Live From Silver Spirit - January 7, 2016 Sailing

[Keith1010]

Thanks so much Miles.

 

This will be a simpler blog than we normally do and we've included it on the first post of this thread.

 

http://silverspiritcruise.blogspot.com

 

Very happy to hear about the weather as the forecast was not the greatest so hoping it will be nice. The good news is that it will be warmer than it is here.

 

Best to you and to Dan.

[Travelcat2]

Hi Keith,

 

Lots of us are very excited to be reading about our Silver Spirit cruise - hope it is happy and safe. Happy New Year!

 

Jackie

[Mr Luxury]

Safe travels Keith,I can't wait to read what you think of the Silver Spirit and her design and service.

[Keith1010]

Jackie and Mr Luxury thank you both so very much for your comments.

 

Happy New Year.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Our flight was uneventful and we arrive to Fort Lauderdale on time and we arrive to the hotel at around 3:00 PM and our room was ready. All good news.

 

We got settled in and then walked around for a short time. We are staying at the Ritz Carlton in Fort Lauderdale. Beautiful hotel.

 

We look forward to a fun day in Florida tomorrow.

 

We updated our blog.

 

Keith

[Reader0108598]

Our flight was uneventful and we arrive to Fort Lauderdale on time and we arrive to the hotel at around 3:00 PM and our room was ready. All good news.

 

We got settled in and then walked around for a short time. We are staying at the Ritz Carlton in Fort Lauderdale. Beautiful hotel.

 

We look forward to a fun day in Florida tomorrow.

 

We updated our blog.

 

Keith

 

 

Like those uneventful flights..lol

I love getting up in the morning and seeing the ocean...:)

 

Enjoy your evening!

 

Reader

Edited January 4, 2016 by Reader0108598

[TrulyBlonde]

Our flight was uneventful and we arrive to Fort Lauderdale on time and we arrive to the hotel at around 3:00 PM and our room was ready. All good news.

 

We got settled in and then walked around for a short time. We are staying at the Ritz Carlton in Fort Lauderdale. Beautiful hotel.

 

We look forward to a fun day in Florida tomorrow.

 

We updated our blog.

 

Keith

 

Keith, I have a daughter in Jupiter FL and one in LA. We have our annual Mom/Daughter birthday every Sept. Mom(me) usually flies in and out of FLL and we always spend my last day at the Ritz FLL. This past Sept. they gave us the best suite in the house (off season) and we had a wonderful time. It is a lovely hotel and recently refurbished. Take the water taxi from Pier 66 for a nice tour and lunch or dinner on the water. Have fun!

[May B]

Keith, I hope you and Anne Marie have a delightful time. Key West is one of my favorites. If you haven't been to Truman's Little White House, I recommend it highly. I'm sure you have your time there all planned out, but that's my #1 favorite. Such a great place to walk around! SO much to see, on one flat little island. Can't wait to read all about it and see your photos.

 

Bon voyage.

 

--May

[Keith1010]

Like those uneventful flights..lol

I love getting up in the morning and seeing the ocean...:)

 

Enjoy your evening!

 

Reader

 

Thank you Reader.

 

I love seeing the ocean too. Guess that is one of the reason we love to cruise. :)

 

We look forward to walking this morning and enjoying views of the ocean.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Keith, I hope you and Anne Marie have a delightful time. Key West is one of my favorites. If you haven't been to Truman's Little White House, I recommend it highly. I'm sure you have your time there all planned out, but that's my #1 favorite. Such a great place to walk around! SO much to see, on one flat little island. Can't wait to read all about it and see your photos.

 

Bon voyage.

 

--May

 

May thank you so much. We love Key West too.

 

We have been to Truman's Little White House three times but will likely visit there again. On our last visit a couple of years ago we also toured the Hemingway House. We love trying to get out and about before all of the other tourists are off the ship(s).

 

Thank you again for your good wishes.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Keith, I have a daughter in Jupiter FL and one in LA. We have our annual Mom/Daughter birthday every Sept. Mom(me) usually flies in and out of FLL and we always spend my last day at the Ritz FLL. This past Sept. they gave us the best suite in the house (off season) and we had a wonderful time. It is a lovely hotel and recently refurbished. Take the water taxi from Pier 66 for a nice tour and lunch or dinner on the water. Have fun!

 

portofinoitlay thank you for your suggestions. This is our first time at this Ritz Carlton (I don't think it existed the last time we stayed in Fort Lauderdale) Oh was it that long ago. Last time we stayed at the Lago Mar Resort.

 

We too have been very impressed with the Ritz. Great tradition for the Mom (you) and Daughter birthday.

 

Happy New Year.

 

Keith

[apuleius]

Looking fwd to meeting you on board at the M&M!

Joanna

[spinnaker2]

Keith

It's a little chilly today with an overcast sky.

While we south Floridians relish the cool temps, we hope they don't deter you from enjoying your day and your anticipation for your cruise.

Have a great day!

[specialcruisegirl]

Wishing you both a wonderful voyage and looking forward to your reports!

 

Sophia [emoji5]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[oregon50]

If you enjoy opera at all, a very talented soprano on board.

[Keith1010]

Joanna, looking forward to meeting you at the M&M as well.

 

spinnaker, thank you for your good wishes. Although a little chilly this morning we enjoyed several terrific walks and the sun did break out with warmer weather and the same was true of our first of two walks that we are taking this afternoon. Just back a few minutes ago from the first of the afternoon walks.

 

Sophia, thank you for the good wishes.

 

Oregon50 so glad to hear about the talented on board soprano.

 

Keith

[spinnaker2]

keith

don't tell anyone about this spectacular weather...we will have even more traffic here!

Its turned into a glorious day. Enjoy it!

[jpalbny]

Have a great trip. We have not tried one of the "big" SS ships yet, so looking forward to hearing about your experience.

[May B]

Years ago we went to Audubon House but have never returned. Years ago went to Hemingway House and did return last January.

 

Also enjoyed walk to the cemetery -- memorial for the Maine, plus small but interesting Jewish section. Nearby is a lovely Catholic Church:

 

http://www.stmarykeywest.com/

 

And I believe the Botanical Garden was another nice walk. Stopped at an open house on the way, wish we could've bought it!

 

Have a great day there, but in the meantime, glad you are enjoying Fort Lauderdale! Looking forward to more restaurant reviews. :)

[Keith1010]

spinnaker2, "mums" the word about the weather.

 

Thank you JP and Chris.

 

May thank you so very much for the suggestions in Key West.

 

When we went back out again yesterday afternoon and then walked to dinner last evening we enjoyed what turned out to be a very nice weather day. Some of the locals we spoke with said they were enjoying this weather better than the above normal temperature that they experienced in December.

 

The nicer weather brought out many more people in the afternoon on and along the beach and in some of the tourist areas.

 

We had dinner last evening in a restaurant called Steak 564. For those of you who know me and my wife either in person or through our blogs, you will know that our preference is for items such as seafood and other items over beef. It is very "rare" no pun intended (well maybe little pun) that we will have beef such as steak. So, why did we choose Steak 564. Well that was after doing some research on it, walking into the restaurant earlier in the day and also look at its menu. While various cuts of steak are certain featured on the menu they also have a very nice selection of seafood so as they say "sold".

 

The restaurant is not affiliated with the W Hotel, only that it is located in the lower level of the same building that W occupies. Setting is nice. Service was terrific as was the meal itself. We each had different selections of seafood so we could try out more than one and we were very pleased with our choices. Very nice restaurant and I highly recommend it.

 

While we were there, Anne Marie looked up and said that man looks familiar. No, he was not anyone most people would know, but rather he had been an owner of a very successful agency in San Francisco and gave the agency to his son many years ago. He was one of the pioneers in travel and was doing things many years ago that very few people were doing whether that was the places he and his wife traveled to or the types of tours he and his wife arranged for their clients. While his memory is not what it was, ask him about a restaurant to dine at in Buenos Aires, or where to have clothes made in Mumbai, or what to do in a place you are visiting for the first time and he still knows all of that. We know him because he and his late wife escorted eight Crystal world cruises for the consortium his agency was part of and we happened to have been on three of those world cruises. While our TA was not party of that consortium we happened to run into them one day and as they say the rest is history. We were saddened to learn that his wife had passed away this past May after a long bout with lung cancer. Like others, she was not a smoker herself but second hand smoke likely was the cause. He didn't think he would do anymore travel but his doctor actually encouraged him to do so. He will be boarding the Silver Whisper for half of this years World Cruise. I could see the sadness on his face when speaking about his late wife.

 

Why do I mention this. I do because it is a reminder to me about how short life is and how in spite of things that might go wrong to enjoy each and everyday and not to sweat the little things that might not go each of our ways. And yes one of the reasons why I do focus on the positives. Not to say that I won't raise issues to those who need to know about things that are not right, but I just get them to the right people and not dwell on them and if they are trivial in the scheme of things I don't even spend anytime worrying about them or letting them dampen my day.

 

Looking forward to getting together with some dear friends today in Fort Lauderdale. I'll post some photos on our blog later today from dinner last evening.

 

Keith

[Zqueeze1]

Hi, Keith1010:

 

Really looking forward to reading your posts. It looks as if this thread will be one of CC highlights. Sorry to point this out to you, but the restaurant's name is Steak954. Thanks to your comments regarding your experience, I may take The Boss for dinner and check it out since we live about a half hour away.

 

Take care and have a great cruise.

 

Z and TB

[Keith1010]

Hi, Keith1010:

 

Really looking forward to reading your posts. It looks as if this thread will be one of CC highlights. Sorry to point this out to you, but the restaurant's name is Steak954. Thanks to your comments regarding your experience, I may take The Boss for dinner and check it out since we live about a half hour away.

 

Take care and have a great cruise.

 

Z and TB

 

Thank you and you are absolutely right. It is 954. Not sure how I came up with 564.

 

Keith

[RachelG]

Just took a look at your blog. I agree--wouldn't pick this itinerary for the ports, but I have done with with my husband before, and we had a wonderful time. My youngest son are going on a very similar itinerary on Regent in March because of the timing as well, not the ports. If you have a positive attitude, it is a great trip. We really like to walk too, and Key West is the perfect walking or biking town. You will definitely enjoy that.

[Keith1010]

RachelG you summed it up correctly for us.

 

Our window was short. After being at sea last year for close to six months this year is about spending more time with family. We wanted to be with family for the December holidays and New Years and we needed to be back in town for a 30th Birthday Party for our son. So, this was a good cruise that fit this narrow window. So, we look at it as a getaway cruise and the ports were not the driver. It was an opportunity to spend a few days in Florida, to relax on board a cruise and it's nice that it worked out that we could try out the Spirit for the very first time. We plan to focus on the positives. That might mean making a port day a sea day and just enjoying the ship plus exploring a few ports we have not been to before. We love Key West so always nice to stop there. We haven nothing planned in any of the ports other than knowing what we will do in Key West. This is different than many of the more exotic itineraries that we have done where I am always busy organizing tours and doing research.

 

Later this year we will be sailing the Northwest Passage on Crystal so that involves a lot more planning and yes we booked that one for the ports. :)

 

Best to you.

 

Keith

[Emtbsam]

Keith - "Why do I mention this. I do because it is a reminder to me about how short life is and how in spite of things that might go wrong to enjoy each and everyday and not to sweat the little things that might not go each of our ways. And yes one of the reasons why I do focus on the positives. Not to say that I won't raise issues to those who need to know about things that are not right, but I just get them to the right people and not dwell on them and if they are trivial in the scheme of things I don't even spend anytime worrying about them or letting them dampen my day." Thanks for the reminder.

 

If you want to do something different in Key West, head to the butterfly conservatory. It is magical.

 

Thanks for your blog and your wonderful comments. I hope you have a wonderful trip, and I'm sorry our paths won't cross this time.