'Twas Two Weeks Before Christmas - Live from the Nieuw Statendam, Dec. 10 - 17, 2023

[Haljo1935]

1 minute ago, Sea42 said:

Just my own little contribution, whenever I saw it I remembered to "Turn left at the shoe" to get to our cabin

Aft elevator area,deck 4

 

I love it, thanks! That would look great in my closet 😏

[0106]

44 minutes ago, POA1 said:

You'll have to wait until we're back in Fort Lauderdale for the scans though.

Success, loving your thread!

[POA1]

Audible update: We cut the second appetizer in trade for a Gelato shake and Dutch Cafe fries. Film at eleven.

[POA1]

Just now, POA1 said:

Audible update: We cut the second appetizer in trade for a Gelato shake and Dutch Cafe fries. Film at eleven.

That would be on a future date. Not today. We aren't savages.

[*Miss G*]

Am I the only one who wants to go to dinner with @POA1 and Michelle for the wine pairings?  😂

[USN59-79]

59 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

You think?  there aren’t that many books in these new libraries as they have multiple copies of the same ones.  the library on the Prinsendam or even the old Rotterdam was much more extensive and impressive IMO with many comfy chairs to sit and enjoy.  Each to their own 😉.   At least, there is a library where one can possibly find a book.  Shelves were pretty bare by day 3 on our cruise.

Actually, the previous libraries such as the one on the previous Amsterdam were much better.  However, when they went from no libraries to the new libraries, it certainly was an improvement.

Ray

[Huskerchick]

8 hours ago, POA1 said:

We had a light lunch at Royal Dutch Café. Michelle had the ham and cheese sandwiche. I had the veal kroket. We added fries because we wanted a vegetable. The fries come with mayo and a spicy peanut sauce. Michelle's sandwich came with curry ketchup so we had three fry sauces.

 

 

 

Husker Chick chiming in to say that the grilled cheese sandwich was amazing as was the fries which were recommended by the sweet couple who shared a table with us. Now I'm trying to figure out how/where to fit them in again 

[Haljo1935]

41 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

Am I the only one who wants to go to dinner with @POA1 and Michelle for the wine pairings?  😂

No you are not - I'm in that line.🤭

[Skorpora]

8 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

 

I love looking at the art around the ships.  I wish they’d put together some sort of booklet to describe some of the pieces with the artist’s concepts or something.  Would love to know the background on some of them.  Even a scavenger hunt on sea days would be fun!  Or maybe that’s just me.  🤭

They do! You just need to go to guest services and ask.  Usually they will print it all out and deliver it to your cabin.

[POA1]

Just now, *Miss G* said:

Am I the only one who wants to go to dinner with @POA1 and Michelle for the wine pairings?  😂

You're waitlisted for the Rotterdam, but you are definitely high on the list.

Edited December 14, 2023 by POA1

[POA1]

Just now, USN59-79 said:

Actually, the previous libraries such as the one on the previous Amsterdam were much better.  However, when they went from no libraries to the new libraries, it certainly was an improvement.

Ray

Sure... Rain on my parade. 😉

[POA1]

Just now, Copper10-8 said:

Hey Brian; have a great cruise and a Merry Christmas to you and Michelle! Have you tried a "Broodje Kroket" in the Grand Dutch Café yet?

Why yes, yes I have. We had mayo on our fries in a salute to you. Our spring cruise dropped Curaçao and I was worried about my access to Dutch healthy snacks.

 

Merry Christmas to you and Maria!

[BruhnSisters]

The thing that MOST of us need to know is . . . have you noticed any hidden ducks on your voyage so far?  (Quickly “ducking” from other’s responses now . . . 😂. . . though I seriously enjoyed hiding some ducks during the child-filled Koningsdam Thanksgiving week cruise. )

 

PS. Loving your ongoing reporting!

[POA1]

Good evening from one of the ships at sea!

 

Wednesday's Pinnacle Grill dinner started (as the best meals oft times do) with a drink.

 

Michelle had the tableside gin and tonic. Forgive me for not having the menu handy, but it's De Lijn Gin, Fever Tree Tonic, lemon, lime and botaicals I'm not a G&T person, but it was a good cocktail. I can't award a lot of points for the tableside prep, but you pretty much need to sabre some Champagne to impress us.

 

I had the Ship Shape Manhattan. The whiskey is Buffalo Trace. The vermouth is Carpano Antica, and the vermouth is Dolin dry. (There are bound to be some typos, but we've been researching like you would not believe.) Note to self: Riffle on The Manhattan Project and hope no one knows history.

Manhattan front and down stage, right. G&T center stage.

 

We'd happily order both again.

Edited December 14, 2023 by POA1

[oakridger]

So, the tableside prep for Michelle's drink was 1- pour the gin in the glass and 2- pour the tonic into the glass?  Ha ha.... that doesn't compete with a Champagne sabering for sure!!   🙄

 

~Nancy

[POA1]

Just now, BruhnSisters said:

The thing that MOST of us need to know is . . . have you noticed any hidden ducks on your voyage so far?  (Quickly “ducking” from other’s responses now . . . 😂. . . though I seriously enjoyed hiding some ducks during the child-filled Koningsdam Thanksgiving week cruise. )

 

PS. Loving your ongoing reporting!

We have not seen any ducks in person. We have heard the occasional whisper about them in the halls and elevators. It's always, "I would have put it back, but my grandchild will love it."

 

This fools no one. We know that ducks are in your sewing room in Fort Myers.

 

So, the short answer is, "No." Haven't seen them.

 

I know the ducks are there though. Somewhere in the deep underbelly the Pinnacle Class ships lies a rubber duck with a jaunty sailor cap.

[Copper10-8]

2 hours ago, POA1 said:

Why yes, yes I have. We had mayo on our fries in a salute to you. Our spring cruise dropped Curaçao and I was worried about my access to Dutch healthy snacks.

 

Merry Christmas to you and Maria!

 

Thanks! "Frieten met mayonaise" / Fries with mayo! That's how one grows up in Holland and here's proof of same from a summer vacation in Callantsoog, Noord-Holland  ! 😁 Continue to enjoy Nieuw Statie, Brian! Looking forward to continue to read your always entertaining reporting style 👍

[POA1]

For our first course, Michelle had the Caesar Salad. I had the Steak Tartare. Simi sauv blanc for the salad. Charles Smith cab for the beef. I think the white was over the $11 SBP limit, but we're playing with $15. The cab was covered by the SBP.

 

 

 

 

I was not quite sure where to put the bread, so here it is. Sad to report that the lavash is no longer on team bread.

 

[POA1]

Just now, Copper10-8 said:

 

Thanks! "Frieten met mayonaise" / Fries with mayo! That's how one grows up in Holland and here's proof of same from a summer vacation in Callantsoog, Noord-Holland  ! 😁 Continue to enjoy Nieuw Statie, Brian! Looking forward to continue to read your always entertaining reporting style 👍

You, sir, have an organized mind! If someone asked me to provide a childhood photo with snacks, I'd be hard pressed to come up with a memory, let alone a black and white picture, digitized for the web.

 

 

Edited December 14, 2023 by POA1

[POA1]

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

Oh my!! You have brought the best Christmas gift ever - Santa gets a holiday!!

See, this is why we submit official requests to the Institute  🤭

I tried to get a PDF, but printing was faster. This leads me to believe that there's a similar document available for other ships. Hope reigns supreme.

[POA1]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

You think?  there aren’t that many books in these new libraries as they have multiple copies of the same ones.  the library on the Prinsendam or even the old Rotterdam was much more extensive and impressive IMO with many comfy chairs to sit and enjoy.  Each to their own 😉.   At least, there is a library where one can possibly find a book.  Shelves were pretty bare by day 3 on our cruise.

We're on Day 4 any minute now. I'll swing by to see if any books are left. I'll also check for hobo encampments in the stacks. (This is why we read ebooks. Lots of titles. Fast delivery. Easy returns. And a hobo-free reading experience.

[POA1]

Next up, we shared the clothesline candied bacon. It's from Culinary Council member, David Burke. The dish originated at David Burke Tavern in NYC.

 

We paired it with the Trignon Cotes du Rhone. (Covered by the SBP.) The bacon comes with half sour pickles. We asked for extra pickles.

This dish does not photograph well. Tastes great though.

[erewhon]

Thanks to @POA1 and @Cruising-along  for the discovering that HAL continues to have Villa Maria available.

[POA1]

The wine for the main course is Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon. It's $19/glass,so we're paying $4.72 pp. ($4+18%)

 

Michelle had the dry aged Delmonico ($25 supplement.) I had the Filet Mignon with Lobster Dumplings. Michelle ordered a side of asparagus. We both chose medium rare for our beef temperature.

 

Dry aged Delmonico topped with onion rings and asparagus. Extra asparagus with Hollandaise (Americaise?) looks on in the background.

 

Beef tenderloin with lobster dumplings. The lobster Bearnaise is fabulous.

 

A good way to appreciate dry aging is to order a dry aged steak and a regular steak at the same time. Then, try a bite of your spouse's dry aged beef and compare it to your own regular meat. Keep "trying" her steak because you "can't quite tell the difference." (Eventually your dinner date will catch on and express displeasure. Try to deflect by complimenting the way her dress brings out her pretty green eyes. Then, get admonished because, "My dress is black - and don't think that I'm not aware that you are trying to steal my steak.")

 

 

[LouChamp]

Aloha. Thank you for the pictures. Have been blessed to sail HAL for decades and thoroughly enjoy their various dining options. David Burke is well know in the NYC area for his clothes line bacon and we have enjoyed it many times. Many restaurants have copied the idea and refer to it as Neuskes bacon which is a particular brand and most often not on a clothes line but is becoming as popular as shrimp cocktail lol.