February 24, 2015
It's four days later and I am trying to catch up on my blogging. Let's see what I can remember . . .
The 24th was a day at sea. We were invited to a special lunch for the 40 Most Traveled Passengers on the ship, (based on the number of days one has been on previous Princess cruises). Each of seven tables is hosted (in theory) by an officer, in descending order. The top MTP's sit with the captain, etc.
We went to see Steve Moris in the evening. He is a comedian who used to be in the Beach Boys' backup band. We've seen him before, but he is worth seeing again. One of his new jokes was that in the future comedians would just be texting their jokes and the audience would be texting back "LOL." Yeah, that could happen.
At the end of his show he does a hilarious shadow puppet bit. His shadow puppet is a dog coughing up a hairball to the tune of "Day-O".
Watch Steve Moris
We sat with the Staff Engineer and two other couples. This was the worst of these lunches we have been to. I was seated next to an elderly gentleman, Max, who told me he didn't put his hearing aid in because it was hard to hear in large noisy rooms. (Isn't it hard to hear without your hearing aid?) I can say that it was hard to talk to him. He was also not interested in being social - he didn't even look at me when I sat down.
Max's wife, Jill, sat on the other side of him. She was next to the Staff Engineer. They immediately engaged in a tête-à-tête that lasted for the entire lunch. The Staff Engineer never spoke to anyone else at our table. He and Jill just spoke softly to each other the whole time. You would think they were a couple. In fact, the Staff Engineer was turned slightly toward to Jill so that his back was turned to Bill, the passenger on his other side. Rude, rude, rude.
Indeed it was hard to hear in this room because the officers at other tables were speaking loudly enough so that their entire tables could hear them and participate in the conversation and the MTP's at the other tables were speaking loudly because they were having a jolly old time. And you do need to speak up a bit when you are at an 8-top.
Max's wife, Jill, sat on the other side of him. She was next to the Staff Engineer. They immediately engaged in a tête-à-tête that lasted for the entire lunch. The Staff Engineer never spoke to anyone else at our table. He and Jill just spoke softly to each other the whole time. You would think they were a couple. In fact, the Staff Engineer was turned slightly toward to Jill so that his back was turned to Bill, the passenger on his other side. Rude, rude, rude.
Indeed it was hard to hear in this room because the officers at other tables were speaking loudly enough so that their entire tables could hear them and participate in the conversation and the MTP's at the other tables were speaking loudly because they were having a jolly old time. And you do need to speak up a bit when you are at an 8-top.
The food at these MTP lunches is supposed to be a couple of notches above the regular dining room food. Not this time (except for the wonderful dessert). Our halibut was overcooked. Our coffee was burnt. We had the worst waiters we have had on the entire cruise. I had asked for just a small pour of white wine to taste it. After I emptied my glass, the waiter came by and asked if I wanted any wine. I assumed he meant any more wine. I said no thanks, then watched him take my glass, turn it upside down, and put it on a tray of clean glasses. I told him I had used the glass and he took it out and put it the dirty dish bin (but the rim of my glass had been on the tray, and a new glass would probably be placed there, rim down). Having gone there once already, I decided not to go there again. I'm not contagious, as far as I know.
After dessert, the waiter forgot (!) to serve us the chocolate covered strawberries that the other tables were getting. He had already cleared Ken's plate and mine when we asked about it, and then he tried to serve us without plates. Then he realized and brought me a tiny plate. He put my strawberry and a cookie on the plate and then offered some to Ken. Then he tried to put Ken's strawberry on the same plate. There were other problems with the waiter.
After dessert, the waiter forgot (!) to serve us the chocolate covered strawberries that the other tables were getting. He had already cleared Ken's plate and mine when we asked about it, and then he tried to serve us without plates. Then he realized and brought me a tiny plate. He put my strawberry and a cookie on the plate and then offered some to Ken. Then he tried to put Ken's strawberry on the same plate. There were other problems with the waiter.
I am listing all of these "grievances" to tell a story, and not so much as a litany of complaints. I can let the food and the service go. But I did say something to the Captain's Circle hostess about the Staff Engineer in the hope that this could be remedied before the next MTP lunch. When I believe that saying something might prevent the problem from recurring I will say something.
At the end of his show he does a hilarious shadow puppet bit. His shadow puppet is a dog coughing up a hairball to the tune of "Day-O".
Watch Steve Moris
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