InTheWASide

Here are several photos of the Retreat on the Veendam last week. Not sure if the Rotterdam has the same set up or not.

 

Hope this gives you some idea of what it's like.

 

 

 

 

Great pictures! Any chance you have more of this area, or a link to an album you can share?

Here are the pictures that I promised you of SB 7132, you can find them at:

 

http://s384.photobucket.com/albums/oo285/beppe55/

Hi luv.

It tells me there is no content on the page...

My first cruise was on the Volendam, Pacific Northwest itinerary in April 2006.

That started a horrifying chain of events that can be seen in my signature on this thing :)

While I'm branching out a bit next week and next YEAR (NCL and Carnival, primarily to see what the fuss is about) my heart remains with HAL and I'm incoirporating at least one HAL cruise into every year regardless of anything else!

My first cruise was on the Volendam, Pacific Northwest itinerary in April 2006.

That started a horrifying chain of events that can be seen in my signature on this thing :)

While I'm branching out a bit next week and next YEAR (NCL and Carnival, primarily to see what the fuss is about) my heart remains with HAL and I'm incoirporating at least one HAL cruise into every year regardless of anything else!

I've been reading this thread which dates back a few years so wondered which of these secrets are still going on. We will be on the Oosterdam in a VF cabin for a 7-day Alaska cruise in August. These were the "secrets" that most interested me...

 

Complementary lemonade at the pool (at a certain time in afternoon?)

Pizza available in the Lido (all afternoon and evening?)

Iced tea in the afternoon served out on deck

Dutch Pea Soup served on deck in Glacier Bay

Complementary hot chocolate with whipped cream & sprinkles

Chocolates in the Explorer's Lounge after dinner

Cookies and ice cream in the Lido every afternoon

Food at the Lido is just as good as in the dinning room. (with table cloths and candles for dinner?)

Write in Eggs Benedict or Cinnamon rolls on the breakfast room service

card and get it even though its not printed.

Freshly squeeze orange juice

Charge for bottled water but free refills in the Lido

 

Very, comfy beds in all cabins (Does that include an upper bunk for a 12 year old?)

Cut flowers and fruit bowl in the room

Magnifying mirror

Regular hairdryer that plugs in in a desk drawer on Vista ships

Real patio furniture on the verandas (not plastic)

Hand-held Showers

Bath and soap, shampoo and conditioner, a body wash or lotion of some kind, shower cap in bathroom (Are these bar soaps or dispensed from the wall?)

Complimentary canvas ‘Tote’ for port calls

Robes in all cabins (larger sizes available on request)

Personalized stationery

 

On Vista-class ships, all cabins have a fridge which can be emptied and used with no charge

 

Wood chaise lounges on the Promenade deck

One can walk completely around the ship on the Lower Promenade deck

Cloth hand towels in the public restrooms

Art tour brochure available and mp3 tour can be downloaded from HAL

website

 

Exploration cafe has a good choice of books, as well as the 'take one, leave one corner' for the paperback exchange. And a puzzle corner with jigsaw puzzles up to 4,000 pieces.

 

Also someone wrote:

On a tour of the kitchen we were told that if we would like any recipes, for anything on board just write it down and give it to your waiter who will direct it to the chef- the recipes will arrive ASAP

 

And to get to the bow there were two comments for the Oosterdam. Which is correct? And if it is the second... should we be ignoring a "Crew only" sign??

1. The "secret access" on the Oosterdam is via a hallway by the fitness center

2. On Vista ships you have to go forward on the Upper Promenade deck, through "Crew only" doors and the crew lounge, to access the forward bow. It's opened to passengers on Alaska cruises and Panama Canal transits (at least).

 

Any comments and updates appreciated.

 

Thanks, Eremita

Nice long post, lots of detail...

Your question:

Are these current?

YES :)

From the Pinnacle Grill:

Dungeness Crab Cakes with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Serves 6

1/3 cup celery, finely diced

1/3 onion, finely diced

1/3 red bell pepper, diced

1 cup Dungeness crab meat, picked and well drained

1 egg

½ cup mayonnaise

Juice from ½ lemon

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce

1 T. chopped chives

¼ tsp. thyme

½ tsp. garlic, minced

1½ cup panko or bread crumbs, more as needed

salt and black pepper to taste

PREPARATION

Mix all ingredients well and adjust seasoning to taste. Use ice cream scoop to shape into cakes. Bread with panko crumbs. Place cakes on sheet pans sprinkled with dry panko crumbs. Wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

½ oz fresh minced ginger

¼ oz. garlic, minced

½ fl. oz. white wine vinegar

2 fl. oz. fresh lime juice

12 fl. oz. sake

4 fl. oz. heavy cream

12 oz. unsalted butter, cold cut in chunks

2 fl. oz. Thai sweet chili sauce

Kosher salt and white to taste

PREPARATION

In a heavy saucepot over medium high heat, combine ginger garlic, vinegar, lime juice and sake. Reduce to a light syrup (90%). Add cream and reduce to 60% over medium heat, careful not to scorch. Reduce heat to low and gradually whip in the cold butter chunks. Whisk in chili sauce, salt and pepper.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Dungeness Crab Cakes with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

{page 2}

Marinated Cucumbers

1 cucumber, shaved on spiral slicer or mandoline

½ quart vinegar

½ cup sugar

¼ cup salt

1 T. ground cardamom

1 T. allspice

Mix all the ingredients together and bring to a boil. Chill.

____________________________________________________________________________________

assembly:

Sauté crab cakes in non-stick sauté pan until golden on each side and heated through.

Drain briefly on paper towels.

Arrange crab cake on plate. Drizzle with chili sauce. Pile high with marinated cucumbers. Sprinkle with chopped chives. Garnish with chive strands.

Requested this after my last cruise and got a prompt reply from the Guest Relations department.

Here it is:

Berner Bircher Muesli serves 10 people

4 cup Quaker oatmeal

4-cup milk

2 cup Heavy cream

4 Plain yogurts

2 tablespoon lemon juice/fresh

1/2 honeydew melon, diced finely

1/3 cantaloupe melon, diced finely

2 apples, diced finely

1 pears, diced finely

1 cup chopped nuts

1/3 cup soaked raisin

1/3 cup Honey

Season with sugar as needed

Fresh berries optional

1. Soak oats in the Milk and cream for 2-3 Hours

2. Peel apples, core and grate apples coarsely

3. Blend immediately with the lemon juice to avoid discoloration

4. Mix Sugar and Yogurt

5. Combine all remaining ingredients

Ruth-

???

If you request 5:45 or 8:00 then you clearly wish that time.

If HAL can't give it to you (say you book last minute or the time is JUST THAT POPULAR) you have the option of going...

...at 5:45...

...or 8:00.

Just when you wished!

I don't follow why you're upset about that...?:confused:

I emailed HAL Ship Services for more information and got the following FAQ file sent to me. Looks like it was designed for travel agents (ref. to clients, etc) but I can make it out.

Sounds good.

AS YOU WISH DINING

• What is As You Wish Dining (AYWD)?

• AYWD is Holland America Line’s new dining concept. It consists of both fixed and open seating. The fixed seating will be available in the upper dining room for those guests that prefer to dine at the same time every night. The Open seating will be in the lower dining room. Those guests will be able to dine at a time most convenient for their schedule.

• What are the dining times for Open Seating?

• For the guest’s convenience, the open seating dining room is available between 5:15 and 9:00 pm daily.

• What are the dining times for Fixed Seating?

• Dining times remain unchanged for our fixed seating.

Alaska

Non-Alaska

U1

U2

• Will the meals be different in the Upper and Lower dining rooms?

• Both dining rooms will be served using the same menus. We will provide the same gracious service and award winning food in both the Upper and Lower level of the dining room.

• Is this concept fleet wide?

The ships and starting dates are listed below.

Ships & Dates

RY

VO

SA

OS

RT

ZA

WE

ZU

VE

MA

AM

PR

EU

NO

• Will these ships always have AYWD from the starting dates listed above?

• Generally speaking, we will have AYWD. However, from time to time, we may need to revert to our traditional four seating dining to accommodate some voyages that have very large groups.

Q. Why have we changed our dining concept on the above ships?

A. The change is for the convenience of our guests because we want to offer them the most options possible.

· Open seating

· Fixed seating

· Pinnacle Grill

· Lido with nightly themed dinner options

· In-room dining

Q. Can I switch between Fixed and Open seating once onboard?

A. Guests may request a one-time change onboard. The ship will attempt to accommodate, but the change cannot be guaranteed. .

Q. Can I make reservations for specific dining time in the open seating?

A. Once onboard, the ship has a Dining Reservations Line where reservations can be made for same day dining. Reservations will be taken on a first come, first served basis for preferred times and table sizes. The reservations line will generally be manned between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm. Although reservations are taken, a reasonable inventory is reserved to accommodate our walk-up guests.

Q. Can I still waitlist for my preferred Fixed dining time?

A. We do allow our guests to waitlist. However, if they do not clear the waitlist, the guest will be assigned to open seating. The guest can still make a reservation onboard or just walkup at their favorite dining time where they will be seated at the first available table.

Q. How will AYWD work on the Prinsendam?

A. Because the Prinsendam does not have two levels, she will have a section set aside for the AYW dining. The rest of the dining room will be for confirmed dining.

:cool:

This actually is something that was done when the Pinnacle was first debuted and is no longer available...

Just wanted to clarify

:)

 

The wonderful food in the Pinnacle Grill - you can go on first night for $10 each if you call ship services (1-800-541-1576) before your date.

 

:)