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@ArchipelagoI highly recommend the Oosterdam to Antarctica. Several of us did live threads this year; I suggest you read them all (and enjoy the pictures)! The elite beverage package allows you a glass of wine (or other beverage)up to $15, not bottles. Here is some added information kindly provided by @Crew News Beverage Menus

They have gluten-free buns at the DiveIn. You may find this thread helpful.

On the 22 day Oosterdam cruise in February we had cooking classes on 4 sea days. We had a morning and afternoon lecture every sea day. On a 7 day Nieuw Statendam cruise there were water color and brush stroke lettering classes, also line dancing instruction. I enjoy meeting new people and the relaxing pace of sea days and hope that you will too.

Interesting comment. My 3 verandah cabins on the Oosterdam were larger than the my 2 on the Rotterdam and 1 on the Nieuw Statendam. Perhaps it has something to do with the location on the ship. I prefer the walk in showers on the Rotterdam and NS but those bathrooms seem even smaller than the Oosterdam’s. I agree that the staff is overworked but my experience has been that they want to please you. If something isn’t right, you need to let them know so they can correct it. I know you shouldn’t have to do this but you should get want you want and be served in a timely fashion. If you don’t see your server, flag another server or the manager. i use the “let us know” feature on the Navigator app daily. I praise at least one person who made my day special but I also immediately point out experiences that do not meet my expectations. I have been thanked by the people I praised and have received follow up phone calls when I pointed out problems. Thank you for your opinions @rcs931. I hope you enjoy the remainder of the cruise.

Happy Saturday! I like today’s quote, “I do not regret one moment of my life.” A bit of information about the woman who said it…Lillie Langtry was a highly successful British actress, a renowned beauty, and socialite of the late 19th century. She was notorious for her long list of prominent suitors. She was the mistress of the Prince of Wales, future King of England, Edward VII. Envied, respected, adored, and lampooned, her fame spanned over half a century. A controversial figure who challenged Victorian society’s attitudes to women, Lillie Langtry was years ahead of her time. Positive thoughts to those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

Deck 8 aft cabins are my favorite because of the quick access to the Seaview pool and the Lido. They set the chairs up in the morning, usually after I am awake and take them down in the evening, usually when I am at dinner. That is the only time I have heard any noise. I have never smelled smoke; you are on the port side, smoking is on the starboard side. Enjoy your cruise!

On this International Day for Street Children, we must remember members of our community who are less fortunate. As a teacher, I had several homeless students every year. Luckily, my school provided resources for these students, things we take for granted like the ability to shower and launder their clothes in addition to food and other services. For many, school was their safest space.

Our wonderful Captain Kevin Beirnaerton on the Oosterdam in February explained his plan for our passage through Drake passage to Antarctica. He changed his original route but we still experienced 24 foot seas and all the outside decks were closed. When we returned to SA 5 days later, the seas were like glass. BTW, our cabin was 3 from the aft on deck 8. True aft cabins are always my preference but they were sold out when we booked.

I was in a Signature Suite under the Lido on the Oosterdam. I could hear the carts rolling to set up the stations in the morning but it didn’t really bother me.

The old DARE was basically a “just say no” program created by the LAPD in 1983. It was found to be ineffective and phrased out of schools in about 2009. There is a new “DARE” program, created by substance abuse and prevention specialists called “keepin’ it REAL” which stands for Refuse. Explain. Avoid. Leave. The program is intended to improve decision-making and communication skills through peer interaction and role-playing scenarios. It also addresses coping skills, assessing risk, support networks, and emotional and mental health topics. The curriculum involves 10 45-minute lessons that consist of five situational videos and short, eight-minute lectures. The rest of the time is dedicated to experiential and role-playing activities among small groups of students.

We always asked to be seated in the same section with the same waiter in CO. We were on the NS for 14 nights in March, twice we waited less than 30 minutes for our dinner table. I felt like they held our 8:30 breakfast table every morning. The advantage of sitting with the same waiter is they know our “special requests”. My special requests (no bread, extra vegetables, hot food) were established. When I sat down at breakfast, fresh squeezed OJ and a mimosa magically appeared. Of course the “bubble of awesome” appears around people who respect the hard work of the staff on HAL.

The ship uses UHT (aseptic/shelf stable/ long life) milk and cream which tastes very different than the pasteurized (HTST) milk and cream we are used to in the United States. I have watched them refill the creamer in the Lido with UHT cream.

Thank you @Ready2go11 for this thread. We were on the Oosterdam for 22 days in February and it is our favorite ship. Keep your eye out for cooking demonstrations in The Rolling Stones lounge. The German executive chef on our cruise was very entertaining. Are you participating in the M & G? If so, could you provide details. Ours was held in the Crows Nest which was not a good venue for 110 people. I was surprised by how good the “surf” internet package was in Antarctica. I hope it is just as good for you as you cross the Atlantic!

As I former English teacher too, I did a bit of research on the use of healthy and healthful. I found this brief video interesting.

Happy Sunday! Although when I wake up I read the local newspaper online, we receive a daily snail paper because I do the crossword puzzles and my DH does the jumble and other word puzzles. Not sure how I feel about beavers. They’ve caused several environmental problems on my area. However, did you know it was Beer day too. Bota Box is our go to cardboardeux although we prefer the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. Their name was inspired from the traditional Spanish wine skins known as “botas” which were used to carry wine for centuries for thirsty travelers. Positive thoughts to those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

Cab will be cheaper and quicker.

We had early dining (which was at 5:30) table for 2 in February on the Oosterdam. We arrived at 5:45 every day. Our waiter was extremely grateful that we arrived after the initial rush. Service was great and the meal usually took an hour to an hour and 15 minutes.

I have not taken a HAL transfer but a cab from Port Everglades to FLL was $20 in March. Ubers are usually less expensive, $15 from FLL to the port in March. I usually Uber to the port to embark and cab to the airport when I disembark.

Happy Saturday! A few words about Sorry Charlie Day, this day allows us to pause and reflect on the rejections we’ve faced throughout our lives. Today, we can celebrate our own perseverance or learn from the experiences of others in bouncing back from rejection. My niece is visiting from FL so I’m making her a special dinner tonight. We’ll start with cheese fondue. I’m sure some of you have fondue pots that haven’t been out of the cupboard for quite some time. It’s a great appetizer when you want to sit around the table and catch up. Our main course will be crabcakes made with MD blue crab meat served with MD sweet corn, I froze both last summer. I hoard things during the winter but it is time to clear out the freezer and look forward to restocking this summer. Positive thoughts to those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

My DH often subbed 1 slice of French Toast or a Belgian Waffle with his English breakfast for the potatoes and toast. I have also customized the English breakfast, no eggs or meat, add spinach and asparagus. The CO chef stir fried the veggies. Delish! One of the best perks of a CO breakfast. My favorite is the Pan Asian breakfast, particularly when doing a tour. The protein keeps me going until I return to the ship. The NS was at Half Moon Cay with the Rotterdam in March. It was crazy crowded. We didn’t want to miss the beautiful beach and water so we made a plan that helped us avoid the crowds. We left the ship about 10 and walked a long way down the beach to the area with trees in order to find quiet chairs. We returned to the ship about 1 for lunch because I have never been impressed with the island bbq. @POA1I hope you have a relaxing day tomorrow, be it in The Retreat or on HMC. Thanks for this thread.

@StLouisCruisers @Quartzsite CruiserThank you for the wonderful pictures of Bergen (and the wonderful port pictures you post most days). I am excited about our Best of Norway cruise on the Rotterdam in August. In February, we had an itinerary change and there are two replacement ports: Gothenburg, Sweden and Mandal (Kristiansand) Norway. I am unsure what we will do in these ports. There are no excursions listed for Mandal. Does anyone have any suggestions for these ports? Positive thoughts for those who need them. Cheers to those celebrating and cruising.

Although I enjoyed the new MDR brunch, I have never had a good crab cake on HAL. I try one in a different venue every cruise and have always been extremely disappointed. Perhaps it is because I am from MD. We make our crab cakes with blue crab, and just a little mayo and egg to bind, definitely no onion or peppers to mask the flavor of the sweet crab meat. 🦀🦀🦀

Although we enjoyed 13 Club Orange breakfasts on the Nieuw Statendam in March, the brunch was a nice change of pace and the only time we ate in the MDR. I wanted to mention that our brunch menu was similar but not the same as the one that has been posted. My friend started a banana bread, different from the banana French toast offered daily. For my main, I had a delicious Mexican style skillet with beans and cheese served with tortilla chips.

@dfish @Seasick Sailor i try to creatively use all of our leftovers. I prepared ham for my family’s Easter dinner. After dinner, I removed the majority of meat from the bone, placed it in a stock pot and covered it with water. I used the ham stock to make two traditional PA Dutch recipes this week. Monday, I made ham, bean and rival soup.Last night, I made green beans, potatoes and ham.I do not use a recipe and did not take these photos. Recipes and photos can be found on Savory Moments. Positive thoughts to all who need them, here on the Daily and around the world.

@NavybikermomAloo Masala is available in the MDR and is delicious.