Dubai - Nov 19

Dubai Nov 19

By Jain

Well we made it.. we are in Dubai. Our 21 day cruise seems to have just flown by. Would we do it again? Yes….definitely. Some of our friends we have met on the ship are going on to Singapore, which is another 21 days, and even some are staying on for another 12 days to Hong Kong.  That's a long time on a ship even in the best suite this ship has to offer. There are a few good reasons not to stay on board that long. First of all you would double your weight, 2) you would be broke from the shore excursions or the casino and 3) You would tire of room service delivering canapés and chocolate strawberries. But on the bright side you could learn to play bridge, or learn to juggle fruit, whereas you might become a performer on the ship's Stardust stage.

We have met many people on this ship. Some we will miss, some maybe not. It is easy to make friends when you are living in such tight quarters. For the most part these passengers are seasoned travelers. Which makes sense. Very few first time cruisers are going to take their first  cruise for 21 days. The other day one man proudly exclaimed this was his 55th cruise!

I like cruises but my philosophy is the same as I have about Disneyland...it would be a great place if it wasn't for all the kids. And cruise ships would be great if it wasn't for all the 2,000 other passengers.  But such is life and since we don't own a private yacht.. there you go.  Even with sharing the boat with 2,000 passengers cruising is a great way to see a lot of different countries and at a pretty cost effective price.

Many countries immigration practices differ and come with their own little funny things you have to do. In Dubai you have to get off the ship the day before you actually leave the ship. So we had to get off the ship today and pass immigration so tomorrow we can just walk off.  Dubai requires a formal immigration face to face interview with each passenger. Our interview was about 20 seconds long and then we were cleared to go ashore. Which by the way we can officially declare United Arab Emirates as our 100th country we have visited to date. Just think only 100+  countries left.

After passing immigration you can't go back on the ship for another two hours. There is nothing to do in the port, you can't walk around, nothing to see except if you scheduled a tour. We didn't have any tours scheduled since we are here for three more days. However we were lucky to get a free shuttle from the port to the Mercado Mall. It was a nice ride and it is a really, really nice mall with upscale, expensive shops. We walked around ½ an hour were treated to a delicious piece of chocolate from exquisite chocolatier, Patchi. Patchi is a luxury brand of chocolates handcrafted in the middle east. Individual pieces probably costs $4.00 each. After our shopping and chocolate tasting we got back on the shuttle to get back to the ship to eat a free lunch and pack.

On our final night we went to Gatsby's Bar and had a glass of champagne. As we looked around the bar it was packed, with some people we know and some we just recognized. After 21 days on this ship it was like we are a family… it feels comfortable.. and when the musical duet starting playing the song from the the Titanic I knew this cruise was finally over.

See you when we go on our trip to Cartagena, Columbia at Christmas.

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Muscat, Oman - Nov 18

Fri Nov. 18th Muscat, Oman

By Jain

Muscat is the port capital of Oman. The city is very pretty and surrounded by mountains of rock. The terrain in Oman actually is quite varied, having some rains during the monsoon season, the landscape turns green part of the year. This time of the year is mostly brown and barren, however Muscat has many beautiful parks where the lawns are green and  perfectly manicured and flower gardens are everywhere. It is a very clean city, the cleanest we have been to in a long time, and apparently very friendly since locals were waving at us as our bus passes by.

The Sultan has made a rule that there are to be no buildings to be more than 10 stories high. All new buildings have to have a traditional appearance and they can only be painted in tan or white.  Because of these regulations he has created a beautiful city landscape.  Muscat is known for their excellent schools, hospitals (every citizen has free medical care) and a thriving economy. A far cry from when his father was Sultan and the literacy rate for the entire country was almost  zero.  Now it is 91%. Back then Oman had only 6 miles of paved roads. Now they have 22,800 miles. With the Sultans pledge on improving infrastructure the country is now a model for all developing countries.

On our Hop on Hop Off bus tour we didn't really hop off too many times but we did get off to see the famous Mutrah souk. This souk is full of narrow alleys packed with colorful shops selling perfumes, incense, silver, bedu jewelry and a whole lot of frankincense. Frankincense comes the dried up sap from a boswell tree and smells kinda like pine, lemon and wood. It is said to have excellent health benefits to reduce stress, anxiety, pain, boost immunity and even fight cancer. It is a "cure all" just like those little Carter's liver pills, back in the day. By the way this stuff is so popular through the centuries Muscat has created the biggest Frankincense Burner monument located on top of the hill overlooking the city. I am sure it is the biggest incense burner tribute I will ever see in my lifetime.

While browsing in the souk it is amusing to watch our fellow tourists negotiate. I saw an old Chinese women pick up a scarf and shout loudly across the room to the shopkeeper, "How Much Is This?" He answered. She said "Too much, That Too Much" . The shop owner turned around to help another customer when a minute later she shouted, "Ok... Ok you got a deal".  Boy she sure drives a hard bargain.

On our two hour bus tour we also saw the Sultan's palace. Too bad it was closed because today happens to be the Sultan's birthday, which by the way, is a National holiday. We drove past the central business district, Royal Opera House, Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. The Seashore of Shari is a very wealthy area of town and we got to see a little of the countryside oil storage facilities. It was one of the best hop on hop off bus trips we have ever taken.. and believe me we have taken a few.

Back on the boat we eat, drink, exercise, eat, drink, then and see the  show "Las Vegas". It was pretty darn good. The show ending gave tribute to the ship's staff from various departments. As a hundred staff members proudly marched in and took the stage they received a standing ovation. It was a great finish to our second to last cruise day.

Tomorrow we will be in Dubai. Since we arrive at 12 noon we don't have to leave the ship until the next morning.

Talk to you tomorrow.

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Oman Coast - Nov 17

Nov. 17th At Sea Oman Coast

By Jain

It's a long way from Salalah to Muscat, Oman about 600 miles so it's another sea day. The sun was out and it was hot, the captain reported the air temperature to be 78 degrees and the water temperature the same! Jay decided to lay on our chaise lounge on our deck and bask in the sunshine.  Our cabin balcony is aft so it is not windy, if you go by the pool everything has to be tied down and you better eat those french fries  quick or before you know it they will be on their way to Yemen.

By the way, if you "graze" at the pool Topsider Bar and Grill your choices are limited to hotdogs and hamburgers, french fries, ice cream. I don't know how they can screw up a hotdog but let's just say 7-11 dogs have nothing to worry about. One thing for sure this ship's hotdogs are not flying anywhere.  Of course on most sea days you can skip the Topsiders Grill and indulge in the buffet on pool deck. They usually are barbecuing some meat of some sort, today however they are making paella. Our Food and Beverage chief officer Messiah and the Executive Chef Orwell are  competing to create the perfect paella. We skipped the tasting, so I don't know who won.

Our dinner last night was wonderful. Cagney's Steakhouse is simply the best. We enjoyed shrimp cocktail, potato soup, Iceberg wedge salad with bleu cheese dressing (with bacon bits of course), filet Mignon, apple pie with big scoop of vanilla ice cream.. yes we were stuffed but happy.  Every day Jay says, "I don't want to eat or drink anything again."  

This morning we went to the future cruise lecture detailing Norwegians cruises for the next 2 years. It was very informative and we are planning our next cruise (like we need any encouragement). We also attended the Norwegians Star crew talent show. It is one of the best shows they have on board. There is nothing like seeing your favorite bartender juggle bottles of liquor, or hear the Washy Washy girl sing her lungs out, or  maintenance crew dance. Some of these acts are heads and tails above the regular showtime entertainment. Surprisingly, our waiter for dinner tonight was the juggler in one of the featured acts. He is from South Africa, a soft spoken guy, but boy oh boy can he balance the bread, two bowls of soup and salad.

Of course it doesn't take much talent to beat some of the on board showtime entertainment. For example there was one act where a girl who is a contortionist and folds herself in a suitcase. Then there was the phoney hypnotist (who we liked the first time we saw him) but we questioned his skills when we saw his second show. The same volunteers from the audience came on stage to participate! I mean how many times do you want to see the same people pretending they are asleep and fake acting like a monkey? It might be more believable for them to act like a jackass.

The other night we went to Motown Girls performance… and they were just plain awful… many walked out of the show..we stayed hopeful something good was gonna happen, it never did.  By the way we saw the "Motown Girls" leaving the ship with their glitter mini shirts and 4 inch heels. They looked like they were trying to negotiate for a taxi in Salalah. Good luck with that. I guess they didn't get the message about the expected dress requirements either.

I will end this update with a positive note. Today's performance at the Starlight Theatre the best so far. It was the Barricade Boys quartette singing Broadway hits from Les Miserable, the Jersey boys. The show was outstanding…. see I can be nice when I want too.

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Salalah, Oman Nov 16

Wed. Nov. 16th Salalah, Oman
By Jain

After four days at sea we arrive in Salalah, Oman. It is our 99th country to visit in our world travels.  Well maybe we won't officially count it as 99 until we reach Muscat, Oman the day after tomorrow, since we were only in Salalah, on shore for ½ an hour. We had planned to spend the day looking around and going to one of their beautiful beaches, but we're quickly discouraged. Our experience on shore was like being thrown in a shark tank.

We took the ship's shuttle to the port gate. When we got off and quickly were surrounded by100 Arab taxi drivers vying for our business. Trying to negotiate the one mile trip downtown among the other 50 bewildered tourists with their mouths open... was crazy. The best we could do was get the price down to $50.00. That is $50.00 for one mile, one way. We decided that was nuts and proceeded to catch the shuttle back to the ship. Others followed our lead basically muttering, "Let's get the Hell out of here." We had been warned that taxi rates were high, but didn't think they thought of us as stupid. We will do our sightseeing when we get to Muscat, Oman where we will be taking the hop on hop off bus.

Oman not too long ago was a poor country. That was until  Quaboos bin Said planned a coup against his father the Sultan in 1970. He actually tried to contract for his assassination, but that failed. He was successful in having him exiled to Great Britain.  (These kids today.) Once he was Sultan he ended the country's isolation and took back the oil revenues so long enjoyed by Great Britain and U.S. Since that time, education, public works, and tourism have taken off. The port of Salalah is huge, modern and construction is everywhere. I can't speak of the city cause I didn't see it.

The Sultan has been in power now about 40 years. Basically the Sultan government works like this, 'What Sultan wants, he gets and what he wants to happen, happens", otherwise heads roll. There are no checks and balances. In recent years there have been numerous protests against his leadership and he has surprisingly responded to some requests; one specially, creating more jobs.

The Oman people are supposed to have the reputation of being friendly and helpful to tourists (I can't vouch for that). In return they ask tourists to respect their ways and traditions. I can't tell you how many times in the past 3 days, there have been public announcements, notices in ships newsletters, and signs asking the guests to dress conservatively when going ashore. Conservative dress here is long pants and long sleeve shirts for both men and women. On the shuttle bus there were people wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts. People amaze me. Its no wonder our taxi quote went up to $50.00!

Anyway returning to the ship we had a great afternoon at the ship's pool. P.S., it is hot here. Tonight we are having dinner at Cagney's Steakhouse so no afternoon canapés for us; unless of course they are chocolate yummies.

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Arabian Sea Nov 15

Tues Nov 15th Still in the Arabian Sea
By Jain

With the clocks turned forward an hour it was really only 5:30 a.m. when Jomar delivered our coffee and orange juice. Jay answered the door and I was sleeping. Jomar Sapungan, our butler, is very efficient and respectfully calls before he comes to our cabin door. In addition to delivering our morning coffee and juice, each afternoon he delivers a cheese plate, chocolate strawberries or some fancy canapés.  Before he was butler he probably was a room steward or dining room steward. Longevity and a proven track record of providing excellent customer service are essential if you want to be moved up the ladder.  Some butlers could be hired with no prior experience if they have a degree in  hospitality and extensive food and beverage experience, but having previous cruise ship experience tops all. In his position as butler he will probably get additional tips for his service at the end of the cruise. Most cruise lines now charge each passenger a  mandatory amount for gratuities, yet it only seems right to give them more for all they do.

Cruise Lines will brag they have 60 or more nationalities on a ship but admit to hiring in what is called a "stratified" manner; which is a polite way to say they hired certain nationalities for certain jobs. Their long standing contracts with recruitment agencies perpetuates this hiring practice. For the most part cruise housekeepers are Filipino, food service staff are South Asian, cooks are Indian or Asian, deckhands are African or Southeast Asian, Security staff are Italian. Cruise directors, activity staff,entertainment, musicians are usually from US, Great Britain, Canada or Australia and Norwegian Cruise Captains are from Norway. (Who else would you expect to command the ship?)

Our room steward is Jeffery, my favorite.  He works hard tidying up our cabin twice a day, puts those towel animals with the chocolates on our bed every evening. By the way I am not really a fan of towel animals, (no wonder they have to wash so many towels on aboard), but at least on this cruise there has been a variety; elephant, shark, crab, pig, armadillo, and I think a monkey. Sometimes it's hard to tell what they are but the effort is appreciated. Jeffrey is from the Manila, Philippines and has worked for Norwegian Cruise line for five years.  Again he has been assigned his housekeeping duties for cabin suites probably because he has had an excellent record with Norwegian. This position will yield him extra tips, which is  good thing since a typical cabin steward (housekeeper) makes only $1,600 to 2,000 a month. Of course their expenses are almost nothing allowing many to send money home to their families.

Our Concierge is Hanno Meyer. He is German, very polite, informative, helpful and very tall. Standing at 6 foot 7 inches tall, he has learned to duck under the light fixtures and some doorways. Each morning he makes sure he spends time talking to everyone, answering their questions and calming their concerns. His hometown is very near Meyer Werft, one of the major shipyards located in Papenburg, Germany. This is where many cruise ships are built and then guided down the river Ems to the sea. He has been working for Norwegian for 10 years.

I know you have heard me complain about the food and I suppose I could be critical of other things on the ship like how it is laid out, entertainment, or the process of getting on and off the ship. But I think the staff on board are excellent. Everyone is cordial, polite, willing to please. There is a 10 and 5 customer service rule everyone seems to follow. If the customer is 10 feet away you greeted with a smile, if they are 5 feet away you are verbally acknowledged. The "Washy Washy" girl who sprays you hands with disinfectant before you enter the cafeteria must say hello to a 1,000 guests a day but always has a big smile on her face that is genuine.  

On a 21 day cruise you get to know their names, where they are from, if they have families and they get to know you. Many call Jay, simply Mr. Jay. They know what he likes to drink and how he likes his eggs. The great customer service has added to the enjoyment of our vacation.

Mr. Jay is proud that I have written something that is positive!

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Arabian Sea - Nov 14th

Mon. Nov. 14th Arabian Sea
By Jain

Today is our 3rd sea day in a row. Besides keeping busy watching out for pirates and the supermoon, these sea days seem to go by quickly. There are a lot of "exciting" shipboard activities to keep us busy. Yesterday we went on a VIP behind the scene ships tour. Jay was interested in seeing the bridge, engines and all that mechnical stuff but all we really got is to see the laundry, butcher shop, freezers and kitchens.  Wow...there are sure a lot of dirty towels. The laundry crew gets my vote for the hardest working staff on the ship.

We got to walk staff corridors and elevators and stroll along what is called the I- 95 corridor.  The I-95 hallway gets its name from the freeway in Florida where Norwegian Cruise Lines is based. It goes the length of the ship from bow to stern, 1,000 feet in length. It is how the crew reports to work in their stations throughout the ship without using public spaces. It sure beats the way we have to go to find our cabin. We were disappointed that we did not get to see any of the crew cabins but from all reports they are tiny 12 x12 and most spaces house 4 crew members!

We played Name that Tune contest. We formed a team with some people from Mexico and Ohio who were a riot.  We actually did pretty darn good at guessing. Then we attended the Ice Carving Demonstration poolside. This was fascinating and since it is 85 degrees outside, the real challenge is to see if he could finish the mermaid before it melted into the pool.  This morning we accidentally wandered into the cake decorating battle between cruise director Marc and our friend Barbara from New York. It was interesting, loud, and funny, and I would say that pretty well describes Barbara.

We skipped the Tag Heuer Presentation on boutique sport watches. This hour long lecture explained the finer points of the innovation, performance and precision of this pricey sport watch. We decided our Walmart Timex watches were just fine and still ticking.

Last night, after seeing the tribute to Burt Bacharach show we wandered into the Spinnaker lounge for a nightcap and were talked into playing Deal or no Deal game. This is where we had a chance to win cash and prizes. For a mere $20.00 we had the time of our lives (just kidding of course); no cash or prizes for us.  Other activities we passed on were the Art auctions, Bingo, trivia, bridge play, Relieving Back Pain Lecture and the Look 10 years Younger Demonstration. So much to do and so little time.

Of course every day we faithfully go to the gym and get on that treadmill. Sea days tend to be crowded because 1) there is nothing else to do and 2) people probably feel guilty about how much they are eating.  But it  is obvious just looking at some people's attire they are not gym regulars. There were some men dressed in slacks, sweater vests, and wearing black shoes, lifting weights and on the treadmill. A couple of men preferred to take a more casual approach. One wore his pajamas, one wore just a bathrobe; the one that is provided to guests in their cabin.

Women were just as much a sight making their own fashion mark,  some in their mumus or beach cover ups. One lady was wearing a mini skirt going like crazy on the elliptical machine, I have never seen anyone exercise in a mini skirt.  But the topper was the lady exercising in her black bra, not a sports bra but a black lacy bra and shorts and to complete the outfit she had a scarf around her neck, probably to give her outfit a sporty look. Ah.. but who cares they are there and they are exercising.

The casino this afternoon was my best friend; making up for the past couple of days. Ship casinos are only open when the ship is out to sea. Thank God.

Tomorrow is another sea day, then the following morning we land in Salalah, Oman.  We have just received our Freestyle daily flyer, thrilled to see  tomorrow's activities include a Sudoku challenge, basic cha cha class, more bingo and karaoke madness. Sounds like it might be a good day poolside.

We are reminded to turn our clocks ahead an hour tonight, keep the curtains closed and lights out.  We are officially in the Arabian Sea passing through the Gulf of Aden between Yemen and Somalia and hopefully traveling safely through the troubled waters.

Goodnight

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The Red Sea - Nov 13

Sun. Nov. 13th The Red Sea

By Jain

We are somewhere out in the vast Red Sea. The Captain has reported that Saudi Arabia is on our port side and Sudan is on our starboard. From our deck we see nothing but sea, so in my opinion we could be anywhere.  Tonight the Captain says we will be close to Yemen. The Middle East as a whole is an unhappy region. Let's just say Yemen is very unhappy and an unstable country with no love loss for the U.S, as seen by the recent missile attacks on our American warships.

Because of our location in a high risk area, the Captain has announced they will be closing off the Promenade deck (deck 7) from sunset to sunrise, since they will be turning off all lighting and setting up security measures. We are again advised to keep our cabin curtains closed and lights off. Passengers are to remain calm and assured the restaurants are open as is the casino and ship stores. I am sure the Name that Tune contest as well as Line Dance Party in the Spinnaker Lounge will go on as usual.

Cruise ships per se have not been specifically targeted more than anything else in the world. But terrorists or pirates have attacked cruise ships in this area. Pirate attacks and holding passengers is not that far fetched. The worst was the terrorist attack on a cruise ship excursion group in Tunis where 17 were killed and 20 injured. In 2013 on a British cruise ship passengers were shot by armed robbers in Barbados and cruise passengers were robbed at gunpoint in St.Lucia. Of course there was the Captain Phillips movie about Somali pirates invading a U.S. containership.  I hope our Captain is as good as Captain Phillips, played by Tom Hanks. Not a good movie to watch prior to going on a Middle East cruise.

Cruise Lines will change their  itinerary immediately in response to any incidents. If they believe they are in danger they simply alter the course.  Good to know but I'm not sure that's any help to our ship since there aren't a lot of places to go.

There are no guns on cruise ships. Although they won't specially disclose security protocols, they do acknowledge all ships have undercover security staff. Probably the guys we were chatting with at the It's Five Somewhere bar watching the Karaoke. In case of piracy you are told to move out of your stateroom, stay away from windows and doors and sit down.

The best defense cruise ships have is an acoustic warning device. In the case of an unwanted vessel approaching the ship can use high pitch sound directed at them that causes intense pain. Some cruise ships have mechanism to drop logs on approaching skiffs, and they can always use water hoses to keep bad guys off. Holland America's ship 'Amsterdam' took the direct approach and installed barbed wires on its 3rd deck (that's the first deck the pirates could possibly board.)  They also have installed water hoses that point down from the water line. Piracy prevention seems to be everybody's business, when the MSC Melody cruise ship was attacked the passengers threw deck chairs and tables as their first line of defense!

As we approach Yemen the Captain has mentioned it is full throttle ahead, to get as far away as possible. He assures us that safety and security is first and foremost.

On a lighter note he also went on and on about how rare a treat it is for us to experience the super moon.  This super moon is very rare event where  a full moon in its orbit is closest to the earth, a very spectacular sight. Last super moon was in 1948 the next one will be 2036. He says don't miss it. My question is how are we gonna see it with all the curtains closed?

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At Sea - Nov 12th

Fri. Nov. 12th At Sea

By Jain

Lately I have been pondering the question, "If I eat 5 pieces of bacon and one english muffin smothered with butter and jam for breakfast how many miles do I have do on the treadmill?" The answer I came up with is 25 miles; not that I could do 25 miles, and it wouldn't be realistic since then I would miss lunchtime.

People go on cruises to eat, drink and have their bed made for them. Sure there are some that want to go on excursions to see King Tut, and the Western Wall, but most are in it for the food and ok maybe the shopping. We're now on our 10th cruise and I can honestly say the cruise food isn't that good. It was better when we first cruised in the 1990's. Then you always were offered lobster, steak or crab. And that was when the waiters at the end of your meal would parade out proudly displaying the Baked Alaska. That's when cruise ships had the midnight buffets and took special care in presenting their 100 foot chocolate buffet!. Most ships don't offer those anymore, as a cost cutting measure and it saves the sanity of the crew because they don't have to answer the question, "What time is the Midnight Buffet?".

Having been on several Norwegian cruises now I can say the food is okay but far from excellent. On the higher priced cruises like Crystal, Seabourn the food probably is still very good. We went on a Crystal cruise in 2001 (right after 9/11 when half the passengers cancelled), the food was excellent. Norwegian, like Princess, are kind of middle of the road cruise lines. Their food is okay but nothing to write home about (like I am doing now) LOL.  In any event I'm certain our ship is certainly a step above Carnival that from all reports cater to the beer drinking crowd with their distinguishing palette.

The cruise lines higher food costs and the fact people are eating more have probably forced them to buy cheaper products and "trim the fat", as they say. Portions are noticeably modest but then again you can order as many dishes as you like. The menus choices are considerably less and have what is usually considered budget friendly meals like lasagne, spaghetti, and beef stew, I mean who goes on a cruise to eat beef stew?

Desserts on the cruise look delicious but lack sugar, butter, and cream needed to make them rich and tasty. In almost all desserts you detect the blandness due to thickeners like cornstarch, or gelatin. Jay and I agree however the ice cream is still yummy, they can't ruin the ice cream. And the best dessert has got to be chocolate volcano cake that oozes chocolate and comes with a scoop of chocolate chip ice cream.

The longer you're on the ship you know what is good, what you can doctor up and what to stay away from. Like I told you before the shrimp cocktail is a winner, spring rolls with sweet chili sauce, french fries, and of course the bacon are almost always good.

The best food of course is at the premium restaurants on board, like Cagney's Steakhouse, Moderna Brazilian restaurant, French Bistro, and La Cucina Italian restaurant. These all are excellent and come with surcharge up to $25.00 a person. Our cruise price only came with 4 dinners at these restaurants.  

Anyway with my low rating of the food aboard, it leads you to the conclusion that I am eating less. Not true.  I, like most people, want my moneys worth. I paid for it so by God I am gonna get it…..on that note I won't even talk about our free drink package.

See you tomorrow.

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Safaga, Egypt - Nov 11

Fri. Nov. 11th Safaga Egypt

By Jain

We arrive in Egypt at 7a.m. Egypt is one of my favorite countries and has lots to see and do for the tourist. However, I don't know why anyone would go to Safaga, Egypt. Of course I know why our ship is here. It has a nice port for our ship to dock and it is the closest point on our trip to Luxor and Valley of the Kings, some of Egypt's biggest attractions.

Eight years ago we cruised on the Nile and saw King Tut's tomb, Luxor Temple complex, and the Luxor Museum, so we pass on the shore excursions to these places.  Our fellow passengers who did go (which seems like half the boat) only have to endure a 3 ½ hour bus ride (one way) Luxor's 95 degree heat and part with $295.00 each. Take it from me if you want to see the Valley of the Kings, Karnak, Luxor go on a trip down the Nile.

There is nothing for a tourist to do in Safaga town unless you stop at a cafe to drink tea and smoke a hookah pipe. So we decide to take the shuttle bus to the Lamar resort where for a mere $15.00 you can use the hotel facilities, their private beach and swimming pool. I looked up the Lamar resort on the internet and it looked fabulous. The reality is that it's old, worn out, tired, crummy, broken down hotel. I guess you can say I didn't think much of it. Egypt is one of those countries kinda like China that once something is built it never gets repaired. They just let things crumble away until eventually it turns into sand. Of course, judging by how the the pyramids have endured that could be a long, long time from now.

Safaga is just one of those bad towns. It is dirty, falling apart, there is nobody on the streets. I did not see any redeeming qualities except for the port… which is new, modern, clean, and huge. Safaga is, however, especially popular with kitesurfers and windsurfers, it is very windy here. Safaga is also billed as a favorite spot for sunbathers for its sea water that is highly salinated and rich in minerals, beneficial to the skin, specifically rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. While at the Lamar resort we took one look at the beach and headed for the pool, it didn't look therapeutic to me.

The locals are nice and friendly. The shop owners are too friendly. Nobody shops here cause they will chase you down the street and bug you until the "cows…. I mean, camels come home". The town seems deserted, except for the few locals in sidewalk cafes sipping their tea. Tea in Egypt is their national drink. Even our shuttle bus driver stopped the bus in the middle of our 3 mile return trip to the ship to go in a sidewalk cafe and get a glass of tea. Egyptians like their tea sweet, and I mean sweet. They usually put 3 to 5 teaspoons of sugar in a small glass. I recently read there is a sugar crisis in Egypt.  The scarcity of sugar is due to Egypt's economic crisis and purchasing power. I saw some huge newspaper headlines that said "People are Going to Snap Without Their Sugar." Just think if you are used to drinking 10 glasses of tea each day, with three or more teaspoons of sugar and suddenly there is limited sugar it would cause anybody to snap.

We are now safely on board ship again, counting our blessings. We have a nice clean ship, a great pool and plenty of sugar. In retrospect it was a good thing we got off the ship today because tomorrow we embark on our longest stretch at sea; 4 days!! I told you I like sea days… well let's just see…. only the sea will tell.

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Arriving in Port - By Jay

We arrive, early morning, in the port of a small city and begin to observe typical events associated with our arrival. A pilot boat meets us outside of the breakwater and guides our ships Captain through the channels and currents that are unique to this location. There is the crew that will assist securing our ship to the pier with heavy lines, other people helping set up the gangway, a usual number of security personnel, bus and taxi drivers preparing to whisk our shipmates off to pre-arranged tours away from the ship.

We also see unrelated activity; a forklift driver, a man driving a flatbed truck, a small car bringing an office worker, the various workers that rely on port and harbor activities for their livelihood. We can't help thinking that every day at this same port families are dependent on the work being done here and to some degree the 2400 people aboard our ship are contributing to these family's well being.

Each of these people we observe are unknown to us and we, unknown to them, but nevertheless we are dependent on each other. There are different languages and cultures involved, perhaps major differences in our expectations of each other, but we are mindful that human nature and rules make it possible for us to accomplish something for a person with whom we will never know on a personal level.

I'm looking across the harbor at a tall building and there is a rotating radar antenna on the roof. I'm thinking about the information that this antenna is conveying and the person or persons that are responsible for interpreting and reporting the meaning of this information. Every country we visit and every port we find connection to must have some systems in place related to scheduling and managing departures and arrivals, not to mention security concerns. Perhaps this radar antenna is simply monitoring off-shore vessels waiting a clearance to enter the inner harbor for loading or off-loading their assignments. It may be that they have to evaluate or arrange  port resources for the most efficient outcome.

There are many unknowns to us but it is inspiring to think that this level of cooperation can exists only when there are peaceful relationships that transcend our differences.

Aqaba, Jordan - Nov 10

Thurs. Nov. 10th Aqaba, Jordan
By Jain

It is a beautiful day here in Jordan. The temperature is about 90 degrees, sunny and literally no wind.  We decide not to go to Petra because the trip costs $300.00 each and it takes about 2 ½ hours on a bus one way. Our decision is primarily based on the fact we both want to come back to to Israel and Jordan to spend more time exploring these countries on our own. Of course we could have arranged our own transportation to Petra but our Concierge said he didn't recommend it. Although Jordan is one of the safest countries in the middle east (which may not be saying a lot) he reminds us there aren't any AAA services in the desert and if you are in a car that happens to have any sort of mechanical breakdown you might be out of luck. You may be there on a lonely highway for hours with buzzards circling above and miss the ship. Of  course what would be worse is missing the night's ship entertainment.

Instead we decide to go into Aqaba city to look around and go to one of the beautiful beaches. We choose the Kempiniski Hotel that has a white sand beach and has loungers and a great view of the sea and the marina. It is a very fancy hotel in the midst of downtown Aqaba and many of these upscale hotels provide a sharp contrast to the downtown shops and neighborhoods which look to be pretty run down and poor.

Jordan is an Arab nation said to be upper middle class, but 14% live in poverty, and there is high unemployment. Jordan shares 200 miles with Syria. The country has been very accepting of Syrian refugees that escaped the violence of Syria. Refugees here do not live in camps but fit into lower end jobs that the locals don't want. I have read the Jordan population has increased by 10% and that alone has placed a strain on water, schools, and resources.

On the beach, we ordered margaritas! Jay is still conducting his worldwide search for the perfect margarita. The word that best describes it is "Bad". I mean they looked frosty and pretty but tasted like pure lime juice…. desperately needing some sugar.  Now all I could think of is all that sugar we have in our cabin. The other day Jay asked Jomar (our butler) for some more sugar and we now have at least 100 packets of sugar for his coffee. I guess he thinks Jay really likes his coffee sweet. Oh by the way the margaritas were 33 euros that means they were about  $18.00 each.!!!!!!!!  Fortunately we didn't have to pay for lounge chairs on the beach that included a bottle of water, a cold washcloth and a free shot of fruit juice made with bananas, strawberry, and what looked like and tasted like some aloe vera.

Tomorrow we are back in Egypt..Good Night

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The Red Sea - Nov 9th

  

Wed. Nov 9th The Red Sea

By Jain

We are halfway on this cruise and on our 10th day we still get lost on this boat!  Having been in different cruise ships before I don't remember ever being turned around as we have been on this Norwegian Star. Our suite is located in the very back of this ship so you think you could figure that out which way is aft. One big clue is that the carpet has fish swimming in the direction of the bow.  I don't know how many times we have walked almost length of the ship forgetting to look down at those darn fish on the carpet only to discover we were going the wrong way. Of course another clue is that if we past John and Lori's sign on the door  "We are Cruiseaholics"  we immediately look at each other with the expression somethings wrong. I bet John  and Lori don't get turned around, (except maybe finding their way home from Gatsby's Bar.)

We blame our navigation disfunction partly because the ship is laid out cockeyed. Many floors you can't go from front to back or port to starboard without going up or down a floor. Who designed this ship and how am I supposed to find the Versailles restaurant section #9 in an emergency when I can't find it for dinner?. 

This afternoon we walk around deck 13 (don't ask me how we got there) admiring the views of the Suez Canal. There is a lot of sand out there and surprising some cities seem to just pop out of nowhere like a mirage full of palm trees. Leaving our convoy at the end of Suez Canal we find ourselves in the Red Sea. I didn't look red to me but big, really big. I guess the sea turns reddish brown due to some algae when it dies. It looked green to me.  As our ship meanders down the Red Sea on right side you can see the eastern African coast on the other side the Saudi Arabian peninsula. We are a long ways from home and in a different world.

Tomorrow we land in Aqaba, Jordan, it is our 97th country. It is famous for Petra, a famous archaeological site in Jordans southwest desert. You may remember Indiana Jones in the Raiders of the Lost Arc going through the narrow canyon of Al Sig, or the temples carved in Pink stone cliffs. We have planned to go into Ababa itself and see what's happening.

Good night from 9736 suite on the Star Norwegian Cruise Ship.

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At Sea - Nov 8th

Nov. 8th At Sea

By Jain

We are now 90 miles from Egypt floating around the vast ocean where the water temperature is 73 degrees; that is warmer than the air.  Anyway that's what the Captain said and I will take his word for it.

We have settled in a routine and our sea day seems to pass quickly. After exercise, eating, going to lectures, eating, entertainment shows it is time for bed. We are 8 hours ahead of home so we are not yet watching the anticipated election results.

At 3:30 a.m. we  will enter the Suez Canal and urged to wake up to watch our ship join the convoy. For those of you that don't know the Suez Canal is an artificial sea level waterway in Egypt connecting where we are now in the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. Without this shortcut you would have to go another 7,000 kilometers around the Southern tip of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope. Since the canal does not cater to unregulated 2 way traffic all ships transit in convoys on regular times. Because we are going southbound our convoy starts at 3:30 a.m. from Port Said Egypt. I am sure Jay will tell me how exciting this is since at that time I probably will be getting my beauty sleep.

The all awaited Captains security drill today at 1500 hours was more or less just one of those "gotta do" exercises in safety. The Captain made an announcement instructing all guests to go inside the ship and stay there, until further notice. Curtains were then lowered on all ships windows. Yep it seemed the curtains work, so after 10 minutes the exercise was complete.  Kinda like the demonstration on the airplane how to use your oxygen mask. Check done, good. God help help us if there is an emergency.

Tonight after a round of gin (that's cards) okay I might have had a glass of Merlot and Jay a Martini, we ate at the Aqua restaurant. It wasn't bad but definitely could stand some improvement. The appetizer goat cheese tart was good only missing the goat cheese, and Jay's Veal was good. Our waiter, Phillipe from the Philippines was great, and not only did he provide excellent service but also reminisced with Jay about how the Phillipines used to be years ago.

After our meal it was off to tonight's show… Paradis. They billed it as a glimpse into a Paris nightclub filled with intrigue with singers, dancers, and acrobats.  It was very entertaining and especially the acrobats flying round the stage. All and all it was a great show with over 100 spectacular costumes. Oh yeah, the strobe light effects as well as the fog and haze were very well done. LOL

After the show we retreated to our room and kept the curtains closed like our Captain told us to do.  He always stresses that safety and security on board is his highest priority. Good thing for that.

Good night from halfway across the world.

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Haifa, Israel - Nov 7th

Mon. Nov. 7th Haifa, Israel

By Jain

We are still in Haifa and will be here until 8:30 p.m. Tonight is a late night departure since most of the tours leaving the ship this morning will take 11 or 12 hours, so we need to wait for their return.

About mid morning, Jay and I left the ship to explore Haifa Bahai Gardens. Haifa is quite hilly and the Bahai Gardens go one kilometer up the side of Mt. Carmel and have 19 terraces. We took the metro that is more like a funicular up to the top of the gardens for the price of 7 shekels ($1 USD). Then we joined a tour group to walk down the next 600 steps, through the terraced gardens.

Our group size was about 50 people and I would guess at least ⅓ shouldn't have been attempting to negotiate the 600 stairs. Let's just say there was a lot of heavy breathing and moaning (remember this walk is downhill... upstairs there would have been need for ambulances.)

Haifa residents must have really strong legs because every place you look there are lots and lots of stairs. Just going to the grocery store would keep you in shape. I bet this city has its share of Orthopedic Surgeons who keep very busy with knee replacements.

Anyway…. back to the gardens, they were stunning, beautiful (kept by a mere 100 gardeners)  and just as manicured as Butchart Gardens in Victoria Canada. Not a huge variety of flowers but the gardens are beautifully designed with luscious lawns that look like carpet, exquisite rock gardens, gorgeous fountains and walkways. At the top of the Gardens the views of the whole city and port are incredible. At the bottom terrace there is the Golden Domed Shrine for the Bab Prophet Herald, the founder of Baha'i faith.

Tomorrow we are off to Port Said, Egypt. Port Said is at top of the Suez Canal. It is a sea day because we can't get off, due to some recent developments politically. It's kind of a "oh well" since many past ship reviewers have said there's no sights to see there anyway.
Our Captain explains  Port Said will not be a stop, because we are passing through a high risk  (HRA) where piracy has occurred in the past. He says as part of the security plan to protect all guests and ship, during the darkness all guests should have on only essential lighting in their cabins. Guests are asked to close all curtains and turn off all lights. (I wonder if this means the casino will be closed?)

See you tomorrow when the Captain has scheduled a mandatory security drill at 15:00. I am sure then I can tell you more.

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Israel - Nov 6th

Sun November 6th Haifa, Israel

By Jain

We wake up early, because we had to. There are 2,000 people on this ship getting off at the crack of dawn, to see Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Masada, Dead Sea, and all points between. Our ship is docked here for two days and most people spend the entire two days exploring the country. Because we need to get an early start, it's no bacon today, and no treadmill, we don't want to miss the early train from Haifa to Tel Aviv and onward to Jerusalem. No tourists buses for us; we are independent travelers with a motto, "We can do it".  Sometimes it works, and sometimes it is a lot easier to be on a crowded bus and not worry about schedules, tickets and finding your way.

The train station is a short block away from the cruise ship and we have planned out our journey on the internet. What we didn't plan for is both our Visa and Debit cards rejected by the ticket guy at the Haifa train  station… but wait, they accept Euros. The train ticket is 10.00 Euros each and we have a total of 60 Euros between us. So off we go, sounds like a plan.

The train from Haifa to Tel Aviv was packed. I got a seat only because a young girl gave me her seat. (She probably thought I was "the elderly or infirmed"  as the sign says in the train car).  It was a nice gesture and I appreciated it. She sat on the floor the entire trip.  The train was crowded due to the military personnel reporting for duty. I mean it's one thing having duffle bags piled high in the aisles but most military personnel here carry machine guns and they take up a lot room.  Jay stood up during the 1 hour ride with a gun pointed at his hip and the 19 year old soldier holding it was nodding off every now and then.

Arriving at Tel Aviv we switched trains to catch the next train to Jerusalem. Tel Aviv is a large modern city with a pretty sea shore. This ride was another hour, kind of a slow but a very pretty ride through the mountains.  The scenery reminded me of a cross between Greece and San Diego with lots of olive trees, eucalyptus, oak and juniper trees with rivers and limestone quarries.

Once in Jerusalem we tried to purchase our return train tickets. Nope, once again foiled. Before every overseas trip we always alert our bank but as the saying goes, "sh__  happens". That's why we always carry American Express . (Sounds like a commercial!)

Anyway we caught a taxi from the train station to the Old City. Here there is lots to explore and so little time.  It is truly a sight, but we did manage to see the Jewish Quarter, Christian Quarter, Muslim Quarter, Armenian Quarter and the Western wall. Along the way we both were famished and just grabbed a falafel pita bread sandwich, stuffed full of fried chickpeas, coleslaw, pickles, hot sauce and a little Tahini sauce. I know it sounds a bit weird but it was heaven. We just munched on it while walking through tiny shopping alleyways that reminded us of  the souks in Morocco.

We both agree we need to come back here on our own to explore the city. It is beautiful, and there is definitely lots to see and do. I guess the great part of cruising is that it gives you a sample of what's out there and then you can come back.

Tomorrow we will explore Haifa which is supposed to be a nice destination in its own right.  It is considered to be one of the Middle East's most picturesque cities. The common Israeli saying, "Haifa works, Jerusalem prays and Tel Aviv plays".  I guess we'll see the city at work today.

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Limassol, Cyprus - Nov 5th

Sat Nov 5th Limassol, Cyprus
By Jain

We are in Cyprus, officially our 96th country we have visited since we started travelling some 30 years ago. Trip Advisor ranks Limassol as the 3rd up and coming destination in the world. What we saw of the city, which is admittedly just a fraction of the city, in my opinion, it hasn't yet up and comed. Cyprus was once British but the only British influences I can see is that they drive on the left.

Cyprus since 1974 is an independent country, an island in the Mediterranean Sea west of Turkey.  Cyprus Island is divided into two regions one for the Greeks and one for the Turks.  They are portioned off by what is called a green line creating a DMZ zone and is taken seriously. UN troops patrol above in their watchtowers carefully watching the barb wire fences. It is obvious the Greeks and Turks don't get along; in fact it would be fair to say they hate each other.

We leave the ship at what is called the new port and decide to walk down to the Old port historical center. It is a half an hour walk, but it took us an hour and a half.  We didn't see the sign to Old Town and instead of turning left we walked straight. It turned out OK however because Jay found a store that sold camera cases and he bought one for his new camera.

The weather here is very warm; almost too warm for walking what we estimate was close to 3 miles. Adding that and the miles we did on the treadmill this morning surely qualifies me for some bacon tomorrow morning.

Once we found our way down to the Old port we spun around the various restaurants and shops. We went in gift stores to view the hundreds of olive oil products for sale, because you have to. We were also given a first hand education on various types of natural sea sponges. Interesting but I say if you have seen one sea sponge you have seen them all. After a couple of hours we decide to take the local bus back to the ship with everybody else headed back to the ship. (good choice).

We eat lunch at the Moderna restaurant that is open to those that have a suite. We are reminded how nice it is not to eat in the Zoo. The Zoo is our name for the Market Cafe Buffet where most passengers eat their breakfast and lunch. It is very crowded and noisy and has the ambience of a hospital cafe. It is fun however to grab cookie as we pass by, and Jay  loves the self serve soft ice cream cones.

After  a week we know at the Moderna restaurant is the place we can get a shrimp cocktail. It has huge shrimps three inches long served in a martini glass with tangy cocktail sauce. We have caught on that most people order a double martini. I mean why have only 3 shrimp when you can have 6!

The table across from us at lunch are people we have seen before. Obviously from their accent they are New Yorkers. They are Isaac and Barbara. They are both pretty funny but Barbara talks a lot and tells really good stories about her money, dead husband, cruising, and Orthodox Jews. Isaac when given a chance has stories of his own to share. Like the day he was working in his office right across from the World Trade Center when it was attacked on 9/11. Unaware of what was happening Barbara called him to get home right now.  So he did, he left work  hopped on the subway, and minutes later all subways were halted and the World Trade Center fell to the ground. He was lucky to get out.

In the late afternoon we went to the Mandara Spa and relaxed in the Jacuzzi...(my dogs are barking from the walks today).  After dinner we go see Adrian Knight who is a mind reader and a hypnotist. The show was entertaining, but we immediately questioned if the participants were for real. Off course we know 2 of them are because we have eaten breakfast with them.

Tomorrow is a big day. We arrive in Haifa, Israel. We plan on taking the train from Haifa to Tel Aviv and switching to the direct train to Jerusalem. We arrive on a Sunday, which is a good thing since there is no public transportation on Shabbat and we would be out of luck.

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At Sea Day - Nov 4th

Fri.Nov. 4th At Sea

By Jain

It's our first sea day! Looking out from our balcony we can see the coast of Crete. The waters are calm and again it is bright and sunny day. I actually like sea days.  On sea days there is no place you have to rush off to, nothing you have to do, and no excuse not to go to the gym.  After our breakfast we complete the mandatory immigration inspection for Israel. According to Israeli immigration law all guests must go through a face to face documentation inspection prior to arriving in Haifa (which won't be until the day after tomorrow). Our face to face interview lasted 30 seconds.

What we appreciate being in a suite even more than our butler that delivers coffee in the morning, is that we don't have to wait in lines. We breezed through immigration line in 5 minutes in comparison to hundreds of people we saw for hours winding various floors and staircases.

After our 30 second immigration interview we both go to the gym. BTW. Granny was at her treadmill "bee bopping" away, so now I know she is alive and not in the freezer with the frozen shrimp. I did 4 miles on the treadmill,  trying to make up for the bacon I had this morning, Jay did a bit more exercise too, trying to make up for the steak and eggs he had for breakfast. I am sure Granny did 20 miles and completed 6 advanced crossword puzzles.

After exercising it is time to shop. Cruise ships shopping galleries have changed in the last twenty years. The stores have limited goods for sale, and you are lucky if you can find an aspirin.  What you will always find  plenty of is jewelry, watches, perfumes, liquor and cameras. BUT on sea days they bring out the stash of junk, purses, tee shirts that didn't sell on the last 4 cruises, and mark them down. Piled high on counters you feel like you are in a K Mart blue light special sale and the competition is fierce.

Jay has been looking for a new camera so we go shopping. He actually left his camera at the tour desk yesterday and after returning to the ship we went to lost and found to retrieve it. They had it. The nice lady at the desk said "I have to ask you some questions to make sure it is yours." "What can you tell me about the camera to assure me it is yours?" Jay said, "Well the camera strap is well worn and only holding on by some threads, and it is a Panasonic Lumix. She then asked, "Can you show me some pictures of you on your camera maybe of your wife, or you two together? Jay said, "No, I downloaded them this morning, nothing is in the memory." She seemed very reluctant at this point and raised an eyebrow, perplexed at what to ask next. Then she asked "What color is your camera?". Jay replied "It is black." Bingo.. that was the magic answer and with that we got our camera back. I sure hope I don't lose my passport on  board this ship. The likeness of me and my photo of 8 years ago is surely to be in question.  We did buy a new camera today and seriously thinking of losing the old one on purpose, so maybe somebody that is lucky enough the answer that question about what color will a really good old camera.

In the afternoon we attended the "What to do in Limassol" lecture. We love our Concierge who basically can't tell a lie, when asked if there is a lot to do in Limassol, Cyprus, he  says, "Well, there is a great Natural Sponge Museum."  In other words there is not much to see or do unless you want to drive for 2 hours where there is a quaint little town of Paphos in a beautiful seaside setting. I guess we will save our energy for the next port Haifa.

Tonite is formal night. About ¼ ship passengers are dressed to nines ½ are dressed for a come as you go party and we are somewhere in between.  We skip the photos with the Captain and go to our favorite bar, Gatsby's, for a glass of champagne. Two women are playing the Violin and Cello. It is nice. When we go to Versailles restaurant for dinner, it is so crowded we get seated with a Marley and Catherine from Canada. Both are Indian and originally from Mumbai. It doesn't take us long to learn they are very religious, and somewhat experts on Israel. I  find the conversation fascinating especially after my two glasses of wine. We didn't make it the Starlight show Graffiti Classics featuring a bunch of gypsies romping around to classical folk music. The show was supposed to be wickedly funny and exhilarating. Judging by those coming out of the show I think It might have been just wicked.

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Athens, Greece - Nov 3rd

  

Thurs. Nov. 3rd Athens Greece
By Jain

We wake up to another beautiful day in one of our favorite European capitals cities, Athens, Greece. It's a sunny, warm 74 degrees day, we couldn't ask for better weather. Today we decide on the hop on, hop off bus to whisk us to the Acropolis and the Plaka. Well maybe whisk is the wrong word since Athens is notorious for its horrid traffic. It has been said that Athens makes the streets of Boston seem tame in comparison. The city is full of cars, trucks, motorbikes, taxis and of course buses. It gets so crowded  Sept to June they restrict traffic by only allowing vehicles with odd numbered license plates to drive on odd days and those with even to drive on even days. The summer months are not an issue because most locals are on vacation and leave town.

Public transportation is the only way to go here and leave the driving to those that can handle it. From the top of the open air bus it is extremely interesting and amusing to watch the chaotic flow of vehicles, how many cars are parked illegally or double parked with no driver in sight, and how erratic driving is the norm. The Athenians are expert at parallel parking and I have heard that if you can't parallel park with only 6 inches to spare or backup a half of mile down hill with your eyes closed you automatically flunk your driver's test.

We get off at the Acropolis parking lot and marvel at the ancient ruins from afar and hop on the blue bus to get us to our next stop the Plaka. We haven't been to the Plaka in over 20 years but still recognize the neighborhoods. The Plaka is an old historical neighborhood in Athens and sits under the Acropolis. It is full of restaurants, outdoor cafes, shops of every kind. It is quite touristy but is very special and is one of our favorite places.

We decide to stop and have lunch (gotta have that Greek salad) and watch the world go by. You see everything here and with a reported 10,000 cruise passengers in port today it is busy, and you see lots of kinds of people, sometimes odd.  One tourist passed us carrying a white feathered duck. At first glance you would swear it is alive, moving its feet, tail, beak. It even quacked!  But it wasn't real, it was mechanical. On the airplane, I watched a techno program that says mechanical animals are the latest greatest thing for those that miss having a pet but that just can't care for one. Sounds like us of course. I will pass on getting a duck, but I would love a cat. The cat, I saw advertised purrs, gives off heat, curls up, blinks his eyes, and rolls over on his back longing for a pet and of course it meows. It is possible to upgrade to a model that actually sheds his hair all over the place and scratches your furniture!

In the early evening we meet Cindy and Debbie at the Gatsby's bar. They have 2 Martini flights (6 glasses each) and clearly are bewildered about how they are going to drink them. I walk by and say, "It looks like you are thirsty". They laugh, and Debbie says, "I think we made a mistake." After chatting for awhile we offered to help transport their drinks to their room, since at this point it would be like them trying to drive in Athens traffic. Great people; we look forward to seeing them again.

For our dinner we go to Japanese Ginza restaurant . It's kind of out of the norm for us.. but we both agree the orange peel beef and hot and sour soup was pretty good.  We questioned the authenticity of ice cream we had for dessert, since after twenty minutes it didn't melt.  We finished up the evening at the Starlight lounge and had a great time watching the 70's show "We Will Rock You.". It was GREAT... Great music, great dancing.. best show we have seen so far.. and I didn't nod off once!

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Katakolon Greece - Nov 2

Wed. Nov 2nd Katakolon Greece

By Jain

We  awake to our Butler ringing our doorbell at 6:30 a.m. He has coffee and fresh cinnamon rolls.  We experienced a time change and we have forgotten to turn the clocks ahead, so to us it feels like 5:30 am. When Jomar comes, I don't get out of bed, but Jay does and pulls the curtains closed to cover our sleeping area.  He delivers our goods and seems bright and chipper as always. As far as butlers go he seems to be good at what he does but how would I know I have never had a butler before.

We have been ordering room service coffee, preferring it to making it in our room's very fancy Espresso maker. The bulky machine that is not only complicated to operate but in my opinion isn't what I would call my "cup of java". The cinnamon rolls sounded like a good idea last night, but are kinda like a stale roll with very light glaze, in  other words "they flunk". But I think they might make a good door stop.

Anyway, this morning we say hello to Katakolon, Greece. Katakolon is kind of a cute seaside town on the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece. It is the second largest port in Greece, Athens Piraeus port being number one. Katakolon is a favorite destination for cruise ships since it is about 30 miles away from Olympia, the ancient site of the temple of Zeus, and where the first Olympics was held. On other trips we have explored Olympia and assume it hasn't changed... so we decide just to take a stroll through this small town and call it a day.

There are 600 residents that live in Katakolon and all of them must own shops. According to our daily Cruise Freestyle Newsletter every tourist that stops here spends an average of 67 Euros. We spent 0. Not that we are cheap, but just didn't find anything to our liking. We don't really need any olive based soaps, greek icons, natural sea sponges, tee shirts or leather goods at this time. Since we have been to Greece many times the typical souvenirs don't offer us the allure as they do for our fellow travelers. However the port offers beautiful views of surrounding hills and forests.

In the afternoon we take a short nap. Getting up early and drinking that glass of champagne at lunch will do that to you. After our nap we go to the Mandara Spa Thermal Suite. The spa offers a hydro therapy lap pool, hot tubs, sauna and steam rooms.  It is not very crowded and there is no sign of Granny here. Come to mention it she wasn't at gym this morning. She must have slept in, or maybe is in the deep freeze. That is a cruise joke. For you unfamiliar with shipboard life, most passengers walk off the ship but some are carried off. It is a fact of life many cruise ship passengers are elderly and over 200 die each year while at sea. Ships are required to maintain a freezer for when this happens and regulations state it can't be the ones that store the ice cream or frozen chicken nuggets.

At the spa jacuzzi I take note everybody has gone on this cruise for some shut eye.  The lady in the hot tub had her eyes closed for ten minutes, maybe she is dead. But in addition I have seen people sleeping everywhere;  pool loungers, deck chairs, quiet rooms, library, and the lobby. Today we saw a lady sleeping in the cafe, (but to her credit her plate in front of her was empty). Of course as I reported to you before I fell asleep in the Starlight theatre the last two nights. So I understand it happens. Tonight however I was wide awake the entire show. There is something about a wacko comedian juggling sharp knives that will keep you from nodding off.

Goodnight

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Messina - Nov 1st

Nov. 1st Messina Sicily

By Jain

We are now in Messina, Sicily. At 7 a.m. Our Captain announces our arrival and the fact we will be docking late. He explains it is because they have scheduled three cruise ships to arrive at the same time and docking crews and customs officials have their hands full. He adds his apologizes and simply states "but after all this is Sicily".

The only reason people come to Messina is that it is where their cruise ship or ferry from South of Italy lands. Outside of a few churches there is nothing here that would attract the visitor. Jay and I took a  walk around the town main square with its astronomical clock and Cristo Re Church viewpoint and we were back at the ship in an hour. The city is surprisingly pretty quiet for a port city, very dirty and boring. If you want to stop and smell the garbage this is a good place to do it.

Most tourists get out of Messina as quickly as they can and head to Taormina, a small town with medieval charm that overlooks the Ionian sea. Others go to Mt. Edna, an impressive volcano, or simply drive through the beautiful Sicilian vineyards. If you are a movie buff you can choose to go on the Godfather's tour in Savona. This is a small village where Francis Ford Coppola shot some scenes for the Godfather movie. Since we were in Sicily a year ago we have seen those sights so decided just to walk about and appreciate Messina's graffiti, broken sidewalks, and stray dogs.

We have made a commitment to go to the gym every day.  As I have shared with you before, the gym is pretty well empty most of the time, so we have our choice of machines. Even with few people, it is not without its strange characters. For the second day in a row "Granny" who has to be at least ninety is there and it is hard not to notice her. With her ball cap on and headphones blasting away she is singing as loud as she can. Once she gets on the treadmill, she does not walk but she starts hopping and dancing on the belt. All the time she is on the treadmill she has a pencil in her hand and she is doing a crossword puzzle!  Every once in awhile she takes a big gulp from her 16 ounce Diet coke, no water for her. She would be quite entertaining and inspiring if she wasn't so irritating. My treadmill was next to hers and I couldn't even hear the tv on my headphones and with her erratic behavior I am afraid of what she will do next. Tomorrow, I am picking the treadmill that is as far away from her as possible.

On day two of our cruise we have met more fellow cruisers. Many are big time cruising buffs. One older fellow says he is doing 10 cruises in a row. He started in September and he is currently on cruise #3, and says he will be home in April 2017. Carla and her husband are from Montana and love to cruise. They just completed a 32 day cruise, but they are very unhappy with our ship because they couldn't get the Haven suite, which is over 4,000 sq feet. They had to settle for a 2 bedroom suite. Let's just say I don't think she shops at Walmart.

I am sure we will meet more of the rich and famous this evening. Since we have a Penthouse suite we have been personally invited by our Captain Karl Staffan Bengtsson to a VIP cocktail reception tonight. Who knows maybe  Granny will be there to liven things up! Gotta go and decide what Walmart cocktail dress and heels I will be wearing.

Update….. we went to the party and met the Captain and his staff, nice looking lot. I also found 35.00 euros on the floor while having cocktails. Jay said he thought the man who dropped it had grey hair and was overweight. Since that could be any man on the ship I say the money is mine.

Went to the show Comedian Al Brown and fell asleep.

Good night from lovely Messina.

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Halloween by Jain

Oct 31st Halloween Naples
By Jain

Yesterday we boarded the Norwegian Star and found our way to our suite #9736 an Aft Penthouse. Yes, I said Penthouse. A month ago we were fortunate to be upgraded to a penthouse from a mini suite.  It is very nice and comes with our own private Butler and Concierge! Our penthouse (I like saying the word) is definitely bigger than a mini suite but not as grandiose as the word penthouse suggests, but if you have ever cruised before you know most cabin spaces are pretty tight. We have a nice balcony although it's very narrow, it is just big enough for two loungers. Being on the back of the boat provides great views, and it is especially beautiful at night looking over the wake.

There are definitely perks being in the Penthouse. We board the ship early, get room service free, have Jomar our butler at our beck and call and Jeffrey to bring us clean towels and tidy up the room. This morning I ordered breakfast just because I could. Jomar delivered our breakfast in a timely manner with a smile, unfortunately the quality was not good enough to satisfy any discerning seagull.

Yesterday we attended the mandatory lifeboat drill. These drills have drastically changed in the last 20 years. It used to be your reporting station was opposite your lifeboat. Now people report to various stations throughout the ship. Our station was the Versailles Dining room, far away from any lifeboat. I guess in an emergency they think maybe giving your last supper will help calm your nerves. The presentation lasted five minutes and what I got out of it they urged us to dress in warm clothes in an emergency. This is kind of like your mom reminding you to wear clean underwear, in case you get in an accident.

So far, from my keen observation skills of my fellow passengers, I have concluded the following:

I don't think the gym is gonna be crowded.

I have done a survey and concluded that there are 7 people on this ship under the age of 50.

43% of the passengers are Japanese, (travelling in groups of ten or more), 20% are Italian (Although you would swear it sounds like it could be more like 80%), 10% are English, 10%  are Aussies, and 17% are from good old USA. I have not yet conducted a poll who's voting for Hillary or Donald for fear of causing a mutiny aboard.

We have already made a lot of friends by going to Gatsby's bar last night for cocktails. Jay, while talking to the Australian Nurse Helen and her husband a dirt mover (whatever that is) spilled his Lime Le Fizz and shattered his glass into a billion pieces. He received just a minor cut, no stitches required. At that point, the bar thinned out and we retreated to dinner.

Anyway we now are in Naples, the 3rd largest city in Italy. Naples is the birthplace of pizza and childhood home of Sophia Loren. Rick Steves says if you think Rome is too much for you don't go to Naples. Naples is intense and described as the grittiest, most polluted, crime ridden city in Europe. Since Jay and I have been here before we skip the Pompeii ruins, Amalfi coast and Sorrento. Here the best entertainment is just walking around, and soaking in everyday life.

Everybody here seems to be selling anything and everything. And it wouldn't be Naples if you didn't hear somebody yelling at somebody. The word vibrant comes to mind but also you could use the word chaotic. The traffic is horrendous, and the small alleys are full of kids playing, teenagers hanging out, homeless looking for a handout, old men sitting having their espresso, old lady's pulling their shopping carts and the well dressed ladies shopping the high end stores. It is quite the experience and nothing like it in the whole world. All and all its a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live here.

After a morning of sightseeing we retreated to our Penthouse with a splendid view of Mt. Vesuvius. Tonight we had a very very nice dinner at Cagney's Steakhouse… followed by the show at the Starlight Theatre where we watched two very fit acrobats (magicians) performing unbelievable acts of physical feats. I fell asleep in the show.

Good night

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