2017 Grand Asia Pacific Monday, December 4 – Drav Uni Island, Fiji

We woke up at 7:30 and it was 75 degrees under cloudy skies with scattered showers in the forecast.  We ordered coffee and dressed while I updated the blog.  We went to breakfast at 8:30 and ate on the aft deck.  We went to the medical center at 9:15 and were told the best option would be to arrange our flight home with Christel in the Guest Relations office.  We went down to talk with her and she said out shipped bags would remain onboard in the cabin until the ship reached San Diego and then shipped home.  We worked out a few more questions and she is making flight arrangements from Pago Pago, American Samoa.  We returned to the aft deck at 11:15 and the ship arrived at Drav Uni Island at 11:45.  Glenda had a slice of pizza to take her noon meds and we read until 3 when we went to the cabin.  She took a nap while I watched Seattle vx Philadelphia.  Before dinner, we went to the Crow's Nest and watched a beautiful sunset.  After dinner, we went to the casino and lost again.  We got back to the cabin at 10.

2017 Grand Asia Pacific Sunday, December 3 – At Sea

We got up at 8:20 after holding onto the bed most of the night due to the ship's rolling.  It was 70 degrees under overcast skies and rolling seas due to the high wind of 36 knots.  We ordered coffee and dressed while I updated the blog.  We went to breakfast at 9:25.  We went to the medical center at 10:30 for Glenda's cough and we were there until 12.  She got a lot of meds and a chest x-ray.  She has to go back tomorrow morning.  We went back to the aft deck until 2 when we went to the Sports Bar to see if there was a football game on, but they had a basketball game with loss of signal and freezing, so we went to the casino and played slots for an hour.  I won $10.25 and Glenda lost $9.  Glenda bought a pendant and earrings at the store and we went to the Queen's Lounge to watch the dance lessons for the Caribbean Calypso until time for bingo where we both got close, but did not win.  Before dinner, we went to the Crow's Nest and later after we got to the dining room, Glenda had lost one of her new earrings.  I went back up to the Crow's Nest and traced our way back down but did not fine it.  After I got back, I had her check in her bra and there it was.  It had fallen off when she removed her coat earlier.  After dinner, we went to the casino and lost quite a bit between us.  Mostly me.  We got to the cabin at 10.

2017 Grand Asia Pacific Saturday, December 2 – At Sea

We got up at 8:25 and it was 64 degrees under cloudy skies with unsettled seas and high winds.  We ordered coffee and dressed for the weather.  I updated the blog and we went to breakfast at 9:30 and ate on the aft deck.  I worked the crossword and we read.  The sun  came out for a while but at 12:30, it became foggy and rained for about 30 minutes.  We had ice cream and cookies at 1:30.  Then the clouds came back and it remained in the mid 60s so we returned to the cabin at 3.  Glenda didn't feel like eating but had some soup in the Lido.  I left her on the aft deck while I went to the dining room.  After dinner, we went to the casino where I won $36.45 and Glenda lost $30.  We went to the cabin at 9:30.  The ship was rolling quite a bit.

2017 Grand Asia Pacific Friday, December 1 – Auckland, New Zealand

We got up at 8:45 after 3 announcements by the cruise director.  It was 64 degrees under cloudy skies.  We ordered coffee and dressed to go out.  We went to breakfast at 9:45 and ate in the Lido since the aft deck was closed due to the ship bunkering.  After breakfast, we went to the sports deck for Glenda to have a smoke.  It sprinkled a little, so we went back to the cabin to get an umbrella and Glenda's raincoat but none of the elevators were working due to yet another crew drill.  I left Glenda in the Lido and walked down to the cabin to get the aforementioned items and walked back up and we went to the mid-ship elevators to go down to the gangway.  An elevator came, but once on it, the doors would not close.  After about 5 minutes, we got off to try another elevator and the doors suddenly started working, so we got back in and made it to deck 3.  We exited the ship at 10:30 and walked around all of the construction and along Queen Street up to the point that it became quite steep upward.  Along the way, I converted my Australian dollars into New Zealand dollars and we stopped in a pharmacy to get some cough medicine and some ibuprofen.  We went through several Arcades (malls) and saw a really fun looking chocolate store but the doorway was too narrow for the wheelchair, so we continued on.  Once back at the terminal, we bought some things there and re-boarded the ship at 1.  The aft deck was still closed, so we went to the sports deck at 1:30.  I worked the crossword and at 2:20, I saw that the aft deck was re-opened and took Glenda there while I went to the cabin to download my pictures.  I returned to the aft deck at 3.  We read until 4 when the wind increased and the temperature dropped so we went to the cabin.  Before dinner, we went to the Crow's Nest where we saw the Oceanian Ambassadors perform native songs and dances.  After dinner, we went to the casino for an hour.  I won $20.30 and Glenda lost $50.  We got back to the cabin at 10.

 

 

2017 Grand Asia Pacific Thursday, November 30 – Tauranga, New Zealand

We woke up at 8:40 after the cruise director made the ship's clearance announcement.  It was 64 degrees under mostly cloudy skies.  We ordered coffee and dressed to go out while I updated the blog.  We went to breakfast at 9:30 and ate on the aft deck.  I worked the crossword and we left the ship at 10:40.  We walked to downtown Maunganui and by all of the shops and cafes, by a nice park with kids feeding the ducks, and along the beach boardwalk before returning to the ship at 12:30.  It was a sunny and warm day.  I left Glenda on the aft deck and went to the cabin to drop off our bags and download my pictures.  I returned to the aft deck at 1:25.  We had ice cream and cookies and read until 3:40 when we returned to the cabin.  At 5, I went to the excursion desk and cancelled our Waikiki Beach Excursion since we decided that it would be difficult to get to the beach in the wheelchair.  We got read for dinner and went to the Crow's Nest for happy hour.  Howard had bought cowboy hats for the Station Band to wear when they played country and western songs.  After dinner, we went to the casino and played slots for 1 1/2 hours.  I won 15.25 and Glenda broke even.  We got to the cabin at 10:40.

2017 Grand Asia Pacific Wednesday, November 29 – Waitangi, Bay of Islands, New Zealand

We got up at 8:58 when the tendering announcements were coming every 5 to 10 minutes.  It was 61 degrees under cloudy skies.  We ordered coffee and dressed for cool weather while I updated the blog.  We went to breakfast at 9:45 and ate on the aft deck.  I worked the crossword and we read until 1:50 when I finished my last book on my kindle fire and went to the cabin to order more books to download.  I couldn't get them to download so after many attempts, I returned to the aft deck at 2:20.  I got some pictures of dolphins off the side of the ship.  The wind came up later and temperature went down, so we went to the cabin at 3:45.  I tried to download my 3 new books several times and finally got one downloaded after spending many of my internet minutes.  I downloaded my pictures to my computer.  Before dinner, we went to the aft deck for 30 minutes and visited with Harold.  We went to the Crow's Nest for happy hour and Sonny and the Station Band played several Willie Nelson songs,  Sonny can sound just like Willie.  After dinner, we went to the aft deck and talked with Harold and Jill until 10 when we went to the show.  The ventriloquist was pretty good but the Queen cover band played songs that we didn't know.  We got to the cabin at 11.

 

2017 Grand Asia Pacific Tuesday, November 28 – At Sea

We woke up at 8:20 and it was 63 degrees under cloudy skies and the seas were a little less calm.  We ordered coffee and dressed while I attempted to update the blog but could not get a good connection.  We went to breakfast at  9:15 and ate on the aft deck.  I worked the crossword and then then went to the cabin to update the blog.  The laundry was back so I put up my things and returned to the aft deck at 11:15.  We read until the clocks were set forward one hour at 2 when we went inside to escape the cool, rainy weather.  We bought a few things in the stores and went to the casino for 30 minutes where I lost $10 and Glenda lost $20.  We returned to the cabin at 4.  We had a Cruise Specialist cocktail party at 7.  After dinner, we went to the casino for 30 minutes where I won $10 and Glenda lost $40.  We got to the cabin at 9:45.

2017 Grand Asia Pacific Monday, November 27 – At Sea

We woke up at 8:50 and it was 64 degrees under partly cloudy skies and some minor rocking of the ship.  We ordered coffee and dressed for the cooler weather while I updated the blog.  We sent to breakfast at 9:45 and ate on the aft deck.  I worked the crossword and we read until 4:10 when we went to the cabin.  This evening was a Gala night with the theme of the White Dinner, so we wore as much white as we had and Glenda went as Chloe.  Before dinner, we went to the Crow's Nest and as we left there for dinner, we had another wheelchair dance.  After dinner, we went to the casino and played the slots for 70 minutes.  I won $10 while Glenda won $100.  We got to the cabin at 10:20.

2017 Grand Asia Pacific Sunday, November 26 – At Sea

We woke up at 8:15 and it was 70 degrees under partly cloudy skies and fairly calm seas.   We ordered coffee and dressed while I updated the blog.  We went to breakfast at 9:30 and ate on the aft deck.  I worked on the crossword and we read.  Glenda saw some dolphins off the side of the ship while I was away from the table.  At 12, John and Kathryn joined us at our table and we talked for almost 1 1/2 hours.  They left for lunch and we had to set the clocks forward one hour at 2.  We read until 3:20 when we went to watch the waltz dance lessons before bingo where we did not win.  Before dinner, we went to the Crow's Nest for happy hour.  After dinner, we went to the casino where I won $11.29 and Glenda lost $35.  We got to the cabin at 10:25.

2017 Grand Asia Pacific Saturday, November 25 – Sydney, Australia Day 2

We woke up at 8:25 and it was 70 degrees under sunny skies.  We had a new view as the ship had relocated about 100 yards to the regular terminal instead of the tent we were at.  The P&O ship had departed yesterday afternoon, freeing up this location.  We ordered  coffee and dressed while I updated the blog.  We went to breakfast at 9:30 and ate on the aft deck.  I worked on the crossword and we read until 12:30 when we had sandwiches.  We read until 2 when we had ice cream and cookies.  We stayed on the aft deck until 4:15 when we went to the cabin.  I went down to iron the shirt that Made had given me for Glenda to wear since it was too small for me.  During the sail away, I took pictures from our verandah of the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House which we couldn't see from our dock.  We went to the Crow's Nest before dinner and after dinner, we went to the casino for 75 minutes where I won $70.29 and Glenda lost $20.  We got to the cabin at 10:20.