By Tim O’Keefe

The captain of our whale and dolphin excursion boat slips a hydrophone into the water only two miles off Dominica’s shoreline and almost directly in line with downtown Roseau.

He fine-tunes the underwater listening device, hoping to pick up the clicks, pings, whistles or any other sound made by the pod of female sperm whales that reside in Dominica’s deep coastal waters year-round.

So far Moby Dick’s sisters have proven elusive, without a single sighting. However, sperm whales make distinctive clicking noises and we’ll soon know if any animals are within the sensor’s two-mile range.

“Babies sound like an old time watch, going click-click-click,” the captains tells us as we listen to the hydrophone. “Female clicks are stronger and faster, like horses galloping. The males sound like metal hitting a bottle but with the speed of a pile driver.”

We listen intently but hear only what sounds vaguely like the whine of a boat propeller. “A dolphin,” the captains says as he pulls in the cable. He returns to the flying bridge and restarts the engines, resuming our search before dropping the hydrophone again.

I glance at my watch. Almost half of our three-hour trip is over, still lots of time left to find our first whale…right? Maybe not.

Spinner dolphin just off the bow                           Spinner dolphins showing off

Almost all the other passengers aboard our 60-foot catamaran from the Anchorage Dive Center are making a repeat trip because they didn’t see a single dolphin dorsal or whale fluke yesterday. That’s unusual because these trips usually boast a 90 percent success rate.

With 22 different kinds of cetaceans roaming through its waters, Dominica has rapidly become the Caribbean’s whale watching capital. Pilot, pygmy sperm, false killer, dwarf sperm, melon-headed whales, even giant humpbacks during winter, all pass through here.
In addition, spinner and spotted dolphin are plentiful throughout the year. As we learned just minutes after leaving the dock when a huge pod of spinner dolphin started playing around our boat. They were fun but whales are what we all yearn to see.

Even though I have yet to meet my first sperm whale, I feel I’ve known them forever. Largest of the toothed whales, they are the usual models for whale toys and drawings, and of course a giant sperm whale was Herman Melville’s choice for Moby Dick. Yet they don’t grow to a “monstrous size” as Melville implies.

The females grow only to 38 feet, the males up to 70. If an enraged male sperm whale was racing “toward us, open-mouthed, raising the waves” like Moby Dick, I’d probably regard their size differently.

Thar she blows!                                                       Thar she goes!

Everyone on our boat becomes charged as several people point to a short plume of spray a half-mile from us; our boat was already heading for it. My telephoto lens picks up three long black sausages with blowholes floating on the surface. The blowholes seem strangely out of alignment, positioned on the left side of the head and toward the front. An arrangement that obviously works just fine as one female expels a miniature geyser about 15 feet high.

Because of their relatively small size, I expect to see a dorsal fin, which sperm whales lack. Instead, they have a hump and a series of bumps along the ridge of their back

The whales are logging, resting on the surface. They’ve undoubtedly seen our boat countless times and at first pay little attention as we approach to within 30 yards. One of the whales becomes curious and “spy-hops,” raising her head up in the air to have a good look at us.

Pod of sperm whales                        Sperm whales have a hump, not a dorsal fin

Which offers a much better view of her, especially her distinctive blunt head that contains spermaceti, a white waxy substance once highly prized for making cosmetics, ointments and candles. An estimated one million sperm whales were killed before their hunting was banned. Today, somewhere between 20,000 to 100,000 remain, spread throughout almost every ocean of the world.

The whales usually stay on the surface for short stretches, about 15 minutes, then vanish for up to 45 minutes as they dive thousands of feet in search of squid, their primary food. Until then we can view and photograph them leisurely.

Our whales appear restless, a sign they’re about to dive. The captain warns us, giving us time to ready our cameras for the shot every whale watcher wants: the notched, triangular tail as it lifts slowly from the water, pauses for an instant and then slips majestically beneath the waves.

Amazingly, we quickly locate two more small groups of whales before returning to the Anchorage Hotel, sighting a total of nine whales that morning. Dominica’s whale drought definitely is over.

The Anchorage Hotel & Dive Center is Dominica’s oldest and most experienced whale watching operator. Toll free from the U.S. (1-888-790-5264) or http://www.anchoragehotel.dm/main/whalewatching.php. Their boat holds up to 30 whale watchers.

A parting shot, just the one I wanted

Part 2 of 2

By Linda O’Keefe

Last night the ship rocked and rolled like a 60’s band without any music, unless you count the water in the pipes sloshing back and forth. But despite the waves, I’m on my way up to deck 7 for a hands-on cooking class with Chef Joseph Caputo.

I enjoyed the free cooking demonstration with the chicken soup so much I think this $29 hands-on cooking class will be a lot of fun. There are 13 of us gathered in the Culinary Arts Center as Chef Joseph explains what we’ll be making.

Chef Joseph                                 Explaining the crepe pan

He says, “This is my Grandmother Angela’s manicotti recipe. I’ve been making it since I was 7. It is a tradition for my Italian family to have manicotti for celebrations such as Christmas, Thanksgiving and birthdays. My grandmother would get up before dawn and start making the tomato sauce, the crepes and the filling. Since the crepes aren’t very big, it was easy to eat 5 or 6.”

Blanched, peeled plum tomatoes                                              Fresh eggs

Chef Joseph quickly organizes us into 4 groups. Assignments are handed out. My group begins seeding tomatoes as others start cracking eggs and whisking in flour and milk. Another group is busy mixing the cheese filling.

Chef Joseph watches us closely and offers advice to make sure everything goes well. Before long, it’s time to start cooking the crepes. This is the part I’m nervous about. Chef recommends using an electric skillet set at 250 degrees for the crepes. He says that’s the best way to maintain an even temperature.

Bad crepe, good crepe                Pouring the crepe mix

My turn comes. I slowly pour in about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and flatten it out with the back of a spoon. In a little over a minute, the  thin crepe is ready to be turned and is done. Now I wonder about all the fun things I can make with this recipe.

Unfortunately, on the Maasdam the Culinary Arts Center stage is in the same room  (and behind the screen) of the ship’s movie theater. Things start to get a little crazy when we realize our time is almost up and we’re not done. People are coming in to watch the movie and the screen isn’t down and the the curtain hasn’t been drawn to hide the kitchen from the audience. Our group isn’t ready for their prime time.

Stirring the sauce                           Almost ready

The sauce is done but we’re still cooking crepes. When the crepes are done and laid out on the work stations, it’s time to stuff them. I put the filling at one end and from there I begin rolling, ending with the seam side down. Another team member spoons sauce into  a pan  and I place the filled crepes into the sauce. Someone else sprinkles cheese on the top. My crepes are ready for the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Mixing the cheese filling                     I did these all by myself

Filling and rolling takes a while              Time to start on the salad

Now we tackle the salad dressing. The greens are combined with roasted walnuts, blue cheese, dried cranberries and a light citrus vinaigrette dressing. Chef Joseph warns, “The salad should be dressed not drowned!”

This is his own special dressing that he is sharing with us. Since he’s now bottling it for sale, I won’t give away any secrets. But it is delicious.

Chef Das takes a break Chop, chop, chop!

Maasdam’s Pinnacle Grill Chef Das stops by to join the fun. He gives pointers to several  about how to cut properly and not add extra protein to the salad.

I take pictures, roll crepes, laugh, drink wine and try to take notes. I find out I need a silicon spatula and a ceramic knife to make life in the kitchen easier. This session also helped me realize I will be back in my home kitchen in a few days. I hope my end result there will be as magnificent as this cooking session.

Chef Das and Chef Joseph

On behalf of everyone working at AllThingsCruise.com we wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.

May there be a cruise in your new year!

Here’s a great idea for the whole family: American Safari ‘s “Kids in Nature” cruise, slated for February 26, 2011.  I love the idea of introducing kids to the wonders of the world this way!

This inventive cruise will visit Mexico’s Sea of Cortes, sailing roundtrip from La Paz, México and visiting Isla Partida, Bahia Agua Verde, Isla Coyote and Los Islotes.  On it, families will have the unique opportunity to sail and learn the ropes of picture taking with professional photographers Elizabeth and Olof Carmel.  The Carmels (also traveling with their young daughter) will help families capture breathtaking landscapes, sea life and plant life through photo sessions and excursions.

Photography’s not the only hook here, though.  Kids ages 12 and under will also love activities such as kayaking, hiking, whale watching, swimming and snorkeling.  And the ship, Safari Explorer, also features an underwater camera and a hydrophone for listening to sea life – interesting…and educational!

The 36-guest Safari Explorer will host another “Kids in Nature” photography theme cruise on a weeklong Hawaiian Seascapes itinerary departing March 24, 2012.

Kids 12 years of age and under sail at 25% off the published rate on designated “Kids in Nature” cruises.  Contact your CruiseCompete agent for more information!

AmaWaterways, the premier river cruise operator in Europe, and one of my personal favorites, is always on the forefront when it comes to travel awards and distinctions.  Earlier this month, however, they truly outdid themselves, receiving three prestigious awards.

First, they received the Award Of Excellence from Luxury Travel Advisor.  This “Best Luxury River Cruise Company” was the result of a nomination by a special Advisory Board, and the votes of the readers of Luxury Travel advisor.  It speaks to the line’s high standards of luxury, value and service; all the things that keep me cruising with them time after time.

Second, the line’s new 161-passenger MS AmaBella received a Cruise Passenger Readers Choice Award in Australia for Best River Cruise Ship.  The ship was chosen for her inventive design, well-appointed amenities and outstanding personalized service, and also garnered rave reviews (no surprise) on her inaugural “Magnificent Europe” cruise on the Danube from Amsterdam to Budapest

And lastly, AmaWaterways was recognized for its Twitter account; it was on the list of “The Top 25 Online Cruise Vacation Influencers” by Influencers in Travel.  This really shows us how Ama’s social networking efforts have engaged the river cruise audience and are showing remarkable results.

Kudos to AmaWaterways!

We hope your Holidays are full of Blessings, Good Friends, Good Health and Good Cheer!

Happy Holidays to You & Your Families.

Warmest regards,

All Things Cruise

December 18: Today we spent the entire day in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. What a fab city. We had to ride an hour each way from the cruise pier in Port Klang and it was well worth the trip. We just had a really great day. What a superb way to end a cruise.

We started with a great city, Dubai, and ended with Kuala Lumpur. What a creative itinerary. (Yes, yes, we actually end in Singapore, another of Asia’s great cities, but Chet and I are going to spend so little time there that I can hardly consider it.)

Tomorrow we dock in Singapore around 1 p.m. This gives us the morning to pack, which is a good thing. Wonder if Chet and I will still be speaking after that ordeal? Packing is something I prefer to do alone. I have been doing this for years and I am very methodical, but Chet likes to “supervise” and criticizes most everything I do. Oh well, I guess that’s why we love each other…fortitude.

I knew Kuala Lumpur was a growing city but I was expecting something a bit more like Dubai…skyscrapers everywhere. But it is not that at all. It has a lovely old city, several lovely temples and still reflects its British past and yet…has a personality all its own.

It has the third-tallest building(s) in the world…the twin towers, and they are impressive, but once you’ve been to the top of the Burj Kalifa in Dubai, this tall building business gets old. But the financial district…which has most of the new skyscrapers…is not to far from the old city so visiting here is quite manageable.

What I really loved, shopper that I am, was the Central Market. This market goes all the way back to 1888 and used to be a “wet market,” that is, it used to have food, fish and everything else a city market had, in outside stalls…meaning hot and smelly. Today’s market is a wonder…inside, air-conditioned and filled with boutiques which are selling all of the items that we girls have been trying to find throughout this entire trip

After visiting countless markets on this trip…most selling fruits, veggies, chicken, fish, candies and whatever…this one was just special because it was so upscale. Call me a snob: I loved it. I know this sounds silly, but I could have spent hours here. (One of the husbands observed, “We have already spent hours here…” and that was after 45 minutes.)

We had lunch at the Federal Hotel and the buffet featured everything from dim sum and sushi to exotic dishes I could not pronounce. The desserts were a multicolor array and very tasty. (It is definitely back to the diet after this trip.) Then we visited a pewter factory which was not nearly as interesting as the cashew processing plant that we visited way back in Mangalore. Maybe it is because the women were so lovely and friendly there.

Overall, this was the best shore excursion that we did on this trip. Our guide, Billy, was great!

Dec. 19: Have finished packing and am wrapping up this blog post. We will go into Singapore for a few hours this afternoon, then have an early dinner and a short sleep before we head to the airport at 2:30 a.m. We fly back to Los Angeles via Tokyo on a 5 a.m. flight.

By Linda O’Keefe

Today I’m attending a cooking demonstration with the Maasdam’s guest Chef Joseph F. Caputo who will prepare Coconut Chicken Soup. I’m eager to learn how.  Chef Caputo is part of Holland America’s regular program of bringing aboard chefs who not only are outstanding in their kitchens but also in their teaching skills.

When I arrive at the Culinary Arts Center, I find all the ingredients for the soup are divided and ready.  The chicken stock is even in the pot, ready awaiting the ingredients.

Ready to start                                      Tomatoes fresh and ripe

The first thing Chef Joseph explains is how important the stock is to any soup. He says you must cook it 4 or 5 hours but never let it come to a boil. In this case, after the chicken is removed, the stock must be strained several times. Or, to skip this entire first step you can use organic pre-packaged stock. Like me.

The recipe for this soup calls for a quart of stock, a 28 ounce can of plum tomatoes, unsweetened coconut milk, a rib of celery cut into 2 pieces and an onion studded with cloves. Um, I find that very interesting. Cloves.

To my surprise, Chef Joseph says the onions, celery and tomatoes are added to the finished stock, boiled for 20 minutes, then remove the onion and celery. He suggests using an immersion blender or a counter top blender to puree the tomatoes but to leave some flecks for color.

Joseph tells us he owns and operates Zuppa del Giorno, il restorante del pranzo which means “soup of the day” and Catering by Joseph LTD in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Explaining how he was inspired by the cooking of his mother and grandmother and that culinary success started early in his life, Joseph uses the kitchen as a stage while preparing the soup.

‘   
Chef Joseph preparing soup Telling us about his career

No wonder he did so well. Graduating with a degree in Communications and later earning a Master’s degree in Theatre, Joseph spent time in New York City pursuing a professional acting career while working at restaurants there.

His expertise gained from the theatre, combined with an easy going nature, make watching him cook a pleasure. Where I would be clunking around,  he seems to glide through the recipe like a dancer.

He says that one time during his acting days while catering a private party, he suddenly realized cooking was his true passion.  He changed direction first by becoming a personal chef. To enhance his skills, he attended the Culinary Institute of America. Before turning 50, he was the owner of two successful businesses: Both a catering operation and a restaurant.

In watching Chef Joseph teach our class, he switches gears as smoothly as a Rolls Royce. As he adds the chicken to the recipe,  he says the best way to prepare the chicken is to roast it for 30 minutes in an oven preheated to 425 so the chicken will remain moist and not shred up. After placing everything in the stock pot, he emphasizes how the mixture should be heated thoroughly but never boiled.

My mouth is watering when tiny cups of the finished soup are handed out. My taste buds are not disappointed. The velvety texture of the soup is filled with hints of curry, clove and coconut, all in a rich creamy tomato base. YUM!

Soup’s on!                        Caribbean comfort food

As we sip the soup with the little spoons, Joe tells a story about one of his experiences, which also is quite revealing about how a true chef thinks differently than the rest of us.

“One day I was in a restaurant where they were serving grilled cheese sandwiches. That started me thinking how I could use grilled cheese in a soup. So I made a tomato cream soup, then grilled the cheese sandwiches and cut them into small pieces. Using the grilled cheese tidbits as croutons, I called it “Childhood in a Bowl.”  He says people love it!

Watching Chef Joseph’s enthusiasm and listening to his stories, I wonder if Chef Joseph isn’t reliving fond childhood memories of his family every time he prepares soup. Both here in this small quantity and back home (as much as 120 gallons a day).

Whatever the reason, he certainly loves every minute doing it.

In part 2, I cook with Chef Joseph.

Herb-crusted prime rib with horseradish

By Tim O’Keefe

Good dining and good service: Some ships I have cruised on had one but not the other. Several, including now the Maasdam, have had both.

Having never sailed on NCL, I am not sure why they paint “Freestyle Dining” on the sterns of their ships, which implies the rest of the cruising world is somehow enslaved or held captive to their main dining room.

On the Maasdam and all HAL ships, the dining program is called As You Wish. Even though I think of the film The Princess Bride (and what Westley always said to his great love, Buttercup, every time I hear the term),  As You Wish does perfectly describes the dining choices we have on the Maasdam.

In the Rotterdam Main Dining Room, before departure you choose either the traditional pre-set seating and dining times or the more freestyle approach of Open Seating (our choice) for dining anywhere between 5:15 and 9pm. For those with Open Seating, the Rotterdam opens a half-hour before the first main seating and extends 45 minutes beyond the second main seating.

Or, for a more casual, Caribbean-type atmosphere, the Lido Dining Room buffet features about 80-percent of the same items as the Rotterdam for every dinner. Sometimes the specials on a particular night are better in the Rotterdam; on others, they’re in the Lido. The Lido Restaurant also is where the buffet breakfast and buffet lunch are served.

HAL’s website has detailed information about the Maasdam’s other dining areas. As a note, it is worth pointing out that the only rolls not cooked on the ship are rolls needed for the huge quantities of hamburgers and hot dogs served at the Terrace Grill from 11:30am until 6. The demand is just too great for the ship’s cooks. The Terrace Grill also features freshly baked home-made pizzas and—about 80-percent of the time—a Taco Bar throughout the afternoon.

Room Service
As anyone who cruises on the Maasdam or any HAL ship should learn on their first cruise, the As You Wish promise extends to room service, available 24 hours a day. The 24-hour room service menu provided in the staterooms is limited to 10 items and some suggested remedies for “high seas.”

However, a breakfast as full as you possibly could want will be delivered from 6am-10am every morning. The tags with your selections are hung outside on your stateroom door handle in the night, which is the way most ships operate.

From noon until 10pm, the room service menu offerings increase but you need to know this important fact: Anything served in the main dining room is available for room service when the main dining room is open, either for lunch or dinner.

Which means anything on the Rotterdam’s featured dinner menu will be brought to your room without extra charge. The key to ordering this way: You need to check the posted Rotterdam menu in advance and know precisely what items you want when you call in your order. No one has time to read the menu off to you over the phone, then give you added time to think about it and ask questions.

So, be prepared. The in-room dining phone is a busy one.

In order to blog as much as we have, most of our Maasdam dinners have arrived by room service. Delivery always is promised within 45-60 minutes but it usually arrives within 20 unless the ship has an unusually busy in-room dining night.

Seeing is Believing
Wish I could insert a drum roll here. To prove again that each picture is worth a thousand words, the following is a sample of the Maasdam’s in-room dining. If a ship doesn’t provide this kind of service, then it doesn’t live up to the grand heritage and traditions of cruise dining. It’s just another buffet joint, in good disguise.

Something that may or may not be important to you when choosing a cruise. To us, because we are on the go all day in port and usually don’t feel like dressing up, it’s a significant consideration.

No, we didn’t eat as much as it appears                   Sashimi of salmon

This is enough!  Time to call in-room dining, one final time. We arrive home tomorrow.

By Tim O’Keefe

Power Strips
(Those of you who normally cruise in a suite can skip this first part, assuming you have a plethora of electrical outlets in such cabins. Not in my budget for such extra amenities.)

The average cruise cabin, regardless of age of the ship, typically is way behind the times when it comes to the electrical needs of the modern traveler. Think of all the items you need to charge every day: iPod, cell phone, iPad and/or Kindle, digital camera, Nintendo DS, you name it.

That switch on the right controls our cabin lights on the Maasdam

But many cabins have only a two electrical outlets, located just above the desk and under the mirror. One outlet is for 220 volts, the other outlet for 115 volts. If you have an adapter for European travel, many smart phones and digital battery charges will also work off 220v, but you still end up with a grand total of two outlets.

No problem if you carry a power strip with you, right? That certainly will help but maybe not as much as you think.

Take a look at the basic power strip below (not surge protected) and how the outlets are positioned side by side:

Now, here it is, full . . . or as full as can be considering all the different style of plugs these days.

This second type of power strip is surge protected and the outlets are positioned in a row, just as you find them in most homes:

Yet even it isn’t perfect:

Solution: Carry both types, plugging one into the other.  That way you can handle more than one odd plug size at a time and keep everyone fully charged at the end of each day.

Staying in Touch on Ship
At home, families with children are in the habit of texting each other to see what they’re doing during the day. You can’t do that on a cruise ship unless you’re willing to pay quite a bit in cell phone surcharges when your cell phone has a signal.
On days-at-sea, only satellite phones work. Do you want to give one of those to every member of the family?

Instead, go old fashioned and use walkie-talkies to keep in touch. Get a pair with a good long range, which makes it more likely it will span the length of the ship. If you have an inside cabin you might have to go out on deck to establish contact.

For Digital Photographers

A Powered USB Hub
Buying enough SDSC memory cards to cover a 35-day trip without downloading would be almost as expensive as taking another 7-day Caribbean cruise. It’s been rare but I’ve filled as many as three 8-gig cards in a single day shooting raw and large jpeg on this trip; in San Juan, I think.
So downloading to your computer as well as a portable external memory drive (for backup) is routine for many people. I prefer to download simultaneously to two external hard drives. Many of these high capacity backup units will not work through a normal USB hub plugged into your computer. Instead, they work when only directly attached to it.

My computer has HDMI and what-not but not as many USB ports as I need. My solution is to use a USB hub with its own independent power source. In other words, it has its own electrical plug but all of its other connections are typical of every USB hub.

Memory Card Case
SD cards are scarily small compared to the old compact flash cards which you could dump in a camera bag or pocket and find them easily. My solution is to use a hard memory card case I purchased for compact flash cards but never used because I had so many of them and they didn’t play hide-and-seek every day. The card case keeps my four 8-gig SDHC cards tapped together quite well. They are allowed to come out only when they need to go to work. This card case has me the most organized I’ve ever been since digital cameras entered the market. Because I’m deathly afraid I’ll lose one of them.

Memory Stick and High Speed Digital Flash Card Reader
Although I brought several memory sticks on the cruise, it was because they carried documents not on my laptop. Surprisingly, they have come in handy almost every day. Linda and I use one to proof each other’s work before posting since we can’t email to each other. I’ve also used them to carry photos to the Digital Workshop and, when docked in cruise ports, download from faster and cheaper Internet services.

Those of you who download photos from your camera directly to the computer risk losing all your material. Did you know that if your camera battery is weak and the camera shuts off while you are making the transfer, you could lose everything on the camera as well as what you were downloading at the time?

No need to take that kind of risk if you use a digital flash card reader. You simply fit the card into one end and the USB end into your computer and that’s all there is to it. You can use whatever program you want to make the transfer, too, not rely on what your camera furnishes.

Have some special gear or gadgets of your own that others might be interested in? How about sharing them with the rest of us.