Day 46: Tauranga, New Zealand

Today turned out to be dreary more so than plagued by the forecasted heavy rains. Foggy, mid-60s (again, the day/ night temp varies by only 2° or so, a totally foreign concept to us), but definitely drizzly with about 100 % humidity even when it stopped raining. 

Once again, we had no plans for the day. We’ve been here a lot, starting in 2004 on the Sapphire Princess. It was that ship’s first call in Tauranga; it was also the largest ship to date to ever stop there. I still vividly remember the locals dotting the trail going up Mount Mauganui to wave us in. In that visit, I did a full day tour that visited the geothermal area at Rotorua, some Māori cultural things and a New Zealand adventure sport (rolling down a hill in a clear, round ball. The exuberance of youth. 

Two events in and near Tauranga have left us stunned, one dating back to 2019.  There used to be large signs near the tourist information tent in Tauranga advertising White Island helicopter tours. White Island is a nearby small island with an active volcano.  We actually reserved a tour for a planned stop in December of that year. It was a huge concession on my part to even get in a helicopter but G was keen. And I am a very good wife. 😉

Then, the very next week, the White Island volcano erupted, and tourists were on the island, brought over by a small boat and by helicopter. Among them were people from a Royal Caribbean shore excursion. We were stunned. Such a coincidence. There were several people killed, and even more left with absolutely horrifying burns.  Once we returned home (during COVID), I watched several documentaries about the event. Another day, and we could easily have caught the same way. 

Sometimes we have to be as grateful for the things that didn’t happen to us as those that did. 

Then, last January, Mount Mauganui experienced several mud slides, one covering a holiday park (aka campground) at the mountain’s base. We’ve several times hiked up and around the mountain, enjoying its magnificent views in the area. And I’ve suggested to G many times that we should rent a camper van and spend a month in that same holiday park. We like this area that much. Well, the holiday park is closed, the hot springs pools are closed, that end of the peninsula is largely closed off.  Another crazy coincidence. 

New Zealand storms

Track closures…basically the entire mountain is off limits

So today, we were left unsure what to do, and decided to wait until we saw the weather. When it turned out to be slightly less rainy than expected, we bundled up a bit and headed out for a walk. And once again I was so grateful that I bought that new waterproof coat. I remember telling G that it would come in handy in New Zealand and for when I flew home. And it has. 

We once rented a catamaran and sailed it across the harbor here. None of that available today!

After we got some exercise, I braved the rain to do a water workout, simply because the ship was stable, and that’s something we won’t see again for a couple of days. It was a strange evening, because the on board time wasn’t until 8pm, and we didn’t sail until after 8:30pm. Things felt very casual around the ship. 

Tonight’s Princess Theater entertainment was a ventriloquist, and you know it don’t do those, so I went to O’Malleys at 6:30pm for Irish music, and then stuck around for a jazz set by the Crown Princess house band. Shortly into that, G was joining me, having lasted only 15 minutes into the ventriloquist’s show (gee, who could’ve seen that coming?). We watched sail away from the covered Promenade Deck and called it a night.  

Day 45: Auckland

We enjoyed a dry early morning, but by 9am the fog rolled in and by noon the precipitation became a little more ambitious. By mid afternoon (when we were out in it…go figure) it was quite rainy. 

We started the day early; the ship was at its berth by 6am and announcements for those disembarking began shortly after. When I went down to the Botticelli Dining Room for breakfast at 7am, people were already lined up to get off the ship and the elevators were full of roll off luggage. 

G had gotten up very early, but by 9am was napping- or completing his night’s sleep- or something, and he slept until after 11am. We really should have gone out to sightsee right after breakfast, but no, we waited until we had eaten lunch in the Horizon Court (the dining room was not open for lunch) to leave the ship. 

Luckily, I packed a recent purchase for a day just like this. It’s not my first time in New Zealand, and I knew that rain here is like Alaska rain:  it chills to the bone. For that reason, I bought a new waterproof jacket that goes to my knees…and thank God for it. Coupled with water resistant pants, it was just my feet that were wet and cold. 

We set out to walk to the Auckland Sky Tower. G was convinced he wanted to go to the top despite the weather. He loves tall buildings, clouds or not. We’ve been to the top before, but it was something to do, and our original plan for the day- to take a ferry to Waiheke Island and spend the day visiting wineries held even less appeal given the weather.

The Sky Tower is about a 30 minute walk by the time we got through the terminal and down the length of  Princes Wharf (the HAL Noordam was at Queens Wharf for the day), and then figured out where the entrance to the tower was. For about $25 USD per person, we bought tickets to the observation area. It wasn’t a total loss; we could see the cruise ships and the harbor from the top. 

I actually wanted to do this, but not the rain!

We returned to the ship just in time for dinner. With our new table in the DaVinci Dining Room, we didn’t want to be late. We have a wonderful table for four set for two next to a window with two great waiters, Adrian from the Philippines and…shoot, I forget our junior waiter’s name, but he is from India. Jalo or Kilo or something like that. I remember it is short and easy, but apparently not easy enough. It’s going to be a good 25 more days on this ship. 

Tonight I lost the second page of the menu. I need to focus!

Tonight’s Princess Theater entertainment was a female vocalist, Fem Billing. Incredible performance, incredible voice and she also plays the violin. The arrangement of the songs she did were so unique. Her “I Can See Clearly Now” was unlike anything I’d ever heard, and left me with goose bumps.

It’s just 9pm and we are already tucked into bed, as much to warm up as anything. The forecast tomorrow in Tauranga is even worse than today, all day heavy rain. Don’t expect too much from us. We’ve been there many times and have lots of ideas of things we’d like to do on sunny days, but on days with heavy rain warnings, not so much. 

Day 44: Bay of Islands, New Zealand

We had a very nearly perfect day. Almost. If it hadn’t been for that Michigan v Michigan State game, it would have been wholly perfect. (But that Ohio State loss helped). 

To start with, the weather was beautiful, warm but not too, and sunny. That’s quite a change from the forecast we saw a few days ago, but, in actuality, the bad weather for northern New Zealand simply got delayed 24 hours. Tomorrow’s weather in Auckland is supposed to be pretty dismal. Bay of Islands is one of those beautiful areas where the scenery really does come to the ship, and this was our view first thing this morning. 

That’s the HAL Noordam at anchor

We didn’t rush off the ship; Bay of Islands is a tender port, and, with no plans for the day other than to get some walking in, we turned off the alarm and had coffee delivered at 8am. Well, actually, we’ve expanded our choice to include a chocolate croissant for G and then toast added an almond croissant for me. I know they get raves, and they’re good, but they’re really not worth the calories (for me) on a daily basis.  A once-in-a-while treat perhaps. It’s just nice to know we can get these treats through room service. 

As soon as open tender was announced (about 10:30am), we rode over to the Paihia pier. I asked a tourist volunteer how to pronounce Paihia, and was told it’s pie, as in a piece of pie, and he-ya as in pie here. Well, that works if you’re from Australia or New Zealand but for those of us from a little further east, not so much. “Here” is not a two-syllable word for us!

We took the shuttle bus for the 5 minute transfer into town, and once there walked around the craft market and shops, and watched the scenic tour helicopters taking off and landing one after the other. My poor husband,,,I don’t have too many fears, but riding in helicopters is one of them. Meanwhile, he’s known the thrill of sitting with legs dangling on the side of one without doors. He simply can’t talk me into braving one, but he loves them, even just watching them coming and going. 

Frankly, walking around became a little fraught. I was so busy looking down ant the uneven surfaces that I was missing out on the sightseeing. I have big fun in store yet this winter, and can’t afford a trip and fall. We finally caught a shuttle back to the tender pier and re-boarded the ship. Lunch was an International Cafe stop (delicious cream of broccoli soup, kiwis and apple slices), and we never needed to go to the Horizon Court for a late lunch. 

I checked out the pool situation and settled on the Calypso Pool today. There was no one in it (always a plus, so as not to disturb anyone), and since the ship was at anchor it was very calm. I got in the best workout so far on this ship. 

I had just enough time to shower and warm up before we went to dinner. We love our wait team (Nelito and Mzii) but we are still seated in a noisy area. Imagine our delight when Supervisor Emmanuel stopped by to tell us a table for four set for two would be available in a quiet area next to a window starting tomorrow. Joy. It’s only opening up because this cruise was available to be booked three ways:  Sydney to Auckland, Auckland to LA and Sydney to LA. Apparently, there’s several hundred passengers disembarking tomorrow in Auckland with several hundred new passengers coming on board. I know many of them came down with us on the Grand and chose to spend several days in Australia or New Zealand and board the Crown tomorrow. That would be a perfect choice for someone who has never before been in this part of the world. Others did the Australia circumnavigation on the Crown and are returning home to New Zealand. Either way, a table will open up and we’ll have it. 

Tonight we were finally able to see production show Magic to Do, our first time seeing this cast perform. I’ve decided the reason I don’t particularly like that show is because I don’t particularly like the songs…except for Colors of the Wind. That song and the choreography are the reason we rarely miss the show. 

I’ve made a habit of taking the stairs on this ship. Unlike on the Grand where there was rarely a wait for an elevator and they were often an express, this ship has over 500 additional guests with no additional elevators and they are very often heavily loaded. I’m still working hard to stay well, and it seems prudent to avoid them and their germs as much as possible. It’s a nice little climb from Deck 5-6-7 to Deck 14 a few times each day, but it’s definitely becoming easier. And I had an appointment on the Terrace Deck with a sunset at 8pm and couldn’t dawdle. It was worth the climb. 

We have a very early arrival into Auckland tomorrow, 6am, which is a bit of a pity as the sail in to that wharf is a gorgeous one as the ship winds it way around the islands dotting the harbor, but sunrise isn’t until 6am. Still, G has plans to be out there before then to see what he can see. I think I’ll look at his pics later. 😉

Day 43: At Sea

We had a mostly uneventful day, and I just wasted 45 minutes mindlessly scrolling the internet instead of preparing a blog post (because I’m selfish that way 😉) so this will be quick. 

We started the day with another room delivery but today added orange slices and a chocolate croissant for G. That was enough to get me to brave a chilly Terrace Pool which luckily today wasn’t too sloshy. By the time I showered and warmed up, it was 11:30am and lunch in the Botticelli Dining Room had begun and I was hungry!

Luckily, there was a delicious kale salad on the menu, so good that I ordered a second one after I’d enjoyed the first. And G is really enjoying the multiple flavors of ice cream on the lunch dessert menu. We didn’t have that on the Grand, just vanilla and chocolate and a frozen yogurt flavor. 

G went to the veterans get together this afternoon, but I returned to the cabin to catch up on some of the destination and Māori cultural lectures I’ve missed. There is also a business lecturer on board, but, honestly, it runs a little too close to the hundred plus Harvard Business School case studies I had to analyze in my MBA program forty years ago, so I’m passing on those. 

I also completed our online New Zealand declaration forms, which required downloading an app, scanning our passports and answering several questions about what we were (or weren’t) bringing into the country. It had to be done less than 24 hours before our first arrival into New Zealand. Between that and the ETAs we had to buy and the tourist environmental tax we had to pay, New Zealand requires a lot of hoops to be jumped through. 

After G returned from veterans, he decamped to a hot tub but I didn’t want to have to shower again, so I just sat in a nearby lounger enjoying the sunshine. Dinner was healthy tonight, and then we went to the Princess Theater for vocalist Che Orton, back with an Elvis tribute show. He was named one of the five best Elvis impersonators in the world (yes, apparently there is a contest held at Graceland).  It was an excellent show that received a well-deserved standing ovation at the end. 

We were on the Terrace Deck at 8pm for sunset. I love that it happens later this far south. 

A sunny but chilly day

And, finally, CD Nathan, who ran into G at the veterans get together, stopped by our dinner table tonight. I had been trying to see him but hadn’t yet, and G told him where to find me. He gives the best bear hugs!  He wasn’t supposed to be on the ship right now, but the scheduled CD suffered a broken leg, so he was asked to stand in for three cruises.  Aren’t we so lucky that he did! He’s one of our favorites.