3rd time's the Charm

I'm pretty sure that HAL was pulling out all the stops because this was the 2014 Centurion Cruise. The VIP passengers were the top 100 producing travel agents, and the big show was for them, including having the Holland America executives on board. We've been on other cruises with executives and this was much bigger.

 

If you don't mind losing a public room or two for a few hours a day, I'd highly recommend the Centurion Cruise. :)

My conversations with MDR folks revealed that only the MDR and Pinnacel dinner menus were adjusted for the visitors. The PG had three additional items added to the menu for just the 12/7 sailing. I will be receiving the normal B-series menus tomorrow.

It is certain that the ship Culinary Staff cooked only what they were told to prepare. After all, providing the ingredients is the role of HAL corporate.

I was told that the Lido Restaurant menus for both lunch and dinner were not changed which means that I have the current A and B-series in hand.

All menus MDR (lunch, dinner, Embarkation, Mariner's), Lido (lunch, casual dinner, and late snack), Pinnacle, new Le Cirque, new Tamarind, Sea View Bar, Silk Den, Explorations Cafe, Bar, etc should be available on my website within two weeks.

If you ate in the MDR tonight can you tell me if they actually had lobster tails or did they have Newburg like they did on the week of November 23? Thx.

If you ate in the MDR tonight can you tell me if they actually had lobster tails or did they have Newburg like they did on the week of November 23? Thx.

I just returned from dinner and they did indeed have real lobster on the menu. It was pretty good lobster too and you know I am used to good lobster where I come from. :)

If you ate in the MDR tonight can you tell me if they actually had lobster tails or did they have Newburg like they did on the week of November 23? Thx.

This week should have lined up with your week #1. Last week was the aberration because of the Centurion cruise.

I just returned from dinner and they did indeed have real lobster on the menu. It was pretty good lobster too and you know I am used to good lobster where I come from. :)

This week should have lined up with your week #1. Last week was the aberration because of the Centurion cruise.

Thx for the info. I can't remember which week is witch now. Sapper, I'm sorry your cruise is almost over.

Well, at this time last week I was wondering if I should be sad for the passengers disembarking the next day or happy I'd still be on board........Sad to think today that there are going to be people who are thinking the same thing about us:( I do not want to disembark!!!

Weather yesterday started off miserably for us. Rain from about 4:15 am or so, sometimes heavy others light drizzle. However, as we came up on Costa Maya weather changed to sunny skies with a few scattered showers for about the first 2 hours before finally clearing and no rain, well at least not until we left the port about 10 miles behind us.

There were at least 4 large ships, all tendering, at Grand Cayman on Thursday and while we were the 1st to arrive (I think), we were the last one out.

In Costa Maya we had 3 ships with us, a Regent, Norwegian Dawn and us.

Got to close this post before I become sea sick from looking down at the screen. Will post more from our hotel in Ft Lauderdale/Hollywood.

Joanie

hope you are feeling better and enjoy.

Awwww ... we're sorry our "cyber-cruise" with ya'll is about over. DH and I have really enjoyed your posts. :(:)

You could ask the CEO of Norwegian Cruise Lines as one of the "Undercover Boss" episodes was shot on the "Pride of America".

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpk7WNG2gtQ

If that is the ship that sails Hawaii, they wouldn't need a passport. They could board the ship with alias but wouldn't be clearing Immigration. IF it is a ship sailing Internationally, I wonder how they get alias ID's that pass CBP Approval?

Having been in the travel industry for many years there are ways this can be accomplished. Celebrities travel under "assumed" names on a regular basis- it's amazing what can be done- even in these days of enhanced security. Doesn't necessarily need to be Mr Cruise or Mr Arnold- lots of execs in Seattle that on board staff wouldn't recognize.

I know they check into hotels with alias but how do they get legitimate Passports with false names? :confused:

Good point the President or CEO doesn't have to be the 'undercover'. There are many other HAL headquarters people who could do the inspections/assessing. Actually, when you think of it, it likely is being done.

Many of their names/faces wouldn't be recognized by those who are at sea and rarely, if ever, in Headquarters building.

We utilized Room Service for Formal Night and ordered from the MDR menu.

The Room Service waiter arrived with a rolling cart with two large trays covered with metallic domes. HAL Room Service rules preclude putting two lobster tails on a single plate. Two salad domes, one caviar/pate' dome, four lobster domes, three dessert domes, plastic wrap-covered soup, shrimp cocktail, half pint of clarified butter, and three covered condiment container.

With all of the above spread across the king-sized bed, dining was a game of what's under the dome and what's in the condiment containers.

Waiting on Room Service telephone hold for nearly 30 minute, our Room Steward, Effie, was left to remove the heavy trays without a rolling cart so that she could complete the evening turn down.

When asked about her next assignment, Effie told us she would be on the initial Konigsdam sailing. The new ship will be getting a great Room Steward.

We learned today how HAL keeps the passengers' rooms safe.

There are only four Master keycards to guests' rooms on the ship. Each Room Steward must surrender their room keycards when they go off shift on their breaks and receive them back when they go back on shift.

That means that during afternoon breaks and after evening turndown, there are only four keys that can get into a guest's room.

Well, at this time last week I was wondering if I should be sad for the passengers disembarking the next day or happy I'd still be on board........Sad to think today that there are going to be people who are thinking the same thing about us:( I do not want to disembark!!!

 

Weather yesterday started off miserably for us. Rain from about 4:15 am or so, sometimes heavy others light drizzle. However, as we came up on Costa Maya weather changed to sunny skies with a few scattered showers for about the first 2 hours before finally clearing and no rain, well at least not until we left the port about 10 miles behind us.

 

There were at least 4 large ships, all tendering, at Grand Cayman on Thursday and while we were the 1st to arrive (I think), we were the last one out.

 

In Costa Maya we had 3 ships with us, a Regent, Norwegian Dawn and us.

 

Got to close this post before I become sea sick from looking down at the screen. Will post more from our hotel in Ft Lauderdale/Hollywood.

 

Joanie

Last day is always hard, sorry you have to get off too!

Well here we are, almost docked t what appeaars to be Pier 25, same pier as last Sunday.

I did little yesterday but attend the Mariner Medallion Ceremony in the Queen's Lounge/Culinary Arts Center, pack my one carry on and sleep.

Went to bed while hubby was still eating solo at PG, 5:30, and never heard a sound until I woke at a little before 5:00 this morning.

We will be disembarking for the La Quinta on 26th in Hollywood, at around 9:30. We hope that my POC (new) will be there waiting for us. If the new one is not there then we will be driving back to Albuquerque beginning tomorrow and surprising our daughter for Christmas. She lives in Mobile, Alabama and it's on the way home so why not:D As a short explanation of my POC issues.... I replaced my old POC, a SeQual 3 with a SeQual 5 this past August 14th. I have only used batteries in it instead of direct AC, until the 6th of Dec, when I plugged the AC into our hotel plug at La Quinta. On the 7th we discovered it would not recognize any of the batteries....... So we had to contact the company and arrange for them to fix it by shipping this one for a temporary one to be shipped to their repair facility north of Atlanta and using ythe one they are supposed to have sent to our hotel... Hopefully. IF it is not there we will rent a car and drive home, a 3-4 day drive..... We will see......

Hubby just woke, which means breakfast will be here shortly. So, will post more later.

Forgot to add a comment regarding hubby's mention of our steward Effie. When she leaves this ship in April for her regular 2 month vacation she is onlygoing to be home for 2 weeks and then go onto the Konigsdam. I surmise that it must take approximately 5-6 months of training for a new HAL ship...But that is my guess since that is where her next ship will be.

Joanie

We learned today how HAL keeps the passengers' rooms safe.

 

There are only four Master keycards to guests' rooms on the ship. Each Room Steward must surrender their room keycards when they go off shift on their breaks and receive them back when they go back on shift.

 

That means that during afternoon breaks and after evening turndown, there are only four keys that can get into a guest's room.

When I checked our mailbox for our final bill this morning I also found a master key sticking out from the end of the mail slot. It wasn't very comforting and doesn't speak to tight security. I brought it in and left it on the desk.

When I checked our mailbox for our final bill this morning I also found a master key sticking out from the end of the mail slot. It wasn't very comforting and doesn't speak to tight security. I brought it in and left it on the desk.

Wow, that is scary.

When I checked our mailbox for our final bill this morning I also found a master key sticking out from the end of the mail slot. It wasn't very comforting and doesn't speak to tight security. I brought it in and left it on the desk.

Was there any reaction by the front desk when you turned it in? That should have caused a lot of raised eyebrows and an apology at least I would think.

I wonder why the key was in your mailbox and who put it there?

Good thing you were in your room.

Was there any reaction by the front desk when you turned it in? That should have caused a lot of raised eyebrows and an apology at least I would think.

I believe she brought it in and put it on the desk in the cabin. I don't think she took it to the front desk.

Have a Merry Christmas Joanie and Roger. Hope you get to visit your daughter. Hope the mix up with equipment is resolved. Our daughter in CAL. is going to ski on Christmas. The heavy rain left good snow in the hills. It is very hard today for me to imagine snow as I am doing yard work. I swear my foliage knows when I leave town as it grows so fast!!! Happy New Year

I believe she brought it in and put it on the desk in the cabin. I don't think she took it to the front desk.

ahh. got it. thank you:D

When I checked our mailbox for our final bill this morning I also found a master key sticking out from the end of the mail slot. It wasn't very comforting and doesn't speak to tight security. I brought it in and left it on the desk.

Our first two days or so on board the NA there was a white card left in the "master power" slot near the door. It looked like a room key card except that it was white and had no passenger info printed on it. About the 3rd day the steward told me it was his card, and he had to take it. I have no idea if it was a master card or not, as I didn't try it in any door. Did the card you found look like that?

Was there any reaction by the front desk when you turned it in? That should have caused a lot of raised eyebrows and an apology at least I would think.

I guess I was misleading when I said " the desk". I meant the desk in our room.

:)

I guess I was misleading when I said " the desk". I meant the desk in our room.

:)

No, it was clear. You didn't say the front desk.