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.