'Twas the Cruise During Christmas - Zuiderdam 2018

[POA1]

48 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Did you have Explore4 Brian?

 

If they truly credit back the SBP cost, I could come out ahead - I might not have neeed to buy that extra OBC - LOL.

 

Have a fabulous time on board.

 

I won't know until the auditors do their thing, but we're intrigued by the possibility. Thanks! 

[POA1]

56 minutes ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

Brian we tried to up grade our explorer 4 bev package last March on Maasdam and we could not! We tried front desk with manager and at the bar😒

will try on our next cruise.

 

That sounds like our experience previously. However, I can be really persistent. It took us several tries. Today however, it was easy. 

Edited December 16, 2018 by POA1

[Krazy Kruizers]

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

When you upgrade from the SBP, you need to turn in your old room key because it's stamped SBP. They'll issue a new one with EBP on it. They charge you for the EBP and credit back the SBP cost. 

 

Hope you get that credit back.

[fatcat04]

11 minutes ago, POA1 said:

Said Candy Cane Martini. 

 

$8.50 and SBP eligible. 

 

 

It gives you minty fresh breath. 

Mmmmm. Can I say, I love all things mint? Add chocolate to mint and I am set for life.

[Krazy Kruizers]

12 minutes ago, POA1 said:

Said Candy Cane Martini. 

 

$8.50 and SBP eligible. 

 

 

It gives you minty fresh breath. 

 

Sounds too sweet for me.

[POA1]

9 minutes ago, fatcat04 said:

Mmmmm. Can I say, I love all things mint? Add chocolate to mint and I am set for life.

It's got white Crème de Cacao. 

[Krazy Kruizers]

POA1

 

I think I saw you in a picture on the sail away thread.

[POA1]

12 minutes ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

POA1

 

I think I saw you in a picture on the sail away thread.

 

Thanks. I'll take a look.

[DeeniEncinitas]

28 minutes ago, POA1 said:

 

That sounds like our experience previously. However, I can be really persistent. It took us several tries. Today however, it was easy. 

Well I’m persistent also this time I will do a song and dance routine after a few LOL!!

we saw you and DW in a pic on the Sailaway!!

Denise😊

[POA1]

1 minute ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

Well I’m persistent also this time I will do a song and dance routine after a few LOL!!

we saw you and DW in a pic on the Sailaway!!

Denise😊

 

Yes. It was us. Interesting story. We went down to the front office to get our key cards reprinted with our "Eliteness" notated. There was a line at the front desk. Not sure how, because we all just got on. Anyway... Michelle went to take some pix of the Christmas displays and a front office supervisor came out of a door and asked us what we needed. At this point, there are a good 16 people in front of us.

 

I told her we needed our cards reprinted for EBP. She sad, "I can handle that for you." She took our cards and was back with the new ones about 90 seconds later. I can't be 100% sure because we no longer have the old cards, but I think the new ons are more sparkly. I'm glad we travel in a Bubble of Awesome.

 

 

 

[DeeniEncinitas]

OMG👍👍👍👍👍

Bubble is Awesome is perfect! Now is the time to go party!

Denise😊

[fatcat04]

13 minutes ago, POA1 said:

 

Yes. It was us. Interesting story. We went down to the front office to get our key cards reprinted with our "Eliteness" notated. There was a line at the front desk. Not sure how, because we all just got on. Anyway... Michelle went to take some pix of the Christmas displays and a front office supervisor came out of a door and asked us what we needed. At this point, there are a good 16 people in front of us.

 

I told her we needed our cards reprinted for EBP. She sad, "I can handle that for you." She took our cards and was back with the new ones about 90 seconds later. I can't be 100% sure because we no longer have the old cards, but I think the new ons are more sparkly. I'm glad we travel in a Bubble of Awesome.

 

 

 

Is "A Bubble of Awesome" on the Gifts and Indulgences page? Cause if it is, I am so on that!

[Krazy Kruizers]

How wonderful that you got special attention at the front desk for your new cards.

 

Love the "Bubble of Awesome"!!

[Copper10-8]

47 minutes ago, POA1 said:

 

Yes. It was us. Interesting story. We went down to the front office to get our key cards reprinted with our "Eliteness" notated. There was a line at the front desk. Not sure how, because we all just got on. Anyway... Michelle went to take some pix of the Christmas displays and a front office supervisor came out of a door and asked us what we needed. At this point, there are a good 16 people in front of us.

 

I told her we needed our cards reprinted for EBP. She sad, "I can handle that for you." She took our cards and was back with the new ones about 90 seconds later. I can't be 100% sure because we no longer have the old cards, but I think the new ons are more sparkly. I'm glad we travel in a Bubble of Awesome.

 

 

 

 

 

Web cam dude was too slow by waiting with his zoom to get a good shot of you guys! Enjoy your fist evening and be sure to watch the BB's 😁

[POA1]

4 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

Enjoy your fist evening and be sure to watch the BB's

 

Thanks. We caught the last two shows.

[POA1]

Schedule Change:

 

Despite the assurances of a group of really well meaning and trustworthy people, we are not having our first gala night on Monday, December 17th. When we returned to our room tonight, the When & Where for tomorrow says that we're "Smart Casual" on Monday night. 

 

I thought the the advice about Gala Night and Half Moon Cay was sage and wise, since we have all aboard on Monday at 2:30 PM.   We're in Grand Turk until 6:00 PM on Tuesday and in Amber Cove until 6:00 PM on Wednesday. We have our first Sea Day on Thursday. I'm guessing that the Sea Day is our first gala and then our second one is Christmas Eve.

 

It's not the end of the world, but we were planning on "being good" until the first gala night, avoiding Dive-In Burgers, Dogs & Fries until Wednesday. I'm not ready to commit to that until Friday if gala night got slipped.

 

Menu Changes:

 

We're interested to see what the menus look like for this cruise. We're used to looking at Roger's @Crew News menu scans and planning our dinners. Tonight's dinner was pretty much brand new - aside from the "everyday selections" and the Banana Fruit Crisp. All three of us had the cold scallop appetizer, which was quite good. I had the roasted tomato soup for my second course and DW had the burrata and eggplant salad for our second courses.  For entrees, Michelle had the Jerk Pork Tenderloin. I had the turkey tenderloin, and her dad had the vegetarian cannelloni. I'll post more info once I get the menus.

 

 

[POA1]

As is often the case, the first night in the MDR was a little uneven. Our waiters were great and the food was good arrived at the proper temperature. The wine service was off. We didn't get a wine list until after our starters arrived. I order our wines "straight through" for all course pairings and request that all the wine be brought at once, rather than trying to have them bring it with the course. Nothing against the wine stewards, but there are way too many variables for them to get the timing correct.

 

I ordered whites for our scallops and two different reds for our entrees. (DFIL was not having wine.) After we finished our scallops, Michelle's white wine arrived, and I got my red. (Wine is dropped of by a runner and not by your wine steward.) I explained that we wanted both flights at the same time and the remaining glasses showed up about 10 minutes later. I found the wine steward before dessert and explained that we'd like the wine list on the table at the beginning of the meal and that I'd order our pairings straight through every night - and that I'd be ready to order within a few minutes of being seated. We almost always know what we're going to eat before we sit down. Even with the Elite Beverage Package, there are a limited number of selections. I can pair these in my sleep. (Problem tippler or experienced vinophile? You make the call.)

 

Anyway... I think we reached a mutual understanding with our wine steward and I look forward to an excellent working relationship going forward. In case anyone is thinking of asking: Yes. I did incentivize the sub-optimal performance. However, I did so with expectation-setting and clear objectives. Maybe we'll craft a mission statement later this week.

[POA1]

Well don't I feel silly. I accidentally posted two items to Roger Jett's thread. I had two browser tabs open. Seriously. I was no where near my 15 beverage limit. 

[POA1]

Tree Lighting:

 

A few photos from the tree lighting ceremony on the atrium. Excellent turn out for a 15 minute event with caroling and fake snow.

 

 

 

 

[POA1]

Clearly I have been neglecting some important things in this thread, as evidenced by this plane which buzzed us as we sailed into the open Atlantic.

 

 

Without further ado, here's DW and Poohby Joe before dinner last night. The bear is wearing a blue bow tie from the "Sharp Dressed Yet Tiny Man's Collection" and Michelle is sporting a silk top from the Helen Roper Signature Line.

 

 

[POA1]

While I'm up in the middle of the night, trying to correct for the fact that I accidentally stuck two posts in Roger Jett's thread. (Sorry @Crew News, I reported my misdeeds. Hopefully the mods will delete my two errant posts.)

 

The temperature on the ship has been great, both in the public areas and in our room. That probably means that some people will be cold, but as for this guy... I'm loving it.

[POA1]

I saw that @Copper10-8 had posted the old NASM flag in the sail away thread for this cruise on Sunday. (He hosts "team trivia" in the sail aways.)  Thought that would provide an excellent opportunity to post some of the other stuff from the Florida International University collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

These vintage posters and brochure pages depict the old HAL livery colors of yellow and green. John may have more to add, so if he wants to step in as "Visiting Professor of Wayback," he's more than welcome to. I should probably go back to bed. It's 5:00 AM and only an idiot (well meaning though) would be p posting befoe dawn while on vacation.

 

See you soon from Half Moon Cay!

 

 

I have this last one, a tin sign as a Mariner tile. It is my coffee coaster on my desk.

Edited December 17, 2018 by POA1

[ski ww]

If your up early posting, then I'm up early reading them. Looking forward to your posts. Enjoy your cruise.

[kazu]

5 hours ago, POA1 said:

I found the wine steward before dessert and explained that we'd like the wine list on the table at the beginning of the meal and that I'd order our pairings straight through every night - and that I'd be ready to order within a few minutes of being seated

 

Glad to hear that we are not the only ones that order wines in the MDR with a beverage package.  Our wine steward was quite surprised last cruise and said most don't do that.

 

Might explain your uneven wine service last night? 

 

Good luck with the mission statement 😉 

[kazu]

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

Well don't I feel silly. I accidentally posted two items to Roger Jett's thread. I had two browser tabs open. Seriously. I was no where near my 15 beverage limit. 

 

Hey you're only human. 😉. 

 

Michelle and Poohby Joe look fabulous in their dinner duds 🙂