I’ve prevaricated about how to start this post (and what to write in it).  It has taken weeks of going back and forth, editing. I last wrote a post on the 15th of May, which seems an eon ago, while we were disembarking our Filipino crew; on that day we left to avoid an approaching typhoon and using the opportunity to make water and conduct Marine operations.  We returned to the anchorage on the 17th.

My journal for the 19th:- “Non-minimum operational manning, (MOM) disembarking in ‘dribs & drabs’, 17 so far and using the ‘Green Lane’ for non-Filipinos, straight to the airport under escort of Immigration.  Still waiting for swab results.  Sharing tenders for crew exchanges with the “Sea Princess”, “Majestic Princess” and “Ruby Princess”.  The “Queen Elizabeth”, after weeks of waiting disembarks  262. “Quantum of the Seas”arrived today, joining the “Ovation”.  My (possible) relief Jeroen (Schuchmann) has to change his visa, but he has had his Covid-19 test.

23rd  Out for Marine Ops yesterday p.m., back this morning.  Jeroen finally boarded, after protracted (weeks) of officialdom (and, no doubt $) assisted by some very able HAL officers in the Philippines and Seattle, he managed to board, straight into 14-days quarantine.  Thank God he was in the Philippines already and was able to do so. 

Much conversing in Seattle about this (quarantine) quandary no doubt, however the end result has been decided, Thomas will assume command on my departure and Jeroen will take over when quarantine complete.  Dare we think about flights?? 

Having left Fremantle on the 23rd March, we have plodded across the Indian Ocean, stayed off Durban from the 5th April to 10th, plodded back the way we had come, except towards the Malacca Straits this time , towards Batam; refused entry by Singapore (expletive) and waited off Port Klang instead and on the 24th, a 9-hour stop in port and off again.

The remainder of the ‘journey’ is covered by previous posts and so it was, on the on the 25th May, 63 days after leaving Fremantle Karen and I left the “Amsterdam” for the last time.

We had anticipated that we might fly from ‘wherever’ and had packed all our luggage and  8½ years-worth of accumulated ‘stuff’ which was in the cabin was boxed and, like yours, it was moved into ‘A” deck areas, in anticipation of managing to get it off ‘somewhere’ and where it was is closer to the Marshalling area, where it would have to go off eventually.  (We did this because we had crew to assist at the time, none of us didn’t fancied doing it with just officers at some later date 🙄 )

Flights being handled by our Australian brethren.  Karen I were to board a flight from Manila late at night, through the ‘Green Lane’, however plenty of time had to be allowed; the tender process, the Immigration process and the fact that the airport didn’t open until 8 p.m. and enormous queues could be anticipated.  1 p.m. was suggested as a good departure and Karen and I left the cabin, officers there to take our ‘flight’ luggage.  As a parting gesture, I left my Captain’s epaulettes on the desk for Thomas.  This was sent to me later that evening………  Jeez, he could have waited!  😆

Having taken the (1) elevator to ‘A’ deck, we were stunned to find officers and crew lining the alleyway and stairs, all wanting to say goodbye.  I was almost in tears, Karen was crying and, to hell with Social Distancing, there were lots of hugs.

Boarding the tender with Sarah Brightman and Andrea Botecelli singing “Time to Say Goodbye” blasting through the P.A.  (Methinks Bruce was responsible for that one), we let go the tender lines.  The decks were lined with crew, those in quarantine were on their balconies, all waving and shouting as we did a ‘circuit’, with Harry at the helm.  Whistles were blowing too.  It was heartrending however marvellous as well.  Normal ‘retirement’ procedure in Fort Lauderdale would have been a whistle blow and a chauffeured limo at the gangway.  What we experienced was far and above the best ‘send-off’ I could have wished for.

It wasn’t quite over though; every morning, the ships of the Carnival Group had a conference call with shore-based management and I had participated in many.  On my last, my superior in Seattle, Rik Krombeen, mentioned at the end of the call that this would be my last and I was leaving the next day and retiring.  On our way to the tender dock we passed HAL, Princess  and Cunard ships; they blew their whistles and officers waved from the Bridges as we passed. (I particularly liked the “Majestic” she played the “Love Boat” theme)!  By the time we reached the disembarkation pier, I was overcome with emotion.

Because of the delays at the airport we were royally entertained by UPL agency, given the use of their (air-conditioned) office until it was time to go for the flight.  Escorted by an immigration officer all the way, we checked in at the Korean Air desk and delighted to find we were booked 1st Class.

Our flight to Seoul was virtually empty, a long lay-over in Seoul airport, as big as Disneyland and absolutely deserted and then a flight to Chicago, also almost empty and thence to Orlando.

And so, dear readers, like you, I follow the journey of the “Amsterdam”, wondering how she is faring, how her officers and crew are and, hopefully, soon relieved after months over their contracts.  Who would have believed that this would be the finale, after leaving Fort Lauderdale this January?  Sold and soon to be the MS “Bolette”.  Certainly not me and I’m sure, you.  However there will be brighter times ahead and I read that 2022 is popular! 🙂

I don’t want to leave without sharing some of the wonderful memories we have shared, so here we go.

First though, I have never mentioned ‘Tender 9’ in the blog, I believe I can publish now, it is after all, all water under the Bridge now, (or not under the tender should I say :-))

Apart from the incident itself, I cherish a discussion with one of the guests on board the tender.  We assisted all guests who were willing to walk ashore, those ‘less able’ we invited to remain on board until we re-floated the tender.  An elderly gentleman approached the starboard door, where I was assisting, I was concerned as to his ability to walk across the reef and mentioned this to him; his reply?  “Sir, I have walked across a few reefs in my time, most of them under fire and with a rifle in my hand, this is a walk in the park compared with that”.  I helped him down and watched him walk across the reef, steady as a rock, he even overtook a few of the guests, I’ll never forget that one.

I lost a signet ring, which had been in my family for 4 generations and a nice bracelet.  Maybe I should go back with a metal detector? 😕

We had some wonderful times with the President’s visits.

South Africa

Ephesus

 

 

At Sea, February 2016

 

April 2018

Wonderful dinners

Way back, in 2009, I attended a Senior Management course, an annual event, where senior Officers and Senior management met for 3 days or so in a hotel.  At the end of it, during a ‘cheese and wine’ finale, I approached my then Nautical Director and mentioned to him that, before I retired, I would like to do a Grand World voyage.  At the time I commanded then then newest ship in the fleet,.  Later I moved to the “Nieuw Amsterdam” and had hardly got ‘my feet under the desk’, when I received an email to call my ND.  The conversation was short; “Jonathan, we’re taking you off”.  I immediately assumed that something was amiss, ‘what the hell have I done?’  He then went on to add that I was to take 4 weeks leave and join the “Amsterdam” on her Grand World voyage.  After the shock, it sunk in, my God, this is the ultimate, me, on the Grand World voyage, (and not ready to retire) 🙂

I joined as a ‘Newbie’, little did I know, the dinners, (eating my way around the World :-), the politics amongst the guests, who-is-who, ‘this is that’, ‘this is it how it works’…….endless matters, Good Lord, what have I walked in to? 😕 .  I soon learned ‘the ropes’ and what followed over the years was both fulfilling, exciting and testing.  Without doubt it was the culmination of my career, never, in my wildest dreams, would I, as an ‘apprentice’, ever dream that I would have the responsibility to take a magnificent Cruise ship around the World, not once, but 8½ ( 🙂 ) times. It was a privilege, one which I will treasure, always.

Although I am now relegated to Facebook (don’t post often, however ‘watch’ a great deal) and WhatsApp to catch up with events, I will never rest easy until the Cruise Industry returns to its former self.  I worry about what lies with the  future of the wonderful Officers and crew I have sailed with and the Company I worked for.  I was instilled with a sense of loyalty as a young man and it has proven itself.  HAL was and is a great company, they have looked after me in illness and health, I owe them a great deal.

On a lighter note, as you know, I love photography, I have an external hard-drive which is full of memories.  Most, however not all of the following were taken on the Grand World Voyages, however I also travelled to Alaska and Europe of course.  So, this is a compilation of my favourite photos, taken over the years. I’m sure you will recognise many wonderful port calls and personalities.   You can become whimsical, sigh and tell the better-half “do you remember”?  I had a really difficult time choosing these, I could have chosen so many.

Stay safe, stay well, my sailing companions, enjoy your cruising, when it returns (and it will, with a vengeance).  I will look forward to your posts and travel photos from  a distance, unfortunately.

I may occasionally post, however this will be the last which involves the Grand World voyage.  Please keep in touch, you’re always there in mind, if not body.