COFFEE CHAT

Executive Chef Neil Ashworth was the guest at Coffee Chat this morning.  We learned that the menus are planned three months in advance, but the ship has more flexibility on longer cruises to change the menus based on the availability of ingredients and other factors.   Forty percent of the original menu will ultimately be changed for various reasons on a world cruise.  

DERBY NIGHT

The big event this evening was Derby Night which consisted of three separate activities:  Derby Hat Contest,  Derby Horse Race, and Bar Hop Derby.  

DERBY HAT CONTEST

Derby Night started at 6 pm as several hundred people appeared around the Lido pool wearing various hats.  They ranged from simple bowlers and fedoras to elaborate fascinators and wide-brimmed hats.  For the last few days,  hat decorating materials were available at a specified time in the Encounters Room for people who wanted to decorate their derby hats.

When we were planning this cruise, the only information available was “Derby Night – Off to the races with your best hat”.   I didn’t anticipate that this would be a horse racing theme as the Kentucky Derby isn’t until May.   We packed a few generic hats, and I tossed in the Horse Head Party Hat I picked up in 2019.   As it turned out, horse racing was the theme, so the Horse Head party hat would be perfect.   HERE is an Amazon Affiliate Link to the hat.

At 6:45, about 30 people interested in entering the Debry Hat Contest lined up and took one lap around the pool.    I joined the group, and my Horse Head hat stood out from the more typical wide-brimmed hats and fascinators.    As we completed our lap, Sandra from the activities team selected six people as Derby Hat finalists.   One by one, we were introduced, and the crowd applauded for their favorite hat.    My Horse Head hat drew the most enthusiastic response, and I was awarded first place, along with a bouquet of red roses and a bottle of Champagne.

DERBY HORSE RACE

Six crewmembers assumed the roles of jockeys as the Lido Pool was transformed into a horse racing track on the high seas.   The horses’ names were:  Hoof Hearted, Alimony Pony, Pony Soprano, Lucy Fur, Chewbacca, and Talk-Derby to Me.   Before the race, which started at 7 pm, the jockeys were available for conversation and evaluation so the guests could select their favorite and place a “bet” by wearing a HAL Excursion Sticker Dot sticker corresponding with the horse’s colors.

When the race was ready to start, the six jockeys lined up at the first of 24 numbered poles positioned around the pool.   A large die was tossed in turn for each horse, and they moved around the track based on the number rolled.  Each horse made their way around the track, but the jockey had to roll the exact number to finish. It turned out that all the jockey’s bunched up at the end until one finally hit the exact number.   The jockey celebrated his victory by diving into the pool.   All the guests who selected the winning horse received coupons for free drinks.

DERBY BAR HOP

Once the Derby Horse Race was completed, about 50 guests who paid $25 each assembled alongside the pool to start the Derby Bar Hop.   We lined up on either side of the tables, and each side had to drink their paper cup of beer and then flip the cup over – so it landed upside down – before moving on to the next guest.   If you have participated in any Pub Crawl on another HAL ship, you are probably familiar with this activity.   Afterward, we enjoyed watching a juggling demonstration while we were served Mint Juleps.   If you don’t drink, you can tag along with the group and still enjoy the spectacle and bar demonstrations.

Our next stop was the Crow’s Nest for more bar tricks and another drink before we headed down to the Ocean Bar, where we were greeted by a long line of 16 oz glasses with shot glasses balanced on top.    To our surprise, they tipped over the first shot glass, which started a chain reaction with each shot glass falling into the tumbler in turn.   The shot glass and tumbler combination was our next drink which we enjoyed before moving on to our final stop: The Rolling Stone Lounge.

When the Bar Hoppers arrived at the Rolling Stone Lounge, the dance floor was packed, and the party was going full blast.   We enjoyed our final drink, The Purple Rain, as we danced a conga line and enjoyed all our favorite cruise ship party songs.

Derby Night was a big hit, and everyone had a great time.