Should they get rid of the Baked Alaska parade?

[dam1050]

I find the 'Baked Alaska Parade' to be quite tacky and the dessert itself not particularly tasty.

 

I feel sorry for the crew having to partake in it.

 

Dave

[RuthC]

Also, did anyone ever see the "Running of the Moose" they did about 5-6 years ago? The staff wore moose hats and paraded with platters of chocolate mousse. I saw it twice in the Caribbean, which was two times too many!

I only saw that once. I think it's appropriate on an Alaska cruise, or New England/Canada, or anytime a ship is repositioning from Europe via Canada. But in warm-weather areas it looks even sillier.

The mousse, however, was delish! ;)

[WeLoveCruising]

The mousse, however, was delish! ;)

 

Agreed! It almost made the Running of the Moose worth it...almost ;)

[cruisinjudy]

I agree about the pink ice cream! Give me chocolate!!!

[gooselace]

I only saw that once. I think it's appropriate on an Alaska cruise, or New England/Canada, or anytime a ship is repositioning from Europe via Canada. But in warm-weather areas it looks even sillier.

The mousse, however, was delish! ;)

 

Don't recall the BA parade on the Westerdam Caribbean cruise in 04 - somehow doesn't seem appropriate. Enjoyed it on Alaskan cruise - but I was much, much younger then.

Voted to restyle it. Classier music, decadent chocolate or volcano cake, mousse, or tropical fruit tart as well as, or in place of, Baked Alaska. Maybe tattoo-style entrance and massing of wait-staff, crew reps, stewards etc. followed by a round of respectful applause from the diners. No twirling of anything.

[TwinFriend]

Wow! yum Running of the moose, chocolate mousse. Sounds good. Mousse and Alaska do go together.

[psychboss]

I think some type of celebratory event is fine - but the fact that there are so many cruise lines are doing the same thing is boring. Each cruise line needs to come up with there "own signature event". That way it would be special. A piece of a torte or cake with their emblem on the top? A miniature with their emblem on the doily? They hire all of these top notch chefs they should be able to think of something.

[TwinFriend]

If waiters can have sparklers and people can smoke in their rooms, can I have sparklers on my verandah??? Airport security would have fun with those. But maybe.......:p

[hammybee]

Also, did anyone ever see the "Running of the Moose" they did about 5-6 years ago? The staff wore moose hats and paraded with platters of chocolate mousse. I saw it twice in the Caribbean, which was two times too many! Joanne

 

It delights me to say, I missed this.

[WeLoveCruising]

It delights me to say, I missed this.

 

Hammybee, I almost want to say that the music even had something to do with Rocky and Bullwinkle.....I cant remember for sure, but that's the memory I have.

[RuthC]

Hammybee, I almost want to say that the music even had something to do with Rocky and Bullwinkle.....I cant remember for sure, but that's the memory I have.

I don't remember the music, but what you remember makes sense, considering.... ;)

All I remember is the stewards really running while wearing those goofy hats and carrying bowls of that marvelous mousse. And being able to get as much as I wanted! That's the part I remember most! :D Ooooo. It was soooo good.

[hammybee]

Hammybee, I almost want to say that the music even had something to do with Rocky and Bullwinkle.....I cant remember for sure, but that's the memory I have.

 

What were they thinking?

 

But "oh butterballs", that mousse sounds gooooood.

[dvdfreakmc]

I like the tradition, but was surprised to see Baked Alaska desserts on the menu every night during our last cruise. I think having it on the menu every night takes away from the traditional parade, etc. I happen to LOVE ice cream and do like hokey every once in a while. I don't mind the parade, but would rather have the "specialness" saved for one evening.

[Krazy Kruizers]

When HAL started the 4 dining times a couple of years ago, we stayed once. Had to wait over 1/2 hour after we had completed our dinner on the upper level before the lower level was ready for the parade. Never have we stayed for another one.

So as far as I am concerned, HAL can get rid of it.

[MYMOTHERSCHILD]

If enough passengers courteously excuse themselves from the table and walk out on the festivities, perhaps HAL will get the message. There are plenty of desserts at the buffets.

MMC

[Mary Ellen]

If enough passengers courteously excuse themselves from the table and walk out on the festivities, perhaps HAL will get the message. There are plenty of desserts at the buffets.

MMC

Ooooh - I like this idea. I don't mind the parade too much, but the 'glop' they serve for dessert after it. :eek: I guess when I really think about it, what I mind about the parade is knowing I'm not getting any dessert afterwords. :(

[Vic The Parrot]

Walk out of the room when they start playing the music .... hmmmm

 

 

Thanks for the idea. :D

[travelinggmom]

:eek: :eek: ExaltHim wrote

I prefer no-hoopla at dinner. Heaven help me because my next two cruises are Carnival, lol. I haven't sailed them since 2003. We'll see how I feel about things. I leave in 2 days on one of them.

 

ExaltHim, I'm sorry to tell you that, if your experience on Carnival is like ours, you will look longing back at the Baked Alaska Parade. On the last night of our cruise, New England/Canada on Carnival Liberty 2007, first the waiters danced on the pedestals around the dining room. Inspired by the waiters, some of the passengers followed. If you can imagine a bunch of past-prime, intoxicated knot-heads on pedestals shaking what they had 20 years ago, you'll know why I prefer the parade! LOL...hope yours works out better than ours did. Having said that, I would prefer something more fitting than either to end my cruise.

[NHBob]

Never yet had real Baked Alaska on any cruise ship!:( The gooey mush slopped on the plate bears no resemblance to the real thing -

 

Baked Alaska consists of hard ice cream on a bed of pound or sponge cake, the whole thing is then covered with uncooked meringue. This 'cake' is kept in the freezer until serving time, when it is placed in a very hot oven, just long enough to brown the meringue. Some brown it under a broiler, while I have seen others use a small blowtorch (propane) to brown the meringue.

 

 

http://www.foodreference.com/html/artbakedalaska.html

 

I was also going to point out that what cruise ships call Baked Alaska bears no resemblance to the real thing, but see you beat me to it.

 

I think I had real Baked Alaska on a ship only once, back in 1985 on the Vistafjord. I seem to recall that the meringue itself was flamed briefly on trays carried by the waiters, presumably with some type of liqueur - no sparklers. Wonder how many ships caught fire and how many eye brows were singed before switching to the current pseudo Baked Alaska. Anybody else recall this?

 

And, isn't this whole pro and con discussion academic with the introduction of as you wish dining? Can't imagine how they could schedule the parade to fit the dining hours in the open seating section of the dining room.

[gebo]

Fun on the Alaska cruise, strangely out of place in the carribbean. Perhaps something more appropriate to the destination:cool:

[WillieF]

I only saw that once. I think it's appropriate on an Alaska cruise, or New England/Canada, or anytime a ship is repositioning from Europe via Canada. But in warm-weather areas it looks even sillier.

The mousse, however, was delish! ;)

 

The mousse (in the so-called 'running of the moose' fiasco) may well have been 'delish' but I felt sorry for the stewards prancing around with that awful headgear!

 

Incidentally, "'real' baked Alaska" can be made with any flavor ice cream!.....even that wonderful nutty green variety! It's not 'good looking' as a mousse!

 

As for the napkin waving nonsense, a real fire hazard! - hand clapping is much more appropriate.

[jima53]

Only experienced it once and thought it was overblown. Not a great taste to the dish either.

 

Jim