BaileyMJ

Vancouver May19

Did my regular routine except later - up to Deck 10 my adopted balcony - had my last latte in crows nest - Lido opened at 6 am packed like I have never seen before!

I have Vancouver Tour and drop off at YVR - my first flight is at 5:52pm to Seattle connect to red eye to Atlanta.

Safe Travels to all - its been a great cruise!

Today in Lido for lunch we got a crew parade 

Highest temperature and sun is out so I noticed they have cracked open the lido pool retractable roof just a bit.

Inside Passage Scenic Cruising May 18

Absolutely Beautiful Day - Beautiful vistas and I just had to put the phone down and just enjoy life sailing by!

4 hours ago, Alberta Quilter said:

Oh boy, I really wish brownies hadn't been brought up and with a picture of them, no less!  OMG!  I'll have to try them on my cruise. They look fabulous, and with Crew News' description, I fear I'll be going to the Explorations Cafe every afternoon I can.

They are also available in the Pinnacle Bar - I tried one and super hard to not ask for another please!

I really want to thank @Crew News Roger for graciously allowing me to post my rambling thoughts - I have learned I am not ready for a live thread.  Also he started the Roll Call and that has been one of the best roll calls - so good people are still posting!

Update on the pastries offered in Explorers Cafe noon carrot cake mini muffins & brownie bites

Cake me away - got pictures- no did not have any cake.  Long lines and the question I heard was how many slices!

3 minutes ago, 0106 said:

I believe what @SilvertoGold wanted to know was were the olives actually Kalamata olives which are tastier (imo) and more than expensive than black olives because they remain on the tree until fully ripe and are processed salt, not lye.  On the NS in March, the pizza had black olives, not kalamata, regardless of what it said on the menu.

They were definitely better than the black olives available in salad bar that said I would say probably yes - there is obviously no one standard for a kalamata olive and these were definitely pitted and lost that elongated look of one with its pit they were black but did not have a pronounced olive oil coating but that may be due to the cooking or supplier.  They have had several dishes in MDR with Kalamata olives so I think you will not be disappointed.

Today May 18 Scenic Cruising Inside Passage

Today 11:30am Cake Away - never either had it on my only previous HAL cruise ot I didn’t attend.  I came down early but already a crowd gathering - so I shot pictures through the screen.  

1 hour ago, SilvertoGold said:

Roger or BaileyMJ: we love NY Pizza and are wondering if this ship actually has the kalamta olives the menu lists. In the past and even pre-Covid we have seen only regular black olives. No change in the sign to be true true to form, so it is always a question mark. If wither of you can find out, it would be much appreciated.  Thanks to both of you for the great photos and commentary.

I stand corrected the black olives in NY Pizza are Kalamata

18 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

Roger or BaileyMJ: we love NY Pizza and are wondering if this ship actually has the kalamta olives the menu lists. In the past and even pre-Covid we have seen only regular black olives. No change in the sign to be true true to form, so it is always a question mark. If wither of you can find out, it would be much appreciated.  Thanks to both of you for the great photos and commentary.

I have had the pizza several times and on 1 occasion I did have black olives added and pretty sure I did not see Kalamata Olives.  Now the black olives that they did add were very good and not the small sliced ones that are in the lido salad station.  Sadly I did not take picture but below is a picture of a recent pizza which was very good but I have noted that they have been shrinking the pizzas.  I embarkation day pizza was my lunch and Zi ordered a whole pie - the Bronx because the slices available just were to sad looking - tiny square not appetizing.  I never saw on menu a size and got a pizza that filled the size of the metal tray - I would say 12/14 inch - that was repeated on my next 2 pizzas (sea days) but see below when next ordered it was much smaller however still very good! Fast forward to scenic cruising day - I ordered pizza and it was so small that instead of having it on the metal tray they had on a plate the crust was very thin - I did not request a skinny pie snd it was really over done and it reminded more of the sad slices.  
 

I know food is subjective but I think reasonable to say that something may have changed on this cruise with the oven settings or prep.

I can’t say anything about Klawock but yesterday I was In Ketchikan and there were 5 ships and just the start of the season - while I love Ketchikan Juneau had 6 ships Skagway had 4 - there are just too many big ships and too many people so I do welcome new less crowded ports of call to explore!  Just my opinion.

For any caffeine coffee lovers - Ketchikan has the best store - they sell online and I will do my Christmas shopping with them!

They had other things besides coffee but all local Alaska made!

On 5/15/2024 at 6:01 PM, SilvertoGold said:

Any info about what edibles are available in this Explorations Cafe? I was asking Roger about brownies in particular.

Explorers/Crows Nest - its 3:25pm getting my caffeine fix here are the afternoon offerings.  Danny was just putting them out:

Mini Muffins

Raspberry 

Carrot Cake

and vanilla macarons 

Biscotti 

41 minutes ago, ferretktf said:

Are there any nuts in the Fruit Crisp?

I did not taste any nuts - crisp flour sugar and maybe oats.  They have been doing a good job labeling the items in the menus gluten sugar free nuts vegan etc

4 hours ago, QuattroRomeo said:

That's a shame; did they say why it was cancelled?

Got letter last night saying it was canceled by the operator due to technical reasons.

Good Morning from Ketchikan May 17

Free day since my HAL excursion Food & Wine tour Oyster Farm was canceled.  5 ships in town.

On 5/15/2024 at 7:09 PM, BaileyMJ said:

Fruit Crisp I have had

Peach

Mixed Berry

Rhubarb

Cherry

Peach

Banana 

 

I can add pear crisp but I must have jinxed myself - it was truly awful dry and inedible but the scoop of vanilla was yummy enough.

Last night the clear standout at our table - everyone agreed was the featured Alaskan Taste Starter: Corn & Crab Fritters

3 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

I know that you are very busy with your research and I would have to assume that you have visited Wrangell in your prior cruises.  Wrangell is one of my favorite ports and one that can be easily seen without planning excursions, very walkable.  We will soon embark on our 28 day Alaska Solstice cruise which originally had us visiting Wrangell on July 4th.  For some reason HAL cancelled that stop and we were sooooo disappointed!  Love Wrangell!

I can second Love Wrangell- what a beautiful place!  I rented a car and just was blown away by the views!  Also have to love a town with the most friendly dogs!  

 I also learned that skunk cabbage really does smell like skunk!

The Mariners Memorial was so moving snd peaceful place.

Just happen to run into Dominic our naturalist speaker at the petroglyphs beach.

6 hours ago, wetterthanwater said:

 

Although if one is a coffee snob, the bars/cafes that have barista made coffee should be preferable. The lido machines are automatic bean to cup machines.

In the lido it is one barista and he makes the espresso just like in explorers cafe - no self serve machine - I am convinced that the cappuccino in the MDR or if ordered via room service is from a Nespresso press the button machine - not worth the $$ plus from room servuce it arrives warm not hot!   Of note in lido the coffee menu is limited - no iced latte just the hot drinks!

Here is offering this morning in Explores Cafe/ Crows Next.

Fruit Crisp I have had

Peach

Mixed Berry

Rhubarb

Cherry

Peach

Banana 

3 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

Any info about what edibles are available in this Explorations Cafe? I was asking Roger about brownies in particular.

They seem to have biscottis most of the day.  In the morning regular croissants and chocolate croissants.  Yesterday afternoon I had what looked like a mini muffin - the staff wasn’t sure so I went for it - it was too dense to be a muffin and it definitely was almond so think madeleine but in shape of mini muffin- it was very good!  I try to avoid pastries.  I only have had 1 cookie and that was on day 2 at the CC Meet & Greet.

What I can report on is desserts in MDR and for this cruise I am pretty sure they have a fruit crisp with scoop of vanilla ice cream - I have ordered it when on the menu - they are all good but they all needed more baking to have a crisp brown topping and then they would be great!  

19 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

Excellent info, thanks. Next up from DH: how about the brownies? On the Noordam the Explorations Cafe on 3 used to have the most luscious brownies with lots of chocolate icing. Now, 2 years in a row: disaster. Just cake with about a millimeter of icing! On the N Amstedam where is the Exporations Cafe? Any info about brownies would be appreciated.

Explorations Cafe on Nieuw Amsterdam is on Deck 11 Forward.  It opens at 6am abd you can get coffee till 9pm - the bar section is open till 10pm.  You can get hot espresso drinks in lido but only during service hours for that day but exception is no espresso during that late night service 10:30 - 11:30pm. Espresso also available in Pinnacle Bar 7am to 4pm.

I had dinner on Sunday at Morimoto and Monday at Tamarind- you check in at the same hostess stand but both restaurants are stand alone with a sushi station in the middle.

Morimoto was superb - it was truly not just a meal but an experience- I felt like I was on Top Chef.  Too many times the celebrity chef restaurant at sea does not live up to its on shore equivalent but for Morimoto I can confidently stay you will have the same quality and standard of service and here is the best part at a considerable discount.  
 

Tamarind was very good but I remember it being a little different than last year on the Westerdam and missing was some signature cocktails that were only available at Tamarind.