CGTNORMANDIE

Hi Mama B,  I just wrote you a detailed blurb but the editor would not allow it.  The bottom line is…tip what you feel is right in the amounts you are comfortable with.  We give out our tips in the envelopes provided with short notes of thanks.

Southampton here we come!  First of all…why not expand your horizons a wee bit?  So many pax are glued to the idea that they have to stay in Southampton to catch the ship…boring IMO.  There are so many other alternatives.  Why not fly to NY from Ontario and Uber to NJ?  Why not land in Southampton and go up to London via rail or bus?  Years ago we always started or ended in London.  The last time we went we decided London had gotten too crazy so we decided to hang out in Brighton for a few days.  Love the restaurants, the fish and chips in Brighton and shopping in The Lanes and great hotels too!  We took the coastal rail to Southampton.  It turned out to be a great adventure and loads of fun.  We were four people with twelve pieces of luggage (We like to dress onboard ship.) and Brit Rail handled it all splendidly they even arranged for luggage handling and transportation to the ship.  There are also some excellent places to visit along the South coast of England and some great hotels.  London to Southampton is just two hours by rail.  Avail yourself of the excellent public transportation.  Even the National Express (bus) is really good.  We traveled from Heathrow to Brighton by bus and it was an excellent experience.  You don’t need a private car to transport you.  Use your transatlantic crossing as a springboard to create an excellent adventure.  

6 hours ago, Morgsmom said:

No bubbly at Port Canaveral to chill unfortunately.... just water/sodas and snacks

That’s awwwwful!  

8 minutes ago, blueskadoo said:

So it’s an odd 6 night itinerary that leaves Friday, goes to Ocean Cay (I think?) and then comes back to PC on Sunday, and leaves again for Nassau. You can book to just do Friday- Sunday, or Sunday-Thursday, or like me Friday to Thursday so sounds similar to what you described. 

Just go with the flow and enjoy.  Make sure you are dropped off at the Yacht Club white tent.  Don’t rush the documentation…sit down have a glass of bubbly and chill.  Get there around 11:00 AM and plan on having lunch in the YC dining room after you’ve been given the orientation from the Concierge.  Take some time and sit in the Top Sail Lounge and have a cocktail before lunch.  Sit back and enjoy.  All the rest will come easy.  

1 hour ago, Mickb said:

Thank you Solent Richard - it was I who asked the question on your blog!

we are very tempted by the yacht club - however the ship does seem very large  - and we really like the intimacy of the smaller Queens - on the other hand you do seem to get more ‘goodies’ on MSC

The YC is totally isolated and sequestered from the rest of the ship.  It has been many years since I have seen the inside of the Grills but I would say the two experiences are different.  You cannot compare the two.  That said…I would recommend that you try the YC.  I’m sure you’ll appreciate the price point in the YC as well as all the amenities.  

Gotta love the Yacht Club onboard MSC.  They offer a huge selection of bar snacks in the Top Sail Lounge the extent of which I have never seen anywhere before.  They also stock the refer in the cabin with a nice selection of snacks.

Agreed…the tap water is tested daily and it is just as pure if not better than bottled.  

Celery, olives etc. at the dining table we’re the norm back when.  They even served bar snacks like salted nuts and big green olives!

Let’s take a look at a Welcome Aboard dinner onboard RMS Amerikanis on  December 23, 1969.  

Wild Boar Terrine in jelly

Epicurian Fois Gras 

Fruit Cocktail Grand Marnier

St. Daniel Prosciutto 

Nova Scotia Smoked Salmon

Malossol Beluga Caviar on Melba Toast

Essence of Chicken in Jelly Consommé

Andalouse Beef Broth in Cup

Boutsaris Lemno Soup with Rice

Oxtail Soup with Profiteroles

Atlantic Fresh Lobster en Bellevue

Russian Salad in Mayonnaise 

Darne of Halibut Maitre d’Hotel

Roast Stuffed Vermont Turkey with Cranberry Sauce 

Haricots Vert

Maitre d’Hotel Potatoes

Sugared Pineapple and Glazed Ham

American Sirloin Steak and Bernaise Sauce

Marianna New Carrots

Endives Glazed and Green Peas

Rissole Potatoes

Salad Thousand Island

Kutchen Dough and Chocolate Welcome Cake

Apricot, Fig and Pear Compotes

Assorted Ice Creams 

Coffee

Now that’s what I call an interesting menu.  Now need to go to a Specialty Restaurant with a menu like that!

Best months in the North Atlantic are June-July-August.  This can be done on Queen Mary 2.  The Southern Atlantic crossings that are available in March-April and October-November are generally very enjoyable.  

On 3/31/2022 at 8:07 PM, sullaRaffaello said:

Whenever I hear about an April crossing, I think of the Michelangelo in 1966.

 

https://www.michelangelo-raffaello.com/en/michelangelo-12-april-1966/

A “once in a century” event.  

On 3/31/2022 at 9:17 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

 

My upscale grocer sells Boar's Head deli meats and I have not found them to be any more special in quality or taste than Kroger's Private Selection or Eckrich or Oscar Meyer, etc.  There is one "quality", however, in which Boar's Head is "special":  the price per pound.  Even my Kroger Marketplace (a superstore type grocery) now has Boar's Head deli meats.  Must be more profit in selling those "upscale brands" than in what had been sold previously.  

Amen to that RK.  Way back when I was doing a culinary stint in a meat market I would lend a hand at the deli counter on occasion.  I learned what was upscale and truly better quality.  Boars Head is good but not always the best.  I’m not shy when it comes to suggesting alternative deli meats to complete strangers at the deli counter…lol.  I’ve often gotten a thank you.  People tend to settle in for boiled ham when they could be having sliced spiral or Black Forest!  

I always take a box of my favorite diet drink in powder form.  Our local supermarket chain makes a concentrate powder similar to Crystal Light that’s even better.  The lemon mixed with iced tea is great and zero calories.  This is a great way to stay hydrated in the tropical heat!  

On 3/31/2022 at 9:22 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

Yes, I will attest to that.  I lost all of my menus from those early years on the Rotterdam, but, I think I still have a few menus that my Mother kept when we sailed in 1971.  I am not sure where they may be, but, I will try to find them.  

 

 

Let us know when you find them RK.  I would love to compare then with now.

1 hour ago, shipgeeks said:

A colleague gave me copies of menus from her family's sailings on SS Rotterdam in 1965 and 1966.

On Friday, October 22, 1965, Festival Sailing Dinner, Tourist Class, the menu included:

Eggs Russian Style, Ripe and Green Olives, Red Radishes, Carrot Sticks, Chilled Hearts of Table Celery

Soups: Cream of Chervil (maigre), Consomme Monte Carlo

Fish: Supreme of Turbot, Hollandaise Sauce

Releve: Roast Larded Tenderloin of Beef with Gravy

Vegetables etc.: Buttered Mixed Vegetables, Creamed Fresh Endives, O'Brien and Mashed Potatoes

Roti: Roast Chicken Bourguignonne

Salads and Compote: Lettuce - Tomato and Cucumber Salad, Raifort and Holland Dressing, Compote of Pears

Dessert: Mascotte Cake, Coupe Jamaica, English Cake

 

In 1969 I sailed for 42 days on Cap Vilano, a 12-passenger cargo ship of Columbus Lines.  My menus are "somewhere".  I do remember several soups I had not had before: shark fin, kangaroo tail, as well as luncheon desserts such as Blueberriesjogurt.  The food, by the way, was excellent, but with very few choices.

 

Amazing that the Rotterdam menus were from Tourist Class.  They were dining better in Tourist than we do on a cruise!!  The Rotterdam was a class act.  I’m sure RK will attest to that.  Rotterdam was his first ship!

Hello all you cruise foodies.  Since things have gotten quiet here I thought it would be fun to look back at what the pax were dining on about 50 or 60 or 70 years ago when cruising started to take off.

Here is a sample menu from RMS Caronia II from A North Cape Cruise July 12, 1959.  These are just a few of the starters: giant shrimp cocktail, smoked sturgeon, delice de fois gras, beluga malossol caviar and a galantine of veal was available on the cold buffet.  The fish dishes were supreme of turbot, Dover sole and fried smelts.  Pasta Calabraise was offered for the farinaceous course.  Entrees were poussin en cocotte, smoked ox tongue and escallop of veal.  The joint course was prime ribs and Yorkshire pudding.  The grill offerings were prime sirloin steak, lamb cutlets and spring chicken.  The releve course was roasted stuffed chicken.  Vegetables offered were French string beans, buttered broccoli,  garden peas and sautéed corn.  A strawberry sorbet was served as the palate cleanser.  Potatoes offered were boiled new, château, O’Brian and gratinee.  There were 7 selections offered from the cold buffet.  There were 6 different salads and 4 salad dressings.  Desserts were soufflé mocha, coupe Diablo rouge, marquise salambo, Charlotte Russe and a baked pear in red wine sauce.  There were 4 different ice creams and hot butterscotch sauce.  In case you wanted to hang on after dinner for a glass of port there were savories , Scotch woodcock, croute derby and sardines on toast along with fresh fruits, dessert figs and raisins.

WOW…that’s what I call a real dinner!😃

7 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

The black forest ham of our favorite Germany restaurant get the ham from Germany's Black Forest as many of their items that they place on their shelves.

 

The ham is brought over. The ham's surface is bathed with beef blood that gives the color. And certain local spices and baked here.

 

It is a one of a kind taste and presented on the bread that works with the taste. 

Only in New York…could you find such deli meats.  The best we have here is Boers Head and their deli meats are not the be-all end-all that some people think they are.  Our German deli selections are pretty pedestrian around here.  

4 hours ago, Lois R said:

Good morning, I love rye bread too🙂 CGT, this is a suggestion if you look for store bought........Cobblestone Rye. It is now under the "FLOWERS"/"WONDER" Label but it is the same as when the label said Cobblestone.....it is my favorite store bought......has a good deep texture and when I toast it? Always toasts to perfection🙂

Thanks Lois…I’ll keep an eye out.  

7 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

 

One of our favorite hams is the Black Forest Smoked Ham from our favorite german restaurant retail store.

 

Greatest bread and mustard.

 

When we go there we can smell the kitchen's exhaust and know they were making the ham.

Black Forest Ham sounds delish.  Our grocery deli does sliced spiral ham and it really makes a great ham sandwich.  Finding really good rye bread is another problem.  I was spoiled as a child.  One of my best friends came from a family owned German bakery.  I used to hang out with my friend there after school.  They made the rye breads in these ancient wooden tubs that were seasoned with rye starter dough.  The big round loaves were then fed into a coal fired oven that had to be 15 feet deep.  I still dream about that rye bread.

4 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

CGT,

Thank you for your concern but in moderation there is little concern at this time.

 

These are not a daily basis meals but once in awhile as a treat with a proper diet the rest of the time.

 

 

I hear what you say…once a month is a good idea.  You’ve got me thinking.  It’s been years since I had olive loaf.  I’m thinking Baby Swiss, olive loaf, deli mustard on dark rye grilled to perfection…yummmmm.   

31 minutes ago, BklynBoy8 said:

We use Finlander Swiss, Muenster, Alpine Lace Swiss with most of our melts.

 

Never tried P&P?

 

All those processed meats work well.  I will caution you that these combinations are high in salt and fats.  You might want to explore Baby Swiss cheese with those deli meats.  Baby Swiss has a nice nutty flavor IMO better than regular Swiss.  I like a nice sharp cheddar with spiral ham and deli mustard made with artisan cheese bread.  

5 hours ago, Lois R said:

Good morning......thanks CGT🙂 my next big thing is 2 weeks from Friday....having a hysterectomy😦

The one thing I can say about it.......the hospital has something called a ROBOT that they use........it is supposed to be quicker and healing up is faster.

Hi Lois,

Robotic surgery is becoming the way to go…good luck with that.  I can think of a great way to recover…a nice long cruise!

19 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

When you say ground coriander are you referring to coriander seeds or dried ground leaves? 

Ground coriander leafs, of course…but who really knows what goes into ground coriander? 

9 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi,  so far the results are good..........had a lot of fluid drained from my right lung---it came back benign🙂......still waiting on some others but this is definitely good news👍

Keep those good thoughts coming Lois…so far so good.  Seems like everyone I know is having something medical lately.  Please keep us posted.

3 hours ago, stoneharborlady said:

I have never had chocolate pecan pie, but must admit I would love to try one.  I like the pecans on top of the pie to be ground up. 

Chaque persone a son gout!  😉

5 hours ago, Lois R said:

My favorite way to eat them is inside a big mushroom cap with some garlic and wine making a delicious sauce😀

Whether cooked in the special serving dish with mornay sauce or served in a mushroom cap…they are good.  The best I ever had were fresh from the vineyard chopped with onions and mushrooms then sautéed in butter, olive oil and wine accompanied with fresh crusty bread and a glass of dry white wine.