Replaced by Regent

In Seydisfjordur, TSH and Diva were expecting to dock, like last time they were here a week or so ago. Instead, they were forced to anchor and tender because Regent Seven Seas Splendour had taken the only berth. As this is such an attractive town, they went ashore for a walk in spite of the inconvenience. In the tender on the return journey to Silver Spirit, they chatted to climate change deniers from Ohio. Fortunately everybody remained civil.

In Djupivogur, they decided not to go ashore because a long tender was involved and there is very little to see in the town. Instead they admired the magnificent views from the Silver Spirit of the smooth waters of the fjord and the jagged tops of the mountains. The sky is now blue.

TSH and Diva have some On Board Credit included as part of their booking. It has to be spent on board on this cruise or lost forever. So Diva decided to treat herself to an incredibly over-priced tinted lip balm. For which the ‘boutique’ had no testers or colour charts!! She did not purchase. Her pedicure went well in spite of an attempt to persuade her to move from ‘basic’ to something more expensive – unspecified, as price lists are not readily available. The woman who did the pedicure was kind and totally unlike the brutal one on Saga.

TSH had a lunch-time dessert immediately followed by 2 scoops of chocolate ice-cream. The server asked if he needed 2 spoons for ‘sharing’. The answer was a resounding ‘no’.

Most of the crew, including the security officer, are now addressing TSH and Diva by name and the restaurants manager regularly curtseys.

Lennon Link

TSH and Diva did not go into Reykjavik, as the Silver Spirit was docked some way out and there was no shuttle bus. So they enjoyed a few relaxing hours onboard until the next set of guests embarked.

They spent some time looking at a point on the southern horizon where there appeared to be a plume of smoke. This is a possible sighting of the result of the currently active volcano. In the Arts Café, they chatted with the on-coming Food and Beverage Manager, who is from Birkdale, near Liverpool. He now knows about the missing grilled peaches.

TSH and Diva are now very familiar to the crew and seem to have achieved celebrity status with some. The restaurants manager delivered a sweeping curtsey as they arrived for breakfast in La Terrazza.

Guests on this new leg, like the last one, are younger than the usual Silversea guests and sometimes this feels more like an expedition cruise.

Also in port was Regent Seven Seas Splendour.

On the way out of Reykjavik, Captain Ivo, in his accented English, pointed out something connected with John Lennon. Diva heard ‘tavern’ but TSH correctly identified ‘tower’. The connection is explained here: Imagine Peace Tower - Wikipedia

In Patreksfjordur for the second time, it was sufficiently cold that, on an open deck, TSH and Diva practised Tai Chi wearing coats. Also, for the first time ever, TSH wore gloves throughout.