Our anniversary cruise on the Neiuw Statendam : Is the honeymoon over ? Part 2

[Iamthesea]

5 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

No, I was commenting on the end of the Microsoft classes and the introduction of the Navigator App to use onboard, bearing in mind discussions about cut backs etc. I was trying to be light hearted and obviously failing!  

Sorry if my 'joke' was misconstrued. 

Oh, hahaha.  I totally agree!!! 😁

[rothbury]

It seems a lot of conversation on the roll call about gala nights.  As everybody seems to be saying, the app isn't any good.  Currently the app says every day and night is "smart casual".  Did you experience this?  Or, did they have 2 gala nights on sea days as they used to have?

I know, I hate to bring up dress codes, but DW is stressing about what to pack.  Gala clothes take up much more room.

[Dismomx5]

22 minutes ago, rothbury said:

It seems a lot of conversation on the roll call about gala nights.  As everybody seems to be saying, the app isn't any good.  Currently the app says every day and night is "smart casual".  Did you experience this?  Or, did they have 2 gala nights on sea days as they used to have?

I know, I hate to bring up dress codes, but DW is stressing about what to pack.  Gala clothes take up much more room.

We were on the Rotterdam (10 days) early in the month. Prior to boarding, we had "Casual" dress across the board. We ended up with 1 casual, 2 dressy, and the rest smart casual. HTH

[scubacruiserx2]

7 hours ago, rothbury said:

It seems a lot of conversation on the roll call about gala nights.  As everybody seems to be saying, the app isn't any good.  Currently the app says every day and night is "smart casual".  Did you experience this?  Or, did they have 2 gala nights on sea days as they used to have?

I know, I hate to bring up dress codes, but DW is stressing about what to pack.  Gala clothes take up much more room.

 

On our 7 day cruise on the NS it had 5 Casual days and 2 Dressy days which were on Monday and Thursday - our 2 days at sea . We don't usually get real dressed up in the Caribbean as we are using the extra area in the suitcase for fins , mask and snorkel and wetsuit/bathing suits . It is a little cooler this time of the year ( so fleece ) in Ft. Lauderdale and the Bahamas and on deck it's cool in the wind . We were in Rudi's both dressy nights so it was a little more upscale . In fact all of dinners were in the fancy restaurants but we weren't out of place as it was about 50-50 for jackets . 

 

[PROCRUISE]

8 hours ago, rothbury said:

It seems a lot of conversation on the roll call about gala nights.  As everybody seems to be saying, the app isn't any good.  Currently the app says every day and night is "smart casual".  Did you experience this?  Or, did they have 2 gala nights on sea days as they used to have?

I know, I hate to bring up dress codes, but DW is stressing about what to pack.  Gala clothes take up much more room.

Was on the Statendam in December and will be on the Rotterdam in February. On "gala nights" in December I wore dress slacks, long sleeved collared dress shirt with tie and no coat. Will wear the same next month. Was, and will be, very appropriately dressed.

[scubacruiserx2]

Monday January 16th was our day at sea and the sea was calmer and the air warmer . It was a Dressy day for dinner and we were headed for the Dominican Republic . Room service for breakfast .

 

 

A ship walk day . First some art . When I think of Dutch art I think of Rembrandt , Van Gogh or Bosch . We don't much enjoy pop art but here's some .

 

 

 

 

The last one looked like a child's toy scattered around under plexiglass .

 

 

Until I changed  perspective  and took a second look 

 

 

The Deck plan near our elevator

 

 

A look at the retreat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We would not recommend # 1 for it's lack of privacy

 

 

The Crow's nest and Explorations Cafe

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

Continuing our ship walk on Deck 2

 

The World Showcase was showing the Deep Blue as we walked in expecting to find a film about sea life .

 

 

It seemed like it was more about greed and Mel's Fisher's Son Dirk and his DIL dying in the process .

 

 

 

The Digital Workshop . No more computers but painting @ $ 25 at pop

 

 

The Rolling Stones Rock Room

 

 

The Pinnacle is where we normally eat breakfast on all of the other class ships as we like Neptune Suites . We would be having lunch there later today .

 

 

 

B.B. Kings would have $ 1000 Bingo game of chance .

 

 

 

 

About a minute later they had - surprise 2 winners ! So we guess it was a $ 500 jackpot x 2 .

 

The Atrium

 

 

 

 

We would be having dinner at Rudi's this evening

 

 

The Whiskey tasting area Notes

 

 

The breakfast area for the Neptune Suites and it's art work

 

 

 

 

 

The musical instruments are the exterior rooms

 

 

Finally , the MDR reminded me of being in the belly of a whale - complete with giant ribs . Shot from the 3rd floor .

 

[KroozNut]

Keep 'em coming! 😄

[scubacruiserx2]

4 hours ago, KroozNut said:

Keep 'em coming! 😄

 

Thanks . Running a little slow as under the weather a bit .

[scubacruiserx2]

With lunch at the Pinnacle our server was very good and was from Nigeria . 

 

 

DW 's Beef Carpaccio was the best that she ever had .

 

 

I like spicy but the soup was too much and lacking the veggies that come on the soup spoon 

 

 

The crab cakes were good

 

 

Anyone care to guess what this is ? It was goopy and drippy .

 

 

The Pinnacle burger was cooked good and the fries were good but too much Chipote on the burger too smoky and spicy to enjoy .

 

 

Attention to detail ironing the table cloths

 

 

 

The mystery meal was Mushroom Ravioli that wasn't good . We usually eat lunch at the Pinnacle on sea days and we cancelled the next time and explained why to the person at the door on the way out .

Edited February 2, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

While preparing for dinner we saw a couple of shades of color in the ocean . It was deep water so it wasn't a reef and we didn't see a large cloud shadow - so who knows ?

 

 

 

Dinner at Rudi's 

 

Our table was in the center row the first one by the kitchen

 

Charger plates

 

 

 

The Amuse bouche was Anchovy . Not as yucky as it sounds

 

 

Condiments for the bread

 

 

Escargot

 

 

Osetra Caviar grown in - Florida

 

 

 

Rack of Lamb for her was good 

 

 

Grilled seafood platter with a clothesline lobster . With the same seasoning and grilling process it all tasted pretty much the same

 

 

 

Profiteroles

 

 

All and all is was pretty good and our server was Mohammed from Morocco and he had an eye for and attention to detail . As we left we requested a side table for our next trip here .

[fusion927]

2 hours ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

While preparing for dinner we saw a couple of shades of color in the ocean . It was deep water so it wasn't a reef and we didn't see a large cloud shadow - so who knows ?

 

 

 

As a sailboat racer, those look like wind lines, where the wind either changes direction or speed or (most often) both.  The little wavelets from the wind are different, causing different reflections.

[scubacruiserx2]

1 hour ago, fusion927 said:

 

As a sailboat racer, those look like wind lines, where the wind either changes direction or speed or (most often) both.  The little wavelets from the wind are different, causing different reflections.

 

Thank you fusion927 . We were nearing the Turks and Caicos as we were closing in on the Dominican Republic . 

[scubacruiserx2]

After dinner in Rudi's we returned to the cabin and found the info for the D.R. 

 

 

Amber Cove is a typical Carnival port designed to keep you ( and your money here ) . You have to walk through their stores and crowds designed to keep you there . We've been on private tours to the city and countryside a couple of times and it's about a mile to the front gate each way . Worse , we don't care for the time change - especially for only 1 day before switching back the same night . We knew that a Carnival behemoth would be their an hour ahead of us and they were supposed to leave a hour ahead of us . Their ship could pack 6300 passengers when full . Thus it was a chill and spa day and we hoped to go in later and take a photos of them sailing away and a clean photo pf the Nieuw Statendam in port . The views coming in .

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to a sunrise

 

 

Cue Jaws music for the video

 

 

 

Quite an elaborate set up for the Carnies

 

 

 

 

 

[KroozNut]

That Carnival ship is HUGE! 😬

[scubacruiserx2]

14 hours ago, KroozNut said:

That Carnival ship is HUGE! 😬

 

Yes it is . And on the upper decks is and amusement park with - a roller coaster

 

 

The Ultimate Playground

The Ultimate Playground (aft on Decks 18-19) is a large family-friendly play area highlighted by fleet's largest Carnival WaterWorks (aquapark) and an expanded SportSquare (sports complex with a basketball court, ropes course, jogging track, mini-golf). Also here is the "BOLT Ultimate Sea Coaster" (first at sea). 

 

We are returning to our other thread and will continuing our other thread found here :

 

 

 

Edited February 3, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

In the morning we had a relaxing spa day before looking for lunch . So no App ordering or delivery . It didn't work the entire cruise .

 

 

 

 

We walked down to the NY Deli to no line and ordered a pizza , salad and a Pastrami ( double meat ) . We found a shady spot - until they opened the roof 

 

 

 

 

We found another spot and ordered a couple of beers . I requested a draft and there runner had to go to 3 bars to find one so I gave him a good tip

 

 

 

The line had picked up when we picked up our food 

 

 

 

 

 

Finished with a Gelato - A yummy finish

 

 

 

Edited February 3, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[KroozNut]

Yumm, that pizza looks scrumptious! Notice how the Carnival Celebration towers over the tiny (by comparison) Nieuw Statendam. 😯

Edited February 4, 2023 by KroozNut

[scubacruiserx2]

16 hours ago, KroozNut said:

Yumm, that pizza looks scrumptious! Notice how the Carnival Celebration towers over the tiny (by comparison) Nieuw Statendam. 😯

 

The Pizza was pretty good and we had ordered extra everything . MIA was the Cilantro . We love Cilantro .

 Yea the Celebration looked like a denizen of the deep gobbling up the port .

[scubacruiserx2]

After awakening from a food coma nap we got ready to go ashore for some photos . We did notice an Ambulance and a patient we a large entourage escorting them to the ambulance . I use to work for the Miami- Dade Rescue unit that responded to the Port of Miami for treatment and transport to an appropriate hospital . An ambulance is usually for transport only with limited treatment and is for non serious injuries or illness .

 

 

 

Like the HUGE ship it had huge lifeboats . Almost 500 squeezed into each one . That a ride that we don't care to share !

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

We waited until about 1530 to go ashore hoping that the Sellabration would move giving us some clean shots of the NA . in the afternoon sunlight . We needed to be back on board in an hour . Some of the masks in the square .

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imagine the NA here behind the sign

 

 

The roller coaster

 

 

 

We waited more than half an hour past their sail away time but they never moved - so we had to .

 

 

 

 

 

 

While Pat waited for me , the other ship was calling out names and room numbers for their tardy people . We were not the last on to return to our ship

 

[KroozNut]

That Carnival Celebration is just WAY too much (in every way) for us! 😯

[Iamthesea]

That roller coaster is just a BIG NO for me!!!  😲😟😬🥴😱

[KroozNut]

21 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

That roller coaster is just a BIG NO for me!!!  😲😟😬🥴😱

 

The entire ship is a big NO for us! 😒

[scubacruiserx2]

For us bigger isn't always better . It may just be bigger .