Spirited Across the Atlantic -- Live-ish Report

[saminina]

19 minutes ago, jollyjones said:

I would so much prefer the Autumn crossings with the 25 hour days

Imagine how the crew feels.  If not today, seven days from now.

[jollyjones]

Unibok ... ???

[MBP&O2/O]

On 3/21/2022 at 11:23 AM, saminina said:

Imagine how the crew feels.  If not today, seven days from now.

Occupational hazard. We crossed the date line and cancelled Boxing Day by  advancing the clocks 24hrs ..... I wanted to do it on the 25th ... for operational reasons ... but that was vetoed so we ended up with 'nautical noon' after 2pm.

[zqtchas]

Hey Unibok! Nothing happening? See you in Lisbon.

Is mini me with you?

Edited March 23, 2022 by zqtchas

[Unibok]

On 3/22/2022 at 5:37 AM, jollyjones said:

Unibok ... ???

 

Hello! Hello! I am here! We are now past the halfway point to our first port, and I offer a few humble observations.

 

The Grumpies seem to have disembarked within 24 hours. Either that or (as jollyjones predicted) the grace and graciousness of Silversea has worked its magic and we were all in a much better state of mind by Day 2.

 

Social Distance is my superpower. After 2 years of relative isolation and purposeful social distancing, I'm finding it very strange to be on a ship with other humans. Jolly reported 70% occupancy, and that squares with what I've heard. True, I'm a natural introvert, so I'm rather good at finding quiet spots and that is even more true with this voyage. When I've walked through Dolce Vita at the right time, Trivia seems to be very well attended. As jolly noted, the expansive space works well these days.

 

OK -- I'm off for a shoe fitting (more on that in another post).

 

Fair winds,

 

 

 

[Unibok]

14 hours ago, zqtchas said:

Hey Unibok! Nothing happening? See you in Lisbon.

Is mini me with you?

 

@zqtchas: I'm looking forward to catching up with you in Lisbon! Mini me is on land in the northeastern chill, greatly enjoying her new job as Event Manager for the city and doing freelance audio design for the local college theatre productions. She's making quite a nice life for herself. 

 

Maxi me (my mother! please don't tell her I called her that!) will be joining me on the Spirit later in May for a tour around Greece and Turkey. Any chance you'll still be on board?

[les37b]

Phew. Glad all is still ok Unibok. I was scared to ask in case you were in the dreaded red one (I know it well - but not too well thankfully!)

 

340 Isn't too bad IMHO. Not high enough to seem crowded (not that even full capacity seemed crowded on the Muse to be fair) and not too low (like the 220 then 120 i had on the Moon in January.) I dread to think what it was like with 60 on the third leg!

 

They have stopped the contact tracing thing in Triv haven't they? I played until my wife was positive - then stopped as requested for a couple of days... Then reduced my team from "Grand Voyagers to Grand Voyager (despite not being on the Grand Voyage despite having a good go! lol). I eventually joined another team (also Covid impacted) and sat independently. I wasn't going to risk having to self isolate for a day, so sat on a table on my own and exchanged answers.. Hey it worked. We won on all three combined days! lol

 

On that subject, I had leaving drinks and restaurant last Friday. My boss's wife tested positive on the Sunday. Another colleague (who also came to my house on the Monday to collect my old TV which was replaced on the same day), tells me as he is leaving his wife had tested positive. He basically tells me he has been exposed so may times that there is zero chance he has it. Mr Invincible is now off sick and "feels awful". My plans have been put on hold. My next trip is 23 April. I'm negative so far, but just wont be taking any chances and my 2 days per week into London will now be 1.

 

I mention this purely with the thoughts on your flights back home any my own experiences. If you are flying home on the same day (and covid free on the ship), then nothing to worry about. It's easy to think of it as "it's over now".... it definitely isn't. But I know its certainly possible to have a great time on board without taking risks - and I know that's precisely what you and Jolly will be doing. You can't do any more than that!

 

 

Edited March 24, 2022 by les37b

[Unibok]

Gennaro, an Italian cobbler, is custom fitting lovely Preludio Capri sandals on Deck 9. I chose my heel and straps yesterday, and just had a fitting this morning. The finished product will be ready in 30 minutes or so -- just in time for Venetian night! 

 

To Mask or Not To Mask. The crew must remain masked, but pax are free to choose their adventure. From what I see, perhaps 20% or fewer are choosing to continue wearing masks most of the time. 

 

To Paper or Not to Paper. Perhaps as a Covid protocol, perhaps as an environmental sustainability move, perhaps as a bit of both, more of our communications are paperless. It is taking me a bit of time to get used to! Our electronic agenda list our dining reservations and excursions (not too many of those in the middle of the Atlantic), but not spa reservations or other invitations. So it's a bit of both worlds, and unfortunately I had not realized I had a Silver Note reservation one night until the next morning 😞

 

Good company has come easily on this crossing. Some of you might remember my stories of less-than-savory dining companions, and I'm happy to say that good company has been both plentiful and delightful. I met a lovely -- and quite hilarious -- couple at muster, and a charming Scotsman at the Captain's welcome. We've dined many times and shared many hearty laughs. Solos, fear not: it really is quite easy to make friends if you wish to, so please don't be scared off by my sordid tales.

 

Every day is Daylight Savings. For Realz. My most dreaded day of the year is Spring Forward Daylight Savings in the U.S. My body struggles with that arbitrary time change and the lost hour. As in, I struggle for about 2 weeks afterwards until I get used to it. So why-oh-why-oh-why-oh did I sign on for a voyage that loses an hour nearly every day???? It simply never occurred to me, that's why. On the plus side, if I have to live through daylight savings every day for a week, at least I am doing so on a gorgeous Silversea vessel. Next time, though, I might consider sailing in the other direction.

 

Aft-for-all. Inspired by @jpalbny and Chris's breakfasts in the Arts Cafe, I've been doing the same. Well, actually, I've also been "inspired" by the fact that I can't seem to get out of bed for normal breakfast (see paragraph above on 23-hour days). Arts Cafe on the Spirit is larger than that on the Muse, with a much larger aft deck area. I park there most mornings, with a cappuccino or two, some little overnight oat cups, a book, and some knitting. 

 

Other aft spaces have my attention as well: the Panorama Lounge's aft deck seems enormous after being on the Wind. It is the perfect location for sunset with a Silver Spirit -- my favorite drink on any ship, but especially this one. It's also my favorite spot for a nightcap. I'm not sure where everyone else is, as that space is nearly always empty.

 

Thermal Suite, also aft. @Observer had very helpfully described what one could expect in the Thermal Suite, so I decided on a weekly pass for the entire crossing based on his description. It has been a great choice! Befitting my inner introvert, almost nobody is there 🙂 The deck has 8 or so loungers, a whirlpool, some comfy sofas tucked into the shade, and an unlimited view of the horizon in our wake. Inside, there are 4 of those heated stone mosaic beds, a sauna, a steamroom, and a shower. These are separate from the facilities that are open to everyone. What I did not expect -- and what I LOVE -- is a private room (first come first served) that contains a steamroom and shower you can use in total privacy. Desk attendants have lavender- or mint-infused salts for a DIY detoxing steamroom scrub. I've done 3 of them now, which might account for why I've not been writing very much 🙂  Seriously, though, my skin feels amazing.

 

As a final word about the relentless loveliness of the public aft spaces onboard, I have always admired Silversea for keeping those areas public. With Silver Nova, however, it appears that some of them will be used for aft-facing suites with private balconies. I will admit that was a bit disappointing to read, but I will trust that most decks will still remain open for all to use.

 

More reports coming soon-ish ... Cheers to all!

[jollyjones]

We do have one positive Covid pax - became symptomatic 4 days after boarding and tested positive so was moved with partner to the Red Zone, the twelve most forward cabins on deck 6. Not sure how long their isolation will be.
The close contacts of that pax were quarantined in their cabins for only 24 hours, then released if they tested negative. I believe they all tested negative. 
So Covid is with us, I just hope it’s spread has been nipped in the bud. 
 

Otherwise this is an uninteresting cruise, using that term in the Chinese (good) way. The seas are kind, the weather is mostly sunny, the food and wine are fine, and everyone has settled in to being happy. 
Or maybe we’re all just bemused by the ongoing assault on our biological clocks. Only two more changes to go. 
 

[jpalbny]

Glad you're enjoying the breakfast in the Arts Café! So nice there.

 

I don't know how I'd feel about 5 or 6 1-hour adjustments. Somehow, I think I prefer the trial by fire method - just jump in a plane and get them over all at once! 

 

Though funny enough. We fly to Paris tomorrow night, arriving Saturday. Because Europe isn't quite on DST yet, it's only 5h lost. But, then DST starts the next day! Argh. I need to complain to my travel planner!

[Lois R]

22 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

Glad you're enjoying the breakfast in the Arts Café! So nice there.

 

I don't know how I'd feel about 5 or 6 1-hour adjustments. Somehow, I think I prefer the trial by fire method - just jump in a plane and get them over all at once! 

 

Though funny enough. We fly to Paris tomorrow night, arriving Saturday. Because Europe isn't quite on DST yet, it's only 5h lost. But, then DST starts the next day! Argh. I need to complain to my travel planner!

Hi JP, been a while.......hope you and Chris are doing well and wishing you a fun trip and safe travels.🙂

Is this a land trip?

[WesW]

Thanks Unibok and Jolly for your fun Spirit posts. Enjoy reading from my deck chair, er, mean office chair.

 

JP, safe travels for Chris and you.  btw pulsing your/our travel planner on who to take for a Croatia land trip AK or Tauck.

Edited March 24, 2022 by WesW

[Unibok]

@jollyjones: thank you for the Covid information! I'd not heard that ... which I guess means my "stay away from humans" strategy is working 😷

 

Actually, I did find people yesterday afternoon: asleep on sofas in Dolce Vita, and asleep on sofas in the Panorama outside area. I suspect they were trying to make up for those hours lost each day. I honestly don't know how the crew stay so cheerful!

 

For those who want to know: my new sandals are adorable. If I understood Gennaro correctly, he'll be on board through the end of May, so more folks will have a chance to work with him. They feel like butter, in a good way.

 

We have Formal/Venetian night tonight in the Venetian Lounge, but I hear there will be no reception line and probably no hand-shake/picture for those with milestones. I guess I'll have to wait for my next milestone for that.

 

If you've been following this, you can probably tell that I'm not the type to get bored on board; I'm perfectly happy to read, knit, and pour salt all over my sweaty body. But I promised you a report, so you shall have one.

 

Every day has an alcohol tasting of some kind, usually before noon (!): all-inclusive wines, reserve wines (for an upcharge), martinis, bar cocktails, etc. Every day has a dance lesson of some kind, offered by the Gentleman Hosts: waltz, foxtrot, salsa, and some others I can't think of right now. Every day has an array of language instruction, some of which relate to our destinations: Spanish (si), Portuguese (si), and German (mais non).  Every other day has a cooking demo, usually something delicious-sounding and Italiano. Every day offers many opportunities to work out with the Personal Trainer, from sunrise walks to beginning yoga to stretching to ab burning to pilates and more. Most days have a lunchtime concert by the pool, and we've had one themed lunch so far (American burgers and fries ... mais non, s'il vous plait). Then of course there is bridge several times a day, table tennis (some folks are really into it!), plus the usual shuffleboard, mini-golf, team trivia, and bingo. 

 

There are also the enrichment talks, usually two per day. I have greatly enjoyed Ted Libbey's lectures, both in person (one) and on the in-suite replay (also one). Libbey was a music critic for the New York Times and has also worked with PBS. As his credentials suggest, he knows his stuff. He seems to have a deep knowledge of and appreciation for classical music wherever it may show up (including film soundtracks), and he also knows how to organize and pace lectures for this audience: just the right bit of prefacing, just enough contextual information, just enough time with the audio/video examples, and a light touch of humor. I'm a fan. If I can snag a meal with him and his wife, I will.

 

The other American is a geologist from San Francisco, who also chose his topics well. The in-suite replays aren't great, as they seem to start the recording well after he has begun speaking. As a result, I feel a little lost during his slide show. I must also confess I'm simply more interested in cultural histories than in political and scientific histories, but I am very glad they are offering relevant science lectures.

 

The third and final enrichment lecturer is one I've encountered before -- on my most recent pre-Covid Silversea cruise, as a matter of fact. His topics are a much better fit for this crossing (history of the great ocean liners, WWII and such) and also for this moment in time (Russian history, especially Rasputin). They were not a good fit for our Caribbean island-hopping in 2019, so I'm glad to see he has recycled those talks for a more appropriate time and place. I'll be curious to hear from others what they think. @jollyjones? Back in 2019 I found his sense of humor off-putting and too old fashioned in a misogynistic kind of way, but perhaps that has improved over the intervening years.

 

It appears we have a bonus fourth speaker: the flamenco player, who I hear may have an injured hand and cannot play. We'll see if that rumor turns out to be true. In any case, he gave what was billed as an "intimate" talk about his life this morning. I'd love to hear more about that, if anyone wants to chime in.

 

That's it for now. I'm off to dress in my finery. As I was waiting to have my hair styled, the nail technician noticed how clean (= unpolished!) my nails were. Ah, I can't be too beautiful now, can I? What with my new shoes and all. 

 

Wherever you may be, enjoy your evenings.

[jollyjones]

How fascinating that despite being on the same ship for the same cruise and with superficial personal similarities (female solo sailors, not very interested in socialising), we are taking very different experiences from this sailing.

I am not interested in the spa or the beauticians or any of the shoppertunities - to me they're just a waste of money - and I only watch lectures if they're live and I'm there in the theatre. I have been to the scientific talks and enjoyed them - volcanoes, tsunamis, ground water movements, demographics - by Jim Jacobs and John Pennycate but have no interest in music so haven't been to anything of Libbey's.

I would prefer to never turn the TV on except to get our latitude and longitude to check against satellite weather pictures so am a bit infuriated that much of the information that used to be delivered on paper must now be read on screen, especially having to delete the endless emails. The interactive TV system appears to be offline this morning, I wonder how that will play out.

But I am conflicted even about that because I have commented in the past to the powers that be about the excessive use and waste of paper - can't have it both ways, I guess.

 

I've been to both the cooking demos - one with Executive Sous Chef Antonio Bocca and one with Chef de Cuisine Fernandini Bazan - both were adequate, not outstanding. Now cruising is gathering steam again, I do hope to be on a ship with David Bilsland sometime soon, he is of course unbeatable in a demo!!

 

I play trivia every day but the team I'm in isn't covering itself with glory so perhaps we should just gloss over that.

 

There are, as is usual on a crossing with a low solo supplement, loads of solos - I saw perhaps 20 or more when I wandered past to eyeball the solo get together on embarkation evening - that's too many in one group for me so I kept on going up to Panorama where I usually enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail. Unibok and I do at least share pleasure in the aft spaces. I never eat breakfast so can't comment on the Arts Cafe in the morning. I sometimes picked up a few cookies from there later in the day but my butler noticed and now leaves cookies in my cabin so I don't have a reason to go there any more.

Talking of aft spaces, I am booking a cruise on the Nova in 2024 despite the not very inspiring looking deckplans - there are no vista suites and the classic verandahs are few and far between and very much up at the bow or back at the stern. SS is so very blatantly pushing pax further up the suite categories to the more expensive ones - an understandable business model but not so good especially for solos. OTOH, I have been getting quotes for several cruises on other ships and, if they are not in the 'special offer 25% solo supplement' category, they are all at only 50% solo supplement so that is good news for us solos.

 

Aha! The interactive TV system has just rebooted but it is definitely starting from the beginning again - I am now obliged to watch the safety briefing before moving on to the other channels so that is playing, sound muted, beside me. 

 

It looks like we are continuing to have smooth seas with mostly sunny weather today so I'll be up on deck 10 again to walk the track and lie in the sun and read, then maybe go to John Pennycate's talk this afternoon on 'Norway, the North Pole, and the South Pole' - I wonder what his angle will be.

 

And the TV has finally got there ... now I can see that we are at 26 degrees north, 19 degrees west!

And 62  degrees (16C) outside, maybe not so much sunbathing today ...

 

PS Still just the one Covid case, all contacts were negative.

Edited March 25, 2022 by jollyjones

[Unibok]

@jollyjones I love your posts! And I do love seeing how different our experiences are on the same ship over the same course of days.

 

We absolutely share the same annoyance over the TV messages that must be deleted each day, most of which are advertisements for something or other.

 

Did you attend the Venetian reception last night? The Ukrainian singer, Yuri, has a gorgeous voice and sang to kick off the festivities. Anetta played piano beautifully as we settled in our seats.

 

If I'm remembering correctly, there are 175 VS members on board, which I think means more first-timers than returnees. They celebrated pax with thousands of days and said that other milestones were being marked through "independent arrangements." As one who reached a milestone, I'm curious to know what those independent arrangements will be. The highlight of the event, for me, were the staff awards: one to an engine room mechanic, one to a housekeeping custodian, and one to a butler who alerted the captain to a safety issue he noticed. It felt like a celebration of all the unsung heroes.

 

Jolly, I do hope we meet. I would even leave my self-imposed isolation chamber for that! You will quickly see that I'm not usually the spa and shopportunity type 🙂 Much to the nail technician's dismay, my fingers and toes remain unadorned and I have exactly 1 dress elegant enough for formal night. I assure you, we are not so different.

 

Cheers to all,

[zqtchas]

Are they still supplying face masks in the cabin?

Is the Chronicles still in paper form?

And now we are getting our Travel Journal in PDF instead of

the nice little booklet.

Cheap, Cheap.
Where will it end!! 

[TLCOhio]

20 hours ago, jpalbny said:

I don't know how I'd feel about 5 or 6 1-hour adjustments. Somehow, I think I prefer the trial by fire method - just jump in a plane and get them over all at once!   Though funny enough. We fly to Paris tomorrow night, arriving Saturday. Because Europe isn't quite on DST yet, it's only 5h lost. But, then DST starts the next day! Argh. I need to complain to my travel planner!

 

Appreciate these highly-detailed reports and background information by Unibok.  Very interesting and informative!!  Keep it coming.  Very good questions from zqtchas.

 

Good luck to JP and Chris with your flight and adventures in going to Paris, etc.  Keep us posted for how it all goes in Europe.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 243,796 views.

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

[jollyjones]

1 hour ago, zqtchas said:

Are they still supplying face masks in the cabin?

Is the Chronicles still in paper form?

And now we are getting our Travel Journal in PDF instead of

the nice little booklet.

Cheap, Cheap.
Where will it end!! 

Yes to the first two. 
And who cares about the travel journal, I just delete that email as soon as it arrives. Just like I used to throw away all the contents of the thankfully defunct silver box, what a waste of carbon that was. 

[zqtchas]

23 minutes ago, jollyjones said:

Yes to the first two. 
And who cares about the travel journal, I just delete that email as soon as it arrives. Just like I used to throw away all the contents of the thankfully defunct silver box, what a waste of carbon that was. 

I don't, but my wife likes to collect them.

[ronrick1943]

Just want to say thanks for all then cruise postings, nice to see how everyone see’s this cruise a little   different.  Nice!

[mancunian]

We are joining the ship in Lisbon.

 

Could someone please tell me if the musicians in the Silver Note happen to be Esther and Chantel.  I do hope so.

 

Many thanks

[spinnaker2]

Enjoying the posts  from JJ and Uni.

 

I raise a glass or two of bubbly from the land to you both.  Cheers!!!

 

Almost sounds like back to normal, almost. 

 

 

[Unibok]

5 hours ago, zqtchas said:

Are they still supplying face masks in the cabin?

Is the Chronicles still in paper form?

And now we are getting our Travel Journal in PDF instead of

the nice little booklet.

Cheap, Cheap.
Where will it end!! 

 

Ah! I meant to mention the Bulgari case with face masks, personal bottles of hani-sani, and other Covid-related treats. It was on the bed as a welcome package on embarkation day. Instead of the usual flashlight/keychain, we received SS logo hani-sani carrier keychains. 

 

Chronicles are in paper form, but they are only 4 pages instead of the usual 6. 

 

I'm on the fence about whether these are cost-cutting measures that annoy me, or if they are environment-saving measures that please me!

 

mancunian, I will be at Silver Note tonight and will report back.

 

Also, as a follow-up to the rumor of the injured flamenco player: He is not! Indeed, he is playing a full concert tonight. 

[Camillus112]

9 hours ago, jollyjones said:

How fascinating that despite being on the same ship for the same cruise and with superficial personal similarities (female solo sailors, not very interested in socialising), we are taking very different experiences from this sailing.

I am not interested in the spa or the beauticians or any of the shoppertunities - to me they're just a waste of money - and I only watch lectures if they're live and I'm there in the theatre. I have been to the scientific talks and enjoyed them - volcanoes, tsunamis, ground water movements, demographics - by Jim Jacobs and John Pennycate but have no interest in music so haven't been to anything of Libbey's.

I would prefer to never turn the TV on except to get our latitude and longitude to check against satellite weather pictures so am a bit infuriated that much of the information that used to be delivered on paper must now be read on screen, especially having to delete the endless emails. The interactive TV system appears to be offline this morning, I wonder how that will play out.

But I am conflicted even about that because I have commented in the past to the powers that be about the excessive use and waste of paper - can't have it both ways, I guess.

 

I've been to both the cooking demos - one with Executive Sous Chef Antonio Bocca and one with Chef de Cuisine Fernandini Bazan - both were adequate, not outstanding. Now cruising is gathering steam again, I do hope to be on a ship with David Bilsland sometime soon, he is of course unbeatable in a demo!!

 

I play trivia every day but the team I'm in isn't covering itself with glory so perhaps we should just gloss over that.

 

There are, as is usual on a crossing with a low solo supplement, loads of solos - I saw perhaps 20 or more when I wandered past to eyeball the solo get together on embarkation evening - that's too many in one group for me so I kept on going up to Panorama where I usually enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail. Unibok and I do at least share pleasure in the aft spaces. I never eat breakfast so can't comment on the Arts Cafe in the morning. I sometimes picked up a few cookies from there later in the day but my butler noticed and now leaves cookies in my cabin so I don't have a reason to go there any more.

Talking of aft spaces, I am booking a cruise on the Nova in 2024 despite the not very inspiring looking deckplans - there are no vista suites and the classic verandahs are few and far between and very much up at the bow or back at the stern. SS is so very blatantly pushing pax further up the suite categories to the more expensive ones - an understandable business model but not so good especially for solos. OTOH, I have been getting quotes for several cruises on other ships and, if they are not in the 'special offer 25% solo supplement' category, they are all at only 50% solo supplement so that is good news for us solos.

 

Aha! The interactive TV system has just rebooted but it is definitely starting from the beginning again - I am now obliged to watch the safety briefing before moving on to the other channels so that is playing, sound muted, beside me. 

 

It looks like we are continuing to have smooth seas with mostly sunny weather today so I'll be up on deck 10 again to walk the track and lie in the sun and read, then maybe go to John Pennycate's talk this afternoon on 'Norway, the North Pole, and the South Pole' - I wonder what his angle will be.

 

And the TV has finally got there ... now I can see that we are at 26 degrees north, 19 degrees west!

And 62  degrees (16C) outside, maybe not so much sunbathing today ...

 

PS Still just the one Covid case, all contacts were negative.

 

Dear Jolly, I met you around 2009 in an SS cruise out of San Juan through Duct Tape...who I met her...or she consciously met me... as we were sailing away and I was very emotional, since I am Puerto Rican, and it was my first sailing away from my Island.  She introduced me to you in a glowing manner, but, although I interacted with her several times, I did not see you again.  I always follow your posts and think fondly of her.

[Unibok]

The Food Issue

 

Well, we have been onboard for a week, and in that time I've eaten a few things. Here is a special issue of the Unibok/jollyjones transAtlantic trip report.

 

Apparently 6 containers of provisions were not in Bridgetown as planned, so that has probably affected menu planning and availability of particular items. For the most part, I've not noticed any scarcity or lack of quality, so I commend the culinary staff for their creativity and professionalism.

 

Arts Cafe

Or as I like to think of it, Mason Jar Cuisine. Casual bites, perfect for Instagram. Breakfast offerings are the usual pastries, but also croissant breakfast sandwiches, fruit/yogurt parfaits, fruity oatmeal cups (take 2 -- they are really small lol), all kinds of smoothies, and many flavors of detox waters.  Later in the day you'll find wraps and more sandwiches, many types of salads in jars, and my favorite: noodle soup in a jar. I could eat that every day for the rest of my life and be happy. It reminds me of a Vietnamese bùn soup. Delicious! I'm not sure what they offer later in the day, until we get to the after dinner chocolates. As mentioned before, there is ample seating both inside and outside, and it is generally a popular hangout, perhaps second only to the pool. By today the staff were seeming a little frayed around the edges, so I hope they get to make up those lost hours of sleep soon.

 

Atlantide

One of my two favorite lunch spots, Atlantide serves salads and pastas that are always perfectly balanced and beautifully plated. The shaved fennel salad came with the most delicate dressing, and the beetroot/bleu cheese salad was gorgeous. My red snapper was cooked perfectly: tender fish, crispy skin, and a chili oil drizzle. The handmade pasta makes me sigh audibly; I love it so. Wine service is excellent and attentive.

 

The Grill/Hot Rocks

Dinner at the Grill is exactly like I've experienced on other ships, right down to the hot lava stones and choice of sides and sauces. My filet was tender and cooked perfectly (compliments to the chef! oh, right, that's me!), and the marinated veg kabobs were fine as always. However, the guacamole tasted like the avocado had turned, and should not have been used. Perhaps avocados were a victim of those missing containers. In any case, my record for good avocados at any meal in The Grill is now 0-for-4. The salad was disappointing as well; either the lettuce was not dried before adding the dressing, or the dressing itself was far too runny. I do love their meats, and I look forward to the experience, but basic items at the Grill often disappoint, so I do not eat there for lunch.

 

Indochine

Oh, I do love the bold flavors at Indochine. I could have eaten four servings of the beef tataki -- it was so tender and rare, with a gorgeous sauce. The beef and lemongrass was as delicious as I had remembered, with excellent contrasting textures and complimentary spices. I could happily eat that every day, as well. The menu changes every 4 days, so I've also been able to sample the lobster pad thai (deservedly a crowd favorite) and beef shar chiu (please forgive my spelling on that one). As much as I look forward to trying SALT on the newer ships, I will miss Indochine's pan-Asian flavors and preparations.

 

Seishin

Lunchtime sushi and sashimi is a bit of heaven for me, and I enjoy lunch at Seishin more often than anywhere else on the ship. I love the intimate space, the impeccable service, and the excellent quality of their fatty fish (salmon, eel, and mackerel). It would even more lovely if they offered miso soup along with lunch, but the lack hasn't discouraged me from returning. It did seem they were conserving the sake by not serving it with lunch -- perhaps sake was also in the missing containers? 

 

La Terrazza

Given my appetite for fresh pasta, you can imagine that La Terrazza remains a dinnertime favorite of mine. The quality of dinner service here is equal to what I've enjoyed on the Shadow and Wind, and better than I experienced on the Muse.

 

Dinner reports from Seishin and Silver Note will have to wait a few more days ... so stay tuned. For now, I'm off to dinner.

 

Buon appetito tutti, wherever you may be.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2022 by Unibok
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