U.S. Men's Basketball Team to Bunk on Silversea Cruise Ship

From earlier and also more recent postings that I have done on these Silversea and South America Cruise Critic boards, here below is some added information, plus pictures, etc.

From the London/UK Daily Mail early this week, they had this headline: "CRUISE LINER! Team USA basketball millionaires reject shared bedrooms for luxury life with spa, shops" as the top, biggest lead story on their U.S. website. Here are some of their story details/added highlights: "The millionaire NBA stars will arrive for the Rio Olympics tomorrow to take up residence in this luxury cruise ship. The Olympic superstars' boat is moored on the Port of Rio, which is surrounded by workmen drilling, digging and putting the finishing touches to the area immediately in front of the 196-cabin boat. When players like Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Kyrie Irving look out of their specially adapted cabins to the port they will view teams of construction workers in hard hats racing against time to complete their work. The ship will afford the NBA men and women players the type of security that they would expect and will be closed off to the public. The only entrance is through an airport style scanner which is manned by Port Maua staff, backed up by security guards. On the water police circle the ship on gun boats with marksmen equipped with automatic rifles. The moored ship is surrounded by a bullet proof glass fence and 250 federal police officers are on alert keeping a watchful eye. 'Nobody can get near the boat without invitation' said one security official. After Rio, the boat will set sail for Europe and visit Lisbon, Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Athens."

Not only does this posting have many pictures of the Silver Cloud in this Rio port, but they also have a wide variety of visuals for the many luxury details that passengers (and basketball stars) on this ship get to enjoy. Bring back nice memories?

Full story at:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3720299/Forget-athletes-village-staying-CRUISE-LINER-USA-basketball-team-rejects-shared-bedrooms-luxury-life-spa-shops-7ft-beds.html

Here is the link to the nearly two-minute video segment that NBC-TV's Today Show did this morning on the Silver Cloud, etc. Below are some visual highlights from that TV reporting. NBC is paying millions for the Olympic TV rights, but their reporter and camera operator did not get on the ship. YET??!! Maybe later there will be more from the ship and interviews with some of the players as to how they like this Silversea ship and service.

Looks like great visibility and PR for Silversea.

Silver Cloud/NBA/Rio/NBC-TV Video Link:

http://www.today.com/video/go-aboard-the-luxury-cruise-ship-housing-nba-players-in-rio-738000451603

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 40,861 views for these postings.

Here are just two of the many visuals from this London/UK newspaper website regarding the Silver Cloud and its "special duties" in Rio. These pictures bring back exciting memories from our four sailings on this luxury ship!!:

Here are some visual highlights from the NBC-TV Today Show segment this morning on the Silver Cloud, the pro basketball stars and Rio. First, is their reporter standing with the ship in the background. Notice what appears to be a Silversea staff officer walking by? Second is one of the Silver Cloud staff being captured on the ship with a long-range lens. Third are some of the basketball players walking around on the top deck to check out the Silver Cloud. Finally, here is one of their visuals showing the Silver Cloud docked in Rio.:

I recognize the crew member from prior cruises. Delightful young gentleman.

I am embarrassed I can not recall his name.

Could it be Laurence? Hope someone does remember his name.

Was in the Panorama...

Given that out team cam close to being cooked due too faulty alarms then lost laptops etcin the evac who can blame them

FWIW 2000 saw a lot of athletes on ships in our harbour

Friends in Rio have said every opportunist is out and about.....

Hmm, have you seen the pic of the building. An easy mistake to make , not!

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/1563462/team-usa-olympic-basketball-stars-caught-inside-a-rio-brothel-but-they-claim-they-thought-it-was-a-spa/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3726322/Alley-oops-three-male-Team-USA-basketball-players-caught-BROTHEL-Rio-insist-thought-spa.html

Oops!

I recognize the crew member from prior cruises. Delightful young gentleman. Could it be Laurence? Hope someone does remember his name. Was in the Panorama...

Appreciate the good memory work by Spins in trying to remember this Silversea staff member. Any other re-calls?

From the New York Times tomorrow, they have this headline: "Luxury Liner Houses U.S. Basketball Stars" with these highlights: "Every four years, the same questions tend to surface before the Summer Olympics including what sort of cushy digs will the United States basketball players find for themselves? Once again, the men’s and women’s basketball players from the United States are avoiding the athletes’ village. Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Diana Taurasi and the rest of their high-profile teammates are staying on a luxury cruise ship, docked at a pier on the other side of the city. U.S.A. Basketball has shunned the athletes’ village since 1992. The team stayed on a ship at the 2004 Games in Athens, then used hotels in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012."

One player in her second Olympics said: “Let’s be honest — how can our men’s and women’s teams stay in the village? They would get bombarded, especially the men’s team. They won’t have peace.”

From one of the world's supposedly top newspapers, the New York Times, however, did goof in calling this ship the "Sea Cloud". Sorry, the pictures clearly showed the name as the Silver Cloud. Would not think that this newspaper would make this type of error.

The ship is located in thee Plaza Mauá, on the city’s eastern waterfront. This story notes that this areas "was revamped as one of the legacy projects of these Games, with new museums and areas for outdoor activities. Warehouses along the pier are now used as event and party spaces. Diana Taurasi, one of the women’s team captains, lightheartedly described the ship as having 'a nice, 19th-century Russian décor.' " Another team player cited the Silver Cloud's pool, gym, social rooms and conference rooms. That player also noted that they can order room service anytime and added: “Same thing we’d do in a hotel. It just floats.”

Below are a few more pictures that have not, yet, been posted here from the media showing the Silver Cloud and activities.

Full story at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/07/sports/olympics/rio-2016-basketball-united-states-cruise-ship.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=photo-spot-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

AFRICA?!!?: Lots of interesting and dramatic pictures can be seen from my latest live/blog, including ten days on the Silver Cloud, at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Now at 18,385 views for this reporting and visual sharing that includes Cape Town, all along the South Africa coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta area.

From recent media postings, here are some added visuals from Rio as players are boarding the Silver Cloud, including with help from the Butlers. You can also see folks enjoying activities around the pool of this Silversea luxury ship. Recognize these fun Silver Cloud locations where we have previously enjoyed our leisure?:

From the Los Angeles Times this morning, they have this headline: "All is shipshape for U.S. men's basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski" with these highlights from the current and highly-respected Duke University head coach: "U.S. men’s basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski is normally stern and serious, but he displayed a hint of his sense of humor when asked about his team’s Olympic housing arrangements. A French journalist asked Krzyzewski about the choice of isolating the team from the bigger Olympic experience and 'living on a boat.' Krzyzewski surprised his audience by performing a mini-standup comedy routine."

Here were this famed coach's comments about life on this ship:

"Well, we don’t live on a boat. We’re staying on a boat. I actually live in Durham, N.C. I have a swimming pool and once in a while I get on a raft but I never really thought about living on a boat. Since 1992 the U.S. teams have stayed in different locations and because of the accommodations here, that was good. And it’s not our boat, you know. We’re not the only people on the boat. There are other people on the boat that you say, ‘Good morning,’ to, ‘Hello.’ We’ve actually made friends on the boat. I never knew I would have boat friends. But now that I’m talking about it I might go buy a boat and put it in my swimming pool. But I’d have to have a bigger swimming pool."

This Duke coach is very, very dry in his normal comments, making these responses somewhat fun to those in the U.S. who have followed his long and successful career.

The author of this article concluded with this comment: "As long as no one’s staying on the Titanic or the S.S. Minnow it should all be fine."

Full story at:

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-oly-rio-2016-all-is-ship-shape-for-u-s-men-s-1470714639-htmlstory.html

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 152,014 views for this posting.

That gangway looks a little steep for ordinary cruisers

That gangway looks a little steep for ordinary cruisers

Appreciate the excellent observation by Mr Luxury. BUT, those star and professional basketball players have better-conditioned bodies and longer legs that most of us older folks on this CC board. Because of the varied docking locations and heights, I have found at times it a little challenging going up, up and UP those stairs. Or, down.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 40,958 views for these postings.

Wow, today's story that Brian Lochte and a few fellow swimmers were robbed on the street by thieves dressed as police really made this thread hit home!

The crew member who's face is so clearly seen is Joseph!

I just asked the bar staff here on the Spirit.

The crew member who's face is so clearly seen is Joseph! I just asked the bar staff here on the Spirit.

Appreciate that name connection done by Candy during her Spirit sailing in the Med. Yes, more did come out on the Ryan Locate "situation" where he was totally fibbing about that supposed "robbery" incident. Sad.

BUT, for a good-news update (or GOLD news) the basketballers, both the women and men, won the top prizes at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Congrats to these USA teams. Both games in the finals were blow-outs. In that game, the winner got gold, while the loser got only silver.

From ESPN, their story on the men's basketball win yesterday had this cute twist: "It could have been, when you really looked at it, an unfortunate omen. A booking gone bad. Housing all those famous faces from the NBA on a luxury cruise liner called The Silver Cloud? At the Olympics?"

Get it? The teams want to win the top prize, Gold, not Silver for being the "loser"!! Should Silversea have re-named the ship as the "GOLD CLOUD"??

Glad things worked out well for the Silver Cloud and their residents on the ship during this Rio Olympics period.

Full story at:

http://www.espn.com/olympics/basketball/story/_/id/17360524/olympics-2016-team-usa-saves-best-last

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 202,181 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923