CGTNORMANDIE

As an ocean liner historian I have yet to figure out what the purpose of this venture is??? This project was first announced after the movie “Titanic “ appeared 1997. It was also reported that the ship was being built in a Chinese ship yard. Rumors os an impending new build have been rampant for 25 years…but again I ask…what’s the point? Maybe a floating museum exhibit hotel would be a better business plan. At any rate I seriously doubt we are going to see Titanic sailing into New York Harbor anytime soon.

YES! I just hosted a cocktail party and three people came…me, myself and I!🫢 We had Manhattans!

The good news is that RCI Adventure Of The Seas will have an increased activity vibe. You will have plenty of activities and entertainments to interest you. Sea days mean you will need to enjoy the ship. Have a plan…start your day with a brisk walk around the ship either outside or inside. Have a nice breakfast after your walk. Then go for a swim or hit the spa. Bring a good book along and find a nice spot to read for an hour or so. Have a nice lunch. Hit the casino, go to a lecture or watch a film on TV then take a nap. Get ready for dinner and go have a cocktail or two before dinner. Have a nice dinner then see a show then go dancing and a nightcap or special coffee. Go to bed and then repeat the next day. Whatever your preferences you will have plenty of activities to interest you. You will also have an opportunity to get plenty of rest, good food and sea air while you unplug and unwind.

You need to meet my wife! 😂

Do not plan for balmy weather in May while crossing the North Atlantic. The weather is still cooler in early May. You might luck out in late May but the North Atlantic is very unpredictable.

Sautéed asparagus with spiral ham and either baby Swiss or sharp cheddar finished under the broiler and served fat and flat…yummmmm!

$$$$$$…You get my point…lol. The days of NCL SS Norway are long gone. When Knute kloster sold his interest NCL was changed forever. I really miss the SS Norway and the level of food and service they offered onboard. Today NCL is a money machine that will “Nickel and dime all the time”. The MDR is mediocre so the new ships have a dozen specialty restaurants that charge $$$$$.

We had to postpone lunch today and move it to next Friday. I’ll report on the veal situation then.😋

Finding a great veal parm these days is a near impossibility. I’ve given up and I’ll just stick to chicken. I tell you what…I’m going to lunch today at a good restaurant. They have veal parm on their menu. I’ll order it and report back here afterwards.

I forgot…Italian baked stuffed calamari with a red sauce made with the tentacles and pan sauce. Served over linguini…this is my all-time favorite Italian dish!

Check out MSC. They have repo cruises to Brazil usually starting from Barcelona and Lisbon…an easy flight from Florida.

Royal Caribbean has a high activity level onboard. A definite difference when compared to Celebrity.

The Celebrity Eclipse is sailing Fort Lauderdale to Southampton on March 22, 2025 and The Holland America Niew Statendam will sail from FLL to Rotterdam on April 5th. You will enjoy a number of activities onboard these gorgeous ships…especially the food and socializing. You will not be bored. The beauty of five or more consecutive days at sea is the ability to unplug completely.

I’ve sailed through some mighty rough water…a hurricane on QE2…Storms off Cape Hatteris…a 135 mph microburst off Bermuda on RCI Jewell Of The Seas. Some of the worst weather I’ve ever heard of was from a gentleman who had been in the Merchant Marine in WW II. He had sailed the ominous run to Murmansk during the war. He was on a freighter. He told me he had been through seas that were so rough that he was surrounded with a wall of water and could only see the sky if you looked directly up! The run to Murmansk was, without a doubt, the most dangerous convoy duty there ever was. Those merchant seamen were heroes.

Smoked salmon with onions fried with scrambled eggs…delish!

Thanks for the memories Norboy. The red cloth looks like a scarf. The clock is very impressive…and yes they were only given to First Class pax. I see you have the Blue Book…in excellent condition…very nice.

For those of you, who are Normandie aficionados and arm chair ocean liner historians, Youtube has just posted SS Normandie Le Harvre New York 1939. This is a color film taken by a French engineer who was testing some new color film and equipment. He and his wife were given a First Class ticket to New York so he could film Normandie in service. This film shows Paris and New York as well as many glorious shots of the beloved Normandie with her incredible interiors. It also shows the destruction of Normandie in New York harbor at the hands of incompetent Navy overseers and fire departments when the ship could have been saved. The ship’s designer, Yourkevitch and members of the Normandie fire squad begged the Navy to go onboard and scuttle the ship. Instead the ship was allowed to be filled with water topside and rolled over…a total loss. French citizens all over France saw the newsreel of the fire and destruction and the wept in the theaters and on the streets at the news of Normandie’s destruction. We ocean liner historians are thrilled with this film. There were very few color pictures or films of Normandie. This film was recently discovered by the son of the engineer who made the film. SS Normandie Le Harvre New York 1939 on YouTube.

We would need to get a bit more information. Are you contemplating a transatlantic crossing? If so…where and when. You see Mr.4 a North Atlantic January crossing on the QM2 is a lot different than an April crossing in the Southern Atlantic on a repositioning cruise to Florida. Weather conditions on the Atlantic can vary greatly depending on time of year, Northern or Southern etc.

Thank you CFKM. You have given us an excellent view of a Princess feast!

Yes and you’ll still be paying the daily service fee for robot maintenance!

Hi Lois…Happy New Year…well…at least let’s hope it’s better than last year…lol. Spam…is an acquired taste. The Hawaiians go crazy for Spam. It turns out that during WW II Spam became a form of monetary exchange and the Hawaiians used it in their rice dishes. It caught on and never lost its appeal in Hawaii.

You are right…crunchy peanut butter and strawberry jam for me!

Sure it will but where do you get the cheeseburgers???

Spam…then and asparagus now.

The concentrate has sugar and will moderate the Crystal Light. That is why I only use a third. Then you just put the rest of the frozen concentrate back into the freezer for future use….try it. It will brighten up your tea. I always mix the Crystal Light and the concentrate in hot water then stir. Then fill the jug with cold water and stir then let the jug sit in the fridge overnight. Also try adding a couple of shots of seltzer or flavored seltzer water to your glass of iced tea! You will have an almost sugar free carbonated fruit drink! Right…dark greens are bad for the kidneys as are fatty or cured meats…think sirloin strip and fillet as your best meat. Think chicken, pork, etc. Think iceberg lettuce, celery, carrots, onions, etc.