Live Nieuw Amsterdam Inaugural 2016 Cruise to Alaska

[Crew News]

Thanks for your updates.

 

Where will you post the new Pinnacle and Neptune breakfast cards?

 

Here is the current link that will be updated:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-regular-and-specialty-restaurants/

 

On Locations will be located under Photo Reviews tab.

[Copper10-8]

Le Cirque is on Thursday evening.

 

Captain: Bas von Dreumel

CD: Hamisch

HM: Simon Tanner

 

Please don't make a German out of a Dutchman; ;) Captain Bas van Dreumel

[Crew News]

The First Sea Day and Gala Night, enroute to Juneau, began in partial sunshine and then thick clouds appeared shortly followed by rolling waves. As I write this at the end of the day, the seas have smoothed and the clouds are not quite as heavy.

 

Room Service breakfast was on time and my “write-in” hot oatmeal arrived with both brown sugar and raisins. I noted that unlike the sealed containers for transporting the Room Service trays on the Oosterdam, deliveries were made on open trolleys. I will take food temperatures tomorrow to compare to the Oosterdam sealed-delivery breakfast.

 

After breakfast, I took my scanner and laptop to scan the Neptune Lounge Specialty Restaurant menu collection. I was joined at the large by a couple who asked what I was scanning. It turned out that they were the two guest chefs aboard and long-time friends of POA1. What a strange coincidence! And then I discovered they were just moved to the stateroom next to ours on Deck 5. Their cooking classes coincided with times in port so I will not be participating.

 

I was shocked when I went to purchase some Future Cruise Deposits and found no waiting line which allowed for some extra conversation time. The double OBC for cruises booked on board with FCD is now a permanent deal. If you book a cruise on board and use a previously-purchased FCD, the booked cruise also qualifies for the double OBC.

 

I have learned that most dining venues have their own wine lists, which I have now scanned. I’m still expecting a wine list from the Dive-In to materialize.

 

Before I forget, the NA stateroom curtains are not thick enough to keep the room dark and so the room is filled with an orange glow each morning. Here in Alaska that is very early! A sleep mask might be in order for those who prefer total darkness for sleeping.

 

My free Collector Cruise dinner in the Tamarind, third visit this voyage, was a chance to continue my trying everything on the menu. The Thai lamb was excellent and rivaled my love of the Wasabi tenderloin.

 

Tomorrow is Juneau and my whale watching with seafood feast. Rain is forecast but my Olympus camera is water sealed and the whales still need to feed under the watchful eyes of the tourist boats.

 

As is my normal practice, it’s time for a visit to the Lido Restaurant to fill our coffee thermos before retiring. The change to Alaska time will grant an additional hour of sleep before Juneau.

 

More tomorrow.

Edited May 2, 2016 by Crew News

[Crew News]

Please don't make a German out of a Dutchman; ;) Captain Bas van Dreumel

 

My apologies for the typo promulgated by my nine years living in Germany

[Copper10-8]

My apologies for the typo promulgated by my nine years living in Germany

 

No biggie; enjoy Alaska, but somehow, I know you will

[Crew News]

After repeated attempts the Neptune Lounge Concierge reported that there is not a single appetizer menu but rather a "daily" menu that they have been unable to obtain.

 

We requested chicken wings and skewered shrimp each day and have been quite satisfied by not only their prompt delivery at 3:00 PM but also their variety of preparation.

 

We recommend that when ordering, that you be specific with what you want and it shall be done. Generic "hor" or "cold" is a roll of the dice.

[retdon]

Thanks for the great review. I will be on NA in Oct. with my high school class and would like to ask you, if possible and not to interfere with your plans, can you get a photo of cabin 8082?

 

We have 10 cabins in a row booked starting with 8078 and hope to get the veranda dividers open so we can have afternoon gatherings.

 

Do you know who the MDR manager is?

 

Thanks in advance and look forward to following your review and seeing the photos. Linda

[Crew News]

Thanks for the great review. I will be on NA in Oct. with my high school class and would like to ask you, if possible and not to interfere with your plans, can you get a photo of cabin 8082?

 

We have 10 cabins in a row booked starting with 8078 and hope to get the veranda dividers open so we can have afternoon gatherings.

 

Do you know who the MDR manager is?

 

Thanks in advance and look forward to following your review and seeing the photos. Linda

 

There is a magic hour during the B2B when the in-transits reboard and the new passengers are still waiting. This hour is when the staterooms are being cleaned but most will be finished with their doors open for some quick pictures. I will do my best to get the photographs you wish and include them in my Photo Review of the NA.

[gottagoacruzn]

Hey, am lurkin here today!!!:rolleyes: Ain't got much better things to do right now, so... Jest got home from work.

[Overtime4me2]

Enjoying your posts. Have a wonderful cruise! :)

[retdon]

There is a magic hour during the B2B when the in-transits reboard and the new passengers are still waiting. This hour is when the staterooms are being cleaned but most will be finished with their doors open for some quick pictures. I will do my best to get the photographs you wish and include them in my Photo Review of the NA.

 

Thank you so much, sure appreciate your web site with all the HAL info. Enjoy your posts. Have a wonderful cruise. Linda

[Crew News]

Juneau greeted us on Day 04 with a light rain and very heavy clouds. Add breakfast eggs that measured 88 degrees on my infrared thermometer and the day got off to a dismal start.

 

A Mariner’s Society medal ceremony preceded the Mariner Lunch with only three of the potential recipients present among a very small crowd of 25. The Hotel Manager represented the Captain who was busy on the bridge sailing through the fog.

 

I visited the guest chef’s first cooking class to take photographs for their website.

 

As I boarded the tour bus for my “Best of Juneau” excursion, the clouds parted and blue skies appeared overhead. With our first stop at Mendenhall Glacier, I hiked to Nugget Falls to capture the cascading water. The next stop was Orca Lodge for a salmon dinner followed by some very active whale watching. We were fortunate to also see some brown bears at the water’s edge.

 

The long excursion day ended with our return to the ship at 8:30 PM. Fortunately, the Lido Restaurant remained open until 9:30 PM for all of the late returnees.

 

A letter from the Hotel Manager was delivered advising that with an early docking in Skagway, the Lido Restaurant would begin breakfast at 6:00 AM and in-room dining might be delayed. While enroute to the Lido to fill our thermos with coffee for breakfast consumption, I noticed only one Room Service card on a door handle so I changed our plan to eat breakfast in the Lido and quickly filled out my Breakfast card.

 

The day ended with downloading hundreds of photographs and scanning the daily menus.

 

More later

Edited May 3, 2016 by Crew News

[SherriM]

Love your updates! Thank you so very much for taking the time to do this for us!

[canadianbear]

Your excursion in Juneau sounds fabulous. Love your photography! You and our son need to do Alaska together one of these years-there would be thousands and thousands of photos between the two of you.:)

 

So glad you got lots of whale sightings and bears too. Hope the rest of your cruise goes smoothly.

[gottagoacruzn]

Hey Crew News, did you stop by the Red Dog Saloon, for their duck fart drink, if so, what does the drink consist of?

[POA1]

Hey Crew News, did you stop by the Red Dog Saloon, for their duck fart drink, if so, what does the drink consist of?

I'm not Roger, and I'm about as far from the Red Dog Saloon as you can be and still be in the USA.... However, we have been there in the past. Here's recipe.

 

It's a layered drink made of Kahlua, Bailey's Irish Cream, and Crown Royal. The Crown Royal is just a floater.

[Copper10-8]

................................Do you know who the MDR manager is?

 

.............................

 

Komang Sumartha

[SilvertoGold]

Komang Sumartha

 

YAY! He is really good! Know how long he will be on board?

[erewhon]

Here is the current link that will be updated:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-regular-and-specialty-restaurants/

 

On Locations will be located under Photo Reviews tab.

 

Thanks for the link.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the update.

[Crew News]

All of my menus have been updated for those waiting to see lunch, dinner, and late snacks for both the MDR and Lido Restaurants.

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-regular-and-specialty-restaurants/

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/hal-alaska-ms-nieuw-amsterdam-2016/

 

On Locations are updated through Gala Night on Glacier Bay Day.

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/photo-reviews/nieuw-amsterdam-alaska-2016-on-locations/

 

Added cabana price list as well as Shops Liquor price list.

[Florida_gal_50]

Thank you for all the information on your wonderful website.

[amyh13]

Thank you so much for doing this. I talked my sister and her family into an Alaskan cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam. They leave on Friday to fly to Vancouver. I am so JEALOUS!

[stickey_mouse]

Thanks for the menus! Does anybody know if the MDR on the Noordam will serve the exact same things during its Alaskan itineraries? or do MDR menus vary by ship? We depart next week.

[Crew News]

Tuesday in Skagway was a beautiful day in the neighborhood but with a little chill. The sun passing through the thin stateroom curtains greeted the new day.

 

My choice to opt for Room Service breakfast in spite of the Hotel Manager’s call for 6:00 AM Lido Restaurant as a wise choice. Breakfast of egg white omelet (temp 140 degrees) and Joanie’s sunnyside up eggs (temp 114 degrees) was delivered on time at 6:00 AM. I learned that not adding “diced” to “ham” meant it would be served in a slice and not included in the omelet.

 

Our private excursion with Max Jewell, Elements of Alaska, met at the pier at 10:30 and we began with a tour of the city of Skagway. Max was raised in Skagway and had a unique prospective of the surrounding area. Frequent stops were made for photographs, unlike the big bus tours. We spotted and photographed doll sheep standing on sheer rocks on one stop. Numerous bathroom stops were made, unlike the big bus tours. Lunch in Carcross in a very colorful bistro provided a varied menu of sweet and savory items. Max was a friend of the owner and promised us great service. The stop at Emerald Lake, not on the regular tour routes let us see the bright green water and amazing landscape. A stop was made to fill our water bottles from a waterfall from the melting winter ice.

 

Max added an additional visit to Dyea to watch the birds feeding while the tide was out. What appeared to be hundreds of small birds and a few eagles were scooping up the small fish trapped in the mud which has not happened in the past few years.

 

Some on the tour were dropped off in town and Max waited while I made the regular stop at the Alaska Fudge Company for nine slices of dark chocolate fudge.

 

The Lido Restaurant was open late to serve those arriving back to the ship after their MDR seatings.

 

I noted that Ice Bay IPA and Amber draft beer from Juneau Brewing was available by the indoor pool. Many other bottled Alaskan beer was brought from Vancouver.

 

My day ended with updating my website with the latest lunch, dinner, and late snack menus, Beverage menus, cabana prices, Specialty Restaurant menus, and On Locations.

 

We are just approaching Marjorie Glacier Bay.

 

More later

Edited May 4, 2016 by Crew News