***Live from the Sojourn 14 Day Grand Med***

[billichka]

After Breakfast Update;

 

One thing I just discovered is because they sell this cruise as two 7 day cruises as well as 1 14 day cruise there is no Galley Market Lunch on any of these cruises which is a disappointment as we really enjoy the Market Lunch.

We are booked on the Legend (again :) ) in September for a 20 night cruise that is made up of 2 different 10 night cruises. What is the likelyhood of the galley market lunch occuring for us?

[Seabourntraveller]

Good morning ST and to all lovely new "lurkers" and of course Mr M!

 

Hope you have an interesting day on Elba and look forward to reading all your news later. That's a shame about the market lunch ... We loved it as well and I always like meeting the Chefs and seeing them making the wonderful creations they serve us.

 

You haven't mentioned the breadsticks yet, I take it they are up to their usual standard! :D

 

Yes, fairbourne what a difference a day makes...especially on here!:rolleyes:

It is a shame that the Market Lunch is not offered on 7 day cruises but I do understand that because of the limitations of turning around the ship in Civitavecchia tomorrow it wold be impossible to do it today...instead we have a sailaway Caviar Event by the Patio Grill later this afternoon.

I haven't mentioned the breadsticks because I've been too busy munching on them all cruise long....they are sooo addictive. Have you tried baking any since I got you that secret recipe from Chef Martin from the Legend?:eek:

[Seabourntraveller]

Yes, the Wingspan from Nelson ,whilst not being a " top notch" SB is eminently gluggable - especially with the sun on your back - here's hoping.:)

 

And ST , Wingspan also do a drinkable Pinot Noir at a similar price point to the SB. Any chance the ship has a bottle or two tucked away somewhere?

 

My goodness MARIANH, not yet another wine bottle or two to sample again? I am almost pre-booked into next week with your Amarone and my Brunello di Montalccino!!! You have me "in the sauce" almost everyday here onboard the Sojourn...it's all going to be one BIG BLURR by the end of next week when I disembark in Barcelona...LOL:D

Will ask Bar Manager (note to self) about Wingspan drinkable Pinot Noir onboard or not or perhaps someones private stock onboard....stay tuned!;)

[Seabourntraveller]

We are booked on the Legend (again :) ) in September for a 20 night cruise that is made up of 2 different 10 night cruises. What is the likelyhood of the galley market lunch occuring for us?

 

billichka; you will most defenitely have it twice since Market Galley Lunch is offered on ALL cruises greater than 7 days...you lucky DOG twice for you, NONE for us!:mad:...Enjoy and gorge yourselves is all I can say while us mear mortals have an Oriental lunch here onboard Sojourn today in the Colonnade.:p

[Seabourntraveller]

We are just about to head up to the Colonnade and see what's on tap for lunch today and eat outside hopefully on the verandah. I find it so much nicer to be able to eat outside. There is currently a gentle breeze outside and partly sunny and current temperature of 18C or 66F which is not bad at all. After lunch adventure awaits us as we will make our way into Port Ferraio. It is a very small place to begin with and not a hell of a lot to see, maybe take in the local fish market, gelaterria (for sure and have some stracciatella or nutela gelato) and look for a local bakery to see what if any kind of cannoli I can find and sample with an espresso.

 

More to come later today from the Seabourn Sojourn, here in Napoleon's little 300 day retreat village of Porto Ferraio.;)

[Seabourntraveller]

Amazing Lunch in the Colonnade!

 

Lunch was fantastic in the Colonnade. We were able to secure a nice table by the rail outside. The Colonnade was about half full when we arrived. I had one of the best pasta dishes in a longtime onboard any Seabourn ship today called Cavatappia, spirral pasta, grilled eggplant, in a pomodoro sauce with sweet garlic....mama mia was it delicious...such a simple dish but ohhh so tasty. I started with a bit of shrimp cocktail, marinated artichoke and mesclun salad with some peligrino and a glass of Winspan Sauvignon Blanc. For dessert they had an array of miniature cheese cakes, a chocolate peacan torte, truffle cake, a sugar-free no thank you dessert and fresh fruit with an assortment of ice creams and frozen yogurts.

 

Now that we are stuffed, we are heading outside to walk it off so to speak and start all over again in a couple of hours. LOL!;)

One thing I have picked up on the Sojourn is that the crew are genuinely friendly, however Senior Officers are a bit standoffish towards crew and paxs in general...just my own observation for what it's worth.

 

More to come later this afternoon from the Sojourn here on the Italian Riveiera in Porto Ferraio, Italy.

[Host Dan]

As I recall it involved a broken safe which took him from Deck 4 to the penthouse--it made many people consider throwing their safe off the balcony! On the other hand, one year later we were on the same sailing and he did not get an upgrade and while would have liked one he did say they had paid for A1 and that is what they got.

Actually the upgrade was to the owners suite, not the wintergarden ;). BTW, the safe had been replaced the night before, so really not sure why the upgrade was given. (Was blown away though!)

 

Host Dan

[fairbourne]

Yes, fairbourne ......l

I haven't mentioned the breadsticks because I've been too busy munching on them all cruise long....they are sooo addictive.

 

Greedy boy!

 

Yes I did make them, I posted a photo remember?! But I made them again at Hogmanay and they went down a treat, but a word of caution, Chef Martin's recipe is naturally for a "ship's worth"' so I diluted the original quantities by 8 the first time and I would still have kept you in breadsticks for your entire voyage! So second time around I reduced the quantities again and the numbers worked out great but I was keeping a close eye on the consumption as I wanted some left over for me to guzzle the next day! :D Good as they were, there is no comparison to being a breadstick munchkin on board! :D

[Seabourntraveller]

Yes, fairbourne ......l

I haven't mentioned the breadsticks because I've been too busy munching on them all cruise long....they are sooo addictive.

 

Greedy boy!

 

Yes I did make them, I posted a photo remember?! But I made them again at Hogmanay and they went down a treat, but a word of caution, Chef Martin's recipe is naturally for a "ship's worth"' so I diluted the original quantities by 8 the first time and I would still have kept you in breadsticks for your entire voyage! So second time around I reduced the quantities again and the numbers worked out great but I was keeping a close eye on the consumption as I wanted some left over for me to guzzle the next day! :D Good as they were, there is no comparison to being a breadstick munchkin on board! :D

 

Of course I REMEMBER!...what do you think I am ready for the HOME?..LOL

I gotta lay off those breadsticks honestly, you start muchin' on one and the next thing you know the whole glass full is gone. Speaking of food as we always seem to do morning noon and night on here heading up to the Patio Grill to grab something to gnoch on and head out. It started clouding over now for the past 30 minutes. If we keep this up we may never make it out today as Afternoon Tea time is in 54 minutes....stay tuned!:eek:

[Seabourntraveller]

Actually the upgrade was to the owners suite, not the wintergarden ;). BTW, the safe had been replaced the night before, so really not sure why the upgrade was given. (Was blown away though!)

 

Host Dan

 

Dan, Owner's Suite all the same...WOW I would have been blown away as well especially the part that the safe was replaced the night before?:confused::confused::confused:

[MARIANH]

Dan, Owner's Suite all the same...WOW I would have been blown away as well especially the part that the safe was replaced the night before?:confused::confused::confused:

 

Happened to me on the Odyssey a couple of years ago. The broken safe that is - not the promotion to an Owner's Suite. Seabourn's solution was to send lot's of little men ( note I am not being littleist) with small tools ( note I am not...) to fix it- they failed. Then came the large ( note not being largist) HotMan who stared and grunted a lot ( or was that Guntered), he failed.

 

Then the solution - a plastic bag to carry our valuables to and from the pursers office for safe keeping. Up and down the stairs regularly each day. Some thought it was amusing. I was not one of them.

 

Yes we were in an A1, so I got ( almost) exactly what we paid for and my wife said a got what I deserved.

 

Jealous of Dan? Moi?

 

And did we enjoy the cruise- Yes ,it was brilliant.:D

[ajpeter]

If anyone would be so kind as to scribble down the recipe for the heavenly breadsticks, I'll be so delighted and thankful.

 

Hope you got a chance of seeing Elba. Sounds lovely.

[Host Dan]

If anyone would be so kind as to scribble down the recipe for the heavenly breadsticks, I'll be so delighted and thankful.

 

Hope you got a chance of seeing Elba. Sounds lovely.

I started a new thread with the breadstick recipe.. Enjoy!

 

Host Dan

[Roxburgh]

Actually the upgrade was to the owners suite, not the wintergarden ;). BTW, the safe had been replaced the night before, so really not sure why the upgrade was given. (Was blown away though!)

 

Host Dan

 

Much more practical for a cocktail party.

[Host Dan]

Much more practical for a cocktail party.

And very distinguished guests! ;)

 

Host Dan

[Seabourntraveller]

Dinner Options for This Evening:

 

 

The Restaurant

 

First Course

 

Tuna Confit with Eggplant Puree, marinated tomatoes, chic peas, curried almonds

Cured & Roasted Lamb Loin, mango coulis, thai chiles, spicy mint oil

Warm Potato Ravioli, truffled pan sauce

Rustic Vegetable Broth, three cheese tortelini, tuscan croutons

Sweet Curry Scented Squash Soup, roasted apple dumplings, crisp prosciutto

Three Pea Salad, red wine dressing

Red Beet Carpaccio with Red Oak Lettuce, blue cheese mousse, toasted walnuts

 

 

Main Course

 

Golden Brioche Crusted Lemon Sole, couscous cake and shrimp dumplings

Herb Seared Scallop with Savory Fondant Potatoes, meyer lemon cream, sauce vierge

Herb Roasted Chicken, roasted garlic pommes puree, overnight tomatoes

Grilled Sirloin Steak with Celery Variations, braised radishes and truffled jus

Vegetarian- Soft Potato Gnocchi, asparagus and asparagus butter

 

 

 

Restaurant 2

 

Chef's Cocktail: Poached Shrimp Martini Balsamic Jelly, Split Saffron Vinaigrette

 

Foie Gras Creme Brulee, Syrah Honey Syrup

Crisp Duck Confit Filo, Navy Bean Cassoulet

Smoked Duck Carpaccio, Foie Gras Terrine, Arugula

 

Lobster & Lemongrass Presse, Lobster Herb Ravioli

Shellfish Cappuccino, Seared Beef Crostini, Ginger Jello

 

Roasted Dorade, Forked Potatoes, Braised Leek Ragout, Smoked Bacon Jus

Pan Seared Quail Breast, Porcini Risotto, Port Wine Reduction

 

White Chocolate Mousse, Plums & Almond Foam, Pistachio Cracker, Passion Fruit Sorbert

 

 

The Colonnade- Italian

APPETIZERS

 

Seared Beef Carpaccio, Pesto, Bitter Greens

Marinated tomatoes, Parmesan Shavings

 

or

 

Porcini Truffle Stuffed Cannelloni

Baked with Alfredo Sauce

 

or

 

Minestrone, Prosciutto, Tiny Pasta

Tapenade Crostini

 

 

MAIN COURSE

 

Seared Swordfish Steak "Sicilian Style", Chili

Capers & Olives, Basil & Lobster Gnocchi

 

or

 

Slow Roasted Veal Osso Bucco, Porcini Risotto

Red Wine Sauce

 

 

DESSERTS

 

Tiramisu, Fresh Raspberries

Almond Amaretti

 

or

 

Marinated Strawberries, Mascarpone Ice Cream

Orange Biscotti

 

 

 

PATIO GRILL-AL FRESCO

 

 

APPETIZERS (FROM THE BUFFET)

 

Buffalo Mozzarella, Roma Tomatoes, Aged Balsamic

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salsify and Salami Milano Cocktail

Grilled Marinated Vegetables

Seared Beef Carpaccio, Pickled Artichokes, Pesto

Citrus Dressing

 

 

PIZZA (FROM THE BUFFET)

 

Frutti di Mare

Tomato sauce, Mozzarella, Calamari

Clams and Shrimp, Garlic Onions

 

 

PASTA

 

Fettuccini Pesto, Red Bliss Potatoes, String Beans

 

 

FROM THE GRILL

 

Garlic and Herb Marinated Pork Chop

Pancetta Wrapped Veal Tenderloin

Grilled Branzino

Lamb Rack Chops 10oz

 

SIDINGS

 

Asparagus, Tomato Paprika Ragout, Lyonnais Potatoes

 

SAUCES

 

Bernaise, Balsamic Jus

 

 

DESSERTS

 

Assorted Cheese

Tiramisu

Lemon Pana Cotta

Fresh Fruits

Ice CReam & Sorbet

[Seabourntraveller]

Departure from Porto Ferraio, Enroute to Civitavecchia;

 

We are making final preparations to set sail for Civitavecchia, Italy in the next couple of minutes. We ended up going ashore for a short visit and walk about the small village. We ended up going to the Hotel Massimo for a real Lavazza Coffee and Canolli which was like a piece of heaven. The weather this afternoon has clouded over once again and the winds have picked up considerably but no rain as of yet.

 

Very friendly people all about this small village/town with scooters every 30 feet or so either about to mow you down or cut you off...typical in Italy. As someone told ..."Red at a traffic light is a suggestion."

 

We were able to grab something quickly at Afternoon Tea Time and saw Fritz with the Mitts once again pawing his way thru all the cakes and pastries....MADONNA!:rolleyes:

 

We would really like to eat at the Patio Grill tonight if we can, or if they open as they have closed more times on this cruise at night then open. They have a marvelous Lamb Rack Chop and Veal Tenderloin that I wouldn't mind sampling just don't know if my extension cord for the electric blanket will make it up to Deck 8.:confused::D:confused:

 

We have 93 nautical miles to reach Civitavecchia by 7:00am tomorrow morning and should my calculations be right we would need to travel at 9.4 knots tonight providing we leave on time at 6:00pm.

 

We might go up now to the Patio Bar to see who is gorging themselves into oblivion on the Caviar Sail Away.

 

More to come later tonight aboard the Sojourn about to set sail for Civitavecchia, Italy.

[Roxburgh]

Departure from Porto Ferraio, Enroute to Civitavecchia;

 

We are making final preparations to set sail for Civitavecchia, Italy in the next couple of minutes. We ended up going ashore for a short visit and walk about the small village. We ended up going to the Hotel Massimo for a real Lavazza Coffee and Canolli which was like a piece of heaven. The weather this afternoon has clouded over once again and the winds have picked up considerably but no rain as of yet.

 

Very friendly people all about this small village/town with scooters every 30 feet or so either about to mow you down or cut you off...typical in Italy. As someone told ..."Red at a traffic light is a suggestion."

 

We were able to grab something quickly at Afternoon Tea Time and saw Fritz with the Mitts once again pawing his way thru all the cakes and pastries....MADONNA!:rolleyes:

 

We would really like to eat at the Patio Grill tonight if we can, or if they open as they have closed more times on this cruise at night then open. They have a marvelous Lamb Rack Chop and Veal Tenderloin that I wouldn't mind sampling just don't know if my extension cord for the electric blanket will make it up to Deck 8.:confused::D:confused:

 

We have 93 nautical miles to reach Civitavecchia by 7:00am tomorrow morning and should my calculations be right we would need to travel at 9.4 knots tonight providing we leave on time at 6:00pm.

 

We might go up now to the Patio Bar to see who is gorging themselves into oblivion on the Caviar Sail Away.

 

More to come later tonight aboard the Sojourn about to set sail for Civitavecchia, Italy.

 

On our recent Odyssey cruise, I had the lamb chops several times and they were always done to perfection per my preference.

 

From experience, they will give you blankets at the patio grill if requested. Also, if you sit to the side by the windows and underneath the deck 9 walkway there is usually less wind.

[Seabourntraveller]

Further Sea Condition Update for Tonight...Hang on to your knickers!:eek:

 

Captain Elliott just came over the P.A. to tell us that we would have much the same tonight if not worse than last night as the winds will be coming out of the South West between 35-45 knots and sea swells of 10-12 Feet and would most likely last all night until we embark our pilot tomorrow morning at approx. 6:00am off the coastline of Civitavecchia.

 

Revised Weather forecast for tomorrow much of the same of today with a high of 15C and the sun should be coming out by lunch tomorrow.

 

It's gonna be another "Rock and Roll" evening onboard...stay tuned!:eek::D:eek:

[Seabourntraveller]

On our recent Odyssey cruise, I had the lamb chops several times and they were always done to perfection per my preference.

 

From experience, they will give you blankets at the patio grill if requested. Also, if you sit to the side by the windows and underneath the deck 9 walkway there is usually less wind.

 

Roxburgh...got it and thanks for the heads up or heads down on the ideal wind location and the CHOPS!....mmmm can just taste them now melting in me mouth.;)

[MARIANH]

Roxburgh...got it and thanks for the heads up or heads down on the ideal wind location and the CHOPS!....mmmm can just taste them now melting in me mouth.;)

 

Please take care chomping CHOPS in your chops when it is choppy:eek:

 

Any sign yet of those critters who's name we dare not speak?

[Seabourntraveller]

Please take care chomping CHOPS in your chops when it is choppy:eek:

 

Any sign yet of those critters who's name we dare not speak?

 

Speaking of the little devils that we dare not mention on here, the critters as I recall it, were served up 3 times that I can remember on this 7 day cruise. It wouldn't be so bad if they would provide the little critters with matching dark shades as not to stare right at me.:eek:

[marchanxiety]

I'm sorry the weather has been so rough. Do you find the ride smoother in your new suite? All of us queasy types would like to know.

[Seabourntraveller]

I'm sorry the weather has been so rough. Do you find the ride smoother in your new suite? All of us queasy types would like to know.

 

Actually, the movement in our previously christened "Anchor/Truster Suite" didn't bother me at all. It was the noise from the anchor dropping and trusters that drove me kookoo for coco puffs!

 

Now that being said I did notice less motion up here on Deck 6 cabin #649 4 cabins away from the staircase on Deck 6 which puts us pretty much mid ship. So I can understand why they do charge more for V3 and upwards whereby you don't gain that much in a V! because being far forward and V2 same deck forward-mid ship with obstructed balcony materials instead of the full bottom to top glass balcony from CAT V3's to V6's.

[Seabourntraveller]

Update on my Soggy Lamb Chops!

 

Well we decided to brave all the elements, ditch the electric blankets and furry mocassins and headed up to the Patio Grill for Dinner. There were only about 6 of us fools out there tonight, when suddenly out of the blue we had a freak thunderstorm with lighting and torrential rains enough to drown the chubbiest sewer rat in it's tracks. No sooner than I had started to knaw on these wonderful oversized Grilled Lamb Chops, the whole sky opened up around us....almost like Moses parting the Red Sea...oops I guess that touches on religion.:rolleyes:...any hew, the Crew was very quick in moving tables out of the way but the wind was very strong and kept blowing rain in everydody's direction. The Assistant Maitre'd was kind enough to recook all of our meals and if we wanted to have it in our Suites which is what we did. Now having been completely stuffed from Grilled and Perfectly Seasoned Lamb Chops they even brought us dessert assortments from each dining venue to choose from along with coffee....really nice touch to a soggy evening!

 

The ship isn't really tossing that much tonight thus far but the winds have picked up considerably. On our way back to our cabin who did I see of all people but "Fritz with the Mitts" in the hallway.

 

Now going to enjoy a quiet evening in a watch a movie or two...just love this on-demand Movie channels you have on the larger sisters.

 

More to come later tonight from the Sojourn making our way in a storm towards Civitavecchia, Italy. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear I was on a British Isles cruise due to the weather and sea conditions!...LOL