Quest Spring 2017 EB Trans-Atlantic Crossing Travelogue

I have been green with envy reading this travelogue. Mom and I were to have Vernon this crossing but had to cancel due to some reorgs at my work. (Not a good year to be too far from land just in case I need to hop on a quick conference call - or flight!)

It sounds fabulous!!!

I am enjoying your Travelogue on sailing a TA in April.

Your comments about the weather and the luxury of the the sea days in a row are so helpful.

I will be on my first TA from San Juan PR to Barcelona on the Viking Sea.

Look forward to your report about the ports of call.

Pre-cruise & Embarkation Day Freeze Frames

View From Pre-cruise Hotel Room 1 of 3

View From Pre-cruise Hotel Room 2 of 3

View From Pre-cruise Hotel Room 3 of 3

Embarkation Morning Sunrise

We Are On Our Way!

Sea Day 1 - 3 Freeze Frames:

Sea Day 1 AM Sea Conditions

Sea Day 1 PM Sea Conditions

Sea Day 2 AM Sea Conditions

Sea Day 2 PM Sea Conditions

Sea Day 3 Sea Conditions

Oh those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Crossing Days! As Always, life aboard Seabourn Quest is great!!

Sea Days 7 to 8 Freeze Frames:

Typical Sea Day 7 Conditions

Typical Sea Day 8 Conditions

Oh those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Crossing Days! As Always, life aboard Seabourn Quest is great!!

Funchal, Madeira, Portugal

Since I have been to Funchal about 16 times, I decided to have a “Sea Day In Port.” With most of the passengers off the ship, I had no trouble finding a table at the Patio Grill and received excellent service there as well as the Patio Bar’s ice cream station. Ice cream lovers now have options for chocolate & butterscotch sauce and dark chocolate & white chocolate sprinkles, if that suits your fancy.

After dinner, a local dance company put on a show of Funchal’s folkloric music and dances in the Main Salon. It was well attended and enjoyed by all.

Today’s Freeze Frames:

Funchal, Madeira1 of 5

Funchal, Madeira 2 of 5

Funchal, Madeira 3 of 5

Funchal, Madeira 4 of 5

Funchal, Madeira 5 of 5

Oh those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Crossing Days! As Always, life aboard Seabourn Quest is great!!

Thanks for posting Paul. It sounds like you had a good crossing. Enjoying your photos.

Julie

In addition to the USGC and USDA inspections, the entire crew had a 100% documentation inspection by the CBP. CBP's computers failed and all checks had to be done manually, which takes much more time. So Quest had a perfect storm and exited in excellent shape. We saw the Coast Guardsmen having a great meal in the Colonnade. The crew had a nice party in Funchal to celebrate the great work.

I also had one of those thick cut steaks in the Keller grill - could only eat half of it. Our waiter said it was one of the larger ones he has seen. It was cooked perfectly and tasted great. Just too little stomach....

Embarkation & Sailaway

 

I left the hotel at noon and arrived at the ship around 12:15 PM. After filling put the standard Norovirus questionnaire, I learned that the entire checking process was handled shore-side. After presenting my Norovirus questionnaire, passport, ePass and credit card, my mug shot was taken and was handed my guest pass and was onboard by 12:35 PM. I am always glad when this portion of the voyage is complete.

 

When I arrived at The Colonnade, the buffet was about 40% set up. I was told that the annual US Coast Guard and Health & Sanitary inspections lasted several hours longer than expected and the crew was up at 5:00 AM and everyone was scrambling to get caught up.

 

The good news to come out of this was that at the end of the passenger Muster Drill, Captain Joost Eldering proudly announced the results of the Coast Guard inspection: 100 out of 100 and Health & Sanitary inspection: 98 out of 100. The captain went on to say the Health & Sanitary inspection result was well above the SB fleet average and that there will be crew & officer party as earlier promised. Kudos to the Officers and Crew for their hard work and acing the inspections!!

 

The suites were not ready for passengers until 3:30 PM. By 4:00 PM I realized that the previous passengers in my suite had locked the safe and I could not access it. I called Guest Services and requested they send someone to open the safe; they asked if it would be okay too take care of it after the 5:00 PM Passenger Muster Drill to which I replied: oh absolutely, in fact as long as my safe in unlocked before I retire for the evening is fine with me.

 

At 4:40 PM, the Security Officer came to my suite and unlocked it for me and asked me to enter my code and lock and unlock the safe and it worked!

 

I received my luggage at 6:30 PM and franticly started and finished unpacking at 7:20 PM. The captain told us that we would be a little late departing. Soon, we were backing out down the channel to make our 90° turn towards due east so I ran up on deck to take a picture. I had 30 minutes to get cleaned up and ready for supper at The Grill by Thomas Keller. After being seated, I saw we were leaving the breakwater and was a little disappointed this time in that I was not up on deck enjoying the sailaway celebration.

 

Fort Lauderdale is one of my favorite ports to sail out of because the residents of the two high-rise condominiums on the port side of the ship perform their “civic duty” to clap, cheer, yell, flash their balcony lights off and on while some had hand-held air horns to bid us Bon Voyage!! J

 

The former Restaurant 2’s interiors were totally gutted and redone with a subtler ambiance, a very nice improvement IMHO. The dinner at The Grill was outstanding and the service was great! After siting down, a plate of cut cucumber, broccoli florets, radishes, carrots and a dipping sauce on a bed of ice was brought to me. Then a mini loaf of bread the size of a large dinner roll and butter arrived. I quickly decided that would be my appetizer.

 

I told the waiter that I had not had a steak in months; he replied that I had come to the right place for a steak. I concurred and ordered the thick cut prime New York strip steak and wilted spinach for my main course. Tender, juicy and that flavor, I definitely made the right decision! For dessert, I had homemade vanilla ice cream (all ice cream, sorbet and, I think, yogurt are made fresh daily on board), which was served at a slightly higher temperature akin to “soft serve”. I just let the ice cream melt in my mouth before swallowing. Yum, Yum!

 

After dinner in the there was an introduction of the entertainment department staff as well as informal performances of Alexandra, the Observation Bar’s singer and pianist as well as The Club’s band and singer.

 

I then returned to my suite for a restful journey to Seabourn slumber-land. The moment I rested my head the fluffy pillow and pulled the Scandinavian comforter over me, I was back at my home at sea and slept soundly the entire night

 

I have been trying for almost an hour to access my photo sharing site. So until I can sort that out, there will be no Freeze frames. Grrr :( :(

 

Paul

Sea Days 4 to 6 Freeze Frames:

Typical Sea Day 4 Conditions

Typical Sea Day 5 Conditions

Typical Sea Day 6 Conditions

Oh those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Crossing Days! As Always, life aboard Seabourn Quest is great!!

Sea Days 9 & 10

Sea Day 9 was cloudy with a high temperature of 63°F (17°C). I attended two conversations today. The first was Ronnie Sampson’s “Morocco Bound” where he talked about Gin trade as well as the history. In the afternoon was Tom Goltz’s “Prince Henry the navigator of Portugal” — Under a crusading banner he stretched Europe’s boundaries, colonizing Madeira and Morocco, reaching into Black Africa and initiating the slave trade.

Dinner included: twice baked goat cheese soufflé with sweet garlic cream; oven roasted double cut pork chop with gorgonzola spaetzle, sauce chrcuterie; macadamia ice cream.

Showtime in the Grand Salon: Steve Stevens who blended vocals, instruments, trumpet and ukulele with humor. He is a very funny guy who delivered a great show and was a big hit with the passengers.

Sea Day 10 was mostly sunny with a high temperature of 64°F (18° C). Again, I attended two conversations today. Ronnie Sampson’s “Spain in Sight” The reign in Spain is on the wane. In the afternoon was Tom Goltz “Spanish Civil War the tragic lead up to world conflict” the internal forces at work in Spain and the role of international players in the deadly dispute.

Penultimate Trivia session: my team is still in third place 100 points behind the leader. We are not gaining any ground but not losing it either!!

Dinner included: Molossol caviar with cauliflower pudding, Red beet juice, crispy shallots; mustard crusted scallops with basil risotto, caramelized pearl onions, Forest mushroom; caramel bomb with strawberries red coulis and citrus fillets.

Today’s Freeze Frames:

Sea Day 9 Afternoon Conditions

Sea Day 10 Afternoon Conditions Under Overcast Sky

Oh those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Crossing Days! As Always, life aboard Seabourn Odyssey is great!!

Tangier, Morocco

Tangier is a major city in northwestern Morocco. It s located on the Maghreb coast at the Western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel.

The city is currently undergoing rapid development and modernization. Projects include new tourisim projects along the bay, a modern business district called Tangier City Center, a new airport terminal and a new football stadium.

Tangier was made an international zone and 1923 under the joint administration of France, Spain and Britain under an international convention signed in Paris on December 18, 1923. The territory was restored to its prewar status on October 11, 1945. Tangier joined the rest of Morocco following the restoration of full sovereignty in 1956.

Today, I embarked on the all-day tour “Tangier and Tetouan: a UNESCO Partner Tour. As we left the terminal area, our tour guide informed us that this was the first time the tour was being run and we were the “guinea pigs.” He then handed the microphone to his company’s Director who accompanied us during the entire tour.

The Director went on to say that his firm has been working closely with Seaborn’s UNESCO specialist in developing a tour for passengers beginning in the summer season this year.

After arrival in Tetouan we began our walking tour of the medina, a traditional-style walled marketplace. In addition to stores on both sides of the walkway, there were also vendors selling fruits and vegetables, live chickens, fish, clothing, daily necessities for the locals and souvenirs for the tourists.

Our next stop was the Royal Palace entrance at the Hassan II Square - a17th- century complex exemplifying Hispano-Moresque architecture. The Palace is closed to the public, but while standing outside it’s ornate main gate and looking in, it gives you an impression what lies beyond.

The Hassan II Square is where the historic and modern parts of the city converge to create a vibrant hub. The Plaza is evocative of Andalusia with its kiosks, fountains and flowerboxes.

Next, we visited the school of Traditional Arts and Crafts – the first of its kind in Morocco. This institution has produced some of Morocco’s best painters over the past 50 years and keeps its traditional art forms alive in the modern world. This city is known for producing a particularly high standard in media such as embroidery, cuisine, zullayj or mosaics, carved and painted wooden objects.

We visited all the areas where the students were trained and practice their respective crafts. For me, this was my favorite part of the tour; training young people to learn and perfect their craft of traditional art forms for the generations to come.

The last stop on the tour was a small Christian church. The church caretaker invited us into the church give a brief description and its history. After exiting the church, he mentioned that two spies from the Cold War era were buried there in unmarked graves and he showed tem to us. I wondered who was really buried there.

Lunch was served at a Restaurant in the heart of Tetuan and offering local cuisine. I thought that meal was okay; some passengers said they didn’t like it. Then, back on the bus for the trek home to the Quest. After the long and interesting day, most passengers we’re ready for a nap and our guide let us do so.

Once back on board, I went straight to my suite and dropped off my stuff and went straight to Seabourn Square for a skinny hazelnut latte and went back to my suite to get cleaned up for supper.

Tonight, I was at guest conversationalist Ralf Vargas and his wife’s hosted table for dinner. I started with Serrano ham with asparagus with aged balsamic, ricotta flan and virgin olive oil. Main course was butter poached shrimps with chorizo saffron risotto, tomato marmalade, and sugar snap peas. Dessert was macadamia ice cream.

Showtime in the Grand Salon featured classical trained crossover / musical theater vocalist and Assistant Cruise Director Robert Brendan for a few songs fallowed by comedian and musical variety act Steve Stevens for a split bill tonight. It was a great show.

Then, back to my suite for another restful journey to Seabourn slumberland.

Tangier Freeze Frames:

Modern Trains

Hassan II Square 1 of 3

Hassan II Square 2 of 3

Hassan II Square 3 of 3

Medina Donkeys

Photos continued in next post …

Tangier Photos Continued …

Medina Street Scene

Medina Entrance / Exit

School of Traditional Arts & Crafts 1 of 5

School of Traditional Arts & Crafts 2 of 5

School of Traditional Arts & Crafts 3 of 5

Photos continued in next post …

Tangier Photos Continued …

School of Traditional Arts & Crafts 4 of 5

School of Traditional Arts & Crafts 5 of 5

Passenger Dressed in Local Attire By Our Tour Guide

Moroccan Countryside

Christian Church Altar

Photos continued in next post …

Tangier Photos Continued …

Christian Church Ceiling

Oh those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Crossing Days! As Always, life aboard Seabourn Quest is great!!

Malaga, Spain

Often considered a little more than a Gateway to the Costa del Sol for sun-seeking vacationers, Malaga is a most interesting city it’s own right. Malaga’s history spans about 2,800 years making it one of the oldest cities in the world.

First settled by the Phoenicians, Malaga was held by virtually every ruling power in the Mediterranean at one time or another. Two Moorish fortresses, the 11th century Alcazaba and the 14th century Castillo de Gibralfarco still stands sentry above the harbor. Malaga was the birthplace of Pablo Picasso as well as the Malaguena style of flamenco dancing.

It was chilly in Malaga today, requiring coats in the morning and a high temperature of 63°F (17°C) in the afternoon. Today I took the tour to visit The Alhambra, a UNESCO World heritage site. This was my third visit to the Alhambra and my most recent visit was 21 years ago; hence, I was really looking forward to see how it has changed.

Overlooking Granada, The Alhambra is a Sprawling palace-citadel that is comprised of Royal residential quarters, court complexes flanked by official chambers, a bath and a mosque. It dates back to the 14th century, where Andalusia was under Islamic rule it was the residence of the Caliphs. It is believed to be the finest example of Islamic architecture outside the Arab world.

The Alhambra is composed of three parts – the Royal Palace, the Generalife Gardens and the Fortress of Alcazaba. The royal palace was the opulent living quarters of the monarchs, while the Fortress of Alcazaba provided a range of lookout points to defend the Royal Palace. The gardens of Generalife, which surrounds the Royal Palace and Fortress are reputedly inspired by the Koranic description of paradise.

During the last 21 years things have really changed. Much work has been done in providing better access to site, as well as, parking areas for cars and tour buses. Many areas have been renovated as well as renovations currently in progress. The tours are timed to a schedule as noted on our tickets. The day we were there at the site, it was packed with visitors. Everyone was courteous so that was a plus in the people moving experience.

Our local guide provided each of us with a receiver unit and earplug so she could talk to us in a normal voice (as opposed to six or eight guides talking loudly to their respective groups). I like this system, especially at crowded venues, when I am busy taking my photos – if I can’t hear the guide talking that means I’m out of range and have to get caught up with my group!

After leaving Granada we had a wonderful lunch at a restaurant situated at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Food and service were great and we were not rushed at all during our three-course meal.

I thoroughly enjoyed the tour just as much as my first & second visits. The duration of the tour is about nine hours. Travel time to Granada is approximately 2 hours each way and one hour was allocated for lunch; hence, considerable walking is required during the approximately 4 hour site visit.

Because the tour was all day, I missed the afternoon show featuring the Dikela Flamenco Dance Group in the Grand Salon. After setting my alarm clock, I took a short power nap and then got cleaned up for supper.

I was the guest at Arts & Crafts Instructor Kathleen Wissler’s table for dinner. I started with steamed white asparagus with hollandaise sauce and Crisp puff pastry. My main course was an interesting “surf and turf” combination of seared scallops and red wine braised beef short ribs with horseradish mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach. For dessert I ordered three scoops of my favorite pistachio ice cream (this was the only day of the entire crossing that this ice cream was made).

Tonight’s entertainment was performed on deck. Starting off with “Too Much Heaven” featuring the Seabourn Quest Singers as they paid tribute to the Bee Gees and followed by the “Rock the Boat” show featuring the entertainment team. This was, as always, a great show with many passengers boogieing the night away!!

Then back to my suite for my penultimate journey to Seabourn slumberland.

Today’s Freeze Frames:

Views From the Palace Walls 1 of 3

Views From the Palace Walls 2 of 3

Views From the Palace Walls 3 of 3

Views Inside the Palace 1 of 7

Views Inside the Palace 2 of 7

Photos continued in my next post …

Malaga Photos Continued …

Views Inside the Palace 3 of 7

Views Inside the Palace 4 of 7

Views Inside the Palace 5 of 7

Views Inside the Palace 6 of 7

Views Inside the Palace 7 of 7

Photos continued in my next post …

Malaga Photos Continued …

Generalife Gardens 1 of 4

Generalife Gardens 2 of 4

Generalife Gardens 3 of 4

Generalife Gardens 4 of 4

Malaga Cruise Ship Terminal

Oh those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Crossing Days! As Always, life aboard Seabourn Quest is great!!

Amazing photos. We know Malaga but have clearly missed a lot...

Sea Day 11

Today was the last sea day and final day of the Crossing. It was partly cloudy with winds out of the southeast at 11.5 mph (18.5 km/h) with daytime highs of 63°F (17°C). Today revolved around three P’s: procrastination, packing, pen pals and the winding down the Entertainment program.

After enjoying my skinny hazelnut latte and Reading the morning paper in the comfy recliners looking out the aft windows in Seabourn Square it was time for Ronnie Sampson’s final conversation “Pirates then and now” discussing pirate capers in the Caribbean to high-tech hijacking. He also told us that he was on the Seabourn Spirit when she was attacked at sea by Somali pirates who fired rocket-propelled grenades at the ship. He also shared some of his personal photos taken during that incident.

Next was the dress-up team trivia final. Dressing up was completely optional. The teams that participated were judged by the Guest Services Manager, and her backup when she disembarks in Barcelona for vacation. One team sang a song they composed which was good. The other teams stood up at their tables and recited rhyming prose. Our team did the same, except three ladies and I, went to center stage from shortest to tallest in The Club wearing handmade paper pirate hats and pirate accessories of parrots and faux plundered jewelry loot for he ladies. We introduced our team and we each recited our 4 lines.

Then it was down to business for the final trivia session. As usual, this tournament was a real nail biter right down to the final bonus question. As luck would have it, my team came in third place 100 points behind the winner as we held this place for the second half of the tournament. The aforementioned judges awarded our team first place in the dress up competition Our prize was a black, zippered travel document Holder. Our team captain reserved a Table for 10 and we all went down to the restaurant to celebrate our performance and camaraderie during the trivia tournament.

I stopped procrastinating and essentially finished my packing and then took care of pen pals details.

At 6 PM the caviar on deck special Seabourn Quest farewell event poolside and on deck 9 was well attended.

For “The Last Supper” dinner I was again a guest at Guest Conversationalist Tom Goltz’s hosted table. I started with green leaf lettuce and overnight tomatoes with white beans, artichoke and green beans. My main course was the New York Strip Loin Steak with grilled Portobello mushroom, gorgonzola croquettes and roasted vegetables. Dessert was homemade rocky road ice cream. Yum Yum!

After saying my goodbyes, I went to my suite and packed my evening clothes. With both bags out of the hallway before the 12 Midnight deadline for pick up by the baggage team, I had my last journey to Seabourn slumberland before disembarkation and depression day.

Today’s freeze frames:

Typical Sea Day 11 Conditions

Our Trivia Team Before The Final Session 1 of 2

The Gang’s All Here Ready to Rock & Roll The Final Session 2 of 2

Our Trivia Team Enjoying Our Lunch

Oh those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Crossing Days! As Always, life aboard Seabourn Quest is great!!

Quick question. How were time changes handled; noon or over night?

Thanks

Roy

On our recent Sojourn crossing (May 2917) from Japan to Alaska, we had seven time changes forward. The first was in the middle of the night and the rest were at 2 PM in the afternoon. One of the guests suggested the afternoon change to the HD who talked with Capt Tim and he agreed with the suggestion. Most guests like the afternoon change although some did not. The crew loved the change in the afternoon.

A few years ago on the Quest Captain GA did an every day 2 p.m. 1/2 hour move forward. It was great for the crew and the pax did not lose an hour every other night. I think that is the best approach. On my recent TA on the Odyssey when I mentioned this to the captain (who I very much like so won't call out here) he simply ignored the suggestion.

For my crossing, the clocks were advanced 1 hour overnight when required.

Silly trivia team pics! I love it!

Epilogue

Disembarkation always goes quickly and smoothly on Seabourn. Once ashore I found out there was no passport control so I simply walked through the green “Nothing to Declare” lane and exited the terminal where my driver was waiting to take me to the hotel for 1 night.

After an early morning wake-up call I departed the hotel at 3:45 AM in the black of night to the airport for my 6:20 AM Easter Sunday flight home. The flights home were very smooth and uneventful. Prior to landing, we were told that, due to 3 Airbus A380 arrivals before our flight at the international terminal, passengers and our luggage would be bused & delivered to the Delta terminal. I was impressed that after completing the immigration formalities, our luggage was on the carousel. After clearing Customs, I contacted my airport shuttle service to pick me up at Delta and not the International terminal. I arrived at my front door at 5:05 PM thereby officially ending my 15-night Atlantic Crossing on Seabourn Quest.

All good things must come to an end and this crossing was no exception. From arrival at the cruise terminal in Ft. Lauderdale and all the way through departing the cruise terminal in Barcelona it was a typical world-class Seabourn experience. King Neptune even smiled benevolently upon the Quest and gave us he smoothest seas I have ever experienced on a spring EB Trans-Atlantic crossing.

My suite stewardess kept things shipshape the entire voyage as well as my mini fridge stocked with my preferences and made certain my dry-cleaning was returned in a timely manner.

The wait staff in the restaurant, outdoor dining venues, bars and lounges were all top-notch. They were all smiling, accommodating and willing to fulfill any passenger requests.

The Entertainment department, of course, was a mainstay of the cruise. From the hardworking Cruise Director Jim Cannon and his assistant Robert Brendan keeping us in line during Trivia, the Guest Entertainers the in-house band and Club Trio for pre-dinner and after-dinner music and late night revelry with Darcy fronting The Band, pianist/vocalist Alexandra performing before and after dinner in the Observation Bar and last but not least, the Seabourn Quest Singers.

I really liked that Seabourn had three Guest Conversationalists rotating morning & afternoon conversations on the 8 sea days to Funchal and two Guest Conversationalists rotating morning & afternoon conversations on the 3 sea days from Funchal to Barcelona.

Seabourn signature standards, Team Trivia, Liars Club and Rock The Boat were well attended. Overall, the entertainment was great!

I did all day shore excursions in Tangier & Malaga and enjoyed them both. Destinations Manager Francisco and his team made certain everything went off like clockwork. Although the tour in Tangier was a “dry run” with a few glitches, I am certain the kinks will have been worked out in time for he summer season. The tour operators provided interesting tours with excellent guides and drivers.

I will now leave you with some views from my flight home from Amsterdam to Los Angeles. After departing Amsterdam and reaching cruising altitude, the earth below us was covered with blankets of white clouds. With the sun shining overhead the light was reflected off the clouds into the airplane through the windows, which was blinding.

Hence, for nearly the entire flight all window shades were pulled down. After finishing lunch, I raised the shade a bit and peeked out and saw the 1st photo below, and continued to peek to document the path to Los Angeles.

Farewell Freeze Frames:

Iceland At 34,000 Feet 1 of 3

Iceland At 34,000 Feet 2 of 3

Iceland At 34,000 Feet 3 of 3

Ice Floes (Note: the spiral clouds in the center of the upper third of the image)

Greenland Mountain Peaks Protruding Through Cloud Blanket at 36,000 Feet 1 of 2

Photos continued in my next post …