Serenade of the “C’s” I Mean “I’s” – Ice Bergs, Iceland, Ice Caps and Ice Cream

[BecciBoo]

Our local market now has cheese curds and we live in central Texas!  LOL  So I could try my hand at Poutine.  We ate some at a brew house in  Vancouver but I didn't much care for it....now the skillet breakfast on Oasis class at Rockets is fantastic and not unlike Poutine.  I prefer milk gravy in everything requiring gravy! But the milk gravy on Rccl ships leaves much to be desired!  They do not put bacon fat in theirs and then the biscuits have sugar in them like scones so that doesn't work either.  Sigh!

[Tom47]

1 hour ago, SailorJack said:

 

Interesting review!  It mentions the covered bridge at Stone Mountain - which is just down the road from us.  We have put that on our "to see" list.  With its historical significance I can't believe we have not seen it on any of our previous visits to Stone Mountain Park!

 

Thanks so much for the tip.

 

Jack

You're Welcome

[DavyJoneses]

It has been a while since you posted any photos...have you signed off?  If so, thanks for the tour!

[John&LaLa]

5 hours ago, DavyJoneses said:

It has been a while since you posted any photos...have you signed off?  If so, thanks for the tour!

 

It cant be over, Serenade just got back to Europe. 🤣

 

#longestreviewever

[SailorJack]

On ‎5‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 1:40 PM, DavyJoneses said:

It has been a while since you posted any photos...have you signed off?  If so, thanks for the tour!

 

You are welcome. I do have one more "cool" picture to post but I have trouble uploading it.  When Jill gets back from California I will see if she can do it (she is our designated computer expert) and then post it.

[DavyJoneses]

Still having trouble uploading?  Anything I can do to help?

[jagsfan]

On 4/24/2019 at 11:12 AM, SailorJack said:

 

 

It looks atrocious, but it actually tasted quite good.  In addition to the fries and cheese curd it had a very tasty gravy. I don't know if the gravy was a local touch, but it certainly added to the dish.

I was cruising when you wrote this so I’m late to the party. 

I met poutine when skiing at Mont Tremblant in Quebec in the late 80’s. Served at lunch in a large paper cup: french fries, cheese curds and a tasty brown gravy. Delicious!

Several years ago we saw it on the menu board at a Wendy’s in Alberta, and now there are several restaurants in Jacksonville Fl that offer their versions. 

Poutine is slowly taking over the world!

[SailorJack]

On ‎6‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 1:16 PM, jagsfan said:

I was cruising when you wrote this so I’m late to the party. 

I met poutine when skiing at Mont Tremblant in Quebec in the late 80’s. Served at lunch in a large paper cup: french fries, cheese curds and a tasty brown gravy. Delicious!

Several years ago we saw it on the menu board at a Wendy’s in Alberta, and now there are several restaurants in Jacksonville Fl that offer their versions. 

Poutine is slowly taking over the world!

 

 

Hope you had a great cruise!  This poutine thing is quite incredible.  I went all my life never hearing of the stuff until our last cruise and came to find out that it is one of Canada's national foods. Now you tell me that they are serving it in Florida!

 

I guess it sort of makes sense - most Canadians spend half there life in Florida during the winter months  - or a trailer park in Yuma. Arizona.

 

I forwarded your post to Jill in California and she is threatening to take your last line and put it on a T-shirt.

 

Jack

[jagsfan]

There are armies of Canadians in south Florida and over on the Gulf coast in the winter. 

Jacksonville is not a  destination for snowbirds. 

That’s what made me realize poutine is definitely making its way around the world. 

[SailorJack]

On ‎6‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 12:06 PM, DavyJoneses said:

Still having trouble uploading?  Anything I can do to help?

 

 

I appreciate the offer, but I really am all thumbs when it comes to the computer.  Jill's mother is in hospice now and she is on the way home for a brief visit before heading back to CA. I should be able to post shortly.

 

Thanks again.

 

Jack

[DavyJoneses]

On ‎6‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 8:21 AM, SailorJack said:

 

 

I appreciate the offer, but I really am all thumbs when it comes to the computer.  Jill's mother is in hospice now and she is on the way home for a brief visit before heading back to CA. I should be able to post shortly.

 

Thanks again.

 

Jack

 

 

OK.  Sorry to hear  about SailorJill's mother.  Our prayers are with your family.

[SailorJack]

 

When we came back aboard the ship after our visit to Greenland, we found these bottles in our cabin.  The note next to it said that this was the purest water on the planet - as it came directly from the Greenland Icecap  - the second largest one on the planet.

 

 

 

[Baatman]

On ‎6‎/‎27‎/‎2019 at 8:28 AM, SailorJack said:

 

When we came back aboard the ship after our visit to Greenland, we found these bottles in our cabin.  The note next to it said that this was the purest water on the planet - as it came directly from the Greenland Icecap  - the second largest one on the planet.

 

 

 

 

 

This must be the purest water on earth! You can buy it on the internet for $35 A BOTTLE! This is one of the priciest gifts I have heard of a ship giving. Good for them. Makes a terrific souvenir from Greenland. 

[SailorJack]

On ‎7‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 10:42 AM, Baatman said:

 

 

This must be the purest water on earth! You can buy it on the internet for $35 A BOTTLE! This is one of the priciest gifts I have heard of a ship giving. Good for them. Makes a terrific souvenir from Greenland. 

 

 

Hard to imagine water selling for that price, but it is unique.  The brochure that came with the bottles said that the water was thousands of years old and that the water in these bottles probably fell as rain or snow during the reign of Cleopatra in Egypt!

Analysis of the water shows that TDS is less that 5 parts per billion - which does makes it the purest water on Earth.

 

That said, we don't know what to do with it. How do you drink something that is as old as Cleopatra? It is sitting in our fridge aging even more!

 

Jack

[yukongold]

I have enjoyed your review.  We are looking at sailing on the Serenade next year. You covered the ports on your review but didn't say much about the ship and I was wondering what you thought of the ship itself.

[7leagueboots]

On ‎7‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 10:24 AM, yukongold said:

I have enjoyed your review.  We are looking at sailing on the Serenade next year. You covered the ports on your review but didn't say much about the ship and I was wondering what you thought of the ship itself.

 

 

We were on the Serenade last year and enjoyed it, but it is starting to show its age - 15. I heard that it might be scheduled for dry dock and referb, but can't confirm it.

[SailorJack]

On ‎7‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 12:06 PM, 7leagueboots said:

 

 

We were on the Serenade last year and enjoyed it, but it is starting to show its age - 15. I heard that it might be scheduled for dry dock and referb, but can't confirm it.

 

 

The ship may be showing a little aging, but that is only to be expected as its maiden voyage was fifteen years ago.  However, I think it had its last refurb in 2012 so it will probably be a while before it has another one. It is still a very nice ship.

 

Jack

Edited July 29, 2019 by SailorJack

[geospyder]

We're doing this itinerary in three weeks.  Thanks for the fantastic review and positive attitude.

[SailorJack]

On 8/1/2019 at 9:35 PM, geospyder said:

We're doing this itinerary in three weeks.  Thanks for the fantastic review and positive attitude.

 

 

I envy you! We don't often repeat cruises, but this was such a great one that we are looking at booking it again next year.

 

Glad you enjoyed the review -  - hope you do one as well.  It would be fun to see another person's perspective.

 

Bon Voyage

 

Jack

[SailorJack]

On 7/20/2019 at 10:24 AM, yukongold said:

I have enjoyed your review.  We are looking at sailing on the Serenade next year. You covered the ports on your review but didn't say much about the ship and I was wondering what you thought of the ship itself.

 

Glad you enjoyed the review.  I normally do not say much about the ship in my reviews because so much of it is subjective.  The food, the entertainment, the condition of the ship, etc. For example, on one cruise we noticed about halfway through the trip that the deserts seemed (to us) to be better.  We later learned that the pastry chef had changed at the last port. Our travel partners said they didn't notice a change - a example of the subjective nature of things.

 

However, I will point out our favorite place on the ship:

 

 

 

This was our favorite place to hang out.  We would come down here early in the morning and watch the ship wake up.  The chairs were really comfortable and it was fun to watch people stagger down for their morning coffee at the coffee station (in the background)! 😁 People in bathrobes, hair in curlers, slippers, barefoot, sweatshirts and pajama bottoms - it was a very unique parade.  Of course the officers and spa staff would be stopping by also.  The roles, donuts, and assorted pastries were also an enticement. 

 

My personal opinion is that the IC on Princess was a little better, but this was pretty good as well. I know you will enjoy this part of the ship as well. It is located right next to the "future cruises" desks. I forget which deck - probably 6 or 7.

 

Jack

[truffles2]

I feel like I have to say this....

your pictures are wonderful, but the photobucket atomic bomb in each one is an abomination!  Disgusting.  They could make it a bit smaller and place it not right smack in the middle.

[SailorJack]

On 8/12/2019 at 8:52 AM, truffles2 said:

I feel like I have to say this....

your pictures are wonderful, but the photobucket atomic bomb in each one is an abomination!  Disgusting.  They could make it a bit smaller and place it not right smack in the middle.

 

 

I don't know what was going on with photobucket.  It only happened for the last few photos that I posted. I probably won't be using them again.  I need to find another site that I can use to post and download photos.

 

Jack

[truffles2]

Don’t know if you followed Trainman or not but he used a site for all of his photos.  There are many years of his threads so I can't search, but I have asked there if anyone remembers.  Will let you know if I get an answer.

[truffles2]

Just got an answer and they said it was Photobucket!🙄🙄

Oh, dear...

[John&LaLa]

21 hours ago, SailorJack said:

 

 

I don't know what was going on with photobucket.  It only happened for the last few photos that I posted. I probably won't be using them again.  I need to find another site that I can use to post and download photos.

 

Jack

 

I'm happy with CC storing them.