Shadowing Cherry Blossom and Sushi 21/4 to ??

[highplanesdrifters]

15 hours ago, jpalbny said:

 

That's disappointing. Love Fevertree and now that I'm hooked, it's tough to go back.

 

I'm with you. Not just Fevertree but all the Artisanal Tonics that are finally showing up in the U.S. We just had Marula Tonic in South Africa, oh yum. What a G&T that made. Don't think its on anyone's import list. 😪

[Silver Spectre]

Beautiful day in the Sea of Japan on our way to Kanazawa, with some well deserved sunshine.

Edited April 27 by Silver Spectre

[les37b]

5 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Beautiful day in the Sea of Japan on our way to Kanazawa, with some well deserved sunshine.

Fingers crossed it remains. I suspect you’ll be treated to the usual Japanese welcome and farewell as you arrive and depart. Something I was so impressed with.

[Silver Spectre]

9 hours ago, les37b said:

Fingers crossed it remains. I suspect you’ll be treated to the usual Japanese welcome and farewell as you arrive and depart. Something I was so impressed with.

Having left Japan 3 days ago we are now re-entering and have to go through all the immigration and customs procedures again this morning.

 

Last night was informal and whilst all the guests were dressed appropriately in the restaurant a party arrived late for desert having dinned on the pool deck. No jacket was worn or required which again makes a mockery of the dress code.

 

Yesterday was also the new low point of the wine drought. No more Pouilly Fume, Tiki and Vouvray. The is an ocean of undrinkable cheap Chardonnay left though.

 

Putting logistical supply issues aside, this ship has relatively recently been in both New Zealand and Australia and it should have been possible to restock locally and avoid running out this early. 

[MrsWaldo]

5 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

 

 

Putting logistical supply issues aside, this ship has relatively recently been in both New Zealand and Australia and it should have been possible to restock locally and avoid running out this early. 

If referring to the Tiki,  I have never seen it in Australia.  Interestingly a google search only shows it in USD so I am wondering if it is like a few Aus labels we see OS, they aren't found here.  

[drron29]

Tiki is an example of wonderful Kiwi marketing. It is produced in NZ by Tiki Wines. It appears not only on the wine list of SS but also BA. It has been extensively marketed in the USA. So they can ignore the Australian market.

It is also not a Marlborough wine which are extensively marketed in Australia so they would have plenty of competition in Australia. It is produced in the North Canterbury region.
 

Of course when you look at lists of the best Sauvignon Blancs in the world you will rarely see a New Zealand one. Top countries are Austria, France, Argentina and the USA.

[Silver Spectre]

Lunch at sea 

[Silver Spectre]

Tandoori chicken breast and a Sachertort 

[Port Power]

11 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Lunch at sea 

Someone was posting very recently complaining about SS cutbacks.  One particular gripe was the elimination of flowers on tables in the dining room.  It appears from this photo that you have not experienced that calamity. 🥀

[Silver Spectre]

Final port of call in Japan, Otaru. Immigration again, and now we begin the 6 day sail to Dutch Harbour.

[Pies4u]

In respect of welcomes & send offs in Japan - the Nagasaki Girls High School band and cheerleaders were sensational last Oct. We got a 40 minute sail away send off that was truly spectacular.

 

We’d have paid good money to see a show of that calibre, terrific brass band and a really lively, entertaining programme. Pity you had to be port side to see it as, as frequently happens, it was c 6.15 - 7.00 pm when most people are preparing for dinner. I delayed my shower because I couldn’t tear myself away. 
 

Plenty of crew & passengers gathered on open decks as word seemed to get around that this was something spectacular and worth watching.

 

Similarly, in a couple of other ports there was something worth seeing but nothing compared to Nagasaki.

[drron29]

Our best was the first time in Kanazawa. We were on a Noble Caledonian ship. It was a long show with traditional Japanese music and dancing and ended with the Japanese song that made the music charts in the west. Released in the west under the name Sukiyaki which is not in the lyrics so in Japan they changed the anglicised name to Sayonara.

All the performers plus a lot of the locals sang it and kept going until we could no longer hear. I doubt that there was a dry eye on the ship.

[Silver Spectre]

Today is our second full sea day on the way to Dutch Harbour, and its perishing outside, currently 35F or about 2C outside and even the most hardy of souls have vacated the pool deck. There are now many sniffles to be heard onboard. IMHO the best place to be is in bed, unless you happen to be hungry.

[jpalbny]

Brr! Sounds like it's time to reinstitute the late morning boullioun service...one thing that we look forward to while cruising in Polar climes. Stay well and stay warm!

[Salbags58]

On 5/1/2024 at 11:47 AM, Pies4u said:

In respect of welcomes & send offs in Japan - the Nagasaki Girls High School band and cheerleaders were sensational last Oct. We got a 40 minute sail away send off that was truly spectacular.

 

We’d have paid good money to see a show of that calibre, terrific brass band and a really lively, entertaining programme. Pity you had to be port side to see it as, as frequently happens, it was c 6.15 - 7.00 pm when most people are preparing for dinner. I delayed my shower because I couldn’t tear myself away. 
 

Plenty of crew & passengers gathered on open decks as word seemed to get around that this was something spectacular and worth watching.

 

Similarly, in a couple of other ports there was something worth seeing but nothing compared to Nagasaki.

I agree, they were excellent unlike the onboard entertainment that was dire 😱

[Silver Spectre]

On 5/3/2024 at 1:25 AM, jpalbny said:

Brr! Sounds like it's time to reinstitute the late morning boullioun service...one thing that we look forward to while cruising in Polar climes. Stay well and stay warm!

It is there when required.

[Silver Spectre]

It’s 30F outside and pool deck is deserted apart from our little feathered Japanese stowaways, who are struggling to survive

 

[turtlemichael]

On 5/3/2024 at 10:25 AM, jpalbny said:

Brr! Sounds like it's time to reinstitute the late morning boullioun service...one thing that we look forward to while cruising in Polar climes. Stay well and stay warm!

It was certainly there this time last year on Shadow. It was morning sustenance for many in the knitting circle in the Panorama Lounge as well as many around the pool.

[highplanesdrifters]

13 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

It’s 30F outside and pool deck is deserted apart from our little feathered Japanese stowaways, who are struggling to survive

 

 

I'm surprised the pool waiters haven't offered them a blanket and a cup of warm birdseed.

[Silver Spectre]

Gorgeous day in Dutch Harbour yesterday, snow and then sunshine

[Silver Spectre]

[Silver Spectre]

Real scallops at last!!

[jpalbny]

Is that coffee? What happened to the complimentary wine?

[Silver Spectre]

4 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Is that coffee? What happened to the complimentary wine?

The ship has run out of everything. The coffee contains a very healthy slug of Yukon Jack.

[les37b]

Sounds like you had a worse run of it from the F&B side, but at least you got the Alaskan ports in and weather looked good. Rough seas, cold and wet, plus booked stops missed. (The weather wasn't that bad to dock - we just didn't have a berth because the one berth was taken by Viking (I think) and in the other, commercial ships take first dibs and we got trumped. If only they had made the request before Viking had. Something not right there and echoed with the fact SS STILL hasn't requested a lift time at Tower Bridge for the Wind in just over 2 weeks. Always used to be requested over a year out and schedule show up on the lift website. SS were made aware of it a week ago, yet still haven't done so. (At least not until 3pm yesterday when I spoke with the request team at Tower Bridge.) Quite shocking really.