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Dave's Live From Maasdam 6-17 Feb 2012

RetiredMustang

By RetiredMustang,
in Holland America Line

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monina01

monina01

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Hi RetiredMustang/Dave-

 

Thank you as well for the info on the Disco - Crow's Nest is great for a dance or two so will look forward to that indeed - hope the DJ likes the 70's!!

 

Happy and Smooth Sailing wishes....

 

I was thinking the same thing. No idea how big the dancefloor is but we definately are going to give it a try. :)

 

Dave, this thread is great. I have 15 sleeps to go until we are on the Maasdam and I check this live-thread a couple of times a day. I love the information you are giving!

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RetiredMustang

RetiredMustang

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Wednesday, Feb. 15, At sea

Today was a wonderful lazy day at sea, with lots going on and nothing much that absolutely had to be done. We enjoyed a specialty coffee at the Explorations Café, tried the quiz, wandered about, read, etc.

One thing I forgot to mention earlier is that there has been a change in the way drinks are handled in the main dining room since we were last on a HAL ship in September. Now, if you want just a glass of wine, a beer or a cocktail, the dining steward takes your order and delivers your drink; the wine steward only handles full bottle orders. There is a separate menu for single drinks in addition to the regular wine menu.

We took in the show, which was reprises of tree of the solo headliners from the week – Noodles Levenstein, Scotty Cavanaugh and Steve Stevens.

MDR dinner menu Feb. 15

Appetizers: Fresh Fruit with Peach Schnapps; Seafood Ceviche; Duck Pate’, Paddlefish Caviar and Smoked Salmon; Escargots in Red Wine and Mushroom Ragout.

Soups and Salad: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup; Tomato and Fennel Soup; Chilled Anjou Pear Soup; Mixed Greens Salad with Fresh Pear.

Entrees: Mushroom Ravioli; Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Salad; Sesame Coated Pompano; Surf and Turf; Osso Bucco Milanese; Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Breast; Chiles Rellenos.

Dessert: Sorry, missed getting the full list again. The had the white chocolate chef’s toque filled with chocolate mousse, and orange sorbet.

From the daily Explorer

Dessert Extravaganza: 10:30 p.m. 11:30 p.m., Lido Pool Deck.

Showroom at Sea: Encore, 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. (Note: that’s what the program said. The CD announced in the afternoon that one of the singers had a sore throat, so they were swapping the Wednesday show with Thursday’s show of a reprise by the solo headliners from the cruise.)

Ocean Bar: The Neptunes, 6:30-11:30 p.m.; Tango Set 6:30 p.m. Happy Hour: 4:30-5:30 p.m.

MIX: Guitarist Chris (not playing – part of the evening show); Piano Man David Anthony, The Music of Tony Bennett 9:00 p.m. – close. Champagne Happy Hour 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Explorerer’s Lounge: Adagio Strings (not playing – part of the evening show)

Crow’s Nest: DJ Armen, Prom Night 9:00 p.m., All Request 10:00 p.m.; Happy Hour 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

More later,

Dave

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callmedeb

callmedeb

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Even though I don't say so daily, Dave, I am enjoying every post of yours. I especially like reading the menu, and checking out the entertainment. So few posters even mention the entertainment that it's refreshing to get the info.

 

 

Especially the menus =) I always choose what *I* would have ordered, and then open my lunch to find peanut butter and jam again :p

 

Cheers,

 

Deb

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RetiredMustang

RetiredMustang

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Dave,

 

I am enjoying your blog. We will be on the Maasdam for the first time April 6. I enjoy piano bars. The music David Anthony lists sound just right for me. Do you know if he will still be on board in April?

 

Thanks.

 

I checked with the front office -- sorry, he leaves the ship the day you arrive, April 6. But, there will no doubt be another piano man joining the ship, and I suspect they play similar things.

 

Dave

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RuthC

RuthC

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Especially the menus =) I always choose what *I* would have ordered, and then open my lunch to find peanut butter and jam again :p

Funny you said that. When I'm on a cruise, I miss my lunchtime peanut butter sandwich.

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mamaofami

mamaofami

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Funny you said that. When I'm on a cruise, I miss my lunchtime peanut butter sandwich.

 

Ruth, you can always get your peanut butter fix at the Lido. If you ask, they have peanut butter in little sealed containers. They are usually out for breakfast but you have to ask for them at lunch.

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RuthC

RuthC

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Ruth, you can always get your peanut butter fix at the Lido. If you ask, they have peanut butter in little sealed containers. They are usually out for breakfast but you have to ask for them at lunch.

I know they have peanut butter, as I ask for it to spread on my english muffin, or bagel.

The problem is I eat my lunch closer to 2:30-3:00, so there's no one staffing the main line. It becomes more problematic to find someone to send off looking for it. And I'm too lazy to exert the effort to get extra and save it. :rolleyes:

A cruise is a good time to have something different for a change. I haven't starved yet! :D

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mamaofami

mamaofami

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I know they have peanut butter, as I ask for it to spread on my english muffin, or bagel.

 

The problem is I eat my lunch closer to 2:30-3:00, so there's no one staffing the main line. It becomes more problematic to find someone to send off looking for it. And I'm too lazy to exert the effort to get extra and save it. :rolleyes:

 

A cruise is a good time to have something different for a change. I haven't starved yet! :D

Ruth, the best peanut butter sandwich is topped with spreadable chocolate. Yum!

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RetiredMustang

RetiredMustang

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Thursday, Feb. 16, At sea

Today was another lazy day at sea, broken only by the sad chore of packing. It was DW’s turn to go to the disembarkation talk. Nothing much has changed, but there was a new dumb question – “do I have to go ashore to go on a shore excursion?”

For dinner, we had made reservations in Canaletto because we don’t do Master Chef’s dinner. (We did pass on the Canaletto desserts and went to the other part of the Lido and snagged a flourless chocolate cake to share).

We understand that they did not do the show in the lower (open seating) dining room. That squares with the fact that we did not see anything in the daily planner about open seating having to choose one of two seatings only for the dinner tonight. Then it was to the casino to try our luck on the slots and cash in what was on our cards. And, one last time to listen to the Adagio Strings in the Explorer’s Lounge. The singer had not gotten any better, so they cancelled the show in the Showroom at Sea.

I’ll check in on the road to report about the expedited departure we chose; we have done so before in Ft. Lauderdale, although this will be the first time during a week-day rush hour. I still have lots of photos of the ship I will post later, when I have faster (and cheaper) connections.

Thanks for coming along on our cruise.

MDR dinner menu Feb. 16, Master Chef’s Dinner

Appetizers: Dialog of Salmon Tartare with Avocado; Golden Baked Brie in Phyllo Dough.

Soups and Salad: Oxtail en Croute; Lobster Bisque; Master Chef Rudi’s Salad.

Entrees: Tagliatelle with Roasted Chicken; Sauteed Shrimp Provencal; Apricot-Glazed Salmon; Whole-Roasted Tenderloin of Beef; Grilled Lamb Chops with Oregano and Apple Chutney; Duck Breast a’ l’Orange; Wild Mushroom Strudel.

Dessert: Baked Alaska, Flourless Chocolate Cake (and probably some others like Ice Cream and Sorbet, but we were in Canaletto and did not see the MDR dessert menu).

From the daily Explorer

Grand Finale Art Auction: 12:30 p.m. Preview, 1:00 p.m. Auction, Ocean Bar.

On Deck for the Cure: a fun, 5K non-competitive walk around the ship, raises money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. 1:30 p.m., Atrium, deck 6.

Indonesian Tea Ceremony: Enjoy the exotic teas of Indonesia, accompanied by cakes and sandwiches at this unique tea service, served in traditional Indonesia wear and accompanied by the sounds of this island archipelago. 3:00 p.m., Upper Dining Room.

Showroom at Sea: Encore, 9:30 p.m. (cancelled)

Ocean Bar: The Neptunes, 6:30-11:30 p.m.; Samba and Salsa Set 6:30 p.m. Happy Hour: 4:30-5:30 p.m.

MIX: Guitarist Chris 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.; Piano Man David Anthony, Piano Melodies 9:00 p.m. – close. Champagne Happy Hour 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Explorerer’s Lounge: Adagio Strings 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Crow’s Nest: DJ Armen, Rock It ‘Til We Dock It 9:00 p.m.; Happy Hour 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. and 10:30 – 11:30 p.m.

More later,

Dave

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AlanAllyn

AlanAllyn

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I checked with the front office -- sorry, he leaves the ship the day you arrive, April 6. But, there will no doubt be another piano man joining the ship, and I suspect they play similar things.

 

Dave

Thanks for checking.

 

Have a safe trip home. Rush hour traffic on I95 can be very slow. I would take the Florida Turnpike to Fort Pierce and switch over to I95 there (about a mile).

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RMLincoln

RMLincoln

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This has been a wonderful cruise for all of us! Thank you so much for your dedicated efforts, time and the expenses to keep us along. Blessings for a safe return home for both of you. We'll await our turn to board Maasdam on March 23rd, now with repaired engines (again!) with a new level of excitment and menus to drool over:)! Many, many thanks! m--

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c-legs

c-legs

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Monday, Feb. 13, Castries, St. Lucia

 

We entered Castries harbor just after sunrise, following a Thomson ship into port (Mein Schiff 2; you could tell it was an old Celebrity ship because you could plainly see the painted-over “X” under the Thomson logo on the stack.) p

 

 

More later,

Dave

Hi Dave,

Thanks very much for this good blog.

That was not a Thompson but a TUI cruise ship; Mein Schiff 2 , ex-Celebrity Mercury.

 

Looking forward to your daily interesting narratives.

Chees

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