Land & Sea - Live from Barcelona & the Oosterdam Transatlantic - November 5th, 2022

[kazu]

Only one happy hour on the ship, I notice.  5-6 pm in the Ocean Bar - buy one drink - get 50% off the 2nd one.  I suspect with so many having HIA, it’s not a big deal.

 

For those of you who like blue cheese dressing - be sure to ask for some blue cheese to go with your dressing.  It’s not like the delicious blue cheese dressing from B.C. (Before Covid) - it’s really runny.  Ugh.  A bit of blue cheese fixes it up nicely 😉 

[kazu]

Mariner Recognition this morning at 11.  Didn’t go - too hard to get to in the chair but spoke to Lezli & Dorothee who did.  They got their bronze medallions on their bed last night.  The ceremony was for silver and up only.  😱 Not a long ceremony from how quickly I saw them on the Lido.

[0106]

Mike West’s lecture this morning was about shipwrecks and the importance of accurate time to mariners.

 

There was chilled peach soup in the Lido for lunch.  Hopefully the promised berry soup will appear later in the week.  
 

This afternoon we swam across the Atlantic.

 

We have reservations for dinner tonight at Canaletto.  I’ll try to remember to take some pictures.

 

Orange Party tonight too

[mamaofami]

On 11/13/2022 at 8:28 AM, kazu said:

 

Not yet, Colin.  I was trying last night hanging onto the wheel chair - big mistake.  Rocking and rolling and the wheel chair overturned and I went down.  I think I will stick to the chair until we hit smoother seas 😉 

 

Not sure about pics but Tina (0106) just joined me at the Sea View Bar and attended the Cooking Demo with the head chef.  He’s funny and very entertaining.   And they served the Dutch Pea Soup after to everyone there.

 

His is not made like the one on the Alaskan cruises - much more meat.

 

And at the Question and Answer - WHAT HAPPENED TO THE COLD SOUPS???  they were cut out by Corporate.  But, wait, …..since we want cold soups - there will a couple offered at the Lido -  one tomorrow - go to the dessert spot and wink, wink and the server will wink back and reach under the table and VOILA.  COLD SOUP TOMORROW.  👍 👍 

I love those cold soups. Thousands of calories, but so good. I am very impressed with the size of your roll call.  You are amazing to have done so much while you had so much going on at home. Hope you are enjoying in spite of your ankle.

[kazu]

My sister scoped out the wheel chair entrance to the Show Room (I know it is called another name now) and we went to the Show - Cantare.  I had heard so much about it on CC, I wanted to catch it.  I will definitely be back for their next performance - wonderful!  And for the pianist/singer as well.

 

Some of the entertainment on the ship is really quite good!

 

Had our “wine tasting” in my cabin yesterday.  it’s not a serious wine tasting - just a bit of fun and a social get together with “big” prizes.

 

Gerry (ger_77) and I had both brought crackers and believe it or not - the ship sent crackers to go with the cheese. (Just one kind though - ours were better 😉). Pictures will follow when they can be posted.  

 

We all had fun, I think.

[kazu]

A comment on the food in the MDR - it is very decent - very.  

 

We are on our 3rd table.  The first table was too hard to get to with a narrow ramp for the chair, 2nd table handy but very slow waiters - after we decided to eat in the Lido one night to avoid the ridiculously long wait  & Zin asked where we were - she said she would give us a new one.  It started a few days ago and we have wonderful waiters - Dharma & Dony with the service you expect 👍. One has served on the Zuiderdam and the other - yup you guessed it - the Prinsendam.  They are even scooping the crumbs on the table with that little gadget 👍 

 

 

[MomentsNotice]

Can anyone tell me which brand of water is included with the signature package on your cruise?

Thanks in advance. 

[0106]

@MomentsNoticeOnly canned water was available to take on tours.  Be sure to bring a refillable cup.  We usually drink tap water.  Perrier is available too.  I’m sure they will restock in Miami and there will probably be different choices. 

 

Loving Mike West’s lectures. Yesterday was aircraft carriers; today will be Funnels, Flags and Funny Paint.  
 

Currently waiting for  a cook off competition between Captain Kevin and Hotel General Manager Darren.  It’s standing room only.  They just announced that they will be streaming it will on the Main Stage.  I wish they would stream all of the shows into our cabins.

Yesterday’s cooking class was how to make crème brûlée with an Executive Pastry Chef.  An interesting woman who has been with HAL since 2010.  She was previously a land based trainer but now is rotating amount my the ships.

 

Dinner at the Canaletto was outstandingly.  Particularly good were the veal meatballs, house salad and osso buco (Monday’s special)

 

We continue to enjoy dinner in the MDR too.  Service continues to be excellent.  We have been substituting vegetables on our entree plates every night.  Salmon, steak, chicken and lasagna always seem to be available.  I like the small portions.  I usually have an appetizer( last night it was 3 tangerine shrimp served over sweet potato purée) and a soup or salad before my entree.  I’ve never had room for dessert.

[kazu]

Cook off between the Captain and Hotel Manager was a hoot from all reports.  Too many people saying how hard they were laughing for it not to be.  Such a huge turn out they showed it on the screen in the show room as well.

 

The fire brigade was out in full regalia in case of an accident, the medical team was out because one cut their finger (not really 😉), captain called for wine for his dish and the Sommelier came running - captain poured it into a bowl, then picked up the bowl and drank out of it LOL.

 

There were bribes involved for the judging from a Captain’s stripe to a $100 bill and finally out ranking was involved to select a winner LOL.

 

I’ll see if this will post 🤞 and if it does, try to come back with more.

[kazu]

Guest lecturer continues to be very good and the room is getting fuller eery day..

Last night was the Gold Gala night.  Escargot again - yum! And jumbo shrimp cocktail.  Most had the tenderloin - I had the Sea Bass - all was very good.

Following that we had Dancing under the Stars with the Captain and Officers.  We saw them hammering at the hot tubs earlier in the day and couldn’t figure out why they were covering them up - it was for the band.

 

Sea View Pool was packed and lots of people were having fun.  Chocolate surprise was also there - hate to say it but the chocolate surprise was really meh.  At least in our opinion.  Chocolate covered cheerios???  Seriously?

[kazu]

We also had our Cabin Crawl and Poker Run yesterday.  People had fun and we had fun at he Ocean Bar after seeing who the big winners were of the Poker Run and a bit of social time.  

 

My thanks to Tina (0106) and Art (Takes Notes) for taking care of sending the groups off for me while I hosted my cabin.  And my sincere thanks to all of our cabin crawl hosts.  We had a nice get together in my cabin pre-crawl with drinks and munchies to go over things and they did their own crawl pre-crawl.

 

We have such a great roll call with so many wonderful people - it really makes this cruise enjoyable 😃 

[rafinmd]

Any progress on your mobility?  How much support will you have when you leave the ship and so many who have been very kind must go their separate ways?

 

Roy

[kazu]

23 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

Any progress on your mobility?  How much support will you have when you leave the ship and so many who have been very kind must go their separate ways?

 

Roy

 

Foot has improved somewhat Roy, thanks.  I can manage in my cabin with the cane for a bit - not going to try to walk the halls though - too much and I know it.

And, there’s too much walking at airports.  I have bit the bullet and requested wheel chair assistance getting off the ship and at the airports.  If I don’t need it, well and good.  I have 2 more days 😉 

But at the rate things are going, I think I will.  I have a driver picking me up at home and asked my neighbour taking care of my house to bring the old crutches in the basement upstairs. (I can use those 😉)  So, I”m prepared as I can be.

 

[kazu]

some of the slot pull group having fun.  I won’t say how long these took to load but it is exciting I got some up 😉 

 

 

 

 

 

[kazu]

Our Cantare performers.  Well worth seeing and listening to 👍 

 

 

[whogo]

2 hours ago, kazu said:

Chocolate surprise was also there - hate to say it but the chocolate surprise was really meh.  At least in our opinion.  Chocolate covered cheerios???  Seriously?

I think HAL is deliberately trying to make the chocolate unappealing. Chocolate covered Rice Krispies would have been good. I snagged one chocolate covered pecan on my cruise. No chocolate cremes or chocolate covered caramels or just plain milk chocolate.

 

Great thread, kazu, thanks for posting and get well soon.

[Iamthesea]

kazu - Requesting wheelchair assistance was a wise decision on your part.  I requested assistance when going to and from London/Paris last July after a partial tear in my knee.  I could walk alright with a brace (and did so very well while on the trip,) but I was afraid that trying to run through the airports, and from terminal to terminal, would do more damage.  Not only was the assistance a knee saver, we also bypassed many lines along the way.  Especially saving was going through security, although I did have to take my brace off each time.

[kazu]

Medical emergency on board apparently.  Picking up speed to dock in Miami at 9 pm tomorrow night.  Our disembarkation remains the same.

Don’t know any more other than it is good the person can be helped by docking early - otherwise we would not be.

 

Haven’t heard much about any cases of covid on board so I don’t think kit is tht.

[kazu]

1 hour ago, whogo said:

I think HAL is deliberately trying to make the chocolate unappealing. Chocolate covered Rice Krispies would have been good. I snagged one chocolate covered pecan on my cruise. No chocolate cremes or chocolate covered caramels or just plain milk chocolate.

 

Great thread, kazu, thanks for posting and get well soon.

 

thanks - I did hear some were offered better chocolate than what I saw so my “meh” is subjective 😉 

 

When internet is better I will catch up with my pics on Madeira and others so I guess this will become an “almost live” thread LOL 😂 

[kazu]

Our wine tasting a few days ago.  We had fun.  I had munchies

 

 

and Gerry (ger_77) and I both bought crackers having been warned that there were none.

 

 

 

Well, believe it or not - there were - but just one kind.

 

 

but ours were better 😉 everyone had a good time, I think.

 

 

Every cabin brings a bottle of wine and we all taste what suits quite unceremoniously 😂. If people don’t like wine they can bring their own water / other alcoholic beverage. 

 

 

Then after no one can remember what wine was what (kidding) we choose our favourite 2.  The overwhelming winner in the white division was the Invisible wine - really a red but looks and tastes like a white.  Even kazu could drink it - quite cool.

 

 

the winners took home “big” prizes.  You know those Portuguese wine stoppers with roosters on top?  Always handy - light, easy to pack - all in fun.

 

 

Believe it or not, none of my neighbours complained about the party and the noise - although one neighbour wanted to know why they weren’t invited 😉 

 

 

 

 

[kazu]

52 minutes ago, kazu said:

Medical emergency on board apparently.  Picking up speed to dock in Miami at 9 pm tomorrow night.  Our disembarkation remains the same.

Don’t know any more other than it is good the person can be helped by docking early - otherwise we would not be.

 

Haven’t heard much about any cases of covid on board so I don’t think kit is tht.

Oops - issues with keyboard and too late to edit.

last line should be - I don’t think this is it.  Apologies.

[bennybear]

Glad you’re having fun!  The captain cook off sounds like a hoot!  Need more details on the invisible wine, it that it’s name? 

Safe travels!

[jeh10641]

On 11/5/2022 at 11:39 AM, Iamthesea said:

Jacqui - I am just now seeing this thread and have been reading for the last hour. Enjoying the review, but I am so sorry that your trip is not starting out well.  Here's hoping that the cruise portion will become easier for you, and for your sisters and BIL (sorry one had to leave.)

 

I feel for you.  I badly sprained my foot and beat up the side of my ankle almost a year ago when we were in the middle of moving into our new home.  The best advice was to stay off of it as much as possible.  And when I was moving around, I had one of those ankle braces that someone on here suggested.  My foot and ankle felt so much better when I wore it.

 

Then, two weeks before we were to leave for London/Paris this past July, I partially tore a meniscus in my right knee.  I used a wheel chair in the house for two weeks and was doing  a lot better.   Then I requested the use of one in all of the airports - going and coming home.  That was fantastic for getting me around the long walks through the airports, and we were able to bypass all of the security lines!   Once on my own across the pond, I used a hinged knee brace, supplied by the ortho, to help me get around.  With the help of my family, I did great!  

 

Have a great rest of your trip and stay out of trouble.  I will be following this thread.  Looking forward to having you back on the May 14th Roll Call when you return. Enjoy that NS! 😉

My wife and I are now octogenarians with minor mobility issues. We always request wheelchair service through airports. It is wonderful.

 

Jim 

[Sea42]

It all looks like so much fun! Such a great group.

I glad, that despite the injury, you're enjoying yourself.

[Gsel]

Thank you SO much for this thread. You have given me the courage to go again on my own! DH is now in a nursing home so I have now one trip booked for next year and in the process of booking another for 2024.

 

Have a safe trip home, hope you continue to heal rapidly.

Barbara