Vict0riann

I slept through the whole thing. Maybe we’ll hear more at breakfast. At 4:30 , it’s still dark, I can’t see any lights or anything, but the foghorn isn’t sounding. I think we were supposed to be passing the Statue of Liberty at 5. I think it will still be dark, but if there was a delay during the night, then it may be later.

We had a nice dinner on our own in Club Orange. The others went to Tamarind tonight. I was a little bit envious, but I will survive! I had the crab starter, then the red snapper and brazo de mercedes for dessert.

We will be at pier 88 wherever that is…. I’ll let you know tomorrow how it goes. Evidently we will be passing the Statue of Liberty at 5 am. It’s so foggy now, I doubt we’ll see it if it’s like this.

Actually, Tony’s 15oth martini. He ordered three drinks, and his bill said 23 cents in service charge. We used our HIA to get a couple of kir royales, I think the server did better on those! Then we stopped by the BBKings to listen to the Dance Band. There were about 20 people there, and two couples dancing. I think Lincoln Center Stage did better than that. My picture won’t load. I’ll try again tomorrow.

This is the 150th martini

Down in the Rolling Stone, next door in Billboard they’re having a really loud round of Trivia. Hope it’s over soon. The first drinks menu is half off, the second one is the rolled back pricing!

Tony, @sailingdutchy, are you there? We’re going down to the music Walk to check out the Happy Hour! sorry to be using this to communicate! The Navigator Chat function has been useless on this ship. I usually have pretty good luck with it, but now it either tells me, “this person is not on the ship” or “sort, can’t connect, try again later “…

These are from the dining room. The pages got a bit mixed up. …

I haven’t seen any of those pesky QR codes on the tables on Rotterdam. Here are a few of the drink menus around the ship.

The foghorn was going every two minutes for most of the night, but stopped for a while this morning- now it has started up again. I wonder what it will be like tomorrow in NY.

The 50% off and the Throw back Happy Hours are at the same times , in the same places, it seems. Will check it out, but I believe the Throwback is for certain specific drinks that were served in days gone by, and at the prices they were charged when they were offered. We haven’t gone to the Happy Hours, as we have HIA, so we just drink anywhere, any time!

I did go by the gym yesterday, in my wanderings. It was not very busy…. I tried to peek into some of the spa rooms, but most of them were closed off. I’ll try again in NY, if they are open.

The program for today My Navigator shows a caption for Lincoln Center Stage today, but the program has something called the Dance Band in BBKings in the afternoon. Perhaps we’ll stop by and see what it’s all about- trying to compete with Cunard?

Yesterday was busy, a nice breakfast in CO, then a cappuccino in the Dutch Cafe, a bit of a walkabout, then lunch - we like to sit in the Canaletto area for lunch, if there is space, it was crowded, but we sat with CC friends and at 1 most of us headed to the informal Meet & Greet that was suggested on our roll call. We chatted , but I couldn’t find the person who had suggested the get together, I think there were about 30 there. The Crow’s Nest was being set up with a display of historical items from HAL’s 150 years. I will check on it today, and try to get pictures. After that, there was another wine tasting, “ Great Wines of the Pacific Northwest” then there was time for a bit of TV and a nap before an early dinner. We made an early night of it, again. The start of the setup in the Crow’s Nest, early Rotterdam models, 4 and 5. And some dinner samples… Pat’s fish and my rack of lamb

Good morning Dailyites! Hope I make it on the first page. Things are good here on the Rotterdam, but suddenly my clothes seem to have gotten tighter. I’m not sure why… we have been to Bridgetown a few times. It’s an interesting spot. I’m enjoying seeing the pictures. we had a sort-of M&G yesterday, but I think the person organizing didn’t show up. Maybe he forgot - I did ask around for him, but no one knew who he was. Very strange. There must have been around 30 people there.

And the Lido dinner menu…

The dinner menu for this evening, the first dressy night. It’s the same menu from last cruise, but a different presentation.

Our PCC usually books us a VH guarantee, we do get the confirmation of the booking. Then she adds CO and changes the booking to the stateroom we want. I imagine there are ways around the system…

There is a new format for the daily program , perhaps just for this sailing.

When we got back to the room, I had a new bag on the bed, almost a memory of the past, the same kind of cloth bag we used to see.

Oops, I was wrong, Tony had the chicken, not chosen very often in this restaurant, I think, but he said it was very good. He also had two starters, but this morning said they had not charged him for the second one..

I’m late getting started today, but we had a very enjoyable evening yesterday. We had six in the Pinnacle for dinner, Khay, the Cellar Master, came by to open and taste the bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape that Pat had brought on board, when it passed muster with her, it was decanted and allowed to breath for a bit. I took one for the team and had the clothesline bacon as my starter. What gooey deliciousness! The last time I had it they had reverted to regular bacon, but this was back to the thicker, meatier type. I allowed Martha and Pat just a taste. I do like that they now have lemon on the platter, just to cut a bit of the sweetness. Martha had the Caesar salad, I don’t remember them putting a poached egg on top in the past. We both had the scallops, everyone else had steak. I had decided not to have a dessert, just a glass of the Errasuriz late harvest Sauvignon blanc, but agreed to share a cheese platter with Martha. Colin, @VMax1700, take note, there were very nice, crispy crackers supplied. Lovely cheeses, I don’t remember all the names, but there was a Brie, and one stronger than a Brie, but I don’t think it was a Camembert, also a blue , and Port Salut, and others. A nice selection. And did I say, crackers…

It was a fun sailaway, with 10 of us on the verandah, and @NavArch64just one balcony over from us. Thanks for the picture, Gerry. In a little while it’s off to the Pinnacle for dinner. Not too crazy about the regular menu, anyway, so I’m fine with the PG.

Thanks so much. People were singing for us from their small boats “Oh, Canada”. We enjoyed the toots, too.

You know more than I do, and I’m on board!😄