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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.

Perhaps the shrimp was presented this way because Tom said, “just the shrimp.” The coconut crusted shrimp starter is actually a salad topped with shrimp. I have had the salad prepared as it is described on the menu and it was a lovely presentation and quite good. The one starter I do not recommend is the crab cake. There is nothing “Baltimore style” about it. @LAFFNVEGAS Thanks for your fun thread.

Thank you but they are pay in advance and no refund if the ship doesn’t make the port.☹️

@WriterOnDeck I love your writing style and appreciate your posts on CC in addition to your more detailed blog. How very generous of you to provide the link to Jeff’s blog. I wouldn’t have found it otherwise and am gathering all the information I can find prior to my cruise on the Oosterdam in February.

I have friends that boarded in Baltimore in January when the crew was still shoveling the snow from the decks. The sea days will be relaxing but I wouldn’t count on spending time in your bathing suit by the pool.

Can this broadcast be heard inside your stateroom?

Thank you for your comments. I was about to post something similar. Penn was a Quaker; his colony had a reputation of religious tolerance. He welcomed settlers of all faiths to PA; he did not establish an official church; he sought out religious groups suffering in Europe and invited them to his colony. This Quaker faith also influenced the way they treated American Indians and they were the first to issue a public condemnation of slavery in America.

@BtimmerLoving your photos. Snow! How cold is it? Want to be prepared for when we are there in February. Also, what app are you using to track your ship? Thanks

Hi @Btimmer thanks again for your trip report but especially your blog. Congratulations on getting caught up! A few questions about Puerto Arenas, seems like you just walked off the ship. Is it sometimes a tender port? What is the Chilean entry document? I will be sailing Buenos Aires to Santiago. Is it something the ship provides or do I have to take care of it before I leave home? Sorry your tour wasn’t worth $75. Your tour if Ushuaia didn’t sound great either. Any comments on the private tour operators? Sorry about your Seahawks. Good to know I’ll be able to watch my Ravens in the Super Bowl during our sea day between the Drake passage and Antartica.🤣

@Hlitner I’m no bagel expert but I think I know the difference between a good bagel and a bad one. (Panera bad, Jewish deli in Baltimore good.) I like my bagel toasted with lox; I like avoiding the Lido for breakfast so the NY Deli worked for me.

Very good and never crowded. 🤫

The screenshot of the bar code worked for me in Amsterdam when boarding the Rotterdam in October.

Thank you, I am active on our Roll Call and many of us are looking for a penguin tour in Puerto Arenas. I have a private tour booked for Volunteer Point. Unfortunately, the only tour they offer departs at 6:30, we arrive at 10.

@scubacruiserx2 Thx, I have previously viewed your entire trip report. I am looking for a reliable tour operator to see penguins from Punta Arenas. I would prefer not to use the public ferry. I have found some that require full payment and will not refund if the ship doesn’t make the port. I’ve found others that leave early in my the morning, prior to our 10 am arrival. I’m wait listed for the very expensive HAL tour. Just st trying to see penguins at every possible port in case we miss some of our stops.

This is from the website: You'll enjoy thoughtful discussions on the state of western civilization, analysis of political and cultural trends from the United States to the far reaches of the Commonwealth, and live editions of the features you've come to know and love from SteynOnline like Steyn's Song of the Week and Steyn's Sunday Poem. You'll not only have opportunities to hear from our guest speakers on stage, but also mingle with them and your fellow Mark Steyn Club cruisers. The week features exclusive shows, receptions, dinners, and informal get-togethers. Not my kind of cruise.

@Btimmer Thank you for your posts. I am very interested in how you explored Punta Arenas. Private tour? I will be on the Oosterdam in February and had hoped to visit the penguins on Magdalena Island while there but have been unable to find a private tour company that I like. Thoughts?

Tamarind is a great way to start the cruise and avoid the 1st night chaos in the MDR. Since you only get 2 shrimp and 2 scallops, I’ll have both to start please. Szechwan shrimp will be my main even though it’s really not spicy. Dungeness crab will be my side although I’ve never found any crab in it. For dessert I’ll have my own selection of mango, mandarin and passion fruit sorbet because I really don’t like the choices in their selection of sorbets. Enjoy your cruise @LAFFNVEGAS

Happy Saturday! I salute community service day! We all must do our part to make the world a better place. I thought of my grandmothers when I saw the meal of the day. Both of them were PA Dutch and made extraordinary chicken pot pie but probably very different from the recipes Debbie @dfish will post. I don’t use a recipe but found one that is similarPA Dutch Chicken Pot Pie. The homemade noodles and rich chicken broth make a perfect meal for a cool fall day. I have seen a similar dish called Slippery Noodles in the south.Positive thoughts to those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

Access is restricted on these decks however the Captain may occasionally open the decks for “scenic cruising”. This photo was taken while we viewed the Pitons, St Lucia in February. It was the only time during the cruise these forward decks were open.

Thanks Jacqui @kazu for this thread and a very balanced review of the cruise. I loved the ports especially Bruge: beer, mussels, chocolate and Le Havre where we were able to visit Normandy with Overlord Tours who I highly recommend. Four ports in a row was a bit exhausting and we looked forward to 2 sea days. Unfortunately, we missed the Azores so 2 sea days turned into 9 sea days. Happily, I know how to relax and love sea days. We had an aft verandah cabin on deck 8, basically underneath the Seaview bar. No noise from above. I love the walk in showers. Our cabin stewards were like ninjas. We left for breakfast, when we returned our room was cleaned. We left for dinner, when we returned our home was cleaned. They have far too many rooms but do an outstanding job. And how do they remember everyone’s name? Every time I saw one in the hall they greeted me and asked if we needed anything. We had fixed table for 2 in the MDR. Our waiter had too many tables but did his best, quickly remembering our drink order and special requests. As I former server I appreciate his effort but there is only so much you can do if you have to many tables. I was very impressed with the fish preparation. Previously, fish was almost always over cooked. It was perfect(maybe even slightly undercooked which I like) this cruise. Our favorite specialty dining was Canaletto. My husband loves the osso buco and you can tell the pasta is homemade. (Btw, you can order a side of pasta without the extra entree charge.). Tamarind was very good. Poor service, below average food at Pinnacle dinner. Excellent service and above average food for lunch. We spend most of our time by the Seaview pool. I agree they were understaffed. However, I had 2 favorite servers who always kept an eye out for me and were there when I needed them. We do not like the musical or dance shows. We do not listen to classical music. I enjoyed the 3 comedians. I particularly liked the shows at BBKings, excellent musician. I had the opportunity to talk to the trumpet player on several different occasions. He said that BBKings is being removed from all ships except the Pinnacle class. The speaker was a bit dry, the three lectures I heard reminded me of a college lecture (he was as a college professor). For every show, you needed to arrive early to get a seat. I was told that when the ships were built they were planing on 3 shows an evening but they can only “afford” 2 shows. Regardless the daytime show were always “oversold”. I am so happy that we had such a wonderful Roll Call that planned several sea day activities such as 2 book club meetings. This could easily have been coordinated by HAL. Instead there was daily coloring for adults and pragmatic. Really, nine sea days. How about a little more creativity, something like a murder mystery. Transatlantics are some of my favorite cruises!

@Electra 7 Your Roll Call. We have been planning activities and tours.

Courtesy of @Crew News HAL drink menu

@ChinaShrekI will always buy Club Orange if it is available on the Pinnacle ships with the CO dining room.

On the Rotterdam in February, my DH and I ate every breakfast and dinner (except 2 nights in specialty restaurants) in Club Orange. We asked to be seated in the same section with the same waiter for every meal. The service was outstanding. The food (and drinks) were served promptly, were excellently prepared, often customized to our taste and always hot. We frequently conversed with those seated next to us including several solo diners. We were unable to book CO on our October cruise on the Rotterdam because it is capacity controlled. We had fixed seating for 2 in the MDR. Our server always greeted us promptly and took our drink order. Frequently, the drinks arrived after our appetizer. Our waiter had far too many tables to provide us with outstanding service but I could tell he was doing his best. Entrees were often served lukewarm. It took some time for plates to be cleared. Although he knew I had tea after dinner every evening, sometimes the wait was more than 10 minutes for it to arrive. The staff was scurrying around but the level of service was not the same as CO. Also, I believe it would be very difficult to have a conversation at a table with more than 4 people because of the noise level in the MDR.

Departed Rotterdam from PEV in February, used facial recognition, no line very quick exit. Departed Rotterdam from PEV in October, very long line/wait to see face to face immigration officer. Never saw a dedicated Global Entry Line.