Beginning the Seven Seas Voyager Trip

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Wednesday morning we enjoy a delightful breakfast in our suite, served by our ever attendant butler, and assemble in the Constellation Theatre for our “call to the buses”. Our tour of Auckland began on the extinct volcano overlooking the city, Mt Eden. After passing through the Auckland Domain picturesque park the Auckland Museum combines a remembrance of the conflicts the nation’ forces have contributed to the British Empire’s defense of freedom plus Maori and Pacific artifacts, including a war canoe and carved wood meeting house. The sight of expensive homes and apartments along the sandy beaches of historic Parnell Village and the America’s Cup Yachting Village concluded our tour. Our mandatory lifeboat drill was followed by our first visit to the main restaurant, the Compass Rose, followed by a lovely soprano singer. Thursday introduced the port city of Tauranga, the busiest port in NZ and full of containers. Our tour today started early as we left the port for a Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland. Kiwi fruit orchards of Te Puke (they grow on vineyard type setups) pass by on our way to the lakes and thermal activity of Rotorua. We witness the Lady Knox Geyser, bubbling mud pools, colorful hot and cold pools and steaming volcanic lakes while experiencing the sulfuric smells of Mother Nature. In Rotorua we next ride a Skyline Gondola to a scenic lunch accompanied by a local Maori Kapa Haka group entertaining us with many traditional action songs including the haka, similar to that performed by the national rugby team as its winning dance. The Rainbow Springs Nature Park followed with a chance to see many of the native plants, animals and birds including the endangered Kiwi. We are learning what happens when man decides to introduce animals into a new environment to the detriment of native species. In the evening we were invited to the Food and Beverage Manager Florian Kibkilga’s table. There we not only enjoyed his repartee about how to ensure the ship has received and prepared all of the wonderful food and drink we desire but also shared the evening with two other couples, one of whom we met last year and another we met from Orlando.
Thursday is a day at sea as we begin the day encircling White Island, an active volcano and sharing in ship board activities, morning walk with Lorraine the fitness director, games on deck for Regent Points, lunch on the pool deck with fish from NZ, tea time trivia, dinner with new found friends in the Compass Rose Restaurant and evening entertainment with a marvelous pianist and singer. On Saturday, February 12th we breakfast in our cabin and join the Virtuoso group for a special tour of Wellington. This capital city is compact and lives on the sides of the hills, ala Sausalito, CA. The bus ride is long as we see the sights from the altitude of Mt Victoria, the wooden interior of Old St. Paul’s Cathedral and a city tour before visiting the gardens of Efil Doog (Good Life spelled backwards). Lunch is magnificently served along the waterfront at the area’s leading restaurant Martin Bosley’s. This evening we have what is called a “block party” where all guests come out in the passageways to meet their neighbor guests and the ship’s officers making a rapid tour of the ship while staff serves wine and canapés. Last night we met the ship’s officers at the Captain’s Reception for all new embarkees. We have had the pleasure of meeting many returning guests and ship’s company we’ve known from Mariner plus new found acquaintances from all over. Dinner was in The Signatures Restaurant which didn’t come up to our standards but we’ll try again. The evening show was a juggler who needs to return to school.
Sunday we visited the Antarctic Experience, an attraction created since this is the jumping off/supply point for most Antarctic Excursions. As we arrived by bus they pointed out the latest American supply plane to the southern continent had landed across at the airport. We experienced a subzero blizzard in a closed environment (no different from New Hampshire) and a ride in an all-terrain vehicle hosting 8 people. The descriptions are very good and environmentally oriented. They host and “repair” penguins who’ve become injured and couldn’t survive in the wild and share their behavior with us. Other sights are very educational and then I returned to Centre City to see the museum and a wonderful Bicycle Band, 8 musicians parading on old fashioned bicycles through the heart of the city. I was amazed at the Sousaphone player’s ability to navigate the railroad tracks and the music simultaneously. Something I’ll have to try. Returning to the ship via the escorted bus shuttle from the port in Lyttelton, we visited the supreme restaurant on the ship, Prime 7, and enjoyed surf and turf dinner with a business man/lawyer couple from San Francisco who were delightful in their conversation. Tonight we listen to the pianist/singer Glen Amer, that is Mary visits the casino first. She has been able to visit the laundry periodically, as it becomes available, to keep us ahead of the game. NZ is a people of friendlies and exercise nuts. Be it bungee jumping, sailing, wheeled luges, walking, hiking, bicycling, jogging, punting on the Avon, climbing on the glaciers, or just enjoying the scenery, they’re into the outdoors. They also are helpful and polite. Tomorrow we visit the most Scottish city in the world, Dunedin, outside of Scotland. In the future we’re scheduled to have dinner with the captain (it’s all who you know) and continue our games and tours. The weather has been sunny and warm with sprinkles toward the end of the day to remind us to get on the shuttle bus for the ship.

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