The New Moon - Adventures in Greece - June 18th through July 8th

[JimBob Willy]

3 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

A recap of yesterday which was changeover day.

Breakfast in la Terrazza was chaotic.

Apparently espresso machine went kaput.

We waited a long time for coffee and wait staff clearly overwhelmed.

We had to leave our suite by 8 am which we dutifully did.

After breakfast we went to the panorama and we were checked off as being present.

We then waited in what I now am calling our Pireaus Panorama Prison until a little after noon.

Pax were permitted to use the bathrooms next to the PPP and sit outside on the deck adjacent, but nowhere else.

While the bar was open, there was no thought given to providing any food. Some fruit or sandwiches or anything would have been good.

Pax were left to entertain themselves.

A little afternoon we were permitted, ie, herded, off to get tested, go thru temperature checks, security and passport control.

The tent for testing was HOT AND uncomfortable.

Then a walk back to the ship in the blazing after noon sun.

We were exhausted from the stress of this event.

After lunch we went back to our suite and the AC was not working. We were told others had the same issue with the AC.

It was finally fixed.

Not a good day.

And we PAID FOR THIS.

I understand we have to go thru protocols but our entire day was completely shot and a LOSS. 

 

Note there was an 8 hour tour provided for in transit pax but since we were subjected to 3.5 hours of it already on our transfer to the ship we said no way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's all part of the game. Today go out with a smile knowing life is good and most of us are sitting in an office working while you are enjoying the sea breeze in paradise...or close to it 🙂

[spinnaker2]

Yes Jim Bob and thank you for your kind words.

This cruise has really been quite amazing!

All of it.

And a brief kerfuffle will certainly not ruin our time aboard one single bit.

Reporting on our experience from our perspective is part of being a member of cruise critic. 

Everyone's opinion is valued here. We usually all play nice in the sandbox.

Life is really good.

💜

 

 

Edited June 29, 2021 by spinnaker2

[Whaleofatime]

5 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

Charles

I have not seen m and m's.

I am told they are in crew bar.

We have truffle cashews and some other melange of spicy stuff.

 

We do have the usual jewelry hawkers aboard.

And the sandal guy.

Thank goodness no art sales.

 

 

Glad to see that the man from Sorrento is on board. I had sandals made on the last cruise on the Muse before total lockdown in March last year, he was expecting to go straight onto the Moon but of course he has had a long wait. I look forward to catching up with him in 4 weeks time 👏 oh and truffle cashews sound divine 😉

[Gourmet Gal]

5 hours ago, pdaniel said:

A recap from another intransit perspective.

 

Vacated suite at 8 and had a delicious, leisurely breakfast in Atlantide restaurant.

Went directly to the lovely air conditioned comfort of Panarama lounge where we could sit inside or out for a couple of hours.

We were then informed a little after noon to disembark the ship to the uncomfortable process described above which lasted less than hour.

We were then onboard to the excellent service and sea bream for lunch in Alantide.

When we returned to the suite our room temperature was warm for a brief period of time but never hot.  It quickly returned to the comfort we have enjoyed the entire cruise.

 

We are so thankful to be sailing on the luxurious Silver Moon.  Yesterday was a minor, required inconvenience imposed upon Silversea.  Obviously, it may be much too soon for some to be sailing again under these new protocols.  Our overall experience has been terrific and the fellow passengers we have met have been understanding and respectful.

Thanks for the recap.  Doesn’t sound too painful in light of the fact there’s a worldwide pandemic that seems to be far from over.  Lucky you that you timed your cruises pretty well during a lull in the pandemic, at least in Europe.  I’ll have to just be content with amusing myself on  a few Hawaii trips until next year when hopefully I can go on some long-planned travel including a cruise on The Moon.

[FauxNom]

3 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

Reporting on our experience from our perspective is part of being a member of cruise critic. 

Everyone's opinion is valued here. We usually all play nice in the sandbox.

I, for one, appreciate someone who will report details without sugar-coating the negatives. And yes, CC (at least this forum) is a place where that has been the norm, unlike other, more Panglossian boards 🙂 

 

Thanks, spinnaker, for taking us on this wonderful cruise with you!

[brimary]

3 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

Yes Jim Bob and thank you for your kind words.

This cruise has really been quite amazing!

All of it.

And a brief kerfuffle will certainly not ruin our time aboard one single bit.

Reporting on our experience from our perspective is part of being a member of cruise critic. 

Everyone's opinion is valued here. We usually all play nice in the sandbox.

Life is really good.

💜

 

 

Thanks Spins for your detailed review .We have always respected fully your helpful and honest reviews and although your latest report would assist us in deciding not to resume our 23 year relationship with  Silversea in 2021/22 we retain Hope for the return to the SS we know in 2023.Thanks once again for your excellent report which is appreciated by all SS regulars I am sure!

[pdaniel]

8 hours ago, beaujolais said:

Good to hear from another perspective. We have sailed many times with SS (over 800 days) and from experience seldom eat in La Terrazza on change over days at either breakfast or lunch, too many disembarking  passengers with luggage and people waiting for their call

 

Can you try and let us know who the maitre'ds are and who are the main bar staff, it would also be good if you were able to find out the breakdown of passenger nationalities on this segment

Gladly…

 

Julian- restaurant manager

Dale

Tayfun

Rodrigo

Raisa

Mehdi

Ben

Oleksander

Emman

 

I do not have passenger nationalities nor do I care to ask.  Great mix of interesting people regardless of where they call home.

 

I will discontinue future posts (rarely post anyway).  We are seasoned, critical travelers presenting our honest perspective. 
 

Sorry for confusing my posts with a “Panglossian” board or interrupting a brief kerfuffle.

 

 

Edited June 29, 2021 by pdaniel

[Lois R]

I don't get why people continue to ask about the different nationalities.........we are humans from all over the world😃.....lets enjoy our diversity!

[cruiseej]

@pdaniel Don't be sorry about anything! We truly value hearing from multiple passengers, all of whom won't necessarily share the same experiences or opinions. 

[cruiseej]

1 minute ago, Lois R said:

I don't get why people continue to ask about the different nationalities.........we are humans from all over the world😃.....lets enjoy our diversity!

 

I think people are asking to find out is the passengers are mainly from the US, or more of an international mix. So yes, people are asking because they want to enjoy diversity.

[Lois R]

6 minutes ago, cruiseej said:

 

I think people are asking to find out is the passengers are mainly from the US, or more of an international mix. So yes, people are asking because they want to enjoy diversity.

But they will find out once they board the ship😃🙂😃........guess I am just odd.....doesn't matter to me where the other guests are from.

[Observer]

33 minutes ago, pdaniel said:

I will discontinue future posts (rarely post anyway).  We are seasoned, critical travelers presenting our honest perspective. 
 

Please continue posting (but not so much as to compromise your enjoyment of your voyage).  Many of us value having a variety of reports, perhaps reflecting the variety of humankind and tastes/perspectives/tolerances, etc.  In any case, thanks for your sharing thus far.  Enjoy!

[brimary]

28 minutes ago, Lois R said:

But they will find out once they board the ship😃🙂😃........guess I am just odd.....doesn't matter to me where the other guests are from.

Totally agree Lois R.There is a lot more to enjoy on a Silversea cruise than trying to find out where all fellow cruisers are from.

[boccenana]

30 minutes ago, brimary said:

Totally agree Lois R.There is a lot more to enjoy on a Silversea cruise than trying to find out where all fellow cruisers are 

Would love to know how the excursions are going.

[Gourmet Gal]

1 hour ago, pdaniel said:

 

 

I will discontinue future posts (rarely post anyway).  We are seasoned, critical travelers presenting our honest perspective. 
 

Sorry for confusing my posts with a “Panglossian” board or interrupting a brief kerfuffle.

 

Appreciate your observations and I could already tell from your thoughtful comments regarding the turn-around that you are seasoned, well-traveled and appreciate luxury but aren’t spoiled by it.  Please do carry on with any further honest perspective.  I have a cruise booked next year on this ship and because most of my travel is independent land-based I want to make sure my few cruises will also be great experiences.

 

[mysty]

Also important to recognize that honest reports are not all necessarily positive!  Not everyone experiences things in exactly the same way.  For example,  on turn around day, if you or a loved one were dealing with a health issue (not the nasty) the experience might not have been as easy as for those who were not dealing with a similar concern.  Important to provide different perspectives  I agree!  However,  one does not negate the other or make it less honest.

[cruiseej]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

But they will find out once they board the ship😃🙂😃........guess I am just odd.....doesn't matter to me where the other guests are from.

 

@Lois R I think it's the same as people asking to see menus or wine lists to laundry price lists -- it's just trying to get a feel for what an upcoming cruise may be like, or to gauge against past cruise experiences. As you say, for me, most things like this don't matter: I'm booked, I'm going, and I will see/talk to/eat/drink whatever there is when I get there! 😉

 

I think there might be extra interest in where passengers are from because we're all emerging from a pandemic-controlled world, and it's interesting to see who has been able to make these early trips. For instance, we know we won't have folks from Australia and New Zealand; we know people from the UK are constrained with travel insurance not being available going to a country their government has not green-lighted yet; etc. Since those are two major markets for Silversea, I understand why there's curiosity about whether the passengers are mainly from the US or more mixed. It doesn't affect anything for any of us not on the cruise, and subsequent cruises might have different passenger makeup, so I think it's just a question out of curiosity. (I wasn't one asking; I'm just saying why I thought it could be of interest to some.)

[Gourmet Gal]

39 minutes ago, mysty said:

Also important to recognize that honest reports are not all necessarily positive!  Not everyone experiences things in exactly the same way.  For example,  on turn around day, if you or a loved one were dealing with a health issue (not the nasty) the experience might not have been as easy as for those who were not dealing with a similar concern.  Important to provide different perspectives  I agree!  However,  one does not negate the other or make it less honest.

Seems these turnaround days are less taxing than a typical sea day with the current exception due to Covid resulting in fewer onboard options for part of the day.  I would think if one is well enough to be on the cruise then any info about this particular day should be very helpful.

[mysty]

22 minutes ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Seems these turnaround days are less taxing than a typical sea day with the current exception due to Covid resulting in fewer onboard options for part of the day.  I would think if one is well enough to be on the cruise then any info about this particular day should be very helpful.

 

I didn't say it wasn't helpful!  I merely said it was not experienced in the same way by everyone!  In the grand scheme of things your opinion and mine matter not a whit.   People on the cruise will decide for themselves as to their personal experience!  

Edited June 29, 2021 by mysty

[spinnaker2]

And a new day dawns with a fresh clean slate.

Enjoy the day all.

One can hear the sounds of pax awakening.

Those on the dock are preparing for their tours.

Cyprus beckons.

 

 

[JimBob Willy]

6 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

And a new day dawns with a fresh clean slate.

Enjoy the day all.

One can hear the sounds of pax awakening.

Those on the dock are preparing for their tours.

Cyprus beckons.

 

 

Yes a new day with fresh slate...but I hear the sounds of computers and keyboard typing, and the occasional colleague whining about some BS. 🙂

 

Glad your enjoying all the ocean has to offer!

[Lois R]

7 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

And a new day dawns with a fresh clean slate.

Enjoy the day all.

One can hear the sounds of pax awakening.

Those on the dock are preparing for their tours.

Cyprus beckons.

 

 

Hello from your state of Florida........that sunrise looks beautiful🙂

[FauxNom]

19 hours ago, pdaniel said:

I will discontinue future posts (rarely post anyway).  We are seasoned, critical travelers presenting our honest perspective. 
 

Sorry for confusing my posts with a “Panglossian” board or interrupting a brief kerfuffle.

My apologies, pdaniel--I thought your post was an honest and welcome addition to the discussion!  I was reacting to the kind of scolding sometimes prompted by a negative comment, and that was not the tone of your post at all. So glad you are having a great cruise!

[spinnaker2]

Sea day and the SALT bartender Carlos comes to the pool deck with this portable rolling barcart. Special cocktails reflecting the ports of call. Today a vermouth of Athens.

 

The indulgences of Silversea Moon!!!

 

 

And of course the pool bar is open as well.

 

Lunch on deck featured beef, chicken or shrimp wraps in addition to the regular pool menu.

 

Edited July 1, 2021 by spinnaker2

[JimBob Willy]

4 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

Sea day and the SALT bartender Carlos comes to the pool deck with this portable rolling barcart. Special cocktails reflecting the ports of call. Today a vermouth of Athens.

 

The indulgences of Silversea Moon!!!

 

 

And of course the pool bar is open as well.

 

Lunch on deck featured beef, chicken or shrimp wraps in addition to the regular pool menu.

 

More goodies for y'all! Enjoy all of them!!!!