Or
Setting off Alarms.
Settle in kiddies for a rather long one that would have been
too easy to break into two parts, but where’s the fun in that, when he can get
you going bleary eyed by the time he gets you to the dinner part?
Morning came softly at Via Milano 15 as WE4 slowly assembled
themselves to finish packing and prepare for the next leg of their adventure.
Out host Andrea had arranged for a “Black Taxi” from Best
One Limousine Service to pick us up at 10:30 for the trek to The Cruise
Port of Venice.
After a light breakfast of deli and fruits they started to
move the bags down and found Manuel and his Daughter Victoria, already waiting
to load the LUG-gag into a sleek, roomy, new Mercedes Mini-Van for an easy, short ride to “Maritima”. Once inside the port
it seemed longer to get around the port to the ship than to get TO the port.
After being dropped at the proper terminal entry, WE4 trudged
up an unusually long entry ramp, where their LUG-gage is quickly captured by
smiling stevedores, masquerading as helpful Cruise officials who then ushered them
into the vast check in hall and right into the Diamond Plus Line.
The check in procedure was a snap, although since Chuck and
DL are only Platinum but were piggy-backing L&D who are Diamond Plus [300+
sea days] their Sea Pass Cards weren’t at this station and the steward had to
chase to find them.
With cards in hand, WE4 proceeded through the various check
points to the security screening. That’s
when the Drama began.
Remember on Departure from FLL, no alarms went off from
Chucky’s small travel tool kit?
Welllll, it was a bit different with Ship Security and the
X-Ray machine at the Italian Cruise Port of Venice as Chucky’s pull-along with
all the electronics, toiletries, and TOOL KIT, is sent back for a second pass
with the screener scratching his head.
Knowing what comes next, Chucky immediately pulls the kit from
the bag to show them that it’s nothing special.
Welllll, apparently IT IS special to them as they declare a
simple pair of pliers, a 5 in 1 screw driver and needle-nosed pliers as HIGHLY
DANGEROUS items and cannot be brought on a cruise ship, and of course the somewhat
horrified security lady immediately confiscated them to be returned at the end
of the cruise. {Hmmm, they went on the BRITANNIA cruise last year – Same cruise
line, Oh Welllll}
So now the Rhapsody of the Seas is Safe from the attack of
the dreaded 5 inch Needle Nose Pliers.
Of courses DL and L&D are standing on the other side of
the Checky Thingy area just giggling away.
That hurdle having been crossed, they then head onto the
ship and up to the Windjammer buffet for lunch and to wait for the all clear
to get into their cabins.
Lunch was “OK”, the usual variety of fare, meats, chicken,
fish, sandwiches, pastries etc, which apparently did not sit well with Chucky who
later had to hit Donna up for some TUMS before the informal meet and greet with
the Cruise Critic ROLL CALL crowd in the Park Lane spa pool area, Deck 9-AFT at
3:30.
After brief introductions around with minor
chit-chat it was time to check in with, and “Take Care OF”, the Maitre d’ of My
Time Dining, Domengos, to arrange an appropriate table for dinner.
And by then it was time for the mandatory BOAT DRILL.
Fortunately you no longer have to wear those cumbersome life
jackets to the BOAT DRILL but it’s still annoying to be herded into tightly
packed lines of 10 only to stand there for 15 minutes in the heat while they call
the missing cabin numbers and then demonstrate how to put on a life jacket,
then chide the lady in the middle for taking selfies:
“The use of cell phones, cameras or
other electronic devices is prohibited during the BOAT DRILL Madam!!!”
Then stand there sweating for another 10 minutes, weaving and
swaying until the captain on a scratchy PA, in heavily accented English explains
the Horn Signals and declares an end to the drill.
And with that, everyone scrambles back to their cabins for
cameras, phones etc, to then rush to the Deck 10 Port Side Rail as the ship
pulls away from the dock, down the Giudecca Canal into the Grand Canal of Venice,
past San Marco and Duccale Palace and heads into the Adriatic Sea.
Once past San Marco, Chucky spots the Tempelshifs
up in the Diamond
Plus lounge on deck 11 who are waiving at them wildly, beckoning them to come
up, which they did.
Since they are traveling together, Lenny, Silver Tonged Devil that he is, has arranged with the
Concierge to allow Chucky and DL to join them up in the rarefied atmosphere
of the “Exalted Cruisers”.
Alan The concierge is a quite elegant gentleman from the Philippines
who takes his position seriously and is one of the most gracious hosts they
have encountered in their many travels.
After Cocktails and snacks, it was time to head to My Time
Dining on deck 5 where WE4 were seated at a lovely window table served by Shekhar
and Saumedsingh [his last trip on this 7 month contract], and the Captain Manuel
from Mauritius.
The nights fare was the usual eclectic variety, L&D chose salads and escargot for
starters, both done nicely while DL went for Baked Onion Soup.
Chucky also chose the Escargot, all of which were
presented nicely, hot and tasty.
Entrees for WE4 consisted of Braised Lamb Shank for the Tempelshifs,
which could have braised for about a half hour more, but still very flavorful and
moist. DL went for the NY Strip that came out perfectly Med-Rare, also moist
and flavorful. Chucky tried the Battered Cod but quickly found the it was
another of those fish that are a challenge for his Radiation damaged throat and
Shekhar quickly exchanged it for the Papperdelle Carbonara that was expertly
done with loads of fresh bacon bits and gooey cheese.
In all a fabulous
start as opposed to the dining room debacle that they experienced in BRITANNIA 2017
And of course… you know what comes next, Yup, there it
was on the dessert menu… Crème Brulee.
So without hesitation, after drawing lots as to who would be
the first to challenge this Pastry Chefs talent, Lenny bravely ordered the Crème
Brulee along with Profiteroles.
Lenny’s Chocolate Profiteroles were scrumptious, Donna’s
Pavlova, marvelous, Dragon Chick’s Royal Chocolate Cake, yummy, Chucky's Royal Cheesecake Perfect and Wonder of
Wonders, the Crème Brulee… WAS Crème Brulee as it should be, rather than the
soup served on the Vision of the Seas last year.
Coffee and tea rounded out the meal and all was good in
their worild.
After dinner it was the obligatory stop in the Casino for DL
& L&D to visit their money, while it was off to the cabin for Chucky to agonize over this
missive, Remy Martin in hand.
Tomorrow the first stop for this cruise is KOTOR, Montenegro where they will
take a motor-coach tour through the mountains which includes climbing the “Old Austrian Road”, famous
for its 24 hairpin turns up the mountain.
Ciao 4 Now
Uncle Chuck & The
MUCH happier with this dinner,
Dragon Lady
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