3rd time's the Charm

[OVgirl]

[quote name='Crew News']Did your Vega also rust out quickly??

Now this is getting really strange. At the Suites Reception this evening, I sat next to a couple from Florida that reported they owned a 73 Vega TOO. In two day, that makes five Vega owners within three feet of me on the same cruise.

Love this unlimited internet!!![/QUOTE]

[SIZE="3"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]You can add DH as another former Vega owner. I think he had a '71 or '72. I don't think he has any fond memories of that car.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[frankc98376]

[quote name='IRL_Joanie'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4][COLOR=Blue][B]
Melodie I know the Aft Wraps on Noordam has almost the same size verandahs as the Zuiderdam and Westerdam. NOTE: I said almost.....The narrower verandahs on NA are what had her as my least favorite ship. BUT...Always a But with me *GRIN*, The Noordam became least favorite due to our Aft Wrap divider on Deck 6 being welded shut. Also to be noted is that NA and Noordam (not sure abour Eurodam...Yet...) share an aft feature I do not like....the aft tiers instead of Deck 5 being completely covered. So you get the weather:(

We are Anchored off Little San Salvadore aka Half Moon Cay and the weather is once again perfect!! Temp is around 80 Fahrenheit, cloudless sky and an extremely calm sea. We were about 30 minutes late arriving due to a Princess ship in front of us. No, Princess did not come to OUR Island but was going to their own, which is in my estimation from looking at her is about 10-15 miles away. She was slow moving, which is why we were slightly late.

Carol, I wish we'd have been able to get together more, but timing.....It was awesome meeting 2 of my all time favorite CC members!!!!

OK, I have left than 5 minutes on my Net Book so need to get this posted.

I know hubby will post later so See Y'all tomorrow!!

Joanie[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

Nothing beats the aft wrap- deck 5 on Zuiderdam, Westerdam, and Oosterdam :D

[Crew News]

[quote name='OVgirl'][SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS]You can add DH as another former Vega owner. I think he had a '71 or '72. I don't think he has any fond memories of that car.[/FONT][/SIZE][/quote]

Thanks for your earlier post.

I thought the Vega world was small but there seems to be some linkage to cruising after this week.

[Crew News]

[quote name='frankc98376']Nothing beats the aft wrap- deck 5 on Zuiderdam, Westerdam, and Oosterdam :D[/quote]

Amen!!

[Crew News]

While riding the ferry to HMC, the lady sitting next to me jumped from her seat and rushed to hug another passenger she had not seen in 15 years. They had lost touch after working together for many years. Tears flowed for the two as well as most seated near the newly reunited.

To be so far from home and then only ten feet apart on a cruise defies the laws of probability. FWIW I learned that she and her husband were on the Zuiderdam with us last year cruising the Panama Canal.

There are a lot of improbable things happening on this Eastern-Western cruise.

More later

[ger_77]

[quote name='Crew News']While riding the ferry to HMC, the lady sitting next to me jumped from her seat and rushed to hug another passenger she had not seen in 15 years. They had lost touch after working together for many years. Tears flowed for the two as well as most seated near the newly reunited.
[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]How wonderful to have been able to witness this! [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)[/SIZE][/FONT]

[IRL_Joanie]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4][COLOR=Blue][B]..........But yesterday was a boring day for a post here on my thread. I say boring As in for y'all not for me:) In explanation....I done did nothing but sit on the verandah enjoying the sunshine and calm sea or lazing in bed just doing zilch:) For me, my stateroom and its verandah are my destination, and I take full advantage of it.

Do not know if any other CC member has mentioned the beach towels in the suites but we have 2 beach towels that are white with I think blue "Holland America" imprinted (or however they make the towels) in huge lettering, rolled and ready for use. I've never seen them before last week on any other HAL Ship or Cruise so for me they are something to note when a question is asked about HAL providing towels for beach use.

Today is a sea day, which means even more lazing away for me. Life is good and so I am happy.

I believe that Roger and another CC member just up the hall from us who came onboard this week have arranged a CC get together on our verandah around 2 pm and then to dinner in Tamarind this evening. I'll not be going to the Tamarind but will see if I can get one of their "Bento Boxes." A Bento Box is the Tamarind's version of a Chinese Take Out, from how it was described to us...

OK, I'm on the verandah and either the Lido Aft is being washed down or it is starting to sprinkle and I need to get this posted and my Net Book back into the safety of the stateroom.

More later...

Joanie
[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[ger_77]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]We had the towels on our t/A as well - they were nice to sit on after a light rain when the sun came back out.

Bento boxes are traditionally Japanese and have several little compartments separating the food. I hope you enjoyed yours!
[url]http://www.phoenixrevolution.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/bento3.jpg[/url]

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)[/SIZE][/FONT]

[catl331]

Saw those towels at Half Moon Cay also. Of note, you must return them to your room or you will be charged. I think about $26ish each. Maybe some passengers had them with their HMC cabana rentals and I would guess they would leave them there.

Quantum of the Seas was at Port Canaveral yest. So were the local TV stations. The main lobby has pillars and is as large as one in a pricey hotel! They have robotic bartenders! I saw a robotic pharmacist at our local airbase and thought that was interesting. I wonder if you could ask for a martini, lightly shaken etc. The Quantum will be replaced by the Anthem ots soon and the Q will be doing a China run.

[Crew News]

I attended a Caribbean cuisine cooking class last week and thought I would describe some of the changes that have made these more of a paid demo than hands-on cooking.

Upon entering the Culinary Arts Center, the class members were required to complete a health questionnaire that was similar to one completed in the HAL Embarkation Terminal.

All of the ingredients, with the exception of eight mushrooms and one shallot, were pre-cut and pre-measured in small bowls sitting on the cooking island prior to the class.

The hands-on part of the class was emptying a bowl of a pre-measured/pre-cut ingredient by each member of the class when a mixing bowl was passed around the cooking island by the chef.

The class was a demo by the chef with unlimited questioning opportunities by the attendees.

It is my hope that this class was prefered by the guest chef and the paid cooking classes with active student participation have not ended.

[sail7seas]

[quote name='Crew News']I attended a Caribbean cuisine cooking class last week and thought I would describe some of the changes that have made these more of a paid demo than hands-on cooking.

Upon entering the Culinary Arts Center, the class members were required to complete a health questionnaire that was similar to one completed in the HAL Embarkation Terminal.

All of the ingredients, with the exception of eight mushrooms and one shallot, were pre-cut and pre-measured in small bowls sitting on the cooking island prior to the class.

The hands-on part of the class was emptying a bowl of a pre-measured/pre-cut ingredient by each member of the class when a mixing bowl was passed around the cooking island by the chef.

The class was a demo by the chef with unlimited questioning opportunities by the attendees.

It is my hope that this class was prefered by the guest chef and the paid cooking classes with active student participation have not ended.[/QUOTE]


[B] What dish did they prepare? when you said eight mushrooms, does that mean there were eight participants?

Thanks.
[/B]

[jaspersmycat]

On the Ryndam last June, we were told that we were not allowed to use knifes due to the liability if someone cut themselves. I'm afraid litigious people have ruined another fun activity.

[SilvertoGold]

That is a big difference in the Cooking Class.

I have attended the Cooking Classes several times and must say they have been less and less organized, but still hands-on or what I call a "free for all", with no real planning.

As a 5 star I like the complimentary part, but won't be paying for extras if it is just a paid demo.

Thanks, Roger, for letting us know the direction this is taking.

[frankc98376]

[quote name='jaspersmycat']On the Ryndam last June, we were told that we were not allowed to use knifes due to the liability if someone cut themselves. I'm afraid litigious people have ruined another fun activity.[/quote]

Does that mean that the PG servers will now be cutting our steaks? ;)

[PathfinderEss]

[quote name='IRL_Joanie'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4][COLOR=Blue][B]..........But yesterday was a boring day for a post here on my thread. I say boring As in for y'all not for me:) In explanation....I done did nothing but sit on the verandah enjoying the sunshine and calm sea or lazing in bed just doing zilch:)[COLOR="Red"] For me, my stateroom and its verandah are my destination, and I take full advantage of it.
[/COLOR]
Do not know if any other CC member has mentioned the beach towels in the suites but we have 2 beach towels that are white with I think blue "Holland America" imprinted (or however they make the towels) in huge lettering, rolled and ready for use. I've never seen them before last week on any other HAL Ship or Cruise so for me they are something to note when a question is asked about HAL providing towels for beach use.

Today is a sea day, which means even more lazing away for me. Life is good and so I am happy.

I believe that Roger and another CC member just up the hall from us who came onboard this week have arranged a CC get together on our verandah around 2 pm and then to dinner in Tamarind this evening. I'll not be going to the Tamarind but will see if I can get one of their "Bento Boxes." A Bento Box is the Tamarind's version of a Chinese Take Out, from how it was described to us...

OK, I'm on the verandah and either the Lido Aft is being washed down or it is starting to sprinkle and I need to get this posted and my Net Book back into the safety of the stateroom.

More later...

Joanie
[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]
[COLOR="DarkRed"][SIZE="3"]I fully agree with you Joanie, having been in most port many times, now my destination is my cabin, deck, Lido bar, Crows Nest and Pinnacle Grill.

We got those towels on the Westerdam as well.
[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Crew News]

[quote name='sail7seas'][B] What dish did they prepare? when you said eight mushrooms, does that mean there were eight participants?

Thanks.
[/B][/quote]

The dish prepared was Caribbean Chicken with Rum Butter. A single student with amazing knife skills performed the slicing of all eight mushrooms while the remaining 10 students observed the guest chef stir the frying chicken.

My original post failed to report that the guest chef passed the stainless steel bowl containing the chicken marinade to each student for a sniff of the spicy. That may count as "hands-on" since each of us touched the bowl.

We did learn that a large batch of citrus-based marinade can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one year if covered with oil.

[sail7seas]

[quote name='frankc98376']Does that mean that the PG servers will now be cutting our steaks? ;)[/QUOTE]

[B] After cooking, I assume you get to taste the dish that has been made. I have to say that doesn't sound all that appealing to me but how was the chicken? :D

[/B]

[OCruisers]

[quote name='frankc98376']Does that mean that the PG servers will now be cutting our steaks? ;)[/QUOTE]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]Funny Above! :D
Seriously, what will they no longer allow us to do next for ourselves [I]for our own safety?[/I]:rolleyes:
LuLu [/SIZE][/FONT] Edited December 16, 2014 by OCruisers

[Crew News]

Eerie things continued this week when I went to the Tamarind for lunch. Since there were no tables for a single available, I was asked if I would mind being seated with others. Joining two already-seated males, I took my seat and we were joined by another couple.

Since the couple were HAL rookies, I did my best to give them good advice. They mentioned that they read on their roll call that one could order two lobster tails on Formal Night. My reply that I always post that two lobsters are my usual order bought the realization that the couple were the last two joining our Dec 14th roll call after purchasing their stateroom on Dec 12th.

Out of nearly 2000 passengers the couple at the table were two of the few CC members on the roll call. Eerie coincidence??

[Crew News]

[quote name='sail7seas'][B] After cooking, I assume you get to taste the dish that has been made. I have to say that doesn't sound all that appealing to me but how was the chicken? :D

[/B][/quote]

As noted on other threads, new requirements for Health Certificates for those preparing food, students are prohibited from trying what was prepared during the classes.

The dishes, correctly prepared by the PG staff, were served after the class and were pronounced "yummy" by the students. It must be noted that eight students consumed four bottles of red/white wine that was served both during the class and with the PG meal. Edited December 16, 2014 by Crew News

[catl331]

Wine!!! Was it 3 buck chuck?? They sure are afraid of getting sued. Was this the Haitian chef that was aboard last wk? She kept saying : This is what we use in Haiti and the food that we like the best. Why are our local churches sending bags of rice etc. to Haiti? Does she cook at a hotel there?

[slimknyzer]

Hey, Joanie... ALWAYS great to hear from you! Thanks!

[jankn]

We, also, have gotten spoiled with the aft wraps, once you do, it's hard to be anywhere else....we have a fave and are going to be there n a few weeks, on the Zuiderdam and CANNOT wait !! I've been getting my "fix" while I wait, reading the CC pretty often........

[trixiee]

I for one, am glad that the students are not touching the food! I was the mean perosn on our cruise who, before the class started, reminded everyone of "proper handwashing". I wonder if anyone would have washed their hands before starting if I hadn't. :confused: Contamination more likely the culprit to putting a stop of the hands on stuff. Also, our chef came very late, left early, the utensils were scant, and the knives were as dull as a board!

The wine however, was quite nice! :D

[Crew News]

Wine!!! Was it 3 buck chuck?? They sure are afraid of getting sued. Was this the Haitian chef that was aboard last wk? She kept saying : This is what we use in Haiti and the food that we like the best. Why are our local churches sending bags of rice etc. to Haiti? Does she cook at a hotel there?

 

Since I no longer consume alcohol, I can't comment on the quality. In my much younger days, free wine trumped quality. The chef was a female Haitian but did not say she cooked for a hotel.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Crew News