rkacruiser

During one cruise, the crew member in the Lido Restaurant who was in charge of the toasting of bread/muffins was my Dining Room Steward, not a cook. One morning, the bread that I wanted toasted was barely toasted. I asked him to put it through again. Slightly better. He tried a third time, still better, and I accepted it. But, the bread had been dried out in the process. Not enough Orange Marmalade in the world to have made that toast palatable. A guest never could predict what the results would be. Some mornings: OK. Others, just like what I described.

How about views about seafood cocktail sauce? Dayton once had a very popular local restaurant owned and operated by a female Chef and her family called The Barnsider. After years of operation, she closed the restaurant and started a new restaurant by a different name in a part of our community that was growing. Her recipes were used in the new restaurant and it was almost as popular as her previous one was. One of her specialties was a seafood cocktail sauce that was so popular that it was marketed by our upscale grocer. The sauce contained a good deal of Horseradish (according to my taste). I like Horseradish, but, some times I thought it overwhelmed the seafood that I was eating. Some that I have tried seem so bland that they are just a step or so above Ketchup. What do you prefer?

Gorton's doesn't have those packets in their products. It may have been Mrs. Paul's (haven't seen that brand in the grocery for awhile) or Van De Kamp's.

Do you just don't care for Canadian Bacon or just not with the Eggs Benedict? YES! Poached eggs cooked so solidly that there is little to no yolk to run ruins the dish. The variability of the preparation of the Muffin can be an irritant. I would think that the galley would use the industrial sized commercial toasters to toast the Muffin. Can they be set at different speeds for how long the bread/muffins are toasted?

100% agree with world class Sauvignon Blanc and the best Lamb I have every tasted.

Regardless of which port the cruise departs, i suggest keeping a full stomach and watch how much alcohol one is drinking to help avoid seasickness.

I have sailed on Royal Princess as a solo and enjoyed a very good cruise. Lots of venues and places on the ship to explore.

I appreciate your post. Thank you. I have never had a Butler and, despite of the research that I did about what to expect before I boarded Meraviglia, I just did not have the experience to make any comments to the YC Director (whom I met only once and that was close to the end of the cruise) nor to the Concierge. The Concierge was very response to any request that I made, however. I am used to being a low maintenance guest and, maybe I was too low maintenance as a YC guest.

Thanks for posting. But, sorry, I don't understand the video that you posted.

Hunt's Ketchup is the brand that I prefer. Tried the rest; Hunt's the best. Not going to try to make homemade Tartar Sauce. For some reason, the commercial brands of Tartar Sauce seem to be changing their recipes. (Or, is it my taste is changing?) Hellman's was my preferred brand. Then, I migrated to Frisch's. Now, I don't care for it as much as did. This may be strange, but, there was a brand of frozen fish fillets that included a packet of ingredients when mixed with mayo made a decent Tartar Sauce. Not sure that is still available.

Agree. If they are truly quality performers, why are they seeking a job such as one that they have? And, with the numbers of venues that need artists of that type, the Diane Fast type quality of piano bar entertainers can be difficult for an entertainment director to find.

I didn't have my Tilley hat with me on this cruise. Sun hat needed? No. But, that cord would have been most appreciated that day.

Looking forward to your reports! I don't recall which port I visited in Greenland, but, one tour that was offered (and could be done on one's own, I think) was a native presentation, folk dances, and coffee or tea and cake program that was at the local community hall. It was an excellent experience.

Looking forward to your reports! I don't recall which port I visited in Greenland, but, one tour that was offered (and could be done on one's own, I think) was a native presentation, folk dances, and coffee or tea and cake program that was at the local community hall. It was an excellent experience.

Embarkation at Miami is totally a mess. Confusing, chaotic, and now, NCL is using white tents? And MSC has to have a blue flag on theirs to denote YC? What a wonderful and stress-free 🤣 to begin a cruise!

Your list of YC advantages is excellent. I have to say though that the quality of Butler service may vary depending on the individual. The effectiveness of the YC wristband for priority elevator service was not dependable on Meraviglia. I would be on the other side of the elevator foyer when the priority elevator opened its doors and I could not make it to the elevator before the doors closed. Was YC worth my booking it? Absolutely! Perfection is difficult for any organization to 100% achieve.

We have a difference of opinion! Maybe the "sogginess" has to do with the amount of the condiment used? I agree that Malt Vinegar can make the Fries too soggy for my preference. When I use it, it is very sparingly.

Ketchup does not make the Fries soggy. "Salt with your Fries"? Yes. Malt vinegar is appropriate for a Fish and Chips entree. Malt vinegar at other times for Fries? I wouldn't think of using that.

I want the Hash Browns on the side as well. But, usually, there is more of the Poached Egg that needs to be absorbed and the HB does that well, I think. Corned Beef Hash is the same for me. Poached Eggs on the Hash with the eggs done sufficiently that when I pierce the Eggs, the yolk starts to be absorbed by the Hash. I have had difficulty on cruises of getting the Steward to inform the Chef sufficiently that I want the Eggs on the Hash and not with the Hash on one side of the plate and the Eggs in a small bowl on the plate (if that). More often than not, the eggs are served with a piece of toast underneath them.

I use Ketchup on French Fries, in a Meat Loaf mixture, in my Baked Beans mixture, and if I don't have a seafood cocktail style sauce, for Shrimp and sometimes for Fried Fish. Ketchup on a Hot Dog and a Hamburger is acceptable, but, I prefer Mustard for a Hot Dog and either Mustard and/or Mayo/Miracle Whip on a Hamburger. Scrambled eggs? No Ketchup. Your suggestion of using BBQ sauce in Baked Beans is an idea that I have heard before. I may try that. I wonder if BBQ sauce would be a good substitute for Ketchup and a steak sauce of some kind (like A-1 or Heinz 57) in my Meat Loaf mixture? That must have been an interesting tour. I remember being able to go on industrial tours and, in one case--a tour of an auto factory--being surprised at what I learned. Visited a Green Giant packing plant in Rochester, Minnesota one Summer where canned vegetables were being packed. Visited a GM factory in Ypsilanti, Michigan a few months after I had purchased a car that had been assembled there. My car's brand was among one or two of other GM car brands of the same type that rolled down the assembly line. That was eye-opening for me.

Is it too soon to determine what Business Class air would cost by booking it on your own?

No and neither do friends who left for a cruise and land tour with Overseas Adventure Travel in Norway and Finland. Their flight itinerary was CVG-JFK-Helsinki-Oslo. I told them they were fortunate to using those two European airports and not some others. They did have a problem at CVG when it was discovered that OAT had misspelled the last name of one of the couple. Dave said it took 20 minutes to get it straightened out; don't know how they did that. Yes, I think it is reasonable to have some concern. The changes show progress and, I think, a gradual acceptance that normality will be living with Covid. I fear backsliding if conditions become too bad again. My Church was back to wearing masks again today because many of last week's attendees had tested positive for the disease. When the credit card companies begin reporting an increase in late payments and an increase in delinquent accounts, that may be significant as to what the near future holds.

That's a sign of an excellent travel agent, as I am sure you are aware.

I found flying on AA out of ORD to be not very pleasant. (I was flying on one of their American Eagle flights.) It was a very long way after checking in to the gate. The waiting area at the gate was small and crowded with some seats not in good condition.

This is an important advantage of sailing on two or more consecutive cruises. There is increased familiarity with the crew and that, sometimes, results in improved service.