WE’RE HALFWAY THERE–AND BACK ON THE SHIP!

• Today is Day 56 of our 112-day trip, so we’re halfway there
• The ship has traveled 19,390 nautical miles thus far
• We’re passing over the northern tip of Australia en route to Komodo Island, Indonesia
• We’re definitely back on the ship:  what was good remains good; what wasn’t remains as it was
• We’re trying to recuperate after two weeks of constant activity (and my cold)
• Yet, I woke up at about 5:30 a.m. yesterday (3/1).  These constant time changes are messing with me.
• I spent most of my day in my favorite place onboard the ship:  the spa.  I had a facial in the late morning, followed by a Cruise Critic luncheon, then back to the spa for a cellulite reduction treatment (I need many more of these – ha!) and a long-overdue shampoo and blow dry.
• In the evening, we attended the first of several murder mystery dinners that they’re having
• It started with champagne and a chance to “meet the characters” in the card room, followed by dinner and a narrated set of clues in the Pinnacle Grill.
• I was very happy to be seated by Alan and Annie from KC, and we were all having a great time (at first anyway).
• The cruise director, Bruce, was pretty funny, and the staff seemed to be having a ball as they played different characters in the story.
• They served us huge peel-and-eat shrimp, followed by a wonderful tomato soup!
• Then came a “pear salad”, which wasn’t so great (it had blue cheese, which one either loves or hates, but they don’t ask whether you want it or not; it’s mass-production time again).  It also had some tiny and not-so-ripe slivers of pear and a few drops of dressing).  I love salads, but without dressing, lettuce doesn’t offer much flavor.  The salad had potential, which wasn’t achieved.
• The main course (a petite filet and small piece of lobster) followed and was, in Holland America style, spectacularly “pretty”.  Although they wisely served the shrimp with a lemon wedge, they did not do so with the lobster.  Nor was there any sauce or drawn butter to give it flavor.  Hem.  I asked my waiter if I could have some butter and a lemon wedge, and he returned with some (lukewarm) butter – but no lemon – and he walked away so fast I couldn’t say anything.  Nor did anyone come by so I could ask.  I just sat there, waiting . . . as my lobster turned cold.  Someone else ate my lobster, with my blessing.
• They didn’t ask us how we wanted our steaks cooked, either, and they arrived at a variety of temperatures.  Mine was medium rare, but others were medium to medium-well.  One lady with an overcooked steak didn’t bother to eat it, since it was ruined.  No one ever stopped by or noticed . . .
• After the time to eat had gone by, the manager stopped by and asked how everything was.  I told her I asked for butter and lemon, but got no lemon, and another lady’s steak was overcooked.  She gave me a disapproving “look” as she turned her back and walked away, without saying a thing.  She obviously didn’t want to hear anything except how perfect it was.  Why did you ask if you didn’t want to know?
• When they were going to serve dessert, I asked for a coffee drink instead with Grand Marnier and Tia Maria.  It’s my favorite after-dinner drink!  A man brought me a shot glass with the liquors in it and left that on the table.  Okay, they hate me.  To make a coffee drink, you need only take a glass, pour the liquors into the glass, and then top it off with coffee and some whipped cream or 1/2 and 1/2.  You don’t just stick the liquors in a shot glass on the table!  When I asked for the coffee, the manager came over and told me (in a not so pleasant tone) that they don’t serve coffee until after the dessert is served.  In other words, I could just sit there and wait until after dessert service was over.
• That’s where I got up and left . . . and cancelled my remaining Pinnacle Grill reservations.  I don’t care to spend another $500/person on dinners there, only to be scolded for wanting an after-dinner drink, or a lemon wedge with my lobster.
• HAL Cruising “Survival Tip”:  When dining in the main (La Fontaine) dining room or in the Pinnacle Grill, you should sit there quietly, don’t request anything, and tell them everything was just perfect, should someone ask.  Cattle aren’t supposed to speak!
• Keeping it Real:  You might have noticed, I don’t follow the hallowed tradition among other “repeat” world cruisers of painting a perfect, rosy picture of everything, either onboard the ship or at the ports of call.  While I try to avoid hurting or embarrassing anyone, I will not mislead about what I experience.  If it’s great, I’ll say it’s great.  And plenty of things have been great.  But if it’s subpar, then that’s what you’ll read.  If you prefer the flowery version, then I can direct you to several other blogs – or Holland America’s website!  They’ll tell you what you want to hear.  Here are some photos of our “perfect” evening.