11/29 Zuiderdam Panama Canal Impressions

[erewhon]

Crew News,

 

Thanks for another update of your cruise.

 

Have you enquired why there are no chocolate chip cookies?

[Crew News]

Day #8 At Sea

 

A nice peaceful day at sea. We received our 100 days bronze medals at a reception before the Mariner's Lunch. The Steve Jobs movie was standing-room only for every showing. With rough seas, it was an early bedtime.

 

Dining:

 

I vowed to eat a healthy breakfast but the blueberry waffles with bacon could not be resisted. I noted the Mariner's Lunch menu had not changed since our second cruise. I had two lobster tails at the Formal Night dinner. Chocolate chip cookies reappeared today since the raisin cookies did not seem to be as popular.

 

Facilities:

 

We had an AC issue for a few hours after dinner but by bedtime repairs were made and the chill returned to the room. No plumbing issues to report.

 

Miscellaneous:

 

The seas were rough and most passengers retired early. I have scanned the 10 nd 11-day Panama Canal menus.

Edited December 8, 2013 by Crew News

[TracieABD]

Glad to know all is well!:)

[IRL_Joanie]

Best rule in that case then is not to read your own thoughts into what someone says, paraphrase, and/or set up straw dogs to then later shoot down. Ad infinitum.

100% AMEN!!

 

Joanie

[IRL_Joanie]

Crew News,

 

Thanks for another update of your cruise.

 

Have you enquired why there are no chocolate chip cookies?

 

1st thing, Thanks for asking about me:) I is doig great the cooler the temps and the breeze as we near the Keys this evening.

 

Bobhan is our Hotel Manager. He started as a Waiter in Pinnacle Grill, I think in 2003 and was promoted during our Last Alaska cruise:)

 

There are chaocolate chip cookies, he just did not see the\m. I asked and the young lady got me several hot from being taken from the oven:)

 

3rd and lastly, meds taking effect so any typos....sorry...

 

Joanie

[erewhon]

Thanks for the day 8 update.

 

Good to hear from you Joanie.

 

Congratulations on receiving your bronze medals.

Did you receive the pins?

[Crew News]

Day #9 At Sea

 

A nice peaceful day at sea with extended sleeping time. I attended a cooking demo for Caribbean jerk pork and bananas foster where they passed out all of the recipes demoed during the week. I searched my On Locations and did not see a disembarkation briefing listed now that the surveys are done on line. I did watch the NFL snow bowl from Philadelphia and then headed for my verandah to catch some final rays of sunshine. The seas were calm but the ship's weather channel continued to report "rough seas." Our two suitcases are packed and ready to be placed in the hallway just before retiring

 

Dining:

 

The eggs benedict and bueberry waffles caught my attention for breakfast. Lunch brought out every passenger and a table was difficult to locate in the Lido. Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill where the skewered lamb was excellent. It was not flamed at table side as one waiter stated that flaming was considered a safety hazard now. Salt and pepper shakers reappeared on each table.

 

Facilities:

 

No AC or flushing issues for this day. More rust spots appeared on our balcony ceiling and I was told that is a fact of life for a ship.

 

Miscellaneous:

 

The seas were calm. The Culinary Operations Manager delivered all of the promised menus (eastern, southern, and western 7-day menus) to include the lunch menus for each day. I will be spending our post-cruise day in Fort Lauderdale scanning a huge stack of menus.

[erewhon]

Crew News,

 

Thanks for your report of day 9.

It's always sad having to pack the suitcases on the last day of a cruise.

 

Could I ask you, if when you are home and at a supermarket, would you check the weight of a package of Active Dry Yeast, and let me know here on Cruise Critic? ( for the Panama bun recipe, not sure if our packaged yeast will be the same size as USA package)

[matondo]

Looking forward to seeing the menus. I will have to read them in secret as DH thinks I am absolutely crazy to spend time pouring over menus. What he does not realize is there is a large group of people out there who are just like me.;) Hopefully we will get to take this cruise next fall and I will already have a good idea of what I want to eat and he will not!!!!;)

[OlsSalt]

Crew News,

 

Thanks for your report of day 9.

It's always sad having to pack the suitcases on the last day of a cruise.

 

Could I ask you, if when you are home and at a supermarket, would you check the weight of a package of Active Dry Yeast, and let me know here on Cruise Critic? ( for the Panama bun recipe, not sure if our packaged yeast will be the same size as USA package)

 

In case this request gets lost, there are many online resources that can tell you the equivalent in teaspoons and ounces for a package of Active Dry Yeast. As well as ratios of yeast in any form to the amounts of other ingredients.

[whogo]

Crew News,

 

Thanks for your report of day 9.

It's always sad having to pack the suitcases on the last day of a cruise.

 

Could I ask you, if when you are home and at a supermarket, would you check the weight of a package of Active Dry Yeast, and let me know here on Cruise Critic? ( for the Panama bun recipe, not sure if our packaged yeast will be the same size as USA package)

In the USA, dry yeast is frequently sold as a strip of three 1/4 ounce (7 gram) packages.

[startwin]

In the USA, dry yeast is frequently sold as a strip of three 1/4 ounce (7 gram) packages.

 

I went to my cupboard to check, and same here in Canada - Fleischman's.

[IRL_Joanie]

Day #9 At Sea

 

A nice peaceful day at sea with extended sleeping time. I attended a cooking demo for Caribbean jerk pork and bananas foster where they passed out all of the recipes demoed during the week. I searched my On Locations and did not see a disembarkation briefing listed now that the surveys are done on line. I did watch the NFL snow bowl from Philadelphia and then headed for my verandah to catch some final rays of sunshine. The seas were calm but the ship's weather channel continued to report "rough seas." Our two suitcases are packed and ready to be placed in the hallway just before retiring

 

Dining:

 

The eggs benedict and bueberry waffles caught my attention for breakfast. Lunch brought out every passenger and a table was difficult to locate in the Lido. Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill where the skewered lamb was excellent. It was not flamed at table side as one waiter stated that flaming was considered a safety hazard now. Salt and pepper shakers reappeared on each table.

 

Facilities:

 

No AC or flushing issues for this day. More rust spots appeared on our balcony ceiling and I was told that is a fact of life for a ship.

 

Miscellaneous:

 

The seas were calm. The Culinary Operations Manager delivered all of the promised menus (eastern, southern, and western 7-day menus) to include the lunch menus for each day. I will be spending our post-cruise day in Fort Lauderdale scanning a huge stack of menus.

 

Posting while hubby gets his mouth off the floor:D

 

As hubby posted Ron, the COM, had the rest of the menus delivered to our stateroom last evening ( a VERY huge stack) and he did not do more than glance at them before packing them away.

 

He is at the desk right now with his jaw on the floor because he received on top of the entire 11 day, 10 day, all 3 7 day menus but also the menus for Christmas, New Years's and a couple others that we'd not even thought to ask about, like Canaletto and Lido Buffett menus:)

 

Ask and ye shall receive and boy aint that the truth.

 

He is just now beginning to scan them and is really looking forward to sharing them all with you our fellow CC members:)

 

Joanie

[bernie5]

Posting while hubby gets his mouth off the floor:D

 

As hubby posted Ron, the COM, had the rest of the menus delivered to our stateroom last evening ( a VERY huge stack) and he did not do more than glance at them before packing them away.

 

He is at the desk right now with his jaw on the floor because he received on top of the entire 11 day, 10 day, all 3 7 day menus but also the menus for Christmas, New Years's and a couple others that we'd not even thought to ask about, like Canaletto and Lido Buffett menus:)

 

Ask and ye shall receive and boy aint that the truth.

 

He is just now beginning to scan them and is really looking forward to sharing them all with you our fellow CC members:)

 

Joanie

 

Thanks so much for all your work and reports. I cannot wait to see the menus. I talked today to our PCC and she knew nothing about a change in the PG menu.

[TracieABD]

Posting while hubby gets his mouth off the floor:D

 

As hubby posted Ron, the COM, had the rest of the menus delivered to our stateroom last evening ( a VERY huge stack) and he did not do more than glance at them before packing them away.

 

He is at the desk right now with his jaw on the floor because he received on top of the entire 11 day, 10 day, all 3 7 day menus but also the menus for Christmas, New Years's and a couple others that we'd not even thought to ask about, like Canaletto and Lido Buffett menus:)

 

Ask and ye shall receive and boy aint that the truth.

 

He is just now beginning to scan them and is really looking forward to sharing them all with you our fellow CC members:)

 

Joanie

 

Thank you so much! I can't wait see them! Two more cruises and then it is our turn!!!:)

[erewhon]

In the USA, dry yeast is frequently sold as a strip of three 1/4 ounce (7 gram) packages.

 

Thank you for your help.

[erewhon]

I went to my cupboard to check, and same here in Canada - Fleischman's.

 

Thanks startwin.

[matondo]

Posting while hubby gets his mouth off the floor:D

 

As hubby posted Ron, the COM, had the rest of the menus delivered to our stateroom last evening ( a VERY huge stack) and he did not do more than glance at them before packing them away.

 

He is at the desk right now with his jaw on the floor because he received on top of the entire 11 day, 10 day, all 3 7 day menus but also the menus for Christmas, New Years's and a couple others that we'd not even thought to ask about, like Canaletto and Lido Buffett menus:)

 

Ask and ye shall receive and boy aint that the truth.

 

He is just now beginning to scan them and is really looking forward to sharing them all with you our fellow CC members:)

 

Joanie

 

Is he going to post it in a new thread or should we keep an eye out on this one or both?

[CORealtor]

Posting while hubby gets his mouth off the floor:D

 

As hubby posted Ron, the COM, had the rest of the menus delivered to our stateroom last evening ( a VERY huge stack) and he did not do more than glance at them before packing them away.

 

He is at the desk right now with his jaw on the floor because he received on top of the entire 11 day, 10 day, all 3 7 day menus but also the menus for Christmas, New Years's and a couple others that we'd not even thought to ask about, like Canaletto and Lido Buffett menus:)

 

Ask and ye shall receive and boy aint that the truth.

 

He is just now beginning to scan them and is really looking forward to sharing them all with you our fellow CC members:)

 

Joanie

 

Wow! Thanks to you both, Joanie and Crew News, for all of the information that you share as well as the menus for the upcoming cruises. Looking forward to our 11 day in February! Again, thanks, and I will visit your website for the menus and other information. Have a Merry Christmas!

[IRL_Joanie]

Crew News,

 

Thanks for another update of your cruise.

 

Have you enquired why there are no chocolate chip cookies?

Hubby has this thing I call "Tunnel Vision" If it aint directly in front of him, then they aint there............

 

The one and only time I stopped at the Ice Cream Station, I saw what appeared to be chocolate chip cookies. I asked the young lady what they were (hey, to a person with my limited vision, I easily mistake Raisin Cookies for Chocolate Chip). She told me raisins and I went "Rats, I was so looking forward to chocolate chip." She asked me to wait a second and came back with a large tray of fresh out of the oven Chocolate Chip and White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut cookies:) I took 6 of each and sort of teased hubby with them when I got back to the room with them.

 

Moral of the story is, if you do not see what you want on display, ask.........Ya just might get lucky:)

 

EDITED TO ADD: No Bronze pins yet. I expect that we will get those in the mail along with our 4 Star Mariner Lapel Pins.

 

Joanie

Edited December 12, 2013 by IRL_Joanie

[Krazy Kruizers]

Joanie

The only pins that HAL gives out now are the "Star" pins.

The label pins -- you will have to contact the Mariner Society and see if they have any of them left.

[IRL_Joanie]

Joanie

 

The only pins that HAL gives out now are the "Star" pins.

 

The label pins -- you will have to contact the Mariner Society and see if they have any of them left.

 

Thanks Yonnie, figured we'd have to contact the Society to get them. But, also know it may take a few days. Our Online status does not yet show this past 10 day cruise as of 2 am this morning so will wait a few dats to give them a call:)

 

Joanie

Edited December 12, 2013 by IRL_Joanie

[MermaidWatcher]

She asked me to wait a second and came back with a large tray of fresh out of the oven Chocolate Chip and White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut cookies:) I took 6 of each and sort of teased hubby with them when I got back to the room with them Joanie

 

Are you serious about taking 18 cookies ?

Edited December 12, 2013 by MermaidWatcher

[sapper1]

Are you serious about taking 18 cookies ?

 

I took four once. :D. But then I shared.

[IRL_Joanie]

Are you serious about taking 18 cookies ?

 

Do not know where you came up with 18, possibly you did not understand my description of the white chocolate chip and macadamia nut as being one cookie?

 

NO I did not take 18, I took 6 Chocolate chip and 6 white chocolate chip with Macadamia Nut cookies.

 

And even if I did take 18, we, hubby, myself and our 2 friends cruising with us would still have eaten them all:) I still do not understand though why you should care how many cookies I took? That does tend to throw me for a loop, that someone would be offended (sounds like you are) that I took cookies:confused: I mean, my goodness, I did not take the decorations..........

 

Have a nice day. I know I will after just typing about them, think I will make a few dozen over the next day or 2 and close my eyes as I eat them trying to convince myself that I am back on "Z" relaxing with the wake and movements of the ship:)

 

Joanie

Edited December 13, 2013 by IRL_Joanie
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