dawntrdr

DH and I attended most of the lectures, which were generally excellent. The lecturers were: bill Miller: history of the great ocean liners, life aboard them and how the stars traveled (hint, ladies have it much easier now). A delight to talk to. steve Rivellino: Broadway producer and former manager of Radio City Music Hall. He spoke on the Weimar cabarets, Bob Fosse, Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller, Chopin and Radio City. Really connected with the audience. Jim Brochu: actor and film historian on RKO studios and his friend Lucille Ball. Very accessible for questions. Michael Buerk: BBC reporter and long time anchor on the history of the British Empire,, language and social commentary. Everyone had very good film and pictures to illustrate their talks, especially Steve Rivellino, who produces informational films for business as well. Talks were 45 minutes. They were a definitely a few steps above lectures on our prior cruises. We would give them all a solid 5 out of 5 except for Buerk, who made some statements that were intentionally politically or socially provocative (as he had warned). He was not reading the room. @Catlover's review addressed this point cogently. His speech on the history and development of the English language was quite good though. All of the lectures were available for viewing on the TV.

I think the Dolce Vita size on the Moon and Dawn is perfect. The one on Nova is smaller.

Although the seas are rough today, the ship is acceptably stable. Just creaky.

The seas were mostly smooth except for the first day out of Lisbon (a notoriously rough area) and today. The Captain had been preparing us for several days that it would be bumpy today and indeed the seas are 3-5 meters with wind. Otherwise he has sailed a southerly course that gave us very mild pleasant weather (even some pool users yesterday). But indeed,new ships are creakier than old ones. The wear spots between gaskets in the door frames and where cabinets meet the walls haven't formed yet. We heard that one couple had to be moved to another cabin because of a problem with the sliding door noise. We have spent quite a lot of time sticking folded paper in various crevices.

The selection is pretty up to date too. They have Kate Morton's Homecoming which was only published a few months ago. Also Salman Rushdie, Stephen King, and a shelf of unmarked books which likely were left by pax. Much less emphasis on travel and animal life.

Here's a picture of the "hidden library".

Here's the current laundry price list on Silver Nova. A two piece suit is $16.50; $12 if you just want pressing.

Transocean cruises traditionally have a lot of activities and this cruise does not disappoint. Here are Today's Activities (two pages) copied from the tablet computer. You can also ask to have it printed and delivered (I see it in some mailboxes when I go to breakfast)

Amen to that. Insofar as readers may be interested about how people are interpreting Elegant Casual, it was elegant casual last night and much the majority of men at the Salt Bar were wearing jacket with no tie. The others had long sleeved collared shirts, and there were a few jacket and tie too. Ladies were wearing either country club chic (draped or fitted trousers with sweater or blouse and scarf or blazer) or smart dresses. Incidentally, a big surprise has been the weather. Although we are crossing the Atlantic in mid November, the Temps have been around 70F or 20C all day... very pleasant. The Marquee (Griile and Spaccanapoli) have been well attended.

It's too early to weigh the plusses and minuses (and i dont know where i will come out yet) but here are some little things I like so far: * the coffee cups in La Terraza are a larger size; no more looking around for the refill guy at breakfast. But not so large to get cold. * the ping-pong table is located in an ideal space on deck 2 - a room that's open on three side surrounded by some comfortable chairs for waiting. No more chasing the ball down three flights of stairs. * the chargers in Atlantide (the big plates that hold the space until the first course) have a pattern of scattered blossoms that is modern and charming. * behind the door in the observation lounge is a beautiful little library. I'll try to get some pictures to post by and by.

Yes, the butler brought us the small bottles of Bvlgari. They also have SebaMed antiallergenic but no more Otigia Sciliana.

Oh yes. I have seen so many vests on men on our current Nova TA for "elegant casual" nights. It's practically a fashion statement!

By the way, that's just the laundry on deck 8. There is oe on each of the 4 cabin decks.

You too! DH and i will try Salt Bar around 6:30 tonight and see if it is still packed. Let us know if you can come by.

Always a topic of intense interest: the laundry room. Yes, it's big.

It is difficult to portray exactly how long these halls are.

555 pax on board. Crew is only slightly less than that.

Here is the Silver Nova this morning in Lisbon. Another beautiful day!

I'm currently relaxing in my hotel in Lisbon and the weather is quiet and windless. The temperature is about 55F but overcast with a chilly mist.

What elegant ships! They are certainly a contender for my cruise dollar.

On Moon last year, the Salt Bar bartender made my husband several nonalcoholic drinks. DH just told him to suggest something and the bartender took it from there. It was fun seeing what showed up.

Years ago, the well-known writer and journalist William Safire compiled a book of favorite famous quotes called "Good Advice". I recall his personal favorite was an Hungarian saying "Complain to someone who can help you."

Sorry, yes - whoever is responsible for cleaning up the property that caused the leak.

Lois, Wet drywall, especially in Florida, can be a playground for mold. See if your landlord can lend you a heavy duty dehumidifier to help dry it out faster and report any smell or staining.

We were on the Wind in May 2023 for 11 days, suite 625. On occasion, there was a slight odor of sewage in the bathroom near the commode, which would last for a few seconds. Other than that, we did not notice any problems anywhere else on the ship, other than the fact that the in-suite decor is a bit out of fashion.