2023 Grand World Voyage with The Inside Cabin

[forwardho]

Following along as always with you posts. Wishing safe travels. Are the Hawaiian Ambassadors the same as our cruise to Hawaii and French Polynesia last Feb/Mar? Your post reminds me to dust off my ukulele that I purchased after the cruise and start strumming.

Jill And Gary

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Here is a picture of our first "Pillow Gift" - this was in our cabins on Formal Night -  travel journal and some fancy chocolates

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

5 minutes ago, forwardho said:

Following along as always with you posts. Wishing safe travels. Are the Hawaiian Ambassadors the same as our cruise to Hawaii and French Polynesia last Feb/Mar? Your post reminds me to dust off my ukulele that I purchased after the cruise and start strumming.

Jill And Gary

No - this is a new team I have never seen before.    

[LouChamp]

Aloha. So enjoying your posts and how beautifully you present yourself.  

Thank you so much.  In furtherance of your posts about formal attire I was thinking about how it used to be and must have been 100 years ago without air conditioning and wearing tuxes and the ladies in formal attire as well. I have previously posted similar thoughts. Love your pictures of the travel journal and other gifts which we too have collected over the years.  Enjoy!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Here is the official Table 89 photo from our first formal night

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Table 89 went to the brunch yesterday - here is the menu and some pics

 

Table setting

 

First Course

Fresh Fruit with Granola Parfait
Norwegian Smoked Salmon on Brioche *
Devilled Egg, Black Tobiko *
South Italian Prosciutto Speck and Coppa on Six Grains Baguette *
Beecher’s and Brie Cheese

 

 

Second Course

 

Vegetable Frittata
Sautéed Shrimp *
Mini Beef Wellington *
roasted sliced potato, steamed broccoli
Biscuit and Gravy
Pancake Stack with Maple Syrup

 

 

Desert Course

Crème Caramel
Pecan Pie
Baked Apple Strudel

 

 

 

sunday_brunch_sampler_menu_1_formatted.pdf

[durangoscots]

6 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Table 89 went to the brunch yesterday - here is the menu and some pics

 

Table setting

 

First Course

Fresh Fruit with Granola Parfait
Norwegian Smoked Salmon on Brioche *
Devilled Egg, Black Tobiko *
South Italian Prosciutto Speck and Coppa on Six Grains Baguette *
Beecher’s and Brie Cheese

 

 

Second Course

 

Vegetable Frittata
Sautéed Shrimp *
Mini Beef Wellington *
roasted sliced potato, steamed broccoli
Biscuit and Gravy
Pancake Stack with Maple Syrup

 

 

Desert Course

Crème Caramel
Pecan Pie
Baked Apple Strudel

 

 

 

sunday_brunch_sampler_menu_1_formatted.pdf 107.01 kB · 0 downloads

Oh my!!! That does look good.

 

Susan

[LouChamp]

Aloha.  The brunch looks delicious.  Your table picture is awesome!

[WriterOnDeck]

23 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Here is a picture of our first "Pillow Gift" - this was in our cabins on Formal Night -  travel journal and some fancy chocolates

 

The fancy chocolates must have been a suite treat -- didn't see them in my verandah. Not that I am starving....

[The-Inside-Cabin]

3 hours ago, LouChamp said:

Aloha.  The brunch looks delicious.  Your table picture is awesome!

We heard they served 600 people!   It was delicious!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We lost power on our street for about 7 hours last Saturday.    Before the cruise I bought a wifi freezer sensor that broadcasts my freezer temp every 5 minutes or so.   If it loses connectivity, like it did when we lost power and wifi at home, I get a text message after 60 minutes of no contact.    This alerted me to the fact that something was amiss back home.   After the power was restored and wifi was back online,  the freezer (which is empty) went from 5 degrees to 23 degrees and is now back to normal temps.    So - this device works well and if the power was out longer or If my freezer failed I would have plenty of time to notify someone to take action back home.

 

HERE is the Amazon Link

 

I also use the Govee water sensor which will also notify you via email if it detects a water leak - Amazon Link HERE

 

 

[REOVA]

3 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

We lost power on our street for about 7 hours last Saturday.    Before the cruise I bought a wifi freezer sensor that broadcasts my freezer temp every 5 minutes or so.   If it loses connectivity, like it did when we lost power and wifi at home, I get a text message after 60 minutes of no contact.    This alerted me to the fact that something was amiss back home.   After the power was restored and wifi was back online,  the freezer (which is empty) went from 5 degrees to 23 degrees and is now back to normal temps.    So - this device works well and if the power was out longer or If my freezer failed I would have plenty of time to notify someone to take action back home.

 

HERE is the Amazon Link

 

I also use the Govee water sensor which will also notify you via email if it detects a water leak - Amazon Link HERE

 

 

Good info. 👍 

 

Of course they'll need to purchase wifi on ship to get notified during the long sea days....😁

[The-Inside-Cabin]

No live entertainment tonight on the Mainstage.   They are showing a movie instead.    Not sure why they don't let one of the cast singers do a "Spotlight" show...

 

The movie is "The Woman King"   They will show it twice...at 7 PM and 9:30...

 

Showing movies instead of live entertainment on the Mainstage while at sea on a Grand Voyage is not something I would have expected.

[REOVA]

The Spotlight shows were great when they had the HAL world stage band. 

 

And I agree, the movie fillers for World Stage entertainment is not expected on GWC. Know it is on regular itineraries but sad to hear this. 

[oakridger]

I also don't think movies in place of evening main stage entertainment on a regular cruise is expected or appreciated either!  

 

~Nancy

[canadianbear]

11 minutes ago, oakridger said:

I also don't think movies in place of evening main stage entertainment on a regular cruise is expected or appreciated either!  

 

~Nancy

Totally agree. 

[Durango Sandy]

Pete, had lots of movies at night on “Grand” Africa. One of many disappointments. Please say  hi to Susan for me. Sandy 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

11 minutes ago, Durango Sandy said:

Pete, had lots of movies at night on “Grand” Africa. One of many disappointments. Please say  hi to Susan for me. Sandy 

The BBC Earth Movies or "Origin Story" in lieu of live entertainment were bad enough, but at least they had a "live" element to them with the accompanying strings or live narration. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

45 minutes ago, REOVA said:

The Spotlight shows were great when they had the HAL world stage band. 

 

And I agree, the movie fillers for World Stage entertainment is not expected on GWC. Know it is on regular itineraries but sad to hear this. 

A spotlight show with a "backing track" would be better than a movie that's 6 months old

[The-Inside-Cabin]

MIKE WEST “THE SHIP GUY”- AT SEA (POST #14)

Mike West, "The Ship Guy" - Post #14

 

January 14th

 

Learn more about Mike West “The Ship Guy”, cruise ship enrichment speaker

From time to time, I will publish a more in-depth feature about some of the most interesting people I encounter while cruising.  Today I sat down with Mike West in the Gallery Bar for a chat to learn more about his background and a little insight into life as a guest lecturer.

Michael “Mike” West, a retired US Navy Commander, also known as “The Ship Guy,” has been entertaining and educating us since we left Fort Lauderdale almost two weeks ago.

Mike came from a long line of Naval Officers and was commissioned in 1971 via NROTC and was initially assigned to USS Cochrane (DDG 21). Over his 22-year career, Mike served on various ships and finally served as the commanding officer of the USS MILLER (FF 1091) in 1991.   MILLER was originally a Knox class destroyer escort before being converted to a frigate in 1975.  Handling a single-shaft ship like MILLER without the bow thrusters or Azipods you find on modern cruise ships presented many ship-handling challenges.  Nevertheless, Mike remembers that he could bring MILLER into port without the assistance of tugs in most cases.

USS MILLER in 1991

Mike’s wife, Barbara, encouraged him to take his first cruise in the Mediterranean in the late 1990s.  After a life at sea, many Navy veterans often wonder why they would want to pay to go to sea.  However, after he set foot on his first cruise ship – his passion for the sea was reignited, and he immediately fell in love with cruise ships and cruising.

Later, while on a 28 Day cruise on PRINSENDAM, Mike was enjoying the presentations by the guest lecturer, and that sparked his interest in becoming a guest lecturer himself.  After much networking and persistence, he lined up his first speaking contract with the Celebrity EQUINOX.  Since then, he has expanded his speaking to other cruise lines and is now a frequent speaker with Holland America.  Mike speaks on about 12 cruises a year.

After hundreds of hours of research and preparation, Mike has developed a series of 16 lectures that are constantly revised and improved.  The cruise line doesn’t prescreen the lectures, and aside from their general guidance on avoiding the obvious controversial topics, he has wide discretion on what material to present.  All his presentations are targeted to be 45 minutes.

Here is the list of the eleven topics Mike has presented or will present since we left Fort Lauderdale on 3 January 2023.  He will head home when were arrive in Papeete after spending a few days enjoying the Tahiti with Barbara.  Mike’s lectures have been well attended and it’s best to arrive early to get a better seat.

• The Wonder of Ships #1
• The Wonder of Ships #2
• Why the British Don’t Speak Spanish
• HMS Victory – England’s Great Oaken Wall
• Sink the Bismarck!
• The Queens of the Seas
• Shipwrecks and Time
• Funnels, Flags and Funny Paint
• Flat Tops and Fly Boys
• The Great Ships
• An Engineer’s Look at Titanic

Mike enjoys meeting passengers and listening to their feedback and suggestions for future topics.  Be sure to leave your comments on post-cruise surveys and during the cruise on the “Let us Know” area of the Navigator App.  Positive comments help the cruise line decide when to schedule lecturers on future sailings.

Mike and his wife, Barbara, have two daughters and one grandchild.  They live in Ponte Verda, Florida, where Mike runs a small business:  Command Presents, which specializes in custom and personalized military mementos.  Check out his website HERE.  You can contact Mike via Email:  mwest@commandpresents.com

NOTE:  If you are interested in becoming a guest lecturer, HERE is a website that will provide some leads on how you might be able to get started.  But, like everything else, persistence, timing, and a little luck will help.

Tonight’s entertainer was Pianist Elliot Finkel.  We saw him perform on our first World Cruise in 2016 when he was part of the Finkel Brothers.  Unfortunately, his brother and father have passed, so he continues to perform solo.  This was his second show, which we enjoyed very much.

Another sea day tomorrow and our first Sunday Brunch.

Edited January 17, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[Tampa Girl]

11 hours ago, Durango Sandy said:

Pete, had lots of movies at night on “Grand” Africa. One of many disappointments. Please say  hi to Susan for me. Sandy 

 

What were some of the other disappointments, if I may ask?

[julia]

That was a great post about the guest lecturer... thank you so much!

 

BTW... with 35 nights coming up on the Koningsdam, I've been bingeing your YouTube video on cabin measurements, thank you!  Are you a Buckeye? (asked from a Buckeye).

[Ellencruise]

Thank you for introducing us to Mike West. That’s a great post retirement job!

[0106]

We enjoyed Mike West on our Oosterdam transatlantic in November.  I was double booked twice and missed his lecture.  I really wish HAL would show the recordings of presentations on the stateroom TV.  One day the captain’s cooking show in the BBKing lounge was SRO so they projected  it on the MainStage so I know they have the ability.  Are any presentations being  on the TV too?  
 

Appreciate all your insights, thanks for taking us along.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

24 minutes ago, julia said:

That was a great post about the guest lecturer... thank you so much!

 

BTW... with 35 nights coming up on the Koningsdam, I've been bingeing your YouTube video on cabin measurements, thank you!  Are you a Buckeye? (asked from a Buckeye).

Yes - OSU Class of 76 - Engineering