Shadow Hong Kong to Tokyo to Seward

[duct tape]

More great pix and commentary! Thanx

[Silver Spectre]

Hope the weather improves for you in Petropavlovsk, as said before the Volcano ATV tour is wonderful, if the weather obliges.

 

If you get a chance ask David Bilsland how he coped with having to loose hours on the Spirit after doing the same on the Cloud, and then flying out to join you guys.

[Wellseasoned]

Well, we really lucked out! After two sea days with fog, rain, overcast, we anchored at Petropavlosk yesterday morning (May 8), with clear skies and bright sunshine. They had had fog and no visibility the day before. The Kamchatka volcanoes all along the bay are spectacular, particularly the ones looming over Petropavlosk. We did the all day excursion to a camp in the saddle between the tallest Kamchatka volcano, Koryaksky, and the most active, Avachinsky. The route was on a "dry" muddy, rocky riverbed and snowfields, by ATV truck and snowcat. Absolutely spectacular! We celebrated the evening with a great meal in Le Champagne.

The Indian dinner the previous evening was terrific. They created wonderful dishes for our group, and we all loved it.

Today at sea it is again cold, overcast and foggy. This is the first of three sea days (we get an extra May 9 because of the dateline). We attended David Bilsland's knife skills session this morning, learned much, had fun, and managed to avoid drawing blood. Tonight is the Venetian formal.

The internet connections remain inconsistent and could use real improvement. I also wish that we had more lecturers on different topics aboard. We've also had four straight nights of losing an hour's sleep because of the time changes since leaving Japan. There are several more to come. But the food and service remain excellent, and the passengers and crew seem happy.

 

Petropavlosk and Volcanoes

 

Avachinsky Volcano

 

Koryatsky Volcano and ATV Truck

 

Local Kamchatka Beer at Volcano Camp Lunch

 

Snowcat and Certain Passenger at Volcano Camp

 

Hiking at Camp Between Koryatsky and Avachinsky Volcanoes

[Stumblefoot]

Wow! The Kamchatka volcanoes are stunning. Glad you had an incredibly beautiful day to enjoy them.

[spinnaker2]

Spectacular !

 

 

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[ging466]

Fantastic to see your pics of the volcanoes. When I was there in 2012, we didn't have snow on the ground.

 

Just love your wonderful pics.

 

Cheers

Jennifer

[WesW]

Thanks for another wonderful update Dieter, coupled well with your beautiful pix, esp liked the pix with Debbie in front of your excursion ride above.

[duct tape]

Wow is right. Terrific pix. Thanx.

[Emtbsam]

Your photos are simply wonderful.

[Silver Spectre]

Firstly, glad that you were blessed with such good weather and you got to travel in a snowcat.

 

Love your excellent photos.

 

Hope your next couple of day in the Bering Sea are not too rough!

[Wellseasoned]

Thank you all for your kind words! Tonight we are finishing three straight sea days. It's been cloudy, foggy, but the seas have been normal, none of the rough Bering Sea problems! We've enjoyed the usual on board pleasures, such as David Bilsland's demos, knife and appetizer lessons (no blood!), great service and food, and reasonable success at trivia. The CD Don Fluke did his own singing show yesterday, and it was quite good. It would still be nice to have more lecturers with all these sea days. The Artists are good, and two of the female singers have outstanding operatic voices. Tonight is the last of seven consecutive turn clock ahead nights. Tomorrow morning we dock at Dutch Harbor, Alaska for a half day visit and have the Coast Guard/passport inspection. The Health Service inspection is on one of the next few days. Hope all goes well. I understand that the weather will become warmer with sunshine as we progress through the Alaskan island stops until Seward. All in all, a great cruise!

[duct tape]

So glad you had calm seas. One thing Cunard does that I like - when eastbound TA they change the clocks at 12N so the crew is less traumatized. Nice idea. I keep mentioning it to SS but they aren't listening. Catch up on that sleep!

[spinnaker2]

Sounds like so much fun

We are on discoverer Seward to nome in July.

Wonder if you encountered mosquitoes since we have been told it's an issue?

 

 

 

 

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[Stumblefoot]

Tomorrow morning we dock at Dutch Harbor, Alaska

Be on the lookout for the Northwestern, Time Bandit, Wizard, Cape Caution, Saga, and Seabrooke. While I love watching them work, I would never want to take a "cruise" on them.

[SeaEyre]

Your pictures are indeed wonderful, Dieter. We're looking forward to welcoming you home and hearing about the trip in more detail. Read Jennifer's (ging466) review of her first trip on Crystal Symphony, since my own experience of the ship almost exactly echoes hers.

[Wellseasoned]

Monday May 11 morning it was gloomy and drizzly in Dutch Harbor, Unalaska, Alaska. Just a half day. Saw some bald eagles. No mosquitoes so far. But the afternoon brightened into a beautiful sunny evening, cruising along Aleutian islands with lovely volcanoes and mountains, whales cavorting nearby at dinner. Our same group that had the Indian dinner a few nights ago arranged a Philipine dinner for last night, and it was again a multi-course delight. The chefs create the menu and surprise us with an array of wonderful dishes.

 

Today, May 12, we are again at sea, again overcast, but no time changes! Tomorrow Kodiak Island is supposed to be partly sunny and warmer. Hope so. The pool grill has not been open for lunch or dinner for quite a few days, and the pool has been closed.

 

Earlier I mentioned the large group of 93 who are part of a multi university alumni tour, and some who booked through the Smithsonian, same travel booking service. Pleasant fellow passengers, many new friends. But they do have their own lecturers, and Silversea makes no mention of those lectures to the rest of us. They of course attend all of the regular Silversea talks and events. I wonder if that is part of the reason that we have so little in the way of lectures for such a sea-intensive cruise? On several afternoons a movie is shown in the show lounge, which is unusual in our experience. Two nights ago the Panorama Lounge was occupied by a private pre-dinner cocktail party for the large group. We have also wondered why most of the tours in the next stops of Kodiak and Homer Alaska, which have limited tourist infrastructure, were already waitlisted when they became available for booking four months prior to the cruise. Had the large group been given early access? I don't know, but I wonder. I don't know how this could be done, but I agree with others on CC that Silversea should allow potential or booked passengers to know if there is a large group booking a cruise, with an option to change or cancel if desired. I hasten to add that I would never have cancelled for this group, but what if it had been a reward cruise for 93 (pick your own nightmare group)?

 

Lovely dinner tonight with Carl, the cruise consultant. He should write a book about his experiences. It would be a bestseller!

 

pool deck, Dutch Harbor, Alaska

 

[RachelG]

Brrrr!

[englishusa]

Dieter:Have any of the Shadow's bathrooms been converted to the "rainforest" showers?

[duct tape]

How much better weather is anticipated next month? It is anticipated at all???? Thinking of escaping to Alaska.

[Wellseasoned]

David, no, there are no rain showers.

 

Duct tape, The weather improved greatly by yesterday. Kodiak was sunny and beautiful and warm enough to open the pool deck and grill. Today we just docked in Homer and it is clear and sunny at 8 AM, temperature currently 57 F. We are about to go ashore and explore.

 

Today is the last day aboard. Early tomorrow morning we dock at Seward and board the scenic train to Anchorage and flights home.

[duct tape]

Thanx. Have a terrific day.

[spinnaker2]

Looked like a splendid voyage

 

 

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[Silver Spectre]

Thanks for taking us with you Dieter, have a safe and pleasant journey home.

[WesW]

Echo Mr. Silver's Thanks Dieter(and Debbie)...safe travels home

 

 

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[drron29]

Thanks for the report.Brought back some good memories.