Live: Amazon River, Caribbean, Many Pix’s, Terry/Ohio

[upwarduk]

I love Aruba, but that's because our son worked there at the ( now closed) Oil Refinery. I spent 4 weeks there in Nov 2001 & April 2002.

They now rely heavily on tourism.

[alexandra cruiser]

looks like I ll be able to find some good books,but will bring a few paperbacks just in case. Not into kindle,know old school,haha

 

DH wore a dark blue blazer on the Seabourn black tie optional and was NOT kicked out. But read the formal requirements and was concerned,maybe not strictly inforced? If not,always other rest.options,or room service. He s sort of "eccentric" in that regard and does NOT even own a suit.We live in FL and not at all formal anywhere.

 

Learning a lot from photos too.Helps to sort of get an idea of it all.Member reviews do help,but tend to be negative.Picked this one for itinerary mostly(to see small Med islands like Menorca,Sardinia,Corsica,etc.Cancelled a Crystal one when I found THIS one next June due to that.

 

Have fun,I just got back from Oceania cruise that did similar itinerary as one you re on.

[lincslady]

Yes, Seabourn has now de-formalised the formal optional evenings a lot; a jacket or blazer is considered quite suitable, and a tie is not actually necessary either. Some of the old hands are not too keen, but it is the way the world is going. My DH does not own a suit either, except for the dinner jacket which he now does not take with him on Seabourn. He has never had nasty looks, as roughly half of the men are in a sports jacket or at best a 2 piece suit nowadays.

[TLCOhio]

ABC islands. I love Aruba, but that's because our son worked there at the ( now closed) Oil Refinery. I spent 4 weeks there in Nov 2001 & April 2002. They now rely heavily on tourism.

 

alexandra cruiser: Thanks for library pics and info. looks like I ll be able to find some good books' date='but will bring a few paperbacks just in case.

DH wore a dark blue blazer on the Seabourn black tie optional and was NOT kicked out. But read the formal requirements and was concerned,maybe not strictly inforced? If not,always other rest.options,or room service. He s sort of "eccentric" in that regard and does NOT even own a suit.We live in FL and not at all formal anywhere.

[b']Learning a lot from photos too. Helps to sort of get an idea of it all. [/b]Member reviews do help,but tend to be negative.Picked this one for itinerary mostly(to see small Med islands like Menorca,Sardinia,Corsica,etc. Cancelled a Crystal one when I found THIS one next June due to that. Have fun,I just got back from Oceania cruise that did similar itinerary as one you re on.

 

lincslady: Yes' date=' Seabourn has now de-formalised the formal optional evenings a lot; a jacket or blazer is considered quite suitable, and a tie is not actually necessary either. Some of the old hands are not too keen, but it is the way the world is going. My DH does not own a suit either, except for the dinner jacket which he now does not take with him on Seabourn. He has never had nasty looks, as roughly half of the men are in a sports jacket or at best a 2 piece suit nowadays. [/quote']

 

Appreciate all of these nice follow-up and information sharing. Glad to be of help. Lots more ship and port visuals to be coming. Let me know any special requests. A dark coat with pants of a similar color/style, should work. Tonight is formal night, our only one on this nine-day sailing. Will share more for how the dressing styles compared with what we saw on the earlier Amazon trip formal nights.

 

For JP and Chris, I shared at lunch today your kind wishes for Monteza. She really loved your remembering her. She's so wonderful! We were a little concerned that she might be departing in Barbados, but fortunately she continues on with us for this sailing.

 

On Rudy, his name tag says Rodolfo and YES, he is the one pictured earlier in my main dining room pictured. He smiled super strong when I mention that others have asked about him.

 

After this morning presentation on the Dutch ABC islands, plus more reading and research this afternoon, our excitement is really building for these three port locations. Have our excursions finalized. I've got my underwater Nikon camera all ready.

 

On the brightly-styled island of Curacao, its is 42 miles east of Aruba. As one of the ABC chain of islands, that also includes Aruba and Bonaire, legend says that an early governor suffered from migraines. He supposedly mandated the pastel-colored houses, now a trademark of this Southern Caribbean island. Reportedly, white paint aggravated his condition. Based on my reading, it seems wonderful for approaching by cruise ship and spotting these buildings in shades like cotton-candy pink and deep, ocean-blue.

 

Curacao was discovered by Spain's explorers in 1499 and was taken over in 1634 by the Dutch. They settled and named its capital city, Willemstad, as a naval base and in honor of their King of that related name. The city drew Dutch and Jewish merchants. With its distinctly Dutch feel in the centuries-old buildings that line the waterfront in those varied colors, I am looking forward to taking lots of pictures during our day and evening in this location.

 

Willemstad, where cruise ships dock across from the main business district, is rated as a vibrant, cosmopolitan city with waterfront shops and cafes. It is rated as very walkable. Temperatures are warm, but not too hot, thanks to the constant, breezy trade winds. The city is split into two districts, one on each side of a narrow but deep channel that is crossed by a floating, landmark pedestrian bridge. Beyond Willemstad, Curacao has many diving and swimming opportunities in and around its more than 35, uncrowded beaches.

 

Below are some visuals samples from our day walking to and around Barbados.

 

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 pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 97,624 views for this posting.

 

 

Here is a sunrise view in Barbados as the Silver Cloud has docked and two of the staff members are on the back deck looking towards the main part of Bridgetown.:

 

 

 

Here are several views as we were walking from the port to the main part of town in Barbados. This includes an artist having his crafts ready for sale to visitors. Then, there was a stop at the local island fish market where this merchant showed us the look of one of his large fish.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is sample of party boats in the main harbor serving some of the ship visitors from the Royal Princess and Carnival that in port during this day:

 

 

 

Here is a view of the main legislative building with the flag waiving at the top of its tower.:

 

[TLCOhio]

Here are more views from our Feb. 11 stop in Barbados as our first cruises ended and the second trip commenced.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Here was the nearly 3,000-passenger Carnival ship located next to the Silver Cloud while we were docked in Barbados:

 

 

 

Here is an excursion boat out in the blue waters with a freight ship seen in the background.:

 

 

 

Here are a variety of different building views in and around Barbados. Interesting variety of architecture styles, character, etc.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, a freight ship lighted and resting off shore.:

 

[fairbourne]

Thanks Terry for the continuing photo journey - all those desserts on your pub crawl looked so yummy, I may very well have by-passed anything else and gone straight to them! ;):D

 

Nice shot of the two crew members at sunrise. This must be one of the greatest perks working on a cruise ship - views like this at work!

 

Oh by the way, I love Aruba too! Here she is. She also features on another long running community on CC "cruising with a service dog". She's a Guide Dog for the Blind puppy that we are currently puppy walking (raising) and is one year old next week. We've never been to Aruba, so I am looking forward very much to your photos.

 

She would do well on Silversea with a mat like that "Eat up and Carry On"!!!:D:D

 

PS: Captain's family - beautiful photo. :)

[TLCOhio]

We were very fortunate to meet, talk with and in some cases, have dinner/lunch with a wide variety of interested, informed people during our 17-day Amazon River sailing. This was a wrap-up dinner on the final night before the Silver Cloud arrived in Barbados. We, fortunately, got to stay on the ship. The others had to head back to "regular" life.

 

Below are some photo samples from our "Last Supper" in the main dining room. Very good food, wine and company. Do people look happy?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

You can easily recognize this first item that my wife had first. The second pictures shows my choice that was three different variations of crab salads. Excellent texture and tastes! I also had a Caesar salad, but we have seen those, right?:

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a little view for one of the wines enjoyed that evening, plus my main beef tornadoes dish that was really impressive and excellent. I had not done that much beef on this cruise, but this dish really got my attention.:

 

 

 

 

For dessert, this Pistachio cake was super moist and very good. Plus, some great ice cream flavors, too!:

 

 

 

And now for proof that folks enjoyed their evening. Our group included representation from Canada, Germany, the UK and Philadelphia. Really fun and international mix on this sailing!:

 

[TLCOhio]

Yesterday during our day in Barbados involved a huge amount of work by and for the staff. Getting everybody's luggage off of each floor, down to the lower level, then to be moved ashore in the morning, etc. PLUS, handling all of the luggage for the new people coming on board that day. BUT, almost as big of a work effort was getting various waste items off of the ship AND loading all of the food, wine, supplies for the next nine-day trip.

 

Since we were doing a "back-to-back" sailing, we got to better see, first-hand, some samples for those many change-over efforts. Interesting how these various "logistics" happen and come together. We had to depart at 7 pm from Barbados.

 

Plus, more varied ship samples/views are below.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Here is how a big skid of materials is moved by a fork-lift from the truck to go on-board the Silver Cloud.:

 

 

 

Here is a look for how the Le Champagne dining area appears priority to the peak dining hours. Second is a little sampler for some of the higher-end wine/Champagne options that can be ordered (at higher cost) when dining in this location.:

 

 

 

For the Silver Cloud main dining room, here is the overall look of the area when you approach to be seated. Second is another picture of Rodolfo or Rudy showing another angle/detail from what is in this main dining area.:

 

 

 

 

 

For those in need of "retail therapy", here is one of the two shopping "opportunities" on the ship. The other has mostly clothing items. Glad that I overcame these "needs" to do such shopping long ago.:

 

[TLCOhio]

fairbourne: Thanks Terry for the continuing photo journey - all those desserts on your pub crawl looked so yummy' date=' I may very well have by-passed anything else and gone straight to them! Nice shot of the two crew members at sunrise. This must be one of the greatest perks working on a cruise ship - [b']views like this at work![/b] Oh by the way, I love Aruba too! Here she is. She also features on another long running community on CC "cruising with a service dog". She's a Guide Dog for the Blind puppy that we are currently puppy walking (raising) and is one year old next week. We've never been to Aruba, so I am looking forward very much to your photos. She would do well on Silversea with a mat like that "Eat up and Carry On"!!!

PS: Captain's family - beautiful photo.

 

Appreciate these nice comments from our friend across the Atlantic. YES, will get lots of good pictures from Aruba. Was tipped off this afternoon by Cruise Director Allen that we want to be up early for the sail-in to Willemstad, Curacao. With its swinging bridge and colorful buildings, etc., it is supposed to be well worth getting up to experience these sights. We are due to dock at 8 am tomorrow. Our five-hour beach-and/aquarium excursion starts at 9 am. It will be a busy, upcoming three days while visiting these Dutch ABC islands. But, our actual order will be C-A-B.

 

Below are just a few of my quick visuals from today. Should have a special dinner tonight in the main dining room and will share more tomorrow or the next day.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Super loved Dubrovnik!!! See more details and lots of great visual samples/examples at this link. Have had over 26,546 views on this posting.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227

 

 

This morning, the ship had a special breakfast for the 18 passengers continuing from the Amazon cruise to this current nine-day Caribbean sailing. It was in Le Champagne and the food quality was very, very nice. The Cruise Director, Hotel Director, etc., were there to make sure things were well-done and to thanks those repeat customers. We also met the new Executive Chef who came on-board in Barbados. He is long experienced with Silversea and is fresh from his R&R time while in the UK. He grew up in Mexico and had been on the Silver Wind prior to his vacation. I had Eggs Benedict with extra sauce added to accent what you see now in the below picture.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are two late afternoon visual samples around the pool area. At mid-day, the pool areas, at both levels, were super busy. Lots of new travelers on this cruise seeking that "quick tan" look so that people back home will know they were in the Caribbean while the weather has been so bad for many parts of the USA, Canada, the UK, etc. Second is the pool bar area with the staff giving good service. Don't want people going thirsty, right?:

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, as the "exclamation point" for my afternoon walk-around, here was the fun German couple who were on our earlier 17-day Amazon River cruise segment. Very smartly, they arranged for their Butler to bring up to the top deck, a little dose of refreshments!! What's better than glasses of Champagne and fresh strawberries??? All you need to do is ask! The Butlers like to be helpful and satisfy your creativity.:

 

[TLCOhio]

It was a special evening last night. At our table was a wonderful and interesting retired medical surgeon and his wife, Susan, from the State of Washington. They had both been on our immediately-prior, 17-day Amazon River sailing.

 

Plus, we were sitting at the Captain's table . . . with his just-arrived and charming wife, Ana. AND, most important, was their amazing 14-month-old daughter. This perfectly-behaved youngster had not napped during the day and was still adjusting from the time-zone changes, long flights with a five-hour lay-over in Miami in getting to Barbados from Mexico City, etc.

 

The daughter did so amazingly to stay up and do well up until past 10 pm. It was a lovely dinner discussion on many varied subjects, especially on family, a cruise Captain's four-months-on and two-months-off schedule, future Silversea building potentials/schedules, etc. Will share more later.

 

The Captain did share that our ship this morning will go into Willemstad, Curacao, around 7 am, do a sail-by of the main downtown buildings, then rotate in a middle/nearby larger lake-like, body of water, to reverse direction and then dock. People should be able to get off of the Silver Cloud around 8 am. Our tour is not until 9 pm. Busy day with lots of fun potentials here.

 

Now, some pictures below on last night's food, then another on the entertainment last night, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

For dinner, it was a white wine evening with the starter below shown of a nice and tasty crab salad. Not shown, to follow, was a very good risotto and then the lobster main entree as reflected in the second picture. My wife had a fish dish and raved about it being one of the best she has ever enjoyed.:

 

 

 

 

 

Desserts? Neither the Captain or the experienced couple from Washington state had desserts. Maybe smart??!! The MD is much more trim and fit than me. Below is a visual of my pistachio cake with ice cream treat. The ice creams on this ship have been very, very good. Will have to check more to see if they are made on the ship and/or which part of Heaven from where they come. Second, the Captain's wife offered up her plate of dessert for me to capture with my camera. And, here it is below. Very much chocolate. Personally, I'm not much of a chocolate guy. Sorry!!:

 

 

 

Edited February 13, 2015 by TLCOhio

[TLCOhio]

Appreciate those who continue to drop by and view our sunny fun. This live/blog has not gone over 10,000 views. Don't be shy with any questions and/or comments. OR, to share tips on things to see and do with our upcoming ports, San Juan, etc.

 

Below is a little sampling for tonight's entertainment with the "Voices of Silversea".

 

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 97,701 views for this posting.

 

 

Here are four of my visual samples for the varied costumes and the stage setting as these singing voices did some Latin-style favorites. Nice and up-beat program and the crowd like the performance package.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To close out the night's program, here is Cruise Director Allen King, Mr. Happy Socks, doing three of his hyper-corny, but funny Scottish jokes. The crowd was rolling and loving!! It's mostly new people and they do not any better. I have already sent this picture to his wife, Marty, in Michigan, to prove that her husband is still alive and working, kind of, maybe!:

 

 

 

Finally, as entertainment, costly if done at this ship location, they have the retail stores open after the show. This is the other half of their operations that features watches, clothing, etc. As you can see, there were no long lines of people working on lightening their wallets. My guess is that on this cruise, more of the shopping with done in the varied ports where we are stopping in the coming week ahead.:

 

[fairbourne]

Morning Terry from a dull, tad chilly Scotland!

 

Oh my as I was eating my breakfast - a small creamy rice pudding this morning as a change - your wonderful delicious eggs benedict appeared - food for thought indeed as it is Valentine's Day tomorrow, so maybe, just maybe the DH may get a treat! I'm like you I like a good dollop of hollandaise sauce, no point in having them without enough sauce to last until the last mouthful! LOL! ;) and of course, if you have some delicious Scottish Smoked Salmon with them, even better! :D

 

Sounds like you are meeting some really very nice folk on your trip - that makes such a difference.

 

Anyway, hope you had a magical sail into Willemstad, and will look forward to seeing the photos.

[TLCOhio]

hope you had a magical sail into Willemstad, and will look forward to seeing the photos.

 

YES!! Just arrived. Fun port. More to come. Appreciate your sharing breakfast with us on these CC Boards.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[TLCOhio]

Just a quick few visuals from today. Many more to come shortly from our visits to the Sea Aquarium, beach, etc.

 

Just got a message that things are cold, cold, cold in the Central Ohio today. Was a high of 88F here on this island.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Have enjoyed our day in Willemstad, Curacao. Fun sail-in with their unique, floating, wooden bridge, etc. Below are a couple of quick visuals from their main downtown buildings with their colorful Dutch-style, plus where the ship sits with the big bridge in the background.:

 

 

 

 

 

After getting back from the Sea Aquarium and beach, we had a late lunch on the ship's top deck. The Captain's wife and their daughter were there. Despite a late evening yesterday, their young girl slept straight through last night. Then the Captain dropped by and I got this picture to share of the three of them.:

 

[Emtbsam]

Great photo of the Captain and his family. Their daughter is a beauty!

[TLCOhio]

Great photo of the Captain and his family. Their daughter is a beauty!

 

YES, agree, 100%, especially when you get to know BOTH of the parents. Both are class, hard-working, very focused people. The daughter does not just look-good, but behave amazingly under challenging circumstances. Appreciate your comments.

 

Below are a few pictures from visiting the Sea Aquarium yesterday.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

First, some cute flamingos. Lots of action, focus on keeping themselves looking great. Wonderful to see this creatures so "up close and personal"!!:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, now some from the fun and interesting dolphin show. Very smart animals to be able do so many different tricks, etc. Great work by the trainers!:

 

 

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

Here is more from our day in Willemstad, Curacao, yesterday. Hot, humid, lots of clouds, a threat of rain, but no major problems. Did walking around in their main downtown. BUT, many of the stores closed early, avoiding the need for any retail purchases! Good news!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

More dolphins, sea lions, birds, etc. Personally, we would, ideally, prefer just these fine creatives in pure nature, but this was a nice start for these three Dutch ABC islands.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[upwarduk]

Stunning pictures Terry.

Enjoy your day, I spent 4 weeks in Aruba 2011/2002, when our son worked as an Oil Consultant at the ( now closed ) Oil Refinery at St Nicholas.

Edited February 14, 2015 by upwarduk

[TLCOhio]

Stunning pictures Terry. Enjoy your day, I spent 4 weeks in Aruba 2011/2002, when our son worked as an Oil Consultant at the ( now closed ) Oil Refinery at St Nicholas.

 

Just back from a morning tour to sample the various sights and areas around Aruba. Interesting contrasts. A big, big Carnival ship just rolled into port next to our more modest Silver Cloud.

 

Below is the big, BIG story for how and why we are so "smart" now to be here where it is sunny and warm. From AccuWeather yesterday/Friday, here is the "killer's row" of cold, cold, cold in Central Ohio.

 

Many more pictures to be coming in the next few days.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

[TLCOhio]

For Aruba, here is some background on this island in the ABC's.

 

In a parking lot this morning, we saw this phrase on the license plates: "One Happy Island". Seems to fit and we can understand why is is used as the official motto of Aruba. Aruba's economy is fueled by tourists' dollars, totally now about 70% of their economy. This island is more focused on tourism than the neighboring islands Bonaire and Curacao. Most Arubans speak English and accept U.S. currency, and shops located in and around the port area are American -- Tommy Hilfiger, Diamonds International, plus even in a smaller towns, there was Taco Bell, McDonalds, etc.

 

Aruba has a rich, layered heritage. The first people to inhabit the island were a nation of Arawak Indians. (The name Aruba seems to have derived from the Arawak Indian word oibubai, which means guide.) In 1499, the Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda laid claim to the territory for Queen Isabella. Nearly 200 years later, the Dutch captured the islands of Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire from the Spanish, and much of that heritage can be seen in its pastel Old World architecture.

 

On Aruba, you do not come here for the old, historic buildings. It is for the diversions and some describe Aruba as the Caribbean's theme park. Lots and lots of casinos, duty-free shops, more than two dozen dive sites, a few famous shipwrecks and even a championship golf course. Lots of cactus here and then there are Aruba's trademark divi divi trees that always point in a southwesterly direction (due to trade winds that blow from the northeast). Loved this morning seeing the sandy beaches that ring the island.

 

Located only 20 miles north of Venezuela, temperatures are consistently pleasant (lows in the 70s, highs in the 80s). There is no "rainy" season as its rainfall is very limited and averages only about 20" total for a year. Its location is far below the Atlantic hurricane belt. Aruba's dry climate makes it home to large mondis (forests of cacti). As drove around the island, you could feel like you are in Arizona, rather than the Caribbean!

 

Many pictures to follow in the next couple of days. Too busy now doing and seeing to be current with sharing all of the visuals experiences.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Here are a few more of the Sea Aquarium in Curacao. They had an underwater boat/submarine that offer some nice views (plus being air conditioned!).:

 

 

 

 

 

We then did a walk to a nearby beach area and observed a couple different lizards. Not big, wild animals, but fun to see!:

 

 

 

 

 

At this beach area, we were in the part with the yellow chairs and a few trees for a some shade.:

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

Here are a couple more visuals from Curacao. Will have later some added sights of the special wooden, floating bridge, its lighting at night, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

As we sailed our from the beach/Sea Aquarium area, here is a view.:

 

 

 

Plus, you have to love seeing the trees, coconuts, etc. We do not get these kind sights and fun in Central Ohio.:

 

[Tiggerlilly1]

Hi Terry,

Your assessment of Aruba is spot on. We stopped there after going through the Panama Canal a few years ago. It is more of a desert island than any of the other ones we visited. The aloe companies seemed tobe everywhere and it was very geared to tourists.

BE happy you are not in OH. We were coming home from Weilands this morning and got caught in a snow squall that had visibility down to zero. Think we got a couple inches out here in Dublin.

Diane

[RMS SeaCat]

Please excuse the interruption...but I have been following/lurking on Terry's lovely blog and thinking about booking a cruise on Silversea as a result of this. Not sure about the Amazon as I don't like the thought of all the jungle bugs, but the Caribbean is looking good so far as l like the warm weather when it is very cold at home. Only tried a quick party cruise on a Fred Olsen boat so far, but all this looks really nice so hope l can persuade my better half to book something. Not really sure about all the rich food can't eat like I used to when l was younger. Any advice welcome.

 

Thanks

[Tothesunset]

Please excuse the interruption...but I have been following/lurking on Terry's lovely blog and thinking about booking a cruise on Silversea as a result of this. Not sure about the Amazon as I don't like the thought of all the jungle bugs, but the Caribbean is looking good so far as l like the warm weather when it is very cold at home. Only tried a quick party cruise on a Fred Olsen boat so far, but all this looks really nice so hope l can persuade my better half to book something. Not really sure about all the rich food can't eat like I used to when l was younger. Any advice welcome.

 

Thanks

Our experience is that there are no more bugs on the Amazon than on the Caribbean islands.

[TLCOhio]

Hi Terry, Your assessment of Aruba is spot on. We stopped there after going through the Panama Canal a few years ago. It is more of a desert island than any of the other ones we visited. The aloe companies seemed tobe everywhere and it was very geared to tourists.

BE happy you are not in OH. We were coming home from Weilands this morning and got caught in a snow squall that had visibility down to zero. Think we got a couple inches out here in Dublin. Diane

 

RMS SeaCat: Please excuse the interruption...but I have been following/lurking on Terry's lovely blog and thinking about booking a cruise on Silversea as a result of this. Not sure about the Amazon as I don't like the thought of all the jungle bugs' date=' but the Caribbean is looking good so far as l like the warm weather when it is very cold at home. Only tried a quick party cruise on a Fred Olsen boat so far, but all this looks really nice so hope l can persuade my better half to book something. Not really sure about all the rich food can't eat like I used to when l was younger. [b']Any advice welcome[/b]. Thanks

 

Tothesunset: Our experience is that there are no more bugs on the Amazon than on the Caribbean islands.

 

Appreciate Diane's winter/snow updates from Central Ohio. Have shared with my wife Penny and we will definitely enjoy staying down in the Caribbean where it is much nicer and warmer for another week plus.

 

For RMS SeaCat' date=' [b']don't worry "the interruption"![/b] Glad you raised these good questions. Agree with Tothesunset that the bugs were not any major problem for us in the Amazon. Wore our Deet and do not really remember any challenges, large or small, during our time in Manaus and/or in sailing in or out. Yes, encourage your "better half" to consider this type of "adventure". Do not worry on "rich food". With Silversea, the portions generally are smaller and you can/order what fits your personal needs/desires. Keep sharing these types of good questions.

 

Here are four final visuals from Curacao. This spotlights the Queen Emma Bridge, a pontoon crossing St. Anna Bay in Curaçao. The bridge is hinged and opens via two diesel engines turning propellers. The bridge was built in 1888 and was completely renovated in 1939. Originally it was a toll bridge. Today, the toll is no longer charged.

 

Next, lots of visuals on Aruba and our fun here today.

 

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 171,558 views.

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

 

 

From Curacao, one of the really fun fascinations for me was walking across and watching the opening of the floating, wooden bridge in the downtown/port area. Very unique and interesting!! We also rode the ferry across on one of the times when this floating bridge was briefly closed to allow a ship, such as the one shown below, to exit their harbor area to the open seas. Also shown are that bridge in the day-time in context of their main downtown, historic buildings and another of my visuals to illustrate how things looked at night when the special lighting was on this bridge. Fun visit to Curacao!: