The Fleet Report and Daily for Saturday July 22nd, 2023

[richwmn]

 

Today is Hammock Day, Summer Leisure Day, and Spoonerism Day
 

We can't plan life. All we can do is be available for it. - Lauryn Hill

Meal Suggestion for today - Persian Saffron Chicken Kebabs (Joojeh Kabob)
Drink of the Day - Orange Dreamsicle
Wine of the Day - Unión de Cosecheros de Labastida - Rioja Montebuena 2019
Destination of the Day - Ceuta, ES

Today in History:
1515 First Congress of Vienna settles issues between Poland and Holy Roman Empire - rise of the Habsburgs influence

Ship Locations

Eurodam

Seattle, Washington 0700-1500
 

Koningsdam

Vancouver, Canada 0700-1600
 

Nieuw Amsterdam

At Sea destination Whittier, Alaska eta 23 Jul
 

Nieuw Statendam

Skjolden, Norway 0800-1800
 

Noordam

At Sea destination Vancouver, Canada eta 23 Jul
 

Oosterdam

La Valletta, Malta 0800(+1
 

Rotterdam

Amsterdam, Holland d1700
 

Volendam

Skagway, Alaska 0700-2000
 

Westerdam

Victoria, British Columbia 2000-2359
 

Zaandam

Boston, Massachusetts 0700-1700
 

Zuiderdam

Boston, Massachusetts 0700-2300
 

 

[JazzyV]

Today’s Care list:

The passing of Ger_77’s friend on 7/16

Cruising sister’s great niece Murphy post-surgery, with complications

NextOne’s friend Denny with a large stroke, and his DW Bonnie

Summer slope with a health issue

Ill Dailyite pets - Kazu’s Ivan, Heartgrove’s Sam, Crazy For Cats’ Jasper

RIP Tony Bennett 

 

6 deaths in Bucks County flash flooding; 1 child still missing

All affected by wildfires, storms/flooding, dangerous heat conditions

Shooting victims again and again

Citizens of Ukraine

 

From the rotation:

Catmando appointment regarding proton radiation therapy

RMLincoln’s DH with glaucoma issues

StLouisCruiser’s DB with pulmonary fibrosis

Tana’s pulmonary issues

 

Celebrations and Shoutouts:

Bon Voyage Crazy For Cats!

Bon Voyage dfish and Sue!

Bon Voyage NextOne!

Mr. Boston at Squam Lake for the weekend with friends

Baby Murphy off ECMO, chest closed, some tubes removed

Seasick Sailor’s new fur baby Oliver 

Kazu’s Ivan showing improvement

The Daily Gardening Club posting wonderful flower pictures

All the contributors to the Fleet Report/Daily

 

Upcoming Cruises or At Sea:

 

7 days for StLouisCruisers (Zaandam July 29 to Aug 23) DH 75th BD and 54th anniversary

 

Cruzin Terri (Oceania Marina to July 23) + 3 days in Copenhagen, Crazy For Cats (Zaandam to July 29), Norseh2o (Oceania Regatta to Aug 1), Dfish (Zaandam to Aug 23) and NextOne (Zuiderdam to Aug 25)

[0106]

Happy Saturday! I hope everyone can spend a summer day of leisure in a hammock without any spoonerisms. Today's meal is Persian Saffron Chicken Kebabs, the key ingredient is saffron. It is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, a purple flower.  The spice we think of when we hear “saffron” is actually only a small part of the plant itself. What we use for that distinctive yellow color, sweet-herb smell is actually the stigma, the pollen-germinating part, at the end of the red pistil, the female sex organ of the plant. There are only three stigmata in each saffron flower. Once the stigmata (and their red pistils) have been separated from the plant, they are dried to preserve their color and flavor. Since such a small part of the flower is used, it takes 75,000 saffron flowers to make one pound of saffron spice. The small amount of saffron spice per plant, along with the fact that harvesting must be done manually, leads to saffron being majorly expensive. A pound of saffron can cost as much as $5000.

 

 Joojeh Kabob is a traditional chicken kabob from Iran, flavored with saffron and usually grilled on a charcoal grill. Joojeh kabab comes in two forms: bone-in and boneless. The bone-in jujeh kabob is usually made with wings and drumettes whereas boneless chicken kebab is made with chicken breast or boneless chicken thighs. This chicken kebab marinade would work perfectly for both forms.  Chicken pieces are marinated in a saffron and yogurt based mixture overnight. The chicken absorbs the flavors of saffron and lemon perfectly and becomes extra juicy and flavorful.

Grilled Saffron Chicken is a very similar recipe from the Persian Mamas website.  Who can go wrong with Mama’s recipes?

 

 

[grapau27]

Good afternoon.

Thank you Rich for today's fleet reports and Daily subjects.

It is 57°F and it has been raining for hours and expected to rain all day today and tomorrow.

No Lazing in Hammock's today but we might have a summer leisure day in our conservatory.

Today's quote is thought provoking and today's food sounds good.

My thoughts are with our group of unwell people.

Wishing all of our embarking cruisers today a wonderful day and cruise.

God bless.

 

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by grapau27

[StLouisCruisers]

Good morning friends!  Today I have a temp of 69 with cloudy skies.  We expect a high of 85 with a chance of thunderstorms by 10 am.  It appears to be storming in Atlanta right now so be careful up there Annie @marshhawk!  Thank you Rich @richwmn for our Daily and Fleet Report.  I see Zuiderdam and Zaandam are both in Boston today.  In fact I've watched Zaandam arriving in port since about 6:30 am.  Wishing all sailing on the Z ships a very good cruise!

 

A nice group of days to celebrate this morning.  Hammocks really bring relaxation to mind which ties right into summer leisure day.  Spoonerisms are funny and usually totally accidental, but not always.  An example is saying flutter by instead of butterfly.  I like the quote.  The meal suggestion, cocktail and wine all sound very nice (if you like red wine).  The day in history is an important event in European history from way back in 1515.  Thank you Tina @0106, Dixie @summer slope and Ann @cat shepard for your food and beverage reports!

 

Thank you Vanessa @JazzyV for your Care and Celebration lists.  Excellent job as usual!  A lot of prayers needed for our Care list, especially the family who lost 3 family members in the flood.  Thankfully the little girl was just found but her brother is still missing. 🙏  Congratulations to the Celebration list.  Smooth sailing to our cruisers and I hope Terri @Cruzin Terri experiences sunshine instead of rain in Copenhagen after disembarking Oceania Marina.  ☀️

 

Today's port is Ceuta, Spain which I wasn't familiar with.  Checking it out I see it may be Spain but it's located on the northern African continent.  We haven't seen this port before on the Daily as port of the day.  I searched for anything Spain but it didn't show up so if you know otherwise let us know.  Therefore no links today, and I have no photos of this interesting and unique place.  Thanks in advance if you have some photos to share.

 

Happy Saturday wishes to you all!🙂   

[Crazy For Cats]

Good Morning Everyone,  thanks for today's daily fleet report.  Today's meal suggestion sounds good. Today's plan is to have dinner with @dfish at Canaletto,  I'm hoping the old menu is still in place.  Yesterday the ride service confirmed pick up this morning at 10. I just need to do breakfast dishes and pack electronics.  Mona was a champ at the vet yesterday, but took awhile to forgive me.

Earlier I saw the Zuiderdam and Zaandam on the port map and it looked like the Zuiderdam was in port first. 

 

Jasper is unwilling taking his meds. I asked DH to pill Jasper yesterday since he laughed st my struggle giving it to him. After chasing Jasper around the house and a broken necklace DH finally got the pill in Jasper.

Today is national mango day so I'll have a Mango Champagne Dream to celebrate. 

 

[summer slope]

Orange Creamsicle cocktail:

 

Ingredients

1 part

Pinnacle^® Whipped^® Vodka

2 parts

Orange Soda

Orange Wedges

 

 

Instructions

Mix in a glass filled with ice and garnish with an orange wedge.

[MrSnuffleupagus]

Thank you for the fleet report.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info ..

[kazu]

Thanks for our Saturday Daily, Rich.

 

Nice collection of days.  Too much threat of T-storms so hammock day will be celebrated another time.  Leisure sounds good. 👍

 

There’s some truth to today’s quote.  Meal sounds tempting.  Looking forward to Tina’s @0106 description.  Lots of saffron in the house here.  Wine sounds good.  Could it be a white Rioja?  A girl can dream can’t she?  LOL.

 

DH and I were in Ceuta.  Loved our stop there.  It’s not visited that often but of course, the Prinsendam did.  I’ll go looking for my pics and post,

 

Dark, humid and some T-Storms called for today.  So far all the rain here has been fine but Halifax is now experiencing flooding. (they have some pretty low lying areas).

 

 

I put a drop cloth down in the kitchen last night.  Paranoid, me?  LOL.   thankfully, I also had my “puppy ears” on and as soon as I heard movement early this morning, the door was opened and Ivan tore out.  No mopping and sanitizing of the floor today.  Whew!

 

 

What the day holds depends on the weather outside.  It will either turn into a nice day and or a deluge.  Time will tell.  If nothing else, I need to tackle my freezer jam.  A batch didn’t set 😠 I’ve never had that happen before so going to try to correct a cup’s worth and if it works will correct the rest.  It’s the cooked jam I always worry about and it set beautifully.  Sheesh.

 

Bon Voyage to Debbie and Sue @dfish Have a wonderful time on the Zaandam! 

 

 

Ever feel like we need some of this now and then?  😂 

 

 

Prayers for everyone on the Care list, those suffering losses & health issues and all that need them.  Cheers to those celebrating 🥂 

 

 

Have a great Saturday everyone !!!!!

[rafinmd]

Thank you Rich, Vanessa, Tiina, Dixie, and Ann.  Both the "Z" BHB's together today in Boston; Bon Voyage @Crazy For Cats, @dfish, and @NextOne.  It sounds like everyone made it to Boston with all their luggage, thank God.   I think today will be a lot of leisure but I don't think I could get into a hammock any more and I'll try to avoid spoonerisms. 

 

While I don't know a lot about the Congress I did get to visit Vienna once on a river cruise many years ago.  I like the quote.  The meal looks interesting.  My alternative is Pasta Primavera and Raspberry Lemon Cake as served on VIA's Canadian July 13, 2018 on the way to my Grand Alaska trip.

 

Roy

 

 

[aliaschief]

Good morning. Everyone is up early this morning but nothing planned other then a dip in pool if weather remains stable.

Was upset to read yesterday that the Mayor and Council of Amsterdam have voted to close down cruise ships visiting inner city and that the cruise terminal will eventually be closed. Always enjoyed those sail in’s and outs as well as stays in Amsterdam. Main concerns are environmental and a city trying to get surging tourism under control. Another blow for the cruise industry.

Currently in eighties and another heat advisory later today. Maybe the predicted thunder storms will cool it off.

Thanks for the Reports. Enjoy your weekend. Bruce

 

[summer slope]

@Crazy For Cats we gave up trying to give Bailey pills and bought a pill crusher.  Then put the grindings in her food.  That worked well for us.

[portofrome]

Thank you for the Fleet Report.

[kazu]

 

Ceuta is in Africa - often called Spanish Morocco.  It is Spanish and different from the rest of Morocco.  Much cleaner and prettier IMO.

 

welcome to Spain 😉 

 

 

It’s port is very pretty with a terminal designed as a ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kazu]

Ceuta is part of the area that is known as the Pillars of Hercules 

 

 

It is so rare for a cruise ship to visit here that DD DH was actually interviewed by their TV station.

 

 

The obligatory pictures of the pretty Prinsendam

 

 

 

 

It’s just a hop skip and a jump and you are in town with lovely scenery on the way.

 

 

Like most Spanish towns, churches and Christian spots are prevalent.

 

 

This church looks pretty simple, right?

 

 

 

the doors were massive.  And inside was amazing (pardon the pics - no flash allowed).

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ll be back with more.

[kazu]

Ceuta continued…

 

there are statues, busts and murals everywhere.  Dedicated to many people.  We were enamoured and I took far too many pics but this should give you and idea..

 

\

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[puppycanducruise]

Good morning.  Thanks for the Report.  This is a great place to start the day.

 

A nice summer day in store for us today.  Sunny and a high of 24°C (75°F).  I think I'll do some laundry and hang it on the line to dry.  If I feel like it, I may do some gardening before the weeds take over.

 

A nice collection of days.

I like the quote.

The meal sounds good.  Thanks to @0106 for the recipes.

The drink sounds good too, I hope the wine is nice.

I've never been to today's port, thanks for the pictures.

Prayers for everyone on the Care List.  Cheers for all the celebrations.

Bon Voyage @dfish and Sue  @Crazy For Cats and @NextOne

 

I hope everyone has a wonderful day.

[cat shepard]

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich. It appears that we were both a day ahead of ourselves with yesterday’s wine - we used today’s wine yesterday. 😎. 
So Dailyites - here’s another great opportunity to post your latest favorite wine! I will be sitting back & taking notes!

 

Vanessa, thank you for sharing our happenings! A lovely morning after a hot one, two miles inland from me the heat index was 114 F. A strong ocean breeze made it tolerable, but Bindi was stressed that I wouldn’t let us do long walks. If she would walk on the grass and not the hot sidewalk, I might reconsider. 
 

Zumba, Bindi walks, chores and then dinner at a friend’s. Maybe some early afternoon pool time.

 

 

 

 

Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Bon Voyage @NextOne@Crazy For Cats Jake & Juan and @dfish Debbie & Sue! Enjoy yourselves!

 

Get well & stay well everyone!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by cat shepard

[kazu]

Ceuta continued…

 

this spot is so pretty - you can easily explore it on your own.

 

 

Now the Garden Club knows I like my flowers.  I was intrigued with these.  this is how they were in the early morning.

 

 

And by the time we were returning to the ship

 

 

 

 

I couldn’t resist taking this pic.  Got a kick out of one of ship’s names on a kebab restaurant.

 

 

You can see how impeccably clean it is here.

 

 

And yes, if you wanted, you could explore the fortification that guarded Ceuta.

 

 

I’m not sure if a larger ship would have to tender here or not but if you see Ceuta on an itinerary, enjoy it!!

[1ANGELCAT]

Good cool and sunny morning. It’s going to be a beautiful weekend, highs in the low 80’s and lower humidity Unfortunately, it won’t last, till next Friday it’s supposed to be 97.

Bon Voyage to all those sailing today. I’m so jealous.

Blessings and prayers to all on our lists. 
@grapau27, please ask Father David to pray for the Sheils family, as they grieve the loss of Mom Katie, Mattie and Conrad.

[StLouisCruisers]

Jacqui @kazu thank you so much for your amazing pictures and descriptions of Ceuta.  It looks like a place we would enjoy doing our own thing in, just like you did.

[ottahand7]

Good morning.  I joined the poor sleep club last night.  What I call "false sleep". Waking up frequently thinking I hadn't been sleeping.  Maybe too much of my very low caffeine home made ice tea or my new box of tea bags was mislabeled. 

Bon Voyage to @dfish @Crazy For Catsand @NextOne.  Have wonderful trips. 🛳️🍾

That for the Daily and Fleet Reports @richwmn.  No hammock here, thanks Graham for explaining Spoonerisms, never knew they had a name. No summer leisure here, string trimming and preparing for a smoked brisket dinner tomorrow.

The quote is true. I love joohjeh kabobs.  We don't have any of the ingredients and an hour from the nearest store to buy them.  Pass on the cocktail but the wine sounds like a good one.   @kazu thank you for the wonderful photos of Ceuta.  A place I would love to see. 

 

@JazzyVthanks for the care and celebrations lists.  So happy the Bon Voyage list is firing up big time today.  Prayers for all on our Care list and the people of Ukraine.  

 

The hummingbirds are looking in the window, that means their feeders are empty.  I am regretting only buying one bag of sugar in town, I will just have to make their liquid weaker to stretch it.  

 

A few blooms from yesterday, it is time for the Japanese Iris to strut their stuff. Have a nice day. Nancy 

 

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by ottahand7

[Lady Hudson]

Good morning, all.  Prayers for all in need.  Thanks to all who contribute here.

 

Hot and humid herebagain in SE PA.  Will be staying in except for a quick run to get some takeout.  Had a surprise dinner with twin and her DH last night as she had found a fabulous seafood sale at a local grocery (really - $.75 for 8 breaded shrimp, $1.00 a piece for crab cakes and $10.00 for 4 small lobster tails).  We ate some and froze a lot.  Today we will get together for baseballs games - the second half of one that was rained out last night and then a night game.

 

My twin has been on a tear with cruising a lot lately.  She spends some time in the casino so gets some deals.  She is “dragging” us along.  Next up — Vision of the Seas on 8/17.  
 

Have a great weekend everyone and stay cool!  Katherine 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

@dfish  BON VOYAGE!  Debbie, I know you and Sue will have a wonderful time on Zaandam.  Be sure to check out the organ at noon on sea days.  If they are not playing it, ask at Guest Services to have it turned on on sea days.

 

 

Lenda