The Fleet Report and Daily for Saturday September 23rd, 2023

[richwmn]

 

Today is International Day of Sign Languages, Love Note Day, and Teal Talk Day
 

A person will sometimes devote all his life to the development of one part of his body - the wishbone. - Robert Frost

Meal Suggestion for today - Hamburger Casserole
Drink of the Day - Double Razzmatazz Grape Martini
Wine of the Day - 2019 Hito Tempranillo España
Destination of the Day - St Anthony NL, Newfoundland-Labrador Canada

Today in History:
1884 American Herman Hollerith patents his mechanical tabulating machine, the beginning of data processing
1122 Concordat of Worms agreed between Pope Calixtus II and Holy Roman Emperor Henry V
1957 "That'll Be the Day" single by Buddy Holly and The Crickets reaches #1 in the US

Ship Locations
 

Eurodam

Seattle, Washington 0700-1500
 

Koningsdam

Vancouver, Canada 0700-1600
 

Nieuw Amsterdam

At Sea Destination Vancouver, Canada eta 09-24
 

Nieuw Statendam

At Sea Destination Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey eta 09-24
 

Noordam

Valdez, Alaska 0800-1800
 

Oosterdam

Dubrovnik, Croatia 0800-2300
 

Rotterdam

Amsterdam, Holland, The Netherlands d1700
 

Volendam

Skagway, Alaska 0700-2000
 

Westerdam

Victoria, British Columbia 2000-2359
 

Zaandam

Quebec City, Quebec 0700-1700
 

Zuiderdam

Boston, Massachusetts 0700-1700
 

 

 

[portofrome]

Thank you for the Fleet Report.

[grapau27]

Good afternoon.

Thank you for today's daily reports.

It is cloudy and 50°F.

Sign language is important for a lot of people.

I will give the food and drink a miss.

We have never been to today's port.

Prayers 🙏 for everyone on the care list.

I hope everyone has a great day.

[kazu]

Thanks for our Saturday Daily, Rich.

And thanks to Dixie, Debbie, Ann & Vanessa.

 

Good collection of days especially the day of Sign Language.  that’s a day celebrated every day by those that need to use it.  LOL on the Frost quote.  That wine from Spain sounds promising - but probably red 😔 Great days in history, indeed.

 

 

 

Well, yesterday was full of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.  

 

The good - all the planters are emptied and put away and the bulbs are drying.  The Bad - never do this stuff after visiting the Pain Princess (my therapeutic massage therapist) the day before.  Sore and tired.  

 

And now for the ugly - my huge climbing hydrangea was trying to get into my chimney brick so we needed to trim that part away.  I left it in the hands of my “master gardener”.  After an hour he was able to get it all out (had to use a saw) and suggested after trimming we move the dominant branch further away from the house.  OK I said - let me know if you want me to hold it (we had the branch supported).  As I’m working on a planter I hear a huge crash.  The whole thing came down and I lost the hydrangea that DD DH and I planted 25 years again 😢. (Ok, DH bought it and I planted it 😉) He felt really badly but I can assure you I felt worse.  Good bye old friend.

 

 

 

The best - Ivan was improving - i gave him an additional pill yesterday to be safe but will not today and watch.  I think he has recovered from his strain 🤞 

 

 

 

When I got in the house, I returned a call to my friend and she said “Do you realize a month from today we will be disembarking”.  Now, THAT is depressing 😂 

 

 

Well, Fall is here and it feels it.  Hate to see summer go but I know many like the season.

 

Prayers for those on the Care list, those suffering losses, health issues, worries & those that need them.  Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

 

 

 

Have a good Saturday everyone.

[0106]

Happy Fall! The rains of Ophelia have arrived in MD.  @ottahand7 I believe they will be gone in time for you to enjoy the Ravens game tomorrow afternoon.

 

 

I like the Frost quote.  We need to spend less time wishing and more time acting.  Don’t wish the world was a better place, act, do something to make the world better!  
 

@kazuI’m so sorry about the hydrangeas.  I’m glad Ivan is feeling better.

 

Positive thoughts to those who need them.  Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

Edited September 23, 2023 by 0106

[Crazy For Cats]

Good Morning, thanks for today’s daily report.  I hope to run a few errands before the rain starts.  We missed today’s port earlier this month thanks to weather. Today’s meal suggestion sounds interesting and I’m looking forward to new ideas. We will roast a chicken for dinner.  I hope everyone has a good day today.

 

Today is Jasper’s 12th birthday.  

[JazzyV]

Today’s Care List:

Smitty34877’s DH Lou passing on 9/18

Cruising sister’s great niece Baby Murphy post-surgery, on vent, unstable

Lady Hudson’s DH Bill with bronchitis, onboard Jewel of the Seas

Marshhawk’s house issues

All Dailyites going through worries and stress, whether mentioned or not

 

Recovery from Wildfires in Maui

Canadian/US wildfires/Those in the path of Tropical Storm Ophelia

Citizens of Ukraine

 

From the Rotation:

HAL Sailer’s DH’s health

StLouisCruiser’s DB with pulmonary fibrosis

Tana’s pulmonary issues

Crusing-along’s niece Jeannine with MS recurrence

 

Celebrations and Shoutouts:

Bon Voyage Vmax1700!

Vict0riann and Heartgrove booking new cruises

Ger_77’s DH Maurice feeling better

Mamaofami’s DH Sam home from the hospital, post-surgery for brain bleed

 

The Daily Gardening Club posting wonderful flower pictures

All the contributors to the Fleet Report/Daily

 

Upcoming Cruises or At Sea:

2 days for ocean sounds (Royal Princess Sept 25 to Oct 2, Vancouver to Honolulu)

6 days for Rafinmd (Queen Mary 2/Crystal Serenity Sept 29 to Oct 13) NE, CA/Quebec City to NY

7 days for Cruzn single (Zuiderdam Sept 30 to Oct 10, The Atlantic Coast)

7 days for Ichiban Nekko (Zuiderdam Sept 30 to Oct 10, The Atlantic Coast)

7 days for WannaSea (Koningsdam Sept 30 to Oct 7, AK Inside Passage)

 

Heartgrove (MSC Preziosa to Sept 24, British Isles + 2 days in Copenhagen), Lady Hudson (Jewel of the Seas to Sept 28, Canada and Greenland), Haljo1935 (Carnival Venezia to Sept 29, B2B, NY/Canada/NE), SusieKIslandGirl (Noordam to Oct 1, Great Alaskan Explorer), tupper10 (Noordam to Oct 1, Great Alaskan Explorer), Oceansaway17 (Celebrity Summit Oct 2, Boston, Maine & Canada), Vmax1700 (Rotterdam to Oct 7, Jewels of the Baltic) and Mr. Boston (Oosterdam to Oct 8, Med Tapestry, Greece & Adriatic Antiquities)

[puppycanducruise]

Good morning.  Thanks for the Report.

Another cool morning here, only 7C (45F) when Bertie and I went for our first walk, hope it warms up this afternoon.  I guess fall is here.

A good collection of days.  I used to know a bit of sign language but because I didn't use it on a regular basis, I've forgotten it.  I'll leave my sweetie a love note, wish he'd leave me one.  Teal talk is important, thanks for the reminder.

Love the quote.

The meal sounds great for a cool fall day, looking forward to recipes.  Not sure about the drink and wine but I'm hoping. 

I've never been to today's port, but I'd love to go.

 

Prayers for everyone on the Care List.  Cheers for all the celebrations.

 

Have a great day.  Stay safe.

 

[cat shepard]

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! Our first Fall Saturday actually felt as if Fall had arrived. 63 and breezy. Capris & long sleeves weather! It is supposed to be around for awhile. Probably just long enough to spoil me. 
 

Vanessa, thank you for taking such great care of helping us all to keep up with each other! Off early to the gym for a Zumba class. I am still catching up on chores from Thursday- but today is the day. Bindi walks and supper at a friend’s will wrap up my day. 

 

 

 

 

 

Prayers for all who need our support. @smitty34877 Terry, thinking of you & your extended family.

 

Cheers to all who are celebrating!

Hope you each find something to smile about today. 
 

 

*********

2019 Hito Tempranillo España

Consumers love this Tempranillo. If you have trouble finding the 2019 vintage, pick up a bottle of the 2020 - it has a critic score in the 90s and a much lower price. I found one distributor for the 2019 offering it for $32.95. But you can snap up the 2020 for a mere $14.95!

 

Winemaker Notes

A very lively dark cherry red color. Intense and honest on the nose, where the varietal aromas of the Tempranillo at its optimum point of ripeness predominate. Subtle hints of ageing appear in the background as well-integrated spiced and toasted notes. In the mouth it has body and length, balanced acidity and good persistence.

RP89 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The red 2019 Hito is juicy, ripe and fruit-driven. The palate is medium to full-bodied with fine tannins. This is easy to drink but rich enough to take most foods. It was bottled in August 2020.

[kazu]

14 minutes ago, Crazy For Cats said:

Today is Jasper’s 12th birthday.  

 

Ahh Happy Birthday to Jasper.  He looks fabulous ♥️ 

 

 

 

@VMax1700 Bon Voyage!

Keep the ship in good shape for us.  A shame you get off when I get on 😔 

 

 

[puppycanducruise]

@Crazy For Cats Happy Birthday Jasper!

 

@VMax1700 Bon Voyage!

[RedneckBob]

Thanks for the Fleet Update and General Info from all contributors.

 

Like Robert Frost quote except the first time I read it I was very concerned because I did not see the wishbone part! 😳

As far as love note day, no explanation required.

 

[StLouisCruisers]

Good morning friends!  I got a lot more sleep last night and feel fine today.  Just a slight backache.  The temp this morning is a warm 78 with a high of 96 expected and sunny, so a hot day ahead.  Good thing the soccer game between FC Dallas U-17 and Colorado Rapids U-17 is at 9 am!

 

Thanks to Rich @richwmn for the Daily and Fleet Report.  All good days today to celebrate.  Sign language, love notes and ovarian cancer awareness (thank you Tina @0106 for letting us know that so we didn't all have to look it up).  The quote by Frost is unique, the hamburger casserole sounds like food from our childhood, the drink sounds like a wild variation of a true martini and no idea about the wine but as was mentioned by Jacqui @kazuprobably a red.  Interesting notes about the three days in History.  So varied, too!  Thanks to the ladies, Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope, and Ann @cat shepard for the reports today on food and beverage.

 

Prayers for our group continue.  Hoping for all good news here for a while.  The photo of Fred lying on the rug in the bedroom that Terry @smitty34877 posted was heartbreaking.  They really do know what is going on and have so much empathy, don't they?  Jacqui @kazu I'm sorry about the hydrangea you lost yesterday.  I know it meant a lot to you.  I hope Ivan is much better today and that you can soon be on a ship enjoying yourself instead of working so hard to get there!  Soon!  Hope Sam (Carol @mamaofami) is doing fine and Bill (@Lady Hudson) has conquered his bronchitis.  Prayers for dear Baby Murphy, DB and friend's DB Mark.  🙏  Hoping for good times for all celebrating, and for a win today for Ren.  He has an offer to come visit Notre Dame in a few weeks to see their soccer program, and they also asked Colton to come at that time, too.  They really want the two of them to consider coming to their university together.  Isn't that cool?  Let me say thanks to Vanessa @JazzyV for our lists today!

 

Everyone got here yesterday as planned.  Alan around 3 and he was able to see Colton almost immediately since the hotel he's staying at is a 2 minute walk from this apartment.  Colton had a practice from 5 to 6 on the fields and isn't allowed to spend a ton of time visiting so I'm glad they got a short visit.  DS and DDIL arrived on time, too, 7:30 pm.  The three of them went out for dinner and drinks at a restaurant just down the street with another soccer Dad with whom DS has made a friendship here.  Ren went to the high school football game, so that left the old folks here to go to bed early.  We needed the sleep, lol.

 

The port this morning is St. Anthony, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.  The last two times we had it, June 7, 2021 and April 21, 2022 I said I hadn't been there before but this time I can say I have (Aug. 17, 2023).  Unfortunately what we did was walk around looking for interesting things, no hiking, no tours.  The town itself didn't have much to talk about so I won't be posting a lot of photos.  The sail in gave me hope about the scenery because it was pretty.  And I'm sure some will say they went to L'anse aux Meadows from there.  I think I will save L'anse aux Meadows when it has its own day!  That was a worthy port!  We anchored off shore there and tendered over on Seabourn Quest.  Here are the links for St. Anthony for everyone else though.

 

 

 

 

Sail in to St. Anthony

 

 

Hope you all have a great Saturday!

[summer slope]

Double Razzamazz Grape Martini cocktail:

 

Ingredients
1 part DeKuyper® Pucker® Grape Schnapps
1 part DeKuyper® Razzmatazz® Schnapps Liqueur
1 part Pinnacle® Raspberry Vodka
1 part Lemon-Lime Soda

Instructions
Add ingredients to an ice-filled shaker. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass.

 

[ottahand7]

Good morning from rainy Maryland.  

 

Bon Voyage @VMax1700 🛳️🍾

 

Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports @richwmn.   

Prayers for everyone in our group needing them and the people of Ukraine.   

 

We are happy it appears the worst of the storm will be through by tomorrow morning when we will make our long hike to the stadium from the parking garage we use.  I had wanted to go to Pimlico and have lunch in the dining room and watch a few horse races but they may cancel today and I never have luck betting on "mudders".  We will have sushi tonight with my late DHs son and DDIL.  A lot of college football for us today.  

Prayers for everyone on this storm's path.  I am sure farmers here will be happy as it has been very dry.  Have a nice Saturday.   Nancy 

 

[ocean sounds]

Happy Saturday, and thank you for the Daily and fleet report.  I had to smile when reading the history section - “That’ll  Be The Day” seems a fitting song Title for our Daily thread.  🎶 

 

I just checked the App for my flight to Vancouver tomorrow.  I thought I’d booked a noon flight.  What a surprise (ugh) to discover it departs at 9:30 am.  I’ve about a 2 hour trip to Houston IAH, with parking and shuttle time included.   So I have to hit the road early tomorrow. 
 

Wishing all health and peace, and a wonderful start to your weekend, 

 

Edited September 23, 2023 by ocean sounds
Add

[Heartgrove]

Thank you Rich, thank you Debbie, thank you Vanessa, thank you Ann, and thank you Dixie for all your work. And thank you everyone for being here!

 

Our last day at sea and tomorrow the chaos of disimbarkation. The ten days have gone fast, and our room steward from India ends his contract tomorrow. He is very happy as he is then flying home to be married!

 

Last night they had a sale on logo items. The captain, Captain Francesco Iacono, was autographing the model ships as well. He is very personable, similar to HAL's Captains Kevin Beirnhart and Noel O'Driscoll. I purchased two with my remaining OBC - and then some.

 

Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need.

 

-Jack

 

 

[grapau27]

50 minutes ago, Crazy For Cats said:

Good Morning, thanks for today’s daily report.  I hope to run a few errands before the rain starts.  We missed today’s port earlier this month thanks to weather. Today’s meal suggestion sounds interesting and I’m looking forward to new ideas. We will roast a chicken for dinner.  I hope everyone has a good day today.

 

Today is Jasper’s 12th birthday.  

Happy 12th birthday Jasper.

[rafinmd]

Happy Saturday from a stormy Maryland.  Thank you Rich, Vanessa, Debbie, Ann, and Dixie.  I like the days celebrated but especially those who can sign.  A nice quote by Frost

 

3 great days in history.  I relied heavily on mechanical calculators my early years at work.

 

I have not cruised to St. Anthony but visited there on a land trip in 2000.

 

Happy Birthday Jasper.  Bon Voyage @VMax1700,  Welcome to Maryland @ottahand7,

 

I prefer my hamburger as a sandwich rather than a casserole.  My alternative is Railroad French Toast as served on Amtrak's Empire Builder September 23, 2017, approaching Seattle and MS Oosterdam.

 

 

Roy

[RMLincoln]

Greetings Dailyites from stormy Maryland!  We got back home from after our cruise on Thursday but life is in upheaval. All good!  And we are well!  
 

The cruise on NCL Joy was good but had hiccups. We kept it low key and didn’t do a lot. It’s a beautiful ship, very nice standard balcony room was lovely for me with a long couch, glassed shower, full double glass sliding door to balcony and interesting appointments. We had an in-room, hotel-style coffee maker which I enjoyed. Room steward kept me in supplies plus I got tea from the Observation Lounge buffet which was forward on our deck, very handy. The lounge served light foods morning and afternoons, great alternative. 

Quick summary of the trip:  Hurricane Idalia kept ship in Bermuda so ship was delayed 1day to NY so we started out 25 hrs late and missed ports of Boston and Portland on our way to Halifax, disappointing but so it goes. DH and I enjoyed an extra day with granddaughter!  And that helped us recover from the drive north after a busy weekend with my niece and late birthday celebration at a dinner theater the night before we drove to Poughkeepsie. 
 

The cruise weather was stormy, overcast, rainy much if the way to Quebec City and our 2 days there. We enjoyed some nearby historic sites in Sydney, took a shuttle into Corner Brook fir the museum there, and went to the Museum of Civilization in Quebec City, in out of the rain!  
 

On board we were very impressed by the excellent stage show entertainment - Footloose was like a Broadway musical, 90 mins long. Elements was a dazzling display of dance, graceful trapeze and silks acrobatics, and impressive illusionist acts blended into Air, Fire, Water and Earth themes. All quite impressive. Reservations were made pre-cruise, early on-board or try for a seat via the stand-by line. No charge but reservations made it all easier and more comfortable. The enjoyed comedy club one night; there was music (no classical music unfortunately) but small crowded venues which we avoided. But lots of options. Tons of day-time entertainment too but again, we avoided crowds.  
 

We ate dinners in the MDR. We had some non-refundable OBC that they do not apply to tips so we bought the upcharge filets a few times plus wine, on the house!  Nice. Otherwise MDR menu has no prime rib, filets or lobster nights. But plenty of good food with excellent service. I think service, availability and comfort in the MDR, thus was our best cruise experience yet. All open dining, all very easy to be seated at 2-top anytime we went. MDR hrs were generous; there are 3 MDRs, one large aft plus two midship.  
 

NCL has a large array of specialty restaurants. Great if you have a package (which you can buy pre-cruise for 2-6 dinners per package) and have a big appetite but it’s not for us. The buffet also has generous hours, lunch selections were broader than supper which I thought was poor the one night we tried it. Plus the light fare in the Observation Lounge which I thought was more than adequate. The ship never felt crowded in public spaces, just the music venues. I loved the idea of the al fresco dining on the promenade deck but weather was poor. We did sit out there in there cozy conversational couch grouping for some sailaways, different than deck loungers.  

On the Quebec-NY leg we dealt with Hurricane Lee and missed Sydney while we circled in its nearby sheltered bay region. The ship was amazingly stable compared to our previous experiences in storms. Winds were up to 45 knots, waves 12 feet, not horrible but barely felt the ship move even in our deck 15 room. Impressive. 
 

Our biggest issue with the cruise was long lines getting on or off the ship. One port was so utterly horrible to get back on that it makes us reluctant to cruise her again even though we had a very good onboard experience. A 60-90 min line is unacceptable. We chose instead to sit it out for 2 hrs on a park bench we found until the line reduced to something we could manage like 15 mins. 
 

Our return to Manhattan meant we needed a cab to Grand Central Station for a train north to Poughkeepsie where we left our car with our granddaughter. Cabs were near impossible to get unless you were a more expensive airport fare. Very frustrating. We did get a gypsy cab to combine us with another fare to make it worth his while. The UN was in session and that made the city more congested than usual, or so they said. 
 

The best part is we that we stayed healthy!  We wore masks in public areas except when eating. Maybe it helped, I’m just so grateful we didn’t get sick!  
 

Now for our big news:  

We had an email on embarkation day that the retirement community in northern New Jersey that we were interested in had an apartment available that met our criteria. They held it for us to see after the cruise. We drove there on our way home Thursday morning along with granddaughter and her DH who took the day off work to participate and support us. Plus they had good insights!  We liked the unit so we agreed to accept it. A 60 day clock started Thursday to take possession Nov 21st! Yikes!  
 

So we are moving!  Soon!  Very soon!  Maybe before ours other granddaughter’s wedding.  Dec 16th.  In Texas. And we were going to drive there. leisurely….  Oiy!  So this all happened 2 days ago and I am overwhelmed, brain exploding with questions! Haven’t unpacked. I doubt we can move before the wedding but maybe in late Dec?  It’ll all work but I will be hit and miss here.
 

I missed you all so much during our cruise trip. I will try to keep you updated. I will check Vanessa’s Cares and Celebrations lists, I’m happy to see baby Murphy still with us!  And Roy recovering. 🙏. I’m anxious to check in on each of you but please know that whether I post or not the blessings go out daily. And I feel your support with me, which I am go grateful for and will need through this current upheaval. I’m heading into my own storm but confident it will all be good. 
 

Blessings to all in need of healing, comfort or hope. Safety for all in the storm. Guidance for those seeking a path forward!  
 

Cheers to all celebrating, Life is Good 🌈.  Safe travels to all away, joys to our cruisers!  
Maureen 
 

 

[puppycanducruise]

@RMLincoln Welcome back.  Thanks for the report on the cruise.  Congrats on the new apartment, good luck with the move.

[Cruzin Terri]

Good Saturday Morning to all.

Thank you to Rich for the Daily.  

The Days we celebrate today are interesting.  

Sign Language— It is wonderful that our hearing impaired friends have a way to communicate. 

Who doesn’t like a Love Note.

And Talking Teal—Very important.  Someday they will be able to find a cure for ovarian cancer.

 

I like Robert Frost’s quote.

 

i will pass on the F&B today. However I am very grateful to Debbie, Ann and Dixie for their dedication to making sure we fed and hydrated each day.

 

Vanessa, thank you for caring for us and keeping those meticulous lists. i hope it does not take you hours to compile them.

 

I am finally feeling better from the PM. So stupidly, yesterday I forgot to take my prednisone.  I hope that it does not have a reverse effect today.  I will get back on track today.

 

We are still planning all we want to do in Italy prior to the transatlantic.  So yesterday I made a calendar and filled in many of the days thinking I covered the majority of the places we wanted to visit.  Then we realized that we left out a whole bunch of things.  So back to the drawing board.  

Before I make up the next calendar, we are making lists for the three cities and all we want to see.  Then we will eliminate what is not possible then make a calendar.  

Some things are already booked so they will not be moved or eliminated.  

Just too many wonderful things to see and even almost three weeks won’t allow us to see them all.  Think I need to live there for a while.

October 24 will be here before we know it and i will probably still be planning this trip.

 

Prayers for all on the Cares list—especially @smitty34877 Terry and family, and for Baby Murphy.

Prayers for all who are ill and need our prayers. 

 

Happy Birthday to Jasper.

 

Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

God Bless,

Terri

[kplady]

Good morning Dailyites!!

 

Happy first day of fall - on Long Island we're getting the start of Ophelia, with rain, wind, and high surf. A good day to stay indoors!

 

We were in St. Anthony last August on our Nieuw Statendam Iceland-Greenland-Canada cruise.  We didn't have any plans, just got off the ship and wandered around the town. Since it was a Sunday, there wasn't much open - even the local pharmacy was closed!

 

We did find a brewpub in town, and enjoyed a flight of beer with a (large!) order of wings. Food and drink were good, and the staff were so friendly!

We did walk around the area near the port, and saw the local church and a war memorial 

 

It was a nice port on a beautiful day!

 

Prayers for all in need, hoping for healing for our friends and family.  Cheers to all the cruisers - we have to wait until April for our next cruise, so it's good to follow along with those enjoying the sea now.

 

Take care,

Laura

[StLouisCruisers]

Maureen @RMLincoln welcome home and congrats on the decision for the move.  I hope you can get everything done on time.

 

Laura @kplady we saw one tourist related store called Grenfell Handicraft shop in St. Anthony.  Cruise passengers were seen coming and going that day.

 

 

[RMLincoln]

@smitty34877  I’ve just caught up to the news of Lou’s passing. I am so sorry!  I felt close to you both times our Metro North train went through Yonkers on our way to Manhattan and back up to Poughkeepsie. Both times I felt like I wanted to get off, go find you and hug you. Of course on our way down on the 5th I think Lou was in the hospital, and on our way north on the 20th your world was gone. I can’t imagine the emptiness juxtaposed with seeing him everywhere. 💔 💐

Maureen