The Fleet Report and Daily for Wednesday March 22nd, 2023

[StLouisCruisers]

Today is As Young As You Feel Day, National Goof Off Day, and National Sing Out Day
 

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.--Winston S. Churchill

Meal Suggestion for today - Greek Sausage Pita Pizzas
Drink of the Day - Honey Toddy
Wine of the Day - M by Michael Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California 2014
Destination of the Day - Alicante, Spain
 

Eurodam

Puerto Limon, Costa Rica 06:30 - 16:00
 

Koningsdam

At Sea Destination San Diego, California eta 3-25
 

Nieuw Amsterdam

Puerto Plata/Amber Cove, Dominican Republic 0700-1800
 

Nieuw Statendam

Falmouth, Jamaica 08:00 - 17:00
 

Oosterdam

Puerto Montt, Chile 08:00 - 17:00
 

Rotterdam

Castries, St Lucia 0800-1600
 

Volendam

Basseterre, St. Kitts 0800-1600
 

Zaandam

Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico Riviera 08:00 - 17:00
 

Zuiderdam

At Sea Destination Takoradi, Ghana eta 3-25

Eastern Hemisphere
 

Noordam

Tauranga, Rotorua, New Zealand 08:00 - 20:00
 

Westerdam

Busan, Korea 08:00 - 17:00

 

 

 

Sandi for Rich and Roy

Excuse the delay - Cruisecritic posting issues this morning

[lvhh]

Good early Morning to all.

[StLouisCruisers]

Good morning friends!  I am very late (for me) this morning because Cruise Critic would not allow logging in to post.  I wasted almost an hour on that before it worked again.  Here in north central Georgia we have a seemingly warm 41F.  It will rise to 71 and be sunny again today.  Yay!

 

Our days today are interesting.  I don't feel very young these days and am working at trying to get my joints and muscles in better shape through exercise.  If it works I will call it the fountain of youth!  National Goof Off Day is what Cruise Critic was doing this morning.  Taking the day off!  If I could sing I would but I'm not the best at it.  A good quote by Churchill, an interesting sounding menu suggestion, a drink I will pass on, and another red wine.  Most of you will like the Cabernet Sauvignon.  🍷

 

Prayers today for our Care list (thanks Vanessa @JazzyV!).  It is long and unfortunately some of you had bad experiences at the doctor's offices yesterday.  Prayers for Annie @marshhawk and Ann and Pat @Vict0riann. 🙏 We also want to say some extra prayers for Debbie @dfish and her surgeon today as she has her surgery in a little while.  Congratulations to those on the Celebration list.  🥂  Smooth sailing on those cruises!🚢  Jacqui @kazu good luck at your arm check today!  Thanks to our Food and Beverage Department.  They are the best!

 

The port today is a great one - Alicante, Spain!  It was last port of the day on July 23, 2021 and I have listed the link for you if you need to grab those photos for us.  Thanks in advance!  My photos are below also.  

 

We love the port of Alicante, Spain and have seen it 3 times.  We first visited it in 2012 on the Crown Princess.  A favorite spot to visit is the Castillo de Santa Barbara on the top of the hill.  You can't miss it.  The first time we walked up the hill.  Our second visit was on the Westerdam in 2017 and we tried going up in the elevator they have but it was having technical problems so we passed.  The third visit was on the Prinsendam in 2019, and we did take the elevator that day.  Here's a photo of us at the top in 2012.

 

A 2017 photo, when we couldn't get up there, but you can see the fortress at the top of the hill behind me.  Also Alicante is known for those beautiful mosaic type walkways.

 

 

In 2019, a view of the beach as we headed to the fortress elevator.

 

Entrance to the elevator.

 

Also in 2019 a view of the Prinsendam with a fortress cannon.

 

View of the city from the top of the hillside.

 

 

 

 

We love visiting Alicante and are always happy to have it on the itinerary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope to be back there in the future.  Always hopeful!!

 

Hope everyone has a Wondrous Wednesday!  Good thoughts for Debbie, Jacqui, Annie, and Ann.

 

[RedneckBob]

Thanks for the Fleet Update and General Info SLC.

 

Another day I celebrate every day, National Goof off Day !

And National Sing Out Day. Do y’all really want me to sing a song. Well hear is one of my favorite songs.

”Dead shrunk in the middle of the road,

There is a dead shrunk in the middle of the road

Dead shrunk in the middle of road

Stinkin’ to high heaven”.

Hopefully tomorrow will be National Air Freshener Day!

[dfish]

Good morning, everyone!

 

I am up, showered with antiseptic soap and ready to go.  I'm hoping my surgeon is a bit more bright eyed and bushy tailed than I am.  I could go back to sleep for a few hours.  Oh, wait, I'm going to do just that!   I'm feeling good about this surgery this morning.  I'll check in later this afternoon.   Wishing all of you a wonderful day.

[JazzyV]

Today’s care list:

Roy recovering from pneumonia

dfish parathyroid surgery today

Mamaofami Cataract surgery March 23

Durangoscots still not feeling 100%

Citizens of Ukraine/Earthquake in Ecuador

From the rotation:

Kazu’s surgeon visit today

Superoma’s DD with breathing issues from Covid

Tana’s pulmonary issues

StLouisCruiser’s DB with pulmonary fibrosis

 

Celebrations and Shout outs:

0106 (Tina) pitching in on the meal suggestions of the day

Cruising sister’s cast coming off this week

Smitty34877’s new aide for Tana

Many Dailyites planning cruises

 

5 Days for USN59-79 (Westerdam 3/27 to 5/7)

7 Days for Cruzn single (Rotterdam 3/29 to 4/19)

7 Days for Vict0riann (Rotterdam 3/29 to 4/19) 

7 Days for Sailingdutchy (Rotterdam 3/29 to 4/29)

 

Seasick Sailor and 57redbird (Koningsdam to 3/25), Seagarsmoker (Nieuw Statendam to 3/25), DWAliaschief’s sisters cruise (Rotterdam to 3/29), Norseh2o (Oceania Marina to 4/6), Kplady (Grand Princess to 4/28) and Cat in My Lap, Gail&Marty, Richwmn and HorizonChaser1957 (Zuiderdam to 5/12) at sea

 

[puppycanducruise]

Good morning.  Happy Hump Day!  Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Report.

 

A great collection of days.  I feel young!  We all need a goof off day once in a while, so today it is.  I may sing out loud, and you all can be thankful you can't hear me.

Very wise quote.

The meal sounds interesting, I'll wait until I see the recipe.

I'm not sure about the drink but I think I'd like the wine.

@StLouisCruisers Thanks for the pictures of today's port, I'd love to see it in person.

 

@dfish I hope your surgery goes well.

 

Prayers for everyone.  Cheers for all the celebrations.

Have a wonderful day.

Stay safe.

[Mr. Boston]

Good morning.  Thanks for the daily report.  What a fun collection of days we have to choose from.  I pick goof off day only because I can’t.  I really like the quote, very motivational.  The meal suggestion sounds very nice.  The drink sounds nice if you were coming down with something.  I haven’t been to today’s port.  Prayers for everyone on the prayer list today.  Good luck to @dfish with her procedure.  Cheers to everyone celebrating happy events! 🥂

[summer slope]

Honey Toddy cocktail:

 

I could only find a recipe for a Hot Honey Toddy.
Ingredients
2 ounces bourbon
1/2 ounce hot honey
1/2 ounce lemon juice
top with hot water
Instructions
Add the bourbon and honey to a mug. Top with hot water and give it a good stir, to dissolve the honey. Then top with lemon juice. Serve garnished with a lemon rind or wedge, optional.

To make your own hot honey, combine 2 large dried chilis and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes with 12 ounces of honey over low heat. Cook for 30 minutes, then allow to cool. Remove the large chilis and store in a container with a lid. If you want to strain out the red peppers you can, or you can leave them in.

[Crazy For Cats]

Good Morning, thanks for the daily fleet report. Cruise Critic wouldn’t allow me in earlier too. Today’s meal suggestion sounds good and I look forward to pictures and recipes. I’m planning on making goulash today.  @dfish hope all goes well today.  I’ll celebrate goof off day, I’m using sick time this afternoon for mental health.  Last night I took Mona to the vet.  She has developed a sac that fill with fluid. First time was in the fall and tests came back all clear.  It sounds like I’ll need to have this done every few months.  I hope everyone has a good day today.

[jodi58]

Thanks for the Daily!
 

 Good luck to @dfish today.

 

We have a freezing rain warning here, winter is not letting up🙁.

 

Thanks to one and all who post here.

 

[kazu]

Thanks for our Hump Day Daily, Sandi.

 

An interesting collection of days that should make a lot of people happy.  I can’t goof off and in no mood to sing out today.  I confess I am nervous & worried about the X-Ray results, my surgeon’s prognosis on it & this wire trying to poke through. 😬 

 

 

Love the quote by Churchill.  It’s so very true.  We were completely surprised & enchanted with Alicante and I would happily return.

 

Debbie @dfishmy very best wishes for you today for an easy surgery & a very quick recovery 🙏🏻 

 

CC was definitely acting up this morning.  It posted my Bon Voyage thread before I was done and hit post.  Thankfully I had time to edit and it worked 😅 

 

 

Prayers for everyone on the Care list & for those that need them & a toast 🥂 to those on the Celebratory / Shout Out list.

 

 

Have a great Wednesday, everyone !!!

[portofrome]

Thank you for the Fleet Report.

[StLouisCruisers]

Thanks everybody for your patience this morning.  That goes for my DH too who always waits for me to finish the treadmill before he does his workout.  I tried and tried to get logged into Cruise Critic to post and it went on for what felt like forever.  Then it went off line again before my second post!  Arrgghh!  Hope our problems are over for today.

 

I have a birthday to celebrate today and that is for my granddog Sadie.  She is one year old so happy birthday Sadie!🎈

 

Yes, she's the one who started out with reddish-brown fur!  I hardly recognize her somtimes with her lighter fur.  She looks a lot like the late Gracie did except Sadie seems to have a lot more energy than Gracie did.

 

Tomorrow, March 23, is National Puppy Day so get your photos ready Dailyites!  I will show you both Sadie and her half brother Milo who is nearly 3 months old in a post tomorrow.  What a pair!

 

 

[StLouisCruisers]

5 minutes ago, kazu said:

Thanks for our Hump Day Daily, Sandi.

 

An interesting collection of days that should make a lot of people happy.  I can’t goof off and in no mood to sing out today.  I confess I am nervous & worried about the X-Ray results, my surgeon’s prognosis on it & this wire trying to poke through. 😬 

 

 

Love the quote by Churchill.  It’s so very true.  We were completely surprised & enchanted with Alicante and I would happily return.

 

Debbie @dfishmy very best wishes for you today for an easy surgery & a very quick recovery 🙏🏻 

 

CC was definitely acting up this morning.  It posted my Bon Voyage thread before I was done and hit post.  Thankfully I had time to edit and it worked 😅 

 

 

Prayers for everyone on the Care list & for those that need them & a toast 🥂 to those on the Celebratory / Shout Out list.

 

 

Have a great Wednesday, everyone !!!

 

Extra prayers for you Jacqui!  And love the memes!  

[rafinmd]

Happy hump day.  Thank you Rich, Sandi, Vanessa, Ann, Dixie, and Debbie /Tina.  Special prayers today for @dfish, @marshhawk @kazu  and @Vict0riann.  I don;t feel young and am a terrible singer but will celebrate National Goof Off Day.  I have not been to Alicante but am curious about the pizza.  My alternative today is Chilled Blackberry Soup, Roasted Rack of Lamb with Smoked Paprika Crust, and Peach Melba Sundae as served on MS Prinsendam March 22, 2019.

 

 

Roy

Edited March 22, 2023 by rafinmd

[cat shepard]

Thank you for persevering this morning, Sandi & starting us off. CC had fixed the problem by the time I checked the site.  Rich, thank you for leaving us in such great hands, while you are off cruising the World!

 

It was already 59 this morning when Bindi and I headed out. That is five degrees warmer than the high of two days ago! I guess Florida is back. 
 

Vanessa, thank you for keeping our lists. I really appreciate you doing this. 

 

@Gail & Marty sailing away, love Pete’s write up of you two leading Project Linus! What a wonderful way to give back. 
 

Going out to breakfast with my Sister & her DGS, then Bindi walks, chores and wrapping up the day at a local wine bar with friends. 

 

 

 

 

 

Prayers for all who need our support @dfish Debbie, thinking of you. Praying that your surgery goes smoothly & you recover quickly. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone!

 

 

**********

M by Michael Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California 2014

Lots of consumer and critic fans. All released vintages of this wine share the same excellent - superb ratings, so if you are willing to hold the 2018 for a few years, you can save a bit of money. Lots of online distributors with prices for the 2014 vintage starting at $189.97.  Prices for the 2018 vintage start at $157.92. Sadly both are outside my budget. 

 

Winemaker Notes

The fruit's rich flavors, ripe tannins and balanced acidity enabled Michael to craft Cabernet Sauvignon with unmatched richness, elegance and harmony. Stylistically reminiscent of the legendary Mondavi cabernets of the late 1960s and early 1970s, crafted by Michael. is a prestigious wine reflecting the animo, or "soul," of the vineyard: compelling, dynamic, and elegant.

JS97 James Suckling

#52 James Suckling Top 100 Napa and Sonoma Wines of 2017 

Fabulous aromas of mushrooms, cork tree, stones and blackberries. Spices, too. Full-bodied yet focused and precise with a clarity and beauty of fruit that shows fantastic texture. Wonderful length and intensity. A wine that seduces you now but shows such promise for the future.

RP92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

A barrel sample of the 2014 M by Michael Mondavi was 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and offered up notes of wood smoke, baking spices, red and black currants, and hints of plum and licorice. It is medium to full-bodied, front-end loaded and very seductive. Drink it over the next 10-15 years. Barrel Sample: 90-92

[mamaofami]

Good morning everyone. Another early day for me. Nice collection of days and like the quote. I’m getting my house ready today for tomorrow’s cateract surgery. I can’t bend from the waist after so am putting all essentials on my counter. I confess to being nervous . Praying all goes well during and in recovery. The forecast is for rain from the storm moving across the country.

Stay safe everyone,

Carol

[mamaofami]

21 minutes ago, kazu said:

Thanks for our Hump Day Daily, Sandi.

 

An interesting collection of days that should make a lot of people happy.  I can’t goof off and in no mood to sing out today.  I confess I am nervous & worried about the X-Ray results, my surgeon’s prognosis on it & this wire trying to poke through. 😬 

 

 

Love the quote by Churchill.  It’s so very true.  We were completely surprised & enchanted with Alicante and I would happily return.

 

Debbie @dfishmy very best wishes for you today for an easy surgery & a very quick recovery 🙏🏻 

 

CC was definitely acting up this morning.  It posted my Bon Voyage thread before I was done and hit post.  Thankfully I had time to edit and it worked 😅 

 

 

Prayers for everyone on the Care list & for those that need them & a toast 🥂 to those on the Celebratory / Shout Out list.

 

 

Have a great Wednesday, everyone !!!

Good luck today at the doctor.

[0106]

I could only find one recipe for Greek Sausage Pita Pizzas.  If you like gyros, you would like this version.  Basically, they’ve turned a sandwich into a flatbread like pizza.  It uses Italian sausage but the other ingredients are commonly found on a gyro. Also, pita bread that is made from whole grains has a low carb and high fiber content so I believe it would be acceptable for those on a diabetic diet.

Greek Sausage Pita Pizzas Recipe

I think if you are going to call a recipe Greek Sausage Pizza it should be made with Greek sausages.  Loukaniko sausages are famous in Greece, there are many different versions depending on which region but the base of it remains the same; pork, lamb, garlic, coriander and a fruity Greek twist of citrus peel.  If I made this recipe, I would substitute Greek sausage for Italian sausage.  This brand is available at my local international market.

This pizza is made on a more traditional pizza crust; you could always place the toppings on a pita.  The toppings are Greek: creamy feta, salty olives, artichokes and roasted red pepper.  I think eggplant would be a nice addition.  Of course, you could also add sausage. 

Greek Pizza Recipe - Cookie and Kate  

I am including a recipe for the ancient Greek pizza known as Ladenia Kimolou.  It has a homemade flatbread base with vegan toppings. This versatile pizza could be served morning , noon or night.   Ladenia Kimolou: Ancient Greek Pizza - Dimitras Dishes

 

Sending positive thoughts to @kazu @dfish and to everyone else dealing with medical issues today.  Also, compliments to @Gail & Marty sailing away for there incredible work on the Linus Project and all of their blanketeers and to @The-Inside-Cabinfor posting about the project on their wonderful World Cruise experience thread.

 

[kochleffel]

None of the special days has much appeal for me. Yesterday Miss Manners answered a question about how to reply to the question, "Are you still working?" that struck home -- people here have been asking me that the entire time I've lived here, which is since 2007.

 

I have a source for kosher Greek-style sausage, but don't think I will make pita pizzas. I don't appreciate hot peppers, so the drink is out; the wine might be OK. I haven't been to Alicante and it's not on my itinerary for the fall.

 

Sasha was a small cat with a very small voice, but the house is awfully quiet.

 

I have some wildlife news to share. First, one of the two porcupines that escaped (probably with help) from a zoo in Germany has returned on his own. The porcupines are named Pinky and Brain, after the animated series; Brain is the one that returned. https://apnews.com/article/germany-missing-porcupines-zoo-pinky-brain-680ad00a6b11ff8e34a8ee75348fe8b9

 

Second, train service in parts of the Netherlands have been disrupted by badgers that tunneled under the tracks. The article has a nice photo of badgers, although they're not Dutch badgers. https://apnews.com/article/badgers-netherlands-trains-delays-dcd9acb783750366e1c308c0160d3aa8

 

Our board meeting last night was a bloodbath. After it I medicated with Calvados.

 

 

[smitty34877]

Good morning to all.It is cloudy with rain later but will hit fifty or so today. We have not been to the port and it certainly looks like a great place to see. I have to say that the last year has made me aware of increasing years. My brain still thinks I can do everything I used to do so sometimes there is an issue. Years ago I used to make extra money as a “ wedding singer”. I can no longer hit the high notes but it was fun while it lasted.
I feel for those who did not have a good day at the doctors office. I hope  Jacqui  @kazu gets good news today and that Debbie. @dfish sails through her surgery. I am sending prayers and good wishes for all.

Have a great day everyone 

 

[cruising sister]

Good morning all, I woke up early this morning thinking of my DS. He would have been 45 today. I have a friend taking me shopping for some things I need for my cruise and out for lunch. Later I will watch DGS play soccer and after we will a “drive by” ( drive thru) as he calls it for dinner. Trying to keep as busy as possible today. It is easy to go down that rabbit hole of grief. 
 

Prayers for Debbie and Kazu today. @mamaofami good luck tomorrow on the cataract surgery. I did not know about the no bending. 
 

Only 24 hours left in the cast. It went fast but the last week has been very irritating. I know I will be disappointed that even with it off I will still have limited mobility. Dangling a cruise in front of me will motivate me to do the exercises. 
 

 

[StLouisCruisers]

7 minutes ago, cruising sister said:

Good morning all, I woke up early this morning thinking of my DS. He would have been 45 today. I have a friend taking me shopping for some things I need for my cruise and out for lunch. Later I will watch DGS play soccer and after we will a “drive by” ( drive thru) as he calls it for dinner. Trying to keep as busy as possible today. It is easy to go down that rabbit hole of grief. 
 

Prayers for Debbie and Kazu today. @mamaofami good luck tomorrow on the cataract surgery. I did not know about the no bending. 
 

Only 24 hours left in the cast. It went fast but the last week has been very irritating. I know I will be disappointed that even with it off I will still have limited mobility. Dangling a cruise in front of me will motivate me to do the exercises. 
 

 

 

Wishing you luck on your cast removal and regaining full function.🤞

 

Thinking of you today on your DS's birthday. 🙏

[puppycanducruise]

@mamaofami Hoping cataract surgery goes well for you tomorrow.

 

@cruising sister Sending you hugs on your DS's birthday.