Reef Knot

Looking at the Carnival website it states that OBC benefits are applicable for sailings through 31/07/2023

and that reservations must be made by 28/02/2023.

Is this OBC benefit something that is reviewed/renewed every August or is it going to disappear end of July?

Excellent,  thanks for that

Jumping on this thread, I will be taking my first Seabourn cruise next January.

Can the shareholder OBC be combined with a first time referral coupon? 

I'm not a facebook user by choice but realise that having an account is pretty much essential to access many sites. So like me and many others I'm sure, just create new email address and a facebook account with your pets name or whatever rocks you boat. Adjust the privacy settings to the max and you are good to go. If and when you think it's getting too intrusive just delete the account.

And voyageur the clue is in the title Cruise "Critic"

This is a real shame for those on the Amazon sector. I cancelled our Manaus to FLL at the end of November  for a full refund as I was never entirely  confident of the ever changing travel rules. I hope to book this cruise sometime in the future when PCR tests,  passenger locator forms, self isolation, mask wearing  etc are a thing of the past. Although regretfully  I really don't see that happening  anytime soon.  

It's going that way

This is so bad but I still laugh

19 minutes ago, TrulyBlonde said:

👀...

Love that emoji

I haven't been around recently but I saw this and thought that belongs in the cooler.

4 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

Lovely!

 

Early this morning at around 03:30’ish whilst Tony Soprano was leaving hospital, I had the nagging idea of adding some dried fried onion to a sweetened golden dough mix and so off I went with Tony on pause and it progressed well overnight.   It seemed to me that the water would rehydrate the onions. 

 

I added some sesame and poppy seeds and I’ve just taken it out of the oven to cool and will be tasting it later with some President butter and gruyere.  It smells extremely good. 

Hi Jeff, 

I think it was a couple of years ago that I bought the gear and tried your recipee. I had big problems working the wet dough (I think you recommended a 70% ratio). Also I don't think the local flour was great ( only 10 for the protein number).

But nonetheless  I persevered and now regularly  make baguettes and loaves all be it to a 63% water dough ratio.

By the way, that little blue plastic scraper has to be the best 80p spent.

Thanks for your advise and encouragement at the time.

7 hours ago, Fletcher said:

I had some fun yesterday.  A week ago I learned that the most famous steam locomotive ever built in the UK, the Flying Scotsman, was being hosted by a nearby heritage line, the Mid Norfolk Railway.  It was doing runs for paying train buffs but yesterday it was leaving the area and heading for a town called Carnforth in Lancashire, about 250 miles away, and famous for its steam heritage as well as being the location for David Lean and Noel Coward's classic 1945 movie Brief Encounter.  Anyway, I got up early and  took this snap of the train as it thundered past -

 

Awesome  photo

The Gin craze eventually found its way to Madagascar which kind of made sense owing to the island's unique flora.

The gin itself was okay but it's not going to win any awards.

13 hours ago, Will Work for Tiramisu said:

Ah, gin!  Proof that God wants us to be happy, doesn't she!  While the alcohol has its role, for me it is the botanicals that are of most interest.  I was thrilled to try my first bottle of Hendrix - yum!  Increasingly I find I'm more drawn to the botanicals than the alcohol. If you crack open that door, there is a world of flavors behind it.  Near the top of my list is Fernet Branca, an Italian concoction that some detractors say tastes like creosote & black strap molasses.  (OK, I made that up.)  But if you enjoy savoring complex flavors, it really grows on you.  We recently bought some Cynar, an obscure liquor made from artichokes; I'd take a glug of that before I strapped on the snowshoes, any day!  

There are non alcoholic gins on the market and believe me you really need the alcohol!

Wow, Cynar, my mother in law's favourite  appero. 

5 hours ago, mysty said:

Our favourite restaurant created a video to celebrate our Thanksgiving Day tomorrow.  I'm hoping the link I provide will work for viewers.

 

https://fb.watch/8yH62_Gi_4/

 

The Black Tartan Kitchen is truly a magical place!

Mysty,

The restaurant world today seems to be dominated by the chain restaurants the celebrity restaurants  or the
pretentiously overpriced *** restaurants 
So it's always refreshing to find an independent such as the Black Tarten Kitchen offering something different and imaginative. We need more of these places in our towns .

15 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Happy Saturday all. We cooked duck breast with raspberry sauce for dinner.

 

 

Served with Domaine Serene Pinot Noir. 

 

Now off to the wine cellar/ dance floor to burn a few calories. A different bottle may get opened. One never knows...

 

Glad all is well QSS.

Yum, love duck with raspberry  sauce

19 hours ago, QueSeraSera said:

Does anyone remember a drink called the Singapore Sling?  As I recall, I thought they were delicious.  I asked DW but she said all she remembers from her college days waitress job is that its a woman's drink...  I'm thinking what I do in the privacy of my own home is up to me 🙂

I seem to remember  that it was originally  invented as a drink for women.  Back in the day in the tropics it was frowned upon to see women  drink alcohol  so the barman at the Raffles Hotel played around with a gin sling by adding cherry brandy and grenadine to give it a look of an innocent fruit cocktail and thus the wives and girlfriends could enjoy a guilt free tipple. 

Of course I could be wrong but it makes for a good story.

10 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

Youngsters don't do any of this stuff so how can they possibly be happy.

Jeff, our youngest son ( mid 20's) makes a fantastic sourdough bread on a regular basis and he does make a mean beef and vegetable broth. 

Admittedly there are a lot meal deliveries  in between.

45 minutes ago, lincslady said:

 

Sadly not, as most of us prefer to not be too specific; I find people's attitude to you can change if you seem younger than you actually are, and not for the better!  So I suggest that we keep it  vague.

 

Just got back from a lovely 'gastropub' lunch - we just had two starters each, me whitebait, which I haven't seen on a menu for years, I guess it is old fashioned, but was lovely, and then chicken breast strips in very light batter with sweet chilli sauce.  In other words, not gourmet, but very tasty.  Oh, and a very large glass of NZ sauvignon blanc, nicely chilled.   We will be going again; hadn't tried it before.

 

Lola

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love the pub measures of wine. 

Small: 125ml

Medium: 175ml

Large: 250ml  ......hic

3 glasses of wine in a pub and that's a bottle down

 Cheers.

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

You would think so, but remember what they say about assuming.........

True

Well the March 2nd Dawn/Moon voyage has disappeared completely .

In fact no Moon or Dawn sailings showing for Soth America during March.

Assuming Silversea are getting their ducks in a row before updating the website?

11 hours ago, QueSeraSera said:

Has anyone ever visited the Isle of Wight?  Is it a good destination?

I went to boarding school on the IOW admittedly a long time ago. As an 11 year old first time away from parents it felt like being on Alcatraz . 

However I spent 7 pretty good years on the island and have been back since. It's certainly worth  visit. Beautiful beaches, castles, summer home of Queen Victoria (Osborne House) roman ruins and more.

I think the tourism  slogan in my time was come to the Isle of Wight , needles you can't thread, Ryde where you walk, Cowes you can't milk, Freshwater you can't drink and Lake where there is no water. 

I seem to remember that per mile it's one if the most expensive ferry crossings in the UK.

But don't let that put you off. Definitely   worth a week over there.

5 hours ago, lincslady said:

I now have a pair of bright pink trousers, so am not giving up completely, Julie.

 

I have various recipes for cc too, but all include mayo, plain yogurt or sour cream, mango chutney, apricot puree or jam, toasted almonds, sultanas and curry paste or powder.  I always cook some chicken fillets and/or thighs, and cut into pieces when cold, though cold home cooked roast chicken is fine.  It is not exactly haute cuisine, but good for a quick lunch, and guests always seem to enjoy it, with perhaps a rice salad, romaine and warm baguette.  Hope you enjoy it if you try it,  Truly Blonde.

 

Family just left,  think I need a rest, 

 

Lola

 

 

Lola, like your new avatar 👌 

1 minute ago, bitob said:

I think the letter from Silversea to my TA likely went out to ALL TAs.  Public information at this point.

Yup, I have been informed  today that my Amazon cruise will now be on the Moon and not Silver Dawn. Same itinerary, same suite just a different ship.

Ah now I understand

12 hours ago, QueSeraSera said:

Can real men wear kilts?

 

A musical answer from Glasgow,

 

 

I once tried that song at a karaoke  evening thinking it should be one of the easier  ones. Unfortunately I absolutely  murdered it . Not as easy as I thought!