LIVE FROM the flagship Rotterdam on the 21-day Eastern Caribbean and 150th Anniversary Transatlantic

[RMLincoln]

Hope everything else goes smoothly today for you both!  Love you posting!  Thanks so much. Will try to be here for SailAway but have errands this afternoon. Bon Voyage across the pond!  
m—

[Vict0riann]

We are still waiting for 3 people to show up in the World Stage.  Hope they’re not in the hot tub!  

[VMax1700]

Hi Ann,

Enjoying your posts! 

Out of interest do you know if Room Service breakfast was available this morning (turnaround day)?

[Vict0riann]

I don’t know.  I think we had the breakfast menu on the bed last night.  I will check when we are allowed back into our room.  
 

Still 17 people to disembark before they deal with us In-Transits.

[VMax1700]

1 minute ago, Vict0riann said:

Still 17 people to disembark before they deal with us In-Transits.

That would be people like me with an evening flight back across the pond 🤫

Glad you mentioned this as we would never have thought about how us being slow to disembark could impinge on the plans of others.

[0106]

@Vict0riann Thank you for you live thread.  What time were you told to report to the World Stage?  I hate waiting.  Hopefully you will be released soon.  
 

I posted the comment below on Rich’s WC thread.  Have the MDR menus changed on your cruise too?  They are still showing the old format in the Navigator app.

I just realized the MDR menu format has changed.  I like that the Vegetable Plate is offered daily because I frequently request extra vegetables.  I am concerned with the fine print comment “complimentary off menu items are no longer available”.  

[badtwin]

Love your posts.   Although you cruise at a higher level than us (not many specialty restaurants and no spa for us) I have greatly enjoyed your comments and pictures.  Who doesn't love food porn?  And no whinging.   We are booked on Rotterdam in September 2023 and your posts are just so wonderfully informative and fun and positive.  Thank you

[Vict0riann]

1 hour ago, 0106 said:

@Vict0riann Thank you for you live thread.  What time were you told to report to the World Stage?  I hate waiting.  Hopefully you will be released soon.  
 

I posted the comment below on Rich’s WC thread.  Have the MDR menus changed on your cruise too?  They are still showing the old format in the Navigator app.

I just realized the MDR menu format has changed.  I like that the Vegetable Plate is offered daily because I frequently request extra vegetables.  I am concerned with the fine print comment “complimentary off menu items are no longer available”.  

 

Our letter told us to be in the World Stage at 9:30.  There were people showing up at 10:30.  We decided they had forgotten to change their clocks.  
 

Then we were told that all the disembarking passengers needed to be off before us.  Finally we went about 11.  Just a walk into the terminal, look at the CBP facial recognition machine, then another wait for a passenger who got lost on the way.  Evidently she thought it was all over as we left the WS and went back to her room(!).  Finally, we’re back on board and all the water-tight doors are closed as the rooms are not ready for the embarking passengers.   We forced our way into our room, and I think we will go to lunch in the MDR at noon.  
 

PS. Still the old menus.  I’m hoping things get changed up for this “special” TA.  I think we had the same menus on Koningsdam in January.  
 

 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Vict0riann

[Vict0riann]

Lunch menu in the MDR

[luvn2cruzzz]

Thank you for sharing your journey with us--I will be eagerly awaiting each post.  I was on the October 150th TA and I know how special this is.

Bon Voyage!

[Vict0riann]

The dining room was bustling at lunch time, and even as we came out at 1, there was still a queue. 
 

Pat’s tomato bisque, my calamari, and a very nice cheesecake.

 

 

 

 

[shippmates]

The calamari looks delicious.  I can't wait to have some but I have to wait until October.

 

[ger_77]

Looks like you were having a great time at sail-away; enjoy your crossing and stay safe!

[2inSETexas]

5 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

PS. Still the old menus.  I’m hoping things get changed up for this “special” TA.  I think we had the same menus on Koningsdam in January.  

They should change, at least between NY and Rotterdam. We had daily specials on the October 2022 Rotterdam 150th sailing.

[Vict0riann]

It was a fun sailaway, with 10 of us on the verandah, and @NavArch64just one balcony over from us.  Thanks for the picture, Gerry.   In a little while it’s off to the Pinnacle for dinner.  Not too crazy about the regular menu, anyway, so I’m fine with the PG.  

 

 

 

 

[Cruise Suzy]

Here is the only photo from the PTZ archive.

 

 

[RMLincoln]

13 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Hi Ann,

Enjoying your posts! 

Out of interest do you know if Room Service breakfast was available this morning (turnaround day)?

Not sure what Ann and Pat had but when we disembarked Rotterdam March 8 we were very surprised that there was no room service breakfast - not from the door hanger or by phone. We went to the dining room, I think it opened at 6:30. m—

[oakridger]

I was very disappointed when there was no disembarkation room service breakfast last fall on the Nieuw Amsterdam and Rotterdam.  It is one of the amenities that had distinguished HAL from other mainstream cruise lines.  Gone.  

 

~Nancy

[VMax1700]

6 hours ago, RMLincoln said:

Not sure what Ann and Pat had but when we disembarked Rotterdam March 8 we were very surprised that there was no room service breakfast - not from the door hanger or by phone. We went to the dining room, I think it opened at 6:30. m—

 

5 hours ago, oakridger said:

I was very disappointed when there was no disembarkation room service breakfast last fall on the Nieuw Amsterdam and Rotterdam.  It is one of the amenities that had distinguished HAL from other mainstream cruise lines.  Gone.  

 

~Nancy

We were also disappointed that the disembarkation day room service breakfast was not offered on recent cruises.  Probably just not possible to offer an adequate breakfast service with the reduced staff numbers.  

I suppose if I had to make a choice between room service breakfast on disembarkation morning versus stateroom being ready when I board, then room being ready would be the winner.

[Vict0riann]

I’m late getting started today, but we had a very enjoyable evening yesterday.  We had six in the Pinnacle for dinner, Khay, the Cellar Master, came by to open and taste the bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape that Pat had brought on board, when it passed muster with her, it was decanted and allowed to breath for a bit.  
 

I took one for the team and had the clothesline bacon as my starter.  What gooey deliciousness!  The last time I had it they had reverted to regular bacon, but this was back to the thicker, meatier type.  I allowed Martha and Pat just a taste.  I do like that they now have lemon on the platter, just to cut a bit of the sweetness.  Martha had the Caesar salad, I don’t remember them putting a poached egg on top in the past.  We both had the scallops, everyone else had steak.  I had decided not to have a dessert, just a glass of the Errasuriz late harvest Sauvignon blanc, but agreed to share a cheese platter with Martha.  Colin, @VMax1700, take note, there were very nice, crispy crackers supplied.  Lovely cheeses, I don’t remember all the names, but there was a Brie, and one stronger than a Brie, but I don’t think it was a Camembert, also a blue , and Port Salut, and others.  A nice selection.  And did I say, crackers…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Vict0riann]

Oops, I was wrong, Tony had the chicken, not chosen very often in this restaurant, I think, but he said it was very good.  He also had two starters, but this morning said they had not charged him for the second one..

 

[Vict0riann]

When we got back to the room, I had a new bag on the bed, almost a memory of the past, the same kind of cloth bag we used to see. 
 

[Vict0riann]

There is a new format for the daily program , perhaps just for this sailing. 
 

 

[VMax1700]

56 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

 Colin, @VMax1700, take note, there were very nice, crispy crackers supplied.  Lovely cheeses, I don’t remember all the names, but there was a Brie, and one stronger than a Brie, but I don’t think it was a Camembert, also a blue , and Port Salut, and others.  A nice selection.  And did I say, crackers…

 

Ann, the food porn is driving me crackers! (though I have noticed a scarcity of bread pudding images 🤣)

I need a cruise!

 

[Vict0riann]

The dinner menu for this evening, the first dressy night.  It’s the same menu from last cruise, but a different presentation.