CSI: NA Reloaded (Nieuw Amsterdam 11/30 to 12/14/14)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you POA1 for doing this wonderful "Live" review.

It has been very enjoyable.

[mollyanne]

I don't think your trip home is too long. However, I hope it is safe. I have thoroughly enjoyed your thread.

 

It has given me second thoughts about doing a live thread from my Grand South America voyage in January because I will be so boring.

 

I would ask you one favor. When you have the time, please email me with the instructions to scanning from an iPhone to evernote and then to CC.

Thanks,

Terri

 

Terri - PLEASE do a "live from"! I would love to read it.

[puppycanducruise]

Thank you POA1 for this entertaining thread.

 

[POA1]

 

 

On this Day in History - December 14th - Today is the 30th Anniversary of Howard Cosell's retirement from Monday Night Football. You know Chris Berman's "He... could... go... all... the... way!" quote? It's Berman's tribute to Cosell, who was famously saying it way back in the day. Tell your friends during Monday night's Saints-Bears game. The old guys will understand.

 

Before we leave the ship, I'll leave you with some photos of our last night's dinner in the Pinnacle Grill:

 

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s88/l/AFi6KbyXi4JF9ol5dzLPGKCOd2ZM_XvUuRIA

/

 

CAUTION: Too many chocolate photos for the unprepared.

[POA1]

POA1' date=' did you buy the 250 minutes for interwebs again this voyage or the unlimited? Thanks[/quote']

I got the 1,000 minute package. It was $250 and came with 100 "free" minutes. I left a few minutes on the table, but did use more than the one thousand.

 

In most cases, I wrote my posts off line and then logged in to paste them into a post.

[kazu]

 

 

On this Day in History - December 14th - Today is the 30th Anniversary of Howard Cosell's retirement from Monday Night Football. You know Chris Berman's "He... could... go... all... the... way!" quote? It's Berman's tribute to Cosell, who was famously saying it way back in the day. Tell your friends during Monday night's Saints-Bears game. The old guys will understand.

 

Before we leave the ship, I'll leave you with some photos of our last night's dinner in the Pinnacle Grill:

 

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s88/l/AFi6KbyXi4JF9ol5dzLPGKCOd2ZM_XvUuRIA

/

 

CAUTION: Too many chocolate photos for the unprepared.

 

those pictures are very good and VERY tempting :D

 

I agree - I think it looks like a ball too:D:p

[POA1]

Remember how the bow camera channel used to have light classical music? Then, a few years later, it had standards (Sinatra, Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald, etc.)

 

Now it's either Ambient Restaurant Background Music, or the Satanic Asian Children's Chorus. Since this is the channel with the announcements, we're stuck listening to it.

[POA1]

While we're waiting for our number to be called, here's our food photos from the MDR on 12/11/2014.

 

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s88/l/AFgujUYri71P54B3NOPHpEbkEdF729LgLRQA

/

[aliaschief]

To steal a line from Billy Crystal your live was "Marvelous, simply Marvelous."

 

Thanks for sharing your cruise experience.

[POA1]

We're home and unpacking. We're a little behind schedule because we had to see DFIL off. He's headed back home now.

 

Poohby Joe is a little chilly. It's only 55 degrees (13°C) right now. Fortunately, a Maker's Mark bottle scarf came in the mail while we were gone, and it's just his size. (Maker's Mark sends out a little Christmas gift each year. This year it's a scarf for your bottle.)

 

[RuthC]

You're probably getting tired of the melting. (Not you, Ruth. ;-) )

 

Correct.

 

Welcome home, and thank you (one more time is NOT excessive) for the entertaining, informative, and all around excellent "Live from..." account.

 

btw---I can see where the chocolate dessert could be called either a "ball" or a "bowl"---it starts as one, then becomes the other. I. Must. Try. One.

Edited December 14, 2014 by RuthC

[POA1]

btw---I can see where the chocolate dessert could be called either a "ball" or a "bowl"---it starts as one, then becomes the other. I. Must. Try. One.

 

Huskerchick says that they are like potato chips. You can't have just one. :D She very graciously helped me finish mine last night.

[RuthC]

Huskerchick says that they are like potato chips. You can't have just one. :D

There go my blood sugars. Better double check the medication supply count. ;)

[POA1]

Debarkation was fast and painless this morning. From the time our color and number were called until we were outside getting into a cab, it took less than 20 minutes. The lines were moving quickly. We used a porter and were able to score a minivan cab. Our gruff, yet fast and frightening cab driver only missed one turn on the way to our building. Total cab fare was under $13 ($15 CAD) and the high speed thrill ride took about 10 minutes. We tipped the driver. He'll need it because I'm sure he's wearing the edges of his tires at a pretty good clip.

[superoma]

You must have jumped on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride by mistake!! Welcome home and a big thank you from me, as well, for this blog.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[cruz chic]

I hope you're able to suffer thru your cold weather:D. Thx for the entertaining read.

[Lizzie68]

Debarkation was fast and painless this morning. From the time our color and number were called until we were outside getting into a cab, it took less than 20 minutes. The lines were moving quickly. We used a porter and were able to score a minivan cab. Our gruff, yet fast and frightening cab driver only missed one turn on the way to our building. Total cab fare was under $13 ($15 CAD) and the high speed thrill ride took about 10 minutes. We tipped the driver. He'll need it because I'm sure he's wearing the edges of his tires at a pretty good clip.

 

I think I've met that cab driver in FLL - was he also talking on his cell phone the whole time?:eek: Welcome home, and thank you again. You have true class quite apart from an incredible sense of humour.

[cruz chic]

I think I've met that cab driver in FLL - was he also talking on his cell phone the whole time?:eek: Welcome home, and thank you again. You have true class quite apart from an incredible sense of humour.

 

Aren't all cab drivers like that ?

[shrimpboat123]

Aren't all cab drivers like that ?

 

We had a good cab driver this morning. We left the ship at 8:15AM and we were checked in and through security at FLL by 9:00AM. Now we have a long wait to fly out.

 

The wheel chair request works extremely well.

[shrimpboat123]

 

 

On this Day in History - December 14th - Today is the 30th Anniversary of Howard Cosell's retirement from Monday Night Football. You know Chris Berman's "He... could... go... all... the... way!" quote? It's Berman's tribute to Cosell, who was famously saying it way back in the day. Tell your friends during Monday night's Saints-Bears game. The old guys will understand.

 

Before we leave the ship, I'll leave you with some photos of our last night's dinner in the Pinnacle Grill:

 

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s88/l/AFi6KbyXi4JF9ol5dzLPGKCOd2ZM_XvUuRIA

/

 

CAUTION: Too many chocolate photos for the unprepared.

 

So glad they didn't run out of chocolate balls. I wouldn't want to be known as the Canadian who deprived POA1 of his chocolate ball. :D

 

Nice pictures by the way! :)

 

It was a real pleasure meeting you and Huskerchick. Say hello to DFIL for us too.

Edited December 14, 2014 by shrimpboat123
can't type

[CowPrincess]

POA1, thank you very much for taking us along. Your reporting was a highlight of each day. You've set the bar pretty high for "live from" reports.

[POA1]

So glad they didn't run out of chocolate balls. I wouldn't want to be known as the Canadian who deprived POA1 of his chocolate ball. :D

 

Nice pictures by the way! :)

 

It was a real pleasure meeting you and Huskerchick. Say hello to DFIL for us too.

Very nice to meet you & your lovely wife! Have a safe flight (or rather flights) home.

[POA1]

I think I've met that cab driver in FLL - was he also talking on his cell phone the whole time?:eek: Welcome home, and thank you again. You have true class quite apart from an incredible sense of humour.

You probably had his more sociable brother. Our cabbie wouldn't have used a cell phone. He was mostly a grunts and gestures sort of fellow.

[POA1]

As promised, here are our thoughts on the two wines we had with dinner last night. They're both from the Admiral's Package.

 

Finca Decero Cabernet Sauvignon, Remolinos Vineyard 2012 (Just listed as Decero Cabernet Sauvignon on the HAL list) - We thought it was a very good Cabernet, and would have scored it in the high 80s. It went very well with the steaks in the Pinnacle.

 

Luckily for us all, Steve Tanzer of International Wine Cellar rated it, so you don't have to rely on two amateurs.

 

Steve's review: Critical Acclaim:

Full red-ruby. Currant, licorice and strong chocolatey oak on the nose. Broad, supple and sweet, boasting serious size and volume to the flavors of currant, kirsch, mint and menthol. Very cabernet sauvignon in its medicinal reserve. Finishes with fine-grained, oak-driven tannins that are not quite as sweet as those of the malbec, and very good length. - 89 Points, International Wine Cellar

 

The second wine was Equilibrium, a white blend from Franciscan winery in Napa. It's predominantly Sauvignon Blanc, at about 70%, with around 20% Chardonnay, and the rest Muscat. It's a versatile wine for food pairing, and would probably make several appearances if we were buying wine off the ship.

 

I couldn't find any reviews from my normal go-to sources for the wine, but we'd give it a score somewhere in the mid to upper 80s. Here are the winemaker's notes for the 2013, which is what we had last night:

 

Equilibrium ia a white blend that is rich, fun, and a unique wine that’s easy to enjoy. The name Equilibrium means "to come together in a state of harmonious balance." With this in mind, the winemakers crafted a unique expression of artisanal blending. Crisp mouthfeel showing bright floral notes along with refreshing pear and white peach flavors, Equilibrium is an ensemble of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Muscat. The perception of sweetness enables it to pair beautifully with a range of foods, from spicy barbeque to Thai and other Asian cuisines.

 

I'll spend some time researching the rest of the list later in the week.

[kazu]

POA1, thank you very much for taking us along. Your reporting was a highlight of each day. You've set the bar pretty high for "live from" reports.

 

Ditto. This thread has been a joy.

 

The bar is VERY high and I don't think many can reach it.

 

I am having second thoughts about my own live threads