A Diamond in the rough.

[Pushka]

Maybe timely to do a cabin report?
We have a mini suite. On deck 8 Emerald. A great size cabin with loads of storage and it is all covered on the balcony.









And 2 TV's because....

 

[Pushka]

Diamond is configured for the Japanese market and is often charted by Japanese TA's for many cruises in a row. Half the signage is Japanese but no announcements.

Our Daewon toilet. The heated toilet seat was not pleasant. The other functions - they seem to work well.

Fluffy people find the seat a little small. It makes the odd ringing noise when the power goes out. Men seem to like them less that women. Go figure.



Next to our cabin are the tenders. They are quiet during the day and night.

 

[clazman]

Fluffy people find the seat a little small.

Is this the same as horizontally challenged

 

[Pushka]

And they are still playing the most ridiculous Christmas carols.

 

[Pushka]

Nice new moon and clear sky last night.


Schizen. Time to bunker down this morning.

 

[love_the_life]

A vacuum bidet would be very interesting. We found that ANA had them onboard as well.

 

[Pushka]

We are a little disappointed with the buffet. Celebrity offers much more variety and spicier food. Great curries etc. For a couple of nights we've tried looking at the buffet instead of the more formal dining room but nothing seems to take our fancy. Princess does desserts very well and their cupcakes are divine.

Off tonight to the steakhouse. We've mixed up dining as a couple with being on a larger table. Only struck 1 dud so far. And met some very nice people in doing so.

 

[Pushka]

That figures. As we booked specialty dining tonight there is Indian in the buffet.

I think there just may be better water pressure in the bidet than the shower at the moment

 

[love_the_life]

We are a little disappointed with the buffet. Celebrity offers much more variety and spicier food. Great curries etc. For a couple of nights we've tried looking at the buffet instead of the more formal dining room but nothing seems to take our fancy. Princess does desserts very well and their cupcakes are divine.

Off tonight to the steakhouse. We've mixed up dining as a couple with being on a larger table. Only struck 1 dud so far. And met some very nice people in doing so.

MrL_t_L does not do MDR or buffet for meals unless desperate so if we are on Princess or RCI we eat in specialties most of the time. We find them generally pretty good - much less of a crowd. He doesn't mind small ships with small MDRs or something like Celebrity with Blu or the suite dining room. Maybe I could book Queen's Grill on Cunard????

 

[Pushka]

We are in Penang Dame. A taster.

 

[Pushka]

Doh. We didn't realise that the buffet became Stirling Steakhouse at night and our pre dinner drinks aft were right next to it. Nope. We went all the way down to the atrium mid ship avoiding the rather silly chef and lobster photo set up where the other specialties are and had to ask a chef. We looked a tad surprised when he said Deck 14 but figured he would know

So back up to where it all began.


I am rather partial to gin. Especially Bombay Sapphire although the odd Hendricks is sometimes in order.

The menu was rather different to what was online (no lamb for instance) and the seafood MrP had pre selected now had a $10 surcharge. Mmmm. Not happy.

 

[Pushka]

Appetiser. Like I mentioned I'm not a seafoodie but it's eat that or nothing.
The cakes were rather nice.

MrP's thingy.


More Onion soup. Love the crouton but left most of the rest.


Seafood bisquey thing. Too fishy for me.

 

[Pushka]

Mains. Steak for me. I've more more red meat than I ever have. Chicken dishes are scarce and I don't eat that much red meat usually.



Lobster for him. Now three times this cruise.


Dessert. The specialty for him.


Love creme brûlée and was expecting a raspberry coulis. But instead the raspberries were inside. Rather tart and think they just messed with a great dish unnecessarily.



They always serve lemon Madeline thingies with their brûlée and we always leave them. They don't make much sense to me.

 

[love_the_life]

The menu is a little different from what we had on Sun P though some of the same dishes are there. It was adjacent to the buffet as well but at least was well 'shielded'. Did they serve the assortment of salts? I had a black smoked one which was lovely.

Have been to Penang several times so will have to decide what to do next time.

 

[Pushka]

The menu is a little different from what we had on Sun P though some of the same dishes are there. It was adjacent to the buffet as well but at least was well 'shielded'. Did they serve the assortment of salts? I had a black smoked one which was lovely.

Have been to Penang several times so will have to decide what to do next time.

Its on our second full day Dame. KL on the first and up to the towers. So a full day out. If we've both been then a ship to ourselves? But as I like to hear the 'pong' sound might get off and come straight back on again? We are just going for a walk around Georgetown after early lunch. We don't leave until 8pm tonight.

Yes - we had the salt variety but waiter mentioned the beef was already well salted (seasoned) and it certainly was.

 

[QF WP]

Been a bit slow on catching up with this - but finally.

Loving the airplane and food shots but as I'm not a cruise fan [Bad memories of Chandris Line Xmas 1974 trip]...

Keep up the great reporting and making MrP happy

 

[Pushka]

Been a bit slow on catching up with this - but finally.

Loving the airplane and food shots but as I'm not a cruise fan [Bad memories of Chandris Line Xmas 1974 trip]...

Keep up the great reporting and making MrP happy

MrP and I took a cruise on The Oriana in 1982. It was disgusting. The convicts were on the deck above us. Took us 30 years to recover and try again and this time on a Med Cruise which was fabulous. Cruising has changed since then. Try a Med Celebrity cruise and you will be hooked.

 

[Pushka]

Well Dame. Its hot walking in Penang so it's either ship shuttle to shopping centre (didn't do) or ships tour. Or stay onboard. Ship (QM2) will look fabulous from the city streets though.

 

[Pushka]

And at 4pm the G&T and a swim in the pool after a hot walk on the streets really does the trick.

 

[Pushka]

Tomorrow is coughet and we are doing a ship tour to Phi Phi and The Beach. Another tender but we depart from the ship directly into a speedboat. Ahem. Might pack the ginger tablets for 'someone'.