Final Sailing and arriving in Hong Kong

After two weeks cruising through Asia, we head to our final port of Hong Kong. We have two final days at sea, which are a perfect “break” before saying good bye to the Holland America Westerdam.

Prime Rib Brunch

For one of the sea days, our ship offers a Prime Rib Brunch. We head to the dining room, get seated and order the prime rib for our “morning meal”; it didn’t disappoint. There’s something about a perfectly slow-roasted slice of beef paired with ocean views that make this a great start to our morning. It’s a great moment for the whole family to sit together and reminisce about the trip so far and even talk about world events. 

Killing Time on the boat

We spend our final days at sea simply enjoying the ship and each other’s company. There are some moments of walking the promenade deck, or finding an empty games table or even in one of our cabins to play some games like Mahjong as a family!

Ice Cream Bar

On sea days, the ship tends to offer some extras not available on normal days. In the afternoon they setup an Ice Cream Bar by the pool. The Sister and I make sure to stop by for a visit and pick up a sweet treat. It’s nice that there’s a little extra variety on days where you’re not in port exploring a new destination.

Using Onboard Credit

In true “Minion Monies” fashion, we had been very conservative spending our Onboard Credit throughout the cruise. However, as we near the end of the cruise, we begin looking for opportunities to spend our credit! Laundry service is available on a per bag basis. So they will wash everything you can fit into the provided bag. The Sister is a pretty accomplished laundry bag packer. She ensures we get our “money’s worth”! We also make sure to add drinks to our last few meals. It’s always a fun challenge trying to get that balance down to exactly zero before the final invoice! I’m not exactly sure what our final balance is, but I think we ended up overspending by a dollar or two!

Hong Kong

Arriving in Hong Kong is always a feast for the senses in the best way possible. The skyline is unmistakable, and even after the peace of the ocean, the energy of the city is infectious. We disembark and head through Hong Kong Immigration. From there we order an Uber to take us to our hotel

Park Lane Autograph Collection

For this stay, we check into the Park Lane Autograph Collection in Causeway Bay. The location is hard to beat—right across from Victoria Park and surrounded by endless shopping and dining. We are able to check in and settle into our rooms. The Sister and I even head up to the lounge where we take in some of the views from top of the hotel.

Mr. Tin Hong Kong Cuisine

After freshening up at the hotel we head to Mong Kok area to do a little walking and shopping. As it nears lunch time we also start looking for places to get our first tastes of Hong Kong food! For lunch we check out Mr. Tin Hong Kong Cuisine. It’s a tiny restaurant but serves some wonderful beef noodle soups! This certainly satisfies a craving!

After lunch we also stop at a nearby bakery to pick up a Hong Kong Pineapple bun with a slice of butter inside. This is also something that is high on the cravings list and I’m glad we are able to check off two in our first few hours in the city!

Visiting Family

In the evening we head out to meet some of Mama Minion’s family. We visit with one of Mama Minion’s cousins and her mom. Although this isn’t a relative that I’m that familiar with, it is nice to get to know more distant relatives! It’s always nice to visit with family. Afterwards, we all head out for dinner where we get to also meet our “aunt’s” husband and son too! One thing about this trip is all the cool “new” family members we get to connect with. It gives this already wonderful family trip a little more meaning!

Hong Kong Evening

After dinner and as the sun goes down, the city really comes to life. We take a stroll around our hotel area to enjoy the Hong Kong Evening atmosphere. The neon lights, the crowded sidewalks, and the hum of the vibe of this very lively city is a good contrast to some of the peaceful evenings we had on the ship! But being able to explore the area is something we all enjoy and we take in as much of it as we can!

Snack

As we near the end of the day we pop into a nearby market where just like in Japan, I pick up a small dessert to try! This time It’s a black sesame popsicle! It’s a very unique flavour and very tasty! I would highly recommend it!

Eventually we retire to our rooms and get ourselves ready to rest. Tomorrow we will be heading to Shenzen for the day. I’ve heard a lot about this future city so I’m excited to see it for myself!