Hong Kong

Thursday March 15, 2018

 

Soon after boarding a new ship, a smart sailor makes sure he/she knows how to 1). Find his bunk and 2) Find the chow hall.  In this process one picks up subtle changes here and there, especially if it is a ship of the same class that he/she has sailed on previously. 

 

Since we have not sailed on the Volendam before here are a couple of those changes that were not so subtle.

 

 

Additions to carpeting sections near the three elevators on deck 1

 

In order to encourage guests to practice sanitary measures, these have been installed on both port and starboard sides forward of the mid ships elevators in the Lido dining room.

 

 

This ship is in fine condition in spite of “miles sailed” and it is obviously why in the attitude of her crew. One telling mark of good and prideful seamanship is pictured here:

 

Though our visit to this grand old city and territories it has not been without one colossal  frustration. The “new” cruise terminal which now occupies the real estate that was once the site of the infamous Hong Kong Kai Tak airport. I have included a picture from deck nine of the Volendam. This terminal was built for a cost of 1 billion US, and according to our tour guide the grand and gleaming “white Elephant” is not returning the income that was anticipated. Right off the top of my heard I can thing of two reasons …. it is located five miles from the “preferred” Ocean Terminal in the heart of Kowloon, with its view of Hong Kong across the harbor ….. and the distance that one has to “hoof it” from its front embarkation door to the cruise ship quarter deck!  For instance, yesterday Barbara and I took an excursion into the city. When I checked my iPhone to see how many “miles” we walked that day it was said we logged 4.9 miles.  Now some of those 11K steps happened on the ship but I would estimate that 3/4 of that exercise data was from the distance we had to walk through the terminal to the tour bus – round trip. This by far and away the WORST cruise terminal we have encountered in our soon to be 500 days of cruising!!!

 

Our shore excursion today was entitled “Off the Beaten Track: A day in the life of Hong Kong” including a visit to the Museum of History, the Taoist “Wong Tai Sin” Temple and a peaceful stroll through the Kowloon Walled City Park. A couple of photos:

 

Next: Our visit to Manila, Philippines 

 

 

Jack W Cummings Far East Adventure 2018