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Norton Explorer(er)s Trumps BFF Putins land

Emperor Norton
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JPR

JPR

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United Airlines’s short rib is notorious. On a flight from LAX to Paris a few years ago, I broke three plastic knives trying to cut it. On a positive note, it would have made an effective cudgel to wack hijackers with. On an even more negative note, we then watched a flight attendant plate the short rib with his bare hands and then lick the barbecue sauce off his fingers, followed by another plating. That particular gross performance got us each $500 in UA ticket credits...

 

The punch line is that the very evening we arrived in Paris, we had dinner at a more casual restaurant run by a three Michelin star restaurant chef and watched the rotisserie chicken being plated with bare hands that one of the sous chefs had been using to scratch deep inside his ear canal. When I mentioned this to the Maitre d’, he responded in classic Gallic fashion: “Vell, at least he did not do zis!”while bringing his index finger up to one nostril and wiggling it...

 

I kid you not.

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Emperor Norton

Emperor Norton

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Well there’s some issues. First getting to the ship was borked. No open gate. Some taxis got in others didn’t. To me that was FAIL on the part of the line as they could’ve resolved that issue by shadowing port security.

 

(Yes I had to walk the extra length because they didn’t check on their access or really lack thereof. )

 

The safety drill was the least safe I’ve experienced. (Don’t rush to your suite to grab a jacket or unplug things).

 

If you try to charge something while you’re out the stewardess is instructed to unplug it (but unplug it before the ship sinks). But hey the TV, DVD/BlueRay/Fridge/lights etc... are ok. Hello USCG? Yes I have a complaint...

 

Aside from IMO management failures I’m having a great cruise. The restaurant and bar staff have been excellent even given their sub prime beef.

 

 

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Emperor Norton

Emperor Norton

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United Airlines’s short rib is notorious. On a flight from LAX to Paris a few years ago, I broke three plastic knives trying to cut it. On a positive note, it would have made an effective cudgel to wack hijackers with. On an even more negative note, we then watched a flight attendant plate the short rib with his bare hands and then lick the barbecue sauce off his fingers, followed by another plating. That particular gross performance got us each $500 in UA ticket credits...

 

The punch line is that the very evening we arrived in Paris, we had dinner at a more casual restaurant run by a three Michelin star restaurant chef and watched the rotisserie chicken being plated with bare hands that one of the sous chefs had been using to scratch deep inside his ear canal. When I mentioned this to the Maitre d’, he responded in classic Gallic fashion: “Vell, at least he did not do zis!”while bringing his index finger up to one nostril and wiggling it...

 

I kid you not.

 

 

 

The more I travel and the more I do in the name of the company the less surprised I am.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Emperor Norton

Emperor Norton

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The unplugging things is also new and in effect on Oceania as of our cruise in June. Very silly. And I just ignored it. After a couple of days, so did Our butler and stewardess.

 

 

 

Well... I wish I could say the same. Came back to find unplugged camera charger and unplugged laptop. Perhaps a note reading: You touch it you bought it would get the point across.

 

 

 

 

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jeb_bud

jeb_bud

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The unplugging things is also new and in effect on Oceania as of our cruise in June. Very silly. And I just ignored it. After a couple of days, so did Our butler and stewardess.

 

 

 

It was the same on Mariner in June. I left it up to our stewards; sometimes they unplugged our chargers and sometimes not.

 

 

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Emperor Norton

Emperor Norton

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Arrived in Stockholm at around 7am. One room was ready early. The other wouldn't be ready until 3 hours after it was supposed to be available.

 

The hotel did offer a nice view.

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On a previous trip I visited the Icebar - why not see it again?

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Emperor Norton

Emperor Norton

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While in Stockholm you could also visit the Vasa museum. A museum dedicated to a ship famous for sinking and then being raised.

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Visit an amusement park

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See where the Nobel prizes (aside from peace) are awarded.

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Or see the prize dinner tableware

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Pamela1

Pamela1

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Thank you for sharing your adventures. Hope all is good on board now after the earlier mishaps?

We have only discovered aioli recently and would happily have that bowl with the fries. :D

The table setting is lovely also but I'm pretty sure its much more beautiful in Compass Rose?

I am a little jealous.

 

Pam.

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Emperor Norton

Emperor Norton

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Aside from the hiccups earlier on embarkation day and a few dishes that were misses things have been going quite well.

 

A pre dinner perfect Manhattan (it's healthy, it has "fruit").

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And maybe a canape of a spring roll in plum sauce (the sauce soaked the skin making the texture less than ideal - taste was nice).

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And perhaps a Kir Royale

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I guess these swizzle sticks are more environmentally friendly than the old plastic ones.

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Emperor Norton

Emperor Norton

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The lobster bisque was nice (the puff pastry came on the side so it still had its integrity when you ate it).

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Pasta (perfect al dente) in a Champaign cream sauce (very nice tasting) with clams (well past their best by date IMO).

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Strip loin (cooked perfectly but lacking in flavor and had a tough texture). The jacket potato was quite nice and the sauce rich and flavorful.

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Petit Fours (unlike Seabourn that you now seem to have to request them Regent just brings them. Nice.)

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Mmm...cheese

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