I awoke at 6:30 AM only to remember that it was really 5:30 AM as we set our clocks back an hour overnight in preparation for our arrival in Shanghai. We both headed to the gym for an hour before returning to prepare for the day. We headed to the main dining room for breakfast. For the last sea day, they were having a special of a Dutch breakfast with fried eggs, ham and gouda. It was fantastic.
After breakfast we returned to our stateroom where Janice decided it was time to begin packing. I decided that was a sign I should leave the stateroom. I wandered around the ship and stepped out to watch the rain at the seaview pool. There was quite the display of towel animals around the Lido pool
image001 1
image002 1
At 11 Janice headed to America’s Test Kitchen where he instructor shared that we had eaten all the jalapenos and so the stuffed pepper recipe would be made with Thai Chilis rather than jalapenos.
We had lunch in the lido with Janice getting a salad and a dive in burger and me hitting the Indian food in the distant lands. We had some down time and walking during the afternoon before spending some final time in the thermal suite. At 5 we headed to Sip and Savor which allowed us to touch base with some other s from earlier in the cruise before dinner in the Pinnacle.
Here are a few pictures from dinner.
image003 2
image004 1
image005 1
image006 1
image007 1
After dinner we headed back to our stateroom to pack and get ready for our trip home.
We were set to arrive in Kagoshima at 9 AM and tickets for immigration procedures would be available in the Ocean Bar. I got up at 6:00 and began an hour of walking around the Promenade at 6:30. I witnessed the sunrise and even a tug drop off the harbor pilot.
At 8:15 we headed to the Main dining room for breakfast and swung by to get our tickets for going ashore. This is the first day that it was warm enough for me to wear shorts ashore. We headed back to our cabin and by the time we got our cameras ready we were called in group 3. We had been given photocopies of our passports with a customs declaration. When ashore the HAL staff placed a sticker on the back and the immigration folks looked at the copy, scanned both index finger prints and then stamped the sticker and we were set. It was a quick trip through customs with random searches for produce.
Once in the terminal my plan was to use a money exchange machine to convert some Chinese currency for Japanese. There was a day pass good for all buses, trams and ferries that was 1200 Yen. Unfortunately the person at the front of the line for money exchange couldn’t figure out how to use the machine and we stood for nearly 20 minutes before he finally gave up. The next four of us were done in less than 6 minutes. Janice had been waiting in line for the transportation pass and we made the purchase left the terminal and took the ship transfer to the dolphin port. This was across the street from the heart of the Kagoshima and 2 blocks from the ferry terminal. During the day the ferries run every 10-15 minutes and so we caught the next one over to the island. A quick walk from the ferry terminal led us to the Island View bus terminal where we joined a long que for a 65 minute ride around the volcano with 3 brief stops.
image004
image005
image006
After the tour we hopped on the next ferry back to Kagoshima and began walking through the city center.
I had a goal of eating at a local place. There was of course, KFC, McDonalds, Starbucks and I think Dunkin Donuts. We found several restaurants that had machines that you ordered your meal from but they didn’t have pictures or any English. We finally found a ramen restaurant that served 1 thing Ramen with roast pork.
image007
image008
image009
You had an option of 2 sizes and they offered tea, iced water and beer. It was fantastic and we were the only foreigners there. After lunch we returned to the shuttle and returned to the ship. We shopped briefly in the terminal before boarding and spending time on the back deck.
We headed to dinner at 5:45 in the Main Dining Room. Saturday we have dinner in the Pinnacle so we planned to express our thanks to our waiter and assistant waiter as well as a gratuity for the great service. While we always leave the HSC in place, there are often those who make the vacation special and Arnel and Arnold did just that.
image010
image011
We headed back to catch some news before listening to set by BB Kings. It was the best set so far this cruise. We then returned for bed and the joy of getting the hour back we lost earlier in the cruise.
The day began a little bit later as I slept until 6. I headed up the lido for a cup of coffee to enjoy while waking up and getting ready for the day. At 6:30 I headed to the gym which was notably quitter as is typical on sea days and particularly later in the cruise. Janice slept in, though she is better about exercising later in the day that I. I returned around 7:40 to find that she was awake and we began getting ready for the day. We headed to the main dining room around 8:15 for breakfast and found it to be quite busy. They had advertised on the tables last night that they had a special breakfast “mixed grill” and we were intrigued by it. We ordered it and our waiter suggested an appetizer as it would take a while to make and so we ordered fruit plates. When the main came it was a larger breakfast than we normally eat but was fantastic. There was two sunny side eggs, a spicy sausage link, a lamb chop and a petite filet mignon.
We overheard another passenger comment that they must be trying to use some things up, but in talking with one of the managers they have been planning this for longer cruises with more sea days. Another special Dutch breakfast is planned for Saturday, our last sea day.
After breakfast we both read some and talked with other cruisers we met over the last week. Several commented on how few things there were to do, and I have to agree, that apart from attempts to sell things like jewelry, bingo and spa treatments there were not a lot of activities for a sea day. Janice attended the ATK at 11 which was packed but they only showed the 11 AM class when there are typically two on sea days. It turns out there was a second one, but it never made it to the When and Where or the online calendar. At noon there as a new voice providing our update from the bridge and we learned that Captain Vincent Smitt had completed his 3 month contract in Inchon and we had a new captain, but couldn’t make out his name over the noise around the Lido pool
We met for lunch at noon and then spent time in the afternoon walking around the promenade deck before some time in the pool. At 4:15 we had another meet and greet for cruise critic folks in the Gallery Bar. The ship provided reserved space and appetizers. We headed back to change before sip and savor and dinner in the main dining room. Dinner was the third and final Gala night with what others call the “gold” menu. It included the filet and lobster. Here a few pictures.
image002
image003
After dinner we headed to the room and watched “Blended.” The piano performance on the main stage didn’t sound appealing and this was a great way to end the day. Tomorrow is Kagoshima, Japan and we have already been given copes of our passports and another customs declaration. We are in port from 9-6 and everyone who wants to get off must clear customs and immigration before 11 AM.
kevinmaxey 