'tis better to arrive than to travel hopefully

Diva and TSH decided to pre-ship most of the luggage for their 69 day cruise, using the FedEx service. This was despite the problems with sending luggage in advance in early 2022, when all of TSH's clothes were in a case that took twelve days to catch up with the ship.

It makes the journey much easier if you send as much as possible in advance but it does add some interesting issues. Firstly, if you send a lot of clothes two weeks before you leave, it reduces the clothes you have to wear at home. Then there is provision for the journey itself, with two nights in different hotels on the way to the Silver Moon. Including a gala dinner in Florida.

TSH and Diva had to deal with the very important issue of spreading clothes between all of the cases so that in the event that one (or two) were delayed there would still be clothes available for both of them. TSH took photographs of the contents of each case and the associated FedEx documentation. This might be considered more than a bit nerdy but was not as big a job as Diva thought (please don’t tell her). 

TSH had one or two issues of concern regarding the FedEx service, so he sent an email to Silversea for clarification. A very welcome and helpful phone response from the Vice President of Global Guest Relations followed.

TSH kept a close eye on the progress of the bags in case emergency action was required. Before leaving the UK at Stansted airport the bags did a tour of Britain to get the hang of travelling – Newcastle upon Tyne and Derby were amongst the places visited. The suitcases entered the USA at Memphis on Christmas Day, just after the monster winter storm hit.

After seeing how many items were still needed as hold luggage, Diva decided that a larger case was required. So on Christmas Eve, TSH and Diva bought themselves a new suitcase.

All of the cases arrived in Fort Lauderdale on the 27th December despite one of the bags deciding to stay on at Memphis for twelve hours after the others had be shipped onwards. All have been signed for by the ship's agent. 

TSH and Diva are much relieved. 

River cruise

Whilst sailing along the north coast of France, Diva and TSH saw a spectacular night thunderstorm which continually lit up the sky with sheet lightning.

TSH knew from previous holidays that reaching Rouen involved sailing up the Seine for a number of hours, although this was a surprise to Diva and many other Silver Moon guests.  It was a very scenic voyage, just like a river cruise, as they passed many attractive towns and villages, greeted with a wave by many local people.

TSH was disappointed that he failed to identify the camp site on the banks of the river where,  in 1974, he spent his first night outside the UK. He thinks it passed whilst he had lunch and that that he will miss it on the way back because it will be dinner time. Getting the priorities right. He has also had one of his few day-time beers of this cruise – a sign that the weather is getting warmer.

Rouen is an industrial city with an historic centre which Diva and TSH could see by taking a short walk along the river. Naturally, TSH had to climb the steps to the bridge, walking across the river to get a better view for his camera.

In the Alantide restaurant, they made their choices from the menu and the waiter immediately rushed over to take the order. Apparently the sign that service is required is TSH removing and folding his glasses.

Diva has been busy with Wordle every morning whilst TSH shaves. It has always been a good sign if she has been able to complete it faster than TSH can shave. They know of one other guest who has also been doing Wordle, claims not to be very good and actually deduced the word in fewer tries than Diva on one occasion.

Diva had a discussion with another guest about the horror of the lack of face soap on the Silver Moon. Her husband said that the conversation fell into the category of ‘overheard in Waitrose’.

Diva and TSH are very aware that the end of the cruise is near. Luggage labels and instructions will shortly be appearing for the disembarkation and the journey home. Looking back on the cruise, they agree that they have visited many very interesting places and have enjoyed themselves. The problems were all at the start, with the bad experiences at Manchester Airport and the Athens pier and the twelve day delay in TSH receiving his clothes from FedEx.

 

 

Last few ports

In scenic St Malo, TSH and Diva took an unguided walk through the narrow streets and along the waterfront outside the city walls. They then re-boarded the tender in order to return to the Silver Moon and enjoy the view from the water. The Captain was also on the tender – he had been to see the port authorities to exchange plaques, as this is Silver Moon’s first visit to St Malo. TSH and Diva have often viewed the plaque collections on the Silversea ships – they did not know that the port authorities also receive a plaque from each ship. Where do they put them all?

On the last formal night of this cruise, TSH ate a filet mignon, whilst Diva had a chicken curry.

Easy days

In Bordeaux, TSH and Diva ignored all the offered excursions and walked unaccompanied along the riverside and back through the city. Local people held a small protest outside the ship – objecting to the carbon footprint of the Silver Moon.

The next day was a sea day. At lunch time, as wells as the buffet, there are always a couple of dishes cooked to order – usually a pasta and a stir-fry. One of them was labelled ‘crazy water’, which was a new concept to TSH and Diva. They think it must have been something like this: Fish in Crazy Water Recipe - Marcella Hazan | Food & Wine (foodandwine.com)

A guest from the US is spending 2 weeks in London at the end of the cruise. He wants suggestions about what to do and he has chosen TSH and Diva (Northerners who hardly ever visit London now) for his source of wisdom.

The Sainsburys order has been placed. So food will arrive at their house 16:00 – 17:00 on the day of return

Covid update: 3 guests testing positive. All ‘more or less’ well.

Crazy water, Bordeaux, silver moon, sainsburys, covid

Drinking in the morning (4)

The excursion in Bordeaux took TSH and Diva to the wine museum. This is a very modern, interesting and well set up building – photo below. In order to hear the commentary and understand the exhibits, you need headphones and a transmit/receive device. Point the device at the indicated places around the museum and you hear the commentary in your own language. Unfortunately, no-one told TSH and Diva which bit of the device to point, so they needed help from some kind French people. In turn, they were able to help other people who had not been told how the system worked. They learned that the original meaning of ‘symposium’ was ‘drinking together’. So all those business meetings were accurately described after all.

The final part of the visit was to the Belvedere on the 8^th floor. Diva does not like crowded lifts but dug up enough schoolgirl French to ask the attendant not to allow too many people in with her. He was very sympathetic and held most people back for a later ascent. On the Belvedere, they each drank a glass of Bordeaux rose (seemed more morning-like) and looked at the views over the city. TSH and his camera went to the outside viewing platform.

Over lunch, Diva was incredibly impressed to hear people discussing the recently found possible discrepancy in the mass of the W boson (Particle’s surprise mass threatens to upend the standard model (nature.com)). This potentially overturns the standard model of particle physics. And one of the people on the next table had been involved in the work at Fermi Labs!!!

Later, outside Panorama lounge, there was discussion about the advantages of the James Webb telescope over the Hubble telescope. Silver Moon is a physics ship.

 

TSH is let out on his own

In St Jean de Luz, Diva decided that she did not want to be herded round on another guided tour, The ship was anchored in the very scenic bay, so she decided to enjoy her last views of the Pyrenees.  

TSH left the Silver Moon to visit Bayonne and Biarritz accompanied only by his camera.

He has often encountered road signs in two languages but this time there were three. In Bayonne, road signs were in French, Basque and Gascon - a language local to South-West France.

The cathedral in Bayonne had an English feel about it -  the building was started by the English and completed by the French.

The bus driver expressed a view which TSH has often thought to be the case. He said that he was driving something stronger than the cars, so he could pull out in front of them at a busy roundabout. However, he was more polite when there was an emergency vehicle behind him - he drove the bus right round the roundabout to let it pass. At Biarritz the driver encountered a “Route Barree” sign, so alternative parking and additional walking were organised.

TSH returned triumphant – he had been on the correct tour (see Turkey) and he had not been left behind anywhere (see Terracotta warriors). By the time he returned, La Terrazza was closed so he went to the Arts Café for lunch.

The bus theme continued into the evening as one of the waiters sang “the wheels on the bus” whilst turning the handle on the parmesan cheese grater. 

The pilot for the navigation along the Gironde  river to Bordeaux was dropped onto the Silver Moon from a helicopter.

Diva is still working out how much remains of the on-board credit and what she can spend it on.

Photoblog 4

 

 

Drinking in the morning again

Lisbon was another embarkation day – the one where most of the Mediterranean Grand Voyagers left the Silver Moon. TSH and Diva decided to remove themselves away from the sanitisation process by going on the tour to Cascais and Sintra. In Sintra, they sat at a café in the main square and TSH drank beer out of a glass that was so tall he spilled some on his shirt by trying to obtain the last drops.

In Oporto, they took a boat ride along the Duoro River, followed some sightseeing and a late morning port tasting.

Food disappointment: SALT have not offered the delicious Portuguese custard tarts. TSH has made them before and has been commissioned to bake another batch when they arrive home. He has already started booking Sainsbury delivery slots for the return.

There are now 1 guest and 1 crew member testing positive for Covid. No information as to whether they are new cases. Still well under control.

T shirt quote of the day: ‘Tomorrow I will carpe diem’.

A very smart lunch

The first thing to say is that with very very few exceptions the food on this holiday has been excellent and TSH and Diva have enjoyed it very much. But on the last day of the Grand Voyage (TSH and Diva are staying on board for another 12 days), they were invited to the final special lunch for those who have been on the Silver Moon since Athens. Normally there is a wide choice of food but this was a fixed menu with at most 2 options for each course.

If there was to be a least suitable menu for them, this was it. ‘Carpaccio’ and ‘Tartare’ are not good words for appetisers, as they basically mean raw meat and fish, which they do not eat. Having explained this to the waiter, no alternative was offered – ‘just go straight to the next course’. The beetroot risotto, when it arrived, was topped with what looked like cream, which Diva had already explained she does not eat. (Later she discovered it was actually ‘goat cheese espuma’ but the waiter also though it was cream).  A fresh portion was cooked for her – it arrived well after TSH had eaten his. There were walnuts scattered on top – good job she does not have a nut allergy.

And then her wagyu steak arrived – she had asked for it well done, as the kitchen was obviously being run by somebody who doesn’t like cooking. She had a vague idea that this was one of the most highly prized steaks in the world. It was only afterwards that Google explained that the meat should not be cooked much beyond rare and that it was meant to be fatty. So that wasn’t great either. TSH’s ‘Red snapper fillet with breadcrumbs coat, passion fruit and eggplant quenelle’ was mediocre and a woman at the next table complained that hers was dry.

No substitute other than ice cream was offered for the cream drenched dessert. They never discovered what was being offered to vegetarians, vegans, dairy intolerant, gluten free people etc.

The service was slow. Partly because the top chef (in his hat, which has to be taller than the hats of all the other chefs) was personally carving the iberico ham for the anti pasta, followed by the waiters adding the olives, tomatoes etc. For around 100 people!!

La Terrazza is booked for tonight. Real food.

Only 1 crew member testing positive for Covid now. All transit passengers have been tested again.

Photoblog (3)

 

 

It must be 5 o’clock somewhere

The excursion from Cadiz included a drive round Cadiz itself and then to Jerez. Part way through the drive, some guests required an urgent toilet stop, so there was an impromptu stop at a random bar. There were flamingos in the water by the roadside. Then TSH and Diva were taken to the Osborn winery (the original owner was from Exeter). First there was the technical explanation of how sherry and brandy is produced. Then a visit to the tasting room, to test the various sherry types and consume tapas. Diva does not normally drink sherry in the morning but here is a picture of what was offered to her (she did not drink all of it):

Drinking in the morning

During the night, TSH and Diva experienced the first choppy sea of this voyage. They had been warned about it by the Captain of the Silver Moon but decided to risk it without Stugeron. They were proved right.

On arrival in Malaga, TSH and Diva took an excursion which included a walk around part of the city, including a view of the Roman theatre. They went into the house where Picasso was born and then into the gallery holding many of his works. The guide explained aspects of the which they were not previously aware of. The final call – just before midday- was to a bodega for tapas and wine. Although Silversea provides complementary alcohol on demand at all hours of the day and night, TSH and Diva rarely touch a drop until at least 18:30. TSH needed to rehydrate and he drank 4 glasses of water in quick succession when he returned to the Silver Moon.

TSH has discovered that the menus of the day are all accessible via the TV, so he is now able to choose his food before entering the restaurants. He also spotted a strange beetle when he was walking around the outside deck and will try to identify it.

Silver Moon docked in Malaga close to her Royal Caribbean cousin, the Odyssey of the Seas. The latter is much bigger.

Quote of the day spotted on a guest’s t-shirt: ‘Every box of raisins is the tragic story of grapes that could have been wine.’

The crew of the Silver Moon are exceptional

Cartagena, surrounded by mountains, is a favourite call. The Silver Moon docked close to the city centre and there was no long walk to navigate the port itself and no need for a shuttle bus. Because it was Monday, both the Roman theatre and the Underwater Archaeology museums were closed, but it was possible to take a pleasant walk along the waterfront and into the city’s main square.

During the meal in La Terrazza, Diva was transferring some of the antipasti vegetables in tomato sauce from the slate on which they are presented onto her side plate. Not easy with a knife and fork and she spilt some of them on the tablecloth. Before serving the main course, their waiter brought an extra napkin to spread out and cover the offending stain. She apologised, but in a fine example of the humour and charm of the crew he said ‘Madam, it is entirely my fault for serving you messy food’.  Later, when Diva decided not to have a dessert, he tried to place TSH’s chocolatinis in the middle of the table so that she could share them. TSH pulled the plate to his own area in a very assertive manner.

The bar staff are very attentive, greeting TSH and Diva by name and remembering what they drink at different times of day – various teas, decaff coffee, no milk or sugar, shiraz, cognac. One of the bar managers was able to inform them of how many nights it was since they last had their night-cap in her bar.

 1 guest and 1 crew tested positive for Covid on 1/5/22

 

Best ship entertainment ever

On formal night in Atlantide (restaurant), TSH and Diva were given a window table and the waiter obligingly opened the blind so that they could see the sea. Surprisingly, it was Diva who first spotted what was happening. First one dark shape and then another appeared fleetingly above the surface of the very calm sea. Soon it was apparent that there was a large number of dolphins accompanying the Silver Moon. Many jumped clear out of the water – sometimes more than one at one time. Brilliant show appreciated by all. There has long been a guest rumour that a tank of dolphins is kept in the bowels of the ship to be let out by the Captain at appropriate times. When better than formal night?

In Valencia, TSH and Dive took the almost empty shuttle bus into the city centre and walked around the main squares. They had been warned that it was Sunday of a Bank Holiday weekend and everything would be closed but in fact many cafes and some tourist shops were open and there were large numbers of people around. When they boarded the shuttle bus for the return journey, it was clear that many guests were using the shuttle as a drive-by excursion, were not getting off and were quite happy to return immediately to the Silver Moon.

TSH is taking many pics but is struggling with his camera steaming up whilst he is wearing a mask.

Only 1 guest is now testing positive for Covid.

Diva wrecks the dining room

Majorca was a restful call for TSH and Diva. They went into Palma on the shuttle bus and walked around on their own, without the benefit of a guide overloading them with detailed explanations.

On arrival in SALT, Diva managed to knock over both of her wine glasses, which were fortunately still empty. Nothing broken, but a lot of attention from waiters and guests at surrounding tables. They were in a dark corner and Diva could not read the menu, so she asked for the spotlight above the table to be redirected. The waiter managed to pull the light fitting away from the ceiling but it was still lit and she was able to order a meze and an excellent local chicken dish.

TSH is getting quite tanned – but only on the upper half of his face, as he so often wears a mask – even when outdoors, if there are a lot of people around. Diva does not tan and avoids the sun at all times. Some guests are not wearing masks at all, even in enclosed spaces such as tour buses, where it is compulsory.

Diva does not normally use the Silversea boutique, as it has limited stock and is very expensive. But on this cruise, they have been given a large on-board credit and it is not obvious how to spend it, as drinks and excursions are included, they only need a limited amount of nails and hair attention and the fee paying restaurants are not to their taste. The goods in the boutique do not have price labels, so guests have to ask staff about each item (this involves ipads and scanning). Since hardly anyone uses the boutique, this does not cause as much queueing as might be expected. The reason given is that VAT rates change for each country. Diva gave them some free advice – base price on each item and a large board by the entrance with the current VAT rate. She ended up buying unfeasibly expensive skincare for slightly more than it would cost at John Lewis, but it prevented the credit going to waste. The procedure for reclaiming the VAT is so tortuous and dubious that it is unlikely to happen but the boutique owning company have already emailed her twice for her credit card details to be emailed back.

There are more cruise ships around this end of the Mediterranean.

Only 4 guests now testing positive for Covid.

Spain

Palamos is one of the original resorts on the Costa Brava and is an attractive small port. TSH and Diva took the excursion to Girona (used in filming ‘Game of Thrones’). It is an historic city with many streets, squares and alleys little changed since medieval times. The visit included the Arab baths, the Jewish museum and a ‘Pastry Pause’ to sample a local speciality – deep fried and filled with confectioners custard. The guide moved so fast compared with the speed of the average guest that at one stage she lost the whole group, who wandered round in circles with some shouting ‘We are here!!’

Food for dinner included lamb rogan josh (as a main course, not a bread flavouring) – always a favourite.

In Barcelona, whilst the Silver Moon said farewell to some guests and welcomed others on board, TSH and Diva visited La Sagrada Familia Gaudi masterpiece. It is still under development and the greatest enhancement since their last visit is the stunning stained glass. The taxi transfer from the port was convenient and their prebooked tickets got them in without much waiting.

Breakfast in La Terrazza in Barcelona was extremely chaotic. TSH and Diva did not manage to get any hot drinks, as there were so few waiters, so they just had fruit from the buffet. When they left the restaurant, it was just after 8:00, which is the time when suites have to be made available for anti-Covid sanitising. Many guests left it until the last minute and the queue to enter the restaurant was the longest TSH and Diva have ever seen on Silversea.

Covid update: The Silver Moon guests and crew were all tested again before arrival in Barcelona. On 27/4, there were 6 guests and 0 crew testing positive. On 28/4, there were 5 guests and 0 crew testing positive.  No-one is more than mildly ill.

The sea is still smooth and the weather is a bit warmer.

 

The waiter has never heard of it before

After a very scenic sail-in to Marseille with a beautiful sunrise, TSH and Diva took the excursion to Aix-en-Provence. The journey was enlivened by the man sitting behind them mansplaining everything to his wife, including paraphrasing the guide. He said that everything would be difficult, as all signage was likely to be in French but that this would be easier than in the forthcoming call to Lisbon, where he had no idea what language would be used. He then went on to explain at length that when the guide mentioned ‘dry dock’, she meant somewhere where a vessel was taken out of the water, which had to be done very carefully so as not to crush it.

Aix itself was an interesting and attractive town, so this turned out to be a very enjoyable morning. Before returning to the Silver Moon, the bus drove around part of the old port, which is TSH and Diva’s favourite part of Marseille. The cathedral near the harbour is very splendid and much photographed – and that is just by TSH.

The bread offering at dinner quite often includes flavoured bread – cheese, onion, olive etc. But the waiter announced that one of the breads was ‘lamb ragout’. Diva thought she had misheard and questioned him closely. He said that this idea was also novel to him and he joined in the hilarity. The flavour was actually so subtle that they would have had no idea what it was if they had not been warned.

Marseille is special for Silversea, as it is where 5 of their ships spent their Covid lockdown time.

Diva, the Prince and a cut finger

Monte Carlo is in preparation for Formula E racing (Diva has no idea what this is). So, walking into the centre of town and viewing the Casino was impossible. Grandstands are being built and racetracks laid out. There are no pavements and every local driver appears to be indulging a fantasy of being in a Grand Prix.

So, in the interests of health and safety, TSH and Diva took the extremely steep path up to the Royal Palace area instead. Where they saw Prince Albert II leave his Palace for a while. With many motorcycle outriders and a lot of blue flashing lights. When he returned, there was a trumpet fanfare to greet him.

When putting a used towel into the bin in one of the toilets onboard the Silver Moon, the hinged cover sprang back viciously and cut Diva’s finger. She thought that reporting it to the ship authorities would involve much form-filling and a visit to the doctor, so she reported only to TSH, who supplied a plaster. There was a lot of blood at the time but it now appears to have stopped bleeding.

TSH has had his hair cut on the ship. The hairdresser – male – had a very ornate hairdo and TSH wanted very much that he would not leave with something similar. The colour of his hair – natural dark brown with some distinguished grey – was admired.

On arrival in Monte Carlo, the Cruise Director insisted that no-one should leave the ship without photo id (passport or driving licence), as otherwise they would not be allowed back. TSH and Diva carried their driving licences but were not asked to show them at the port or anywhere else.

Covid update: There are now 8 guests and 2 crew who have tested positive for Covid. All are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms and the captain of the Silver Moon has assured the guests that all is under control.

Photoblog (2)

 

 

Locked up with Batman

On arrival in Genoa, Diva was able to take a photo of a nearby ferry full of Batman imagery. She had no idea why they chose such a livery but it is certainly striking.

TSH and Diva decided to take the shuttle bus into the centre of the city. It was one of the first shuttles of the day and the driver had not learned the way out of the port. This was probably not helped by it being a public holiday, so there was not much port activity and many of the gates were locked and unattended. Freedom was gained after many telephone conversations and much reversing.

Genoa has clearly been a very wealthy city and has many fine buildings, some of which have been recently cleaned and restored. Because of the holiday, most shops were closed but there were lively crowds in the squares and around the restaurants.

The weather is now dry but still quite cold and there is no requirement for sun-cream. Fortunately the seas are fairly smooth.

2nd itinerary change

The Silver Moon docked in Ajaccio, from where TSH and Diva could see mountains, including some snow-capped. Their morning walk took them around the town and along a sea-front promenade. This was an excellent port.

The Silver Moon was docked next to P&O Azura.

The new captain (took over in Rome) has already announced that the weather is worsening and it will not be possible to anchor and tender at Portofino. So the call will instead be to Genoa.

There is no bad weather, just unsuitable clothing. TSH and Diva had made provision for cooler and showery weather but not for the rain storm – almost hail -  which descended on them in Pisa. Diva was wet to the skin and on return to the ship had to change completely into the warmest clothes she could find. TSH had his cap and his long coat, so was better prepared for the wet and had only the cold to contend with. He kept announcing that ‘it is about to fair up’ but Diva saw no evidence of this happening.

En route to Pisa, TSH’s memory was such that he gave Diva due notice of the railway yard they were about to pass.

The Silver Moon was docked in Livorno next to Philip Green’s super yacht and another one which is on sale for £175 million. Obscene.

Leaving the volcano

The scenery around Naples and Sorrento includes many dramatic mountains but it is all dominated by looming Vesuvius, making for a dramatic sail-away.  The sea was moderately rough that night but seasoned sailors TSH and Diva did not need to take any medication. On arrival in Civitavecchia, the weather was sufficiently gloomy that TSH and Diva, along with many other in-transit guests, spent the morning in the assigned Panorama lounge whilst the rest of the ship was sanitised ready for the embarking guests and the next leg of their Grand Voyage.

Not many birds have been seen during this voyage, but there were hordes of Gulls around the ship in Naples.

The most recent ship-wide testing session revealed an additional guest who tested positive for Covid. The current total is 6 guests and 4 crew (all asymptomatic or with only mild symptoms) in isolation – 1.2% of the onboard population. TSH and Diva were told by a guest who had tested positive earlier in the voyage that the procedure is to stay in your suite pending a follow-up PCR test. If that is also positive, you are required to pack a bag and then you are put into a wheelchair and the crew run you into isolation. Surprisingly, the food arrangements appear to be less than satisfactory.

 

1st itinerary change

The plan was for the Silver Moon to anchor off Sorrento from the middle of one day until 18:00 on the next. The forecast of increasing swell and winds led the Captain to decide that the tender service would be unsafe on the afternoon of the second day and he would move the ship in the middle of the morning. So the tender service on the second day was really only for the use of guests doing excursions, after which they would be taken by bus to Naples, where Silver Moon would be docked.

On the first afternoon, Silver Dawn, the newest ship, was also anchored off Sorrento. There were announcements about its presence from the Captain and from the Cruise Director. But on the tender from the Silver Moon to Sorrento, some guests were amazed to spot the Silver Dawn for the first time. A member of the crew on the Silver Moon tender talked to them about it and they then asked him which of the ships he worked on!!

Sorrento is full of yellow because they grow lemons in the area. In particular, a bright yellow t-shirt with: ‘If life gives you lemons, make lemoncello’.

 

Photoblog

 

Landed in Palermo

The sail-away from Taormina was dramatic – with rows of jagged mountains dwarfed by Etna in the background. This was followed by the night-time passage through the Messina straits, where the lights of Sicily and mainland Italy were visible. Fortunately, TSH and Diva were eating in La Terrazza on deck 7, so they had a good view of all of it.

They decided to cancel their excursion in Palermo – the city seemed to be comfortably close to the port. They had a pleasant morning, viewing the theatre and the opera house (from outside) and the main streets and squares. This was after they had walked past many insistent sellers of tours by car, mini-train and horse-drawn cart.

TSH and Diva have so far passed the temperature test every morning. They will be taking another lateral flow test in two days time. The Captain of the Silver Moon has announced that one further guest has tested positive but that the total number of cases on board is still < 1% of the on-board population. Occasionally, guests meet a crew member in a hazmat suit with a tank strapped to their back, spraying around the public spaces.

 

Tunnels and Tenders and a crowded lift

 3 of the things Diva is most afraid of were part of the excursion to Taormina. She thought it was too choppy for safe tender transfer but the Captain disagreed and she was at the front of the queue before she realised that her first tender transfer this cruise would not be easy. The journey to Taormina involved 3 long road tunnels and a lift. On both the up and down lift journeys she managed to stand by the door so that she could be the first out.

Taormina itself is a pleasant town with many shops and restaurants. The Greek theatre is very atmospheric and both TSH and Diva got the classic picture of Etna between the theatre columns. Etna has quite deep snow on the top at the moment but it is not erupting.

The tours and bus system was very confusing. Multiple tours and buses (from different ships) with the same identification number. The bus park was designed for cars and the excellent driver had to drive (sometimes in reverse) between several metal support pillars which only just had space for the bus and its mirrors.

How do the Silver Moon seamen transfer all the guests safely between a bouncy tender and the ship and still have the energy and charm to say to each one ‘Welcome back to the ship’?

Happy Easter

Easter Sunday was spent in Valletta, Malta, where TSH and Diva walked around on their own. They avoided excursions, taxis and the city lift, and instead walked all the way up the hill (and, later, down again) to reach City Gate and the main streets. Periodically, they heard canon fire, which they assume is connected to the Easter festivities. They were given Easter eggs in their suite and there are magnificent Easter egg displays around the ship.

The Captain has announced that in the 4 days since Venice, 2 guests and 4 crew have tested positive for Covid, < 1% of the people on the Silver Moon. There is no word of the rumoured 20 or 30 people who may have tested positive before that. Some of the positive guests are in isolation on Deck 6.

TSH has now eaten his first filet mignon and drunk his first fruit punch of this cruise. Excellent as ever.

On some of the nights on board, the skies have been clear enough to take advantage of the Dark Skies and have a good view of many stars. No planets at the moment and hardly any other cruise ships.

Wanted in Italy

 After the busy excursion of the previous day, at the port of Bari, TSH and Diva decided to walk around alone. They managed to work out for themselves a route which took in the main squares and streets and they also witnessed a Good Friday parade, including religious statues borne aloft, many men in black suits and a band playing sombre music. The previous week, they had seen Palm Sunday processions in Zadar. The custom in Croatia seems to be that people take greenery into the Church as an offering – a contrast with the UK, where the priests hand symbolic palms to the congregation.

TSH is looking for jellyfish, as there are a lot in the water in this region.

Diva received a phone call during the walk. The Inland Revenue know that she has not paid her taxes and they have obtained an arrest warrant. Is there an extradition treaty from Italy?

Diva is very sorry

After a relaxing morning at sea, on arrival in Split, TSH and Diva were greeted by a passing boat with a jazz band playing ‘Ain’t she sweet’. They went on an overlong excursion  consisting of walking tours of 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites -  Trogir and Split. Both very interesting but far too crowded. They saw extensive Roman remains around which a more modern town has been constructed.  It was an exhausting afternoon, especially after not having any lunch because of the early afternoon departure time. And TSH managed to head-butt the bus mirror as he approached it. Doing his normal thing of looking one way and walking another. He and the bus are both undamaged.   

Diva decided that they ought to see more of the evening entertainment, and ‘Mind the Gap’ night about the British bands who had transatlantic success in the 1960s seemed a good one to try.  The songs are great and the Voices work extremely hard and are very talented. But the dated dancing and grinning are the opposite of what the anarchic 60s were all about. Like the ‘before’ part of ‘Dirty Dancing’. Some guests loved it but Diva tried hard not to laugh out loud and TSH hid his head in his hands.  She apologised for the unnecessary and painful late night.

Many guests are talking about the joy of having their clothes at last.

A new country

TSH and Diva have never been to Slovenia or Koper before.  They took an easy unguided tour of the city to see its many ages. It is very clean and, although it has some way to go to match Croatia, it seems fairly prosperous. It was warmer than expected and the weather is still dry.

Diva went to the Silver Moon spa for a pedicure which was so brutal that she almost recommended dental hygienist as a second career. The nails look nice.

TSH and Diva are encouraged to book a tour for when they are in Palermo (Sicily). Unfortunately the tour desk thinks that Palermo is in Spain, which detracts from their credibility.

 

The bag is here!!

 TSH’s bag has arrived at the ship – in Venice. So he thinks it is Christmas, having forgotten what he packed 4 weeks ago. Diva is preparing to give up half the walk-in wardrobe.  

The Captain of the Silver Moon has announced that several guests have tested positive for Covid and are in quarantine, either on or off the ship. None are seriously ill. He suggests that guests should wear masks when not eating or drinking (not much of the time, then). TSH and Diva are already being cautious, as usual.

Venice is further away

 

The authorities in Venice have now banned cruise ships from the lagoon in order to protect their heritage. So the Silver Moon is docked in Fusina, which is almost 2 hours away from Venice, with a combination of boat and bus transfer. The docking place is more than half an hour away from the cruise terminal, which presents many logistical difficulties for crew and guests.

On the first day in port, TSH and Diva went on an excursion to the islands of Murano and Burano. This involved a 1 hour boat ride, demonstrations of glass and lace making and very pleasant walks around places that are like Venice without quite as many crowds. Sunny but cold.

On the second day in port, the journey was judged too onerous by many guests, including TSH and Diva. So it is a sea-day in port. 

 

Diva takes to social media

 In the absence of official communication about missing luggage, TSH and Diva have had serious sessions with the Hotel Director of the Silver Moon. Since other guests are still in the dark, she has posted to the Silversea Passengers Facebook page:

‘Update for the passengers on the Silver Moon who, between them, are still awaiting 40 pieces of baggage that should have been embarked in Athens, almost 2 weeks ago. 27 have been brought by truck and should arrive at 10:00 this morning. 11 are coming by air under the personal escort of Frank Sansome. They should arrive before the Silver Moon sails this afternoon. 2 are missing. This information was given to us by the Hotel Director.’

Zadar

 The captain of the Silver Moon warned of moderate to rough seas but TSH and Diva did not feel anything very much, in spite of not taking any seasickness pills. However, the more lively sea meant that the sea organ (a series of pipes set into the quayside and making sounds due to the wind and the waves) in Zadar was noisier than on any other previous visit.

TSH and Diva walked around the town and harbourside. This is one of the most scenic ports – views from the blue sea up to the snow-covered mountains. It also has a long history from prehistoric times and remnants of many civilisations can be seen easily.

The suite cleaner is leaving the Silver Moon tomorrow to return to his home. TSH and Diva are preparing to train someone new to meet their exacting needs.

Silver Moon guests have daily temperature checks and the crew still wear masks at all times, although they are now allowed ashore in some ports. Mask wearing is very patchy, although TSH and Diva are still wearing them when not eating or drinking. There is a hand washing station at the entrance to the buffet (food is served by crew) and it use is enforced. On this 12-day leg of the voyage, everyone will have been tested 3 times, including the test just before embarkation, Everything feels very safe.

Diva and the four doctors

 No excursion today, just an unescorted walk around Kotor, which is one of the best ports along this coast. Interesting old walled town, good walks along the water-front, colourful flower market and a magnificent sail-away through a fjord.

They were not all doctors but they were all wearing white coats, which was enough. Diva was having some problems with her ears and went to the Medical Centre for syringing. She does not really have a problem with that procedure, which she has had many times. But it all felt a bit panicky in a strange location. One doctor to syringe, one to hold the basin (which Diva can normally manage herself), one to stand in front and issue orders about not moving, shaking or flinching. And the last to watch in horror from across the room. Ears are much improved but might need a return visit. Good that basic medical care is included in the cruise package.

 TSH has tried ouzo (good) and retsina (bad). He has decided to stick with cognac or malt whisky.

Diva is wearing a pair of sparkly but very comfortable shoes during the day and is receiving many compliments.

Fedex Customer Services sent TSH a triumphant email to say that they had sorted his issues, fulfilled their contract and delivered his bag to Athens. Pity he has no immediate plans to go there. Silversea have (maybe) hired a truck to move the bags to Venice.

Albania

The scenery here is spectacular – mountains, deep fertile valleys, and views of the sea and the island of Corfu. The local people are welcoming – a folk performance at the pier when Silver Moon arrived and a gift of a shopping bag (Welcome to Albania) for everybody. The tour buses were delayed for a while because the port entrance gate was locked but the police eventually sorted that one out.

The drive to the castle viewpoint was a bit scary for Diva – steep roads, hairpin bends and only a narrow strip of tarmac. Fortunately the road was dry. The winery visit consisted of a buffet table with snacks and local wine, with no tasting guidance. The winery itself was so small that there was nothing to tour. The tour finished with a walk along the attractive new promenade area.

TSH and Diva ate at the SALT restaurant, which specialises in local food. Their lamb yiovetsi was so good that they are looking for the recipe.

 The Fedex tracking system says that TSH’s bag is now in Athens, where it should have been 2 weeks ago. Nobody on board ‘has any information’ about why it is not on the Silversea truck, which may or may not have left Germany for Venice.

 

The lamb:

Five rings to bind them

TSH and Diva visited the ruins at Olympia, the home of the Olympic Games and the site of the 3^rd Wonder of the Ancient World this voyage – the Temple of Zeus. Although not many of the buildings have yet been reconstructed, it is apparent that the scale was such that it would have induced shock and awe in the Greeks in BC times. Some visitors who were much much younger than the Silver Moon guests held races in the Olympic stadium.

There are always technical problems when guests try to operate the headsets which are used to ensure everyone can hear the commentary even when they are not close to the guide. This time, the headsets were handed out as people got on the bus at the pier. When alighting from the bus at Olympia, one guest asked for another set, as she had already lost hers. Diva’s ears are not designed for glasses, mask and earpiece, so she does not hear the commentary very often.

The accompanying museum was world class, with extremely interesting artefacts laid out in an extremely attractive and informative way.

The latest on the luggage is that Silversea have (at last) hired a truck to transport it – probably to Venice. Apparently the latest delay is ‘customs clearance from Germany to Italy’.

Dinner with the Silversea Ambassador to the Venetian Society- sounds like something out of the middle ages.

Two rabbits spotted by the roadside.

 

From Istanbul

 Istanbul is one of the most interesting ports in the world. A skyline of buildings from many generations and cultures and many craft of all sizes and shapes on the water.

Overnight in Istanbul meant pizza on Deck 11 to take in the views. Which was very brave, considering the low temperature.

The new cruise terminal in Istanbul is enormous. Beneath it is a huge vehicle area for cars, buses and deliveries. The signs said it was 3 minutes walk to the Silver Moon but they did not change for several minutes and the walk was rather longer.

The excursion was to the Dolmabahce Palace, which was built in the nineteenth century in European style. It is extremely opulent, even by the standards of British royal palaces. It was a Sultan’s palace but its claim to fame is that it was the death place of Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.

Not a great day for TSH, who was not allowed take pictures inside the buildings, because it rained quite hard for a while and he still does not have his long water-proof coat.

A conversation with Silversea London revealed that the 40+ bags involved have now been located and removed from their container in Koln. However, the normal next stop would be in Paris, where there is currently a strike, so that might not be such a good idea. But TSH was assured that the bags were on the move. 24 hours later, the tracking system shows his bag still in Koln, with no projected delivery date.

 

In which TSH falls foul of Diva and the Turkish Army

 After anchoring near the port of Dikili, the Captain announced that the swell was too great for safe tendering operations. Eventually he obtained permission to land guests in a protected fisherman’s harbour so tours could commence. Diva looked at the water and decided to stay on the Silver Moon. TSH set off alone on the carefully selected, easy, non-exciting tour. Except he managed to get on the wrong bus and instead did the ascent to the Acropolis – involving climbing and a cable car. During the tour, the group paused near an army installation and were told in no uncertain terms to move on.

The evening meal included 2 favourites – TSH’s deconstructed fruit crumble and Diva’s lemon meringue.

TSH and Diva made a rare appearance at the after-dinner show. Diva enjoyed the Queen tribute but TSH wondered what Freddie Mercury would have thought of the top hats and twirling umbrellas.

Still no news on luggage.

Lemon meringue - increased to 22 blobs 

Deconstructed fruit crumble

Lunch on pool deck in Istanbul

Busy cruise

 TSH and Diva are booked on a lot of excursions for this leg of the cruise. In Rhodes, they did a walking tour and a visit to the archaeological museum with a knowledgeable guide. It is one of those places which has been occupied by many many countries over the centuries, so there are remnants of Greeks, Romans, the Ottoman Empire and modern Italians. Many of their artefacts have been stolen and some of the impressive mosaic floors have been moved there from other places. The old town and castle are built from stone which is in a very good state of preservation. The Colossus of Rhodes – one of the seven wonders of the ancient world – no longer exists, but they were shown the probable site where it stood. 

In the museum, the guide was talking about weapons in the ancient world and invited the guests to identify a partly obscured one in a picture. It was TSH who correctly suggested ‘boomerang’.

On arrival in Turkey, the first visit was to Ephesus. TSH and Diva have been here before but thought it worth a second visit. The site is very impressive, with many identifiable remains, including houses and the famous library. Ephesus was the site of the Temple of Artemis – impressive statues in the nearby museum – the 2^nd wonder of the ancient world on this holiday. The guide was approached by a Silversea guest who had lost his own group and needed help to find them again. TSH was very sympathetic, remembering his own scary experience at the terracotta warriors.

Silversea continue to make the luggage situation worse. TSH received a letter offering $1000 as compensation for the inconvenience (not for the bag, which it is assumed will still arrive at some point). On enquiry, it turned out that they would only reimburse what people actually spent and produced receipts for. TSH, along with other people in the same position, has no wish to go shopping for unsatisfactory clothes in a strange port. He wrote another widely circulated email and they have agreed to pay him the money anyway.

 

From the middle of the volcano

The Silver Moon moored in the middle of where the volcano used to be. Modern Santorini is the part of the island which did not get blown apart three and a half thousand years ago. The archaeological site is like Pompeii in being a site of a sudden natural disaster. It also had expensive sophisticated art but experienced disaster more than 1500 years before Pompeii. The excavation has been covered by a complex structure whose foundations went down far below current ground level.

During the afternoon, Diva asked reception if she could have some face soap, as, unusually, there is none in the suite. She stressed that this was not a complaint – just that the butler did not understand what she wanted. This resulted in total mayhem in the suite after dinner. The butler manager, the butler and the cleaner all visited and it became apparent that there is no face soap on the Silver Moon (!!). Instead, they brought masses of other toiletries, a whole stack of facecloths and many apologies. But they forgot to replace the bottle of water or bring the flask of hot water which TSH and Diva had requested. This is not an experienced ship.

TSH’s bag, along with many others, is still with Fedex.

Worst embarkation ever

 Over the last week or so, TSH and Diva received communications from Silversea stating that they required a certified PCR test 72, 48 or 24 hours before embarkation. Supposedly because of EU or Greek regulations. The fall-back was a pier-side lateral flow test. So many guests, including TSH and Diva, failed to meet this moving target that the pier-side facilities were totally overwhelmed. All 150 or so of the Grand Voyagers were brought to the pier within less than an hour, other guests arrived randomly and there was no organised queueing system. For a while, people sat down and waited when they were asked to. Until they realised that later arrivals were walking past them. At which point it became a free-for all. TSH, a well-trained Englishman who knows how to queue, was told by an American (!!) to ‘stand in line’.

After 2 extremely uncomfortable hours, they were finally allowed to board Silver Moon.

TSH’s bag still with Fedex.

Athens

 Once more, at the start of a Grand Voyage (See January 2017), TSH and Diva got lucky in the upgrade stakes. Their accommodation at The Astir Palace in Athens has  large sitting room and bedroom, a utility area with a sink and a bathroom with loo, basin and what turned out to be an excellent shower. Later they found the main bathroom with bath, twin washbasins, another loo and more towels than they were likely to need during their short stay. Turn-down service arrived before he had found the main bathroom, so TSH insisted they left more towels. Also a walk-in wardrobe and a huge balcony overlooking the sea. 

On arrival at the hotel at 18:15, they had decided that, after snacking all day, they would not bother with a meal. But they were informed that dinner was at 19:00. They exploded their suitcases across the sitting room, showered, and located clothes for the evening. The food was extremely plentiful - like a meze except that everyone was given a plate with huge portions of everything (perhaps a Covid thing?). Three generous courses. Wine from Santorini, where they will visit in a few days time. 

Fedex are now showing an interest in the whereabouts of TSH's luggage. The issue now appears to be properly escalated. Maybe results in a few days time?

TSH and Diva are very loyal to their local Manchester airport, which has served them both well for many years. They are reluctant to disparage it but have to say that their experience on Tuesday morning was appalling. The airport website suggested turning up at least three hours before a flight, but at that time, there were no open check-in desks. When they did open, there were not enough staff and everything seemed to take a long time. The long, closely packed, queues for security were a public health hazard. Whilst accepting that the small cannisters in inhalers must represent a potential risk on a flight, Diva has never before experienced them being taken out of their plastic bag and touched by security personnel wearing gloves which had also touched everybody else's luggage. A lot of remedial cleaning was required. By comparison, Heathrow was peaceful and by any standards Athens was efficient and welcoming.

One half-sleep to go

 Taxi pick-up at 3 am tomorrow. TSH still has no news of his luggage, which has been marked 'in transit' from Germany for a week by Fedex. So it is not the best possible start to a Grand Voyage. Diva's bag and the one with shoes and toiletries are already at the port of Piraeus. 

PCR tests done this morning but no results yet.