January 30th, 2024

Thanks for all the comments on crossing the international date line and the reminder that this is a leap year. The boat had a big celebration on the pool deck for crossing the date line and did a fantastic brunch. There was so much food and the pool deck was so crowded we did not even see it all. We got up there a little bit late so I tried to get some pictures but some of the displays had already been eaten.

The pool deck on a beautiful sunshiny day.

Lobster sculpture Not even sure what the fountain contains

Several beautiful sculptures like this one. Can’t imagine how many hours of work this was.

They had stations for pasta, omelettes, seafood, a huge sandwich station and of course desserts took up a large area.

One of the guest entertainers brought on board in Papeete sang for the crossing and he was really good. There are 2 of them and they are like the 2 tenors and their voices are amazing. You can see how crowded the pool deck was.

While the temperature is getting cooler it is also very rough and had been for a couple of days. The boat is really rocking and every now and then the boat gives a huge shudder which the Captain explained is like the boat doing a belly flop into the ocean. We have gone in an out of rain storms and for a few minutes you can’t see a thing and then it is clear until the next rain storm.

Off our balcony and you can see all the sea spray.

With the rough weather they have been blocking off deck 2 to walkers so I have been unable to walk for a few days. Kathy even had trouble going to the gym due to the rough weather.

We are looking forward to land and our first port of call in New Zealand on February 1st is Waitangi in the Bay of Islands. It will be a tender port but still happy to be on land.

To confuse things even more with the missing day here is what the weather on our phones says for tomorrow in the Bay of Islands. It showed this on Wednesday for us. (Tuesday for you all back in the states).