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

[RetiredMustang]

Oct. 1, at sea (Cont.)

 

 

Here are the other two pages of the On Location:

 

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Enjoying your reports an photos.

 

Good news with the made to order sandwiches, did you notice if the server has a machine to toast( grill) the sandwiches?

 

did not notice a grill, but will look again at lunch today.

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Were the chocolate desserts tasty? ....

 

 

Oh, yes indeed they were!

 

Dave

[fatcat04]

All those On Locations are convincing me I need to learn the hula and ukulele for my life to be complete... guess I'll just have to take a HAL cruise to Hawaii. :D

 

So glad the internet is holding up and we get all these great posts. Thank you Dave!

Edited October 1, 2016 by fatcat04

[RuthC]

For dessert, we stepped it up a bit. I had the chocolate delight, while DW had the chocolate fudge tartlet; we had been feeling a bit Ruthless so far this cruise and decided to do something about it. Mine was two inches of fudge frosting on a brownie, while hers was a fudge frosting in a pie shell. We noticed that they had put schmears of chocolate on each plate just to make sure we had enough:....

:D I made those same two selections when I looked at your menus. Oh, and the lemon dessert, too.

Happy to hear that they were as good tasting as good looking.

[Miata]

Dave,

 

I am very much enjoying your posts as this voyage is one that my wife and I would like to take.

 

A couple of questions please.

 

I’ve noticed on the menu that some items have a asterisk (*) by them and other have a carrot (^). I don’t see a reference for what these mean at the bottom of the menu. By chance is there an explanation for them? Maybe extra cost or something like that? We’ve done 7 HAL cruises but the last was a few years ago so I’m not ‘up to date’.

 

My second question involves the laundry. We have 17 cruises on Carnival and thus get free laundry (wash and fold). I’ve looked at HAL’s site and the repeat cruises (over # days) does not seem to mention the free laundry. I gather from your write up that you probably are over 75 days on HAL. Obviously on long trips such as you are taking, getting laundry is important. My question is whether HAL does provide this service as Carnival does?

 

Thanks much for both your write up and in advance for my question.

 

Larry

[fatcat04]

I am betting the asterisk (*) is the normal Food and Drug Admin warning against eating under-cooked meat, seafood, shellfish, and egg products.

 

The carrot (^), not sure. New one for me.

Edited October 1, 2016 by fatcat04

[wander]

Question - from your time so far, can you tell me if the Port or Starboard side of the ship had more direct sunlight for more of the day?

 

Comment - obviously I have a short term memory (see question above) as I was on the cruise similar to the one you are on last fall but was not paying particular attention to the sun.

 

I did want to note that we had internet available almost all of the trip, perhaps all of it. The same can be said about the Asia-Pacific cruise. Now when we took the latter cruise in around 1997, that was NOT the case.

[themerle]

Still enjoying your review and photos. I get so hungry looking at the menus, but don't stop posting them!!!!

[RetiredMustang]

Oct. 1, at sea (Cont.)

 

 

As we have done most mornings, we ordered lattes at the Explorations Café this morning, and enjoyed them sitting int he quiet Explorers Lounge. Also this morning we attended to Filipino Crew Show, which was held at 10:30 a.m. Usually, it is held very late at night, so we rarely have seen it. It is a good show, and we are glad we went. We hope the Indonesia Crew Show is also held during the day.

 

We did lunch again on the Lido. There was no grill at the sandwich station.

 

Here are some more photos from around the ship, this time of the Explorers Lounge

 

 

 

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[Miata]

I am betting the asterisk (*) is the normal Food and Drug Admin warning against eating under-cooked meat, seafood, shellfish, and egg products.

 

The carrot (^), not sure. New one for me.

 

I've studied the carrot ones and I'm pretty sure that it is a clear indication of the item being healthy food that I would NOT like.

 

I also do not need HAL's assistance in making it easier for my wife to spot the things that SHE thinks I should eat. "Hey Honey, there's a carrot by the third entrée."

 

Obviously the very fact that it IS the carrot symbol should be enough to scare me away.

 

Hopefully Dave will be able to clear this matter up for us.

[fatcat04]

After reading your observation as to the calorically responsible nature of the "carrot" selections, I agree with you. Indeed, the "carrot" should have initially tipped us off. :D Pesky carrots.

[AV8rix]

Dave,

 

I just disembarked Maasdam same day you boarded. Yes, the Indonesian show was in the daytime on our cruise and the folks participating tell me that they think that this will be permanent. The way they'd always done in the past apparently was encroaching on the crew's sleep/off-time.

 

Great blog!!

[erewhon]

Thanks for answering my query re the grill.

[Lovely other]

By carrot do you mean the leaf ? If so it just denotes the vegetarian options

[SilvertoGold]

Dave,

 

I am very much enjoying your posts as this voyage is one that my wife and I would like to take.

 

A couple of questions please.

 

I’ve noticed on the menu that some items have a asterisk (*) by them and other have a carrot (^). I don’t see a reference for what these mean at the bottom of the menu. By chance is there an explanation for them? Maybe extra cost or something like that? We’ve done 7 HAL cruises but the last was a few years ago so I’m not ‘up to date’.

 

My second question involves the laundry. We have 17 cruises on Carnival and thus get free laundry (wash and fold). I’ve looked at HAL’s site and the repeat cruises (over # days) does not seem to mention the free laundry. I gather from your write up that you probably are over 75 days on HAL. Obviously on long trips such as you are taking, getting laundry is important. My question is whether HAL does provide this service as Carnival does?

 

Thanks much for both your write up and in advance for my question.

 

Larry

 

4 stars get complimentary laundry and pressing. That is 200 cruise-days

(= days + spending + suite bonus).

[RetiredMustang]

Question - from your time so far, can you tell me if the Port or Star

board side of the ship had more direct sunlight for more of the day?

 

Comment - obviously I have a short term memory (see question above) as I was on the cruise similar to the one you are on last fall but was not paying particular attention to the sun.

 

I did want to note that we had internet available almost all of the trip, perhaps all of it. The same can be said about the Asia-Pacific cruise. Now when we took the latter cruise in around 1997, that was NOT the case.

 

 

Well, my initial quick take was “oh, about the same amount of time on each side, give or take a couple of minutes.” Then I started to try to figure it out -- “well, we’ve been on a pretty much southwesterly course ever since we left Vancouver, and we’re north of the Equator, and since it’s just past the equinox, the difference there is low, and if we proceed at about the same speed, the sun quarters across from port side aft to starboard side forward, and if we extend the daylight because of our westerly progress, then [insert large wad of math here] that must mean … um, oh, about the same amount of time on each side, give or take a couple of minutes.

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Oct. 1, at sea (Cont.)

 

Yay – finally prime rib for dinner! It was a specialty night called “Nautical Themed Dinner” with lots of cutesy names for dishes, and lots of flags and fake ship’s wheels and such about. But, I can put up with a lot of cheesy décor for prime rib!

 

Here are both sheets of the MDR menu, as well as the dessert menu:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The explanation for the asterisk is pretty much as discussed already, and is contained on the first sheet of the menu – basically, if you eat undercooked stuff, don’t whine to us if you get sick. I still haven’t gotten the answer to what the little caret means – it is not vegetarian because there is another symbol for that, and it obviously can’t mean vegan or gluten-free, judging from which dishes have the symbol. Now I’m fixated and will have to find an answer!

 

In any case, DW and I both had the (excellent) tortellini and vegetable soup for starter, rare prime rib for main dish (but no carrots on the side), and even had the same dessert – hot fudge sundae.

 

 

More later,

Dave

Edited October 2, 2016 by RetiredMustang

[sunnydaze]

What a FABULOUS cruise you're on! I'm really enjoying following along. Enjoy every moment!

[bluesplayer]

Hi Dave.. what a fabulous trip!!! Thanks so much for sharing info. Reading the menu is great!! I am wondering if the caret on the menu can mean gluten free??? just a guess?? i was wondering if you would be able to post the wines available by the glass?? Curious what is included in Signature Beverage Package.. much thanks!!

So funny you mention Lowell's one of my favs!!! may have seen you sail out!!!

[RetiredMustang]

Oct. 2, at sea

 

 

One more day at before arriving in Honolulu. Here are the first four pages of the On Location:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More in the next post,

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Oct. 2, at sea (Cont.)

 

 

Here are the other two pages of the On Location:

 

 

 

More later,

Dave

[Miata]

By carrot do you mean the leaf ? If so it just denotes the vegetarian options

 

The leaf symbol is to the left of the item name and the page contains an indication of what the leaf symbol means at the bottom of the page.

 

The carrot symbol (^) is to the right of the item name just as some items have an asterisk (*) at the end of item name.

 

There isn’t an indication of what the symbols mean at the bottom of each page. I believe you are correct on it meaning the same.

 

Please understand that I am curious if they gave an indication of what they meant. I’m laughing at this but want to thank-you for chiming in.

 

From now on I will slowing and carefully back away, without making eye contact, from any carrots encountered.

 

Dave, we are counting on you to get to the bottom of this. Probably the captain doesn't need to be involved but any ranking officer could be approached. ;-)

 

Thank-you Silvertogold regarding the number of days needed for wash and fold. I was hoping that it was the same as Carnival (75 days).

 

We hope to do a lot of long distance HAL cruises and laundry will be an issue. I am aware that they used to have laundry rooms on HAL ships but I'm on vacation!

 

Thanks again all.

 

Miata

[Miata]

Hi Dave.. what a fabulous trip!!! Thanks so much for sharing info. Reading the menu is great!! I am wondering if the caret on the menu can mean gluten free??? just a guess?? i was wondering if you would be able to post the wines available by the glass?? Curious what is included in Signature Beverage Package.. much thanks!!

So funny you mention Lowell's one of my favs!!! may have seen you sail out!!!

 

thank-you for correcting my carrot = caret (the correct spelling). I had never thought about the spelling before.

 

I still like my spelling better especially in the context of this discussion.

 

Too funny.

[RetiredMustang]

Oct. 2, at sea (Cont.)

 

 

I was able to scan the regular bar menu. Except for the first page, the images are two pages, but are as they printed on the paper before assembling into the little booklet. That means the next image contains pages 2 and 19, the next 18 and 3, etc.

 

Here are the first of two posts with the regular bar menu:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More in the next post,

Dave