At breakfast, Diva uttered words never before heard on a Silversea ship - 'Is there any butter?' There was but many other items are in very short supply.
In his farewell speech, the Captain said 'Welcome to Ithaca and the end of our Odyssey. Penelope is waiting'.
Arrivederci.
Tuesday, 17 March 2020
From the bottom of the world
Silver Spirit is docked in Darwen and entry procedures are starting. TSH and Diva have decent flights booked - Virgin to Perth, followed by Emirates Business to Dubai and Manchester. Still horrendous - 23 hours in the air plus layovers. Some guests have worse connections, economy all the way or no flights at all. Silversea put the top cruisers on this voyage - about 1500 days - on economy all the way. They are furious!!
Last night the crew put on a show - better than the usual entertainment! The guests were assured by the captain and the cruise director that they have had a great cruise!!
So TSH and Diva plod home wearily to empty supermarket shelves and probable isolation. But there is a turkey crown in the freezer, spare loo roll and an extra jar of olives. Wine stocks are low.
Last night the crew put on a show - better than the usual entertainment! The guests were assured by the captain and the cruise director that they have had a great cruise!!
So TSH and Diva plod home wearily to empty supermarket shelves and probable isolation. But there is a turkey crown in the freezer, spare loo roll and an extra jar of olives. Wine stocks are low.
Sunday, 15 March 2020
Without let or hindrance?
The Silver Spirit continues to sail into the Southern Hemisphere - the equator has now been crossed. Diva has worked out that the distance from Singapore to Darwen is almost the same as the distance from Singapore to London, where they would be obliged to take in British citizens eventually. The last lot of Britons taken to Australia against their will were left there forever.
It seems likely that there will be a quarantine period of at least a few days in Darwen. Hopefully on the Silver Spirit. Qatar airways have announced that some flights are cancelled - can the others be far behind? So it is unclear how TSH and Diva will be able to return to self-isolation in the UK.
The daily entertainment on the ship consists of a demonstration of towel folding, a Ceremony for Crossing the Equator which TSH and Diva did not want to cross and a demonstration of Australian cooking just to rub it in.
TSH and Diva attended a class on pizza making which is something that TSH is interested in. He learnt that he does not need to use strong flour, should use semolina flour when stretching the dough and it is best to prove the dough in the fridge.
Last night's meal in Indochine was excellent but there is no longer any salad and the display of fresh fruit at breakfast was tragic by Silversea standards. No-one is starving and levels of alcoholism are increasing steadily. Fortunately the 'Friends of Bill W' meet every day.
The crew on Silver Spirit are very uncertain about their future but are still being extremely professional in the way they are looking after the guests.
It seems likely that there will be a quarantine period of at least a few days in Darwen. Hopefully on the Silver Spirit. Qatar airways have announced that some flights are cancelled - can the others be far behind? So it is unclear how TSH and Diva will be able to return to self-isolation in the UK.
The daily entertainment on the ship consists of a demonstration of towel folding, a Ceremony for Crossing the Equator which TSH and Diva did not want to cross and a demonstration of Australian cooking just to rub it in.
TSH and Diva attended a class on pizza making which is something that TSH is interested in. He learnt that he does not need to use strong flour, should use semolina flour when stretching the dough and it is best to prove the dough in the fridge.
Last night's meal in Indochine was excellent but there is no longer any salad and the display of fresh fruit at breakfast was tragic by Silversea standards. No-one is starving and levels of alcoholism are increasing steadily. Fortunately the 'Friends of Bill W' meet every day.
The crew on Silver Spirit are very uncertain about their future but are still being extremely professional in the way they are looking after the guests.
Saturday, 14 March 2020
What next?
There are times in the day when the Captain makes routine announcements. Any announcement at another time is either bad news or grist for the mill of uncertainty. 14:50 is not a routine time.
14:50 - Captain announced that the Australian Government has just banned all cruise ships. There are, however 'special arrangements' for ships already en route there. This is the situation for the Silver Spirit. The guests are assured that the senior executive who failed to influence the Philippine authorities is currently abandoning the flesh-pots of Sydney and making his way to Darwen.
'Special arrangements' might mean quarantine. The hope is that this will be on the ship, that the 12 days for which there has been no contact with the outside world will count and that there will be a delivery of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Plenty of food, but nothing much fresh.
Activity on pool deck to keep guests happy - 'Building a Boat'. Could be useful for the breakout party. One guest has declared his favourite film to be 'Titanic'.
Pizza-making tuition later.
14:50 - Captain announced that the Australian Government has just banned all cruise ships. There are, however 'special arrangements' for ships already en route there. This is the situation for the Silver Spirit. The guests are assured that the senior executive who failed to influence the Philippine authorities is currently abandoning the flesh-pots of Sydney and making his way to Darwen.
'Special arrangements' might mean quarantine. The hope is that this will be on the ship, that the 12 days for which there has been no contact with the outside world will count and that there will be a delivery of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Plenty of food, but nothing much fresh.
Activity on pool deck to keep guests happy - 'Building a Boat'. Could be useful for the breakout party. One guest has declared his favourite film to be 'Titanic'.
Pizza-making tuition later.
Friday, 13 March 2020
Day 15 on the Silver Spirit
Since Singapore, there has been one scheduled port, three unexpected ports and the rest of the time either at sea or docked with nowhere to go. The cruise director has scheduled bingo and a guest talent show. There were no berries at breakfast and grilled tomatoes were by special request only. Even if Australia will not let the Silver Spirit disembark, everyone is hoping that they will allow to refuel and restock. The shore concierge informed TSH and Diva that flights have been obtained for March 18th, the expected day of arrival in Darwin.
No flight details yet, but the best option Diva found online was 2 stops, 18 hours flying and 24 hours elapsed. Not a good prospect!!
Seas have been calm throughout but some days the wind has been so strong that Tai Chi has been done on deck 5 under the lifeboats, instead of on deck 10.
Flying fish and a juvenile gannet have been sighted but no whales, dolphins or sharks yet. The navigation is not straight because there are many wrecks and reefs to be avoided. A point of interest is that somewhere in this region is the Darwin line, which marks the evolutionary difference between the fauna of SE Asia and that of Australasia. The Silver Spirit must pass it at some point.
Minor panic in the suite when a contact lens slipped out of TSH's grasp but a torch and a finger-tip search eventually located it. He does have a spare set.
No flight details yet, but the best option Diva found online was 2 stops, 18 hours flying and 24 hours elapsed. Not a good prospect!!
Seas have been calm throughout but some days the wind has been so strong that Tai Chi has been done on deck 5 under the lifeboats, instead of on deck 10.
Flying fish and a juvenile gannet have been sighted but no whales, dolphins or sharks yet. The navigation is not straight because there are many wrecks and reefs to be avoided. A point of interest is that somewhere in this region is the Darwin line, which marks the evolutionary difference between the fauna of SE Asia and that of Australasia. The Silver Spirit must pass it at some point.
Minor panic in the suite when a contact lens slipped out of TSH's grasp but a torch and a finger-tip search eventually located it. He does have a spare set.
Thursday, 12 March 2020
Kidnapped
The flights back from Manila were confirmed and TSH had chosen the seats. 17 hours flying instead of the planned 4 or 5 from Athens. Diva had written to the car service for the Manchester airport pick-up.
When the captain's voice was heard at 9:30, it was inevitably going to be more bad news. And indeed it was. Manila is closed and the Silver Spirit is heading for Darwin, Australia. Into the southern hemisphere and further away from Athens, Europe and home. This will involve another 4 days at sea.
There is more than enough fuel for the ship and champagne for the guests. But the Silver Spirit has exhausted its vegetable garden and fresh food will be in short supply. No strawberries, raspberries or blackberries at breakfast.
The Australians - and there are many on this cruise because they were offered cheap deals to fill the ship - are delighted. The European guests are not happy. Diva is in melt-down.
The upside is that this is a luxury ship and TSH and Diva have brought their work and their electronic entertainment. Many guests, with no resources of any kind, are very bored. And this might be the safest place in the world to avoid the virus. Everybody had their temperatures taken again and there is no suggestion that anybody is ill.
When the captain's voice was heard at 9:30, it was inevitably going to be more bad news. And indeed it was. Manila is closed and the Silver Spirit is heading for Darwin, Australia. Into the southern hemisphere and further away from Athens, Europe and home. This will involve another 4 days at sea.
There is more than enough fuel for the ship and champagne for the guests. But the Silver Spirit has exhausted its vegetable garden and fresh food will be in short supply. No strawberries, raspberries or blackberries at breakfast.
The Australians - and there are many on this cruise because they were offered cheap deals to fill the ship - are delighted. The European guests are not happy. Diva is in melt-down.
The upside is that this is a luxury ship and TSH and Diva have brought their work and their electronic entertainment. Many guests, with no resources of any kind, are very bored. And this might be the safest place in the world to avoid the virus. Everybody had their temperatures taken again and there is no suggestion that anybody is ill.
Wednesday, 11 March 2020
Return uncertain
Vietnam have closed their ports to cruise ships because they (Vietnam) have had a lot of new cases. The captain's voice when he announced this was as weary as the guests have so far heard. The Silver Spirit is now heading for Manila and a senior Silversea executive is flying out there - presumably to beg or bribe or threaten or charm.
So there is no information about the journey back and the flight back is likely to be way out of Diva's comfort zone for length.
In the meantime, there s still champagne and filet mignon and lemon meringue and excellent service.
So there is no information about the journey back and the flight back is likely to be way out of Diva's comfort zone for length.
In the meantime, there s still champagne and filet mignon and lemon meringue and excellent service.
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