The Fleet Report and Daily for Sunday August 4th, 2024

[richwmn]

 

Today is International Clouded Leopard Day, National Chocolate Chip Day, and National White Wine Day
 

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new -- Dan Millman

Meal Suggestion for today - Grilled Steak Kebabs with Spinach Blue Cheese Salad
Drink of the Day - Moscow Mule
Wine of the Day - Petrolo Galatrona 2021 (750ML)
Destination of the Day - Naples (Pompeii/Amalfi), Italy

Today in History:
1944 Anne Frank arrested in Amsterdam by German Security Police (Grüne Polizei) following a tip-off from an informer who was never identified

Ship Locations
 

Eurodam

At Sea Destination Juneau, Alaska eta 08-05
 

Koningsdam

At Sea Destination Tracy Arm/Endicott Arm, Alaska eta 08-05
 

Nieuw Amsterdam

Whittier, Alaska 01:00 - 19:30
 

Nieuw Statendam

At Sea Destination Eidfjord, Norway eta 08-05
 

Noordam

Vancouver, Canada 0700-1600
 

Oosterdam

Kotor, Montenegro 07:00 - 16:00
 

Rotterdam

At Sea Destination Edinburgh, Scotland eta 08-05
 

Volendam

At Sea Destination Isafjordur, Westfjords Iceland eta 08-05
 

Westerdam

Seattle, Washington 0700-1500
 

Zaandam

Glacier Bay, Alaska 07:00 - 16:00
 

Zuiderdam

Oslo, Norway 10:00 - 18:00
 

 

 

[portofrome]

Thank you for the Fleet Report.

[grapau27]

Some thoughts on Jesus the True Bread from Heaven. There won't be a video for a few weeks. Normal service will resume on 25th August. Hope you're enjoying the summer! God bless, David 😀 

 

https://youtu.be/xf5Gk0M97P0?si=yVkBZcGdZR8Apcys

[JazzyV]

Today’s Care List:

Marshhawk’s DH Chuck battling cancer, weight loss

Marshhawk as caretaker for DH Chuck with physical & mental decline

Marshhawk with hip “snap” and leg pain/numbness

Vict0riann’s DH Pat with shortness of breath, heart valve issues

Mamaofami with exhaustion after recent Covid infection

 

Heat, Fires, flooding and Storms across the US

Citizens of Ukraine, Israel and Gaza, hostages still held

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

 

From the Rotation:

Tana with chronic pulmonary issues, weakness, poor appetite

Lady Hudson’s friend post stroke, back in hospital with breathing issues, UTI

Vict0riann post breast cancer surgery, treatment plan being formulated

 

Celebrations and Shoutouts:

Bon Voyage MISTER 67!

Dfish post nerve ablation; able to walk longer, still some pain

RMLincoln’s DH post glaucoma surgery, stable eye pressures at appt

 

The Daily Gardening Club posting wonderful flower pictures

All the contributors to the Fleet Report/Daily

 

Upcoming Cruises or At Sea:

 

6 days for Luvteaching (Discovery Princess Aug 10 to Aug 17) 7d Alaska Inside passage w/Glacier Bay National Park

 

MISTER 67 (MSC Seashore to Aug 11) 7d W. Caribbean, ski ww (Rotterdam to Aug 17) 14 Night Britain, Scotland & Ireland, Horizon Chaser 1957 (Volendam to Aug 20) 24d Canada, NE, Iceland, Cunnorl (Zuiderdam to Aug 24) 35d Voyage of the Vikings, St Pete Cruiser (Zuiderdam to Aug 24) 35d Voyage of the Vikings and Norseh2o (Oceania Marina to Aug 29) 44d Epic Northern Adventure London to London, celebrating 50th anniversary

[grapau27]

Good morning.

It is 62°F and cloudy here at 11.34am.

Thank you for today's interesting days and quote.

Nice food today.

We have been to Naples several times on cruise ships.

Sad day in history when Ann Frank was betrayed.

Prayers 🙏 offered for all who believe they will help.

Father David is on holiday for the next 2 weeks.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day.

 

[StLouisCruisers]

 

Good morning friends!  It’s 71F and will rise to 90 with mostly sunny skies.  Thanks Rich @richwmn for the Fleet Report and Daily as well as the location maps.

 

Today I think I’ll enjoy chocolate chips and white wine.  I don’t have much to do with clouded leopards but I wish them long lives and safety in our world.  Today’s quote is appropriate.  The meal suggestion sounds pretty good but I wouldn’t enjoy the drink and I’m not sure about the wine.  It was a tragic day for Anne Frank in 1944.  Thanks Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope and Ann @cat shepard for your F&B reports!

 

Prayers today for my DB, twin sister, the people of Israel and Ukraine, the hostages still held, and the troops in harm's way.  Many prayers for my friends here on the Daily in need of them, especially Tana and Chuck/Annie @marshhawk.  Praying for better health and improvement in everyone's conditions and mental health.  🙏  Three cheers for our cruisers and those having special events!  Today is my DGD's wedding shower in Ohio and I unfortunately cannot attend.  I know they will have a beautiful day!  🥂  Thanks Vanessa @JazzyV for keeping up with us all!

 

The port this morning is Naples (Pompeii/Amalfi), Italy.  We’ve had this port before on Feb. 23, 2022 and Nov. 28, 2023.  Naples is a popular port because there is so much to do there.  I’ve counted 7 visits there in our past.  We've seen everything from Pompeii, Herculaneum, the Amalfi coast, Positano, Sorrento, Capri, Cinque Terre, Portofino, etc.  Here are the links. 

 

 

 

Have a very good Sunday, and try to stay safe and keep well.

[summer slope]

Moscow Mule cocktail:

 

A Moscow mule is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. It is a type of buck; therefore, sometimes called a vodka buck. The Moscow mule is popularly served in a copper mug, which takes on the cold temperature of the liquid. Wikipedia

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Vodka,
1/6 oz Lime juice,
4 oz Ginger beer

Preparation: Combine vodka and ginger beer in a copper mug or highball glass filled with ice. Add lime juice. Stir gently and garnish with a lime slice.

 

[StLouisCruisers]

 

Today the port is Naples, Italy.  That is a great stopping point to head to so many interesting places on the Italian coast.  Below is my report on one of our stops in Naples when we headed via a ferry to nearby Capri.

 

In October 2013 we took a maiden transatlantic cruise on the lovely Royal Princess.  We flew to Venice and stayed a night in an old monastery before we boarded the recently launched ship.  A few days later we arrived in Naples where we decided to take a tour of Capri.  We were led out to the marina to board a hydrofoil.  That was a very rough ride to the island of Capri!  I’m so glad I took my meclizine well in advance just in case!  One woman was so sick I offered her some meclizine for her ride back to Naples later on.  It was already too late for the ride over.  Here’s the vessel in question.

 

 

A slightly blurry photo in Capri of the mountain top site we would visit later - Anacapri

 

First we were led around the shopping area near the marina area.  It’s called Capri Town.

 

Then they took us by minibus up to Anacapri.  There they showed us the shops including a place that sold very expensive inlaid marquetry tables.  Not buying!

 

 

 

 

Then we went to see the beautiful Villa San Michele.  From up there you could see views of Naples, Capri Town, Sorrento and even Mt. Vesuvius.

 

 

 

 

 

After wandering through the gardens and given some shopping time, we walked to our lunch restaurant.

 

 

 

Finally!  Lunch was at the Hotel Laresidenza

 

 

The patio overlooking the beautiful scenery around Capri

 

After our lunch inside, we were free to wander around the Gardens of Augustus for some amazing views of the cliffs, seas and gardens

 

 

 

 

 

The famous viewpoint showing the rock formations named Faraglioni

 

Time to head back to Naples

 

In 2014 we did a Holy Land cruise on the Prinsendam.  I had set up a private tour of the Amalfi coast so we set out with our driver and had a wonderful day there.  Our driver actually took our picture for us and did a fine job.  I keep a copy of this photo which is in a frame and sitting in our family room.

 

I'm either standing in a hole or DH is standing on a rock - he is only 1 inch taller than me!😄

 

[kazu]

thanks for our Sunday Daily, Rich and thanks to the F & B team.

 

What a great collection of days!  I know many will celebrate chocolate chip  day.  Me?  I’ll celebrate the clouded Leopard and White Wine.  That quote is so true.  At least, it is in my case.  

 

 

Naples is a great port with so many wonderful things to see and visit.  We have been fortunate to be to Pompeii and Herculaneum among others .  i actually prefer Herculaneum over Pompeii as magnificent as Pompeii is. Anne Frank’s capture is a truly sad day in history.

 

 

Another severe heat warning day here.  There were supposed to be T-storms yesterday but we got nothing.  I hope we get some today to break the humidity (and to save watering). Bid adieu to my beloved antiques last night.  Like @Vict0riann I did take pics of most of them. I am worn and weary this morning.  Not sure if it is emotional or physical.  Too many precious things leaving, I guess.

 

 

Prayers for those on the Care list, those suffering losses, grief, pain, health problems , worries and those that need them 🙏. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising 🥂 

 

[Crazy For Cats]

Good Morning, thanks for today’s report.  It’s going to be another hot and humid day today. Rain is in the forecast for this afternoon, hopefully we get it.  I’ll pass on the meal suggestion, instead I’m making a pork roast.  I hope everyone has a good day today.

 

Some memories from three years ago today.

 

[LambKnuckles]

Thank you!!  The Daily and reports are wonderful!!  You do such a great job!!

 

The celebrations of the day -- perfect!

The meal: I'm not so much a blue cheese fan...  but it still sounds yummy!!

Moscow Mules were favorites in our house, growing up!!  Of course, we'd only get the Ginger Beer, a splash of lime, some simple syrup, and mint leaves in ours...

I'll sip the wine and WISH I was in Napoli...

 

Hugs to each of you -- GOOD MORNING!!

[cat shepard]

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Rich! Super cloudy this morning. Bindi wanted to know what we were doing out in the dark! The storm track has shifted again to the West, so if it doesn’t change again I might just get a couple of inches of rain. Hope all our West Coast (of Florida) Dailyites are safe. 
 

Vanessa, thank you for posting our lists every day & keeping up with all of us. A never ending task!

 

Gym, Aldi, Bindi walks, chores - especially outside ones - before the rain arrives. Fairly certain there won’t be any pool time today. 

 

 

 

 

 

Prayers for all who need our support. Tana, praying that you have a good day, and Terry has a boring one. 
 

Chuck, praying that you & Annie both have boring days - at least medically boring ones. 
 

Cheers to all who are celebrating!

 

May we each find a reason to smile today. 
 

*************

Petrolo Galatrona 2021 (750ML)

This Tuscan Italian red blend sounds amazing. I would love a taste even if a bottle is outside of my price range. Widely available. Online prices start at $89.98.

Winemaker Notes

Intense elegant wine with great structure and complexity, lovely balance between acidity, fruit and tannins. A great wine, beyond the grape varietal it is made from, must be expression of the piece of land it came from. Beyond being essentially good, it has to be a classic in its own way.

• 98James Suckling
  The aromas here are very distinct with dried flowers such as lavender and violets. Some sage as well. Black berries and black olive skin. Full-bodied yet linear and energetic with very fine tannins and fantastic length. Fresh and lively in the finish. Merlot. Best after 2026.
• 97Decanter
  Vivid purple in the glass, gorgeous black cherry and blackcurrant aromas with touches of florality - this 100% Merlot smells wonderfully scented and inviting. Smooth, ample, really quite seductive on the palate, sensual almost in the silky but gripping tannins, beautifully ripe blackcurrant and cherry fruit and crunchy, crisp acidity that is not too sharp or too obvious but lifts the palate and gives a thrill and wonderful freshness to the overall expression. Beautifully presented, harmonious, balanced and totally enjoyable from the first to last sip. A gorgeous wine, intense yet energetic, full of flavour and textural nuance. Totally unputdownable, although with lots of potential for improvement over ageing. The wine spent 18 months in French oak tonneaux and barriques, 30% new. 3.56pH.
• 97Wine Enthusiast

  The nose showcases a vast world of savory aromas, from sanguine to metallic to woody to earthy, with cranberries, currants and dark berries providing sweet contrast. A lively palate runs with the warmth of earth and just-ripened fruit, alongside austere tannin's that promise age worthiness. An absolutely acrobatic feat in Merlot.

• 97Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

  The 2021 Val d'Arno di Sopra Galatrona shows extremely focused aromas, but very generous ones all the while, with soft mint, cherry and stracciatella over a full-bodied texture with soft layers of spice and cedarwood. The wine boasts an elegantly chalky quality to the tannins, but the mouthfeel is so generous, everything irons out beautifully over the palate. Rating: 97+

• 96Wine Spectator

  Though seamless and lusciously saturated with black currant, blackberry, violet, iron, tobacco and spice aromas and flavors, this red is also solidly built, with polished tannins. Nevertheless, this is more about finesse and elegance than power, with a vibrant profile and superlong finish.

[rafinmd]

Thank you Rich, Vanessa, Debbie, Ann, Dixie and Graham/Father David for the FR&D    I’ll pass on the wine but celebrate the other 2 days..    Special prayers for Carol  Terri, Katherine’s friend, Sandi’s brother, Scottie,  Chuck, Annie and Tana with  Annie and Chuck at the top of the list. That hip sounds really scary but I hope the correct meds may help Chuck both mentally and physically.

A great quote by Milliman.

I visited Naples twice, 2010 on Crystal Serenity and 2015 on Allure of the Seas..

A very sad and shameful day in history

                        
The steak sounds nice, not so much the salad...  My alternative is Classic Caesar Salad, Oven Roasted Chicken, and Baked Alaska as served on MS Westerdam August 4 2018..

 

AV duty at church this morning.
..

Roy

[1ANGELCAT]

Good cloudy and humid morning. Rain is expected later today.

Happy 234 th birthday to the US Coast Guard. They are a very important part of the community in Cape May. It is the home of the only basic training center in the country.

Blessings and prayers for all on our journey.

[rafinmd]

t's a sunset today from my 2018 Grand Alaska/Panama trip.  On August 4 MS Westerdam was sailing the Inside Passage from Ketchikan to Vancouver:

 

 

Roy

[puppycanducruise]

Good morning.  Thanks for the Report.

Another hot humid day in the forecast.  It was a pleasant 16C (61F) when I took Bertie for his first walk.  I notice the days are getting shorter but the morning temperature is nice.

Three interesting days to celebrate.  I wish the leopards a long peaceful life away from people, chocolate chips are wonderful in cookies, everyday is White Wine Day in my world.

I like the quote.

Yes to the meal, no to the drink and yes to the wine, if someone else will pay for it.

Naples is a wonderful place to visit.

A sad day in history.

Prayers for so many.   Cheers for all the celebrations.

Have a peaceful day.   Stay cool.

[ottahand7]

Bon Voyage @MISTER 67!  🍾🛳️

[ottahand7]

Good morning and thanks for the daily and maps @richwmn.  Clouded leopards are beautiful.  I will celebrate white wine day another day, I have a bottle of red open to finish tonight with ribs.  Chocolate chips made making holiday sweets easier.  A sad day in history.  A great quote.  Thanks for the lovely photos of the Naples environs Sandi.  I had grilled steak for dinner last night with Romaine salad.  I would like my Mule with good bourbon.  What a lovely sounding wine, Merlot a favorite grape for me.   Thanks @summer slope, @cat shepardand @dfish  for researching these for us each day.  

 

Thanks for the Cares and Celebrations reports @JazzyV.  Prayers for Chuck and Annie, I hope and pray both of you are doing better today. Hug those kitties.  Terry it sounds like you have some help this weekend, I pray Tana is doing better.  Prayers for everyone who are healing, ailing or grieving.  Prayers for all in war zones through no fault of their own.  Congratulations to the Ukraine Ladies fencing team who won gold, their national anthem ceremony was uplifting.  

 

I am going to wash the logs on the north side of the cabin and try to weed.  So many weeds thrived in the heat we had last week when it was too hot for that kind of work.  Lots to get caught up on after lazing around in the heat and humidity.  Have a lovely Sunday!  Nancy 

Edited August 4 by ottahand7

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

@MISTER 67  Have a wonderful time on your cruise.

 

 

Lenda

[Sir PMP]

Napoli, Italia:

 

 

[smitty34877]

Good morning. The humidity is a little less and it makes a huge difference. We will have a cloudy day with thunderstorms again tonight. The rain last night was sideways for a while,always interesting. 
I have not been to Naples, like the quote, love the meal and long ago I loved white wine. 
@MISTER 67, Bon Voyage!

@StLouisCruisers, Sandi, I love that picture of you and Dennis as well as all of the great photos that you generously share with us. Thank you.

 

DD stayed with her sister last night but I ended getting up twice anyway. Both dogs came to get me! It was an issue easily solved and I was able to get back to sleep both times. Why is it that things seem worse late at night?

We are planning make your own pizza night here and probably should have our heads examined for putting on the oven. It was the most requested choice so I tried to get in the spirit of things by purchasing pizza dough from our local shop. I also have two cauliflower crusts for those who want that. It should be fun.

@cat shepard, Ann, thank you for wishing for boring days! I love the bulldog meme and showed it to our Fred who has put on a few extra pounds.

Be careful, the storm sounds nasty.

@Quartzsite Cruiser, Lenda, I enjoy your photos and memes daily as well. Traveling vicariously  now and it is much appreciated.

 

[puppycanducruise]

@MISTER 67  Bon Voyage!

[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!

 

Happy 234th Anniversary to the United States Coast Guard!

 

 

 

Have a Great Weekend!

 

Stay Safe, and prayers for those in need.

 

- Jack

[dfish]

Good morning, everyone!

 

It is going to be hot again today here in mid-Michigan but we are supposed to get some relief tomorrow when things cool down.  It will be nice to be able to turn off the AC and open windows. I love fresh air in the house.  

 

We have no plans for today at all.  Just a laid back day. We may drive out to check out our neighbor's green house.  Sue is trading him an old table for some flowers.  

 

Today's meal sounds good to me.  If you don't like the blue cheese, leave it out.  If you prefer another green to spinach, substitute.  I like the sounds of the orange vinaigrette.  It is different from the usual.  Steak Kebabs with Spinach Salad

 

 

The steak kebabs and blue cheese spinach salad was a unique recipe and I didn't find any variations of that exact meal, but I do have some steak salad recipes that come close.  I think I would hang on to the orange vinaigrette from the first recipe and use it on this one.   Grilled Steak Salad with Blue Cheese and Pomegranate

 

 

The first two are a take off of what's known as a black and blue salad.  Here is a recipe for that with homemade blue cheese dressing.  Mmmmm   Black and Blue Grilled Steak Salad

 

 

I hope today finds all of you in a better place than yesterday.  Wishing you all a wonderful day.

 

PS:  No new mice caught.  

[jodi58]

Thanks for the Daily and thanks for the Naples pics, brings back so many wonderful memories!
 

Wishing the best to all those going through difficult times.

 

I will have no problem celebrating white wine.🙂

 

We are excitedly waiting for the arrival of our grandson this September, so I have to get back to finishing his blanket.  Number 4 grandchild ,so my crochet skills have greatly improved since baby #1.

 

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!