rkacruiser

I used to respect Food and Wine Magazine. Reporting on such a slop like this? What was the Editor thinking!

I suspect you are correct and I wouldn't be surprised if it is still that way on some cruise lines today, particularly when the bars are selling their "sailaway special".

Debt is a "four letter word". But, it is not always the negative that it implies. Thanks for your post.

That has been the area when I have found them in the Lido Restaurants on Princess and HAL ships. English Bacon is usually available as well along with Bangers and other sausages. Just can't quite understand why our friends across the Pond like Baked Beans for breakfast, though.

Absolutely! That cruise was my introduction to the artistry of Perry Grant. I enjoyed his performances and was glad when he was aboard for a Celebrity Eclipse sailing several years later with his groupies. Just as good then as in 2002. "Dangerous Pacific crossing"? No. I felt no danger at all. Captain Jonathan Peter Harris kept us well informed about the situation. I would use the word "exhilarating" to describe the experience. Add to that the word "memorable" as in "another memorable travel adventure" as well. The 2002 cruise had many such memorable situations that I have never experienced on any other cruises.

The difference has been the nationalities of the companies. And, being required to employ Americans with the wage scale that had to be paid: can one imagine the price of cruises that would need to be charged? Without knowing the exact details offered by various cruise lines, the choice between a cash refund and a FCC has caused me to wonder why one would not choose the "bird in hand"--cash. I have a future cruise deposit somewhere on HAL's books that, I have been told that is refundable on demand or will be refunded after a period of time if I don't use it. I am OK with that. If I don't get it, I still have enough money in my bank account to pay for my next fill-up of gasoline. The increase in the "hoops" that one has to transverse to travel will be a serious impediment to those who have the financial means and time to travel. This ArriveCan nonsense is example #1.

Don't take on a cruise the Brother of one''s girl friend. (Wasn't my idea, he decided he wanted to go and my friend couldn't say no.)

During one cruise where the Hotel Manager was a gentleman with whom I had sailed a few times before and knew me more than superficially, I decided to try to obtain such a chart like this because I have long been interested in the behind the scenes working of a ship. I failed in my attempt. Some pleasant conversations with the gentleman, but, I could not get him to generate a chart like this for me. The chart you posted is interesting, but, I think somewhat simplistic, particularly in the MDR organization, which has been the prime topic of this thread. Where does the Maitre d' fit? Where does the Assistant Maitre d's fit? Are they management (which I think they are and therefore do not participate in a tipping pool or as part of the auto-tips paid by a guest)? If management, is a gratuity appropriate for these individuals? (One does not tip the Captain, Hotel Manager, etc.) Under the "old standard", if a Maitre d' or an assistant did provide a special service, a tip would be very appropriate. And, I suspect, if one considers the actions of First Class guests on RMS Queen Mary during the " really olden days", these individuals did tip the Maitre d' whether any special service was provided or not.

If I was going to offer an additional gratuity to the individuals who served me in the dining room and my stateroom, this "old standard" is what I used and felt was appropriate. I still do so for most additional tipping in the dining room. For my cabin stewards, it has become difficult to find both of them on duty during the last night when I offer an additional gratuity. So, I use one envelope with the same amount that each would have gotten individually, put their names on the envelope with a note addressed to both, and give it to whichever one of them I can find. Interesting! I had not thought of it in that way. Agree! And, rewarding excellence does not always mean that reward needs to be money.

I had not heard of Aruba Aruba and looked up the recipe. The drink sounds as good as it looks! I do recall these souvenir glasses. When I learned that the drinks in them cost more than the drinks not in them, I stopped buying them.

Thanks for the information. Booking a cabin on the deck below the Lido Deck on any ship can be a gamble as to noise from above.

I had an outside cabin on the Amsterdam (the same Class of ship as the Volendam) on Deck 2. At times, I could hear footsteps on the promenade deck above. Not really annoying, but, I would not book a cabin on that deck again. I prefer the outside cabins on Deck 1. Quiet, if the seas are mis-behaving, the ride is as stable as one could get, particularly as close to mid-ship as possible. If sailing in a hot/humid climate, the Deck 1 cabins that open onto the forward elevator foyer and just aft of the foyer on the starboard side can experience the heat/humidity that comes up the forward stairway that leads to the tender platform when the platform is in use. It does not impact the comfort of the cabins themselves, however.

It will depend, again, on who is the Executive Chef. But, I have enjoyed more good dinners than not. Fettuccine Alfredo is a specialty and, when it is done well, it is better than what I ate in Rome. Alfredo's is a new pizza type cafe that has appeared on the Royal Class ships, but has appeared as "pop-ups" on the others. (Don't know what Emerald Princess offers, but, it is not a Royal Class ship.) It's excellent and there are more offerings other than pizza. Sabatini will be available and my dinners there have been consistently excellent. Princess' MDR Breakfast has offered some daily specials that are good. Their basic menu provides good choices. A starter that is not often found on cruise ship breakfast menus is an apple choice: baked or stewed. Delicious! Then, there are the Breadsticks! Their other breads are good as well. From a culinary view, you have much to which to anticipate, I think.

Jarlsberg Cheese and Gjetost Cheese remind me of my first visit to Norway. Jarlsberg, I liked it and still do. Maybe what I saw of Gjetost was different than usual, but, it's caramel color and what appeared to be a significant rind was a turn-off for me. Just could not bring myself to try it.

To me, the title of "head" implies more responsibility than that person holds as a member of the "team". When I was part of a "team" during my employment, there was no "head" of that team. We, on our team, shared the responsibility of getting our job properly done.

If the same man who has been in charge of this department for years has survived all of these years of corporate changes, it is he.

This is an excellent description of what one sees. No penguins to see as one would do in Antarctica (those distant black dots, mostly), but, the geology is up close and personal.

Volendam, September, 2002 was my experience. You may be remembering a Rotterdam VI crossing a few years later to Europe that encountered a storm where friends on that crossing were told to sit on the floors and not in chairs while water poured into a breach that somehow occurred into the Main Theater.

Different coffee tastes here. I tried that coffee. I failed to see what was so "special" about it.

I like that. Thanks for posting it. Is there not a business that, at least for the individual investor, not at least a smidgen "faith based"? One does one's research. One becomes comfortable with what one learns to make an investment. One places their "bet" by making an investment. Along with my investment, HAL retains a future cruise deposit that is refundable on my request. I am not requesting it. My faith in the company continues.

I would be quite satisfied with that as well. But, more seriously, the lack of probable awareness by guests of an event is a "gripe" that I have with both the daily program on MSC as well as on Princess. There is just so much to read and absorb that most people, at turn down when the next day's programs usually appear, don't have the inclination or desire to carefully scrutinize the next day's activities. My gosh, I get back to my stateroom for the evening late in the evening. Am I going to carefully read these programs? I want to get to bed not starting to read War and Peace.

I appreciate your efforts in posting concerning your cruise. Thank you. I will be following along.

And those views provided only side views with aft views from a covered, open deck. Did you find the small exterior decks on both sides of the ship where the access door to those areas were difficult to find among all of the shops?

In previous posts, the term "head waiter" has been used. Who is the "head waiter"? The MDR organization seems to differ from one cruise line to another. For example: on HAL, there is a team of two for a table: the Waiter and the Assistant Waiter. There are no longer any Table Captains. There is the person that greets and seats guests, but these people are mostly Assistant Dining Room Managers (Maitre d's) Princess has a different set-up. There is the Maitre d and his/her assistants. There is a Table Captain (the green coated gentlemen) and the team of Waiter and Assistant Waiter. In the above situations, who is the "head waiter"?

Or fired, if they are required to turn in any tips so that they can be pooled.