kazu

Just getting ready to sail away from Quebec. Had a great tour and lots of pics I am waiting to sync so until that happens I think I will be in catch up mode (story of my life). Last night so luggage has to be finished, etc. By the way, we were able to use our Mariner drink cards today for Pinot Grigio. No problem at all 👍

Deb has really enjoyed the stir fries & “Chinese” type variations. Very good. I had a salad today and it was well done. He was constantly asking me if I would like the other things on the bar. Oops - looks like CC saved this pic I posted (or thought had posted last night). It’s the Hotel Frontenac at night. Took the pic through the Sea View Pool though since it was way too cold to go to the unprotected part of the deck or the Sports deck for clear shot.

I’ll get the date changed for you. and happy to add you to the Jan 4th cruise. 🙂

Congrats on the new home. I’ll get it removed form you. Hope you enjoy your new home and find a replacement cruise when the time is right 🙂

Yes - didn’t do Morimoto but the fish offered is better IMO and cooked well. Have been on Rotterdam and that ship could cook fish (transatlantic sailing) and several other fish aficionados agree with me. Sailing on the Volendam and the fish has been with more choices and well prepared. In fact, I just had rockfish tonight which I very much enjoyed.

We are in Quebec and it is C-C-COLD. That evil polar arctic wind has followed us the whole way. The whole forecast I looked at before packing has been wrong, wrong, wrong. We’re Canadian and know what spring is like. This has NOT been even the beginning of spring. Praying for warmer weather tomorrow as I booked a lovely private tour for the two of us. My foot and legs are in recovery mode (pre-cruise) so for once I put my thinking cap on and we are going on a bike tour. We’re not riding them - we are in the ‘cart’ and our guide rides the bike. I asked him today if he had blankets or if we should bring them from the ship 😂. He does. Weather permitting - we’re doing it. Hopefully it warms up as the day goes on. It’s been the absolutely worse weather of any cruise I have ever done. Talked to a crew member this morning and he said that there are 3 weeks that this one can have miserable weather. ironically, this one last year had good weather. Kazu just picked the wrong time LOL. But we are still making the best of it 😉

I hate those chocolate covered strawberries too. They go mushy in a day no matter what you do with them. We haven’t eaten any of the selection yet but debating - a couple of things look tempting. neither of us are chocolaholics 😉

Salad bar is very, very good. Lots of fixings. Very popular on the ship for good reason.

So the cake display was on yesterday. We missed it - it wasn’t in the Daily at all and we were on the wrong side of the LIdo. No announcement either. when we went to our PG lunch, I saw it had been added to the Navigator app; Reports were it was prettier than it tasted 😉 Great fellow Canadian roll call members @catletwere kind enough to share the photo they got.

It is really weird. Never had bad ones before no matter the length of the cruise. I think she was doing them in oil originally.

In the interest of scientific research, I ordered the escargot again. one was enough. way overdone and rubbery. Bamboozled how they could screw this up when most of the food is really good. the chef came along later to inquire how we were enjoying our food. I told her it was quite good except for the escargot. And I told her how i prepared them and the other ships we had been on. she said she appreciated the feedback and was making notes

Last night was the second dressy night of the cruise. menu was pretty identical to the first one, pics are really slow to upload. IMG_2916.mov and the pics aren’t great. Sorry about that.

Lat night was our second dressy night. rhis time we got a towel animal for the first time. i think it’s an animal. Saddest one I have ever seen.

sorry I saw this too late to get yesterday’s menu for you. Today and tomorrow aww both port days however I have noticed there is usually one item varied on this cruise, that is a really good idea. I will share with her. It’s not tne money for her but the principle she got nothing. Supposedly the products were used on her despite The NO’S. exactly.

I agree. I plan to write when I get home.

I agree. They announced this morning the spa had. Specials and we all rolled our eyes

The Peruvian chicken is really quite good. We enjoyed our meal 😉

Look what arrived today. Does this mean there has been too much time spent in the casino? 😂

I thin she is. I told her to use Let Us Know

I would probably be doing the same. And taking it as far as I could go. I told her to be sure to write Seattle. I’ts not the money that bothers her so much as to bending told “;she could afford it”.

Apparently not. She hadn’t even signed. the bill was charged to her account when she came out. They can’t reverse a spa or casino charge. Separate entities. She was happy with the reversal of the service charge which HAL can do as it means the masseuse got stiffed. I heard a similar horror story so this is not a one off. Several of us think she was targeted - obviously older and disabled on the scooter. She has lots of OBC, true - but that’s not the point. She’s on sharp lady and very assertive if needed. I have had several conversations with her and have confidence in what she told me.

I had originally considered using the spa. No way, Jose 😡 Fair warning to anyone considering using the spa on the ship now that I have heard the resolution to the story. True story - there is a lovely lady on the cruise. She is older (like I’m young) and on a scooter and had booked a massage. The masseuse was trying to sell her all these creams to go on and she said NO, No, NO, NO emphatically. When she was done she was handed a bill for over $300 already charged to her account (more than twice the money than the actual massage cost). No opportunity to sign, argue, etc. She had been charged for the oils, etc she had refused. Worse, as she kept saying no, the masseuse kept saying she could afford it. She was told that numerous times. She went to Guest Services to complain about the attitude, pushing selling and “you can afford it” (which is beyond rude IMO). She got a heartfelt apology however since the Spa is run separately, Guest Services could do zip for her. They did take off the service charge (tip) so that at least she was refunded for that and will have a meeting with the spa staff but it’s amazing they are not in any way responsible. She told 6 people - we told 6 people, etc. Be VERY careful about using the spa while it is the same group on this ship. This did NOT happen on the Oosterdam when we sailed (my sister got a massage).

Absolutely correct. It’s in orange on the CO menu. We’ve had a few of them. Our waiter has been good at either giving us the menu or letting us know the special.

Thanks. Very much Vanessa @JazzyV for remembering the day 💔 and thanks everyone for the very kind words. It’s a mixed bag of emotions today. 2nd anniversary of Jose’s death and the first anniversary of Ivan’s “Gotcha” day. it’s sadder than happier though. Thanks again.

I hope you enjoy your first HAL cruise and have a great celebration on board 🙂 Happy to add it for you 🙂