February 21st - Fred's Birthday at Sea

Today Fred turned 74 and we celebrated by going to the specialty restaurant on board, The Verandah.  It’s set up like an American steakhouse where they come around with cuts of meat for you to choose from.  They describe each one and how they recommend you have it cooked.  After you make your selection, they come around with a tray full of sharp knives to choose from.  They had different styles and handles with some designed for the ‘ladies’ while others for men, but of course you can choose which ever one you like.  Here’s Fred awaiting dinner.

After dinner we usually take a walk around the deck and then go to the show.  Last night we did the opposite.  It was a little early when I took this picture but the theater was full by the time the show started.  Last night it was a comedian/musician from Texas who is now an Australian citizen.  I’m not sure everyone got the jokes.  A couple of Americans behind us laughed through the whole show but the Brits sitting beside us did not.  It’s a tough thing to make everyone happy.  After the show we took a stroll around the deck, I was surprised so many others were out there too.

As I mentioned before, our last port stop, Fremantle, was the replacement for Hong Kong (then Singapore).  A number of people opted out of the trip altogether so that left Cunard with a lot of empty cabins especially between Fremantle and Sydney, where the next official segment begins.  They remedied this by offering extremely low rates to those willing to do the 17-day trip from Fremantle to Sydney.  Great for them, but what about those folks who already paid full fare to do the same segment (albeit from HK originally)?  Apparently, there are some unhappy people on board!

Yesterday, we talked to one of the Aussies who took up the offer from Cunard.  She and her husband were on a camping trip when they got the email and immediately stopped their trip, came home to East Fremantle and signed up.  We didn’t ask how much but it must have been VERY good.  The Aussies who got the great fare have been talking about it all over the ship.

There’s a website called Cruise Critic that serves as a forum for people looking for information about cruises and also offers opportunities for folks to come together ‘virtually’ before beginning their trip and exchange information.  There was a ‘roll call’ for this voyage in place a year in advance of our leaving.  Those folks get together periodically on the ship and the ship has allowed them to set up a message board near the internet center.  I thought that was pretty nice, the ship didn’t have to do it. 

Well…. yesterday we went by the board and saw a large, computer printed letter to everyone that said in part ‘the only subject for their next get together should be about getting adequate compensation’ to make up for the sale prices given to the mainly Australian customers.  It went on to talk about filing claims, etc. 

Have you ever seen a typewritten note and knew it was ‘written’ in anger?  It wasn’t signed and since it was typewritten you couldn’t tell the handwriting.  The note was not on the board today.  Who knows who removed it?  We’ll have to keep our ears to the ground!😵

The Aussie lady we spoke to said they were supposed to come aboard on Tuesday but her husband had a small fever so they were sent away and told to come back Wednesday, if he was alright, they would be allowed on the ship.  Apparently, the fever went down because they are on board.

Cunard regularly puts on speakers who talk on a wide range of topics, most of them are pretty interesting and we attend a lot of them.  Yesterday a retired Australian General and former Governor-General of Australia spoke.  The ‘governor-general’ position is appointed and I think it’s largely ceremonial. I know Canada has one too but I’m not sure of their exact duties.  In any case the Prime Minister has the real power.

He spoke on Australia’s relationship with nearby countries and with China, the U.S. and Russia.  It was interesting especially when he talked about being a firm US ally but that didn’t mean being in lock step with us at all times.  They have to maintain good relations with China because they ‘live’ in the Asian world down here. 

As an aside he mentioned there were about 850 on board from the UK, 650 from Australia and 425 from the US.  There are lots of other nationalities on board too but he didn’t want to go through the list.  We’ll be watching out for his future talks.

This is a picture of our cruise calendar.  Our travel agent provides this to hang in our room and keep track of all the stops.  It’s usually very helpful, not so much this time, lots of cross outs and some add ons.  The note on the 29^th says Yorkey’s Knob…that’s a place.

Monday we’ll be in Darwin and we’ve already been warned there is a tropical depression in the area that might kick up the wind on our arrival day.  Wind and a huge ship trying to maneuver in a harbor is not a good mix.  Hopefully we’ll be able to get in okay.