Come Sail a Way with us LIVE as the Westerdam meets the Sail a Way Gang

[Krazy Kruizers]

How long did your Chef Dinner last?

In the past it started at 6 with appetizers and champagne. It was over shortly after 9.

On our last cruise it started at 6 but wasn't over until around 10:30 -- lots of time between courses. There were only 8 of us and one couple kept looking at their watches and asked us if they were always this long.

[Vict0riann]

The French always have their cheese while waiting for dessert, while the English prefer to end their meal with cheese. Maybe the Master Chef can't make up his mind if he wants to be French and English!:)

 

We had our dessert first, and then the cheeses, if I remember rightly, so we were being teddibly British! Except that I had very little space left in my tummy to hold the cheeses, so I just tasted most of them.:)

[kazu]

How long did your Chef Dinner last?

In the past it started at 6 with appetizers and champagne. It was over shortly after 9.

On our last cruise it started at 6 but wasn't over until around 10:30 -- lots of time between courses. There were only 8 of us and one couple kept looking at their watches and asked us if they were always this long.

 

 

again, I am going by memory, but I think the champagne started at 6:30 and then we were escorted to the Pinnacle Grill.

 

I believe we ended shortly after 10:00 but I wasn't watching my watch. I knew it was an evening and was prepared to enjoy it.

 

It was well done on the Westerdam.

 

We have done it before but we were disappointed (Nieuw Amsterdam) and held off for a few cruises. The Prinsendam won us back and the Westerdam was a great experience.

 

The Pinnacle Staff on this ship are wonderful and the meal was delectable as far as DH and I were concerned. We don't claim to be foodies, but we know a good meal when we get it :)

[Scrapnana]

Checked on my blog and I wrote that me met at 6:00 and were finished around 10:00. I don't think we entered the dining room until 6:30 or so after having champagne and some delicious appetizers. As I wrote in my blog, I was a little hesitant signing up for this dinner because I don't like a lot of wines (although I found a number on this cruise I liked) and I am mostly a meat and potatoes eater. This meal however was great (I ate and liked a number of foods I didn't think I would) and well worth the cost. It is something I will do again.

 

Tasty appetizers

[kazu]

Checked on my blog and I wrote that me met at 6:00 and were finished around 10:00. I don't think we entered the dining room until 6:30 or so after having champagne and some delicious appetizers. As I wrote in my blog, I was a little hesitant signing up for this dinner because I don't like a lot of wines (although I found a number on this cruise I liked) and I am mostly a meat and potatoes eater. This meal however was great (I ate and liked a number of foods I didn't think I would) and well worth the cost. It is something I will do again.

 

Tasty appetizers

nce pic Kathi! thaks as I didn't have that one.

 

And thanks for joggin my memory. I had this nagging feeling it wasn't right.

[Copper10-8]

............................Our Cellar Master did a good job on our wines - at least I thought so. and the cheeses were perfect for the meal - at leas for me.

 

.......................

 

German Ingo; one of the best, and funniest, cellar masters around! One look into his eyes and you'll see Dennis the Menace

[kazu]

German Ingo; one of the best, and funniest, cellar masters around! One look into his eyes and you'll see Dennis the Menace

 

 

Oh yes, we had so much fun with him. He even did a special wine tasting for our roll call. It was so nice of him and he does a wine tasting like no one else. Really funny and knowledgeable.

 

He also likes Victoria beer (he has good taste). :)

[SilvertoGold]

German Ingo; one of the best, and funniest, cellar masters around! One look into his eyes and you'll see Dennis the Menace

 

That's a very good description!

As a life boat commander he was more serious, though.

As a cellermaster he was definitely one of the best ones we've had! Seems to like his position.

[Mumsysailor]

That's a very good description!

 

As a life boat commander he was more serious, though.

 

As a cellermaster he was definitely one of the best ones we've had! Seems to like his position.

 

 

I'd like his position too. If our Roll Call wine tasting was anything to go by he got to drink a lot too. I expected him to just have a sip of each maybe but he was drinking the full glass each time along with us!

 

 

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[Krazy Kruizers]

When we have done the Master Chef dinner, we met about 5:45 and went into dinner at 6.

On the Westerdam, DH got a piece of veal that was nothing but gristle and had to send it back. That ship did do the dessert first and then the cheeses. But no petit fours.

The only ship where we got the petit fours was on the Amsterdam.

Noordam had the best wines. Our recent Zuiderdam cruise -- wines were just so-so.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The French always have their cheese while waiting for dessert, while the English prefer to end their meal with cheese. Maybe the Master Chef can't make up his mind if he wants to be French and English!:)

 

We had our dessert first, and then the cheeses, if I remember rightly, so we were being teddibly British! Except that I had very little space left in my tummy to hold the cheeses, so I just tasted most of them.:)

 

 

My relatives were all British -- guess that is why I like my dessert first. It's in my blood.

[kazu]

My relatives were all British -- guess that is why I like my dessert first. It's in my blood.

 

 

I have always liked the cheese at the end. Not sure why. Maybe it's because many times the cheese is my dessert?

 

It was all good on the Westerdam :)

[kazu]

Best get back to Cabo San Lucas before I run out of time again.

 

The Rissalena took us to a lovely cove to go snorkelling. Now, Kazu doesn't snorkel and didn't plan to and then she said - what the heck!

 

They had everything we needed - masks, fins and even life vests for those who were unsure swimmers and/or to make it easier to view the fish.

 

 

 

 

I have to say that the water was so clear that you nearly could just look down. The fish were fantastic. And there were NO jelly fish. (Someone on the roll call said we would probably have jelly fish which had me concerned). Apparently from what someone else said, there was nothing to worry about.

 

The water was warm enough for me once you got in and the crew had fish food to help attract them.

 

 

The crew of the Rissalena went above and beyond. One of our group was not a strong swimmer and one of the crew jumped in to be with us and keep an eye on things. He didn't interfere - just watched. Impressive indeed!

 

After snorkelling, everyone was helped on board and it was time for lunch. Yes, lunch was included. Beautiful chicken. Wish I could figure out how she had done it. Everyone enjoyed the lunch and sadly I forgot to take food porn pics until it was pretty much too late but....

 

 

 

 

people were relaxing finishing their food and getting new drinks and watching the fantastic views and feeling the breeze.

 

 

pretty soon some new music came one that was geared to pick up the vibrations on the ship and did a pretty good job of it.

[kazu]

A number of people started to move to the music and the next thing you knew, some of them were dancing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I sat at the back for a few minutes trying to grab a good pic of these para sailors

 

 

and watching the aft waves for a few minutes

 

[kazu]

there was still fabulous scenery on the way back

 

 

and look who we passed one more time! We joked that they could let us off there, but since we had more time in Cabo after our catamaran trip, we weren't about to waste time going back to the ship too early!!

 

 

 

all too soon our three hour tour on the Rissalena was coming to an end.

 

 

We gave the crew a very hearty thanks. They certainly know how to take care of their passengers and we wanted for nothing the entire time.

 

We decided to walk along the sea wall, heading back to the ship and see what we could find.

 

[kazu]

As we walked along, we were of course met by vendors selling silver.

 

Some of the pieces were very lovely and DH examined them to ensure they were silver. Then we started to barter. Not getting to the price point we wanted we carrried on and low and behold, our vendor was back with a new price ;)

 

I was happy to get a couple of gifts for my friend who helps me with my dogs and home here to add to the collection I already had for her.

 

We came across this sports bar which just happened to be at the right place for break and looked intriguing. So we went in to re-hydrate and couldn't resist ordering their special and some calamari.

 

I know some had asked me the name of the place and I forgot,but this pic might help you identify it. Underneath is a pic of the ceiling. so cool!

 

 

 

the calamari were huge! I've never seen any so big in my life. and they were delicious. We had to get our friends to help us eat some of ours. There were just too many and you don't want to waste good calamari.

 

 

 

 

just wonderful

Edited May 16, 2015 by kazu

[kazu]

One more pic of our great food.....

 

 

After that we ambled along the sea wall, slowly making our way back to the tender. We didn't want to be on the last one and we wanted to be back in time to get ready for sail a way. Remember, this IS the sail a way gang.

 

my verandah this time and some people claimed to be cold - LOL

The three amigos!!!!

 

 

and then they got camera shy!! (a little late at this stage of the game, don't you think?)

 

 

We watched as we bid farewell to beautiful Cabo San Lucas.

 

 

more later... best get the BV thread done!

Edited May 16, 2015 by kazu

[Banditswife]

Thanks to Kazu and all those who shared their cruise with us. Enjoyed all the photos very much. We'll be doing a very similar itinerary on the Nieuw Amsterdam next April- your pics & posts just make us more anxious for it to be our turn. Again, thanks to you all for sharing.

[kazu]

Thanks to Kazu and all those who shared their cruise with us. Enjoyed all the photos very much. We'll be doing a very similar itinerary on the Nieuw Amsterdam next April- your pics & posts just make us more anxious for it to be our turn. Again, thanks to you all for sharing.

 

glad you are enjoying it

 

More to come for sure. :)

 

The good times continued.

[kazu]

BACKTRACKING to Guatemala for one minute...

 

For 1of4 (and everyone else)

 

I was missing a pic and stymied and checked and re-downloaded and low and behold it appeared.

 

While we were in Guatemala, our guide offered us to go down some steps to a dark cavern. Some went and some didn't. We did along with 1of4's DS.

 

Turns out this was the crematorium. Three huge rooms (all the same) with this area for cremating. 1of4's DS was very brave and investigated.

 

The pic is dark (it was very dark) so hopefully you can make it out as well as she.

 

 

and now...back to our regularly scheduled programme.

[kazu]

The next day was a sea day and we had our second meet and greet planned.

 

I already posted pics of the Captain with 3of4 and 4of4 and the cupcakes so I won't repeat those.

 

We had another great turn out by officers and a nice surprise....mimosas, strawberry champagnes, cupcakes and delicious pastries. What a nice treat indeed.

 

The Captain checked to make sure his tooting was meeting our standards - LOL.

 

they even posed for pictures for us. Guess they know that the Sail a Way Gang are huge fans of the Queen of Horns!

 

 

Everyone on the roll call had a good time exchanging stories, emails, etc., not to mention devouring the yummy treats and drinking their beverages!

 

 

 

 

One of our roll call members was from the United Kingdom, but hung out with some Canadians at the piano bar. Every time the piano man asked where people were from that table yelled Canada and then they would say in a small voice "United Kingdom". It seemed only fair with all their association with Canadians, that they be made honorary Canadians - LOL. (thanks to Vict0riann's DH's brilliant idea) That is a Canadian flag wrapped around them.

 

Edited May 17, 2015 by kazu

[kazu]

Sea days are supposed to be relaxing, right?

 

Not for this Sail a Way Gang. After the meet and greet we had the suite luncheon. Served buffet style in the Pinnacle Grill.

 

There was a lovely selection of food including caviar.

 

No one could leave hungry from this lovely spread.

 

 

What's a little food porn right? Unfortunately I forgot to take the pics until it was later, but hopefully this will give you a good idea.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2015 by kazu

[kazu]

It's still our sea day and yes, there is one more activity for the Sail a Way Gang. A wine tasting! Not the ship's wine tasting, but a wine tasting strictly for the Sail a Way Gang. Ingo said he wanted to do it for our group.

 

What a great cellar master he is, funny and takes wine tasting to a whole new level. Now, for all the joking around, he knows his wines and his business but he really is a lot of fun.

 

Here is our cellar master at our wine tasting in some of his poses so you can get the idea of his humour.

 

 

 

 

 

[kazu]

the wine tasting for the roll call was held in the Pinnacle Bar.

 

 

Everyone was having a good time

 

 

 

 

this discussion between a wine afficionado and our cellar master was all in fun.

 

Edited May 17, 2015 by kazu

[kazu]

A full day -who says sea days are relaxing?

 

We had a dinner reservation at the PG with other roll call members. No question that this Pinnacle Grill can cook good food.

 

and they have a great sense of humour. When someone said they wanted nothing for dessert, this is what they got.

 

 

The Pinnacle Staff were fabulous. Clifford was the favourite of many.

 

here he is

 

 

As the sun set our lovely day at sea was soon coming to an end.

 

 

that was ok though as we were going to arrive in San Diego. It would be a day of mixed feelings. I was looking forward to meeting a CC member who was going to meet us for lunch and San Diego of course. On the other hand, a number of our roll call members were disembarking in San Diego so sadness and excitement mixed together.

 

to be continued with San Diego.