Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Five

[lincslady]

I wonder if you are staying at the Taj in Mumbai, Terry.  The old wing is really historic and lovely.

[drron29]

 

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

14 hours ago, lincslady said:

I wonder if you are staying at the Taj in Mumbai, Terry.  The old wing is really historic and lovely.

 

YES, we will be three nights at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai.  BUT, don't know for sure if it will be at the historic 1903 building or the 1972 Tower.  Here in Delhi, the Taj Mahal here has been spectacular in so many different ways.  Great service, style and hospitality.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

[jpalbny]

16 minutes ago, TLCOhio said:

 

YES, we will be three nights at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai.  BUT, don't know for sure if it will be at the historic 1903 building or the 1972 Tower.  Here in Delhi, the Taj Mahal here has been spectacular in so many different ways.  Great service, style and hospitality.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

With all of those imposter Taj places, I hope you're getting to see the real one soon, in Agra! Glad you're safely in India and enjoying the scene.

 

Seven years ago this week, we were there:

 

 

Have a great cruise! Hope your ship arrives on time as scheduled.

[TLCOhio]

11 hours ago, jpalbny said:

With all of those imposter Taj places, I hope you're getting to see the real one soon, in Agra! Glad you're safely in India and enjoying the scene.   Seven years ago this week, we were there.  Have a great cruise! Hope your ship arrives on time as scheduled.

 

YES, tomorrow will be the REAL THING!!  The historic Taj Mahal in Agra.  Will be there Thursday, Feb. 8 in the afternoon.  Wonderful picture from seven years ago of Chris and you being there.  

 

Today in Delhi was Humayun's Tomb from the 16th century.  Very amazing setting and structure here in Delhi.  But, our guide has already explained the for this one as a resting place for a male ruler how it was different than the lover offering as a monument to his wife in Agra.  

 

 

Things continue to looking on schedule for the Silver Moon reaching Mumbai early on the morning of the 14th.  

 

Any other great India tips from J.P and/or others?  Loving it ALL so far.  Trying to stay healthy and safe.  Glad I am not trying to drive here.  That's a really "wild sports" on the highways of urban India.  Tomorrow we will see how the highways are between major cities.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 74,092 views:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/

[jpalbny]

Terry, the highway between Delhi and Agra is (was) new and very nice, when we were there. Other "highways" are noticeably different. It's all part of the experience! It would be quite an experience driving there.

[drron29]

Apart from humour there has been little other activity so I thought I would post some pictures of our recent trip. We spent Christmas in Japan with our family and Grandchildren. When they went skiing after Christmas we headed to Bangkok to thaw out and try and find a new regular hotel for our frequent visits.

So starting off with some food. If flying out of Sydney we always stay at Rydges at the Airport and have dinner with family. This time only with a neice. The food is nice. So beef cheeks with gnocchi,scallops,garlic prawns mixed seafood platter,creme brulee and chocolate fondant with blood orange gelato.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then the Qantas International business loung. Unfortunately due to covid etc we have lost status. We both though have One World life time sapphire.Now the business lounge is way below the standard of their First lounge in Sydney. The food in the J lounge would not be seen on Silversea. Various slops.

 

 

 

 

 

We were travelling BA and they now use The House lounge. It was even worse and was full of screaming children so we waited at the gate.

 

[turtlemichael]

😧to Sydney airport lounge food!

[drron29]

Our flight to Singapore was on a BA 789 with the new business class seat. I liked it and with the topping made a comfortable bed. But to the food. A faro and brown rice salad tasted much nicer than I anticipated then I had seared tuna,seared chicken and an unseared cheese plate. The only odd note was that the bread roll was still in it's plastic wrapper.

 

 

 

 

 

A cheese plate that I wish Silversea could offer.

Also FA Ruth was wonderful. Never had an empty glass and always a wonderful smile even towards the end of the flight when I had a very tasty Mexican chicken and chipotle wrap.

 

As always we only do one flight a day and stay at the Crowne Plaza Changi. The renovations hadn't finished so we didn't eat there.

 

The next day was Japan Airlines business class to Narita. It is my favourite airline. Possibly because 2 of the last 3 Airline presidents have worked at JAL. One from Maintenance and a pilot. The new President who will start in April started as a flight attendant. They are definitely customer focussed.

So to the food. the menus.

 

 

Rojaan had the Western menu and I the Japanese. her starter was excellent and the beef a little dry but tasty.

 

 

Now to my Japanese meal.

 

 

 

 

 

The dessert was the same for both of us. I thought it was going to be bland but quite tasty.

 

We arrived into Narita 2 minutes late so naturally there was an apology from the crew.

 

 

[DavyWavey70]

22 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

 

YES, tomorrow will be the REAL THING!!  The historic Taj Mahal in Agra.  Will be there Thursday, Feb. 8 in the afternoon.  Wonderful picture from seven years ago of Chris and you being there.  

 

Today in Delhi was Humayun's Tomb from the 16th century.  Very amazing setting and structure here in Delhi.  But, our guide has already explained the for this one as a resting place for a male ruler how it was different than the lover offering as a monument to his wife in Agra.  

 

 

Things continue to looking on schedule for the Silver Moon reaching Mumbai early on the morning of the 14th.  

 

Any other great India tips from J.P and/or others?  Loving it ALL so far.  Trying to stay healthy and safe.  Glad I am not trying to drive here.  That's a really "wild sports" on the highways of urban India.  Tomorrow we will see how the highways are between major cities.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 74,092 views:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/

Fasten your seatbelts!

[rojaan19]

[drron29]

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

12 hours ago, DavyWavey70 said:

Fasten your seatbelts!

 

Why fasten our seatbelts in going from Delhi to Agra.  Things went smoothly as the new freeway, but our van, as it was carrying tourists, has a speed limiter on it so private cars could be zooming by faster and over the speed limit.  

 

We are just completing our third day in India. What did we see?  Can you guess from this visual?  Perfect, clear, sunshine-filled, cool, comfortable day.  BUT, lots of big crowds at the Taj Mahal.  

 

 

An interior view of the amazing craft skills to carve these marble decor items.

 

 

Staying at the Oberoi Amarvilas.  What class, tradition and perfection!  Have third-floor balcony room with a great view of this famed historic site. Here is the view with my camera of the Taj Mahal from our room.  Like the flying bird as a visiting co-star?

 

From checking early today and later this afternoon, the Silver Moon is averaging a speed of 18-19 knots. Nice, winning pace for the early Feb. 14 arrival in Mumbai looking very realistic.

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Athens & Greece: Visuals, details from two visits in a city and nearby with great history, culture and architecture.  Now at 62,547 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

[drron29]

Our first hotel was the Inter Continental Tokyo Bay. we had 6 nights there and our family arrived the day after us on a direct flight from Sydney. the hotel was decorated for Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We shared a beautiful salmon and salmon roe pizza for dinner as we weren't hungry.

 

lovely views from our room across Tokyo bay.

 

 

[drron29]

Each day I went for a walk around the area. The first was a lovely sunny day and a balmy 8C (46F0.

 

 

 

Walked back along a canal that ran parallel to the shoreline.

 

and a canal boat and Autumn leave on the Gingko tree even though officially winter in Tokyo.

 

 

 

More signs of autumn.

.

 

On the second day walked to the Zojoji temple which is very close to the tokyo Tower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then a little park just down the road.

 

 

 

 

 

[drron29]

Next some of the food we had in Tokyo. It actually is hard in Japan to find a small local restaurant when there are 7 of you but we did find a couple. The first night was a cheap ramen restaurant where you ordered at a machine and handed your ticket to the cook.

 

 

 

Would have been lost without Google Translate but discovered not always accurate. My dish was supposed to be fried oyster with noodle but was chicken. My son ordered the mystery noodle which was a curry soup.

 

 

Nice scene across the road.

 

Now my son is a Tiki bar tragic so the second night was at Trader Vics. food wasn't great and was expensive. good cocktails.

 

I didn't feel I could finish this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The third night was in a lamb restaurant where the owner took a like to us. Probably because we ordered too much food and bottles of wine. Here is the place. At the corner of the street it is in good views again of the Tokyo Tower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[drron29]

 

 

 

[Porky55]

Hello all,

May I intrude to ask a "newbie" question?
When do Silversea release new season itineraries?  For example 26/27?

Regular cruise lines it's around March each year, is Silversea the same - looking toward the mid to end of 2026 to 27.

 

Thanks in advance

Rose 🌹

[TLCOhio]

We are all getting closer to Mumbai.  Below is the Silver Moon's sailing chart currently (circled in red):  Looks like it will be on time for boarding early on the 14th. 

 

Here are four quick visual samples from our journey yesterday from Agra to Jaipur.  Will be here in the "Pink City" for two days prior to flying to Mumbai on the 11th.  Look interesting?

 

 

 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 55,670 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

[drron29]

37 minutes ago, Porky55 said:

Hello all,

May I intrude to ask a "newbie" question?
When do Silversea release new season itineraries?  For example 26/27?

Regular cruise lines it's around March each year, is Silversea the same - looking toward the mid to end of 2026 to 27.

 

Thanks in advance

Rose 🌹

Usually September. But it can vary a lot.

[Porky55]

50 minutes ago, drron29 said:

Usually September. But it can vary a lot.

Thank you 👍

[drron29]

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

The Silver Moon is getting much closer to Mumbai and as this graphic from www.cruisemapper.com shows this am, everything seem on schedule for a an early morning arrival on Feb. 14.

 

 

We just completed a major and exciting day in Jaipur, the Pink City.  Yes, it's amazing!!!  Need proof?  Below are just a small sampling of the day's experiences.  Now, mid-day, we head to the airport for our Air India flight to Mumbai.  

 

Looking forward to learning the details for how Silversea will handle the food, beverages, tours, etc., at Mumbai's famed Taj Mahal Palace hotel for our three days there.  

 

Recognize some of the Jaipur locations and experiences?

 

 

 

 

 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio   

 

Lisbon, NWSpain, Bordeaux/Brittany: Live/blog, June 2017 from Portugal to France along scenic Atlantic Coast on the Silver Spirit.  Now at 34,457 views.  Many pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

Edited February 11 by TLCOhio

[drron29]

 

 

 

[Lirio]

At Minas Gerais State again in Belo Horizonte. In this area there are several iron ore mining facilities. Surrounded by those facilities there is a natural park: Rola Moça.

 

Today we did a hiking in this park, from where one can see Belo Horizonte in the distance. The vegetation is called Cerrado which is a type of savanna. Low bushes, dry, with several tiny and small flowers with a lot of colors in a rocky soil (iron ore everywhere).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 11 by Lirio