GLOBAL ODYSSEY 2010 BLOG #19: THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

Sometimes you struggle with the idea of optional shore excursions. The “Cuzco, Machu Picchu Overland Adventure” was one such. Who wouldn’t want to go to Machu Picchu, Hiram Bingham’s “Lost City of the Incas”? We sure liked the idea. Against that was the price - a cup of coffee under $10,000. That's a pretty expensive expedition! You could probably fly down from the States for not too much more on a guided tour. Plus, do you really want to shoehorn the experience into four nights and three days? Weighing against that is the looming question, “Will I ever get back? Is this my only opportunity?”

Romance, finance, and “will I have the chance?” are all factors in determining what to do on a cruise like this – while some people enjoy the ship as a floating biosphere from which to look out passively on ever-changing scenery (face it, even when you’re anchored, the waves change and the clouds scud by in the sky), for others it’s a jumping-off place for adventure – like Mr. Fredricksen’s house in “Up!” (no nasty comparisons now!) .

We made the calculation for Machu Picchu, just as we did for a number of other potential excursions, and on this occasion both voted thumbs down. There’s just too much in inland Peru to hope you’ll be able to see it in the available time, plus your chances of being able to get on a tour or go by yourself are pretty good.

Now we see on the news – and have read snippets in the ship’s paper – about the devastating floods which have stranded 100’s of tourists despite Peruvian rescue efforts. Yes, it would have been an experience, but not one that we would have consciously sought out. The people from our boat who made the trek returned – some transformed, some unaffected, one or two who went,” but failed to achieve their goal because of altitude sickness. Now that’s something we should have thought of, but didn’t. We’re both glad and jealous that we didn’t go, but we’re looking forward to the opportunity to benefit from others comments and mistakes and make the plunge ourselves, better prepared, on another occasion.

Perhaps you know what we’re talking about?

GLOBAL ODYSSEY 2010 BLOG #18: ARICA ARRIVAL

It’s not surprising that Arica seems a cross between Peru and Chile – the region was a spoil in the 19th century War of the Pacific in which Chile defeated the combined forces of Peru and Bolivia (and occupied Lima for four years for good measure!).

The town is a dusty spit of green by the sea, with the hills of the Atacama Desert behind, where it hasn’t rained for thousands of years. “Arica Highlights” didn’t seem like quite the way to spend our day; “Off the Beaten Track: Codpa Village” did offer a “medicine man,” who could “read the future,” but struck us both as a bit “folk-lorical” despite the countryside that we might have seen. Anyway, on this odyssey we want surprises!

This left “Man & the Desert,” a tour which combined a bit of sight-seeing in Arica with visits to the geoglyphs of the Aza Valley, the San Miguel Archeological Museum, and the “Presencias Tutelares.” And at the start, everything was just fine sort of. We say “sort of,” because our bus although modern enough was of the “no va” variety. We spent fifteen or twenty minutes standing on the pier which wasn’t too bad as we were able to improve our seating position. Always look for big windows to improve pictures on-the-go.

Our first stop was Arica’s Iglesias San Marcos, an Eiffel-designed church. (Yes, that Eiffel!) We had about thirty minutes, which was about right for seeing the building and the market in front. Despite guidebook warnings, we had no problems with the guano-supposed dropped by the yeco birds, which nest in the boulevard’s palm trees, but reading the guides had not prepared us for what was in store!

“Be back at the bus at 9:45 sharp!” the tour guide had said. We ALL were. He was. But the bus driver, now immortalized as “El Tardo” was not. Twenty-five to thirty minutes were spent waiting! (Apparently, he had gone to the bank.) He was a fill-in, and the guide announced to applause that he would not be returning to work!

Next stop was the Azapa Valley geoglyphs, sort of younger cousins of the Nazca Lines. These hill figures are allegedly related to the llama pack trains, which traversed these mountains – unfortunately, after Peru – they failed to impress. The Museum Archeological San Miguel de Azapa was a bit better – we didn’t expect the depth of Lima’s National Museum, but the exhibits, particularly of ancient weaving, were quite interesting and they had some examples of mummies antedating the pharaohs (the preparation process was different as well) and a collection of rock art salvaged from the valley. Most of the available books were, not surprisingly, in Spanish, and at least one Sam picked was totally miss-bound (check before you buy!).

Finally, there were the Presencias Tutelares in the desert just off the Pan-American Highway. On the way, we passed several interesting roadside shrines to individuals, who had been killed, the so-called “animita” (“little wandering souls”). At least one of these had a “vanishing hitch-hiker” tradition attached to it. The Presencias may be nice if you like modern sculpture, but they also had a group of high-school dancers and a band to “spice up the experience.” The band was not bad. The dancers – well let’s just say they didn’t go particularly well with the desert. Ironically, it’s the Atacama itself that’s most impressive – a former sea with fossilized pieces of coral. No animals, no plants, just the rock, the dust, and a few roving dust devils. You can squint your eyes and forget the statues, the band, and the sequined dancers. And that, folks, made the price of admission worthwhile alone – the desert has to be experienced to be believed and is the one thing we saw that would bring us back ….

GLOBAL ODYSSEY 2010 BLOG #17: PYRAMIDS & PASOS – FURTHER ADVENTURES IN LIMA

While we had to cancel yesterday’s organized tour of Puruchuco and Hualla Huacamara – two archeological ruins in the Lima region – we actually hit the former site and visited Hualla Pucllana, another pyramid site under excavation on our own with a car and driver. While more expensive than the tour, this was substantially cheaper by a about a factor of four than the price of the cruise ship for a half day of private touring. But Holland America guarantees that if you rent through them, they will not leave you behind, or will help you catch up to the ship without charge. Since we were in Callao two days, and since this was not an independent cowboy outfit, we opted for the less expensive method and were not disappointed.

So why bother seeing one or two more pyramids? Well, why bother seeing another painting? Besides, if we hadn’t gone, we would have missed the fire near Huaca Pucllana, which seemed like a latter-day Inca sacrifice, nor would we have seen any of the hairless dogs for which the region is famous, or Peruvian guinea pigs (such a popular local dish, that one 17th century painting of the Last Supper shows guinea pig being served) ….

But today started off with a visit to the National Museum of Anthropology, Archeology, & History of Peru, which like the British Museum, allows non-flash photography. These ceramics are amazing and we could have easily have spent twice the time. Interestingly enough, for those who love/hate Norfolk’s decorated mermaids (or whatever generic sculptures your town specializes in) in Lima it’s cows.

Next on the list was Pachacamac, a pre-Inca and Inca site outside the city. Aridness surrounded by a sea of green. Part of the site, particularly the Palazzo de las Mamacuna – has
been restored, but what is truly impressive is its scope, with sun-dried bricks (fortunately it rained very infrequently), the incoming “boulevard” which led to this miraculous center and the slightly sunken pits left by looters (at least one stone-lipped guard still patrols the site with a rifle).

The surprise of the trip was our visit to Hacienda Mamacona, a hacienda where the Peruvian Paso (or pacing horses) are bred. The owner of this ranch pulled off the difficult feat of mixing a commercial enterprise with what seemed like genuine hospitality – the entertainment while a bit folk-lorical – was not over the top, and the horses were the stars of the show! We not only caught a “horse show,” but Mary even got a ride on the smooth-walking Peruvian horse. By the time the buses headed back to Callao, we felt that we had been both entertained and educated. (Apparently, the “candlelight dinner at Casa Solera Aliega” the previous night pulled things off in a similar manner.) Passing through Miraflores, we were glad that we hadn’t joined the thousands at the beach! Sam’s only regret was “small potatoes” – he left Peru without tasting any of the spectacular local varieties with their unique colors and shape.

GLOBAL ODYSSEY 2010 BLOG #16: SWIMMING WITH SEA LIONS (WELL, WATCHING OTHERS SWIM)

Callao looks like a bit of a dump when you arrive. Not that they don’t have a first-rate port – it’s expanding and we saw huge cranes being offloaded from a Chinese vessel. But beyond the port gates, this entryway to Lima is not impressive.

Perhaps that’s part of the reason our first tour in Peru blew us away. We are here two days and have an archeological tour scheduled for tomorrow. We had one for today too, only we had to cancel it or our morning choice when we were told that departure times had been changed and that the two would now overlap. Ironically, Mary was the one that wanted to do the “Archeological Day in Lima,” while Sam was keen on taking “’Wild-Life Lovers’ Paradise,” the morning tour which visited San Lorenzo and the Palomino Islands. Because that still left open the possibility of doing something ourselves in the afternoon (with no worry of the Ship departing if we were late), that’s what we did.

About two boatloads of visitors chose this option, which involved a short bus ride to a marina, where we embarked in launches. We then motored out, past a former US WW II submarine, which had seen subsequent service in the Peruvian Navy, and the Antarctic research ship Humboldt, and an overturned vessel on which intermittent salvage was still taking place.

Straight ahead lay the bulk of San Lorenzo Island, formerly the haunt of pirates (Dutch buccaneer, Jacob, the Hermit, is buried here), but today the location of a Peruvian Naval Facility and a house occasionally used by the President. As we rounded the edge of this island – the largest in Peru, there was an increased chop to the wave. Apparently, handouts to the bird life used to be available, but too many passengers got seasick (the advice for those feeling queasy is to “look out towards the horizon,” though no one onboard seemed to have any trouble). This is where the real richness of the trip began to be apparent – the seabirds (including Humboldt penguins!) found on the rocky Calvinas, which the boats came amazingly close to. It was one thing for our vessels to cut the distance this fine, but our hats to the Peruvian fishermen who operated these turbulent waters in even smaller craft. The area is also a major exporter of guano – the sea bird fertilizer immortalized in Ian Fleming’s DR. NO. Palomino Island is the home of some 10,000 sea lions – and we saw most of them – sunning themselves, swimming gracefully, and snaking their heads above the water to eye us curiously. Have you ever been in a theater with a thousand growling stomachs? Well, it sounds something like that – there has to be a special region in Dante’s Inferno populated by these creatures!

Our guide gave us the opportunity to “swim with the sea lions,” which a few hearty souls took advantage of. Basically you have to be ready in advance, as there’s no place to change on the boat. This would have a great experience, but having seen the reaction of cameras to salt of the Dead Sea, we thought it more important to keep ours in working order. Maybe next time?

Our trip then finished by passing Elfronton (Island of the Dead). Appropriately named, as it operated as a prison, having held everyone from a former president (he allegedly escaped by swimming to a waiting boat) to revolutionaries from the Tupac Amaru and Shining Path small movements, whose prison riot was bloodily suppressed. Today, there are only empty ruins – and plenty of seabirds!

A cautionary note – none of our three Peruvian guidebooks mentioned this tour and two of them don’t even cover the islands. When you go on a trip like this, prepare to be surprised!

GLOBAL ODYSSEY 2010 BLOG #15: HOLLAND AMERICA GRAND WORLD VOYAGES

With a day at sea, and a bit worn out on the food side, we’d like to say something about the recent composition of the Line’s Grand World Voyages – not an exhaustive survey, but a sort of summary of the past five years, the current trip, and what’s already being planned. That way, if you have any interest in trying yourself, you won’t have to start from scratch.

First, the trip’s always start at the same time of year – early to late January, although more recently there’s been emphasis on the earlier dates. This is good insofar as you get away for the cold winter months, but Christmas or other plans need to be factored in, as they have the potential of disrupting your preparations. The Holland America vessels employed tend to vary, but have included the Prisendam (2005-06), the Amsterdam (2007-08, 2010-11), and the Rotterdam (2009). Information on 2011 is currently available, which suggests if you really want to plan ahead, you can have at least a year to do so.

While Los Angeles was the port of embarkation in 2005, all the other recent trips have departed from Fort Lauderdale. In some cases, a complete circuit is made; in others, you are dropped on the west coast – usually in Seattle or Los Angeles. (East Coast passengers may also be able to disembark in New York.) All trips tend to end sometime in late April, having a general duration of slightly over 100 days, or a bit more than three months.

The only major rule on ports is that nothing remains stationary. In order to encourage repeat business, the Line varies its itinerary, and when possible throws in new ports of call. This year, for example, the Amsterdam is paying a maiden call to Isla Robinson Crusoe, Chile, while next year will feature first-time stops in Oban, New Zealand and Palau. If one itinerary doesn’t seem attractive, wait a year and something else will pop up.

We were particularly taken by the opportunity to round both Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope, as well as transiting the Panama Canal. Next year, the Amsterdam will miss both of the Capes, but will add the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean. Over the years, there have been other changes in emphasis.

In 2005, for example, the Prinsendam made stops in Hawaii, Kiribati, Western Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, the Seychelles, Mauritius, Reunion, South Africa, Namibia, St. Helena, Ascension Island, Brazil, Barbados, and the Bahamas.

2006 saw visits to Barbados, Devil’s Island, multiple stops in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, South Africa, Madagascar, the Comoros, Tanzania, Kenya, the Seychelles, India, Oman, the Suez Canal, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Malta, Italy, France, Spain, and Madeira.

The Amsterdam's 2007 Cruise did the Panama Canal before stopping in Ecuador, Peru, Easter Island, Tahiti, American Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, Australia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Dubai, Oman, the Suez Canal and Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Monaco, Spain, Gibraltar, and Portugal.

The following year it was the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, a transit of the Panama Canal and Panama, the Marquesas, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Oman, Egypt, and the Suez Canal, Turkey, Russia, the Ukraine, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Malta, Gibraltar, Portugal and Madeira, and __ (Ireland Isle).

Last year, the Rotterdam hit Columbia, the Panama Canal, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Los Angeles and Hawaii, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Australia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Shanghai, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, India, Dubai, Oman, the Seychelles, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia, St. Helena, Ascension, Devil’s Island, Trinidad, Barbados, and St. Bartholomew.

This year we’re going where we’re going – follow this blog and you’ll eventually find out! In 2011, however, the Amsterdam hits Grand Cayman, Costa Rica, transits the Panama Canal, stops in Ecuador, Peru, Easter Island, Tahiti, Bora Bora, the Cook Islands, Niue, makes multiple stops in New Zealand and Australia and touches at Papua, New Guinea, Palau, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, India, Dubai, Oman, Jordan, the Suez Canal, and Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain and Madeira!

There’s no dull moment, even for repeat cruisers, and if you don’t like the itinerary one year, just wait until the next comes around!

GLOBAL ODYSSEY 2010 BLOG #14: GRAND VOYAGE DINNER

You’d think with all we’d said about food that none of the meals would stand out particularly. We’d have agreed until we came to the Grand Voyage Dinner. And it wasn’t until we showed up that we realized how really special this was.

That’s because the daily program got confusing. The Dinner occurred on the same day as the formal Black and White Dinner and Ball, an occasion for which they’d been decorating the La Fontaine Dining Room since early that morning. When we got an invitation from the Captain for the same night, we figured – well – more of the same. It, mind you, said something about meeting at the Rembrandt Lounge for drinks, but the two appeared to be compatible, and we were supposed to “reject” (and you think twice about “rejecting” the Captain, a person who, to some extent, has life and death power outside the territorial seas!)

The one problem was that the times were different – when Mary checked with the Front Desk about an hour before, it turned out that yes, the Grand Voyage Dinner was different. Giving a few guests (others would eventually have their chance) the opportunity to dine with the Ship’s officers. And the meal was to be held at the Pinnacle Grille, which is to the La Fontaine as the La Fontaine is to the Lido Restaurant.

We started out at the Rembrandt Lounge, and had just found an interesting couple from Ohio when dinner was called and we were taken to our assigned table at the Pinnacle Grille. We were seated with Dr. McConnell (and his wife), the Amsterdam’s doctor. Why? I guess they didn’t realize that the “Dr. Menefee” of the passenger list was a lawyer. The McConnell’s are from British Columbia. He has been with the Line for a number of voyages, and we have to say they were first-rate hosts and fascinating dinner partners. He is someone who really cares about his calling and had lots of insight about the Ship.

Menu? Well, we can give the details, but it doesn’t half convey the way things were cooked or the presentation. Think top restaurant you’ve ever been to (without the check at the end!). We started with “Pickled Lamb Salad,” moved on to “Beef Consommé Henri IV,” who I believe was the one who said that ‘Paris was worth a Mass’), “Peppered Tuna Loin,” “Medium Seared Beef Tenderloin,” and the “Grand Finale Dessert Surprise.” (This last was a collection of Petit Fouand Friandises.) The meal was complemented by California and Washington wines and finished off with a coffee. Although unexpected, this was one of the nicest experiences we have had aboard. We even had a chance to “cut the rug” at the Black and White Ball for a dance or two before we retired to our cabin! Mary feels that the treadmill is a necessity after the wonderful dinner.

GLOBAL ODYSSEY 2010 BLOG #13: SOMETHING’S COOKING!

The first thing you learn about life aboard Ship is that the days aren't endless and indeed there is not enough time to do half of what you’d like to do. On this particular day at sea, Sam made room for a tour of the kitchens to see what’s really behind all the production in the La Fontaine Dining Room and Lido Restaurant. It turns out – quite a bit!

How many ways can you fold a napkin? (Mary missed the seminar on that so we’ll never know.) We can think of two or three …. Well, Holland America has many more – and a name for each. They not only have training facilities for the crew in Indonesia and the Philippines, but apparently onboard classes with pop quizzes about food to make sure their wait staff can answer most passenger questions. The service staff aboard the Amsterdam consists of no less than 115 individuals, including 36 Dining Room Stewards, 28 Assistants, and nine Wine Stewards! (This is slightly greater who staff the kitchen.) Think of it, over 200 people dealing with food ALONE aboard the vessel.

Separate dishwashers handle china and glass, and garbage is sorted into separate color-coded bins – all this by 21 General Purpose Attendants. This team also deals with pot washing and with the general cleanliness of the galley, which almost looks like you could eat off the floor on our visit. If you are used to the general sloppy state of American dining, you will not fail to be impressed by the Amsterdam's kitchens!

All this is done handling almost incredible quantities of food – in the case of an average week, over 18,000 eggs are consumed, 1,175 pounds of butter and margarine, 12,500 pounds of fresh vegetables, 8,500 of meat (and 200 gallons of ice cream)! Those aren’t small potatoes.

A “Saladier” is in charge of salad preparations in the Cold Kitchen. Sam had never heard of the term, which sounds like something out of a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta, but apparently you call ‘em. The Pastry Shop has a chef and six assistants – when we passed through, they were “rolling in dough” – at least up to their elbows! They take care of everything from bread and rolls to much more elaborate preparations for the Dessert Extravaganza or the Royal Dutch High Tea.

And that’s not even to mention the “Poissonier,” “Saucier,” or “Soup Cook,” each responsible for their own specialty. (Soups, by-the-by, are made in 80 gallon pans.) A team of chefs works each steam table, making the meals, and presenting the dishes which your stewards bring out into the Dining Room to your table. Perhaps it can be Hell’s Kitchen, but on the afternoon we visited, things were as clean as crisp as an exercise at a military review, and food stuffs well away from tempted fingers!

In short, the kitchens are as organized as an army to supply passengers and crew with their next “marching rations.” Even seen it largely “at ease” provided a wonderful insight into what helps the Amsterdam tick. “Can I have an ice cream now?” (“Could you make that two …?”).

GLOBAL ODYSSEY 2010 BLOG #12: MANTA, ECUADOR

Sam has to say that Ecuador is one of his favorite stops to date! What’s not to like about a country where not just children, but road workers and passersby stop and WAVE at your bus!

We had a couple choices about what to do on our day in port, but they narrowed themselves down nicely. First there was “Hemisphere Crossing & Quito World Heritage Site,” We had alreadycrossed the Equator (and received the certificate to prove it, although King Neptune’s visit was postponed) and hope to visit Quito someday as part of a trip to the Galapagos, so at almost a $1000 a pop, this was too pricey. On the other hand, “Fine Panama Hats” and “Manta & Montecristi” were both tours which dealt with Panama hats (a major product of Ecuador – they were apparently used in Panama during construction of the Canal, which is where they acquired their name). These seemed a bit too sponsored. We settled for the “Machalilla” tour, visiting that National Park, and got a stop to watch work on hats anyway.

Speaking of this, it’s hard to come away without one (unless you let a wind blow it overboard, which happened to one lady on the ship). Prices vary according to weave – tightly woven hats take much more time to produce. But stopping to see the early stages of production in which fibers for the finished product are cooked and separated is a real eye-opener and offers some wonderful photographs. (Figure a cheap hat will run you about $20 and a fine one about three times as much, although you can bargain a bit!) One of the things which most impressed Mary was the change in ecology based on altitude – this can range from anywhere from lush jungle to arid desert, but was more at the desert end of the scale when we were there.

Machalilla National Park is a little bit of everything. Ecuador’s only coastal park, it boasts archeology (a quite impressive small museum), plenty of spectacular scenery, and a resident local population, many of whom are involved in helping in the park. A short nature walk offered everything from lessons in local husbandry to an exotic bird or two, to (Sam’s favorite) very small dung beetles, who just like the scarabs, rolled small balls of you-know-what around. You have to look close to see them though. We stopped at Mantaraya Lodge for a set buffet – good local fish and apparently the price of accommodation is about $50 a night (and we mean $50 – Ecuador uses the US dollar as their currency – prices apparently went up when this was instituted, but it has provided a measure of economic stability and things are still inexpensive by US standards).

Finally, there was time for a walk on the beach opposite Isle de la Plata, where Drake’s men allegedly divided Spanish loot. A beautiful location – you can even find chunks of Ecuador’s only coral reef washed up on the sand. Seeing slices of Ecuadoran life, in the kapok trees, the houses painted in “election colors” (something neither sympathizers of McCain or Obama appeared to have tried state-side), to the ebb and flow of everyday life on the side of the road. It’s a beautiful country with surprises around every corner, and we didn’t even make it up to the mountains!

GLOBAL ODYSSEY 2010 BLOG #11: A FEW MORE POINTS ABOUT SHIPBOARD LIFE

OK, as we charge down the western coast of South America, let’s take a bit of time to say something more about the Amsterdam. It really IS a good idea to preplan what you are taking and not assume you’ll be able to buy anything you need onboard – there are several shops, but the selection available is a contrast of some of the smartest and some of the dumbest marketing we’ve ever seen. Take the Logo Shop. This usually handles ship and line themed items, and is a bit like the shop at a good resort hotel. Of course, you never know how much of anything they’ll have, so the best thing is to buy early. Score one for the Line. Jackets, sweaters, and hoodies, shirts, a lot of the items are exactly what you would expect, classic and understated. Someone, however, has made the decision to push a series of goods dealing with “the whole dam line.” OK, it’s mildly clever and you could see a t-shirt or two perhaps, but the emphasis Holland America gives it is a lot like Cracker Barrel’s breakfast “coming right up …” campaign. We supposed it is better than “Holland America, not yet underwater,” but still leaves a bit to be desired. We are told that the goods will change during the voyage, but seeing is believing.

The Liquor Shop is much, much worse, if you understand that it includes the necessaries you’d buy in a corner store. You’d think they might have a guidebook or two for sale since they stock paperbacks, particularly right before we hit the appropriate port? You’d be wrong! There’s something like fifteen novels, sunscreen, batteries, cigarettes, alcohol, etc. etc. It’s like a motel convenience store on steroids.

If you want to buy high-end jewelry, however, then the Amsterdam can help you. It’s not our style – indeed this trip was in lieu of a “rock.” Mary does confess that she sat through an emerald lecture to be entered in the following draw – they didn’t make a sale and she didn’t win the stone. The people doing the offerings rotate on and off (H. Stern, for example, who deal with South American gemstones, will have their representative leave the ship by Argentina, we assume to get ready for someone specializing in diamonds or other African stones).

There’s also an art gallery (but realistic views of nature are not its strong point) as well as a photography studio. This is probably the most useful of all the shops, the photographers are quite helpful and have a number of packages for sale covering different groups of pictures – the final selection can be made at the end of the voyage. We believe they’re betting correctly – that at that point most people won’t want to leave any of the views behind. One of the photographers even filmed our progress through the Panama Canal from a helicopter as part of a series of DVD offerings.

Of equal value, but not directly selling anything is the digital lab aboard run by Microsoft. Jeff, the tech, not only holds daily classes while at sea, but also has “office hours.” During which, he will answer any difficult questions. We spoke to him, for example, about reducing and sending the photographs with which some of these postings are illustrated.

So there you have it – ranging from the useful and essential to the – well not so much. As your ship ID card is equivalent to plastic, you have to watch out and curb those urges to spend! There are plenty of opportunities in each port!