Tabuaeran to Rarotonga – Part 2

Rarotonga from 1/2 mile offshore

October 12, 2011

We repeated October 12 as we passed back across the Date Line and are now only three hours behind Seattle, the same as Hawaii.  This is another day at sea, marked by partly cloudy skies and an increasing breeze.  There have been occasional rain squalls, but most miss the ship.  We spent the day exercising, reading or sitting poolside under the tropical sun.

October 13, 2011

The last day at sea before Rarotonga brought more wind and increasing seas, with more of the rain squalls.  At noon we were still some 330 nautical miles from Rarotonga and 1200 nautical miles from Tabuaeran.  The ship is cruising at a little over 17 knots, well below the usual 21 knot cruise speed for this type of ship, and we suspect it is just fast enough to always arrive in the early morning at our destination after leaving the previous destination in early evening.  The captain indicated during his noon position update that the windy conditions were expected to continue, but did not say there was a high probability of cancellation.  In fact, he emphasized that there was NO tropical depression in the area.

October 14, 2011

The wind and seas continued throughout the night, with the apparent wind at 55 knots when we woke up.  We suspected, and it was confirmed later by the captain, that the seas were too rough to permit using the tenders to get ashore and so the stop was cancelled.  We have now travelled to 21 degrees south latitude, after starting at 48 degrees north latitude.  We did cruise along the lee side of the island just outside the reef for several hours at slow speed for photos before heading back northeast towards Raiatea.  Holland America has refunded the port taxes and the shore excursion cost and offered a glass of sparkling wine with dessert at dinner.  However, Rarotonga was one of the primary reasons for us choosing this cruise and to travel 5300 nautical miles and do only a drive-by and get a glass of inexpensive wine is really disappointing.  I suspect the cost to Holland America is substantial when a stop is missed, but this is now the second weather related port cancellation, and we are not finished, since there is only one port at which we dock for the remainder of the cruise.