Tuesday, Day 4 - Cap Cana, Dominican Republic

I forgot that daylight comes a little earlier when you are so far south and east. I had left the curtains open a crack and woke up at 6:30 am when it started to get light. I peaked outside, but other than just a bit of pink in the clouds, the sunrise was obscured by a thick layer of clouds at the horizon. Not photo worthy so I laid back down in bed for a half hour. When I got up around 7 am, the sun had climbed above the clouds and it looked to be a clear, but hot day.

Room service delivered our breakfast around 7:15...a very large tray of food and beverages. Because the menu didn't offer ala carte items, we had ordered a little more than we really needed just to get what we wanted. Having my coffee first thing in the morning was nice and avoiding the buffet was a real time saver.

Finally...our first port of the cruise...Cap Cana. Cap Cana is a relatively new resort area on the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic and an even newer cruise ship destination. Less than 20 ships were scheduled to call at the port during 2017, but after so many other popular ports were put out of service by the hurricanes, Cap Cana has become a replacement stop for some cruise ships. The port is still being developed and I'm sure Holland America had to scramble to put together shore excursions for our cruise.

When Cap Cana was added to our itinerary a couple of weeks prior to the cruise, I started to scour the internet looking for possible tours. I found one, Outback Adventures, that looked interesting, but when I emailed for information was told that the tour had to be booked through the cruise line. I usually avoid cruise tours, but knowing that Cap Cana was a tender port...and the fact that there was very little time to find other options...I went ahead and booked the tour through Holland America. Having a cruise tour booked would give us priority tendering and a little peace of mind that we wouldn't get left behind if there were any delays. Here is the description Holland America provided.

Outback Adventure in the Dominican Republic -- approximately 8 hours
This is a fun outing for all ages--come and see the real Dominican Republic on this amazing, action-packed day of fun, discovery and adventure on the north coast.

Travel by open-top truck well off the beaten track to discover a wealth of history, culture, customs and the abundance of natural life that flourishes on this beautiful Caribbean Island.

You'll explore a rural fruit plantation and see how coffee and chocolate are harvested and produced. Visit a local school and meet the children.
It's true that little has changed in the Dominican countryside for more than 100 years and yet you will be amazed at how simple, yet rich, the way of life is here as you visit a typical home and meet the people that live there.

Cool off Dominican-style in a freshwater pool before a very tasty Dominican lunch. 

Afterward, you'll wind through the sugarcane fields and head to the beach to experience the thrill of riding a boogie board as you crest the ocean waves. The open bar on the back of the truck is forever in "happy hour" mode (included.)
Your toes will be tapping to the rhythmic sounds of local music as your guide keeps you smiling and entertained all day long.

The cost of the tour was $99.95/person which I paid in advance. A couple of days later I noticed that Holland America was advertising a 110% guarantee on their shore excursions. If you book a tour and then find the EXACT tour at a cheaper price, they will refund 110% of the price difference. I submitted a claim and was very surprised when less than 24 hours later I received an email saying my request was approved and we would receive the difference as onboard credit. Woohoo! The tour I wanted and at a slightly cheaper price.

First stop of the morning was guest services to drop off our debarkation forms (that we forgot to turn in last night) and then to the theater. Our excursion was to meet there at 8:30 for a 9:00 am tour. We were lead out as a group and walked down the crew stairs to a tender. It took sometime before the tender was full and sitting in the enclosed boat was very hot and very stuffy.

Once on shore we found where our tour was to meet and then waited some more while costumed dancers entertained the group.

Finally a tour guide walked us out of the port complex to an open air safari truck. Everyone grabbed seats on the shady side of the vehicle and then we waited some more. It was close to 9:45 before the last of the group showed up and we pulled out.

Our guide, Angel, filled us in on the history of the Dominican Republic which shares the island of Hispaniola with the country of Haiti. On the long drive through the countryside, we passed through several small towns and after about an hour reached the mountainous area of the island.

The tour description said we were to stop at a local school and meet the children, but because we were running late, Angel just pointed out the school as we drove by. The tour company, Outback Adventures, helps support the school and others like it. Angel also had some t-shirts, hats, etc. that were for sale on the tour with part of the proceeds going to benefit the school children.

The "typical home" that we visited on the tour was not quite typical. The home was very simple, but very clean and well maintained and had something that other similar homes lacked...flush toilets. The facilities were constructed by the tour company in little "outhouses" in the backyard for use of the tourists.

We were allowed to walk all through the home and then we were lead out to an area in the back where we learned about the production of coffee and chocolate.

Framed family photos were displayed in the living room.

Although the house had a kitchen, most of their cooking was done outdoors over a wood fire.

The outdoor kitchen.

Our group walked through a garden area where cacao, coffee, cinnamon and vanilla was grown and then gathered in an open air pavilion where they demonstrated how the coffee and cocoa beans were roasted and then ground. The small samples of hot chocolate and coffee mixed with cinnamon were yummy.

Cacao pod growing.

Sampling the raw cacao beans from inside the pod.

As we were walking back to the truck, I heard a squeeky voice say "Hola!" It was a parrot sitting in a tree in the front yard!

A short drive away was a little market area set up where there were a few artists doing paintings, stone carving and cigar making. In the little store, we were able to do some more sampling...pineapple wine and MamaJuana...rum infused with honey, wine, cinnamon and other spices.

Cigar making.

Angel giving the recipe for making Mama Juana.

Very few places in the DR pay for electricity...they just pirate the power by hooking into the main line. 

Nearby, we were taken to an open air restaurant where we were served a family-style meal at picnic tables overlooking the lush mountains. We feasted on fried chicken, grilled chicken & pork, eggplant & sweet potatoes, pasta, rice & beans, salads, and papaya.

Our view while eating.

Although I loved the tour, much of what we saw was a "presentation", not real life. On the other hand, as we drove back to the ship through all of the small villages, what we experienced was authentic DR. The truck whizzed by, but it gave us a glimpse of the residents going about their day to day routines. Motorcycles seemed to be the most popular form of transportation and we even saw a guy hauling a full size washing machine on his motorcycle...who needs trucks!?

Fresh meat was hanging outside this shop...or at least as fresh as it could be in 90+ degree heat.

Angel pointed out that these little stands with the "Banca" signs were not banks, but places to buy lottery tickets.
Every little town had several. I took note of the name (Mary!)

And...another "Mary" business!

The final stop on our tour was at Playa Macao...a long, palm tree lined beach with heavy surf. Boogie boards had been strapped to the back of the truck for us to use here, but it wasn't as easy as I had imagined! It was hard to hold onto the boards in the waves and once they slipped out of your grip, the waves would instantly wash them ashore. Bob made the mistake of wearing his sunglasses into the water (against my warnings) and they were gone with the first wave.

The tour had originally been described as being 8 hours long when we booked it, but had been revised (which we didn't know) to 5.5 hours in the description that was offered to those who booked on the ship. Angel apologized more than once for needing to rush us during the day and seemed a little concerned that we were arriving back at the port a few minutes past the scheduled 3:15 time. (Although we still had plenty of time since we didn't need to be back on the ship until 4:30.)

Bob with our tour guide, Angel.

A guy from our tour shared a wi-fi password with me that he had gotten in one of the shops at the port area so I took the opportunity to do some texting with family back home. My Sprint Open World Plan included "free" calls in the DR, but none of my texts or calls would go through until I had the wi-fi.

Waiting for the next tender to return to the ship.

The tender back to the ship was not a fun way to end our time at Cap Cana. The hot, stuffy boat took forever to get filled and then the engine quit multiple times making the return much longer than the 10 minutes it should have been. Returning to the cool AC and a refreshing shower was so nice!!

After a full day of touring, getting dressed for dinner didn't sound appealing so it was casual clothing and a meal at the buffet! Many of the same dishes served in the main dining room are available at the buffet so other than not having a waiter, we did not suffer. 😉

Here is the menu from the dining room...

STARTERS - SOUPS - SALADS

Steak and Beet Tartare

Quail egg, capers, gherkins

Smoked Salmon Rosettes

bay shrimp salad, salmon caviar

Baked Potato Polenta

tomato, garlic, mascarpone

Lemon Turkey Spinach Barley Soup

celery, carrots, bell pepper, Parmesan cheese

Chilled Mixed Berry Soup
lemon zest

Smoked Salmon, Pear and Fennel Salad

red onion, raisins, chive

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE SIGNATURES

French Onion Soup "Les Halles"

Gruyere cheese crouton

Classic Caesar Salad

Parmesan cheese, garlic croutons, anchovies

MAINS

Orecchiette with Eggplant and Pork Ragout

tomato, garlic, Asiago cheese

Spicy Peanut-Cilantro Salad
lime-marinated turkey, corn, black beans, cheese, tortilla strips, tomato

Chili Prawns with Garlic Butter

black rice, spinach

Caribbean Snapper Curry

garlic, tomato, coconut milk, peas n' rice

Short Rib with Black Olives

mashed butternut squash, roasted shallot,, red wine

Sauteed Pork Medallions with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

braised celery, sugar snap peas, sun-dried tomato spatzle

Turkey Roast with Giblet Gravy and Cranberry

apple-pecan stuffing, glazed dilled carrots and turnips, Brussel sprouts, candied sweet potato

Wild Mushroom Strudel

forest mushrooms, spinach and feta cheese, Thai red curry sauce

HOLLAND AMERICAN LINE SIGNATURES

Grilled Salmon with Ginger-Cilantro Pesto

basmati rice, Swiss chard, garlic cherry tomatoes

Broiled New York Strip Loin

red skin mashed potato, cauliflower gratin, green peppercorn sauce

Oven-Roasted Chicken

quinoa pilaf, her roasted vegetables, jus

And here is what we had in the buffet...

Me - Baked potato soup, pork medallions with mushroom sauce, wild mushroom strudel, au gratin potatoes and Swiss chard

Bob - too many things to list! 😏

Both of us had whiskey chocolate cake for dessert

There was a beautiful sunset during dinner that just kept getting better and better. After we finished we wandered out to the back of the ship and just stood there watching the ever changing colors in the sky. It was too early to go to the show, so we returned to our cabin and just sat on the balcony enjoying the pleasant breeze.

The main show for the evening was from the BBC Earth movie "Frozen Planet"...a series of segments filmed in the Arctic and Antarctic. That in itself would have been enjoyable, but not necessarily unique. What made the entertainment "theater worthy" was the fact that the score to the breathtaking footage being shown on the huge screen was live music performed by some of the ship's musicians. Incredible!! The performance ran a full 60 minutes.

Leaving the theater we walked aft on Deck 2 to BB Kings Blues Club. The lounge was way too crowded to even get in, but we found seats on a couch near the entrance where we could hear the music AND people watch. It was Halloween and folks came prepared with costumes!! Many of the staff were also getting into the Halloween spirit and were dressed up as well. We sat there for about an hour and thoroughly enjoyed the experience!!

It was around 10 pm when we returned to the cabin. Bob watched the Spider Man movie while I updated my blog notes. (He really is enjoying all of the movies on demand!)

A look at the daily activities onboard the Nieuw Amsterdam...

Monday, Day 3 @ Sea

The fact that I didn't even begin to take notes for the blog until dinner time is an indication of how much I enjoy sea days. There is plenty to do on the ship to keep me busy and with a 7 day cruise, I'm sure the cruise will end long before I explore all that I want.

I guess my body is adjusting to the difference in time zones because I was awake by 7:15. Bob was up too and although I had considered doing breakfast in the dining room, we went to the lido buffet instead. There are plenty of food choices in the buffet (we are still discovering what is available) and it is just so much quicker. And I will mention that I enjoy the vases of fresh flowers that sat on each table at the buffet!

Bob went back to his usual "at home" breakfast of oatmeal, but enjoyed lots of different toppings. I splurged and had scrambled eggs (not the greatest), bacon, a hash brown patty and then for dessert I grabbed a yogurt parfait. (Yes...I'm on vacation and can have dessert at breakfast if I want!) I suspect that the scrambled eggs might be powdered. I could have gotten fresh eggs made to order, but didn't want to stand in line to wait.

The captain had managed to get away from Phillipe (the tropical storm, that is) and the pleasant weather and calm seas made this a good morning to walk outside on the promenade deck. I had time for just one lap but Bob continued to walk for some time. Three laps around = one mile.

My walk was cut short so I could make it to the Microsoft session on "Bring Photos to Life with Windows 10". When I first got my computer I was impressed with the photo editing capabilities on Windows 10, but a subsequent update drastically changed the program and seemed to eliminate some of the editing tools that I liked. I thought maybe I just missing something, but after sitting through the 45 minute class I realized that it wasn't me...the program just does the basics...and no more.

Bob and I had planned to meet at the lower level of the dining room at 10:30 for the "Behind the Scenes Kitchen Tour". The computer class was right next to the entrance of the Manhattan Dining room and a line was starting to form when I finished at 10:15. I got into the line and kept watching, but no Bob. The line continued to grow until I could no longer see the end of it so I stayed put and figured I would look for him when I was done.

Washing our hands and filling out health forms actually took as long as the tour itself. Basically we just made a quick pass through the galley with not much going on nor anyone to give a commentary. At the end we were offered a few "treats"...small little goodies from the specialty restaurants. (Crab cakes, Asian dumplings, bruschetta, etc.)

When I finished, I found Bob still waiting in line! He was visiting with the couple who we had met on the hotel shuttle back in Ft. Lauderdale. The man was a retired doctor and had done quite a few medical mission trips...something Bob would like to do.

Bob met me back at the cabin and after a big breakfast...and treats during the galley tour...we decided it was time for lunch.

Although I love sea days, I need to learn to scale back the eating activities a bit. For a week I can manage, but for longer...oh my! Just a few steps to the elevator from our cabin and up to deck 9.

It is easy to lose track of the days on a cruise, but Holland America leaves a little reminder in the elevators.

Bob hit up the Asian section once again and chose vegetable curry, beef, chicken and some rice. Pretty much everything all piled into one bowl. I decided to try a burger from the Dive Inn grill. I ordered the "Cannonball" which was a burger adorned with gouda cheese, carmelized onions and lettuce and an order of fries topped with the signature dive-in sauce. The burgers are made to order so I was given a pager which would alert me when my food was ready.

Dessert? For Bob...pecan pie, a cream puff AND cheesecake! Mine was hazelnut mousse and cheese cake.

The flower arrangement on our table at lunch with a window view of the gorgeous blue water!

And if breakfast, lunch and a galley tour wasn't enough food related activity for the day...I went straight from the buffet to an America's Test Kitchen presentation on CHOCOLATE! In this case it was all watching and no tasting. (Not allowed apparently.) 

Bob opted for the BBC Earth film in the screening room called "Inside Earth: Extreme Worlds". I know I would have enjoyed that as well, but also knew that the dark room and comfy chairs was a sure recipe for a nap.

As it was, by the time the Test Kitchen show was over I was getting really sleepy. Bob had planned to go directly from the BBC Earth video to watch the movie in the theater, but got mixed up on the time. Instead a "What on Earth!" gameshow was being held and the movie wasn't scheduled to start for another hour. He came back to the cabin and joined me for my nap activity. 

At 4:00, I went to the Future Cruise Presentation. Bob wasn't interested. Since his earlier movie plans had not panned out, he stayed in the cabin and watched a movie on TV. Have I mentioned how much he enjoyed the movies on demand?! At the presentation, the cruise consultant talked about some of the more unique and interesting itineraries that Holland America does. She mentioned that going to Antarctica is getting more and more difficult and that Holland only has two permits for 2019. Yay for us because we are already booked!!

I hustled back to the cabin to get ready for dinner. I had called earlier to see if we might reserve a table for 2, but was told all they had was shared tables so there really wasn't much point in a reservation. As I was dressing Bob yelled from the balcony...a rainbow! 

We got to the dining room around 5:30 and were seated immediately at a table for 6 right next to the window...what a great table! Two more couples joined us soon after...one couple from Los Angeles and another from Toronto. And...as happened the previous time...one of the guys was named "Bob!" Both this Bob and the other Bob could pass as brothers for my Bob. There was a bit of a resemblance and all three had the same build...tall and thin. Four out of the six of us were retired teachers. The conversation flowed easily and made for an enjoyable dinner.

The evening menu...

STARTERS - SOUPS - SALADS

Smoked Mackerel and Trout

apple-horseradish

Crostini with Fresh Tomato, Basil and Prosciutto

Parmesan cheese, balsamic reduction, extra virgin olive oil

Coconut-Crusted Shrimp (M)

mango-pepper salsa, cilantro, fresh lime

Tomato and Fennel Soup (B)

creme fraiche

French Onion Soup with Short Rib

Gruyere cheese crouton

Chilled Pina Colada Soup

coconut milk, rum, cinnamon, pineapple slice

Island Salad (M & B)

Bibb lettuce, avocado, tomato, red beans, green beans, garbanzo beans

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE SIGNATURES (Available each night)

Fench Onion Soup

Gruyere cheese crouton

Classic Caesar Salad

Parmesan cheese, garlic croutons, anchovies

MAIN

Linguine Carbonara

egg-cream sauce, pancetta, Parmesan cheese

Avocado Citrus Salad

avacado, Meyer lemon slices, mixed lettuces, basil, citrus zest, sherry vinaigrette

Seared Cajun Tuna Steak

horseradish potato roti, basil, plum tomato confit

Baked Seafood Rigatoni Arrabbiata

prawns, scallops, mussels

Prime Rib of Beef au Jus

baby corn medly, baked potato

Sauteed Veal Tenderloin (M & B)

candied lemon sauce, corn polenta

Panko-Pineapple Crusted Chicken

basic-cream sauce, ancient grains

Fregola Florentine

spinach, grilled vegetable kebab, dill-sour cream sauce

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE SIGNATURES (Available each night)

Grilled Salmon with Ginger-Cilantro Pesto

basmati rice, Swiss chard, garlic cherry tomatoes

Broiled New York Strip Loin

red skin mashed potato, cauliflower gratin, green peppercorn sauce

Oven-Roasted Chicken

quinoa pilaf, herb roasted vegetables, jus

DESSERTS

Chocolate Mousse in a Chocolate Cup

whipped cream

Chocolate Black Out Cake

marshmallow, Devil's Food sponge cake

Caribbean Rum Cake (M & B)

coconut ice cream

Creme Brulee

Grand Marnier-scented custard, caramelized sugar

Mango Blueberry Crisp

French vanilla ice cream

Cheese and Fruit

Gorgonzola, Brie, Fiscalini Cheddar, Edam

Sliced Fruit Plate

selection of fresh fruit

Passion Fruit Terrine

almond Victoria sponge, tropical fruits

Fudge Sundae

vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, toasted almonds

Ice Cream

Vanilla - Pistachio - Raspberry Sorbet - Chocolate Frozen Yogurt

Sugar Free Vanilla or Chocolate Chip

Dinner was finished just in time for us to get to the Explorer's Lounge by 7 pm for Adagio's first set. (Husband and wife classical duo...he on violin and she on piano.) They hadn't quite finished when we slipped out to get good seats in the theater for the main entertainment...Island Magic Steel Drum Band. Assuming we were going to hear an evening of Caribbean-style reggae music, we were blown away by the Broadway and classical tunes that were performed. Incredible...and so talented. And judging by the audience's reaction, they felt the same way. Multiple standing ovations, including one midway through the show!

After getting confused and walking the length of deck 3 (trying to avoid the smoky casino) we went back down to deck 2 to finally end up at BB Kings. This proved to be a VERY popular spot each night. So much so that no seats were available and left us standing in the back for about 20 minutes.

There would be no sleeping in tomorrow. At last we were going to see land...our first port of Cap Cana, Dominican Republic. Before going to bed, we packed our backpacks for a beach/touring day and I filled out the form for room service to deliver breakfast.

Each evening we would return to our cabin to find a towel animal,
the next day's activity newsletter and chocolates!

October 30 When & Where

Sunday, Day 2 @ Sea (Nassau Cancelled)

Overnight our "potential" tropical storm had been given a name...Phillipe...and we met him Sunday morning when we opened the drapes. The view from our balcony was rain, high waves, and sea spray coming off the surface of the water. The ship felt fairly stable in spite of the rolling seas, but we each took another dose of motion sickness meds just to be safe.

I was somewhat aware of the ship movement during the night and slept well, but woke with a sore neck from the too-soft pillows. I missed "My Pillow" that I love so much at home.

The tracking station on the TV showed we had gone north of Nassau overnight (where we were supposed to be spending the day) and were close to Half Moon Cay where we were to end up at the end of the week. (Marker #4 on the map.)

Our cabin was just behind the bank of aft elevators so getting to the buffet on the lido deck was quite simple...straight up from deck 4 to deck 9 and we were there.

We both commented during the week how easy and quick it was to get an elevator on the Nieuw Amsterdam. Rarely any waiting and they were so fast! At mid-ship there were glass elevators that went up along the outside of the ship, offering nice views of the water.

Breakfast for me was a bran muffin, chocolate pastry, cranberry juice and coffee. Bob was headed to the gym so limited himself to a few fried potatoes and fruit. Each section of tables had a server assigned who would then come by and offer drinks. Right away we noticed one crew member, Nilaarin, who was always so bright and cheerful, so we usually tried to find a table in her section.

Thinking I had quite a bit of time before I went to the morning computer class, we stopped back by our cabin after breakfast. I happened to glance at my watch and realized that it was off by about 20 minutes (time to get a new watch😒). I hustled down to Deck 2, worried that if I was late I would not get a computer station. I needn't have worried, I arrived about 9:20 for a 9:30 class and only a couple of other people were there. I started chatting with the teacher and found out she...and the guy in front of me...were both from Minnesota!

Holland America has affiliations with several different companies who provide entertainment options on the ship and the Microsoft Digital Workshops was one such offering. The 45 minute morning class was on organizing photos with Windows 10. Most of what was covered I already knew, but I did pick up a couple of tidbits of new information and enjoyed the class. The teacher was knowledgeable, but did not necessarily have the right personality for her job. She got a little flustered because there were different versions of the photo software installed on the computers and became annoyed with any type of noise in the room. She actually scolded a couple of people...an older gentleman who was asking his wife for help (I think he was hard of hearing) and another who didn't get the music turned off of a slide show we were working on.

I met up with Bob after my class at the screening room on Deck 3 for a BBC Earth (another one of Holland's affiliations) movie called "A Privileged View". The movie focused on BBC photographers and included some incredible wildlife scenes. The screening room has the most comfortable, leather recliners and between the dark room and the effects of my motion sickness pill, I dozed a bit through the segment on camels. I did thoroughly enjoy seeing the monkeys and penguin parts however!

The movie ended at 11:30 am and we went directly to the Lido deck, arriving just as the buffet was opening. Bob was anxious to try the Asian food and got beef sukiyaki. I tried chicken yakitori and we both had our choices served with udon noodles. I also sampled some of the tempura vegetables which were outstanding!

When I went looking for dessert, I got sidetracked and picked up a small plate of sushi, another plate of fruit and cheese and eventually came across the sweets and grabbed a piece of cheesecake. So many choices...so little time! 

I'm still trying to decide if I like sushi. For now I look at it as just an
accompaniment for ginger which I do really enjoy. (Backwards, I know. 😀)

I wasn't the only one who was tempted by the many selections. Bob's choice for dessert was one of the vanilla cream puffs (that was on the menu yesterday) and some type of cake with fruit inside. This fruit, which I believe is tamarind, also intrigued him enough to take a sample.

While we were eating, the captain gave his noon update and announced that the tropical storm had become the named storm, "Phillipe" overnight. He said waves were around 12 feet and that outside decks were closed due to the high winds. He was optimistic that conditions would improve by tomorrow.

There seemed to be a lack of the types of sea day entertainment on the Nieuw Amsterdam that we encountered on Princess and Norwegian...craft classes, musical entertainment, silly games, etc. And thankfully there were none of the activities (such as hairy chest contests) that were the mainstay of sea days on Carnival. 

It may get repetitive on longer cruises, but I did enjoy the more educational type offerings on Holland America...Microsoft classes, BBC Earth presentations, and now we were headed to see an America's Test Kitchen cooking show on Asian Dumplings. Normally this wouldn't have been something Bob would attend, but he prides himself on being the Asian chef in our family.

The host demonstrated a couple of different recipes and also included various tips on the scientific side of cooking. One fact we learned...a dislike for cilantro is genetically based. If someone does not like the taste of cilantro then changing how it is used will not alter their opinion. To those with an anti-cilantro genetic makeup the herb just tastes like soap. This brought about an "I told you so" from Bob who gripes whenever I try and add cilantro to recipes. 

A nap attack was starting to hit again (stupid motion sickness pills) and I saw no reason to fight it. I went back to the cabin to rest while Bob went to the movie, "Wonder Woman," in the theater. Bob is a movie lover and he certainly got to pursue his passion on this cruise! Movies in the theater every day and movies on demand in the cabin.

My nap was short and then I sat on the balcony as I updated my blog notes. The waves didn't seem as high and there was some blue sky but it was very, very windy. The balcony was covered in sea spray and the divider between our balcony and the next was rattling incessantly. Bob had tried to silence the noise with a wash cloth the night before, but didn't have much luck. Normally I would avoid the wind and humidity...it makes my hair go wild...but I knew I would be showering and doing my hair shortly for dinner. Let it blow!!

The evening dinner menus were always available on the TV screen each day and also on the Holland America Navigator website that I accessed on my phone or iPad (available free). We would view the menus ahead so by the time we were handed the menu, we usually had already made up our minds of what we would order. I also would take a screen shot of the menus online so that I can share them here. Many times we would order the same thing. After over 40 years of marriage I guess our tastes have become so similar!

Day 2 - Gala Night

Appetizers

HONEY PINEAPPLE

toasted coconut, strawberries

ORANGE-JUMBO SHRIMP COCKTAIL (M)

melon trio skewer, cilantro lemon grass aioli

ESCARGOTS BOURGUIGNON (B)

herb garlic butter, burgundy wine, French bread

Soups and Salad

CREAMED ARTICHOKE AND HERITAGE CARROT SOUP (M & B)

arugula pesto oil, creme fraiche

CHICKEN WITH SOBA NOODLES

soy sauce, shitake mushrooms, scallions, carrot, leek

SALAD OF ARUGULA AND FRISEE

Williams pear, mandarin segments, pistachios, cherry tomatoes, organic mixed seeds

Entrees

CRACKED PEPPER TENDERLOIN WITH GRILLED SHRIMP (M & B)

sauteed spinach, green beans, caramelized pineapple, balsamic reduction

RACK OF LAMB WITH CANNELLINI BEANS AND GARLIC PEARLS
roasted red bell pepper, sauteed artichoke

MAPLE-LACQUERED DUCK BREAST

corn-cranberry pudding, candied figs, braised Swiss chard, cider vinegar sauce

YELLOWFIN SOLE FILLET

smashed potato crab gallete, sauce vierge, haricots verts

BAKED RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS

garlic-basil-tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses

TRUFFLED MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Parmesan and mascarpone cheeses

Desserts

CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE (M)

warm dark chocolate sauce

BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES

white chocolate mousse

LEMON MERINGUE CHEESECAKE (B)

blueberry sauce, crushed amaretti

BLACK FOREST CAKE NO SUGAR ADDED

chocolate cake, Kirchwasser-flavored cream, bing cherries, chocolate shavings

It was "gala night" in the dining room and rather than share a table, I had called ahead and made a reservation for a table for 2. The only time available was at 5:15 so I took it. We were led to a small table located in the far back corner of the dining room...and I mean WAAAAYYY back in the corner. 

While we were eating we heard...and felt...what I would describe as a loud THUD. It sounded as if the ship had collided with something. A few other times (and once in the elevator!!) we heard the same sound. A little scary. If we weren't sailing in the Caribbean I would have been on the lookout for icebergs.

There was a partition blocking us off from the rest of the room but we could hear the woman at the table on the other side ordering steak and raw Cheerios 😲 ...no milk. She was also making other demands of the waiter which we couldn't totally make out. It made a little more sense when a second person showed up with a baby. Our service was quick, but by the time we left, the baby was getting cranky. Chances are that others at nearby tables would soon be getting cranky as well from listening to the crying.

We stopped in at the BB King Blues Club just as the BBC Earth trivia contest had started. We didn't write down our answers, but just between the two of us we would guess what we thought was the correct answer. When they gave out the correct answers at the end we were surprised to find out that we had gotten almost all of them correct!! We didn't stick around to see how many answers the "official" winner had gotten because we were anxious to get to the theater for the Captain's toast. Champagne, orange juice or Coke was being served as we entered. The Captain was introduced, made a few comments and that was that. Not near as festive as the champagne waterfall on Princess ships.

Immediately following was the show, "Off the Charts"...a concert of hits from Elvis to Beyonce. It was fun hearing familiar tunes and the video backgrounds were impressive...sharp and clear.

The show was over at 8:40 and we went straight from the theater to hear the BB Kings All Stars and surprisingly we got a seat! We stayed until they finished their first set at 9:15. (They do three sets each night.)

After eating dinner so early we decided a bedtime snack was in order. Unfortunately the buffet closes down between 8:00 and 10:30 pm. About the only option during those hours was to order a pizza from the New York Pizza place. There were several different options or you could custom order a pizza. The pizzas are small, personal-sized pizzas on a thin crust.

Our choice? A vegetarian "Central Park" pizza...roasted red peppers, red onion, mushrooms, artichoke, kalamata olives, pomodora sauce, and mozzarella cheese. The pizzas are not ready made so we were given a pager to alert us when the pizza was ready.

We had stopped by the cabin on our way to the lido deck and had picked up the "When & Where" newsletter for the next day. Looking at the activities and planning our day kept us occupied until the pager went off signaling that our pizza was ready. By the time we finished, we noticed a few people walking by with ice cream cones. I'm not totally sure they were really ready to be open, but the gal was willing to make us each a cone.

A towel animal was waiting on us each night in our cabin when we returned. We stepped out onto the balcony for a short time before bed. It was hot and muggy, but the moon was shining brightly. The stats on the TV said it was 81 degrees with 8% humidity. I might believe one of those numbers. 😉

Here are the day's activities...