Day 128: Savusavu, Fiji

I turned today into a quasi-sea day; G went ashore only long enough to buy a bag of potato chips at the little market in Savusavu. After all, it is against his religion to not go ashore in every port. I’m glad I’m Catholic; as far as I know, there’s nothing at all in the catechism regarding this topic. 

Before G went ashore, however, we had a leisurely morning on the Open Deck Behind the World Fresh Marketplace. It was warm again today, but just shy of being too hot. G talked with an HVAC technician on board yesterday, and he said he was being kept very busy trying keep the Majestic Princess comfortable during these days around 90F, especially when there is hot air pouring in the open hatches all day long. 

I really don’t know why lunch is being offered on port days in the Concerto Dining Room, but it is, and this was today’s menu:

Day 10 lunch menu, page 1

Day 10 lunch menu, page 2

It rained on and off all afternoon, and I certainly enjoyed the enclosed Hollywood Pool. I alternately read and watched videos on my iPhone until it was time to get cleaned up for the evening. We started in the Elite Lounge in the Vista-less Lounge because we had plenty of time, and, frankly, were a tad hungry after skipping lunch. 

Day 10 dinner menu, page 1

Day 10 dinner menu, page 2

Day 10 dessert menu

We lingered over coffee in the Concerto Dining Room and then made our way to Princess Live. For the first time, we were going to watch tonight’s Princess Theater show being simulcast on the screens there. It was a comedian magician, and 1) it’s easier to see any tricks on a screen than from midway back in the theater, and 2) it’s easier to walk out on a simulcast than the real show  if it doesn’t appeal. Well, the start of the show was delayed for some reason, and at 7:25pm we were done waiting. We went into the Vista-less Lounge for piano entertainer Alyssa Musti’s tribute to Billy Joel. Much, much better. 

Day 10 Princess Patter, page 1

Day 10 Princess Patter, page 2

Day 10 Princess Patter, page 3

Day 10 Princess Patter, page 4

Day 127: Suva, Fiji

We refused to spend another day in Suva taking the free shuttle to the mall. There is nothing we need to buy, and cellular internet today was fast enough to check on things at home. Instead we started the day with a long, leisurely breakfast on the Open Deck Behind the World Fresh Marketplace. It was warm again, but the breeze kept it from being too hot.  And this was our view as we ate and interneted:

Fiji is comprised of over 300 islands. Suva is located on the most populated one, but there are several others within view. 

The reef is clearly visible from the ship

Finally we decided that we needed to get some exercise, so we left our phones in our cabin so we wouldn’t be tempted to simply find and use WiFi and set out walking from the port. Our first stop was the Suva Market, right across the street. It was highly pungent, with lots of seafood for sale. We crossed back to the water’s edge and walked along the water as far as you can see in this photo. Everyone we met was very friendly and greeted us with Bula! (hello in Fujian) and wished us a nice day. Several people were even chattier, and asked where we were from and if it was our first visit to Suva. If this was our only experience in Suva, I’d feel most comfortable here, but, as I’ve said in the past, there is a darker, less welcoming element in the city. Luckily, we didn’t encounter it today. 

Part of the reason we wanted to walk along the waterfront is that the bridge (below) was under construction when we were here two years ago, and the entire area was closed off. The bridge is a gift from China, and is called the Fiji-China Friendship Bridge. China has made a lot of investment in Fiji in the past ten years. 

The Fiji-China Friendship Bridge

Finally, the heat chased us back on the ship, and we shared a pizza at Alfredos before settling into loungers around the Hollywood Pool. Lunch was also served in the Concerto Dining Room today, and this was the menu:

Day 9 lunch menu, page 1

Day 9 lunch menu, page 2

Not especially hungry, we went to dinner at 5:30pm. I limited myself to just an entree. Headwaiter Francesco himself prepared my grilled founder fillet with just olive oil and lemon and it was delish. 

Day 9 dinner menu, page 1

Day 9 dinner menu, page 2

Day 9 dessert menu

Sunset with Viti Levu (the island on which Suva is located) on the left

We got to the 6:30pm Princess Theater performance of violinist Chris Watkins a little late, but discovered there is a section of seats at the very back of the theater in Deck 7, probably for mobility impaired passengers. There were two seats still available there, and since we have seen this show at least four times already this season, that was close enough for us. We are currently resting in cabin with the intention of heading out shortly for the Hot Latin Nights Deck Party. The weather couldn’t be better for this party tonight, and with the production show singers and dancers also performing, it should be highly entertaining. 

Day 9 Princess Patter, page 1

Day 9 Princess Patter, page 2

Day 9 Princess Patter, page 3

Day 9 Princess Patter, page 4

Day 126: Dravuni Island, Fiji

This day, much like our day on Lifou, reminds me so much of that Norman Rockwell painting of that family in a station wagon on a beach day. The left side shows the family in the morning, all happy and clean and excited at the prospect of their day. On the right side is the family coming home that night, dirty and tired. That is exactly what the tender ride was like today. Going over, except for the heat (I’ll get to that later), everyone had their snorkel gear clean and nicely packed, folded beach towels and big smiles. Coming back on one of the last tenders, we were all dropping sand everywhere, with wet, sandy towels around our necks, hair stiff from salt water and snorkel gear shoved into tote bags willy-nilly. But we had so. much. fun.

We learned quickly why, when we took our breakfast out to the Open Deck Behind the World Fresh Marketplace, there were several empty tables. It was HOT out there already early this morning. Hot and humid. Too hot for coffee hot. It was immediately obvious that today was best spent in air conditioning or in the water. 

We returned to our cabin and packed for a major beach day. Metal water bottles in the beach cooler to keep G’s beers cold, beach tarp, two floaties, snorkel gear, and the last of the beach (mineral-based) sunscreen. I knew I’d be spending some serious time snorkeling, and covered up as much as I could with board shorts and a long-sleeved rash guard. I have had too many serious sunburns over the years from hours spent snorkeling with my back and legs fully exposed to the sun. 

We were last on Dravuni Island in November on the Ruby Princess, and what a difference two months had made in my ability to walk on the sand. I had no trouble at all walking far down the beach to the right, where I remember the best snorkeling was from our previous visits. We found a spot in the shade and set up for the day. The heat was unbearable. We had a thermometer and the temperature inside the tender had reached 90F with at least that much humidity and no breeze while the tender was loaded. We wasted no time at all getting into the water, which had to be at least 86F. It felt divine. 

Once we had both cooled off and G was happily consuming his first beer, I headed into the water to snorkel. I was out there a long time, nearly two hours. I lose track of time when I snorkel, but usually one of two things limits me: Either I get chilled or G waves me out of the water. Today, neither happened, and I happily went from coral head to coral head. I knew there were Nemo fish there- I had seen them in November- and finally found them in two different areas, but mostly I enjoyed the variety of fish and the pockets of really colorful coral. 

Finally, I rejoined G, and he took a floatie out and was gone at least an hour, and then it was my turn again and I snorkeled for another hour or so, and we used both floaties together. It was a beautiful day... if one was either in the water or wet from having been in the water. As soon as we dried off, it got oppressively hot again. In fact, it was so hot that G never once even mentioned climbing that hill. That’s a first!

Francesco told us yesterday that the dining room was going to be open for lunch for the rest of this cruise. That’s very unusual!  Here was the menu for today:

Day 8 lunch menu, page 1

Day 8 lunch menu, page 2

A nearly empty beach at 4:30pm

The water around Dravuni Island is gorgeous

The primary school

We took our Elite toiletry bags to the teacher

We were among the very last to leave the beach, and took a tender back to the ship about 4:45am. G’s beach dog du jour (we named him Dravuni Louie) followed him all the way down the tender pier and tried to board the tender with him. Security got very excited about that. I finally had to get off the tender and call him away, and someone else enticed him back down the tender pier. I think he thought he could go home with us. We were back in our cabin just after 5pm, and somehow were showered and in the Concerto Dining Room by 5:35om. Of course, we both still had wet hair, but at least we were clean. 

Money laundering again ;-)

Day 8 dinner menu, page 1

Day 8 dinner menu, page 2

Day 8 dessert menu

Tonight’s Princess Theater entertainment was Aussie Patrick McMahon, who we’ve seen a few times this year in the Ruby Princess. We love his show, but it was a testament to how tired we are that we skipped it tonight. Besides, we still had to wash out our gear. This may have been our last beach day of the season; everything (floaties, beach tarp, snorkel gear, metal bottles for ice) needed to be scrubbed well before being packed away. 

Day 8 Princess Patter, page 1

Day 8 Princess Patter, page 2

Day 8 Princess Patter, page 3

Day 8 Princess Patter, page 4

Day 125: At Sea

This will be very short today. It was largely a day of rest (sleep, even), with the Most Traveled Guest luncheon and a great production show (Fiera!).

We had moved clocks ahead an hour over night, and it was after 9am when we finally started to stir. G left to get some coffee, but I hung around the cabin, watching a movie, washing my sleep sack and getting ready for the Most Traveled Guest luncheon, being held in the Allegro Dining Room at noon. Though we are again 4th Most Traveled, we were seated at Captain Tony Draper’s table, the one used for the Chef’s Table Lumiere. I’m certain we’ve traveled with Captain Tony at some point in the past, but I don’t recall specifics, so it was nice to “meet” him today. 

Ahi Poke Tuna

Grilled Filet of Sea Bass

Dairy-free dessert

Then it was back to the cabin where I (believe it or not) slept until 5pm. I think I am wearing down a little by this point in the season. Either that, or two hours of kayaking and two beach days have taken their toll. It’s kind of funny; we’ve talked with several couples this season who are cruising for seven, eight, ten months every year, which makes our seasons at sea look awfully unambitious. However, to a person they say they rarely get off the ship in ports, or, if they do, it’s just for a walkabout or lunch ashore. That’s what we’re doing wrong!  We can’t claim to cruise with the intensity of those people on board for a single cruise, but neither do most of our activities in ports place us among the truly most traveled. 

Since we were not at dinner last night, headwaiter Francesco planned my dinner for me: Blueberry soup made dairy-free, ceviche and roasted vegetables. It didn’t take him long to know what I like!  We arrived at the Princess Theater 45 minutes early for production show Fiera! The word is out, and people are arriving earlier and earlier to get seats, although the production shows are simulcast into Princess Live. But Fiera! is one show I can’t imagine seeing on screen. There is so much happening not only on stage but in the audience, too. 

Performers in the audience before the show begins

This show is so beautiful

The roller coaster simulation is quite realistic

We have a full and fun day planned tomorrow on Dravuni Island, Fiji, and we’re feeling ready for it after today’s relaxation. As for how we’ll get through the day after that... we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. At this point we’re taking things one day at a time. But those three sea days back to Sydney are looking really good right now. 

Day 7 Princess Patter, page 1

Day 7 Princess Patter, page 2

Day 7 Princess Patter, page 3

Day 7 Princess Patter, page 4