Mysty's 2016 World Cruise Blog Link

[mysty]

As many of you know, Myster and I were blessed with the opportunity to sail on the 2016 Silversea World Cruise. In preparation for and throughout our grand adventure I wrote in a blog entitled (not very creatively) “Around the World in 115 Days”. I started the blog on February 3, 2015 with a post titled “To Dream…”– almost a year before the sail date. The blog was intended to be a record of the research and planning that went into the trip as well as a day-by-day account of the actual cruise. There are pictures (even some food shots). I am going to provide a link here to the January 4, 2016 post – “Pre-Cruise Miami”. The previous posts all relate to the planning and research.

 

I want to thank all the generous people here who offered many words of wisdom as we prepared for this grand adventure! Your advice and suggestions helped to make the trip worry-free and memorable! I hope you all enjoy the read!

 

The staff and crew aboard the Silver Whisper for this cruise were excellent! They deserve thanks and praise for a job very well done. I would be remiss if I did not say a special thank you to some of the crew. Thanks to Pauline (our butler from Fort Lauderdale to Hong Kong), Kreshun (our butler from Hong Kong to Venice), Lucian (our amazing suite attendant), Oliver (the best bartender ever), Rouvier, Phillipe, Darryl, Ray (all of them were wonderful pool grill/bar staff), Rey (who always made room for us at The Grill) and Abay and Iwayan (who greeted us with smiles at breakfast in The Restaurant)!

 

Notes:

1. Opinions expressed in this blog are mine and Myster’s.

2. We typically fell into bed after dinner thus there is no mention of nightly entertainment.

3. The blog was written live. The posts titled “Day 3 – Sea Day” and “Day 3- Sea Day cont’d” actually include some mention of days 1, 2 and 3. We got internet access on Day 3.

 

http://mpworldcruise.blogspot.ca/2016/01/pre-cruise-miami.html

[WesW]

Thanks so much for sharing your heartfelt blog coupled with Silversea passion Mysty and Myster. Your blog is a ray of bright sunshine on this Silversea thread.

 

 

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[mysty]

Thank you so much Wes! :) It is my pleasure!

[duct tape]

I can't wait to get there tomorrow! [emoji4]

[57 varieties]

Mysty your blog is terrific. Memories of five weeks aboard and learning about the following 12 weeks. I love your Question and answers too.

 

 

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[mysty]

Thanks so much 57 varieties! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the blog! It was great fun to travel with you! Hope we can meet again on the high seas! :)

[patnlcc]

And another. Thoroughly enjoyed your blog. Well done.

[mysty]

Thank you patnicc! So glad you enjoyed the read! Thanks for letting me know! :)

[Silver Spectre]

Thanks for posting the blog, it was nice to meet you both.:)

[mysty]

Thanks Silver Spectre! It was a pleasure to meet you and your lovely wife! :) So many wonderful souls on that cruise! Definitely part of the enjoyment!

[drron29]

An enjoyable read.thanks.

Pity about the weather across the Pacific.

As you found out February is not the time to visit northern Australia.It was interesting seeing your perspective on Australia.I was born in sydney,lived in the Hunter Valley for 20 years and have worked in Townsville.

As for Tyrrells it is a major tourist attraction but they do make some very good wines.but they dont come out at the normal tastings.

[mysty]

Thanks so much drron29! Myster and I love Australia! Even with the heat! :) There is a wonderful spirit in Australia that is difficult to find in other places. We have visited the country on 3 different occasions and I would move there in a heart beat! Each port offered a different flavour and we savoured them all!

[Geo3543]

Mysty

Your blog is fantastic. Cruising with SS since 1994, we enjoyed revisiting ports while reading your journal. New ports were visited through your eyes and experiences. Many will enjoy your experiences.

Thank you.

 

 

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[mysty]

Thank you so much Geo3543! I'm so glad you enjoyed the "trip"! :) And thanks so much for letting me know!

[Lord Horace]

I have enjoyed the last three nights reading your epic journey. Some ports of call, have brought back happy memories...others have wetted my appetite. The world is very prescious, we should be grateful that we can enjoy such wonderful history, geography, social history etc. we have to be grateful that we are able to experience such a diversity of wonders and people, before some, who would like/want to destroy such heritage and wonders. Through travel, we can understand and learn such a lot from different cultures, nations, religions. It is all of us who make the world what it is today. We have our ancestors to thank for the wonderful architecture, landscapes, etc that makes this planet of our such a wonderful and precious world. Once again Mysty thank you so much for detailing and giving us such a wonderful insight to your anticipation of your journey and then inviting us to journey along with you. when and where is your next adventure?

[mysty]

Thank you so very much Lord Horace! I am very glad that you enjoyed the planning AND the voyage! I love the way you phrased your post and I agree whole-heartedly! Thanks so much for letting me know! :)

 

We are in a money-saving mode right now to pay for our grand adventure earlier this year. :) Myster is very keen to see the Torngat Mountains in Newfoundland and Labrador. There is an expedition cruise which goes there with Adventure Canada.

Edited August 1, 2016 by mysty

[TLCOhio]

Super appreciate these fine posting, pictures and details from mysty. YES, as I had "threatened" earlier, now I have some fairly specific follow-up questions. Hope these are not too detailed. We are preparing and planning for a major Southeast Asia "adventure" in early 2018.

 

In place of doing a cruise ship from Hong Kong to Singapore with stops in Vietnam, but only limited time in the key cities, we are taking a little different approach. This would be our first visit to any areas of SE Asia and China. We would do stops in Hong Kong, Hanoi and then flying to Ho Chi Minh City with two to three days allowed for each of these large cities. Then we would do a smaller, but luxury, ship for seven days up the famed Mekong River from near old Saigon to Cambodia and Angkor Wat. That allows more times to experiences these cities, see the countrysides of these countries, etc. Then, we would do some added time in northern Laos and Bangkok. Am asking about Bhutan as to evaluate whether going there would be worth it or not as a part of this overall trip/plan.

 

MY KEY FOLLOW-UPS:

 

Day 61-63 - Hong Kong: Was this your first visit to Hong Kong and is about three days there a good, reasonable amount time to get a good sampling for this large city, its sights, etc.? From what others talked about and did in Hong Kong, are there any other major options you would suggest to do here or nearby?

 

Day 65 & 66 - Halong Bay, Vietnam: For this area with its dramatic limestone outcroppings, cliffs and arches, was it definitely worth it? Were things fairly crowded with other boats and tourists in this area? Did others on your Silversea sailing do tours/visits to Hanoi? How did people rate and like Hanoi, what they saw there, etc.?

 

Day 68 & 69 - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Realized that you noted "too tired and too hot to venture out into the city", but how did others who spent time in the old Saigon rate that city? What did you hear that people loved most while visiting and exploring in Ho Chi Minh City? Things to avoid or skip in that large town? Other feed-back about this area, what you saw on or near the Mekong River?

 

Day 71 & 75 - Bangkok, Thailand: Know your time was limited in Bangkok, but what feed-back did you get from others who spent more time in this city, what they loved most here, etc. Was the time and effort to visit Ayutthaya that worth it? Some of the visuals seem a little like Angkor Wat in Cambodia. If we were to be visiting Angkor Wat, would doing Ayutthaya be that high of a priority compared to spending more being in Bangkok?

 

Day 72-74 - Bhutan: For this land trip, how did you rate it for the cost, time to get there and back, etc.? Worth it? Time needed for the flights there from Bangkok? How much did Silversea charge for this special type of excursion? I have read great things about Bhutan. Is going there mostly about the mountains and views? Special architecture, crafts, local people, etc.? What was most special, unique and interesting for Bhutan?

 

Any other tips, suggestions, factors, etc., to consider as we approach SE Asia from your experiences and what others have told you?

 

THANKS for your great reporting and help! Look forward to learning more from you and any others with experiences in these special areas. 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 151,680 views for this posting.

[mysty]

Thanks Terry! I’m glad you enjoyed the blog. I will attempt to address some of your questions. Please note not many people talked about the excursions they took. I can’t answer questions related to what other people did or how people rated their experiences. I can only speak with respect to ours.

 

Day 61-63 - Hong Kong: Was this your first visit to Hong Kong and is about three days there a good, reasonable amount time to get a good sampling for this large city, its sights, etc.? We had visited Hong Kong very briefly in 2009 on our way home from our son and daughter-in-law’s wedding in Nanjing. From our perspective 3 days gave us a wonderful taste of the city. I’m sure you could spend a lot longer and still not run out of things to see and do.

 

Day 65 & 66 - Halong Bay, Vietnam: For this area with its dramatic limestone outcroppings, cliffs and arches, was it definitely worth it? It was magical! Definitely worth it! Were things fairly crowded with other boats and tourists in this area? The guide on our junk said that there are approximately 2,000 boat trips a day through the Bay. It gets crowded around a couple of the landmark formations – “the rooster and hen” as well as “the thumb” as the junks jockey for position so passengers can take pictures. Did others on your Silversea sailing do tours/visits to Hanoi? Yes, some passengers went to Hanoi.

 

Day 68 & 69 - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Other feed-back about this area, what you saw on or near the Mekong River? The 2 hour drive to Cai Be was interesting. We traveled through a number of small towns and cities en route.

 

Day 71 & 75 - Bangkok, Thailand: Was the time and effort to visit Ayutthaya that worth it? Yes, it was definitely worth it! The site is amazing! Not like anything we had ever seen before. Some of the visuals seem a little like Angkor Wat in Cambodia. If we were to be visiting Angkor Wat, would doing Ayutthaya be that high of a priority compared to spending more being in Bangkok? We did not go to Angkor Wat on this trip nor have we ever been there. I can’t really answer with respect to the merits of passing on Ayutthaya and spending more time in Bangkok. Perhaps others could better address this than I can. :)

 

Day 72-74 - Bhutan: For this land trip, how did you rate it for the cost, time to get there and back, etc.? Worth it? It was expensive and worth every penny! Part of the high cost for this trip is the daily “tourist fee” that is charged by the government to try to limit the number of tourists to the country. This is small mostly rural country with limited infrastructure. It is like stepping back in time. Time needed for the flights there from Bangkok? The return flights we took from Bangkok to Paro had brief stop-overs in India. The flights took about 2.5 to 3 hours if I remember correctly. Flying over the Himalayas was very exciting. There are only about 8 pilots qualified to fly into Paro so flights are limited. How much did Silversea charge for this special type of excursion? We paid about $9,000 CAD each. The Amankora hotels in Thimphu and Paro were spectacular! Food was delicious and the staff were amazing! I have read great things about Bhutan. Is going there mostly about the mountains and views? Special architecture, crafts, local people, etc.? What was most special, unique and interesting for Bhutan? Bhutan is so much more than mountains and views. The architecture is beautiful, the people are friendly, gentle, caring folk. It is a deeply religious country without being annoyingly so. There is a calmness to the place that I have never experienced before. Bhutan has a Gross National Happiness Index which it considers more important than a Gross National Product (GNP).

http://www.grossnationalhappiness.com/

 

Their crafts are beautiful! They make their own paper – some of it as thin as onion skin. They paint wonderfully complex images some of which take years to complete. They are expert weavers producing jewel-toned cloth for clothing, all sorts of bags etc.. I would highly recommend visiting this awesome country!

 

I hope this helps Terry! :)

[TLCOhio]

Thanks Terry! I’m glad you enjoyed the blog. I will attempt to address some of your questions. I hope this helps Terry! :)

 

YES!! YES!! Super helpful and interesting. Appreciate all of these details and insights. Bhutan sounds really special, but at that pricing level, I am not sure that we can swing/afford that particular type of excursion. BUT, I have some friends who have been there and will discuss more aspects with them for visiting there. Since we would be doing so much in Cambodia and Laos on this early 2018 trip, there are "limits" as to exactly how extensively and where we can do all of our many "adventures" in Southeast Asia.

 

If any other experienced travelers have experiences and suggestions for these areas, I would appreciate that great sharing, too, for helping us consider our options for our first visit to SE Asia.

 

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 201,545 views.

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

[drron29]

Finally finished the blog.A great effort by you.

What a pity you missed the balloons in Bagan.It really was awesome.

 

As to the happiness index it doesn't apply to all who live there.I have had Bhutanese refugees as patients and their stories are unimaginable.Here is an old story on their experiences-

https://www.hrw.org/news/2008/02/01/bhutans-ethnic-cleansing

[mysty]

Thanks drron29! We were very disappointed to miss the balloon ride in Bagan! Thanks also for posting the link to a different side of the experience of that country! No matter how thin the pancake, it always has 2 sides.