DAY 3 Jan 15 - Sea Day Caribbean Sea

Today and tomorrow are SEA DAYS.....time to relax and take the sea air and sun.

Last night when we returned to our cabin after dinner (again missing the show in the theatre) we found some nice presents from HAL. Two tote bags that we can add to our collection and a vase with a special sealed plant that I assume we are supposed to put in it. We were confused with the gift and will inquire further from our table mates later.

I was up before 5.00 am and find this one of the best times of the day. The hour nap I had yesterday afternoon meant that I was well refreshed despite the early hour. Inspecting the ship at this time means that it is just you and the few crew members around as they clean decks or set up the breakfast buffet tables for opening at 6.00.

During my early morning conversation with the young officer on Front Desk duty I was informed that the complement of passengers on board was in the region on 690. More are due to embark when we dock in Valparaiso Chile when the new additional cabins will be ready for occupancy.

Despite some ark lights on the aft deck where the new teak deck was STILL being laid, no workers were in sight so I assume no night shift last night! By 7.30 however a group of workers had appeared there. Today is 'D' day for the completion of the work according to Captain Albert's letter. I have my doubts though.

Yesterday I 'bumped' in to our Hotel Manager Francois Birarda (he is in charge of everything outside the navigation and engineering side of the ship's activities). He said that it was the poor weather that had caused the decking delay and it would all be in place within THREE DAYS. Obviously we expressed our disappointment with HAL after the reassurance previously received from their Head Office.

One of the crew washing down the deck above the working area told me that he has to clean every morning at this time because of the amount of dust thrown up from the work below. That probably means that our balcony will be in a similar state as we are at the aft end of our deck.

It was incidentally noted last night that cabin steward Dedan had given our cabin a much needed 'spit and polish' go over!

After a few cups of coffee I had a light continental breakfast from the more than ample display of food set out in the Lido restaurant. For those not initiated the continental breakfast is available there from 6.00 and then the Full Monty from 7.00. The dinning room proper serves waiter service breakfast from 8.00 but we never venture into the main restaurant for this first meal of the day.

During part of the night and this morning we are heading along the north coast of Cuba and then we were due to go through the narrow straights between Cuba and the decimated country of Haiti. Those poor unfortunate people. We receive CNN in our cabin so are up to date with the news. In addition to the TV satellite service we receive a ship's edition of the New York Times and a four page issue of Britain Today giving us all the information from back home (summer home that is) and UK sport.

I'm updating my blog from the Crow's Nest at the moment at the forward end of the ship up here on the 12th deck. The view is panoramic as we head due east. The sun has just come up over the horizon straight ahead of us. What a lovely sight. The sky is clear but it is still very chilly outside. I think the forecast is for the low 70s today.....time to sit round the aft deck pool!!! Maria is still fast asleep but I left a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and a decaf coffee next to her bed in case she wakes up before I return to the cabin.

I will say it again, the public rooms on the Prinsendam are wonderful. The library in particular is beautifully appointed with lots of comfortable leather chairs to sit in and a good spread of on board computers to use for those without their own laptops.

However the outer part of this ship is certainly showing its 22 year old age. Lots of areas are in need of paint jobs and rubbing down and repair. One would have thought that they might have been looked at while in dry-dock!

Maria did express a concern that because of these glaring inadequacies with parts of her structure she might not survive any sever weather we might experience while in the area of Cape Horn!! I told her not to worry and she would be okay if she sticks to her ginger tablets she takes for protection against potential motion sickness!!! I can't have her worrying about us going down with the ship later in the voyage!!!!!

I do read all the various comments posted on this blog and thank you all for the trouble you take to do so. Because of the sometime difficulties and potential (no real) costs of being on line so long in posting my blog, I can not unfortunately comment/reply to each question raised. Sorry

I will certainly pass on regards to cabin cabin steward Deden from down under. Small world!

Temperatures on this cruise should go from the high 80s low 90s in the Amazon down to well below freezing in the Antarctic with lots of days spent somewhere in between that.

As the day wears on the now quite warm sun is a welcome sight after such dull unpleasant weather we have had for the last few days. Unfortunately our preferred spot on the ship, round the aft pool, is not available to us yet. The dust from the work there is now quite noticeable as lengths of decking are cut to size on the electric saw coupled with the dust from the sanding down of the new bar’s woodwork. Dust is everywhere you sit on the upper part of the ship and especially on the lovely terrace of the Lido restaurant. I just saw a long faced Chief Engineer of the ship looking at his now filthy and debris-laden pool. He soon despatched an underling to remove debris. I suppose that is progress. I think another day of this and the situation will become quite unacceptable to passengers and yours truly who has tried to keep a calm disposition so far.

Looking in the ‘Daily Program’ I see a whole plethora of activates to cater for most tastes starting at 7.30 with morning Walk-a-Mile; Fitness Stretch class 8.00; Tai Chi & Oigong 8.30; Computer class 9.00; Yoga 10.00; Golf putting challenge 10.00; Culinary Arts lecture and demonstration 10.30; Bridge instruction 10.00; Lectures on aspects of South America 11.00; Beginners bridge 11.00; Bocca ball on the Sports deck 11.00; Spa secrets lecture 11.00; Gaming lessons 12.00; Dance classes 12.45; Sit, knit & needlework (a not to be missed one for me!) 1.30; Duplicate & party bridge 2.00; Arts and crafts “Memory Wire Bracelet” 2.30; Bingo 2.30; Royal Dutch High Tea from 3.00; Watercolour classes 3.30; Ping pong (I think they mean table tennis) 3.30; More fitness (after the ‘High Tea’ no doubt) 4.00; LGBT (work that out for yourself) gathering 4.00; Friends of Bill gathering 4.45;Prinsendam orchestra in action 5.00; and lots more besides. I’m dizzy just reading about it. Poor Maria is confused with it all so decided to just stay in our suite and sit on a lounger on the balcony with a good book.

Because Maria was so covered in aft deck debris after her few hours on the balcony this morning, I have now decided to reply to the Captain’s 'Onboard Maintenance' letter of last Wednesday. The fact that we cannot be expected to use our balcony while this work goes on means that the disruption has gone too far.

I copied the Captain with the two letters I received in July from the Office of the President of HAL. These were in response to me seeking assurances from HAL’s President about on going work on the ship after dry-dock. The most pertinent part of the correspondence from Seattle was: “ We would like to assure you that the aft pool will be accessible to guests for the entire Voyage. In fact, none of the public areas aboard the Prinsendam will be impacted by on board maintenance”.

With that assurance from the top of HAL we decided not to cancel our intended cruise. I have now therefore respectfully asked the captain to take the matter up with his masters in Seattle on how they want to react to passengers now impacted by this situation.

What ever happens we will enjoy our Grand Voyage and hopefully will soon have this little ‘mess-up’ behind us.