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My flight isn’t until January 27 and my tickets and seats are confirmed in the AA app.

We travel with carryons and a backpacks. We do by the bag, usually only need to send out 1 bag a week. It is amazing what you can fit in a bag. There was also a basket of folded socks and undergarments.

I would address this issue immediately using the concierge and the “contact us” on the Navigator app. My room stewards cleaned my verandah cabin twice a day in October on the Rotterdam.

@Vict0riannThanks for the pictures of the library but it wasn’t me who ask. Why in the world would someone take 10 books! Regardless, I’m sure I’ll find something to read. 🤔📚 I plan to spend most of my 7 scenic cruising days looking for penguins & whales and enjoying the icebergs and fjords. If anyone has any “advice” about an SA & Antarctica cruise, I would welcome it.🐧🐳 Timer just went off, time to take another tray of cookies out of the oven.🍪😊

There is nothing like fresh apple cider. I am lucky enough to be apple to get it at my local farmers market. You buy the apples and they press them right in front of you using an old fashioned, hand cranked press. @rafinmdThere are many orchards in Central MD that still make fresh cider in the Fall. https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/fooddrink/best-apple-cider-destinations-around-baltimore/. In addition to fresh cider Baughers has great pies and Webers has delicious apple cider donuts. For those of you on PA, Shaws is right on the MD/PA line and has a small store with local goods. All the orchards listed make a lovely day trip.

O Henry, born William Porter, famous short story writer, well known for his Christmas story The Gift of the Magi. Did you know he embezzled from the bank where he was working, fled the country to Honduras, returned when he found out his wife was dying, served his time in prison and died a poor man, probably from alcoholism. These were O Henry’s last words, on his death bed in 1910. Positive thoughts to those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

The HAL Black Friday Sale page says 11/26.

Is this a common drink in Wisconsin? I had to look it up…is this it? The Tom and Jerry is a warm, spicey, rum-based cocktail. The Tom and Jerry cocktail consists of a batter made of stiffly beaten egg whites, with egg yolks, butter, sugar, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla, and cinnamon folded back in. That batter is added to a mug and then rum, Cognac, and warm milk are incorporated on top.

@cccole I highly recommend The Ship Beneath the Sea. I also really enjoyed The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition by Caroline Alexander. Another excellent read is The Wager: a tale of shipwreck , mutiny and murder by David Grann set in the 1740s South America.

@rafinmd I hope you are enjoying the cruise. I admire you and hope this won’t be your last adventure. I am enjoying reading your blog. I will be in South America in February so I decided to go back and read your posts from the Grand SA on the Prinsendam. This is what you wrote on 2/15/2019. “I’ll take my parting shot from the walk. There was one old guy I passed a couple of times who was moving very slowly, I would say hobbling along. Seeing him took me back to one of the classic bible stories. My reaction was that like the widow who dropped 2 small coins in the basket he was he was walking although it was not easy for him and his walk was at least as significant as for any of the people for whom there was little need to put effort into the walk. To borrow from another story, “Well done, good and faithful servant”.

It’s me! I posted a stove top Mac & cheese butternut squash recipe last week. I look forward to @dfishrecipes, today and every day. Everyone should give it a try, it’s very good for you, @JazzyV You do an amazing job keeping the list but I agree with @cat shepard you need to take care of yourself, we will be able to carry on without a Daily list. When I read the quote, the first thing that came to my mind is “ignorance is bliss””. Is there a relationship between the quotes? We are experiencing the smoke from the VA wildfires in MD. Positive thoughts to all who are in pain, be it physical or otherwise. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

Happy Thursday! Thank you for the Daily: a place of tolerance. “Tolerance is an act of humanity, which we must nurture and enact each in own lives every day, to rejoice in the diversity that makes us strong and the values that bring us together.” — UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay

We got the off the Rotterdam on 10/22. My DH received a Welcome Back offer on 11/13. Offer is valid until 1/9. Campaign ID: HETRES1 I have not received an offer. The cruise reservation was made in my name and paid for with my credit card!🤣

Yes

For those of you who want to know what happened on the Saga cruise: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/articles/saga-cruise-storm-passenger-first-account-spirit-discovery/ I hope the people on the Saga ship have recovered. I’m glad the captain of the Oosterdam kept you safe.

@pedirn We got off the Rotterdam in October. First seating was at 5; we arrived every night at our table for 2 at 5:30. Our waiter seemed grateful for our late arrival, one less table to deal with during the initial rush. @rafinmd Enjoy the Club Orange dining room. The service and food quality is superior to the MDR; it is a much more relaxing experience. Plus you aren’t locked into a specific dining time. We had CO on the Rotterdam in February. We asked to sit in the same section with the same waiter for every meal and were accommodated. The only reason we didn’t have CO on our TA is we booked late and it had already reached capacity.

@teachermanI’d check out of my hotel at 11 and walk over to board the ship by 11:20. I would avoid the Lido and go to the Main Dining Room for lunch. This thread will provide additional info.

Any comments on the sea day activities would be appreciated. Is there an interesting guest lecturer?

This thread started two days ago may help you.

We were on the Rotterdam in February. Arrived in St Thomas after visiting St Kitts the day before. There was no immigration prior to getting off the ship.

Happy Saturday! I salute all who have served on this Veteran’s Day. As noted by @Himself the name of the day was changed in 1954 from Armistice Day to Veteran’s Day to honor all who served, not just those who served in WWI. National Education Day is an annual observance in India to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first education minister of independent India, who served from 15 August 1947 until 2 February 1958. However, next week is American Education Week. The theme this year is “Together for Safe, Just & Equitable Schools” This week celebrates our public school community. Festivities honor the team of people who work in our nations public schools, everyone from the bus driver and classroom teacher to the cafeteria worker and administrative staff, plus countless others. Thanks Debbie @dfish for our daily recipes. I know some of you are tired of butternut squash recipes but here’s one I frequently make for a stovetop Butternut Squash Macaroni & Cheese that is easy and delicious. Thanks Rich @richwmnfor getting us started every day. Thanks to all who post port pictures. Positive thought to those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

When is your cruise? Do you have priority boarding (if you are 4/5 star or purchased Club Orange)?

You need to wait until you get the bar code which will be about a week before your cruise. Your boarding time will probably change several times.

You need to buy a pass to the thermal suite to access the hydrotherapy pool

We are lucky to have some wonderful museums in Baltimore. The Baltimore Museum of Art (free) has a wonderful collection. The Cone sisters donated their collection, including over 1200 paintings by Matisse who was their friend. The Walters Art Gallery (free) also has an amazing collection including the Ruben’s Vase from 400 BC. My favorite is the Visionary Arts Museum, a unique museum of “intuitive” or outsider art. This mural was created by Baltimore youth under the direction of Mari Gardner. I hope that one day you’ll visit Baltimore and our wonderful museums. A bit of art from the Berlin Wall to celebrate World Freedom Day. Credit to John Rizzutto Positive thoughts to those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.