***Live from the Sojourn, 20-day Iberian and Celtic Sojourn***

[cello44]

Yes, apparently word has it on good authority that the "misses" before slamming the door shut on the Staff Captain said something to the likes "that she had done the Muster Drill many times on the Odyssey and didn't need to go" and then prcoeeded to slam the door shut and put the double lock on the door.

If that didn't seal her faith about being disembarked immediately then I don't know what?

 

Glad to have you back with us Cello44.;)

 

 

 

Well, now they have done both the muster drill on the Odyssey, and the rapid evacuation drill on Sojourn.

 

Congratulations on extending your stay aboard Sojourn. Had to make my own coffee this morning, and no one offered a pastry.

 

Never leave.

[Mr Luxury]

A Huge CheeseCake in the Patio Grill will suffice for my birthday Miss M on June 2nd.;)

 

And there was I thinking that elasticated waist trousers would be more appropriate.:D

[Martita B.]

Mr Luxury

In Texas we just call them, "men's fat pants!";)

Miss M

[fairbourne]

I guessed. You complained to Richard Meadows about the smell of cat pee and you have been upgraded to the Owners suite:D. Or you complained to Richard Meadows about the smell of cat pee and you have been summoned by the captain to walk the plank.:eek: Bets anyone?

 

Oh and the cat aroma is probably due to the wrong sort of cacteria.

 

Or could it be Cateteria .... here's one for you! :D http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18049097

[Roxburgh]

Post Lunch Update; A Coruna, Spain...bbbrrrrrr:mad:

 

Just got back from the Colonnade for lunch...my goodness it's friggin cold on here all of a sudden...like we have been hit by a cold front all of a sudden! The winds have picked up considerably and the temperature has dropped down to 14C or 56F...so much for that high of 19C to 20C and forget the suntan lotion for today by the looks of it.

 

I had the grilled salmon with french fries and a side order of steam vegetables and for dessert a chocolate roulade with coconut ice cream which was delicious. I managed to sneak out of the Colonnade two Cannoli's to have later at Seabourn Square with a nice hot coffee.

 

On the topic of staying on for the next cruise on May 24th to June 5th; Seabourn was extremely generous with me again and have been able to somehow keep me in the same Suite even though it wasn't available to assign at the time that I booked this additional cruise and also given the fact I booked a CAT A1 on a GTY. Thanks again to whoever at Seabourn was kind enough not to make me move....it is greatly appreciated.

 

On another note, the "Astor" is once again alongside with us here in A Coruna today. They were already here tied up at the pier when we arrived at 9:00am.

 

More to come later today from the Sojourn in A Coruna, Spain until 8:00pm tonight.:eek:

 

Sounds like good business by Seabourn given that you are clearly a serial recidivist when it comes to booking cruises :D

[MillieMeter]

Martita

Too bad your grandsons have already graduated. Texas A&M will be coming to Auburn University this fall to play football for the first time in the SEC . I would have enjoyed welcoming them to Auburn and hearing their stories about their "wild and crazy" grandmother.

 

We don't live in Auburn, but attend all the home games.

 

As a matter of fact I had to arrange our first Seabourn cruise around how many SEC games we would have to miss. But this time we will be on in August so it will not be a problem!

 

War Eagle and welcome to the SEC!

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[MillieMeter]

ST

So glad you are continuing your cruise!

Can you stay on until August so I will have your fabulous blog to read until I finally get to leave.

I am almost at the point, tho, that I am afraid that my cruise won't be nearly as much fun as I have had , reading your postings.

 

You are so fortunate to have the ability to shift your work around so that you can keep cruising----AND the funds also.

 

I thought that when my DH retired , we could take extra long trips but when the economy bit the dust and our "travel" investments took a nose dive---we have the time but not the funds for more than one "good" trip per year. I am however thrilled to be able to enjoy one.

 

Keep up the good work , entertaining all of us vicariously with your exploits.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Seabourntraveller]

I guessed. You complained to Richard Meadows about the smell of cat pee and you have been upgraded to the Owners suite:D. Or you complained to Richard Meadows about the smell of cat pee and you have been summoned by the captain to walk the plank.:eek: Bets anyone?

 

Oh and the cat aroma is probably due to the wrong sort of cacteria.

 

LOL!!!!!:D:eek::D

[Seabourntraveller]

And there was I thinking that elasticated waist trousers would be more appropriate.:D

 

Doesn't everyone pack those when going on a cruise?:eek::eek::eek:

[MARIANH]

Or could it be Cateteria .... here's one for you! :D http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18049097

 

Doggone it - Brilliant:)

 

At the risk of being accused of catachresis and without any more pussy footing around could I just say that watching that video left me feline good. A Catateria like that would be just purrfect over here. Paws for thought?

[Seabourntraveller]

ST

So glad you are continuing your cruise!

Can you stay on until August so I will have your fabulous blog to read until I finally get to leave.

I am almost at the point, tho, that I am afraid that my cruise won't be nearly as much fun as I have had , reading your postings.

 

You are so fortunate to have the ability to shift your work around so that you can keep cruising----AND the funds also.

 

I thought that when my DH retired , we could take extra long trips but when the economy bit the dust and our "travel" investments took a nose dive---we have the time but not the funds for more than one "good" trip per year. I am however thrilled to be able to enjoy one.

 

Keep up the good work , entertaining all of us vicariously with your exploits.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

Trust me it's a stretch and pushing the enveloppe just staying onboard until June 5th for me. My partner is threatning to withold visiting rights to see Minnie and Magic my two miniature poodles if I don't come home by June 5th! Nope, It's one more last extension and then that's it...I'll have to control myself and hunker down until Dec 11th until the Odyssey cruise comes around for 42 days.:eek:;):eek:

[Seabourntraveller]

Sounds like good business by Seabourn given that you are clearly a serial recidivist when it comes to booking cruises :D

 

Agreed. I was pleasantly surprised after booking the A1 GTY that they managed somehow to keep me in a CAT V6 and same cabin for the May 24th cruise.

...My partner agrees with you and says I have an illness....I am SICK!:eek:

[Princess123]

It was good to put a face to a name on last week's cruise, and glad to hear that you have managed to change your meetings so you can stay on board for (another) another cruise. I doubt my boss would be impressed if I'd stayed on (I could have had cabin 627) - I wonder if Mrs W is looking for a PA! I have had a quick read through your blog to compare our experiences and was a tad insulted to read you felt the average age was in the 80s!!! I must say it was helpful reading your blog before I came on board as I'm sure I located places quicker and had a better idea of what to expect. Thankfully my husband also enjoyed the Seabourn experience so hope it won't be our last cruise with them.

[MARIANH]

Agreed. I was pleasantly surprised after booking the A1 GTY that they managed somehow to keep me in a CAT V6 and same cabin for the May 24th cruise.

...My partner agrees with you and says I have an illness....I am SICK!:eek:

 

Gastronomia?:rolleyes:

[Seabourntraveller]

It was good to put a face to a name on last week's cruise, and glad to hear that you have managed to change your meetings so you can stay on board for (another) another cruise. I doubt my boss would be impressed if I'd stayed on (I could have had cabin 627) - I wonder if Mrs W is looking for a PA! I have had a quick read through your blog to compare our experiences and was a tad insulted to read you felt the average age was in the 80s!!! I must say it was helpful reading your blog before I came on board as I'm sure I located places quicker and had a better idea of what to expect. Thankfully my husband also enjoyed the Seabourn experience so hope it won't be our last cruise with them.

 

Hello Princess123...it was nice meeting you on the last day of the cruise before you disembarked and called me out at Seabourn Square while I was typing. No offense intented about the "Floating Nursing Home" comment.

Glad you both enjoyed your cruise onboard the Sojourn.;)

[Seabourntraveller]

Dinner Options Onboard Tonight;

 

The Restaurant

 

FIRST COURSE

 

Rare Seared Ahi Tuna in Fennel Crust, nicoise salad,basil pesto

Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes & Buffalo Mozzarella, lemon vinaigrette, basil sorbet

Oven Baked Chicken & Vegetable Spring Roll, chili dipping sauce

Duck Consomme, shredded crepes, julienne vegetables

Parsnip & Pear Soup, caramelized pears and crisp parsnip

Tossed Red Oak Lettuce, haricots certs, mushrooms, sherry and shallot vinaigrette

Grilled Figs, Frisee & Radicchio Lettuce, lime confit, aged balsamic

 

MAIN COURSE

 

Pan Roasted Grouper, on melted leeks, truffle dressing

Prawns "Saltimboca", artichoke, cauliflower and salsify ragout

Oven Roasted Veal Rack Chop, caramelized onion potato tart, wilted baby arugula

Roasted Venison Loin, potato galette, red cabbage, black currents and barollo glace

Vegetarian- Roasted Asparagus Vol au Vent, goat cheese, chive pan sauce

 

 

Restaurant 2;

 

Chef's Cocktail; Grilled Octopus Ceviche, Fennel Salad, Lemon Grape Juice

 

Lobster Corn Dog, Truffle SAuce

Crisp Lamb Kofta, Sun Dried Tomato Coulis

Chicken Brick Parcel, Mustard Dip

 

Butternut Squash Presse, Foie Gras Sandwich

Dalisfy & Apple Cappuccino, Mushroom Crostini

 

Roasted Salmon in Sake Ginger Brine, Melted Couscous

Orange Soy Duck, Artichoke Tart Tatin, Quince Puree, Prosciutto Sauce

 

Florentine & Pumpkin Nougatine, Banana Toffee, Bourbon Ice Cream

 

 

The Colonnade- SPANISH

 

APPETIZERS

 

Poached Jumbo Shrimp

Avocado Tartar, Lime Dressing, Catalan Bread

 

or

 

Berinjenas Con Queso

Gratinated Eggplant, Tomato and Goat Cheese

 

or

 

Zarzuela

Seafood Soup with Saffron, Toasted Country Bread

 

 

MAIN COURSE

 

Paella Valencia

 

or

 

Castillan-Style Filet Mignon

Roast Potatoes, Piquillos, Jus

 

Served with sweet Peas and Corn, Truffled Mashed Potatoes and

Caramelized Onion, Jus

 

 

DESSERT

 

Creme Catalan

Caramel Sauce, Berry Compote

 

 

 

PATIO GRILL-CHOP HOUSE

 

APPETIZERS (FROM THE BUFFET)

 

Arugula and Watermelon Salad

Prawn Cocktail with Horseradish Cream

Marinated Seafood

Air Dried Beef, Pickled Vegetables

 

PIZZA (FROM THE BUFFET)

 

Parma, Brie & Carciofi

Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella Cheese, Brie Cheese, Artichokes, Prosciutto

 

PASTA

 

Pappardelle with Braised Short Rib

English Peas, Cipollini Onions, Cherry Tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

 

FROM THE GRILL

 

Beef Cowboy Steak-16 oz

Veal Chop 12 oz

Single Bone Lamb Chops 10oz

Salmon Cotelette 10oz

 

SIDINGS

 

Mixed Vegetables, Sauteed Spinach, Truffled French Fries

 

SAUCES

 

Bearnaise, Peppercorn, Garlic Butter

 

DESSERTS

 

Assorted Cheeses Plate

Cherry Crumble Tart

Moist Chocolate Cake with Meringue

Fresh Fruits

Ice Cream & Sorbet

[Fisherlady48]

Post Breakfast Update; A Coruna, Spain

 

 

Funny and strangest thing on Deck 7 right near cabin #726 there is a smell for the past 3 days of CAT URINE in the hallway. I asked two cabin stewardesses in the hallway this morning if they smelled the same thing and they agreed as well. Of course it would be impossible to have a stowaway cat onboard urinating in the halls but starngest of smells on a cruiseship!:confused::eek::confused:

 

 

It is definitely mold and mildew that you are smelling. Unless they rip out that carpet, its very hard to get rid of. Good Luck, and happy for you that you can stay on another turn. Do they make you all leave the ship and come back on like back to backs here in the states?

 

K

[Seabourntraveller]

Post Breakfast Update; A Coruna, Spain

 

 

Funny and strangest thing on Deck 7 right near cabin #726 there is a smell for the past 3 days of CAT URINE in the hallway. I asked two cabin stewardesses in the hallway this morning if they smelled the same thing and they agreed as well. Of course it would be impossible to have a stowaway cat onboard urinating in the halls but starngest of smells on a cruiseship!:confused::eek::confused:

 

 

It is definitely mold and mildew that you are smelling. Unless they rip out that carpet, its very hard to get rid of. Good Luck, and happy for you that you can stay on another turn. Do they make you all leave the ship and come back on like back to backs here in the states?

 

K

 

Apparently you are right. There has been a leak into the carperting going on for days by cabin #726 and they are aware of it. Let's see if they rip out the carpeting and replace it soon as it smells like a kitty litter box around here that hasn't been emptied in MONTHS!:eek:

When you do a B2B they do not make you get off the ship...Thank God.

[Seabourntraveller]

Departure from A Coruna, About to Set Sail for Cohb, Ireland;

 

Good Evening from the Sojourn about to make our final preparations and set sail for Cobh, Irelnad in less than 30 minutes time. We have a distance of 511 nautical miles until we reach Cohb, Ireland on Wednesday morning. Tomorrow is a full day at sea and we will be crossing the Bay of Biscayne which can be very rough at times.

 

I have been checking satelite images for this area and it looks to be rough over the next 2-3 days as a weather from is coming over England.

Sea swells should be moderate tonight and winds as well so we are to expect some movement onboard tonight no doubt.

 

I am just about to head out with coat and warm clothing to weather another Patio Grill Dinner tonight outside in this 12C weather we currently have. Let's hope the winds abate a little enough to chow down quickly and eat and run. I think we are coming to an end of eating in the Patio Grill at night with the weather we have ahead of ourselves over the next couple of days to a week.

 

The sun has been shining here in A Coruna, Spain since approx. 3:00pm but has done very little to warm up the temperature today.

 

More to come later tonight here onboard the Sojourn about to set sail for open seas into the Atlantic again, enroute for Cobh, Ireland.;)

[redheadednancy]

OK OK twist my arm!

I've decided to move some of my meetings at the end of the month and I will be staying on yet for another cruise on the Sojourn from May 24th to June 5th disembarking now on the second Hamburg turnaround and doing the first Baltic cruise on the Sojourn. It will also be my birthday while on the Sojourn in the Baltics.

 

There you go you got it out of me in a weak moment:mad:, ST is staying onboard for another cruise after this one, 46 lovely and wonderful days onboard the Sojourn!;):D;)

I see you are going to the Odyssey in December. We switched to the big ships a year ago and have been on them steady but going back to the Pride next March. I love them all but miss the little ones,...wonder if I will like them as much on return! Glad you are on 42 days. When we first started sailing Seabourn, it was two weeks and we gradually moved up. Now I feel I have to have at least 30 because I get settled and get into a good routine. Unfortunately it makes it harder to get off as you have found out!

[DottieD]

Departure from A Coruna, About to Set Sail for Cohb, Ireland;

 

Good Evening from the Sojourn about to make our final preparations and set sail for Cobh, Irelnad in less than 30 minutes time. We have a distance of 511 nautical miles until we reach Cohb, Ireland on Wednesday morning. Tomorrow is a full day at sea and we will be crossing the Bay of Biscayne which can be very rough at times.

 

I have been checking satelite images for this area and it looks to be rough over the next 2-3 days as a weather from is coming over England.

Sea swells should be moderate tonight and winds as well so we are to expect some movement onboard tonight no doubt.

 

I am just about to head out with coat and warm clothing to weather another Patio Grill Dinner tonight outside in this 12C weather we currently have. Let's hope the winds abate a little enough to chow down quickly and eat and run. I think we are coming to an end of eating in the Patio Grill at night with the weather we have ahead of ourselves over the next couple of days to a week.

 

The sun has been shining here in A Coruna, Spain since approx. 3:00pm but has done very little to warm up the temperature today.

 

More to come later tonight here onboard the Sojourn about to set sail for open seas into the Atlantic again, enroute for Cobh, Ireland.;)

Hope you've got your thermals, ST. We arrived home to the UK from Southern Spain yesterday - its still very chilly and breezy with it. Great to see you've extended again, looking forward to your comments on Northern Europe. Enjoy the Patio Grill - blanket and hot water bottles could be the order of the day!

DottieD

[MARIANH]

 

Apparently you are right. There has been a leak into the carperting going on for days by cabin #726 and they are aware of it. Let's see if they rip out the carpeting and replace it soon as it smells like a kitty litter box around here that hasn't been emptied in MONTHS!:eek:

(quote]

 

So, a bit of a catastrophe. :eek:

[Seabourntraveller]

Post Dinner Update;-At Sea Enroute for Cobh, Ireland

 

Went to the Patio Grill this evening around 7:50pm just before we started to sail away from A Coruna, Spain. The winds tonight were very strong and we were all but 12 people outside for dinner blankets, parkas and all trying to have a meal but the weather made it almost impossible to enjoy. You would have your meal delivered "pipping hot" only to be stone cold in 2 minutes flat thereafter.

 

I ordered the Veal Chop, had some pizza to start and a couple of glasses of Petit Chablis to keep me warm. I also had ordered a side dish of pasta as well to accompany my meal. The food was delicious while it was hot. The service was excellent as usual in the Patio Grill.

 

What is amazing to see is that at 10:00pm or later at night there is still sunlight out here as we are in open waters in the Atlantic Ocean. The winds have picked up some more and we currently have winds of 25 m.p.h from the South East or force 6 on the beaufort scale with a current temperature of 12C or 54F under clear skies.

 

There is some movement on the ship tonight because of our speed of 15 knots and also the high winds and sea swells. I went after to Seabourn Square with "Laundry Lady" for a hot chocolate with a nice big shot of Frangelico to warm me up before bed.

 

Tomorrow is a day at sea for us all onboard the sojourn and ran into Hubert the Hotel Manager just now in Seabourn Square whereby he annouced to us all that upon arrival in Cobh, Ireland the temperature will be 3C or 28F....bbbrrrr the Polar Express Cruise is back for sure.

 

More to come from the Sojourn enroute in open waters somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean headed for Cobh, Ireland.:eek:

[Seabourntraveller]

 

Apparently you are right. There has been a leak into the carperting going on for days by cabin #726 and they are aware of it. Let's see if they rip out the carpeting and replace it soon as it smells like a kitty litter box around here that hasn't been emptied in MONTHS!:eek:

(quote]

 

So, a bit of a catastrophe. :eek:

 

Actually as I came back from dinner I couldn't smell it as much as before, don't know if this is because they did something about it or I can't smell anything due to amounts of wine I consummed during dinner?:eek:;):eek:

[Seabourntraveller]

I see you are going to the Odyssey in December. We switched to the big ships a year ago and have been on them steady but going back to the Pride next March. I love them all but miss the little ones,...wonder if I will like them as much on return! Glad you are on 42 days. When we first started sailing Seabourn, it was two weeks and we gradually moved up. Now I feel I have to have at least 30 because I get settled and get into a good routine. Unfortunately it makes it harder to get off as you have found out!

 

We are of the same opinion we wouldn't think of booking less than 30 days as long as we can be a in postion to afford to do so. We also started cruising the little sisters and then now have been on the Big Sisters it will be hard to go back to the little sisters but I actually like them and now my partner prefers the Big Sisters.