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Day 29 West - 01/30/22 - San Diego Disembarkation

We woke up around 7:30am to doors shutting and other noises.     But we didn't have to be off the ship until 10am for our HAL transfer to the airport.   The Lido was relatively empty for breakfast and I had my last standard breakfast (2 eggs over broken, one potato cake, one sausage patty and one piece of bacon).     It took about three weeks but the cook finally recognized my everyday order this past week.       When the announcement was made that immigration would be held on deck three in the main dining room I was a bit surprised.     The only time I can recall that immigration was held on previous cruises was in Asian or Russian ports.     We waited until there was a long gap between luggage tag color codes being called before going down and there was absolutely no line.     It took no more than two - three minutes and I even got extended questions about where I lived.     It was a strange set of questions.   We waited some more and final
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Day 28 West - 01/29/22 - At Sea to San Diego - 2

Today is our last sea day before reaching San Diego.     Ethan's coffee chat was with the dance captain of the Step One Dance Company.     She explained a lot about what had to happen as the members of the troupe encountered Covid.     She, of course,     never called it that!   We attended a dance presentation by the Mexican Cultural Ambassadors as well as a game of Mexican "bingo".   I enjoyed a lot of time in the Crow's Nest looking forward and watching YouTube videos.     At one point several of us spotted some unusual water anomalies in the water far ahead of us.? As we got closer it turned out to be a pod of dolphins or porpoises.     And lots of them!   We totally enjoyed our last meal in the Caneletto with the super staff.     They transformed the dining experience for us there and I made sure to tell them and their bosses that and in the post cruise survey.   Then the dreaded 'start packing' began.  
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Day 27 West - 01/28/22 - At Sea to San Diego - 1

With our last port of call behind us we have two sea days ahead of us until we reach San Diego for disembarkation.     The winds were quite strong in the morning and tge outside temperature definitely dropped.     We only did 5 activities during this first sea day.   As is typical for sea days, we started with Ian's coffee chat.     Today it was with Tim, a third officer, who is responsible for the administrative activities on the bridge.     He's about ready to move up to 2nd officer. Immediately following this, the Mexican Cultural Ambassadors gave a presentation on the weeping woman legend including an interpretive dance that was very haunting.   At 2pm Ian hosted Ask the Captain. I now know somewhat what it means to be a judge on the TV show THE VOICE where the judges gave to pick a contestant based only on their voice.     In my case, for over a week I've heard the voice from the bridge which sounded like a 65-70 year old man.     When C
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Day 26 West - 01/27/22 - Puerto Vallarta

Continuing our tradition, we booked a snorkeling excursion for our last port of call on this voyage,   Majahuitas Cove Catamaran Snorkel & Yelapa Bay Beach.     The sail into Puerto Vallarta occurred during daylight and we arrived shortly after 9am. Fir the first part of the sail in we watched a presentation on the snake dance by the Mexican cultural ambassadors.      It's a very pretty sail in. The staff Captain brought the Zuiderdam into the harbor and did a 180° counterclockwise rotation docking us at the Puerto Majico pier which adjoins a big tourist shopping mall.       Per normal, we met in the Main Stage which was pretty full.     It seemed like clearance took a long while, but eventually Ian gave the clearance announcement.     Shore Excursions then began calling groups for disembarkation.     Our group was finally called and we left the showroom on the left side, got stickered, made our way down to A deck, carded off the ship and formed a line at
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Day 25 West - 01/26/22 - At Sea to Puerto Vallarta

Sea days for us typically start with Ian's coffee chat.     Today was no different.     Drew Frazier, comedian, was the guest and it was a nice interview.     Afterwards, the cultural program was a presentation on dances in Jalisco. We enjoyed lunch in the Pinnacle Grill.     In the afternoon there was actual dancing by them on the aft pool deck.     I spent much of the day reading my current mystery novel.   The Jukebox Rogues presented a masterful show featuring Broadway or West End musical hit songs.     Their set's last three songs featuring The Greatest Showman, Les Miserables, and Bohemian Rhapsody were very powerful. It was so good we repeated it at 9:30pm.  
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Day 24 West - 01/25/22 -Huatulco, Mexico

Mid morning the Captain came on the PA system and said that due to several instances of experiencing strong underwater currents, we would be arriving at Huatulco about 1/2 hour late or around 12:30pm.     As we neared the port, he once again came on and reported whale sightings.   We were eating our customary lunch in the Lido, starboard side, when we started seeing dolphins or porpoises along with jumping tuna.     I adjourned to the Crow's best to watch the final sail-in and then went outside on deck 9 in front of the fitness center.     I really like entering ports during the day.     And this little port is a real cute one.   We met in the Main Stage for our excursion and departed around 2pm.     We assembled alongside the ship and then walked the long pier to an assembly area near our boat where the briefing was made and snorkel gear passed out.     It turned out that the ride to the snorkeling beach was only 5 minutes to a large beach we saw du
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Day 23 West - 01/24/22 - At Sea to Huatulco, Mexico

For a sea day it was relatively busy.     The staff Captain has kept the ship motoring north at 20 knots (fast) since we left Puntarenas. The seas were pretty flat and I'm sure the stabilizers dampened any movement.   Ian's coffee chat was with Neil, the Future Cruise Consultant.     It was much the same as his previous interview. Next was a brief presentation by the newly embarked Mexican Cultural Ambassadors who are actually from Tucson, AZ.     Afterwards I spent some time updating my blog for yesterday before we went to the Port to Table Demonstration about cooking Chile Rellenos which was a repeat.     Afterwards I stopped by the photo center to check some things out.     We then watched a Mexican cultural dance exhibition at the aft Lido pool area.     It was blazing hot in the Central American sun.   My wife attended the Mexican Dance lessons while I lounged the rest of the afternoon.     I shot a few masked boobie bird pictures from deck
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