Transatlantic in a Penthouse?

[hondorner]

Darn! Just when I thought that the low prices were going to entice you into a suite! :D

We are booked in one of the aft A2 cabins squeezed between the OS on Deck 7 for our March, 2010 crossing.

 

We spend considerable time in our Class B RV, based on a Sprinter chassis (in fact, I am sitting in a campground in Georgia as I type this). It has about 84 sq ft of usable living area. The bathroom is a wet bath with shower, commode and sink all in one waterproof compartment. We break down the bed into a sofa and dinette every morning and make it back into a nearly king-size bed every evening. The point is, we think a standard cabin on Oceania is nearly the Taj Mahal in comparison. We wouldn't know what to do with all the extra space in a PH.

 

 

Speaking of the suite life, did you guys "live it up" on the grandchildrens cruise? Did they love it?

That was quite an experience. I thought about writing a mini-review comparison between Oceania and Carnival, but decided no one here would really be interested. Our daughter and son-in-law and the two older children (8 and 6) had cruised before, but it was a new experience for their 3 year old. If you are going to cruise with children of this age, it's hard to beat Carnival, with the Camp Carnival program and Funship Freddie. They know how to handle the kids. They even have a special deck with a kiddie pool, water war booths, water slide down about 3 decks and a putt-putt golf course.

 

Our kids (daughter and husband, son and girlfriend) are in the mid-to-late 30's, and the nightlife on Carnival is right down their alley. It's not to our taste, but we watched the grandchildren and went to bed early while the younger generation had a ball.

 

The service was above our expectations, the bed was comfortable and we rattled around in the bathroom, the entertainment was too gaudy and glitzy for us (we prefer the cabaret style on Oceania), and the food was sometimes surprisingly good. Our fellow passengers were not the ones we might have chosen, but traveling in a family group of 9, we made our own "space" and ignored the louts.

 

So, all-in-all, it was a good experience and one we plan to repeat in future years. There's nothing like watching a granddaughter sing in a Camp Carnival talent show. If our kids ever decide they want something more sophisticated than Carnival, we'll lead them to some of the other cruise lines, but as long as they're happy, we're happy.

 

Oceanurse, candied ginger is great for warding off motion sickness induced nausea, if you're on edge about that.

Do you have a good source? I love candied ginger. I found some at a farmer's market in Asheville, NC last year when we visited the Biltmore Estate, but I haven't seen any since. I just planted my own ginger for the first time right before we left on this trip, and I can't wait to get home to see if it is sprouting.

[StanandJim]

We are booked in one of the aft A2 cabins squeezed between the OS on Deck 7 for our March, 2010 crossing.

 

Don and Betsy-

 

Oops! Looks like you've caught cabin fever like the rest of us. Your staterooms are creeping up (both in category and location), with every cruise. ;)

 

You certainly get a lot of bang for your buck, though, those Deck 7 Cat A's have a fantastic location! A wake view is always special, but the verandahs up there are so deep.

Deck 7 is perfect. Still a big verandah, yet removed from vibration!

 

Do you have a good source? I love candied ginger.

 

Yes, Trader Joes carries candied ginger, it's inexpensive, delicious and light enough to carry ;-)

You guys are so mobile, it's hark to know just where you will be, so I'll give you the link to find your closest T'Joes location:

http://www.traderjoes.com/index.html

 

I thought about writing a mini-review comparison between Oceania and Carnival

 

Please do! We'd love to hear what you thought of it (Especially compared to 0). There are so many Oceania passengers who sometimes need to travel with kids, and wonder which alternative to choose.

[orchestrapal]

Our last Oceania cruise we asked about candied Ginger in the diningroom and lo and behold the next day the chef had made it for us. We found a large bowl of it in our suite when we returned from our tour. Oceania is great!:D

I have posted this before for those who are not going on a cruise soon and do not have a Trader Joe's in their backyard! Enjoy!

Peel the ginger and slice it into rounds about 1/8 inch thick. For every cup of ginger slices, bring 3 cups water and 3 cups sugar to a boil in a large sauce pan. When the sugar is completely dissolved, add the ginger and boil for 45 minutes, until the ginger is sweet and tender. Drain the ginger, reserving the liquid. Place the ginger on a rack to dry for 30 minutes, then toss it with enough granulated sugar to coat. Let it dry on wax paper and then store in an airtight container.

 

Boil the reserved liquid until it is reduced to a syrup with a consistency somewhere between maple syrup and honey. This will intensify its flavor. This syrup can be used for pancakes, waffles, or ice cream, and is an extra bonus for making your own candied ginger.

 

The ginger is delicious eaten as candy, and can also be used in recipes calling for candied ginger. If you don't want to make it yourself but don't want to spend a fortune for it, look in an Asian grocery store, where the price will be much less than it is at the supermarket.

[StanandJim]

Orchestrapal-

 

Sounds delicious, but peeling ginger is an awful bore!

 

Makes us long for the old days on Hal with the delightful Yum Yum boys at the dining room doors as you left dinner