Texas Tillie

Is there another than "Group Letter" and "Group 9"? Will admit that I didn't see it when reading it on my phone, but did on my laptop. Patty

Re: spoons at Scoops, I think I remember a combo of plastic spoons and real, metal spoons in July. I understand plastic is a no, no but I will agree that wooden is unacceptable. I think the serving area in the Bistro is fixed to the floor/wall and the way they have it roped off when in the US and Canada is all they can do. Wish they could have figured out a hand washing station when remodeling but understand it wasn't possible. As an aside, I have observed exactly zero people using the hand washing stations in Marketplace. I'm sure people use it, I just haven't observed it. Patty

Interesting obervation, lamb curry is on the menu for Symphony tonight and was on the Serenity menu last night, but the descriptions were totally different between the two. Thinking there are recipes that the chefs follow and others where they do their own thing. Just something to remember for those who switch between the ships. Patty

It never occured to me that the butler would share their tip with the suite attendand on any cruise line. Yes, I know waiters share with others - host, busboy, even the kitchen, but it never on a cruiseship..

Oh, my, now I have 2 "pretend" orders to decide for each evening! Patty

I get what you are saying about politness of the Icelanders, but I'm not sure your comparison holds water. Let's not forget that the entire island of Iceland has maybe 1/5 the population of just Manhattan island.😮😁😏 Patty

If we are not through hijacking this thread, we can always segue to liver!! Liver, yes; cilantro, yes; beets, no!! Patty

As long as Rob doesn't mind the hijacking to continue a little longer, it's corriander if it's the seed and cilantro if it's the leaves, so, do people with issues dislike something seasoned with the ground seed as much as things with the leaves? Patty

Don't know about beets (YUCK!!), but they have found the anti-cilantro gene and 23 and Me always includes that info on their reports!! Patty P.S. Another interesting US vs British language difference, just beets vs beetroot

I haven't looked (no cheating on trivia!!), but I thought I knew that the Domino's founder was from Detroit. Patty

Aquamarine and above. If you are in oceanview single, oceanview double or double with veranda, go down to the Bistro and fill up a plate with all the goodies there and take the plate back to your cabin.😁 Patty

Yes, the ship docks at Ijmuidem, but I would imagine most guests will go into Amsterdam. That's no farther away than many ports to city centers.

I thought the "rules" were to not have your balcony door open when you are in the cabin!

But not everyone finds the violinist to be "screeching". All I can say is, if you do, there are other bars on the ship where you can get a drink at the time the violinist is preforming in the Cove. Patty

I have been on cruises where it has been done. That being said, none of us know if it will be possible in Rio on that specific cruise. You'll need to have your travel agent check with Crystal about your specific circumstance.

Didn't they used to tape it last thing in the evening before? Maybe it's now live at 8 am? Other than Keith and a few others, 8 AM isn't "that late" to most Crystal cruisers.😮😉😏 Patty P.S. Keith and I were posting at the same time.

They have Fox News and MSNBC on the TV (no CNN these days). If those are simulcasting, you can watch there. You might be the only person who hasn't figured out where they stand on that issue and can take one more minute of it before Nov. 5!!

I was on deck 7, so everyone was "steerage"! It is probably different than the balcony cabins on the other decks mixed in with the suites. I had one butler (junior or not, but not all that great) and one attendant (still dressed like the stewardesses of old). As I said, the one big difference is no afternoon canapes, although on my January cruise one day a small bowl of potato chips was left, unsolicited. Patty

Not Vince, but having been in an Aquamarine and 2 ocean views on 7 since the relaunch, I can speak to the difference. I believe they are called junior butlers in the nonsuites. Afternoon canapes aren't served in the nonsuites. I never asked either the regular butler or the junior butlers for anything but I "felt" that the junior butlers weren't anywhere as experienced. With the junior butlers I kept running into one and he kept asking if there was anything I needed. The other one was MIA most of the cruise, but I never went out of my way looking for him. Patty

The pianist is still in the Cove. Look at the Reflections that Rob is posting for each day and you will see what entertainment is where at what times. Patty

When I was on in July for two 7 day Alaska cruises there seems to have been various entertainers at various locations at various times. I was often in the Cove from around 6 to 7 and remember having different entertainers from day to day. Seems like I remember the same from last January, but I wouldn't put much faith in my memory from that long ago!! Patty

My zip lock bag was in a drawer and I would dump the truffles in the bag as soon as I returned to the cabin in the evening and close the drawer. Out of sight, out of mind!! 😉 Patty

As to the chocolate truffles, I was on for 14 nights, so 42 truffles. I probably ate about 6 over the course of the cruise. The rest went into a zip lock bag I brought home and put in the fridge. Just today (39 days after returning home), I threw the empty zip lock in the trash! A very nice way to remember Crystal. 😁 Patty

No, I wish. Think he was on for 3 segments only Patty

The menu didn't say "fresh", so the fish had to have come out of the freezer. If there's still some in the freezer, you can ask for a special order, even if its not on the menu for the cruise. Patty