Dave’s Live From Oosterdam 21-day Southern Caribbean, Jan. 29 – Feb. 19, 2016

[RetiredMustang]

Your On Location (post #193) lists a Superbowl VIP pass with unlimited drinks package for $100. The cost was $34.95 on our Hawaii cruise last year.

 

Thanks for your Live From thread, I am enjoying cruising along with you.

 

The game will be shown in the Vista Lounge and the Sports Bar, where drinks packages are $34.95. There is also a special Super Bowl VIP event going in the Screening Room which includes unlimited drinks, food, butler service and a souvenir HAL glass -- that package is the one for $100.

 

Dave

[retiretwo]

Congrats on reaching your Silver Medallion status! I've really enjoyed your cruise so far. I hope you have a good turn around day tomorrow and I'm ready to hear about the second leg of the trip. Stay healthy!

[RuthC]

Congratulations on receiving your silver medallion. Three hundred real "heads in beds" days is nothing to sneeze at.

Now, it's time to go for the gold! :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

Congratulations on earning your Silver Medallions!!

[RetiredMustang]

Congratulations on receiving your silver medallion. Three hundred real "heads in beds" days is nothing to sneeze at.

Now, it's time to go for the gold! :D

 

Congratulations on earning your Silver Medallions!!

 

Congrats on reaching your Silver Medallion status! I've really enjoyed your cruise so far. I hope you have a good turn around day tomorrow and I'm ready to hear about the second leg of the trip. Stay healthy!

 

 

Thanks Ruth, KK and retiretwo!

 

It took us 12 years to get to bronze, and then 8 more to silver. We have cruises of 52 and 24 days booked already -- we're working on 4 years to gold!

 

BTW, there were a half dozen platinum medallion holders at the reception ... and two President's Club members, a married couple with more than 2400 days each. One can dream, right?

 

Dave

Edited February 8, 2016 by RetiredMustang

[RetiredMustang]

Sunday, February 7, At Sea (Cont.)

 

Tonight’s dinner was called “An Evening with the Culinary Council” and featured dishes from the council chefs. There were no parade of baked Alaska or singing or waving of napkins … or if there were, we thankfully had left before they happened.

 

 

Here is the dinner and dessert menu:

 

 

Starters – Soups – Salads

 

* Tropical Fruit Medley – kiwi, mango, lychees, papaya, Malibu dressing, coconut

* Jonnie Boer: Salmon Tartare with Baby Zucchini - tomatoes, watercress, mini cornichons, bacon-curry yogurt sauce

* Veal and Mushroom Ragout – served in flaky puff pastry

* Wild Mushroom Soup – chive oil drizzle, crème fraiche

* Potato Soup with Kale – turkey sausage, cabbage, white wine

* Chilled Peach Soup with Goat Cheese – cucumber, bell pepper, dried-apricot, honey

* Elizabeth Faulkner: Coconut, Carrot and Radish Salad – creamy black sesame vinaigrette

 

 

Mains

 

* Fettuccine and Veal Ragout – ricotta, basil

* Jonnie Boer: Black Sesame Jumbo Shrimp Baharat Salad – poached egg, tomatoes, red radish, brioche croutons, cheese foam, citrus-ponzu dressing

* David Burke: Pan-Seared Rainbow Trout – spaghetti, sautéed zucchini

* Rudi Sodamin: Herb-Crusted Prime Rib – garlic mashed potatoes, roasted foot vegetables, horseradish-cream, jus

* David Burke: Lamb Shank – cauliflower-rosemary puree, crispy parsnip

* Mark Best – Quail with Pumpkin “tofu” – roasted Brussels sprouts, pork crackling, button onions

* Elizabeth Faulkner: Vegetable Curry with Forbidden Rice – cauliflower florets, green peas, root vegetables, pearl onions, coconut cream, curry spice, lime, cilantro

 

 

Dessert

 

* Rudi Sodamin: Baked Alaska – warm brandy Bing cherry sauce

* Jacques Torres: Poached Pear with Chocolate Fondue – caramelized nuts, white chocolate sauce

* Jacques Torres: Esterel Cake – almond sponge, chocolate ganache, raspberry preserves, while chocolate

* Strawberry Charlotte – strawberry mousseline, vanilla sponge, strawberry jam

 

 

More later,

Dave

Edited February 8, 2016 by RetiredMustang

[cruz chic]

So glad to see the waving napkins go away. I'm usually in the tamarind, Canaletto or pinnacle on the last night so I wasn't sure if it was gone. Good luck with the "flea dip" tomorrow. I can't believe this half is over. Thanks for all your effort on keeping this thread current. Enjoy your day tomorrow.

Edited February 8, 2016 by cruz chic

[Lizzie68]

Congratulations, Dave, on the Silver medallion! Nice way to start your retirement cruising.:) I will never, ever get to that status - started way too late - and I am really happy for you.

[RuthC]

Tonight’s dinner was called “An Evening with the Culinary Council” ....

 

 

Here is the dinner and dessert menu:...

Sounds like an improvement on the International Chef's Dinner, but not by much.

The last night remains a good opportunity to head to the Pinnacle to end the cruise on a positive note.

(glad to see they got rid of that awful "chocolate soup" dessert, though. it was my introduction to Jacques Torres, and based on that, I don't need another. :rolleyes:)

[Keith1010]

Enjoying your live reports.

Keith

[RetiredMustang]

Monday, February 8, Ft. Lauderdale

 

We received both a Cruise Log and an On Location. All aboard is 5 p.m. The safety drill is at 5:15 and sailaway is at 6. First seating for fized dining is still showing at 5:30, but I suspect people will be seated for a longer time period, since it will be just after the safety drill.

 

 

Here are the Cruise Log pages:

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the first three pages of the On Location:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RetiredMustang]

Monday, February 8, Ft. Lauderdale (Cont.)

 

 

Here are the other three pages of the On Location:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As well as the Fort Lauderdale guide pages:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will check back when I can after we get back aboard.

 

 

More later,

Dave

[ZSandy25]

Sitting at the Embassy Suites this morning, it will be a different morning as there is no rush . Plan on walking to shopping area to get our wine and I see they have opened a TJ Maxx just for me [emoji4]that should take some time . Hate the late boarding as we will be unpacking into the night. We did the Everglades on our last turnaround and really enjoyed it, had a great guide. Weather windy and cool yesterday but found a sunny spot to take a rest. See you soon. I'll miss your posts but can do it in real time ...soon

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mtn2Sea]

Hope you enjoy your tour of the Everglades. It's going to be a little cool today by Fort Lauderdale standards.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks Ruth, KK and retiretwo!

 

It took us 12 years to get to bronze, and then 8 more to silver. We have cruises of 52 and 24 days booked already -- we're working on 4 years to gold!

 

BTW, there were a half dozen platinum medallion holders at the reception ... and two President's Club members, a married couple with more than 2400 days each. One can dream, right?

 

Dave

 

 

 

On our last cruises there have been about 4 of us with Platinum medals and 5 with over 1600 days.

We will never make it to the President's club.

Keep on cruising while you can.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Enjoy your Everglades boat ride. We did that many years ago.

Hope they get the ship super cleaned.

[Seafoam Green]

Hi Dave -

 

Hope you enjoy your excursion today and that the ship is squeaky clean when you return.

 

Do you ever have breakfast in the dining room, or just go to the Lido? I would be interested in hearing about what the dining room has to offer for breakfast.

 

This thread is great and I'm learning a lot - thanks so much again!

 

:D

[mizar]

"during which we received our silver medallions"

 

I'm new to cruising ( the 19th will be cruise number 6). What exactly is a silver medallion, and is related to the mariner stars? :confused:

[RuthC]

I'm new to cruising ( the 19th will be cruise number 6). What exactly is a silver medallion, and is related to the mariner stars? :confused:

The awarding of medallions was the previous Holland America Mariner recognition system.

Copper, silver, gold, and platinum medallions were awarded based on 100, 300, 500, and 700 actual days on board. There were no other benefits, other than recognition at the Mariner Party on every cruise.

 

A few years ago that system was replaced by the new "bonus days" system, with a few perks.

Long time Mariners were displeased (to say the least) at the loss of the medallions, and screamed in protest. Except for the copper medallion, the others were returned in quick fashion; the copper medallions were returned some time later (perhaps a year? I'm not sure of the timing).

 

Now, both Mariner plans run parallel to each other. It's possible to be a 5* Mariner on the newer (bonus days) system, while having less than 200 days on the medallion system. Just remember that the two systems are totally separate and it isn't as confusing.

[mizar]

The awarding of medallions was the previous Holland America Mariner recognition system.

Copper, silver, gold, and platinum medallions were awarded based on 100, 300, 500, and 700 actual days on board. There were no other benefits, other than recognition at the Mariner Party on every cruise.

 

A few years ago that system was replaced by the new "bonus days" system, with a few perks.

Long time Mariners were displeased (to say the least) at the loss of the medallions, and screamed in protest. Except for the copper medallion, the others were returned in quick fashion; the copper medallions were returned some time later (perhaps a year? I'm not sure of the timing).

 

Now, both Mariner plans run parallel to each other. It's possible to be a 5* Mariner on the newer (bonus days) system, while having less than 200 days on the medallion system. Just remember that the two systems are totally separate and it isn't as confusing.

 

Thanks Ruth, :D Now that I understand it means so much more to say congratulations Dave! :D

.

[cruz chic]

Sitting at the Embassy Suites this morning, it will be a different morning as there is no rush . Plan on walking to shopping area to get our wine and I see they have opened a TJ Maxx just for me [emoji4]that should take some time . Hate the late boarding as we will be unpacking into the night. We did the Everglades on our last turnaround and really enjoyed it, had a great guide. Weather windy and cool yesterday but found a sunny spot to take a rest. See you soon. I'll miss your posts but can do it in real time ...soon

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I really enjoy that tj maxx. It actually has some decent things unlike the Ross stores that are pure junk.

[borasue]

Bon Voyage!

 

 

Thanks for the capture! We were on this cruise and I can see our balcony in your pic. :) I was out there, shooting right back at 'cha. ;)

[borasue]

Wednesday, February 3, Bonaire (Cont.)

 

We had booked the ship’s Aquaspace Semi-Sub and Marine Park Snorkel excursion. We met on the pier and boarded a bus to go a mile or so up the coast to the marina where our boat was docked.

 

It was named the Aquaspace, and it was used before by Jacques Cousteau in his research, according to the tour description. It was a unique-looking vessel:

 

 

There were 17 of us. We boarded the vessel, and the captain used his engines to head out and back down the coast toward the cruise pier area. He then turned the boat and hoisted sail to take us across to Klein Bonaire. Once we were near the island, he turned the boat to parallel the coast, and invited us to go below to the underwater observation chamber:

 

 

 

We spent several minutes under power and sail along the coast, with deeper blue water out one side where the reef dropped down quickly, and with lots of coral and fish on the other side. I took a few photos, as did a lot of the other passengers:

 

 

 

But, my photos did not really turn out well – the human eye is much more capable of seeing colors and shapes than my small camera. We did see an enormous number of fish, of a good many different species, as well as colorful corals, more clearly than from a usual glass-bottom boat.

 

After sailing along Klein Bonaire, we turned toward the main island. The captain sailed us to a spot about three miles up the coast from the cruise pier, where there were mooring cables and floats in what was obviously a popular snorkeling and dive spot. We had about 40 minutes to snorkel the pristine clear waters. I spotted a lot of fish of many different kinds, and went along the drop-off edge and saw a profusion of beautiful, multi-colored corals. After snorkeling, we were served soft drinks, wine and beer, and had some snacks, including a quite good pita sandwich with ham and Gouda.

 

So, I would rate this excursion highly. We have snorkeled Bonaire several times, and had fabulous conditions each time. But, the experience in the underwater chamber was also superb. This would be a great excursion for a couple, one of whom did not want to go into the water while the other did – they both could see the fish and coral, and one could stay dry.

 

 

More later,

Dave

 

Dave... first & foremost, congrats on your retirement! Secondly, great shot of our hands! :D We were on the excursion with you! LOL

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

The awarding of medallions was the previous Holland America Mariner recognition system.

Copper, silver, gold, and platinum medallions were awarded based on 100, 300, 500, and 700 actual days on board. There were no other benefits, other than recognition at the Mariner Party on every cruise.

 

A few years ago that system was replaced by the new "bonus days" system, with a few perks.

Long time Mariners were displeased (to say the least) at the loss of the medallions, and screamed in protest. Except for the copper medallion, the others were returned in quick fashion; the copper medallions were returned some time later (perhaps a year? I'm not sure of the timing).

 

Now, both Mariner plans run parallel to each other. It's possible to be a 5* Mariner on the newer (bonus days) system, while having less than 200 days on the medallion system. Just remember that the two systems are totally separate and it isn't as confusing.

 

Ruth,

 

This is the best explanation I have seen of the two HAL reward systems. Thanks so much. Barbara

[retiredkid]

ruth,

 

this is the best explanation i have seen of the two hal reward systems. Thanks so much. Barbara

 

 

 

 

DITTO! thanks