Dave’s Trip To, Around and Into Australia, Sept. 26 – Nov. 23, 2016

[RetiredMustang]

Oct. 10, at sea

 

 

Sunday, Oct. 9 officially does not exist on board Maasdam. We have shifted to Monday, Oct. 10 to account for crossing the international date line. We have today at sea, and are scheduled to visit Apia, Samoa, tomorrow.

 

Here are the first four pages of the On Location:

 

 

 

 

 

 

More in the next post,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Oct. 10, at sea (Cont.)

 

 

Here are the other two pages of the On Location:

 

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Was the chocolate mousse as tasty as it looks?

 

Yes, it was -- light, but with richly chocolate flavor.

 

Dave

[kazu]

Love your old geezer nostalgia Dave - LOL :)

 

Hope you don't mind, but I copied your post on the new breakfast menu and shared it with the board (giving you full credit). I suspect more people will be tuning into your live thread ;)

[Rina155]

Subscribing! Love your report and all the fabulous photos. Really enjoyed your detailed description of the "cross the equator ritual". Looking forward to more to come!

[RetiredMustang]

Oct. 10, at sea (Cont.)

 

 

It took a bit to remember where I had seen it among the literature that was on the desk when we came aboard, and which is now tucked away, but here is the in-room dining menu:

 

 

 

 

 

I also re-discovered the Greenhouse Spa menu:

 

 

 

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Love your old geezer nostalgia Dave - LOL :)

 

Hope you don't mind, but I copied your post on the new breakfast menu and shared it with the board (giving you full credit). I suspect more people will be tuning into your live thread ;)

 

 

Jacqui,

 

No problems, grab what you like.

 

Dave

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad to see that the 24 hour and Noon to 10PM in-cabins have not been changed.

[aliaschief]

Dave,

 

Just another thank-you for taking us along. It's pumping us up for our Eurodam TA in two weeks!:)

 

Great reporting and greatly appreciated.

 

Bruce

[kazu]

Jacqui,

 

No problems, grab what you like.

 

Dave

 

You are very kind :). Thank you.:D

[fatcat04]

Yes, it was -- light, but with richly chocolate flavor.

 

Dave

 

Dave, you are killing me! I gained 3 lbs looking at that mousse:D

Edited October 9, 2016 by fatcat04

[RetiredMustang]

Oct. 10, at sea (Cont.)

 

 

To continue the series of photos around the ship, here are some shots of the Ocean Bar:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[erewhon]

Yes, it was -- light, but with richly chocolate flavor.

 

Dave

 

Thanks for your reply.

Hope it will be on the menu while we are on board .

[78232]

I am glad the room service menu now has a selection of foods specifically identified as good for sea sickness.

[bluesplayer]

Thank you for posting the 24 hour menu. I was curious what was available with the breakfast menu changing. We have never ordered off the 24 hour menu. Maybe the "old" breakfast menu could be a Mariner perk benefit.. perhaps at 3 stars?? Seems like return cruisers sure miss it. I will on my next cruise.

[RetiredMustang]

Oct. 10, at sea (Cont.)

 

 

Today is Canada’s Thanksgiving Day, and the dining room was decorated:

 

 

 

 

And, there was the traditional roast turkey dinner on the menu. Here are the dinner and dessert menus:

 

 

 

 

 

 

DW and I both started with what we call “Greens and Beans” – the Island Salad, with green, red kidney and garbanzo beans. Pretty good, actually. We both then passed on the turkey and went with the Korean beef ribs, which were flanken style, and excellent. For dessert, DW had the brownie hot fudge sundae, while I had the raspberry sorbet.

 

 

After dinner, we passed by the Explorer’s Lounge and saw, and heard for a bit, Adagio playing again. Earlier in the day, I saw a display in the shops window of a CD of theirs for purchase, which had their names on it. They are: Andreea Coseru (piano) and Alexandru Gherman (violin). I asked DW how long that display had been in the window, since I didn’t remember seeing it. She said, “oh, since about Vancouver.” D’oh!

 

 

More later,

Dave

[erewhon]

Thanks for posting the menu, the Tapioca reminds me of boarding school dinners.

Edited October 10, 2016 by erewhon

[Karennella]

Chilled pineapple soup. Goodness, that is a new one to me!

[kazu]

It's always nice to see HAL celebrate different occasions for different nationalities. Thanks for sharing Dave :)

 

Great posts :)

[RetiredMustang]

Oct. 11, Apia

 

 

Today we visit Apia, Samoa. We have booked a shore excursion to see the city highlights and tour the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum.

 

 

Here are the first four pages of the On Location:

 

 

 

 

 

 

More in the next post,

Dave

 

 

Oct. 11, Apia (Cont.)

[RetiredMustang]

Oct. 11, Apia (Cont.)

 

 

Here are the other two pages of the On Location:

 

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[kazu]

thanks Dave. Noticed the treatment of the wooden articles and the NO packaged food allowed off ship from here on in. They are certainly not taking any risk with the environment. Hope you enjoy your tour.

[catl331]

I have been following your posts and figuring what I what to eat for dinner. Thanks for all the pics. We were to go on the Canada trip back to FL. We had to cancel due to Matthew. Had no major damage other than one tree and many bushes that thought their leaves belonged in our pool. We were without power for a few days and our drinking water was off. Roughing it is no fun when you are a senior citizen.

 

One has to admit that HAL has interesting chairs on their ships!!

Edited October 10, 2016 by catl331

[Krazy Kruizers]

The Ocean Bar is lovely looking since we were last on the Maasdam.

Love all the lovely glass objects.

[OzarkCruisers]

Love your cruise report.

 

This is definitely on my husband's list of cruises he'd like to go on.

 

Thanks for posting.

 

Gloria:)