable and the guide’s talk interesting as we crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge and made our way on a very twisty road to the Muir Woods.

Once the guide gave us our tickets, we were free to walk the trail at our own pace. It was very level but wet and kind of muddy in some places. He advised us how far we could go on the trail to be back in an hour.

We were able to go as far as Bridge #3 and back which was a one-mile loop trail without having to hurry. There were plenty of benches, if needed, to just sit and breathe in the fresh air and listen to the birds.

Banana Slug – Symbiotic relationship with the Redwoods
Dark-eyed Junco posing for his photo

We really enjoyed our stroll through these peaceful woods. Back on the bus – our next stop was the town of Sausalito.

We only had 25 minutes here and some people were disgruntled. It is a pretty seaside town with many pastel buildings, art galleries, restaurants, and shops. We were fine just strolling along the waterfront and park, but others wanted to shop and eat. Since our ship was not departing until 9:00 pm, they decided to stay in Sausalito and either Uber/taxi back or take a ferry. We came back to the ship on the bus.

View of our ship from Sausalito

We ate a late lunch in the Lido and then spent the afternoon sitting in the sunshine around the pool. Still too chilly for me to get into the water.

We were not hungry for dinner, so we decided to go see the early show on the world stage. Tonight’s show featured comedian Jose Sarduy. We thought he was very funny.

We stayed for the last two sets of the Rolling Stone Lounge band and then called it a night.

We came back to the room and found the Canadian Customs Declaration form that would have to be completed and turned in by noon tomorrow. Sigh

I decided that the bowl of cereal I saved from this morning would be a perfect bedtime snack and it was.

Tomorrow – Sea Day

San Francisco – Day 1

Monday, March 31, 2025

My very first visit to San Francisco was in 1972. We were fortunate to have relatives that lived near San Francisco and didn’t mind being our tour guide. I can remember going over the Golden Gate Bridge, taking a cable car ride, driving down Lombard Street, eating lunch in Chinatown, and visiting the Japanese Tea Garden, the Ghiradelli Square, and Fisherman’s Wharf. I also remember how cold it was.

I just didn’t remember that we visited in August of ’72 until I found these photos that my Dad took, and the dates were on them. Maybe, if I had remembered, I would have thought to bring more warm clothes since we are now visiting in March/April. But I didn’t.

Alcatraz as seen from Ghirardelli Square
Walking in China Town (I’m the tall girl in the bottom right)
Japanese Tea Garden
Japanese Tea Garden
Waving to Dad from the Cannery’s outside elevator at Fisherman’s Wharf

So fast forward to 2025. I woke up at 5:00. Didn’t sleep great. The seas were especially rocky last night. I heard a lot of clanging noises coming from the Lido deck above. Not typical.

At 7:00, the Captain opened the bow for the sailing into San Francisco. It was too windy for me, so I went to the Sea View area where the wind wasn’t as intense.

It misted rain for quite a while but by the time we finished breakfast the sun had come out.

We were docked at Pier 35 at Fisherman’s Wharf. We decided to walk down to Pier 39 looking at the shops and making our way to the sea lions – a staple of Fisherman’s Wharf since 1990 when they arrived in droves after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and just made themselves at home.

We stayed quite a while enjoying their antics of circling the docks and trying to jump aboard. I just couldn’t understand why they didn’t spread out. There were plenty of docks.

We then strolled back to the ship and had lunch at the New York Deli.

It was still sunny, so we decided to take advantage of it and go to the Sea View. Chuck even went swimming. I wasn’t brave enough for the water.

Suddenly, we all heard a huge bang. We looked over the side of the ship to the pier and saw that one of the moorings holding the ship in place had broken on the pier snapping the line. The ship had to deploy its thrusters to keep from banging against the dock. Then the whole gangway fell away. It was so lucky that there was nobody on it at the time.

People coming back to the ship couldn’t get back on the ship and people wanting to get off the ship couldn’t leave. Took 2 hours to get the gangway fixed. Had to call in a tugboat to help keep the ship in place. All this was caused by high cross winds. Crazy.

We enjoyed the time at the pool until it turned cool again. We got back to our cabin to find our laundry was returned, and candy had been delivered from the Casino.

We had dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. The rotating menu had some Mexican-inspired dishes. But, we chose our main course from the regular menu – lamb chops for me and filet mignon for Chuck. Meals were excellent.

Tonight’s world stage show was Humanity by the HAL singers and dancers. We’ve seen it previously on other ships so decided to skip it. The Casino was closed because we were in San Francisco overnight. We went to the second set of the Rolling Stone band and then called it a night.

Tomorrow – San Francisco

Travel Trivia*

San Francisco’s Chinatown is one of the largest Chinese communities outside of Asia and the oldest Chinatown in North America.

The Beatles held their final show in California performing at San Franciso’s Candlestick Park (now Oracle Park) in 1966.

The U.S. Navy originally planned to paint the Golden Gate Bridge black with yellow stripes. The Navy thought this would make the bridge easier to see through the fog, especially while under attack. The “International Orange” color, the current hue of the bridge, was intended to be a sealant—not a color option—to protect the steel, but during transit, it caught the architect’s eye and became the official color.

San Francisco’s cable cars are the only moveable National Historical Monument. The cables that pull the cars run at a constant speed of 9.5 miles per hour.

Philo Farnsworth invented the first electric TV in 1927 in San Francisco. 

Chinese fortune cookies were invented in San Francisco by a Japanese resident named Makoto Hagiwara. As the story goes, he was the landscape designer for Golden Gate Park’s Japanese Tea Garden and served the treats in the tea garden, popularizing the fortune cookie in 1909. 

*provided by the California.com website

Sea Day #1

Sunday, March 30, 2025

I was sleeping great but at 4:00 a.m. the Captain came over the loudspeaker and called for the medical response team. Those types of announcements are broadcast in all rooms whereas general announcements are only broadcast in public areas. They were called to a passenger’s room number. I hope the situation ended well.

Once I did get up, I went down to the Grand Dutch Cafe for our usual specialty coffees – a vanilla latte for me and an Americano for Chuck. The Grand Dutch Cafe also has pastries and later on in the day it will serve Dutch lunch items like pea soup. It is a very popular place on the ship and can only be found on the three Pinnacle-class ships. I highly recommend their raisin buns and Dutch apple pie.

I recognized the Barista from one of our Rotterdam cruises. She was not looking at me when she took my order but when she heard my voice and saw my coffee carrier, she looked up, smiled, and said “Welcome to the Koningsdam! So good to see you again.”

It was a rainy and foggy day so there would be no pool time. The ship was also rocking so I relied on my trusty Bonine to take care of the queasiness.

We found some empty seats in the casino and got to play some of our favorites.

We then went to the Sunday brunch in the main dining room. Even though we are on a Pacific coastal cruise, the menu featured a Mexican theme (the Koningsdam had just come from doing a Mexican Riviera cruise). Chuck had the huevos rancheros. I had a vegetarian burrito.

We spent some time in the Sea View (under the awning) talking with fellow passengers. Another stop at the Casino which was more crowded than this morning. The afternoon passed quickly. I noticed it was not warming up and still very breezy. I believe I have packed poorly for this cruise.

We planned to have dinner in the main dining room as it was the first dressy night. Apparently, so did everyone else. The line to the host station was long and when we got up there, instead of being shown to a table, we were given a beeper and told to go wait in the Ocean Bar. It was well over an hour before we got seated. Honestly, I was so hungry that taking a photo never crossed my mind. I had a NY strip steak and Chuck had the filet of sole. Here are some photos from Google 😊:

We decided not to go to the main show – David and Dawn Meyer. I had seen it before and enjoyed it, but didn’t need to see it again. Chuck was not interested.

Instead, we went to the second set of the Rolling Stone Band. Aferwards, we called it a night.

Tomorrow – San Francisco