A Gold Medal Day - November 18
Yesterday I received an invitation that said, "Please come and join your fellow Amsterdam Grand World Voyage 2020 guests for the Mariners Recognition Ceremony where you will be awarded the Gold medallion...Followed by a Special Mariners Lunch." For those unfamiliar with Holland America, their loyalty program is called the Mariners Society. There are two different classifications - the stars (1* up to 5*) which is based on the number of days at sea plus one extra day for each $300 spent onboard plus suite bonuses, and the Medallions which are based on actual days onboard. The stars give you different perks (if you are really interested, here is the link Mariner Society | Holland America )
Turns out there were about 200 of us onboard from the 2020 GWV (many using up those future cruise credits we received when it was canceled). Many of them were receiving medallions. They are bronze for 100 days, silver for 300 days, gold for 500 days, and platinum for 700 days. In my case, I think they jumped the gun a bit. This afternoon I figured that I wouldn't have 500 days until sometime during the 2023 GWV but it doesn't really matter getting it now or then since there are no extra perks for having the medallions.
After the ceremony, which took over an hour since each person's name is called and then presented with the medallion and a picture taken with the captain and the hotel manager, we went to the dining room for lunch. We had already had drinks (mimosas, champagne, or bloody Marys during the ceremony) and there was more wine or champagne with lunch. I sat with Judy (Lee) and her husband, Rich, Janet (who I met on the 2019 Grand South America), and two men (one of whom Judy knew). It was a nice lunch and we talked so long I missed 1pm trivia.
Continuing my laziness from yesterday, I spent about an hour and a half in one of the deck chairs although I did get a little knitting done today. I finally got up to go to Music Trivia at 4. I played alone and made a dismal 9 out of 24 (one team had them all). Next stop was the library where I needed to print out some information for our next two stops (I am not doing an excursion in either).
In penance for spending so much time sitting and eating too much, I did five laps around the deck before returning to my cabin to work on this and get ready for dinner.
On my way to dinner, I picked up my passport, which some will need tomorrow since a couple hundred people are leaving the ship for safaris, and the rest of us will need the next day when we arrive in South Africa.
After dinner I went to the show which was "Shades of Africa" for their second performance, which was also very good.
One lap around the deck and when I got back to my cabin I found they were showing "Bohemian Rhapsody" which I had never seen. After just going to the Freddie Mercury Museum, I had to watch it.
I forgot to mention yesterday that we have had an itinerary change. In September, Dakar, Senegal was dropped. It has now been put back in the itinerary and Banjul, Gambia has been dropped. The Captain said that due to the tides we could not get into Banjul but Senegal has eased their Covid restrictions so we can go there. I have been to both, so it did not make much difference to me.
Maputo tomorrow.
Smooth sailing until next time!
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