Dining Experiences from a cruise ship

Dining experiences from a cruise ship

Alexis is a college student from IUP and a close friend of mine. She agreed to give us some personal insights on life aboard a cruise ship. The following is her personal interview:

Ruth: Were you served any dishes on this cruise that you never had before?

Alexis: It was the Formal Dinner and Reception in the Queen’s Lounge Promenade Deck 8 with free flowing champagne. I think caviar was one of the appetizer courses. It was the first time I had it. I don’t know if I ever care to have that again. Also new to me was the choice of lobster tails or sea scallops. I enjoyed the lobster tail with butter and the sea scallops were so so. The lights were turned off as the waiters in white dinner jackets served the flambé baked Alaska. That is what I remember most. Our seating was the late one 8pm. The formal dining room is decorated with fine art and antiques, table linens, china and crystal.

Ruth: Did you have any special late night menu?

Alexis: The late night Chocolate Dessert Extravaganza night with ice carvings. It was almost too spectaular to slice into.  Cakes, fudge, truffles, Hot Chocolate Soufflé, Chocolate Mousse Cups, I had a small sample of each and I loved all of it.

Ruth: Doesn’t this Dutch ship have tea time just like the English?

Alexis: They have tea every afternoon but there is the Royal Dutch Tea one afternoon in the Amsterdam Dining Room 3:15pm -4pm. Here they have a wide variety of scones and traditional delicacies. It is reminiscent of those days when tea time was considered a social event. Tea from all over the world and little delicate tea cakes, scones with cream  were served in dainty gold trimmed, flowered cups and dishes. All the tables had an arrangement of fresh white roses in the center. I had to try everything and it was wonderful but thought maybe I should just skip dinner after that.

Ruth: Didn’t you say you sometimes had lunch or dinner by the pool?

Alexis: Yes, It was the Great Westerdam BBQ one night Verandah Poolside on the Sun Deck 11-delicious steaks, ribs, and chicken, together with salads and baked potatoes. Festive mood music was played by the great sounds of the Caribbean Magic. I am not the biggest fan of grilled steak but if it is well done I will try it. My husband loves steak- medium rare- so he was really happy with that and the barbecued chicken. It did have some of the best barbecue sauce I ever tasted.

Didn’t you tell me something about a tropical storm?

We spent one whole day at sea sailing around Cuba (no television reception) before we got to Half Moon Cay our last stop. We went sea kayaking around the island with a local guide. We were about to head back to the ship and the ships horn started sounding. Weather in this region can change quite rapidly and the cruise ship developed this system to alert the guests. If you hear the Westerdam sound its horn for one long continuous blast please proceed to the tender pier as soon as possible. We barely made it back to our cabin before the rain started to come down in buckets. I tried the shower and brown water poured out. Waves were flying over the porthole.

How was dinner on board the ship that night?

 The Captains Farewell Dinner still was going on in the dining room as the waves flew up over the huge plate glass, waterproof, floor to ceiling windows that look out over the vast ocean.

Do you remember what you had for dinner that night?

Alexis: Here is a sample menu

Alexis :This is a sample menu.

 Manhattan

DINING ROOM

Appetizers

Caribbean Fruit Medley

A composition of sweet melon, papaya and pineapple accented with rum and a

minted lemon yogurt

Steamed Mussels with Curry, Saffron and Lemon Grass

Quick simmered with shallots and garlic. Enriched with white wine and cream and

served with fresh French bread

Grilled Vegetable Tower

Slices of grilled red beet, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant and roasted tomato

stacked with a black olive and goat cheese tapenade and served with basil coulis

Crab Tower with Avocado Salsa

The sweet meat of Alaskan crab with diced ripe avocado and fresh tomato, gently

combined with olive oil, lime and cilantro

Soups and Salad

Chilled Peach and Ginger Soup

Refreshing blend of peach and ginger with low-fat buttermilk

and apple juice

Island Pepper Pot

Savory beef broth with hearty root vegetables, dumplings and

chunks of beef, flavored with ginger and garlic

Broadway Basil Tomato Soup

Mellow puree of vine ripened plum tomato and basil with a chili flake

kick, topped with a crème fraîche crostini

Baby Spinach with White Mushrooms

With oven-roasted tomato, crisp red onion, crunchy bacon bits,

chopped egg and zesty blue cheese crumbles

Entrées

Fettuccine with Plum Tomato and Basil

Al dente pasta with chopped plum tomato, roasted garlic, shallots

and fresh basil

Ginger Grilled Half Chicken with Mango Lime Relish

Served with roasted sweet potato and pesto-sautéed zucchini with

red bell pepper

American Prime Rib of Beef au Jus

Slow-roasted to exquisite tenderness and carved to your order. Served with crisp

green beans, toasted almonds and sugar glazed carrots and a baked potato

Grilled Pork Chop with Pineapple Rum Glaze

Presented with roasted fennel, baby carrots and garlic buttermilk

mashed potatoes

Classic “Brown Derby” Cobb Salad

Chicken breast, avocado, blue cheese, bacon, tomato, egg and lettuce tossed in

our signature vinaigrette

Eggplant Cannelloni Parmigiano

Marinara-roasted eggplant rolls filled with creamy pesto cream cheese, nestled

on a savory mushroom risotto

Master Chef Rudi Sodamin’s Recommendations

Crab Tower with Avocado Salsa

The sweet meat of Alaskan crab with diced ripe avocado and fresh tomato,

gently combined with olive oil, lime and cilantro

Broadway Basil Tomato Soup

Mellow puree of vine ripened plum tomato and basil with a chili flake kick,

topped with a crème fraîche crostini

Mahi Mahi with Roasted Corn Salsa and Plantains

Served grilled alongside orange-infused black bean rice with fresh corn coulis

and cilantro, cherry tomatoes and green beans with toasted almonds

Delicious dessert offerings change daily

© 2001 - 2010 Holland America Line Inc. All Rights Reserved.

I showed her the menu for the middle class dining from theTtitanic: Second Class Dinner MenuR.M.S. "TITANIC" April 14, 1912

FIRST COURSE - SOUP
Consommé with Tapioca

SECOND COURSE - MAIN DISHES
Baked Haddock with Sharp Sauce
Curried Chicken with Rice
Lamb with Mint Sauce
Roast Turkey with Savory Cranberry Sauce
Turnip Sauce
Green Peas
Boiled Rice
Boiled and Roast Potatoes

THIRD COURSE - DESSERTS
Plum Pudding with Sweet Sauce
Wine Jelly
Coconut Sandwich
American Ice Cream
Assorted Nuts
Fresh Fruit
Cheese
Biscuits

AFTER DINNER
Coffee

Alexis:  Everyone was worried some about the storm. I think it is interesting how the menu is similar and it reminded me of the scene from the movie where everything went on as it was planned aboard ship, only we could see the ocean coming up over the top of the ship and this is a tall ship.

 It was all over in the morning and the ship, crew and passengers were back in Florida by afternoon.  I wanted to add we were given a tour of the galley while we were on board. It was not as big as I thought it would be. I was told that one hundred people work under the head chef. My husband loved the midnight buffet ,but he eats all the time. I was too full from dinner to even look at more food. We both loved all the food and the hardest part now is cooking for ourselves, because we got so spoiled with all the attention to even the smallest details.

This portion of the Titanic menu is taken from www.webtitanic.weltitanic.net/framem/menue html dogpile.com Echoes of the Titanic Disaster Web Titanic Details/Iceberg an Irish Tribute( retrieved Feb 13, 2011) All of the menus first class (much longer),second, and third are there for that day April 14,1912. Other works cited www.hollandamerica.com

By Ruth Hall