A Silver Shadow Over The World - December 2023 to May 2024

[rojaan19]

2 hours ago, mysty said:

We would be in Lembar Lombok, Indonesia on March 15, 2024.  

 

Mysty, Lombok is famous for their pottery !  Every village makes it !  We went in 1992  and I bought some huge platters and bowls  but then  had to  get them  home,  so  bought a  big batik bag to put them in and Ron had to  carry it as though it was light - nearly gave him a hernia - but he got them  on the plane and I still have them  today  !  Get Myster to  start building up  those arm  muscles 😉

[mysty]

6 minutes ago, rojaan19 said:

 

Mysty, Lombok is famous for their pottery !  Every village makes it !  We went in 1992  and I bought some huge platters and bowls  but then  had to  get them  home,  so  bought a  big batik bag to put them in and Ron had to  carry it as though it was light - nearly gave him a hernia - but he got them  on the plane and I still have them  today  !  Get Myster to  start building up  those arm  muscles 😉

 

Thank you rojaan!  I will definitely keep my eyes peeled.  And luckily, Myster is currently in the process of building privacy screens for our apartment patio.  It faces a very busy street and a sidewalk that is part of the Great Trail Canada.  His arm muscles are definitely being well exercised!  😁

[mysty]

In case anyone is interested, there is a Roll Call for this cruise.  Currently there are 6 "we're going"s.  Here is the link....

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2905583-world-cruise-2024-san-francisco-california-to-san-francisco-california-january-15-2024-may-26-2024/

 

 

[mysty]

As I mentioned, one of our favourite means of exploration is through our taste buds....culinary adventures to remember.  I found a couple of websites with interesting suggestions.

 

https://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahloewentheil/must-try-dishes-around-the-world

 

From the link above I find these options appealing......

1. Vietnam: Bun Cha and Bánh Xèo 

2. China: Jianbing

4. Japan: Hiroshima-Style Okonomiyaki and Ramen

14. Singapore: Kaya Toast and Chicken Rice

16. Indonesia: Nasi Goreng and Martabak

28. Hong Kong: Egg Waffles

32. Malaysia: Nasi Lemak and Char Kuay Teow

 

https://www.holidify.com/pages/best-dishes-in-the-world-1532.html

 

How about....

1. Sushi (Japan)

2. Rendang, Indonesia

6. Pho, Vietnam

7. Peking duck, China

[Stumblefoot]

3 hours ago, mysty said:

How about....

1. Sushi (Japan)

Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi

[mysty]

17 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Sukiyabashi Jiro Roppongi

 

Thank you Stumble!  That looks like a spectacular place!  And obviously pricey!  A 2 Michelin star!

 

https://guide.michelin.com/ca/en/tokyo-region/tokyo/restaurant/sukiyabashi-jiro-roppongiten

 

https://www.roppongihills.com/gourmet_shops/0138.html

[wristband]

Mysty, once again great suggestions, links & photos!  We are interested in participating/organizing private tours in addition to the ship's excursions during the WC. 

 

Welcoming your thoughts if you are considering same.  Thanks!

[mysty]

10 minutes ago, wristband said:

Mysty, once again great suggestions, links & photos!  We are interested in participating/organizing private tours in addition to the ship's excursions during the WC. 

 

Welcoming your thoughts if you are considering same.  Thanks!

 

Haven't thought about organizing anything.   If something looks interesting over the next couple of months I'll definitely let folks know.  😁

[mysty]

When I started this thread the grand adventure was a dream full of leaky pipes.  It seems the travel gods and goddesses have agreed to the dwindling of leaks and have permitted us to progress this far.  First of 4 cruise payments was submitted today.   Hopefully they will continue to extend their grace.

 

This thread was always intended to be a group think.  The more folks chiming in with info, thoughts, concerns and camaraderie, the better.  The following is a quote from the original post in this thead.....

 

"This is also a warm invitation to fellow adventurers on this itinerary (who may also be dreaming) to chime in with their 2 cents ($5.00 with current inflation 😁). Once the ship sails my posts here will relate to the Silver Shadow experience, the ports, the excursions, the food and the camaraderie. Snippets of the personal hijinks of Myster and Mysty will be posted in the Cooler.... my usual stomping ground. In the meantime folks are welcome to post comments and/or questions about the planned adventure.  Once the fun begins our fellow passengers are welcome to post their experiences.  Consider it a group blog. This is not intended to be my personal thread.  This is not the "Mysty" show.  I'm simply lighting the spark."

 

C'mon along!

[mysty]

We would be in Darwin on March 8 and 9, 2024.  We have visited this port twice before.  On the first visit Myster did the Jumping Crocodiles Cruise.  He enjoyed it.  It is available to book as an Included Excursion on March 8 or 9 (JUMPING CROCODILE CRUISE (DRW-C) ).

 

 

On the second visit we ambled around Darwin with a City Walk map checking out things like The Tree of Knowledge and the nearby Beagle Bells.   The HMS Beagle Ship Bell Chime was commissioned by Council in 2009 to celebrate 200 years since the birth of Charles Darwin (1809-1883).  There is a daily musical program here.  Please see the attached link.  The Chimes are located at  13 Harry Chan Ave, Darwin.

 

 

https://www.darwin.nt.gov.au/sites/default/files/old_7_publications_files/hms_beagle_ship_bell_chime_brochure.pdf

 

This time we have an excursion booked for March 8.  Our overnight at Uluru will depart on March 8 and we have no information on time of departure yet.  We may cancel the booked excursion.

 

According to http://whatsinport.com:

"A new Darwin cruise terminal at Fort Hill Wharf has been built for the increasing cruise passenger numbers as the convention center and waterfront developments make Darwin an even more attractive destination.

The terminal is large enough to accommodate a mini-market of Darwin's products that are naturally of interest to cruise ship passengers.

It is about a 15 minute walk and by public elevator from downtown.
Taxis will be available at the pier, and a ride to the city center should cost about $8.

Darwin is small and can be easily explored on foot."

 

We booked DARWIN HERITAGE WALK.

Discover what the city has to offer with a local on this 2-hour walking tour and enjoy a local's perspective whilst getting a sense of how the city of Darwin has developed to blend the past with today's modern multicultural vibe.

CITY SIGHTS

Your guide will share their passion for the town they call home and will tell of the history of the World War II bombings and Cyclone Tracy. You will see many of the remaining buildings such as the old Court House and Police Station, Browns Mart and the Old Palmerston Town Hall ruins. View Government House, Parliament House and the Northern Territory Supreme Court on your walk through the streets of this modern tropical city.

There are so many hidden treasure's to discover which is best done on foot. There are loads of opportunities to capture photographs of the indigenous sculptures, architecture, historic buildings, and wildflowers.

The tour concludes back at the pier.

[jillyf]

We will be in Darwin for 2 weeks early next month. We have booked a food and art tour on our second night there to find out a bit more about restaurants.

I see they have a tour for cruise ships too, i will let you know what we think and any information about restaurants we go to.

https://darwingourmettours.rezdy.com/413967/3-5-hour-gourmet-lunch-or-dinner-art-tour

 

[mysty]

20 minutes ago, jillyf said:

We will be in Darwin for 2 weeks early next month. We have booked a food and art tour on our second night there to find out a bit more about restaurants.

I see they have a tour for cruise ships too, i will let you know what we think and any information about restaurants we go to.

https://darwingourmettours.rezdy.com/413967/3-5-hour-gourmet-lunch-or-dinner-art-tour

 

 

Thank you Jill!  That tour sounds wonderful!  Yes, we would appreciate your feedback! 🥰

[HappyLadyTravels]

12 hours ago, wristband said:

Mysty, once again great suggestions, links & photos!  We are interested in participating/organizing private tours in addition to the ship's excursions during the WC. 

 

Welcoming your thoughts if you are considering same.  Thanks!

Hi, are you interested in spending a day in the Ble Mountains which are located outside of Sydney?

[wristband]

Thank you so much HLT!  We have not visited Sydney so we hope to spend our time in the city as its a major item on our bucket list.  That said, any other ideas that might be of interest you wish to share, please let me/us know!  We are all ears & interested!  Thanks again.

[mysty]

Here is another question and answer relating to the 2019 World Cruise....

 

What was your greatest satisfaction and/or disappointment on the 2019 World Cruise?

 

In Myster's words:

 "I thought the World Cruise Events (Greeting the Tahitian Gods in Papeete, Legendary Japan from Osaka to Tokyo, A Walk Through History in Cape Town and World Cruise Meets World Class at the Guggenheim in Bilbao) and the Silversea Experiences (An Evening at Sydney Opera House: La Boheme in Sydney, Sights and Sounds of Sri Lanka in Colombo, A Train Ride to Freedom in Cape Town and Into the History of Goree Island in Dakar) were excellent!  Very well organized and with great attention to detail.  They were much improved over the events from the 2016 World Cruise. 

 

Greeting the Tahitian Gods in Papeete......

 

Sights and Sounds of Sri Lanka in Colombo.....

 

My biggest disappointment was the inconsistencies we encountered with our shore excursions.  Some of the places we visited had a very under-developed tourist infrastructure which made for challenging excursions.  Silversea did add a "qualifier" on some of the tour descriptions to indicate that the excursions might not be up to expectations because of the limited availability of tour professionals in the area.  There were tours in more developed places such as Taiwan where the guides were inexperienced and that impacted on the tour itself.  We did have some excellent shore excursions:  The Balinese Cooking Class, The Table Mountain tour and the Flamenco Evening with Dinner."

 

My greatest satisfaction:  

My biggest satisfaction was that the months of planning and research that I had done for this adventure paid off.  The shore excursions we booked with the ship were, for the most part, very good to excellent with a few duds thrown in.  We avoided the formal nights in The Restaurant because I had booked the speciality restaurants for those nights.   And this time I did not over pack as much as I did in 2016.  However, there were some items that could have been safely left behind.

 

My greatest disappointment: The port of Lome, Togo was cancelled due to civil unrest in the country.  I had booked a shore excursion that I was looking forward to:  

Slavery, Voodoo & Zangbeto Dances
Explore the history, religion and culture of West Africa during this full-day excursion to Lome and its environs. 

Obviously that excursion did not happen.  Of course the cruise itinerary needs to be adjusted when dangerous situations develop.  It was a disappointment though.

 

Overall, for both of us, disappointments were very few and satisfaction more than made up for them!

[drron29]

What a pity missing Togo. It was one of the best days of my life when the Explorer called there in 2013.

But first next door in Benin where it was the slave trade and voodoo. Boy was it poor. Rojaan and I took some packets ot cereal with us. At the first village I wandered of and

handed it out

 

 

But of course you run out and someone is always disappointed.

 

And our guide at a sacred voodoo forest.

 

But Togo was just incredible. i went on the excursion by myself as it was 3 hours in a bus over rough roads and 3 hours back but it was worth every bump. First was a school visit and what a reception.

 

And who could refuse this young girl who wanted to dance with me. yes the chicken dance. fortunately there is no photographic record of my dancing.

 

Then A young woman came up and just handed me her baby. fortunately she was convinced to take it back.

 

Then another young lady wanted a dance and photo.

 

Now is when I felt inadequate when the students sang. They can speak French,English and their local dialect. i have only one language.

 

I went and explored the village and came across the senior boys playing soccer. They were celebrating their best player being selected in a junior Togo side. I played soccer as a youngster.Watching the star it was obvious he was predictable.He feinted left,then right and left again.So I went on.As soon as he feinted right i went to his left and dispossessed him.It took 3 times before he realised what I was doing.So then i left the field.Exhausted!
Their coach came up to me and asked if I played soccer.I told him I used to.He then says-"Papa you are the spirit of my father returned to give us a message".I passed on a couple of tips but the spirits forbid me to tell you what they were.

They all turned out to say goodbye.

 

But the best was yet to come as we were taken to a mountain top resort. treated to some excellent music. this young fellow sure had rhythm and played his heart and soul out.

 

And the band.

 

Then treated to dancing by the women.

 

Towards the end I played a starring role. During the dancing two of the women put a spell on drron.That's my story and I am sticking to it.These two had the biggest of smiles,asked for their photos to be taken and asked drron to join them dancing.These are the two-

 

Finally we went to a voodoo village and there was more dancing. This young lass decided to teach me the dance. according to some of the older women she did a good job.

 

So there it is a fantastic day in Togo.

 

 

 

Edited June 21, 2023 by drron29

[mysty]

18 minutes ago, drron29 said:

What a pity missing Togo. It was one of the best days of my life when the Explorer called there in 2013.

But first next door in Benin where it was the slave trade and voodoo. Boy was it poor. Rojaan and I took some packets ot cereal with us. At the first village I wandered of and

handed it out

 

 

But of course you run out and someone is always disappointed.

 

And our guide at a sacred voodoo forest.

 

But Togo was just incredible. i went on the excursion by myself as it was 3 hours in a bus over rough roads and 3 hours back but it was worth every bump. First was a school visit and what a reception.

 

And who could refuse this young girl who wanted to dance with me. yes the chicken dance. fortunately there is no photographic record of my dancing.

 

Then A young woman came up and just handed me her baby. fortunately she was convinced to take it back.

 

Then another young lady wanted a dance and photo.

 

Now is when I felt inadequate when the students sang. They can speak French,English and their local dialect. i have only one language.

 

I went and explored the village and came across the senior boys playing soccer. They were celebrating their best player being selected in a junior Togo side. I played soccer as a youngster.Watching the star it was obvious he was predictable.He feinted left,then right and left again.So I went on.As soon as he feinted right i went to his left and dispossessed him.It took 3 times before he realised what I was doing.So then i left the field.Exhausted!
Their coach came up to me and asked if I played soccer.I told him I used to.He then says-"Papa you are the spirit of my father returned to give us a message".I passed on a couple of tips but the spirits forbid me to tell you what they were.

They all turned out to say goodbye.

 

But the best was yet to come as we were taken to a mountain top resort. treated to some excellent music. this young fellow sure had rhythm and played his heart and soul out.

 

And the band.

 

Then treated to dancing by the women.

 

Towards the end I played a starring role. During the dancing two of the women put a spell on drron.That's my story and I am sticking to it.These two had the biggest of smiles,asked for their photos to be taken and asked drron to join them dancing.These are the two-

 

Finally we went to a voodoo village and there was more dancing. This young lass decided to teach me the dance. according to some of the older women she did a good job.

 

So there it is a fantastic day in Togo.

 

 

 

 

Thank you drron!  Now I am even more disappointed to have missed that port!  However,  it does suggest further exploration is required! 😁  Your contributions to this thread are a delight!

[mysty]

We would be in Wellington, New Zealand on February 15, 2024.  We have visited this port before.  In fact, we had an extended stay there due to weather conditions.

 

According to http://whatsinport.com:

"All ships dock at Aotea Quay, a free shuttle service is provided at Aotea Quay. which is the only way to get into the city. The shuttles operate on a continuous loop and run frequently throughout the day.

 

Wellington, known as New Zealand's arts and culture capital, offers an unmatched blend of culture, heritage, fine food, and lively arts and entertainment.  It is easy to get around the central city on foot, as is very compact and pedestrian-friendly.

 

Surrounded by hills and a rugged coastline, the city boasts a stunning harbor. Wellington's charm is that it serves up a vibrant inner city experience with a slice of New Zealand scenery. And because of its compact nature, you can sample it all - boutique shopping, art galleries, trendy cafes and restaurants. Right on its doorstep is a network of walking and biking trails with beautiful wineries and vineyards just a few hours away.

 

Wellington Museum, The museum features a large-scale model of the harbor including model ships and other maritime memorabilia.

 

National Museum and Art Gallery (Te Papa) Opened in February 1998, Te Papa, the National Museum of New Zealand, is a wonderful way to discover this country, its land, its people and its culture. Using an exciting combination of interactive displays and leading technology, Te Papa will entertain and inform its visitors.

 

Zealandia Ecosanctuary is the world's first fully-fenced urban ecosanctuary, with an extraordinary 500-year vision to restore a Wellington valley's forest and freshwater ecosystems as closely as possible to their pre-human state. The 225 hectare (500+ acre) ecosanctuary is a groundbreaking conservation project that has reintroduced 18 species of native wildlife back into the area, some of
which were previously absent from mainland New Zealand for over 100 years.

 

Wellington Botanic Garden With 25 hectares of beautiful garden and 150 years of history, we have been recognized as a Garden of National Significance by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture, as well as an important Heritage Area by Historic Places Trust.

 

Another option is the Weta Workshop Museum and Cave. The crew have worked on many well-known and much-loved films and TV series, such as The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Avatar, King Kong, District 9 and many more. Tour experiences, creative workshops and event offerings are the chance to share their creativity with the world, offering visitors up-close personal experiences into the artistry and craftsmanship that happens within the workshop every day."

As I mentioned in another post, we have booked Storm Coast.  @Port Power was kind enough to recommend both the Weta Workshop and Zealandia in a previous post.

 

Zealandia.....

 

Weta.....

Edited June 22, 2023 by mysty

[wristband]

Your reports and insights are terrific Mysty!  We just returned from a Regent World Cruise which visited Togo, Sao Tome, Senegal etc.  In my opinion, you missed nothing of importance.

 

Togo & Sao Tome are destitute, run by corrupt & inept leadership which has mismanaged billions with little to show.  Except for enormous debt, cronies on the government dole and wasteful unfinished projects. They are paying the piper - harshly.  We can read about difficult negotiations for debt relief and requests for more money from the IMF and World Bank.  Who will impose austerity budgets and demanding cutbacks.  Which means the misery inflicted on the population from hyper-inflation and reduced government spending will worsen today's horrible conditions.

 

Another thought: as we in the West rapidly age, West Africa faces the inverse demographics - millions of unemployed, unskilled dejected youth with nothing to do.  This is a problem the EU is grappling with now.  Spreading unhappiness, unrest and distrust of the West is not a recipe for prosperity and growth.  

 

One more: the jihadist movement is flourishing in adjacent Mali and Burkina Faso, now seeping its ideology and militant tactics into neighboring West African countries.  This will have a major impact on financial stability and tourism in those countries.

 

Not a happy confluence of internal and external factors.

 

[mysty]

3 minutes ago, wristband said:

Your reports and insights are terrific Mysty!  We just returned from a Regent World Cruise which visited Togo, Sao Tome, Senegal etc.  In my opinion, you missed nothing of importance.

 

Togo & Sao Tome are destitute, run by corrupt & inept leadership which has mismanaged billions with little to show.  Except for enormous debt, cronies on the government dole and wasteful unfinished projects. They are paying the piper - harshly.  We can read about difficult negotiations for debt relief and requests for more money from the IMF and World Bank.  Who will impose austerity budgets and demanding cutbacks.  Which means the misery inflicted on the population from hyper-inflation and reduced government spending will worsen today's horrible conditions.

 

Another thought: as we in the West rapidly age, West Africa faces the inverse demographics - millions of unemployed, unskilled dejected youth with nothing to do.  This is a problem the EU is grappling with now.  Spreading unhappiness, unrest and distrust of the West is not a recipe for prosperity and growth.  

 

One more: the jihadist movement is flourishing in adjacent Mali and Burkina Faso, now seeping its ideology and militant tactics into neighboring West African countries.  This will have a major impact on financial stability and tourism in those countries.

 

Not a happy confluence of internal and external factors.

 

 

Thank you wristband!  It is becoming more of a challenge for our world to survive.  The struggles around the world are escalating.  The whole idea of travel is becoming a concept laden with potential threats.  That's part of the reason why we are stressing our finances to take these cruises.  Carpe Diem!

[mysty]

We just received some disappointing news from Silversea through our TA.  We are losing some of the awesome ports in Japan.  Here is the new itinerary...

 

 

We will now call on Nagasaki, Japan, and Busan, South Korea, in lieu of Niigata, Sakata and Aomori, Japan.  I did say....be prepared for port changes.  🤔

[Port Power]

Reading your posts and thinking about my 2025 world cruise has brought further questions to mind.  World cruises are good in that you see many desired destinations with only one air fare.  However, how do I know I will enjoy a World Cruise?  I could book the 2026 World Cruise when on Silver Dawn in July.  With a guaranteed refund of deposit until 359 days (or thereabouts) and the $650 admin fee transferred to a future cruise, there is no down side to booking.  But… how satisfying is life on board for four or five months?  Silversea has limited entertainment, as does any brand of ship with around 600-700 passengers.  What do you do in the evening?  There will be some repeat ports, but with a different view and itineraries.  Often the Pacific Ocean countries are in the height of summer, which includes extremely high humidity.  
 

You have done a few World Cruises.  What is the attraction?  Why do you book again?  What do you enjoy? I am really interested in your views.  

[mysty]

5 minutes ago, Port Power said:

Reading your posts and thinking about my 2025 world cruise has brought further questions to mind.  World cruises are good in that you see many desired destinations with only one air fare.  However, how do I know I will enjoy a World Cruise?  I could book the 2026 World Cruise when on Silver Dawn in July.  With a guaranteed refund of deposit until 359 days (or thereabouts) and the $650 admin fee transferred to a future cruise, there is no down side to booking.  But… how satisfying is life on board for four or five months?  Silversea has limited entertainment, as does any brand of ship with around 600-700 passengers.  What do you do in the evening?  There will be some repeat ports, but with a different view and itineraries.  Often the Pacific Ocean countries are in the height of summer, which includes extremely high humidity.  
 

You have done a few World Cruises.  What is the attraction?  Why do you book again?  What do you enjoy? I am really interested in your views.  

 

Excellent questions Port Power!  I will do my best to respond.  I think the primary reason that Myster and I do World Cruises is to see as much of our glorious world as we can.  Our choices of which of these versions of cruises we take is based on the itinerary.  We look for as many new ports as we can find.  There are always repeat ports.  Our goal is to find an even distribution of old and new.  The 2016 version took us through the Middle East.  The 2019 version took us to Africa.  The 2024 would allow us to explore new ports in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Alaska.

 

We book again for the reason above and for the magical experiences and special interaction with fellow passengers.  There is a very different vibe to a World Cruise than to other cruises. You are traveling for an extended period of time with mostly the same folks.  There are people who join for segments of course.  There are amazing friendships formed on these World Cruises.  In addition, the World Cruise events and the Silversea experiences are spectacular.  They provide a deep dive into the location being visited.  These are not what you would experience on an excursion.  For example....the dinner on Gorée Island off of Dakar.

 

Myster and I rarely explore the evening entertainment options.  We enjoy a leisurely dinner, a quiet time in the suite and early bedtime.  If something very appealing shows up in the Chronicle we make an effort to attend.  When there is a dinner under the stars we make a point of attending.  I love to dance and these pool side feasts are the perfect place to trip the light fantastic!

 

I detest living out of a suitcase!  Boarding a ship, unpacking once and sailing the world is my idea of heaven!  I love sea days!  The leisurely enjoyment of choosing from the available activities, the long lunches and the unhurried pace feeds my soul.  I savour leaving the distractions of the world behind.  I sail in my bubble of contentment.

 

It's not all wine and roses though.  Pretending otherwise would not help you.  There will be blips.  However, the enjoyment we've experienced has more than compensated for the blips.

 

"How do I know I will enjoy a World Cruise?"........

1.  Do you enjoy long voyages?  For example, back-to-back cruises?

2.  Are you comfortable with many sea days in a row?

3.  Is entertainment important to you?

4.  What has been the most important factor in your choice of past cruises?  Would the 2016 World Cruise meet the criteria used for your past choices?

 

I hope I have provided some insights for you Port Power.  I really wish everyone could experience a World Cruise!

[Port Power]

Thanks, Mysty.  Your reasons tick my boxes as well. I appreciate your thoughtful response.  Now it’s just a matter of working on my budget!

[mysty]

11 minutes ago, Port Power said:

Thanks, Mysty.  Your reasons tick my boxes as well. I appreciate your thoughtful response.  Now it’s just a matter of working on my budget!

 

The budget was one of the leaky pipes in our dream voyage!  Thankfully we are very close to actually paying for it! 😁  Everyone has different priorities for choosing cruises.  I'm glad that our reasons work for you too!