And so began our last full day on the ship. Didn't we just board, like, yesterday? Well, it sure felt like it. It's like this on every cruise, though, that feeling of time passing by so rapidly that a seven-day cruise seems like only a four-day cruise. It's all good, right? That just means we've been having lots of fun.
A quick word about this specific blog: it's going to be heavily food-centric compared to the previous blogs in this series. My foodie readers will probably get more out of this one than the others. I hope everyone enjoys it, though.
We were greeted with a mostly cloudy sky as we had breakfast on the balcony. It was noticeably cooler, too. We knew from other passengers that it would be chilly in Miami upon our arrival on Sunday. It is December, after all...
A quick word about this specific blog: it's going to be heavily food-centric compared to the previous blogs in this series. My foodie readers will probably get more out of this one than the others. I hope everyone enjoys it, though.
We were greeted with a mostly cloudy sky as we had breakfast on the balcony. It was noticeably cooler, too. We knew from other passengers that it would be chilly in Miami upon our arrival on Sunday. It is December, after all...
Our morning location
We decided to just roam about the ship, with no particular plan in mind. There were a few activities we planned to do, so with no agenda set, we were out the door and on our way to some fun. The morning show, hosted by CD Matt, would begin shortly, so we thought it would be fun to attend it live. He would be conducting a Q&A session immediately after the morning show, followed by a briefing on disembarkation procedures in Miami the following day. Timing this out meant we'd be finished right around lunch if we stayed for all of it. Done!
All three presentations were fun to watch, and some really good questions were asked during the Q&A session. He didn't have any information on whether or not Carnival would add a Cuban port to any Galveston itineraries, unfortunately. I hope we can get a Cuban port from a Galveston-based cruise. That would be cool!
All three presentations were fun to watch, and some really good questions were asked during the Q&A session. He didn't have any information on whether or not Carnival would add a Cuban port to any Galveston itineraries, unfortunately. I hope we can get a Cuban port from a Galveston-based cruise. That would be cool!
Lunch!
Guy's Pig & Anchor BBQ was good enough on our first sea day that I decided it would warrant lunch on our last sea day. I had a sampling of the pork, chicken, brisket, and sausage. The beef was a little overcooked....again....but my chicken and pork were just right. The mac & cheese and beans rounded out my lunch. I cut up the sausage and added it to the beans. Perfect! Well, almost perfect. A tortilla to wrap it all up in would've made it "perfect." Just sayin'.....
While I'm glad we had reservations at JiJi Asian Kitchen tonight, I knew it would be similar to the Cucina del Capitano in that we should show up hungry. A nice BBQ lunch is fine if we stopped there. BUT, and there always seems to be a "but," today's activities also include the "Chocolate Extravaganza." Great. Let's just add yet another thing to munch on before dinner. I had a solution, though, an invigorating round of golf......miniature golf. Yeah, that should burn some calories!
After making some truly spectacular, Masters-worthy putts, at least in my mind, we thought we'd try the new Sky Ride thing the Vista has. We'd been wanting to do this the whole cruise, always thinking "Ah, we'll do it tomorrow." Of course, waiting until the last day wasn't too smart. Apparently, a lot of people had the same idea, and the line to ride this critter was longer than we cared to wait.
Oh well, we strolled about the Lido, taking in the sights of people wringing every last bit of fun out of the cruise as they could. The sky went from mostly cloudy in the morning to completely overcast. Even as the temperature started dropping and the occasional drizzle dampened everything, there was still a good crowd on Lido.
Now that we played some mini golf, walked around Lido and did some people watching, partaking of a few chocolate treats was in order. That voice in the back of my head reminding me of dinner was quite rudely silenced by the other voice. "It's just chocolate. Quit being a wimp!" Hey, I'm not a wimp! Chocolate it is. Sometimes you have to silence that inner voice, no matter how well-intentioned, and go with your first instinct.
Our hands were now nice and clean, so what better way to dirty them, and get to use the hand washer again than to handle some chocolate treats. Picky? No worries, there are plenty of choices. Both of us selected a few items (Remember dinner? This is our compromise with the more rational voice.)
I chose a slice of chocolate cheesecake and a pastry swan. This swan had a scoop of chocolate ice cream in the middle, which I augmented with a dollop of caramel sauce. How was it? The pastry was flaky and tender, the ice cream rich and chocolaty, and the cheesecake was silky and decadent. Yes, I wanted another slice, but......dinner. Didn't I tell you earlier just how annoying that little voice can be? Sheesh!
At this point, we were getting intermittent rain showers, so I didn't go out on the balcony as much as I wanted to. I don't know which specific NCL ship (on the left in the photo) was out there, but I could see that the other ship was the Celebrity Eclipse. With the game going back and forth, it was a tough decision to go ahead and attend the past guest party we had planned to attend. Actually, it's called something else now, but I like that term better. The fact we had unlimited complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres certainly aided our decision to go.
Believe it or not, we only had a couple of drinks and maybe one small hors d'oeuvre each. While hanging out at the party, we talked about what we had and hadn't yet done. Cindy mentioned how we hadn't gotten any wings from the Red Frog Pub yet. Looks like we're gonna make a stop between the party and the cabin. Not that that's a bad thing.....
Party concluded, we ambled over to the Red Frog and grabbed a menu. I found a good seat where I could watch the final few minutes of the Army-Navy game. GAAAAHH! Army was down by 6! Crap! OK, deep breath, relax, and find a table. We studied the menu to find something to accompany the wings.
As Navy started moving down the field, the clock was working against them or working for Army. The clock ticked down to just a few seconds left with Navy at the Army 31. What a barn burner of a game! Three seconds left on the clock and Navy was going to attempt a 48 yard field goal in a swirling wind. The kick was up annnnnnnd........
Based on the menu description, I wasn't expecting these tortilla-type wraps. I figured it would be more of a pastry, like a turnover or something similar. The flavor was good in the bites that I had. The chicken's seasoning didn't overpower the actual meat and when dipped in the sauce the whole flavor profile worked. Of the two, I preferred the wings, but it's hard to compete against a well-prepared wing.
Even after grazing all day, I somehow managed to maintain an appetite. Other than our BBQ lunch, we really did just snack during the day. If JiJi Asian Kitchen was everything I've heard it to be, we would be in for a treat. Carnival's Brand Ambassador, John Heald, frequently mentions just how much he enjoys eating there. Naturally, I looked at their menu online ahead of time and started thinking about what I'd want to order. Go ahead, and click on that link. I'll wait.
What did you think? Ready to see what some of those items actually looked like? You're in luck! Follow me, and see how our last dinner on the ship turned out. Yes, it was fantastic, as I'm sure the following photos will show. If only "scratch and sniff" was available....
Our happy crew gathered for our final dinner on this cruise. One of the servers offered to take a group photo, so naturally, we accepted this kind offer. I think this is the only time during the whole cruise that all of us were in the same photo.
And we weren't! No real surprise there, as I'm sure the following photos will show. We've always eaten dinner at least once at Cucina del Capitano every time we've cruised on a ship that has one. I guess now we'll add JiJi Asian Kitchen to the list, too. The descriptions of each component come directly from Carnival's menu.
One bite, two words: Oh, my!
Oh, my, indeed. This pork belly was fork-tender, juicy and enrobed in a glaze that was at once sweet, spicy and rich. It was so good that I'd be happy having this as an entree, much like the arancini appetizer at Cucina del Capitano I described in this blog from our Carnival Breeze cruise. It was so good it didn't even need a tortilla to complete it. It was so good....well, I think you get the picture. This one appetizer set the bar really high for the rest of the meal.
Appetizer: "Nanjing-Style Duck"
While I'm glad we had reservations at JiJi Asian Kitchen tonight, I knew it would be similar to the Cucina del Capitano in that we should show up hungry. A nice BBQ lunch is fine if we stopped there. BUT, and there always seems to be a "but," today's activities also include the "Chocolate Extravaganza." Great. Let's just add yet another thing to munch on before dinner. I had a solution, though, an invigorating round of golf......miniature golf. Yeah, that should burn some calories!
After making some truly spectacular, Masters-worthy putts, at least in my mind, we thought we'd try the new Sky Ride thing the Vista has. We'd been wanting to do this the whole cruise, always thinking "Ah, we'll do it tomorrow." Of course, waiting until the last day wasn't too smart. Apparently, a lot of people had the same idea, and the line to ride this critter was longer than we cared to wait.
Looks like fun...
...but not enough to wait in this line.
Oh well, we strolled about the Lido, taking in the sights of people wringing every last bit of fun out of the cruise as they could. The sky went from mostly cloudy in the morning to completely overcast. Even as the temperature started dropping and the occasional drizzle dampened everything, there was still a good crowd on Lido.
Lido crowd
Now that we played some mini golf, walked around Lido and did some people watching, partaking of a few chocolate treats was in order. That voice in the back of my head reminding me of dinner was quite rudely silenced by the other voice. "It's just chocolate. Quit being a wimp!" Hey, I'm not a wimp! Chocolate it is. Sometimes you have to silence that inner voice, no matter how well-intentioned, and go with your first instinct.
Wash your hands
The Vista has a new hand washing system at the beginning of most food areas on Lido. It's really cool, and something I'd love to have in my own house. All one has to do is place their hands in the holes, and these whirling water jets will spray warm water all over your hands. It has a timer, too, so once you place your hands in the washer, you just keep them there until the water stops. Way cool!
I so want one of these!
Our hands were now nice and clean, so what better way to dirty them, and get to use the hand washer again than to handle some chocolate treats. Picky? No worries, there are plenty of choices. Both of us selected a few items (Remember dinner? This is our compromise with the more rational voice.)
Snack time
I chose a slice of chocolate cheesecake and a pastry swan. This swan had a scoop of chocolate ice cream in the middle, which I augmented with a dollop of caramel sauce. How was it? The pastry was flaky and tender, the ice cream rich and chocolaty, and the cheesecake was silky and decadent. Yes, I wanted another slice, but......dinner. Didn't I tell you earlier just how annoying that little voice can be? Sheesh!
Some may recall that I try to stay as unplugged as possible when cruising. I don't buy an internet package and very rarely watch any network programming on the cabin TV. Notice I didn't say "never." Never use absolutes. It's always a bad idea. I'll tell my friends and family not to expect to hear from me until we get back. Obviously, if there's an emergency, like aliens taking over the world, or a natural disaster, of course I'll be in touch. Otherwise, see y'all in a week.
I broke my own rule of staying unplugged and watched something from the "outside world." With a ThirstyFrog Red in hand, I plopped onto the bed watched the Army-Navy game. My first impression was "Wow, it's snowing like crazy!" My second impression was "Hey, Army's doing really good!" No, I didn't graduate from West Point, having gone the ROTC route, but my loyalties are still with Army. During commercials, I'd step onto the balcony for some fresh air. Earlier in the day, I noticed one cruise ship in the distance, and when I went outside during the game I saw two ships, relatively close to us.
NCL & Celebrity ships
At this point, we were getting intermittent rain showers, so I didn't go out on the balcony as much as I wanted to. I don't know which specific NCL ship (on the left in the photo) was out there, but I could see that the other ship was the Celebrity Eclipse. With the game going back and forth, it was a tough decision to go ahead and attend the past guest party we had planned to attend. Actually, it's called something else now, but I like that term better. The fact we had unlimited complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres certainly aided our decision to go.
Believe it or not, we only had a couple of drinks and maybe one small hors d'oeuvre each. While hanging out at the party, we talked about what we had and hadn't yet done. Cindy mentioned how we hadn't gotten any wings from the Red Frog Pub yet. Looks like we're gonna make a stop between the party and the cabin. Not that that's a bad thing.....
Party concluded, we ambled over to the Red Frog and grabbed a menu. I found a good seat where I could watch the final few minutes of the Army-Navy game. GAAAAHH! Army was down by 6! Crap! OK, deep breath, relax, and find a table. We studied the menu to find something to accompany the wings.
RFP menu
I picked the wings, and Cindy opted for the West Indian Roti. No, I didn't know what "roti" was either until I read the description. It sounded interesting, but I stayed with the wings. My ThirstyFrog Red arrived before our snacks, and as I took the first sip Army scored a touchdown to go ahead by one. Hoo-wah! Go Army! The snow was still falling and swirling around. All they had to do was hang on and run out the clock.
ThirstyFrog Red
As Navy started moving down the field, the clock was working against them or working for Army. The clock ticked down to just a few seconds left with Navy at the Army 31. What a barn burner of a game! Three seconds left on the clock and Navy was going to attempt a 48 yard field goal in a swirling wind. The kick was up annnnnnnd........
NO GOOD! Army wins!
I was just catching my breath from such an exciting finish when our food arrived. Now I could call them "celebratory snacks." Even that annoying "goody two shoes" voice knew better than to try ruining the moment.
"Firecracker Jamaican Wings"
These wings had a sticky glaze that sticks to your fingers and coats your lips, making you choose between finger-licking, lip smacking or the more civilized use of a napkin. Personally, I prefer the finger-licking and lip-smacking method. For those that prefer a napkin, though, I'd rate it at least a three, if not four, paper towel dish. While I wouldn't call them overly-spicy, Cindy gave them a 4 on a 1 - 5 scale for heat. I would go 1, 2 tops. The spice combined with a sweetness made the glaze finger-licking good. Just writing this makes me want to book a cruise so I can order several bowls of wings and chow down.
"West Indies Roti"
Based on the menu description, I wasn't expecting these tortilla-type wraps. I figured it would be more of a pastry, like a turnover or something similar. The flavor was good in the bites that I had. The chicken's seasoning didn't overpower the actual meat and when dipped in the sauce the whole flavor profile worked. Of the two, I preferred the wings, but it's hard to compete against a well-prepared wing.
Even after grazing all day, I somehow managed to maintain an appetite. Other than our BBQ lunch, we really did just snack during the day. If JiJi Asian Kitchen was everything I've heard it to be, we would be in for a treat. Carnival's Brand Ambassador, John Heald, frequently mentions just how much he enjoys eating there. Naturally, I looked at their menu online ahead of time and started thinking about what I'd want to order. Go ahead, and click on that link. I'll wait.
What did you think? Ready to see what some of those items actually looked like? You're in luck! Follow me, and see how our last dinner on the ship turned out. Yes, it was fantastic, as I'm sure the following photos will show. If only "scratch and sniff" was available....
Our happy crew gathered for our final dinner on this cruise. One of the servers offered to take a group photo, so naturally, we accepted this kind offer. I think this is the only time during the whole cruise that all of us were in the same photo.
The gang's all here
The guys, front to back: Keith, Brian, B-Man, me
The ladies, front to back: Barbara, Denise and Cindy
JiJi Asian Kitchen handles a large table of guests much like Cucina del Capitano does. If there's only two, or maybe even four, each person picks their own appetizer, entree and dessert. These are served individually. For the larger groups, at least here, the group picks out 2 - 3 appetizers and 2 - 3 entrees, which are then served family style. Desserts are still served individually.
After a short deliberation, we all agreed on our appetizers and entrees and prepared to be astounded. I'm guessing that if JiJi's food was anything close to Cucina's food, we wouldn't be disappointed.
Appetizer: "Slow-Braised Pork Belly"
Caramel chili sauce with black vinegar. Pomelo citrus fruit, Chinese chives with gorgonzola, spice purple onions
One bite, two words: Oh, my!
Oh, my, indeed. This pork belly was fork-tender, juicy and enrobed in a glaze that was at once sweet, spicy and rich. It was so good that I'd be happy having this as an entree, much like the arancini appetizer at Cucina del Capitano I described in this blog from our Carnival Breeze cruise. It was so good it didn't even need a tortilla to complete it. It was so good....well, I think you get the picture. This one appetizer set the bar really high for the rest of the meal.
Appetizer: "Chicken Spring Rolls"
Lemon marmalade, curry leaves, pink grapefruit, cilantro pearls
Dig in!
How do you like to eat your eggrolls? Are you the "fork and knife" type of eater, or the "grab it and take a bite" type of eater? Generally speaking, I'm the "grab it and take a bite" eater. Obviously, if it's straight out of the fryer, I'll let it cool a little first, but I consider this a finger food. If you prefer a fork and knife, that's totally cool, too. Whatever works to ensure your enjoyment is the "proper" way.
This eggroll had a crispy wrap that crunched like a potato chip when I bit into it. The filling was packed with a savory flavor that reminded me of a chicken stir-fry, and when augmented with any of the three sauces transported me back to a street cafe in Singapore.
Appetizer: "Nanjing-Style Duck"
Nanjing duck dates back over 1400 years. Our version is slow-cooked the flash wok-fried. Tomato, mung bean, mango fritters, shallots, hoisin with lily dust, green chili sauce.
Appteizer: "Jade Shrimp Har Gow"
Sometimes called a shrimp bonnet, these delicate dumplings are served with our signature Ji Ji sauces.
photo courtesy of Brian M. Weinert
Ji Ji's signature sauces
As you've probably already noticed, these are just the appetizers. We still had entrees and sides coming, not to mention dessert. Of course, I've never been a shellfish fan, so the shrimp dumplings didn't touch my plate. From the comments of those who did have it, the shrimp was flavorful and cooked exactly right.
Main: "Peppered Beef"
Shen Li Ho (Chinese vegetable), bird's nest, Chinese mustard, young garlic, ginger root, scallions.
photo courtesy of Brain M. Weinert
I liked the way this dish was plated! The "bird's nest" was this fried rice-cake like, lacy disc that sat atop the beef like the radome on an AWACS aircraft. Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo after we removed the "nest." I took one bite and all thoughts of food porn left as I took several more bites, savoring each one. Very aptly named, this peppered beef was loaded with a black pepper flavor that left no doubt what it was seasoned with.
Main: "Bo Kho"
Slow-Braised Wagyu Beef Short Rib. Watermelon radish, burdock root, wasabi pearls, crisp potatoes.
These were good! They looked like huge scallions, but had a much milder flavor. The garlic glaze, combined with the ginger, gave me a great idea the next time I make stir fry at home. This is another side that I had just a few bites of. With so much food on the table, I had to really pick and choose what I wanted.
Carnival may call this a "simple noodle," but the combination of veggies and spices were anything but simple. A gingery sauce coated the noodles and vegetables, giving the plate that classic spicy-sweet flavor. Add a little meat into this and it would be a nice entree. I had more of this side than any other.
Until next time....
Slow-Braised Wagyu Beef Short Rib. Watermelon radish, burdock root, wasabi pearls, crisp potatoes.
A constant I've noticed thus far in our meal has been the elegant plating of each dish. It was almost a shame to disturb such a work of art. That's what photos are for, right? Each bite of short rib was exquisite. Fork tender and loaded with flavor, this entree competed with the pork belly as one of the highlights of my dinner. This Bo Kho was beaucoup yummy!
Main: "Sweet & Sour Fragrant Shrimp"
Crispy shrimp, tomatoes, pineapple, peppers & scallions in plum sweet & sour sauce.
photo courtesy of Brian M. Weinert
Like the shrimp dumplings, I chose not to have this dish. B-Man remarked that it was flavorful and well prepared, so I'll take his word on it. Thankfully, most of our group went for the other appetizers and left most of the pork belly for me. Between the pork belly and peppered steak, and the sides, I didn't need anything else.
Sides, Noodles & Rice: "Blistered Beans"
with minced pork in extreme XO sauce
The few bites of these nicely al dente beans were good. I don't believe I ever had "XO sauce" before, but it reminded me a little of a fish sauce. There wasn't a strong taste of fish, but almost a suggestion of it.
Sides, Noodles & Rice: "Chinese Broccoli"
with ginger and garlic glaze
These were good! They looked like huge scallions, but had a much milder flavor. The garlic glaze, combined with the ginger, gave me a great idea the next time I make stir fry at home. This is another side that I had just a few bites of. With so much food on the table, I had to really pick and choose what I wanted.
Sides, Noodles & Rice: "Hakka style Noodles"
"Hakka," a Chinese community known for its culture of tradition and cuisine, inspired this simple noodle.
Carnival may call this a "simple noodle," but the combination of veggies and spices were anything but simple. A gingery sauce coated the noodles and vegetables, giving the plate that classic spicy-sweet flavor. Add a little meat into this and it would be a nice entree. I had more of this side than any other.
Sides, Noodles & Rice: "Himalayan Basmati Fried Rice"
OK, I'll admit it. I spent more time picking out the bits of mushrooms in the rice than I spent eating it. I don't call myself the "finicky foodie" for nothing. I used to prepare Basmati rice only when cooking Indian food, but have made this my "go to" rice for most dishes now. We had the option to add chicken or shrimp to the rice and opted for chicken. Another tasty side that deserved more than just the few bites I gave it.
Desserts: "Rose Creme Brulee"
with ginger cream
After all of that food, we still had dessert coming. Each of us had our own, individual dessert. My favorite part of eating creme brulee is making that initial break in the top. I love hearing the "crunch" when I push my spoon through the caramelized sugar. Having had creme brulee in many different flavors, I think this one tops the list. A hint of rose, complemented by the ginger cut through the sweetness of the custard and balanced the richness with a hint of spiciness.
Desserts: "Caramelized Crepes"
with Calamansi citrus ice cream.
About half of us ordered the creme brulee, and about half ordered the crepes. Those that ordered the crepes seemed to enjoy them and commented that it had a bright citrus flavor.
Desserts: "Fried Wonton"
Wrapped lychee fruit with tapioca pearls & coconut milk
photo courtesy of Brian M. Weinert
I think B-Man is the only one in our group who ordered this dessert. Of the three, this one was certainly the most interesting looking. I forgot whether or not the fried wonton managed to stay crispy. B-Man, if you read this, please comment below. I'd love to know how it held up.
Like Cucina del Capitano, JiJi Asian Kitchen has a $15 upcharge per person. And like Cucina, I think it is worth every penny. My guess is that just these photos alone would convince anyone contemplating this on their cruise should be sufficient to validate my opinion. I'll happily spend the extra $15 both here and Cucina when we cruise again. I know Cindy agrees with me on this, too.
Don't forget the fortune cookies
photo courtesy of Brian M. Weinert
That's right.....fortune cookies! By this point, I was stuffed. I'm talking "waddle out the door" stuffed. I had no desire to do anything else but go back to the cabin and finish packing. We had to have all of our luggage, except our carryon bags, outside our cabins by midnight. That was easily enough done, but after a meal like this, I just wanted to walk around a little and enjoy the night.
We got back to our cabin and started packing. Our dive gear was already packed, so we just had to finish packing our clothes, making sure to leave something to wear home tomorrow. We wouldn't see our suitcases until after we got off the ship and made it to baggage claim the next morning. By now, the ship was pitching and rolling enough to where we could feel it. Not too bad, yet, but we were mindful that the northerly wind causing this was the cold front that had passed through the Miami area already.
Getting closer to Miami
Click on the photo and check out the "apparent wind." Yes, you read that correctly....47 knots! That's about 54 mph. Granted, this is "apparent" wind. We were traveling about 20 mph forward, so we had a headwind of about 34 mph. Combining the two gives us the apparent wind. Apparent or not, that still makes for windy conditions. I carefully opened the door to our balcony just to see what it felt like outside. Yep, cold and windy, enough for me.
Bags packed and placed outside, completely stuffed from dinner, and having a long day ahead of us tomorrow, we called it a night.
Coming up, my final blog in this series. I'll describe our trip home and give some final thoughts on our cruise.
For your convenience, here are links to my previous blogs in this series:
Until next time....
carpe cerevisi
