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FYI- I have been able to rectify all problems with my onboard account using the Navigator app. Avoids the need to stand in line. I also use the app to make positive comments about staff interactions. They really appreciate it. I love your positive attitude. Thank you for your trip report.

Happy Friday! Thank you to all who contribute to the Fleet and Daily report. I will celebrate donut day at The Fractured Prune, an Ocean City tradition. They are served hot and you get to picked from 19 glazes and 13 toppings. I like a banana glaze with cinnamon sugar and peanuts, tastes like banana nut bread! Raise your hand if you’ve seen the Wizard of the Wireless on a BHB✋ It was 1901 when the first signal was sent from England to Newfoundland; Marconi used the wireless on the Titanic. I enjoyed it the first time but it seems to be on every cruise. Time for HAL to introduce some new EXC talks. I love the summer but people around me are complaining about the heat. Positive thoughts to those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

Positive thoughts to all who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

Here is a link to your Roll Call. I love the Oosterdam, it is the perfect size. We will be on a 22 day SA & Antarctica before you. I found it helpful to look at previous RC for tips and also the SA forum. The first thing I did was research and book private tours. 🐧🐧

I use the stuff a bag option, $30 on my TA last year. It is amazing what you can get in one bag if you roll it: 1 tshirt, 2 jean, 3 yoga pants, 2 shorts, 4 dress shirts. My DH loved the way his shirts looked and wondered why they didn’t look like that when I washed them. I introduced him to the iron when we got home.🤣

The closest hotel to the cruise port is The Courtyard at Mc Henry Row. It would be easy to visit Ft. McHenry. There are 2 great restaurants nearby: Iron Rooster from breakfast/lunch, Samos lunch/dinner. Otherwise I would recommend searching the area called Inner Harbor East.

Be aware each person needs his own card My DH and I both have our own card but they have the same account number. Will that work? Our contactless CC do not have a PIN, is that ok?

Does a PIN need to be entered?

2. Book before for availability 4. Cancel and rebook using your HIS credit

Thank you for the Fleet Report and to all who post on the Daily. I love falafel and frequently order it at Greek restaurants. I often buy Cloudy Bay Sauvignon, will have to try the Chardonnay. My DH has a hearing aid, unfortunately he rarely wears it. This is my life.., Positive thoughts to those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

@kazuWe hope you have a wonderful day! Cheers!

Happy Tuesday! It’s strawberry season in Maryland and we have been lucky enough to get two quarts every week since we started picking up our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce on May 16. Do you have CSAs where you live? I highly recommend them as a way to support your local farmers and get fresh produce every week. We pay for a half share upfront in the winter (works out to $15 a week) and pick up local produce every week from the Spring through the Fall. Today’s meal is Strawberry Mint Chicken. This straightforward recipe grills chicken breasts and then a sauce made with strawberries and wine, thicken with cornstarch is poured over them. Chicken with Strawberry Salsa This recipe marinades the breast with balsamic vinegar before grilling. The strawberries and mint are made into a salsa with the addition of lime juice and onions. I think the salsa looks great and plan on making some tonight! Strawberry Mint Chicken Salad This salad is full of delicious ingredients like toasted almonds, goat cheese, snap peas (also in season), grilled chicken and fresh strawberries that are tossed in a homemade mint dressing. Positive thoughts to all who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

Some people on the ship including my DH do not have a smart phone. If he was told “app only” he would immediately find a F & B manager to order his Dive In burger him. Glad others were able to walk up. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of the fjords! Thanks for your report.

A corner aft for SA & Antartica, how wonderful. We wanted an aft verandah for our trip but had to settle for a starboard verandah for our cruise from BA to Santiago. Pictures of 4180 & 5190. halfacts says 4180 is slightly obstructed by window washing equipment. Video 5190 on cruisedeckplans Do you care about proximity to the Neptune lounge on deck 7?

@Denise T I hope the weather has improved and you are able to enjoy fantastic views of the Hubbard Glacier this afternoon. Looking forward to your next post.

To honor our country’s fallen heros, 1000 service men and women placed over 267,000 flags at Arlington National Cemetery. From the St. Crispin’s Day speech: Henry V Shakespeare If we are mark’d to die, we are enow     To do our country loss; and if to live     The fewer men, the greater share of honour.     God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. I am looking forward the pictures of Puerto Montt, always my favorite part of the Daily. The Oosterdam and I will be there in February. Positive thoughts to those that need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising. And now for our Meal of the Day: Spinach Feta Chicken Penne An easy recipe from a Taste of Home: Spinach-Feta Chicken Penne I like the use of whole wheat pasta. I would probably use sun dried tomatoes to add extra flavor. The feta is sprinkled on top so if you don’t like feta, substitute your favorite cheese. This Baked Feta Chicken Pasta was inspired by the Tik Tok recipe I shared with you a few months ago. The addition of chicken adds more protein to the meal. Greek Penne and Chicken includes artichoke hearts; I’d use marinated ones and add some black olives too. You could easily use leftover or rotisserie chicken for this recipe. Spinach Feta Chicken Pasta Salad combines baby spinach, miniature bowtie pasta, rotisserie chicken, cherry tomatoes, and toasted almonds to make a satiating and hearty salad. It is drizzled with a citrus vinaigrette. Perfect for a picnic.

Extra entrees are $15.

@dfish I was going to say the plant was poke weed but I did a search using Google Lens( really cool app I highly recommend in addition to identifying plants it can translate too) and this is what I found. I am anxious to hear what the garden club has to say

You an order 1 appetizer (additional will cost $7), 1 entree (additional will cost $15) and dessert. There are items on the menu the have an additional charge. You can see the menu on the Navigator app.

The meal of the day for this Sunday is Chicken with Couscous. Couscous is a traditional Berber dish of semolina (granules of durum wheat) which is cooked by steaming. Couscous is a staple food throughout the North African cuisines of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania. Some foodies consider this grain product to be a type of pasta, but the similarity is only superficial — couscous is made of crushed durum wheat semolina, not the ground type used for pasta. It has a nutty, sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with stews, braises, and grilled or roasted veggies. Couscous falls into the category of super grains, which are all those foods that stand out for their nutritious qualities. Couscous is a good source of fiber, an essential nutrient for diabetics because of its glucose-lowering effect. Fiber is good for you in a lot of ways. It can stop your blood sugar from spiking, can keep you fuller longer and it can help lower cholesterol, which can reduce your chances of heart disease. It is also a rich source of protein and offers minimal fat and contains excellent amounts of minerals such as magnesium, iron and zinc. Skillet Chicken with Couscous I like this easy recipe because it is ready in 30 minutes and all made in one skillet. Basically you sauté chicken thighs with some spices, add the couscous and broth and finish it in the oven. How easy is that? Easy Moroccan Chicken Couscous I selected this recipe because the chicken is coated with a Moroccan-inspired rub of garlic, tomato paste and warm seasonings including Ras El Hanout, cinnamon and ginger. Vegetables-carrots, celery, and onions-are added to make a one-pan baked chicken dinner. After baking the chicken and vegetables, you spoon the (cooked) couscous between the chicken and allow it to soak up the pan juices. It is finished with raisins or other chopped dried fruit of your choice. (I think apricots would be yummy.) Quick Chicken Couscous This recipe is made with a chicken breast (but I would make it with leftover chicken) and diced veggies-zucchini, green beans, bell peppers and onions-but really, whatever you have in your refrigerator would work; the veggies add color, flavor, and texture. It's an impressive meal that takes just minutes to make once all the ingredients are prepped. The best part is it can be eaten at any temperature and would be perfect to pack for a picnic. Positive thoughts to those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

For the second day in a row, our meal of the day celebrates Asian food. When I Googled “Spring Dinner Wraps” a specific recipe did not appear. I am going to offer you three recipes for different types of wraps. A popular appetizer on the BHBs is Thai Vegetable Spring Rolls This recipe has a vegetarian filling consisting of tofu, carrot, bean sprouts, nappa cabbage, mushrooms and a key ingredient glass noodles. If you don’t like tofu (or carrots), leave it out. You can always add sauteed ground meat for protein if you prefer. They are fried in oil and are therefore incredibly crispy and tasty. It is important to use spring roll wrappers. Here’s a popular brand easily found in the freezer section. The recipe includes directions for how to fold the rolls. I believe a key is to not over fill them. My favorite spring rolls (and my family’s) are Fresh Spring Rolls. These are uncooked and rolled in rice paper. These spring rolls are refreshing, colorful and fun to make. They are perfect for a picnic on a hot summer day. We usually make them with what we have in the refrigerator but they often include baby lettuce, red cabbage, carrot, cucumber, jalapeño, green onion, cilantro or mint. We always include thin rice noodles. Sometimes we add shrimp or tofu. Sometimes we add fruit like mango or peach. The key is not to soak the rice paper too long, just until it becomes pliable and once again, don’t over stuff. This recipe uses an easy peanut dipping sauce. We like a sauce made of equal parts sriracha, lime juice and fish sauce. For those of you who don’t like Asian food, here are 35 Delicious Chicken Wrap Recipes Remember, there are all different kinds of “wraps”. I like to use bibb lettuce. My DH likes flour tortillas. My athletic nephew uses wraps made from egg whites. There are high protein wraps, low carb wraps, wraps made from cauliflower and wraps made from coconut. You can put anything you like inside your wrap. Be creative. Mangia! Positive thoughts to those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

Today’s recipe Steamed Mackerel with Green Chili Dashi is another one hidden behind the Bon Appetit firewall. I am going to start by explaining some of the key ingredients in the dish. I have copied the recipe for those of you who can’t see it at the bottom of the post. The stock used to steam the fish is Dashi which most commonly utilizes a combination of kombu (kelp seaweed) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), but other ingredients used to make dashi are shiitake mushrooms and niboshi (small dried fish). Dashi differs from other kinds of stock; Western stock is boiled over a long period; Dashi uses carefully prepared ingredients, patiently matured, which are only soaked in water or heated briefly so as to extract nothing but the very essence of the ingredients’ flavor. Dashi creates a savory umami flavor from all these ingredients and you don't need to season the food as much once you have a good stock. With a distinctive sweet and savory note, the deep umami flavor is what sets dashi apart from other stocks. (Umami is often called the fifth taste; it is a combination of the basic tastes of sweet, salty, bitter, and sour. ) Mackerels belong to the "oily fish" category; they're one of the best sources of omega-3s — good fats that keep your heart and brain healthy. Mackerel has very similar levels of omega-3 as salmon, and its rich flavor works best with simple seasons to allow the flavor of the fish to shine. Canned mackerel tastes richer (and milder) than tuna; it is especially good when packed in olive oil, making it the perfect entry-point for anyone still unconvinced about the whole fish-in-a-can concept. Here is an interesting segment I recently heard on NPR: The "Lowly" Fish that Created Cape Cod's Prosperity “ Steamed Mackerel with Green Chili Dashi 4 4-ounce boneless, skinless mackerel filets Kosher salt 2 dried shiitake mushrooms 4x4-inch piece kombu ½-inch piece ginger, finely grated garlic clove, finely grated 3 tablespoons mirin 2 tablespoons soy sauce ¼ teaspoon mild red pepper flakes ½ cup very thinly sliced peeled daikon ½ cup spinach (or kale, cilantro, or parsley), trimmed ½jalapeño, seeded, chopped Cilantro leaves (for serving) Step 1 Season fish generously with salt (but don’t go crazy). Let sit for 20 minutes to absorb seasoning. Step 2 Meanwhile, mix mushrooms, kombu, ginger, garlic, mirin, soy sauce, red pepper, and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan fitted with a steamer insert or bamboo steamer. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, discard kombu, and continue to simmer, adjusting heat as needed, until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Step 3: Rinse fish and pat dry. Scatter daikon across bottom of steamer insert and lay fish over. Steam fish, maintaining an active simmer in liquid (err on the side of less heat if you aren’t sure), until fish is just opaque at the center and a tester inserted into the thickest part of the filets meets no resistance, 6–8 minutes. Step 4 Transfer fish to a plate. Discard mushrooms, then carefully pour steaming liquid into a blender. Add spinach and jalapeño. Remove cap from hole in lid, cover opening with a kitchen towel, and start blender on lowest speed to prevent hot liquid from splashing out the top like a geyser. Gradually increase speed and blend until smooth. Step 5 Divide fish, daikon, and broth among bowls. Top with cilantro. Asian Steamed Cod Steaming is an excellent way to prepare fish. Here is a simpler recipe made cod steamed with ginger and glazed with a delicately sweet mirin (Japanese wine), dashi, soy sauce and green onions.

Aft cabins are the best. Love being able to see both sides of the ship. I find the sound of the wake relaxing when sitting on the verandah. Congratulations!

@Copper10-8 or @chengkp75 could you chime in with HALs official policy for items left in the halls. We always appreciate your expertise. I have moved plates to assist people on mobility scooters navigate the halls. I worry what would happen if there was a medical emergency.

Happy Thursday! I hope @dfish and @superoma are doing as well as possible this morning. Vegans eat a plant-based diet avoiding all animal foods such as meat, including fish, shellfish and insects (!), dairy, eggs and honey - as well as avoiding animal-derived materials, products tested on animals and places that use animals for entertainment. Today’s meal is Vegan Chicken-Fried Mushrooms and Gravy. Chicken Fried Mushroom Steak This recipe is an all-plant alternative to your favorite, crispy, breaded comfort food steaks, complete with creamy shredded mushroom gravy. It uses Lion’s Manes mushrooms that are pressed and seared. Studies show that lion’s Manes mushrooms can improve mental health, including boosting your memory and concentration and reducing the effects of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Vegan Fried Chicken This recipe uses Oyster mushrooms. It is important that you don’t wash mushrooms with water, this will make them watery and mushy. Instead, use a damp paper towel to clean them and remove any dirt. This recipe double coats mushrooms with the batter to make them super crispy. Chicken Fried Portobello Mushrooms with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy This is the recipe I would make. I frequently use Portobello mushrooms as a substitute for meat. When my DH is having a steak, I grill a Portobella for me. It is not a vegan recipe; it is a vegetarian recipe because it uses eggs and dairy products. Positive thoughts to those who need them. Cheers to those who are celebrating and cruising.