Galley Tour and More

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September 11, 2007 - From Donna: What an incredible day it’s been. First we got a personalized tour of the galley and the storage facilities, thanks to Jonathan, the personable and bright-spirited junior officer. And then we sailed past the Turner Glacier and on into the bay to stop for a couple of hours at the Hubbard Glacier. I have never seen anything like this in my life. What a terrific opportunity this has been, even for two women who grew up in the middle of Snow Country. But more on that later.

Our galley tour started with an interview of the Food & Beverage Officer and the Executive Chef. Both were businesslike and even a bit reserved, but we had an interesting conversation with them both. Bert was born and raised in Holland, where his parents were in the hotel industry, as had been his grandparents. In fact, he said his grandfather had an illegal bar, he was always getting arrested, and his grandmother had to pay the equivalent of fifty cents to bail him out each time.

Eventually, Bert left for other places, and now he makes South Africa his full-time home, where he has an olive orchard. He invited us down to visit, but Diane said only if we can fly because she isn’t spending weeks on a ship.

We were turned over to Jonathan, a personable Brit who took us into the nooks of the galley, which was impressively spotless and organized. He kept disagreeing, though, saying that they were in the middle of food preparation, so it wasn’t as clean as it could be. However, I could find nothing to complain about – there was no food lying about, scraps were cleaned up, dishes were out of sight, floors were free of grime and spills, and there wasn’t even the hint of old grease, like you find in many restaurant kitchens. Everything was organized like clockwork – particular stations for beef, chicken, fish, salads, desserts and more. “That’s so the waiters will know exactly where to come to pick up each dish,” Jonathan said. “With so many people to feed, you have to be completely efficient and cut down any confusion.”

The crew were very animated and lively, posing enthusiastically whenever Diane raised the camera. And we met several of the officers who typically remain out of sight, including a friendly Russian, a cheery Scot, several Dutch, and many others. We finished the tour with a glimpse at The Pinnacle Grill, a restaurant that Diane and I had not seen before. It was furnished with pewter chairs, dishes that cost $200 each (designed and made by Bulgari, the jewelry makers), and crystal glasses. Obviously, this was the place where the elite meet. It costs extra - $30 per person – but we decided the price was worth it just to see how the other half lives.

Later, as we sat at lunch, one of the restaurant officers came up and introduced himself, saying we were having dinner at The Pinnacle as his guests. We were thrilled, of course, and he even took our reservations right there. So tonight we’re going to dress up again just to make up for the night when Diane got sick. Then afterwards, we’re going to our rooms to change into jeans for the Western line dancing classes in the disco.

More later, when I’ll describe the glaciers.