Live and Happy from Eurodam October 6 to 30

[VMax1700]

16 hours ago, kazu said:

 

What?  Who wants cheese without crackers and I like those salty ones.  You mean I have to bring my own crackers on board.  Boy, I better write that one down GRRRRRR 

 

How can you have wine and cheese without crackers???

 

Edited to say, but that was good service. 😉 

Yes Jacqui, more to add to the pre cruise shopping list.  

[wdw1972]

Looks like I'll be bringing crackers onboard as well - even when HAL used to have some crackers they were nothing special.  At home crackers and cheese doesn't mean saltine crackers, and although the ry crisp crackers were better than saltines, it'll be worth carrying a box onboard to have a cracker that pairs better with the cheeses 😉  

 

Sue/WDW1972

[VMax1700]

Very little stock in the mini bar!

[VMax1700]

I believe that the Mini Bar pricelist as shown above is illegal within the EU.  By law, displayed Retail prices must include ALL taxes.  It may be ok in USA where state and federal taxes are normally added to the sticker price, but in Europe it is not acceptable and it is not legal.   

[VMax1700]

Disembarkation options for Marghera 🤞

 

 

Edited October 11, 2021 by VMax1700

[Vict0riann]

I thought that crackers were wrapped in cellophane - and isn’t that a plant product - cellulose?  Crazy, then they should have loose crackers out and just handle them with tongs.  I like melba toast and I remember when they discontinued those little packets, I spent part of a day in Lisbon hunting for a grocery store so I could buy a box…

Edited October 11, 2021 by Vict0riann

[Vict0riann]

1 hour ago, VMax1700 said:

Disembarkation options for Marghera 🤞

 

 

Sorry you received your disembarkation papers, Colin.   Can we have dinner again before you go?

[VMax1700]

 

For those who complained about BBK having a too repetitive setlist,  I am happy to report that they have expanded to include some Santana and some Eric Clapton.  Now it could be this particular band as the leader, Nik, is a very accomplished guitarist.

 

 

[VMax1700]

I mentioned previously that we have the HIA promo which includes a complimentary meal at both Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind.  We booked PG online before leaving home but have done nothing about Tamarind.  I had expected that there would be a card waiting in the stateroom with a Tamarind booking, but nothing yet.

So, I asked today if I could swap our complimentary Tamarind reservation for a Canaleto reservation.  Not possible.  I did mention that on ships  that do not have Tamarind the HIA relates to PG and Canaleto, but no move from them.  It's Tamarind or nothing!

[VMax1700]

2 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

Sorry you received your disembarkation papers, Colin.   Can we have dinner again before you go?

We would love that Ann.

You pick time and place and email me.

[Florida_gal_50]

23 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

I mentioned previously that we have the HIA promo which includes a complimentary meal at both Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind.  We booked PG online before leaving home but have done nothing about Tamarind.  I had expected that there would be a card waiting in the stateroom with a Tamarind booking, but nothing yet.

So, I asked today if I could swap our complimentary Tamarind reservation for a Canaleto reservation.  Not possible.  I did mention that on ships  that do not have Tamarind the HIA relates to PG and Canaleto, but no move from them.  It's Tamarind or nothing!

That is crazy since Canaletto is cheaper.

[kazu]

50 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

I mentioned previously that we have the HIA promo which includes a complimentary meal at both Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind.  We booked PG online before leaving home but have done nothing about Tamarind.  I had expected that there would be a card waiting in the stateroom with a Tamarind booking, but nothing yet.

So, I asked today if I could swap our complimentary Tamarind reservation for a Canaleto reservation.  Not possible.  I did mention that on ships  that do not have Tamarind the HIA relates to PG and Canaleto, but no move from them.  It's Tamarind or nothing!

 

I’m surprised at that one.  Is the Tamarind fully booked.  Hopefully you can get there 🤞. A little befuddled why you couldn’t exchange for Canaletto 🤔 

[Darjeeling]

7 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

Haha!  I had a hard time swallowing that dash of sofa.  I don’t know if it was me or autocorrect….  I had a fight over the yuzu cheesecake, too.

 

still trying to add the photos..

 

yay, it worked this time, I had to sign in again, so maybe it’s CC and not the internet. 192.89 kB · 0 downloads

 

our “dam” cocktail without the dash of sofa!  Why is it underlining now?  The cocktail was garnished with a slice of orange zest and a mint leaf.  Everything seems to be garnished with mint or pea tendrils…

 

 

sorry it’s so dark, the shrimp and lobster potstickers 

 

 

Our treat from Pika  - shrimp tempura roll and yellowtail and salmon sashimi

 

 

the lobster sauce was spicy.

 

 

the cheesecake was delicious - a creamy lemon mixture inside a white chocolate pipe, with the crumbs around it.

 

Thank you for all your comments and pictures! I think CC was having issues. I could not post, comment or react to anything during the weekend! Could you please include some pics of various areas (Lido, MDR, etc.) aboard ship so we can get an idea of what it’s like now?
 

I need to get serious about packing!!😘

[PSR]

On 10/10/2021 at 5:17 AM, Florida_gal_50 said:

I rarely eat the pastries on hal but they are delicious.  This one is my fav too.

 

I'm not familiar with the pastry in post #202; what is it called?

[Florida_gal_50]

8 minutes ago, PSR said:

 

I'm not familiar with the pastry in post #202; what is it called?

I’m not sure if there is a special name for them but they are pecan pastries.  They are not whole pecans but cut up.  They are gooey and buttery, so good.

[PSR]

3 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I’m not sure if there is a special name for them but they are pecan pastries.  They are not whole pecans but cut up.  They are gooey and buttery, so good.

 

Sound yummy! Are these available in the Lido, or just the MDR? 

[Florida_gal_50]

3 minutes ago, PSR said:

 

Sound yummy! Are these available in the Lido, or just the MDR? 

I’m not sure about the lido.  I despise it so it’s very rare I’m ever there in the morning.  Usually it’s only on Panama Canal day that I’m actually in there.  Gotta have Panama rolls that day 😛.  I hope the pecan pastries are still as good.  It’s been a long time since I’ve had one.  You have to specifically ask for them to come around so it’s a good reason for me not to be tempted. 

[1ANGELCAT]

I’ve gotten the pecan danishes in the Lido. Toss up between them and chocolate croissants 🥐 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Ann, I've been enjoying all your updates on your cruise.  It sounds like you are having a great time.  Tony and Colin's updates are also enjoyable.

[kazu]

2 hours ago, PSR said:

 

I'm not familiar with the pastry in post #202; what is it called?

 

I believe some of the waiters call them sticky buns. Hard to be sure from the photo but they have always had yummy  pecans in them.  

They are worth dumping the diet for 😉 

 

I didn’t mean to mislead if pecan pastries is the right request to make

[mrspeck]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

I believe some of the waiters call them sticky buns. Hard to be sure from the photo but they have always had yummy  pecans in them.  

They are worth dumping the diet for 😉 

 

I didn’t mean to mislead if pecan pastries is the right request to make

I’ve always received them correctly when I have requested them for breakfast delivered in room.  I just write in pecan pastries and they magically appear! 😉

[Vict0riann]

I just call them the pastries with the nuts on top.  I used to be always able to find them in the Lido.  Yesterday, Pika had some hidden away for me, they disappear fast.  
 

Last night was The Sel de Mer pop-up dinner.  We started with Khay as the sommelier, as Allan was conducting the sherry tasting.  Allan appeared later.  He said 11 had signed up but only 4 had showed up.  We said we would do it on the next segment.

 

Which brings me to another subject.  This whole trip has been such an eye-opener.  Allan told us last night that , to support his family during the pandemic, he sold fruit from the back of his bicycle, and occasionally got temporary jobs as a driver.  One of the waiters had told Tony that when he heard from HAJ that he was being called back to work, he cried, he was so relieved.  Some were reduced to selling their cars and other belongings, just to survive.  Many are concerned about their friends who have not been called back yet, and the fact that there are fewer ships to call them back to.  Allan said his contract is up in February, and of course he doesn’t know if he will get another after his two months’ leave.  
 

On shore, we are welcome.  People are a little nervous of us, I think, and we are no longer wearing our “dam” masks ashore, we wear the blue medical ones, like most of the locals. Nikos, our driver yesterday told us that Rhodes’ first industry is tourism, but for a year and a half, 75% of the hotels on the island have been closed.  Things are just beginning to come back, but it is still not where it was. There were people on the beaches, but the ones we visited were not crowded.  Lindos was busy, but I don’t suppose anywhere near what it would have been in the past.

 

so I feel we are learning a lot about how the rest of the world has endured during COVID.  We had it pretty good, our government looked after us, got us vaccinated and still cares that we survive and go on.

 

Food porn to follow, if it works…

[Vict0riann]

Took a while, but my post seems to have loaded.  Maybe I talk too much…

 

Sel de Mer was the same as in the past.  Pat seems to always get the “Don’t be so crabby” plate.  The bouillabaisse is no longer served in a bag (no more plastic.?). We had eaten too much at lunch, I really couldn’t eat that much.  The three of us had the sole, Martha had not gone on our tour, she had four appetizers instead of a main course.  Pat and I shared a crepes Suzette, I didn’t get too many pictures.  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Vict0riann]

This morning we are in Souda, Crete.  There is a shuttle into the other town of Chania, for E1.70 one way, which is probably what we will do. 

At breakfast I discovered English bacon at one station, and I had that with a pancake and real maple syrup!  
 

 

 

[Alphen]

48 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

This morning we are in Souda, Crete.  There is a shuttle into the other town of Chania, for E1.70 one way, which is probably what we will do. 

At breakfast I discovered English bacon at one station, and I had that with a pancake and real maple syrup!  
 

 

 

Glad that the real maple syrup has been resupplied again, just before disembarkation on the 6th, they started having a sort of thinner variant of the Dutch "Stroop", in stead of the Maple Syrup they served on the start of our cruise.