CGTNORMANDIE

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Not me unless I must be.  Too many years of arising at 5:00 A. M.

 

 

Yes. their menu is good.  Discovered Ranchero Potatoes late during my cruise.  Darn it.  

 

 

Two food items that I made a judgement as to quality and preparation when I cruise:  croissants and soups.  If both are good, usually whatever enters my digestive tract will be most acceptable.  For an Italian ship such as MSC, I would add pasta dishes to croissants and soups.  And, the YC Chef on Meraviglia did not disappoint.  I never would have thought that I would enjoy a pesto sauce served with a pasta.  

 

 

All of my dinners were in the YC DR because I enjoyed the service, the ambiance, the food, and sometimes being able to dine with other guests with whom I had met.  The menu of some of the specialty restaurants were attractive, however.  Particularly, Butcher's Bloc.  

I do believe I would make an exception with the Butchers Block.  I would prefer a better dining atmosphere in BB than is currently offered on most MSC ships.  When I eat steak I want a steakhouse ambiance and decor...think dark woods and leather banquettes.  

38 minutes ago, Lowiepete said:

If you've ever spoken about a "shipping order" in jest, have you ever seen a real one?

 

Select "A Shipping Order" from the menu...

 

Regards,

Steve

Very impressive list of comestibles!  

Steve, you are right...the menus were different every day.  The Caronia menus are astounding!  The fact that the chefs and stewards met these challenges with so many courses every day is even more astounding.  

2 minutes ago, Lowiepete said:

 

1) Sauce Remoulade with added fine-grated horseradish, thickened, chilled then single frilly tower piped over yolks of split hard-boiled eggs

2) Yes, Primitivo wine sauce + chopped field mushrooms, Italian tomatoes, tiny whole onions (name escapes me) and roughly crushed garlic

3) Vanilla ice-cream on top of pieces of candied chestnuts in the coupe. Piped over flat with Chantilly Cream in Catherine Wheel style from centre, then sprinkled with crystallised violets

 

Savouries, well they were on the menu, but very rarely ordered! They usually involved melted hard cheeses with pickle style accompaniments for umami, or toast + pastes from olives, gherkins and/or capers,  with chopped anchovies for salty. By the time you'd made your way through HorsD' / Soup, Fish, Entree, Main Course and Dessert, it was time to relax with an Irish Coffee . Just no room...  😉 

 

Regards,

Steve

WOW...now that’s what I call fine dining...and those were just a few of the menu items.  Here is the rest of the menu.

Hors d’oeuvres:  tomato, grapefruit and pineapple juice...citrus fruit cup, jumbo prawn cocktail, smoked salmon, salad opera, sardines, smoked sturgeon, foie gras en croute, oeufs a la russe, cauliflower a la grecque and gendarmes.

Soups: Clear Turtle with Sherry, Creme de Mais Washington, Cold Creme Vichyssoise.

Fish: Poached fresh Scotch Salmon cucumber Sauce Hollandaise, Fried Fillet of Dover Sole w/Sauce Gribiche.

Farinaceous: Baked Spaghetti Caruso

Vegetarian: Vegetarian Platter with Parmesan Cheese

Entrees:  Baby Chicken a la Belle Caronia.  Baked Clove Smithfield Ham with sweet potatoes and peaches.

Continental Specialty:  Paella a la Valenciana, chicken, pork and sausage sautéed in oil with pilaf of rice with saffron, chicken stock, with lobster, shrimp and mussels with aromatics.  
 

Roast: Roast Lamb and Shoulder of Lamb with mint sauce and red current jelly.

Sorbet:  Champagne Sorbet

Grills: Filet Mignon Duroc and Escalopes of Sweet Breads Princesse 

Releve: Roast Vermont Turkey, Chestnut Farcie with Cranberry Sauce.

Vegetables:  Green Peas, Corn Sautéed with Paprika, and Fried Aubergines.

Potatoes: Boiled New, Chateau, Creme Puréed and San Remo.

Cold Buffet:  Roast Ribs and Sirloin of Beef, Galantine of Chicken, Roast Lamb. Rolled Ox Tongue, Home Made Brawn and London Pressed Beef.

Salads: Hearts of Lettuce, Sliced Tomatoes, Fresh Fruit, Jack o’lantern, Mixed Bowl and Beetroot.

Dressings:  French,  Mayonnaise,  Vinaigrette and Roquefort.

Sweets: English Plum Pudding and Hard Sauce, Coupe Eugenie and Sherry Fruit Trifle. and Petite Fours.

Ice Cream:  Vanilla, Coffee, Banana and Raspberry with hot Butterscotch Sauce.

Savorie: Welsh Rarebit

Fresh Fruit:  various

Tea or Coffee hot or iced.

Now that’s a real menu!!

Questions for Lowiepete...

Hi Steve,  I am looking at a Caronia Gala Dinner Menu and was hoping you could explain a few of the fabulous items.  
 

Oeufs a la Russe...Russian eggs.  Were they stuffed eggs dotted with caviar?

Baked Spaghetti Caruso:  Was this spaghetti in a red sauce with chicken livers?

Can you tell us about any of the Savories?

Coup Eugenie:  Was this an ice cream dish of some sort?  
 

Best regards,

CGT

OK RK...here is my regimen...Onboard MSC YC.  We are early risers.  DW cannot function until she has had a cup, and most times two cups, of coffee.  So we have room service delivered...usually around 6:45 AM.  Then we try to get out by 7:30 for a good walk up on a top deck.  If the weather is bad we will “walk the ship”.  Then around 8:30 AM we will head for the DR.  The YC DR has a nice breakfast menu and if you want something special...just ask.  Their croissants are a must!  I will usually have an egg or some smoked salmon, juice, etc.  

Lunch depends on the menu.  Sometimes in YC DR, sometimes on deck poolside and once in a while we’ll go for pizza in the buffet or dessert, gelato, ice cream, etc. wherever.  Then more walking and exercise in the afternoon...followed by a nap.  

Cocktails before dinner followed by a nice slow meal with wine and dessert.  Dinner is always in the YC DR.  Again we walk the ship after dinner and usually take in an entertainment.  DW heads for cabin to read and then to bed.  I head to the Casino for an evening of fun on the machines with a drink or two to in between then to bed.  I always take a late night stroll on deck whenever possible.  

Just now, publicpersona said:

 

Though there is still some inconsistencies being reported, even RCI Diamond Plus matches the Gold now, not Diamond/Black. I was lucky enough to get matched to Diamond/Black before they changed that.

Thank you PP.  I cannot keep up with the changes!

17 hours ago, KazAllen said:

We are Royal Caribbean Cruisers and are Diamond Level, which means we get 3 to 3.5 hours every day (usually 5.00 to 8.00 or 8.30 on some ships) of free drinks (from a set drink menu but fairly extensive) and canapes which are served in the Diamond Lounge.

Now I know MSC will match levels but do they have similar drinks and canapes for the level that matches Diamond and up???

We are thinking of an MSC Part World Cruise when cruising returns to our part of the world (Australia)

Many thanks,

Kaz

If you are going on MSC and choosing any experience other than Yacht Club you would want to consider a beverage package.  If you are in the Yacht Club then you will have Premium Level package included and you can upgrade to a Premium Plus for $17? more pp per day.  Watch for the specials...a lot of times you can get an Easy Package included with your cruise at time of booking.  An Easy Beverage Package is currently $35 pp per day and it includes a lot for the money and is well worth it if you like to drink.  You did say you were from Australia...right!  Your RCI Diamond Level will translate into the MSC Black Card.  This will entitle you to a bottle of Prosecco and another cocktail party but not much more.    

12 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

There have been a few of those specials dinners that they have been in so much excess as to the richness of the food and the wines served that I have left those dinners, somehow finding my way back to my stateroom, and then collapsing.  Sometimes, in digestive agony.  

 

I have learned that if I am going to experience a multi-course dinner:  at least for me, a few bites of each course will be approved by my digestive system than consuming the entirety of each course.  

 

Such practice leads to such a waste of well prepared food.  While the opportunity presented itself to book such dinners in the last 2 years, I have resisted the temptation to do so.  Maybe my digestive system communicated with my brain/common sense:  Don't you dare let him book such a dinner? 😀

After 2 days onboard my appetite diminishes.  I find myself snacking instead of having breakfast or lunch.  Gorging on a gourmet dinner with wine pairings now seems out of my wheelhouse.  Those days are long gone.  Give me a mixed grill, a glass of Chablis and a taste of dessert any day.

30 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

I have no regrets and much appreciated the training I received over today's new text book academics that try to learn the job in a classroom. Never did us any harm and certainly built the character required to survive my many years as a Captain.

 

For each of those challenging experiences, we had many exceptional ones.

 

Still remember going into Dubai anchorage, with hundreds of ships anchored off the port. The Captain headed for a cluster of other P&O ships, so we could trade films when at anchor for weeks/months.

 

We were steering towards another P&O ship, approaching our anchorage, when the Master requested 1/2 Astern. As Cadet, it was my job to respond, move the telegraph and visually confirm the engine responded. Well of course, this time the engine kicked astern and then died. I advised the Master engine not going astern. He calmly requested, "Stop Engine", so I put the telegraph to "Stop". The Master again requested, "1/2 Astern", with the same result.

 

The other ship was getting closer and my eyes were getting bigger, with the ticker racing. Not the Master, he again requested "Stop Engine" then calmly into the radio, requested the Chief Officer to, "Dredge to Stbd Anchor"

 

This slowed us down and also directed the ship's head away from the other ship, avoiding a collision. Once we got everything under control and the ship safely anchored, the Master sat me down and explained what he did. By putting the anchor on the bottom and dragging it, it caused a resultant force that both slowed the ship and pulled the ship's head in the direction of the anchor dropped.

 

In my almost 28 years as a Ro/Pax Master, I had to use this manoeuvre 4 or 5 times, always remembering back to the day I watched it and the Master's explanation. Every Captain I trained was also taught and had to demonstrate this manoeuvre.

This is great!  Both Steve and Heidi are giving us pearls...thanks so much.  

6 hours ago, Lowiepete said:

 

Now, I'm reminded of my English teacher at the first Secondary School I attended. No matter that she was diminutive, with a strong Irish accent, she ruled her classroom with a rod of iron. Almost literally; it was 15 inch long steel rule that would go off like a firecracker if it met your desk. Misbehave and it could reach your knuckles...

 

I have to write fondly of her because over 60 years later I thank her almost daily for the gift that she meticulously instilled in me.

 

Write a book, you say? Well, I can imagine Mrs. O'Keefe whispering in my ear: "Who is your target audience?" and once you have decided that, "How will you reach them?" CGT, I thank you for the compliment and I seem to receive similar suggestions almost weekly from Timeline visitors. All that goes through my mind when it's suggested is that I'm presenting, maintaining and hopefully improving a web site of over 1,000 pages on an almost daily basis. Is that really not my "book"?

 

In trying to answer the first question, what crosses my mind is who is going to want to spend actual money to hear a bunch of tales from an old salt? The second question is far more serious because to get there you need to get past a publisher. Is that person or outfit then going to take charge, appoint editors and so on until you barely recognise your own writing style? Having been around someone who did publish a book, it seemed that there was more than just one straitjacket.

 

You'll maybe have noticed that there is absolutely no advertising on the Timeline. That's done on purpose because the very last thing I want is to be controlled by another party thinking that because of their money, they can call the shots. Call me a control-freak all you like, but it is not going to happen! 

 

Rather than get a book published, I'd rather secure the Timeline into perpetuity, if only to help people researching former crew and passengers. Among the top arrivals to the site are the crew and pax transcript indexes. What seems to happen is that the crew/pax name is the hook and the details of their lifestyle at that time is there for the visitor to explore to their heart's content. Am I wrong, or just a bit obstinate? 😉

 

Regards,

Steve

Steve, “A journey of ten thousand miles starts with a single step.”  
 

All the best,

CGT

1 hour ago, Lowiepete said:

 

Thanks for recognising the emotional effects of writing that piece. There were mixed feelings, mostly because by the time that Caronia called at FL in January 1966, both Jack and Jill had passed away. The sadness of hearing that news just added to the distressing memories of that floating prison, with its angry and desperate inmates.

 

No-one should be surprised over the natural human attachments made on board ship, from either side of the aisle. After all, we're both sides coping with neighbours we cannot choose, nor change. Just know that kindness is never forgotten and triumphs over anger by factors!

 

Regards,

Steve

Well said and well received!

7 hours ago, mjmiller said:

honestly, it wasn't the food.  It was the surrounding circumstances...

 

We turned Diamond on Carnival on that particular cruise.  We had a Diamond invite to tour the galley and take a picture with the captain.  I believe that was all the invite said.  Typical galley tour... stiff photos with the Captain...  Follow the people in front of us to leave... Turned a corner, and there was a section of the MDR, set impeccably.  We enjoyed free flowing beverages, whatever we wanted, fantastic service, and one of the better meals we've had in a MDR. 

 

I'm sure the food didn't nearly measure up to some of the fab meals y'all have enjoyed, but the surprise, the service, the setting... it all added up to an experience I don't think I'll forget.

Nothin wrong with an impromptu surprise feast!  It’s always a shock when you find out that the galley can excel beyond the usual menus.  I find the same thing happens when I’m invited to dine at the Captain’s Table.  The Chef really “kicks it up a notch.”

3 hours ago, Lowiepete said:Hello Folks,

 

We go back to late December 1964. I've been transferred, at short notice, away from standby for the Caronia's 1965 Great World Cruise instead to board the RMS Carmania. She's scheduled to do a series of 12 to 17 day cruises from Ft. Lauderdale to the Caribbean, finishing from New York with a month in the Mediterranean ending at Southampton in late May.

 

I have to say that from the outset of boarding that ship I daily / hourly cursed the clerk back in the Cunard office who had issued that transfer order. I had no choice but to comply. Basically, we were "company servants" and they treated us with that level of scorn. My orders were to be sailing to the US the very next afternoon, instead of enjoying several more days at home. Every time I think of it, I shudder!

 

Carmania had not long been converted from a Canada run ship into another Cunard Cruising Green liner and renamed. The other piece of "history" being the Irish "troubles" and that there were many Irish and Liverpool Irish seafarers in the complement. It was us Southerners who'd signed-on in Southampton which caused these others so much consternation. It paid to keep your mouth shut!

 

On the 2nd of these cruises, I had been elevated to Staff Captain's Commis. This meant that I covered the whole station for breakfast and luncheon on my own. The SC Tiger would be aloft doing his thing and only be in the restaurant for Dinner service. Bear in mind that at this point I'm not classed, or even paid, as a waiter, but expected to do the exact same job, on my own at breakfast where other stations would have 2 adult ratings serving. Another baptism of fire, it was!

 

The station comprised of the 8 seat Staff Captain's table and a separate 6 table. On this latter there came an elderly couple (to me as still a teenager) who both turned out to be retired Doctors. However, they were not suited one bit to be sitting at large table with so much going on. He was painfully shy and his wife wasn't much better. On a large table, you do need to be able to hold your own.

 

Anyway, there's barely a night where there's not a fight amongst the crew. I tended to avoid any places of congregation and if asked about a "united Ireland", I'd just nod and slip away before being challenged further. Our cabin housed 4 commis waiters and one was an Irish lad that held so much hate you could only feel sorry for him. That little perisher made our lives hell for the whole 5 months we were away. It wasn't until many years later that I was shocked to learn this hate came from school-classrooms!

 

Back to our Doctors, I'll call them Jack & Jill. They came down to the aft restaurant for every meal, often being the only ones in for breakfast at that table. Thankfully, I'd rarely get more than 6 bloods down for breakfast. The same for lunch at sea with a deck buffet. In port, there was barely a soul stayed on board. Hardly surprising, really.

 

Anyway, it allowed me to get to know them and to gently guide them on how to cope at their table when it was full. There were one or two other "companions" whom we could have a good gossip about.

 

Now, the atmosphere on board amongst the crew did not go unnoticed by the passengers! How could it? I'd often find myself apologising on behalf of some clumsy idiot who didn't understand "the gravy train". Anyway, I got to know this couple very well and made sure that they weren't buried by their companions.

 

When it came to the end of the cruise,  Jack hands me an envelope and makes me promise that I'll not open it until after the ship has docked in FL. Once opened, I find a lovely letter and a clear invitation to give them a call after the next cruise. They didn't live far away, so they would come and collect me.

 

Well, there were some fantastic steak houses in FL back then, with some very fancily decorated restaurants, fully air-conditioned and very reasonably priced. It made a change from ship-board grub that wasn't quite at Caronia standard. Cruising green she might have been, Caronia she was not! A group of us could not wait to get off the ship once the bloods had disembarked. However, I did take up J&J's offer.

 

Their address was a 4-digit number along an avenue, the length of which I could not compute. So, Jill came to collect me in a "woody", her cherished piece of machinery that floated better than the ship! Once we pull into their drive, I see they live in this beautiful white wooden chalet, with a long lawn out front. Inside, the place is tastefully palatial and out back is another long lawn, bordered by really tall avocado palms and their own boathouse and jetty on the canal in the distance.

 

 Next thing I know I'm invited to go to their Country Club with them. Before I could protest that I wasn't dressed for the occasion, I'm assured that I'd only need a tie and they'd no doubt find me something suitable. The next big surprise was to learn that the establishment in question was nearly an hour's drive away and we'd be chauffeured in Jack's big black limousine. You don't do things by halves in the US, do you?

 

It was during this drive that the couple open up to me to express their thanks for "making their cruise". It turned out that their bedroom steward was quite a nasty piece of work, so there wasn't much solace in their accommodation. With the ship nearly full, there wasn't a transfer opportunity. They had also sensed that I had been a bit under pressure, but by this time I was a tad overwhelmed by their compliments.

 

Oh my, the Country Club was everything I'd imagined and more! I was introduced to their friends, who'd already heard a lot about me. Blushing - my 17 year old self was! However, I was all the more grateful for the respite and it would be me climbing back aboard with a very heavy heart.

 

Now, a Brit abroad is to be avoided at all costs - just think "football"! Thing is that back then, USCs abroad were equally painful. I'd served them in a top hotel in Zurich and they'd proved the worst reputations of the "nouveau riche" as being completely beyond doubt. However, Americans in their homes, and likewise the Irish, and you could not fault either their welcome or their hospitality! 

 

On the night Carmania visited Barcelona, just 3 days before reaching So'ton, around 20 men were sent home in disgrace. The ship was 4 hours late leaving. Earlier that day, while I was in the restaurant wanting to go out to the galley to rinse water tumblers, I'd heard a commotion outside which stopped me in my tracks.

 

An "Extra 2nd Steward", one of the good ones to boot, had been climbing the metal companionway to the starboard side of my exit when he was attacked and landed head-first back down in the working alleyway. Exiting seconds earlier could have seen me being bowled over in the rush. His screams of agony will never leave me!

 

Aboard the ship it was an offence punishable by dismissal to "fraternise with passengers". I did it ashore and told no-one. All these years later I often think fondly of Jack & Jill and their wonderful souls. Instead of finding another ship, I decided to go to Switzerland to work for a couple or three months, then come back for the Caronia's Summer Med Cruise.

 

Regards,

Steve

 

P.S. I hope there's not too many typos. There isn't much time to edit stuff here. 😞

 

 

Steve, thanks sooooo much for a great piece of soul-baring insight of historical significance.  You really need to put these stories into a book!  I hope you found as much catharsis in the telling as we found enjoyment.  

31 minutes ago, Lowiepete said:

Hello Folks,

 

I'm gonna let this fly for a couple more days, then do what I usually do and turn it on its head. I should warn that the story may contain attitudes that were prevalent back then (1960s) which you'd be correct at frowning about now...

 

Regards,

Steve

 

Let it rip Steve...that’s what we are here for!😂

I made 4 cruises on RCI Jewel off the Seas.  The top deck lounge was always the dedicated Concierge Lounge where we would meet every evening for cocktails.  We had a bar crew of 4 people who were from the Philippines.  That bar crew remained the same for all 3 cruises that I was on from 2007-2009.  They knew me by name and they knew what to pour as soon as I arrived...the French 75...LOL.  Every night I would begin with a French 75...and go on from there.  There is nothing better than having a close personal repore with your bartenders.  

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Just don't overdo it!

Everything in moderation...INCLUDING MODERATION!!  

53 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I am dubious.  How do you drink them?  Schnapps, then Beer?  Or the reverse?  Or, together?  

Which came first...the chicken or the egg...LOL.  I always sip the schnapps and chase it with a sip of beer.  I am getting thirsty even as I speak/write.  You have to understand...I cannot drink beer right now due to my limited liquid intake while I’m on dialysis.  I haven’t had a beer in over 3 years...UGHHHH.  I can have a drink...about 1 or 2 per week.  I can’t wait till I get a new kidney!  What a celebration that will be...LOL.

Good one RK.  It’s always grand when you can establish a personal relationship.  

15 hours ago, Harry and Lucille said:

What brand of hot dogs does Princess use at the grill?

That’s a tough question.  There are hundreds of different hot dog manufacturers.  Only corporate headquarters would know that one.  

Just now, rkacruiser said:

 

That sounds like an odd combination to me.  Ever since I had to surrender my shares of A-B, my interest in drinking beer of any brand/type diminished.  I migrated to quality Sauvignon Blancs, preferably from New Zealand.  On a HAL vessel, I will always order a bottle or more of Heineken.  But, not Lite.  Sometimes, when I am reminiscing past cruises, I will buy a 6 pack of Heineken. 

 

Interesting as to how our tastes change over time.  

Schnapps and beer...a winning combination...a German favorite.  Peppermint Schnapps and lager are a wonderful combination...very enjoyable.  I’ve been drinking that for more than 50 years.  
 

I love Heineken but you really need to try Heineken Lite...really good if you like Heineken.  I was surprised the first time I had one.  As I was also surprised by Sam Adams Lite...another great lager.  Give them a try RK and let us know what you think...a great way to beat the Covid blues.

Great bartenders we have known...

I remember Jesse who I met onboard Celebrity Horizon in 1998.  Jesse was a hot ticket who was always ready to prepare your favorite beverage at lightning speed.  He was so fast he had the nickname of Jesse James.

11 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I was unaware of Peppermint Schnapps.  I researched the difference between Creme de Menthe and Peppermint Schnapps.  Other than the Schnapps having more alcohol, it ought to have been OK.  But, I wonder, may have the bartender served me that which I found to be so very strong?  I may have mispoke in Post #19 about the green liquid being Italian.  I am not sure that it really was Italian and may have assumed that it was.  

 

Whatever it was, as an after dinner drink and was really a night-cap, I didn't need much more alcohol than I had already consumed that evening.  

I think you would have been fine with a regular peppermint schnapps RK as long as it wasn’t one of the specialty schnapps which can be a high proof alcohol.  Now we need to introduce you to some of the European Lagers as well as some of the craft beers.  If you like Michelob you will love Stella Artois.  I also think you might like a Sam Adams Lite or even a Heineken Lite.  Goes great with peppermint schnapps!

Which brings us to famous bartenders we have known.  I always thought it vitally important to establish a good working report with the bartenders I’d be sailing with.

There was a bartender on the QE2 who had been around forever.  I first met him in 1975...a little guy with a mustache.  He had worked for Home Lines and then Cunard.  I want to say his name was Carlos...but I’ll have to check that.  At any rate there was no drink that he could not make off the top of his head.  His bar tending abilities were incredible.  He had stories that I wish I had written down. Lots of Hollywood stars and famous people.  It was a joy to spend a couple of hours with him each day.  
 

Then there was Vic Taylor in the Pub onboard QE2.  Vic had been with Cunard since the 1930’s...wow!!  Vic had been on all the major Cunard ships.  He was a real gentleman and was full of great stories from The Golden Age of transatlantic voyages.  
 

Tony the bartender in the Casino was 2nd. generation Cunard.  He had followed in his father’s footsteps and had become the Casino Bartender...an enviable position in the QE2 hierarchy.  I would often close the bar with Tony for a late nightcap.  The Casino Bar was a great place for a quiet and peaceful spot late at night.  Tony also had some great stories about the types he had served in the Casino.  I was with Tony one night when we hit a trench wave that had to have topped 70 feet.  The entire ship dove into the trough and all we could do was hold on for the ride of our lives.  Tony braced himself between the bar and had just enough time to brace his arms against the bottles on the shelves.  He saved every one of them!  
 

Coming up next the French bartenders...and the entire incredible wine list on the SS France.

12 hours ago, getting older slowly said:

Hendrick   very nice   either as a G&T or a Martini... but should be garnished with a slice of cucumber... as lemon or lime does nothing for it..

 

It really makes a big difference.... Don

Thanks Don...I’ll give that a go.😄