garyandpearl

Holland America has been in business for over 150 years and was the first cruise line to offer immigrants three meals a day along with more comfortable rooms and passenger areas! In fact, my grandparents were privileged to immigrate to Canada aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam in 1927 from their former home in Poland if my memory serves me correctly.

Our transatlantic crossing is going well, and we are over half way to Fort Lauderdale. The waves were 2.5 meters high yesterday, so there were a few queasy passengers, however today is smooth sailing!

This beautiful Holland America ship was built in 2019 and seems to be running very well! Our average speed is around 35 km per hour.

There are 2521 passengers from 32 countries ranging in age from three years old to 784 passengers over the age of 75. I love people-watching as we come in all colors and shapes and sizes! There are 1832 Americans and 510 Canadians on board for this section of our voyage.

Our day consists of trying to sleep late as we cross various time zones and enjoying breakfast followed by a soak in the thermal pool. I often go to water-colour painting class or origami class in the morning while Gary relaxes in his own way. Gary and I have both visited the ship’s beautiful library!

Lunch is served at the buffet on the 9th floor with food being served by staff to decrease the chance of sickness among passengers.

I enjoy fresh pineapple and other tropical fruit every day, and we often try various foods that we’ve never tasted before.

There are daily enrichment talks to teach us about various topics, and the activities staff provide many opportunities for fun including many types of trivia.

The spa and hair salon offer many services, and some people even use the gym or take various exercise classes! 😂

We usually try to fit in a second visit to the thermal suite in the afternoon to enjoy the hot pool, sauna, steam room, or heated loungers.

Afternoon tea in the dining room is also a highlight. 😊

Regarding music, Gary and I enjoy the classical strings trio, but there are also duelling pianists, solo guitarists, and two different bands which provide jazz, rock, country, or dance music.

Supper may be in the dining room or buffet depending on how we feel that night. Both serve very delicious food. We have met some very interesting passengers at shared tables, but we can also eat alone. (Date night!🥰)

Our room is quite small but has a window and everything that we need including life jackets in case of emergency. I enjoy sitting in the window-well to have my quiet time, but due to our recent high waves, our first floor window is salt -crusted, so my view is impeded.

After supper we often go to the theatre for an evening show: a performance by the ship’s singers and dancers (Holland America is known for its more modest costumes), guest musicians, comedians, illusionists, or various other entertainers.

Many of us head to our rooms after the show, but others take advantage of the live music until late. Food is offered from 6 am to midnight, and room service is available 24 hours a day.

There are about 1000 crew members which do a fantastic job of taking care of our daily needs. Today they made a zoo by the pool out of towels!

The ship has a medical unit that is equipped to handle emergencies if need be, but for the most part there are just coughs and colds going around.

Ship Wifi is pricey and sketchy at times, but it is a means of communication should someone need to get a hold of us on our voyage.

Tomorrow is American Thanksgiving, and then we arrive in Florida Saturday morning. We hope to arrive home on Sunday, weather permitting.

Yesterday I came across these Bible verses from the book of Job where God is answering Job after much jabbering from Job and his friends.

8“Who kept the sea inside its boundaries
    as it burst from the womb,
9 and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness?
¹⁰ For I locked it behind barred gates,
    limiting its shores.
¹¹ I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come.
    Here your proud waves must stop!’

Job 38:8-11 NLT

As I stare out at the seemingly endless ocean, I am reminded of the greatness of God and His love for you and me!

That’s a wrap for this 40 day trip. Thanks for following and may God bless you!

Pearl and Gary 😎