Holland America Line Nieuw Amsterdam Cruise: Day 2 Venice, Italy Sail Away
Viv & Jill’s Holland America Line Nieuw Amsterdam Cruise: Day 2 Venice, Italy Sail Away
12-Night Mediterranean Romance Cruise June 3-15, 2011
Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam Mediterranean Romance Cruise – Venice, Italy
Day 2 – June 4: Venice Sail Away
A crisp and sunny early Venice morning was in the making, so I decided it was perfect for capturing the amazing light bouncing off the buildings and wanted to take some final photos before the throngs of tourists filled the narrow streets. As Jill wanted to take her time relaxing with coffee and breakfast, she decided to remain on the ship.
After wandering through the quiet and secluded areas of Venice for a few hours, I managed to make it back on board in time to join Jill for a 11:30 am lunch at the Pan Asian restaurant, Tamarind. Holland America Line does not charge extra for the Dim Sum lunch in this restaurant and we were extremely delighted with the impeccable service, zesty flavors and imaginative options on the set menu. Starting with Hot & Sour soup, followed by a simple Asian Herb Szechuan Sesame Salad we continued with Steamed Classic Dumplings and Deep Fried Spring & Crab Rolls with Chinese-Style Fried Rice. Finishing with cool and creamy Coconut Ice Cream, we vowed to return again soon.
Tamarind Dim Sum Lunch
With all aboard at 12:30 pm being promptly followed by a 1 pm sail away narrated by Travel Guide Tom, Jill and I met on the bow of deck 5 for an experience of a lifetime – cruising out of Venice and into the Adriatic Sea. Tom concluded his narration just as Captain Edward van Zaane expertly guided Nieuw Amsterdam into open waters. Then it was time for the upcoming Passenger Safety Briefing – mandatory for all newly-embarked guests and were thrilled that Holland America Line did not require that we schlep life jackets from our cabin to the meeting point.
We then spent the remainder of the afternoon attending the lavish Royal Dutch Tea in the Manhattan Dining Room, where we sipped on Darjeeling while nibbling on delicate cakes, scones and cookies. Afterward we wandered the ship trying to make room for dinner, as we continued to familiarize ourselves with her layout and amenities.
Although we were on the Dine As You Wish Program (dine where, when and with whom you wish), we had made a reservation for the Captain’s Gala Dinner in the Manhattan Dining Room and chose to join friends for an early seating at 6:15 pm. Upon arriving for our allotted reservation, our party of four was promptly seated and enjoyed our first formal night of dining. We found the menu delightful and dined on Duck Pate Brioche, Pistou Soup, Lobster Thermidor with a 6 oz Filet Mignon and Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb. The vegetarian in our dining party was also very pleased when given a special menu with lots of tasty options from which to choose.
After dinner we made a visit to the Crow’s Nest Lounge for the Captain’s Welcome Toast and later took in the entertainment, Cantare (a male quartet) in The Showroom at Sea. We had thoroughly enjoyed our very full day and it had been perfect from start to finish.
Viv and Jill in Venice, Italy
Explore More of WJ’s Holland America Line Mediterranean Romance Cruise
Overview | Itinerary | Photos | Day 1: Venice, Italy | Day 2: Venice, Italy | Day 3: Dubrovnik, Croatia | Day 4: Corfu, Greece | Day 5: Argostoli, Greece | Day 6: Santorini, Greece | Day 7: Sea Day | Day 8: Catania, Italy | Day 9: Naples, Italy | Day 10: Rome, Italy | Day 11: Livorno, Italy | Day 12: Barcelona | Day 13: Barcelona Disembarkation |
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