mashley1021

YES! He did it so well! I loved him conducting and critiquing the audience parts. I have some video clips but trying to post them from the ship is a pain... but yes, it is Matt's "favorite" song as well .

Very true. I really like Playmakers and will miss it when I am back on Quantum again later this year.

Hey everyone! Here is yesterday, day 3, at sea: Started off the day with Cafe Promenade Breakfast: Went to the behind the scenes theater tour: Saw the ice show a second time this sailing but I also saw it on this ship MANY times before so it is a bit excessive but also the weather was bad and my seat was bad the first time so it gave me an excuse to stay inside and redeem my first seat: The Grease conductor did a set in the Schooner bar, no comments on him compared to our actual schooner bar entertainer other than saying I really enjoyed the Grease conductor... trying not to be rude about the actual evening entertainer but you get the idea... will probably be back on the entertainer's off night watching the Grease conductor again... Playmakers dinner, we originally had a port late on day 3 that was cancelled where I had a tour booked so it messed up the dining plans but also was in the mood for a break from sit down meals: Buffalo chicken crunch rolls: Onion Rings: Then because this was supposed to be a port evening, they didn't have a headliner so we got voices of royal instead, this can be well done, I have seen it well done on other ships since they get to pick their own songs and show there own style but this was not as well done and a couple of the singers were just not that great, hopefully they are better in Grease later this cruise: Then we had love and marriage, we were expecting maybe some UK couples but got 3 US couples. It was still a hoot: It was Canada Day and the ship celebrated... (I need to brace myself for another holiday in a few days that the MDR just updated the menu for ): Some more Laurence in the Pub: Today is Day 4 at our first port of this cruise finally, Molde, Norway. Not really much planned here except walking into town. Thanks! - Ashley

Hey All! I am behind again, here is Day 2, at Sea: Started the day with a lazy morning, skipping breakfast, came back to the room to a new towel animal: Top tier was that morning but I didn't go, here is the slide photo someone shared with me: Then we had the Pinnacle lunch: Beet Salad: Tortellini! Not the same as Royal Night in the US but it will have to do... Key Lime Pie: That Afternoon, Laurence in the pub played a randomly early hour due to the parties on the promenade: Then we had Giovanni's for dinner: Meat and Cheese Board: View from the restaurant: Carbonara (with Penne instead): Tiramisu: More late night pub fun with Laurence: And we lost that hour again: Thanks everyone! - Ashley

I think it was the panko breading? It was definitely crispy on top but soggy on the bottom haha.

Hi Everyone! Going to recap yesterday, turn around day/day 1 of the Fjords cruise... Went through the B2B process in the morning. It was very smooth, just walked from one side of the star lounge to the other. Then got a quick breakfast at cafe promenade: Watched the test the fire doors and the second they were back open, new guests started streaming on (at 9:45, the earliest I have ever seen): I tried to buy my transfer in the app and saw this funny error message, I guess I am jumping the gun there... Then consecutive cruisers lunch: Short rib (mainly ordered for the mashed potatoes): Cookie dessert: Served with ice cream: Then later I got my first soft serve of this whole cruise since I never went last sailing: And I also finally tried the popcorn: Hitting up the specialty restaurants this sailing, last night was Chops: Crab cake: Salmon: Asparagas and Tater Tots sides: Warm Chocolate Cake: I had the epiphany that this might be the same one they have in Izumi with different things on the plate... I have had both many times so not sure why I didn't notice that until now. And Laurence in the pub was off last night so we went to the ice show: And we did casino a bit but it was less fun with half the group gone. Today is our first of 2 sea days at the front of this cruise. The second one was supposed to be a port day but it got cancelled due to the same reasons that we were late to Rotterdam last cruise. They gave us OBC which I was pleasantly surprised about. I am well aware that the cruise contract doesn't require them to take us anywhere. Thanks! - Ashley

Hey everyone! Now that I made it through the B2B process and am back in my cabin, going to recap the final day, day 8, of the group cruise... Started with chops breakfast: Then podcast recording where Clo, the cruise director, showed up: Then the farewell cake in the windjammer for lunch: Playmakers lunch: (Finally got my playmakers chicken tenders!) Cute new towel animal in my room: Final meetup, where in addition to Kevin singing alone like I posted yesterday, he had Laurence join him on stage as well: It was foggy, at one point you couldn't even see the water but some of it had burned off by they time I took this photo: Final MDR dinner: Seafood cake: (It smelled awful so I didn't eat it...) The chefs and waiters put on a show again: Kids Mac and Cheese: Apple Cobbler: Brownie: Laurence in the pub: Thanks everyone for a great cruise, and safe travels home to @CHart and @AshleyDillo! I will try to post a bit during the Fjords cruise but it will definitely be a different vibe with about half of the group leaving. Thanks! - Ashley

Since I haven’t see signs of life from Craig yet today… going to do his job… we are at the final Kevin shin dig! (There you go, an actual live post from me )

Same! I was originally sad to be missing this menu for our cheese tour until I realized that dish was not on it... thankfully I got it at the pinnacle lunch although those are not exactly the same.

Hi All, Yesterday was day 7, Rotterdam. As noted before, we were going to be late in port due to "scheduled maintenance". Honestly, no clue what I believe at this point. Anyways, I woke up to the updated tour ticket at my door and was seemingly excited that our tour was still on... Got brunch in the MDR: Waited in the theater for an hour only to find out that... our tour was cancelled.. We ended up walking in the port area, going to a food hall, a grocery store, and a brewery. It ended up being a fine day but we would have done more if we knew more about things not happening in advance in terms of actually walking into town. Then, we surprisingly made it to dinner in the MDR, this menu in particular is very different than in the US since no lobster (which I knew about and don't care about) but also randomly no cheese tortellini... and no pie... so I got a grilled cheese myself haha. We also randomly got a second chef's choice amenity... after I ate nothing off the first one... And then had an earlier night with the casino closed late and just it nearing the end of this first sailing. Also, we gained back that hour (only to lose it again in a few days but I won't think about that...)! Thanks! - Ashley

The food in general has been good, definitely better than normal and we are crediting it to the fact that is was all supplied in the UK and Europe... proves what can be done with better quality food for sure

Hi Everyone, As Craig and Ashley already said, we did a tour yesterday in Hamburg: Before that though, I started my day with a quick bite in cafe promenade: Then wandered around the ship and got a photo of the industrial pier that we were at from deck 14: Then we met up for our tour in Studio B. One of the ice skaters in the show had his child on, they must be from Germany or something but they were very cute on the ice while we waited a few minutes: Then our bus tour. Warehouse district I think? Red Light District: Brewery: Overall for 2.5 hours, the tour was not very impressive and overpriced, those of us who booked it before paid $200 and on board it was $300. Then we got back on the ship and I had a new towel animal: And time for dinner: Arancini (with Marinara here, I guess they can't get the red pepper sauce here): Polenta Fries: Chicken Parm: Not me, but someone else ordered the grilled cheese and it looked surprisingly ok, the bread was actually stuck to the cheese, @Ampurp85 tagging you on all grilled cheese content per Ashley haha: Tiramisu: Late night Johnny Rockets Milkshake: Casino fun (and irritating Craig during it): Today, we are on our way to Rotterdam, the ship is going to be delayed due to a maintenance issue. A lot of tours were cancelled but ours is still on, the latest time slot for the cheese tour. Hopefully it is better. The only good thing about yesterday's was the 30 minute stop for souvenirs and I was actually able to buy some magnets from a port I didn't have yet, I was 3 the last time I was there. Thanks! - Ashley

Hi Everyone! Yesterday, Day 5, was a sea day and it started with top tier. 2 people in the group turned pinnacle so we had to go to support: Then was group ice skating, I succeeded in making it around the ice twice without falling so I got off without pressing my luck further. Then was the pub crawl: Schooner bar: Playmakers: Pub: And we finished in Olive or Twist where Kevin played again and Craig did a line dance to one of the songs: Vintages on here has a whole gin bar: and yesterday was my favorite BBQ chicken pizza: Then was dinner in the MDR again: Then I casino-ed a bit, I put my standard $20 bill in (I am not Craig, that is typically all I do and I lost my free play already earlier in the cruise) and sat next to someone else in the group, she won $190 on a $2 spin at the same time that I won $150 on a $2 spin so that was fun: Then Laurence in the pub before he had to break for some promenade party: Then late night playmakers again, this is way too easy with the proximity to the casino: Today is day 6 in Hamburg, will be doing a tour here in a bit and at some point I will leave my bed this morning. Thanks! - Ashley

Hey everyone! Backing track to day 4, 2 days ago, in Copenhagen (today is now day 6 and yesterday we had to wake up way too early for top tier and day 4 was a late night so I have inevitably gotten behind on posting, thanks @CHart again for keeping this going haha) Windjammer breakfast, I didn't take food pics but here is the stowaway pianist by the entrance: Here was my tour for the day: Thankfully it met later but this was the first time I have ever seen a tour in Europe meet on the pier which was a disaster. The pier lined up with HOHO buses: Our first stop on the tour was the museum of the resistance: Then we had the walking portion of the tour through town and stopping at some sites, the synagogue: Extremely heavily armed guards were standing outside this, I guess they had a shooting recently, and yes that is bullet proof glass, our guide made sure to tell us that. Stolperstein (aka stumbling stones), this is now the 4th country in I have seen these in, very sad reminder of our past and if we ignore it I think we could easily repeat it: Statue of the father of Atomic Energy, Niels Bohr: Ironically, Denmark doesn't use Atomic Energy at all and they are just now exploring making it legal there. Our Tour Guide Bridget: The Jewish Museum: The famous little mermaid statue: Our Ship from a distance: There were 4 ships in that day so busy day for Copenhagen. Fish and Ships Chicken Tenders snack after getting back on the ship: Another towel animal: More Hibachi Photos, I was next to Craig so this won't be massively different: Cider in the pub that I haven't seen on ships before but I do enjoy, must be because we left from the UK: And then pub fun with Laurence: ... And Kevin: ... And Laurence and Kevin together: Thanks everyone! See you shortly for my day 5 sea day update...

It took me 28 years… but granted I was only 28 when I got it , thanks mom and dad for starting me on cruises at 9 months old!

Breaking my pattern and going somewhat actually live to share, shenanigans ensued in the pub tonight including this moment when Matt's "favorite" song started... IMG_3274.MOV Anyways, pub was fun tonight! Also, I was at hibachi next to Craig so there is a spoiler for when I actually update the blog on our Copenhagen day... Thanks!

Hi All! Yesterday was Oslo! We were originally told we would get in an hour late due to the storms we were sailing through so they extended the port an hour but then we got in basically on time anyways. MDR Breakfast: Breakfast Burrito: Port Fact sheet they put in our cabins: Here was the port as we were docking: I got off with some people in the group and we walked into town. We docked in the further port from town, last time I was here on Navigator, we docked by the fortress/opera house which was very close to town but not this time even though we were the only cruise ship in port. We shopped in town and got lunch in a food hall inside Steen and Strom. I got lasagna that the guy at the food hall said was the best lasagna in all of Norway, it was fine but he set very high expectations: Then we walked back to the ship and I joked it would have been cheaper to have been on a tour haha. I bought shorts and short sleeve shirts, overall this cruise has been warmer than expected, even rainy Oslo felt warmer than expected. On the ship, it was time for the chef's choice amenity: And then dinner: Cheese plate App Again: Pork "enchiladas" without the beans: Post dinner "nachos" in the windjammer: Now clue why we had Mexican night on here, and being from AZ, I am a bit snobby about Mexican food but I will tell you when something is good, for example the Birria taco in Camden was great, but the ship Mexican food was terrible. Sail away: I bought some cute magnets on the ship that were itinerary specific, never seen these before: Late night playmakers: And the barf bags were out: Anyways, today is Copenhagen where we have our first shore excursion! Chat soon, and thanks again @CHart for posting things more live than me! - Ashley

Hi All! Yesterday we were at sea, I didn't go outside at all but the weather was not pleasant, really didn't change my plans anyways... So thanks to my mom calling me at 3am shortly after I finally managed to finish packing, to try to talk about news, she was panicking that I am in Europe right now which in turn caused me to panic. I couldn't sleep very well as a result (thankfully that was already better last night so that is good, also I was finally able to watch some news and people I trust in the morning when the wifi was in a better mood which calmed me down about the situation), I ended up at the Chops breakfast: Then I wondered around the ship since much of the group was still not up. Deck 5 of the dining room is the gluten free zone for the Celiac group on board: Then, as I stated above, ended up at the pinnacle lunch, also much of the group was still not up, although I apparently missed out on a baked potato bar in the Windjammer, that probably would have been better haha but anyways I wasn't alone and the food was fine, all the ships use the same menu now: The officers: Clo the cruise director: Beet Salad: Tortellini: Key Lime Pie: Then it was time for Kevin to perform again, Craig is doing an excellent job posting during those but here is another picture for good measure: First towel animal of the cruise: Cookie with M&Ms, I have never seen these on a ship before: Dinner time! Got a cheese plate for my app: Chicken Cordon Bleu (with the best mashed potatoes I have ever had on a ship): Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies: And an after dinner snack of Playmakers fries: Thanks all! Today looks like it is going to be a rainy day in Oslo unfortunately. - Ashley

Speaking of... yesterday was the pinnacle lunch that I shockingly went to with someone in the group, I was going to join more people from the group at the D+ one instead but then some group events got moved and now conflict...

Hey All! Like Craig said, we also hit lots of traffic on the way to the pier but I made it onboard! Now let's backtrack to the ride... it was not great, I might get into details later but I am too tired right now. Anyways, I finally got some Walkers crisps during our rest stop: And here is what the luggage arrangement looked like from inside our vehicle (taken during the rest stop when I was the only one in the vehicle and yes I got the pleasure of sitting backwards: Then we finally got on board right around the time cabins opened. The terminal was a bit of a zoo and I think it was a miracle that I actually got my luggage before sail away based on what the pier looked like when we got there. And some paperwork in the cabin: We lost an hour tonight: Then also as Craig said, we had our first meetup as a group and then it was time for dinner: After some musical chairs for our group table arrangements, I had 2 apps and 2 desserts and no main, don't judge too much haha. Spinach and Artichoke dip: (Half Eaten) Crab Cake: Crispy Peanut Bar: Key Lime Pie: Thanks everyone and hopefully tomorrow is smoother! - Ashley

Hi Everyone! Going to post about yesterday, our 2nd and final full day in London so I am all caught up... btw, today is CRUISE Day! Yesterday, I also started off the day with a quick bite from Pret, no photo this time since I forgot. Overall, this day our first (And only...) tour was a bit later so we got to sleep in a bit more. We then headed out to Camden on an Uber for our food tour, "London Camden Market Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours", once again booked through Viator and operated by Secret Food Tours. First stop was the "Secret" food item that was not listed in the tour description, that is the companies schtick, they even do these tours where I live in AZ and that is their whole thing, not that I would ever bother in AZ, but anyways... IT was a chicken Yorkshire burrito in an open air food hall: Then we got to take in the scenery a bit walking through Camden... Then we did a gin tasting, felt a bit like the selling tastings we get on cruise excursions but wasn't bad... Then we had a (shockingly) good birria taco, and that is coming from someone who has eater her fair share of birria... We saw the "famous" cyberdog store and the life size statue of Amy Winehouse: And then we did a cheese tasting with Cider at The Cheese Bar: Saw more Amy Winehouse... a painting of her outside her former favorite pub: Then went to one last food hall, this time indoors, to try 2 more things... 1. A Mortadella Pizza "Donut" from this Place, I messed up getting a picture of it and honestly it wasn't that good... 2. Cantonese Peking Duck, better than I expected... Everything was either a small portion or shared btw... Then we strolled through the Umbrella covered path in the market which reminded me a Puerto Rico... And our last stop was for the famous Instagramable Humble Crumble, we had a mini apple one, and our tour guide Anita is in the first photo talking about it: After the tour, we strolled through Camden a bit more before getting an Uber back to our hotel which is near the meetup for the group cruise, on that stroll, I bought a T Shirt: And then here was the only photo I took at the meetup, of my drink: And then finally, our last big "hurrah!" was a show we decided to book last minute, Devil Wears Prada: It was good but not great, definitely would rank it last of the 3 shows we saw but it was very fun and cute, and starred Michelle Williams as Miranda Priestly. We then got a quick bite at JD Wetherspoons across from our hotel before bed. Forgot to take a photo again but it wasn't that exciting. And with that, we completed our too short London adventure, I have spent more than a week here in the past and honestly 2.5 days in not enough but we did cram a lot in. Lots of people in the group spent less time here so I should be happy with this at least. Also, I should note that our tours were all listed as small group, the Churchill one had 15 guests, pubs was 8, and the food tour was 9. Thanks everyone and wish us luck getting down to Southampton today and boarding the cruise! - Ashley

Hi All! Back from our second full day in London to talk about what we did on our first full day in London... (Just a note: I keep saying we because I have been staying with someone else on the group cruise in the same hotel so we have done all the tours together) This was a jam packed day! Also, very hot at 90 degrees in London. Got a quick bite for breakfast at Pret: We started off the day with "WW2 London Walking Tour & Churchill War Rooms Entrance Ticket" booked through Viator operated by City Wonders UK. This started with about an hour and a half walking tour of the Westminster area. And then we were provided entrance to the Churchill War Rooms and browsed on our own, we spent about an hour there although you could definitely spend a whole day. Here are Churchill's hats in the exhibits: Then we walked over to Piccadilly and had a really "authentic" British lunch at... Hard Rock Cafe . Honestly, we enjoyed it, and it was convenient for our next tour. Earlier in the day, I got a text that sadly the Harry Potter pub tour we had booked was not going to be operated and were given a few options. We opted to switch to the "Royal Historic Pubs Walking Guided Tour in London", also booked through Viator and was operated by Experience Local Ltd, which started in Piccadilly and went to 4 pubs and did some Royal history. Here is a photo dump from that, including photos of the pubs and some sites we walked by. Our tour guide, Luke, was great. Yes, we did go to 2 different Red Lion pubs. Then we walked back towards Piccadilly as we had a show near Covent Garden later that night. We ate dinner at the chain Italian restaurant Bella Italia (in case anyone is wondering, between all the pubs, restaurants, shops, everything we have done in London, this was the only place I went that did not take American Express...) Then we walked a little further to Covent Garden for the Fortune Theater and Operation Mincemeat: I would definitely recommend Operation Mincemeat, very fun and well done, and a true story! We spent 14 hours total away from our hotel that day so definitely a long, jam packed day. Thanks! Ashley

I was a hot one! Will post an update tomorrow but it was a long day, very hot but had a good time!

Hi Everyone! (Photo dump incoming!) I did in fact make it into London yesterday. Here is a recap of my flight: My seat and the menu: I watched the new Captain America movie at take off and while I was eating and it had this warning before it that I thought was interesting: Drink Service: Risotto (mistake, I should have gotten the beef, not sure what came over me): Hot Pudding Dessert, not a mistake, was really good: Then I slept, not great but better than nothing, and got accused by a flight attendant of not being in business class when I went to the business class bathrooms in the middle of the flight... a) I was business class, b) my seat was literally the first one behind the restrooms, I could here the flight attendants talking the whole flight so I was just like no at that point c) sadly not the first time this has happened to me on this exact flight haha, I guess I don't look to attractive in the middle of a long haul flight and not "business class worthy" lol Now breakfast... Fruit plate: Omelette: Photo of the tracking when we were about to land, was very excited we were early for 10 seconds... But then we got punished and had to wait for a gate so we ended up late anyways. When we finally got a gate, we were parked next to an Emirates A380: Ok then I went through immigration which was a breeze, it was all automated with the ETA, just put my passport on the scanner and walked through, so no more stamps I guess. Then baggage claim. Then walked through the "nothing to claim" line in customs. A large family in front of me was "randomly selected" and I just held my breath and walked through as discretely as possible, I just didn't want to deal with anyone even though I am not a UK citizen and legitimately had nothing to claim but I get paranoid haha. Then I found my driver, and with traffic it was about an hour to the my hotel. My hotel room: And then got dinner at Nandos, wasn't feeling the hottest so I didn't take any photos. And then it was time for Hamilton, which I barely made it awake through but was AMAZING: And then I crashed in my bed very quickly. Today, we have 2 tours and then Operation Mincemeat. It's going to be my most packed day. I didn't sleep perfectly, definitely getting hit by jet lag but did get some good quality sleep at least, although maybe not enough of it. Thanks! - Ashley

Hope your flight goes smoothly!