DAY 11---ROYAL NAVY DOCKYARD, BERMUDA

        Land Ho!!  Finally after 7 days at sea we found Bermuda.  The closest land to it is North Carolina which is 643 miles to the west.  It was founded in the early 1500's by a Spaniard.  It is now a British Overseas Territory.  It has mild winters and summers.  In the past we have docked in Hamilton, its capital city (in center of the photo).  Today we are at the Royal Naval Dockyard (below Bermuda in the photo).  You can take a 20 minute high speed ferry from our dock to downtown Hamilton for $5 each way.  The ship has many tours however.  St George is the other city (located at the top of the photo).

YESTERDAY AFTERNOON'S GALLEY TOUR

        We had a VERY special invitation from the Executive Chef, Michael, to tour the galley at 4:00pm.  There were only 12 of us on the tour.  Michael said it was the FIRST galley tour on Regent since the pandemic began in 2019.  What an honor to have been included.

        This is a peek inside Michael's office just inside the galley.  There are cameras in the other specialty galleys so he can monitor them from his office.  There are a total of 6 galleys on Grandeur with 86 chefs/cooks working in them.  There are also 4 butchers down on Deck 2.  Two butchers for meats, one for seafood, and one for crew mess.

        On the left is the dish washing station.  Food on the plates are scraped in the holes with big bags to collect the garbage.  There are 3 crew further on the left to spray dishes before putting in huge dish washing machines.  The garbage food can be dumped in the ocean to feed the fish if 12 miles offshore.                                          

               Better shot of where food is scraped into specific holes and dish washers on left

                    Chef Michael really did a good job of explaining the galley operations.

                                                   This is a look inside the main kitchen.

        This is the "assembly line" on other side of main kitchen.  It's hard for me to explain it but chefs on in kitchen on other side are specialized.  Like first station is soups, next is something else like steaks.  Most of the chefs and cooks are on break from 2 to 5pm so they were not in the galley during our tour.  When they do return he has them prepare two of everything on that night's menu so he can taste and make sure all it well.  Then at 6pm all the waiters have a meeting in Compass Rose so the menu can be explained to them and some tasting also.  CR opens for us at 6:30.

                      Orders from the waiters come out printed on paper and shown on screen.

                                                            Plate covers ready to go.                                                                                                                                                                                                      A look back at the line.  I wish they would do a time lance photo movie of the "line" when in full operation.  Hygiene and proper food temperature is paramount as they do not want ANY sickness of guests.  All the chefs have food thermometers to check food temps.  For example if the potato salad out at the pool grill goes below 41 degrees it has to be thrown out.  41 degrees seems to be the magic number.

Pastries and all the breads for all the restaurants are baked here.  They start baking breads at 2:00am.

 

Room service prep area

        Christmas ginger bread houses have been already been made.  The ship will not be decorated for Christmas until December 13th, after the christening festivities.

    The tour was really informative and we are even more impressed with Chef Michael now.

LAST EVENING

        At 6pm we went to the "Top Tier" cocktail party.  We left it early and headed up t the Observation Lounge for a cocktail.  This is Jeffrey.  He told us a long story as to how his parents named him.  A Philipino with an American name.  We were to meet Dan & Jane Hoefflin at 7pm in Compass Rose but they showed up in the lounge to have a drink with us.

        We had almost non stop conversations during dinner.  We really enjoyed our dinner with them.

Rebecca and I started with the marinated hearts of palm salad with green goddess dressing.  Rebecca chose grilled salmon on beluga lentils and a champagne beurre blanc sauce.  I had the above chateaubriand with a red wine mustard sauce, baked potato, and asparagus.  I hardly ate any of it as I was pretty talking through dinner.  For dessert I had the Bavarian cheesecake, below.

        We arrived at the theater later than normal but still got our usual front row seats next to the Todds.  The "Broadway Unplugged" stage set was very unique as it appeared to be very deep but was an optical illusion. 

                      The production cast singers were great and we really enjoyed their show.

TODAY

        We will be docked in Bermuda, specifically at the Royal Naval Dockyard, today and tomorrow.  We were to be docked at 11am but arrived early and was along side the Heritage Wharf at 9:30.  It will take the crew a while to set up the gangway however so the tours can proceed.

        I was down in the Coffee Connection as we sailed around the southern part of Bermuda as we will be docked on the western side of the island.  I was having internet issues with it being slow but back to normal now after docking.  Fox News channel is breaking up however.

        This is Catalin.  He is now the corporate beverage manager for training and development and onboard to make sure the bar staff is fully trained.  We have known him for a few years also.

        I ran up to deck 12 to get some photos as we approached the pier.  I believe the Captain was having to deal with the wind during docking.

                                                   Old fortifications in the background.

                                                                  Tour buses waiting.

        I decided not to do the treadmill or my therapy exercises for a few days to see if my lower back might calm down.  So while Rebecca went to the gym I went ashore to look for some Makers Mark.

                               I walked past the Clock Tower Mall but did not go inside. 

         I was sent here to this Dock Shop.  Sure enough they had some liquors but no Makers Mark.  They suggested I look for it at the pharmacy.  I had passed it on the way so knew where to go.

        The building on left is the pharmacy.  Big store but no Makers Mark.  So I gave up and headed back to the ship.  I was just off for about 35 minutes.

          As I was trying to reboard the tour groups were coming off so I had to wait, but not long.

        OINK!!!  For lunch I ordered the spicy chicken buffalo wings and some lobster nachos from the pool grill.  It is the first time I have tried the wings on Grandeur.  They were much better quality wings then I had on the world cruise (Mariner).

        Last night I asked Marius if he could get us a 7:00pm Prime 7 reservation for tonight.  He did, of course, because they really spoil us as Diamonds.  On the way up to lunch in La Veranda I stopped in at Prime 7 and talked to the maitre d, Natasha.  She asked what table I would like tonight so I went in and picked one.  I also had a bottle of our La Crema chardonnay sent up for tonight.

        There is a pre-dinner show this evening at 5:45 featuring Linda Gentille.  We have seen her shows and know her well.  Very out going and lovely lady.  She just boarded the ship today.  We will take a drink with us to the show.  It should be over around 6:30 so will go from there to the little bar at Prime 7.

        They are having a "Dancing Under the Stars" up on the pool deck at 9:00.  Not going because it is overcast and no stars, too cool outside, and I don't dance.  

       The ship is over nighting here as we do not sail until 3:00pm tomorrow.