Nigella

 

My opinion for what its worth was that after spending $15k or so for two bus class tickets to board the ship somewhere the last thing i want to see is a roped off area . Thats why peeps like SB ,once on board enjoy ,after we are all in the same boat.

Very well said.

Morning All! Relating to the topic of security online, I think it depends on the individual's assessment of risk. My daughter is in her 30's and does not allow any pictures of her kids to be posted anywhere on the net. There may be some basic precautions that most people take and it is still up to the individual to decide what their comfort level is. And Lola I share your concern about posting too much info myself. The question is how much is too much?

 

Enjoy your cruise Nigella!

 

Have a great weekend all!

I'll definitely enjoy my cruise, thank you!

Good morning , Lincslady.

I'm very cautious about having any personal information online. I do use Facebook but it's locked down as tightly as possible and I use it more to catch up with what my friends are up to than to post about what I'm doing/where I am. I don't post pictures of myself or my family online. I don't post any professional information at all, I'm not on Linkedin etc.

Sometimes I think it's generational. My niece is in her early 20s and my god-daughter is a decade older. Both of them post all manner of personal information online, photos, current location, work issues :eek:, you name it. All public for anyone to view.

Just steamed sprouts.

 

It isn't hot at all ..I add a load of chilli. The good news is that it is sold by Ocado. :eek: I am so scared they will stop selling it I have a cupboard full. It is a pouch of perfectly blended mix that is to all purposes

 

https://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/Deli-Ben-Rendang-Paste/249479011

 

Order it with a can of the Waitrose coconut milk (the expensive one), some onions to slowly braise (or some ezy onion cans if you can find it ... blitzed to a cream) , some coconut powder, some ground almond, splenda, and perhaps some diced lamb shoulder of lamb and some sweet potato? I also add fresh (tubed) ginger, garlic, chilli and some fresh blitzed banana which I allow to go squidgy. Buy a big bag of kafir lime leaves from Amazon where they are at a proper price. This will produce the most loveliest and authentic meal ever.

 

I do go on .....:D

 

Jeff

I'll try it next time I'm here, adding it to my order along with lamb shanks.

It will be probably mid February though.

I'm going back to France tomorrow evening, then we fly to Miami next week. Will be away on Seabourn doing the Panama Canal until early January. So I won't be back in England for just over 2 months.

Your recipe sounds lovely!

We are onboard right now and staying on for the next cruise. We were told that there is a minor problem with the steering system and that Seabourn decided to address it now rather than later.

Thank you for the information.

 

Mosquito's have not been a problem at all.

 

I've been to South Africa a couple of times and never been bitten by a mosquito. I do, however, get bitten by them every time I go out in the evening in "super exotic " Monaco !! :D (and the rest of coastal southern France).

Anyway TC, thanks for your thread. I did a very similar itinerary last year on Seabourn, many of your thoughts and experience reflected mine, so it brought back lovely memories.

Great pictures too, although too big for my browser to handle so reading the thread has been a challenge. Silly browser!

Love the Swiss Alps.

I recommend the Berner Oberland for trips from Zurich.

Early October is a great time to visit. The weather is usually dry and mild. If you're an animal person, the sight of the local cows being brought down from their summer time pastures is wonderful, and the sound of their bells too!

You may already know that the railway system in Switzerland is second to none, so great for trips out of Zurich.

Go on Google and take a look at Interlaken, the biggest town in the area, then smaller towns such as Wengen, Grindelwald, Adelboden, and my own favourite is Kandersteg.

The train from Zurich to Kandersteg takes around 2.5 hours. To Interlaken approx 2 hours, to Grindelwald it's about 3 hours. You will need to change trains for the smaller towns but it's easy to do and people are very helpful.

Lamb shanks are going on my next Ocado delivery!

Is that rendang business very hot? I can't do hot food. Spicy yes but not so hot it blows your head off hot. Is it only available in Thailand? No trips planned that way for the major foreseeable.

Mysty, I agree that Jeff's sprouts do look very delicious.

I wonder how one is selected to receive the survey.:confused:

I wonder too.

I haven't had one but my husband has.

Actually, the main event will be starting in Saigon on the 20th, which is where we are going to be. I gather Sojourn will be limping in to dock on the 27th, when it is all over, just as we are leaving.:D

Love it!

That's you told, Henry.

Very well deserved. Your videos are fabulous, and they capture the Seabourn experience perfectly.

In the survey there is an artist impression of what such a sanctuary might look like - it may just be a generic impression but part of could be modelled on the Retreat on deck 12 of the Encore and the latest shots of the ship does have a similar canopy over it.

Very helpful description, thank you.

The lamb shank and the pie both look absolutely yummy.

I don't have any Asian dishes in my repertoire. I need to learn how to do a simple one and master it. May start with something like a Thai Green Chicken curry or similar.....

'frogophile cook'. I quite like that and would consider changing my CC name to it ;)

 

We use to have a prolific poster who showed off quite a lot, and had basically bought a decent car and lived in a decent two bedroomed flat, and chauffered people around in the car. That was his job. Nothing wrong with that. He heard stuff from those in the back, whilst he was in the front, and then posted it vicariously as though "he" were "they". Those with a nose for these things eventualy see through it. He even had coincidentally an identical but common name that happened to be the same as a real "lord". So the combination of a decent car resources for curises and a name gave him a new fantasy. He often advertised the car hire business as though he were a customer and not the owner if you get my drift. But googling killed the deception for many reasons and to a degree due to an unaccountable decades difference in ages between Lord and Car Owner. So the deception was dropped.

 

 

 

Jeff

:eek: I took it all in. :mad: Silly, gullible, moi.

As an aside, nobody on CC knows my actual name. I'm nicknamed Nigella because my pre-marriage surname was Lawson (no relation at all) and it actually took me years to learn how to cook properly. Once, when I presented my husband with some awful kitchen concoction, he quipped "well you may be a Lawson, but you're no Nigella!" And the name has stuck.

Jeff, I don't know if you saw it, or even remember, but I did comment pages ago about how lovely my Waitrose chicken had been. I'm doing another one on Sunday. Well, that's if there's any power on to cook it with as there's quite a storm brewing already (I'm at my little bolt hole in Cheshire). Trees are bound to come down and along with them the power cables. I use gas to cook but refuse to strike a match to get a burner going so it's cold/raw food only if the electricity goes off.

Have baked 3 loaves and will live on tuna mayo sarnies if need be. May throw in the the odd tomato or lettuce leaf for extra sustenance.

Have a lovely weekend everyone, and to the UK coolers, batten down the hatches! I do love nautical terminology.

Compared to some of the other cruise lines SB certainly seem to be puling out all the stops to say sorry.

 

I think they are using the 6th December cruise as a shake down for the main event which starts on 20th December. I have heard that for the last 2 days they are going to be handing out dusters and polish, paint brushes, varnish, carpet cleaning equipment and so on to all the guest so they can make the ship shine for boarding patrons 20th Dec.

 

Bar service is also being stopped for the second week of the cruise to ensure plentiful supplies over the holiday period :)

 

Hopefully nothing serious.

 

Henry :)

Agree with your first paragraph.

As for the rest, Henry you're a little monkey! ;):D

I'm reading this to be more like the pay-up cabana retreats that mainstream lines like Princess and NCL offer where capacity is limited to a specific number of guests. Those lines sell "full cruise" access first and then will sell one day passes if they do not sell out capacity after departure.

 

I've taken advantage of that service on those lines. The ability to have an assigned lounger (upgraded from what is at the main pool) and other amenities is something I'd pay extra for., even on Seabourn.

 

I haven't ooened the survey yet though so perhaps I'm off base.

Do these tend to be situated in the spa area of the ship, or a separate area of one of the pools?

I am not sure why the group would be boisterous?

 

My husband often will take the Retreat Package on a cruise just to have another quiet place to go.

Hi Julie, as I said, I haven't even received this survey so my only knowledge of it is what I read here on this thread. Perhaps I'm completely misunderstanding the concept they're referring to? We also use the spa retreat package and that's why I'm concerned about exactly is being asked on the survey.

I read 'a private cabana area for 30 exclusive people'. That sounds to me like guests can get together a group of up to 30 to use the cabana for a social spa-themed event. A bit like how a group can take over R2 for dinner. I've seen this poolside in hotels and when more than 4 people are together in a cabana it can never be described as peaceful and relaxing for other pool users close by!

If what SB means is more along the lines of 'capacity for up to 30 people' ie 30 people who just happen to be using the cabana at the same time, but aren't actually socialising together, then that's a different scenario.

I wouldn't want a two tier system.

If it's about upgrading the Spa Retreat, surely this could be detrimental to other spa users if a boisterous group of up to 30 is in the vicinity.

However I haven't received this survey yet.

I've just realised that I've not received any email at all from SB since completing my post-cruise questionnaire after the less than stellar experience on Sojourn in September.

Probably just coincidence, or perhaps I'm completely in the dog house and they're planning to keelhaul me when I'm on Odyssey soon.:p

Well don't hold your breath.

 

We are just off the Odyssey and I have to say the TK food was generally underwhelming except his Napa Burger that was rather splendid.

 

We had the TK menu twice in the restaurant and once family style in the Colonnade so we can't be accused of not persevering. The menu descriptions were interesting constructs that sadly served only to raise expections that were quickly dashed on tasting the food. Style over substance best describes the experience. We heard lots of complaints and returns of food to the kitchen ( one fatty lamb dish was a prime example ). And as for "family style", what families drink wine out of glass beakers? Ridiculous.

 

Think again Seabourn.

I've been waiting to read your feedback. We fly to Miami in one week to join the Odyssey for 20 days.

Great to read about the Napa burger!

Do you think that the main issue with the food being returned is that the ingredients aren't of high enough quality to match what TK would be doing on land? I was concerned about this from the start. I'm sure that TK uses absolutely top quality ingredients in his restaurants, but I'm not sure that Seabourn's food budget would run to that, and perhaps the ingredients are ok but not top notch.

Or maybe it just is that the execution of the dish isn't working. If so, that can be resolved quite easily.

Just musing really, I suppose.

Hope you enjoyed the cruise generally and were happy with the included wines.

If anyone has a photo of one of these "wine beakers" I'd be interested to see it.

We use both Riedel and Schott Zwiesel stemless wine glasses at home for informal dinners, I'm imagining something similar. They make washing far easier, and don't get knocked over easily, but some of the shapes are challenging for those of us with small hands. Also, they don't work for white wine at stand-up gatherings. Clutching the bowl of the glass warms the wine too much.

Very good video, thanks for posting this.

Food and presentation? Disappointed.

Just quickly checking in. I can't pretend that I'll have time to catch up the thread but Jeff, the Waitrose chicken was lovely. Very succulent and tasty. Thank you for the recommendation. Will definitely buy again when I'm here.

I'm back in England for a few days and from the distance, I'm filled with admiration and pride in how my host country is dealing with the horrific events of the past week.

 

In several days I will be back with some light impressions about the cruise and the news about those pending needs: whether or not the MDR is open on sea and port days, about the guac, truffle cheese bread etc at the Observation Bar,

and who is challenging for a boxing title.

 

Happy sailing!

Have a wonderful cruise and I know that MARIANH joins me in a state of high anticipation to read your news!

Morning Nigella! Thanks for your response to my post. I understand the points you made and your well-reasoned dislike for abuse in any form. A number of people these days are in the business of "getting noticed" (think reality TV) and they don't particularly care if they look like idiots in the process. Maybe for the woman under discussion, her "style", for lack of a better word, is her attempt to stand out. Believe me, I am not supporting her approach. However, it does seem to be working for her if she is getting the attention she wants. I don't think she cares about being liked. I think she wants to be noticed. And maybe that is more important to her than being recognized for her intelligence. Her education is probably not a waste to her mind.

I think you're right, her "style" is her attempt to stand out.

She first came to notice during a series of the British version of the tv programme "The Apprentice" about 10 years ago.

In many ways she was the best candidate to win, but my goodness her personality was grating, she was nasty about the other candidates and so on. But there was no need for her to be that way.

She had all of the other qualities needed to win - which she did - without being hurtful and mean to others.

As for attention, I normally try to avoid any tv programme she's on, ditto radio.

Harder to avoid her online activity as someone is always going to quote it or link to it (looking at our Jeff here :D).

She's certainly capitalised on the use of social media. If does seem to make her happy, I just wish it was easier to put her on ignore!

Oh dear,Christmas is coming round too quickly as usual.

 

Nigella - I wonder if you are a 'Cheshire' girl (like Sophia and me) or just spend some time there?

 

jp - reading your latest post made me realise that soon you will be on your Christmas trip to Barcelona - about which some of us gave lots of probably unhelpful advice. I wonder where you will be staying (appreciate you may not want to say here), and what your plans are?

 

Grey and windy here today, and lots of leaves falling all over the lawn and drive. Bother!

 

Lola

Good morning lincslady.

No I'm actually a southerner, but my brother married a Cheshire girl and when they were first married we spent a lot of time here, so I got to know and fell in love with Cheshire.

They moved to Lancashire several years ago. I spend a lot of time in England for work, and had been given free bed and board by them at their home in Lancs whenever I needed to be in the north west.

In the summer I decided that I'd exploited their hospitality for too long, so I took out a long term rent on a cottage here. I can come and go as I please and it's not too far from Manchester airport. It's very close to Bunbury, a lovely foody place and suits me perfectly. Do you know it?

Agree about Christmas, I think as soon as Bonfire Night is over we all realise that it really is just around the corner.

Same weather here too, grey, wet, very windy. Garden full of leaves and the last thing I want to do today is get out there and start sweeping!

Not to start of war of words or imply any kind of judgment at all! I just find it interesting that a woman's message is sometimes lost when the delivery is deemed to be snarky or attention-seeking whereas if delivered by a man, he might be nominated for president. Odd that! :)

Hello mysty!

Interesting point you make there, and it could well be that some of those who are anti KH are so because she's a woman, but her gender isn't the issue with me. I'd have the same opinion about a man, although it should be pointed out that KH regularly targets other women for her vitriol, and I don't recall any of her comments being directed at men as a group.

I don't agree with probably 75% of what she says. Her targets for her controversial remarks have included people with dementia and disabled people. For me, there's something very wrong in targetting those groups in order to increase your own fame by making obnoxious comments about them.

She's not a pollitician, but if she were, I'd tolerate her much better even though I still wouldn't agree with a huge amount of what she says. At least she would have an actual career.

I touched on this earlier, but IMO she's wasting her talents. I just can't see the point of what she does. It's not productive.

She has a good degree from a decent university. She went to Sandhurst.

I think she's found herself caught up in the need for fame.

She describes herself as "the biggest (insert word for female dog here as CC will censor it out!) in Britain".

Is that what she'll be putting on her CV when the media grows tired of giving her shouting space and she needs to find an actual job?

What waste of her education, intelligence, and business acumen.