Silver Cloud Live - Dublin to Reykjavik - June 15th to 25th

[alithecat]

3 hours ago, RyanJCanada said:

Poll for those who have done Antarctica before - do you think it’s worthwhile to spend the extra for a verandah? And would you recommend port or starboard side?

Yes on the Cloud and Wind. The Vista suites are on the 4th floor, and when the seas are rough the waves can come up higher than the window. Someone told me it felt like they were inside a commercial washing machine. I recommend a mid-ship Veranda on the 5th floor. This is the best location for the "Drake shake". We did not sit out on the veranda but the extra expanse of glass provides more light to the room, and it was nice to be able to pop out and take photos. The side of the ship doesn't matter.

[RyanJCanada]

Day 4 Update:

 

After returning from the Isle of Canna, we spent some more time at the observation lounge and then returned to our room to get ready for dinner at 7 pm.

 

While we’d been scheduled to dine at La Terrazza again, we elected to cancel that reservation and try the Restaurant instead. I elected for the Meat Gyoja and the Black Tiger Prawn Curry, while my wife had the Lobster Bisque and the Prawn Curry. She had the prosecco, and I had the house chardonnay. All of it was very, very good.

 

The kids were thrilled to discover that the Restaurant has a children’s menu. Both had chicken fingers as an appetizer, and our daughter had the pasta Alfredo for her main and our son had the margherita pizza. It was all very good. Service was maybe a touch slower than it was at La Terrazza but given the early start tomorrow it seemed like many of the guests had opted for an early seating at the main Restaurant.

 

After, the kids each had a triple sundae (with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream) while I had the chocotorta, and my wife had the cheese plate. Then off to bed – where we discovered that my Zodiac lifejacket had spontaneously inflated due to the water.

 

One last drink in the cabin, then off to bed – and up again early at 6 am to find some beautiful weather at the Shiant Isles. We again elected for breakfast in our cabin, but went for less-elaborate options of pastries and yoghurt. That worked very well, and we were able to get ready for our planned Zodiac cruise departure at 7:30 am.

 

Unfortunately, it was at around this time that I discovered that I had managed to break my glasses – one of the screws had fallen out, likely the result of having hiked with the glasses in my pocket. Fingers crossed that the Boutique will be able to repair them – I did manage to find the tiny screw that fell out, though I had quite the time recovering it after dropping it on the bathroom’s marble floor.

 

The Zodiac cruise, however, was truly exceptional – we were right in the midst of massive flocks of puffins and guillemots. The puffins came within just a few feet of the ship, and we were warned to keep our mouths closed when looking upwards. There were also some small, white jellyfish just underneath the boat.

 

Fun Puffin fact – they apparently have special spines on their tongues that let them catch sand eels, which are their preferred food. Puffins can fit as many as 61 sand eels in their beak at a time, though most get closer to 10 in a single beakful.

 

We then proceeded through a rock tunnel – a rare treat, as they are not able to go this way in low tides or rough seas – and then out the other end, where we saw some of the Shiant’s sheep, some swimming seals, and even an eagle chasing the puffins. Definitely need to get a better camera for next trip…

 

We went through another cavern into a secluded little cove, where we found a spring dripping down the cliff face down into the water below and wildflowers clinging to the wet rocks. Absolutely beautiful – pictures definitely do not do it justice.

 

The cruise then ended – 90 minutes later, but it felt like just a few moments. While we’d initially been disappointed about missing the Old Man of Storr hike, this more than made up for it.

 

Once back on the ship, I dropped off my glasses for repair (again, fingers crossed) and went to La Terrazza for a delicious brunch. This to me is the biggest argument in favour of the Silversea expedition ships – the combination of top-notch expeditions with comfort and luxury.

 

We spent some more time in the observation lounge. The ship then got underway for Shetland, and we went down to the room to see if we could pick up some goggles and check on my glasses. Good luck on both fronts – Prince at the Boutique was able to fix my glasses at no charge (how incredible is that?) and they had a nice snorkel set that would work for our daughter.

 

We then went back to the room and got changed for a swim. Despite it being an ‘at sea’ afternoon, the pool deck was fairly quiet and we had no issue finding space to swim. Kids knew that they had to share the pool and not splash or be loud, and they had the pool largely to themselves. I had a Reuben sandwich – delicious and less filling than the burger – and then went back to the room for a power nap.

 

After my nap, we went back to the panorama lounge where we had drinks outside on the back deck and took in the views before my son and I peeled off to go play some trivia. As suggested by RachelG, we asked to join a nearby group and they were more than welcoming to us. No luck with winning – tough questions this round – but we made a valuable contribution to the team.

 

I’ll be heading back to the Explorer’s Lounge shortly to get the latest update on tomorrow’s expeditions, then we’re off to the Grill for dinner tonight.

[RyanJCanada]

3 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Nope to your first question, and either side is fine to your second.

 

Now, about that burger…

Good to know, thanks!

 

Glad to answer any further burger-related questions. Just let me order one more to make sure I haven't forgotten anything...

[RyanJCanada]

1 hour ago, alithecat said:

Yes on the Cloud and Wind. The Vista suites are on the 4th floor, and when the seas are rough the waves can come up higher than the window. Someone told me it felt like they were inside a commercial washing machine. I recommend a mid-ship Veranda on the 5th floor. This is the best location for the "Drake shake". We did not sit out on the veranda but the extra expanse of glass provides more light to the room, and it was nice to be able to pop out and take photos. The side of the ship doesn't matter.

Appreciate your thoughts - I hadn't thought about what it would be like to have the waves go higher than the windows! I imagine that could be quite disorienting... and good to hear that the side of the ship doesn't matter.

[RyanJCanada]

2 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

I'll respectfully disagree with the all knowing Stumblefoot. A rare occurrence.  If there is something outside on my side of the ship  I dont want to miss it running somewhere to get outside, especially in my PJs.  Not that I haven't thrown a parka over them in the past. 😄. On sunny calm days I've had my coffee outside. Evening can be just as magical with almost 24 hour daylight. I grew up in Chicago, so Antarctica was a bit on the warm side.  Every day in the 20s & 30s, farenheit that is. South Georgia is a must. We are going back next year because their is a Cloud itinary  with 5 days there. Either side of the ship is fine. Kids will be treated like royalty.  Staff miss their kids and family at home and many of us miss the grandkids. 

 

Btw, Old Man Storr can be a zoo with all the Prometheus fans wanting selfies. The town had expanded the parking lot but still doesn't always have enough room for the throngs.

 

Loving your posts.

Good to know, thanks! We definitely didn't mind missing Old Man Storr given how well the Zodiac cruise went, but appreciate knowing that for future plans. Given that it was Father's Day today, I imagine it was extremely busy.

[RyanJCanada]

2 hours ago, AusMum said:

I think these junkets are designed by teacher/for teachers.  My son's school (in Perth Western Australia) offered a surf trip to The Maldives, science and music trips to NYC and Florida, and trips to Turkey for ANZAC Day.  Some of the schools do regular trips to Indonesia, but it's considered to be 'just down the road' for us.

 

We have traveled a lot with our son.  We took him to Alaska when he was 4, and he was one of three children on that particular cruise. He got an award at school for doing a presentation, in front of the entire school, on 'glacier calving in Alaska', and now (at 25) is working his way to a career in renewable energy.  Your kids will gain so much from any travel you do with them!

 

I'm curious about what camera you are using?  In the past I have dragged a Canon SLR (and lenses) across the globe, but it does become a pain.  I'm thinking about investing in something smaller for when we do Greenland and Iceland.

 

Thanks so much for your informative updates!

 

The Maldives sound fantastic! I definitely think this has been hugely valuable for our children, our daughter in particular - she's in love with the outdoors and animals and this gives her some ideas beyond "vet" or "zookeeper" to consider. (Currently she's thinking she might want to join expedition staff - though she's also considering being a climbing instructor or a horseback guide leader... oh, to be 7 again.)

 

I'm just using an iPhone SE2. The camera is okay, but my wife's iPhone 12 takes much better pictures. It's very convenient, and it automatically backs up to the cloud whenever we reconnect to WiFi. I'll get a wrist strap for future trips, though, as I'm living in fear of dropping it in the drink...

[alithecat]

25 minutes ago, RyanJCanada said:

I'm just using an iPhone SE2. The camera is okay, but my wife's iPhone 12 takes much better pictures. It's very convenient, and it automatically backs up to the cloud whenever we reconnect to WiFi. I'll get a wrist strap for future trips, though, as I'm living in fear of dropping it in the drink...

Did your red jackets not come with an iPhone holder that has a long strap to go around your neck? That's what my husband used in Antarctica. The photos taken thru the plastic cover were fine. The only issue was that tapping the screen didn't work with thick gloves on.

[RyanJCanada]

Today’s Chronicles:

 

 

[RyanJCanada]

Close as we’re getting to a sunset tonight - 10:39 pm and the light stubbornly clings to the horizon while I slip off to zzzz…

[RyanJCanada]

4 hours ago, alithecat said:

Did your red jackets not come with an iPhone holder that has a long strap to go around your neck? That's what my husband used in Antarctica. The photos taken thru the plastic cover were fine. The only issue was that tapping the screen didn't work with thick gloves on.

No red jackets on this trip - weather is unusually warm in the North Atlantic, with basic raincoats being more than enough to repel the breeze and the spray. Should be 15C in Shetland tomorrow.

[drron29]

As to verandahs in Antarctica definitely especially if one of you is claustrophobic. but also you may see whales or orcas and see penguins or seals swimming close to the ship. Those animals don't know your left from your right.

And another vote for including South Georgia not just for the sights but the history. The Shacklton story is just incredible. Seeing where it happened makes it even more amazing.

[alithecat]

1 hour ago, RyanJCanada said:

No red jackets on this trip - weather is unusually warm in the North Atlantic, with basic raincoats being more than enough to repel the breeze and the spray. Should be 15C in Shetland tomorrow.

I believe that those starting in Reyk. will get red jackets. Makes sense that you didn't.

[AusMum]

12 hours ago, RyanJCanada said:

No red jackets on this trip - weather is unusually warm in the North Atlantic, with basic raincoats being more than enough to repel the breeze and the spray. Should be 15C in Shetland tomorrow.

It was something like 17C in Perth (Western Australia) and most people looked like they were on a ski holiday lol The media is reporting on how we are all "freezing". It is Winter 🙂

 

 

https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/weather/wa-weather-state-shivers-through-start-of-week-with-temperatures-plunging-in-the-wheatbelt-c-11021006

Edited June 19, 2023 by AusMum

[AusMum]

On 6/17/2023 at 6:55 PM, RachelG said:

Interesting that you found the hamburger at the grill good, as we just got off Wind and the hamburgers were borderline inedible.    My husband even talked to the chef about this.  He had said they had many complaints, but that they weren’t able to source American beef, and that the beef they were getting was Italian.

Isn't that part of why we travel though? to experience different food.  I don't expect to find vegemite on any cruise we go on.  When we go to the US, we struggle with a lot of the food, because it's sooo different to Australia.  Much of the food is too sweet for our palate (especially the bread), the chicken is a weird colour (being corn fed), the ham and bacon is just too different to what we are used to, and the eggs just 'look wrong'.  BUT, you try new things and accept you're not at home.

 

I'm super fussy, so always lose weight when we travel (we self cater when we can). I'm pretty excited about there being lobster available, as I could live off that, and who can stuff up lobster? 🙂

 

I guess Silversea still has a relationship with some Italian suppliers, and it's more economical to source some foods from the closest countries to the ports they get supplies from.

 

I do agree with you about Italian beef - compared to US and Australian beef it seems to be a bit insipid. We almost accidentally purchased horse from a butcher in Venice because "at least it had some colour".

 

We have previously traveled on P&O Australia, Carnival, RCCL and Celebrity.  This will be our first Silversea cruise.  We picked our cruise for the itinerary (Iceland and Greenland), but I am also looking forward to the 'Italian influence' that I hope still exists, despite RCCL now taking ownership.

 

[RyanJCanada]

Bressay Island, Shetland:

 

 

[AusMum]

10 minutes ago, RyanJCanada said:

Bressay Island, Shetland:

 

 

the ruins look very very cool

[Lirio]

2 hours ago, AusMum said:

It was something like 17C in Perth (Western Australia) and most people looked like they were on a ski holiday lol The media is reporting on how we are all "freezing". It is Winter 🙂

 

 

https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/weather/wa-weather-state-shivers-through-start-of-week-with-temperatures-plunging-in-the-wheatbelt-c-11021006

More or less the same in Rio de Janeiro. 18c and people looks live they are going to the North Pole.....

[Lirio]

2 hours ago, Lirio said:

More or less the same in Rio de Janeiro. 18c and people looks live they are going to the North Pole.....

Me included......

[lincslady]

It is the same in Chile.  On a warm sunny day I was in Santiago being stared by women in fur coats at me in a summer outfit and sandals.

[RyanJCanada]

Lerwick:

 

 

 

A side trip to a Shetland playground for the kids

Detective Perez’s house, for the  Shetland fans

 

Viennese hot chocolate at C’est La Vie cafe

 

Croque Monsier (I am truly terrible at remembering to take pictures before I start eating)

[RyanJCanada]

18 hours ago, drron29 said:

As to verandahs in Antarctica definitely especially if one of you is claustrophobic. but also you may see whales or orcas and see penguins or seals swimming close to the ship. Those animals don't know your left from your right.

And another vote for including South Georgia not just for the sights but the history. The Shacklton story is just incredible. Seeing where it happened makes it even more amazing.

Appreciate the suggestion, thank you! I definitely need to read up more on the history of the area - I very much enjoyed your trip report from your time there, but we discovered earlier today that my son seems to have much greater knowledge of the Shacklton expedition than I do. May have to see if there are any books on that topic in the Observation Lounge...

Edited June 19, 2023 by RyanJCanada

[RyanJCanada]

6 hours ago, AusMum said:

Isn't that part of why we travel though? to experience different food.  I don't expect to find vegemite on any cruise we go on.  When we go to the US, we struggle with a lot of the food, because it's sooo different to Australia.  Much of the food is too sweet for our palate (especially the bread), the chicken is a weird colour (being corn fed), the ham and bacon is just too different to what we are used to, and the eggs just 'look wrong'.  BUT, you try new things and accept you're not at home.

 

I'm super fussy, so always lose weight when we travel (we self cater when we can). I'm pretty excited about there being lobster available, as I could live off that, and who can stuff up lobster? 🙂

 

I guess Silversea still has a relationship with some Italian suppliers, and it's more economical to source some foods from the closest countries to the ports they get supplies from.

 

I do agree with you about Italian beef - compared to US and Australian beef it seems to be a bit insipid. We almost accidentally purchased horse from a butcher in Venice because "at least it had some colour".

 

We have previously traveled on P&O Australia, Carnival, RCCL and Celebrity.  This will be our first Silversea cruise.  We picked our cruise for the itinerary (Iceland and Greenland), but I am also looking forward to the 'Italian influence' that I hope still exists, despite RCCL now taking ownership.

 

The Italian influence still seems quite strong, particularly at La Terrazza. My wife has dined at a range of upscale Italian restaurants and had nothing but good things to say. I think it would be her top choice given the option, though it looks like we'll be spending more time at the Restaurant and the Grill as we try and find options that will work well for everyone. But we should be back there at least once more this trip.

[RyanJCanada]

Question that came up today - While gratuities are included on Silversea, sometimes staff go above and beyond (as our butler did for my Father's Day celebration) - do you tip in those instances? And in what other ways can we show our appreciation?

 

We typically write a letter to the Hotel Director at the end of a cruise to identify those staff who worked particularly hard to make our trip memorable, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were other additional steps we should take on a Silversea cruise.

[RyanJCanada]

Day 5 Update:

 

The expedition briefing yesterday was relatively straightforward – we would be berthing this time, so we could just walk off via deck 5 rather than using Zodiacs. (Though I must admit I was a bit disappointed by that, as we’ve come to quite enjoy our Zodiac trips.)

 

Our excursion would be leaving at 8 am the following day so it was another early wakeup for us, though they had moved the opening of La Terrazza to 6:30 which would mean we could dine in the restaurant rather than order room service.

 

We then went off for dinner at the Grill, which we cooked ourselves on the hot lava rocks. That was a really fun experience, and the kids had a blast – though we were the ones who flipped their steaks when the time was right.

 

Our 7 year old daughter managed to demolish a 6 oz. Filet mignon, while I had both the filet and the prawns. These were the same prawns as they used in the previous night’s curry, though I enjoyed them much more when they were cooked on the lava rocks, as they were immensely tender when cooked this way.

 

The meals were served with our choice of sauce and side – fries and ketchup for the kids and baked potatoes and peppercorn sauce for the adults. No pictures, unfortunately, as I completely forgot to take any until after the meal had been demolished. Clearly we need to go back for a second time…

 

Breakfast the next morning was lovely – they had fresh cheese omelettes on the buffet, so I got one of those rather than the usual spoonful of scrambled eggs. I also made sure to load up on yoghurt and berries as I tend to neglect my veggies while dining at the restaurants.

 

Back to the room to sunscreen and pack up – it was about 15C in Shetland today so we didn’t need to dress too warmly, but it was still cooler than it had been for much of our trip. They had a small spot of trouble getting the gangway set up initially so the first trip to the Isle of Moussa was delayed by a few minutes, but ours was ready on time – and indeed they caught up so quickly that we had to dash to catch up, though we ended up having loads of time for the ferry. Still, we’ll be better prepared for next time.

 

The ferry across was just a small boat capable of taking perhaps 7 or 8 cars at a time. Bressay is just across from Lerwick, and the ferry takes perhaps 5 to 10 minutes to make the trip. Most of the traffic was heading into town, where most of the inhabitants of Bressay work and attend school.

 

The Bressay island hike was led by Chris Dyer, a local archaeologist and crofter (small scale farmer). We started off with a walk across from the Isle of Noss, where we took in some abandoned ruins. It’s amazing how much history is just lying around – such as the ancient stone roofing tile that Chris pulled out of a nearby stone fence.

 

The Isle of Noss is uninhabited except for a pair of seasonal researchers who also run people back and forth via Zodiac. They weren’t making the run that morning, though there was plenty to see on the other side. Beyond taking in “Norther house” and “southern house” (the stone ruins shown in earlier pictures) we also took in the ruins of an ancient Viking broch that dates back several thousand years – and which was likely cannibalized to build the stone houses.

 

The remains of an ancient Viking broch - you can see one of the interior walls from the top of the mound (sadly, didn't get a picture of it).

 

Chris mentioned that many of the brochs were visible from each other, which raised the question as to whether they would use some form of signal or semaphore to communicate with each other. I’ll have to do some more research into this at some point.

 

After Nos, we went to see the ruins of an early Christian chapel dating back to the 1200s. A stone containing Pictish inscriptions had been found there, but now only a replica remains. That raised further questions as to whether artifacts from Shetland should remain in Shetland, rather than being taken back to Edinburgh. I’d be inclined to have them remain in Shetland, personally, as I think they otherwise risk being “lost in the rush” in a larger museum. Curious to hear if any of you have thoughts on the matter?

 

We then went on to the local community centre (once a local elementary school) for some delicious scones and soup – my wife had the lentil soup, while I had the curried squash coconut soup which was quite delicious. They also gave the kids some cakes, which was very kind of them. Apparently they’re some of the first kids to have done that tour, despite it being run for several years…

 

The wee ferry that took us too and from Bressay.

 

After that we went back to Lerwick. We checked in at the highly-rated restaurant Dowry, but they were overwhelmed with other guests – not surprisingly, given the size of Shetland and the number of guests touring the town. So instead we found a playground where the kids could let off some steam, and we called C’est la Vie café via Skype (using our eSim plans) and booked a reservation for 2:30 pm.

 

Once we were done at the park, we walked around until we found Detective Perez’s house from the show Shetland (again, as pictured earlier) and then headed over to C’est la Vie for lunch. It’s a small café, so good that we made our reservation. Kids had macarons and Viennese hot chocolate while my wife and I both had the Croque Monsieur. Really delicious, and glad we stopped in.

 

We then made our way to the tourist centre where we were able to hop aboard the shuttle moments before it took off. The shuttle was being run every half hour – departing on the quarter hour and quarter to – so we were very glad that we didn’t have to wait a full 30 minutes before the next shuttle.

 

Another power nap, and then we were off to trivia. We rejoined the same group as last time and this time – we took 3^rd! My son was absolutely thrilled, and we look forward to discovering what the points will be worth.

 

We have 8 points at present – curious as to if anyone knows what the exchange rate is between points and prizes? I’m trying to temper my son’s expectations that he might – at best – get a hat or a T-shirt, but it would be great to have some sort of frame of reference, if anyone can provide one.

 

Now back at the observation lounge where I am sipping a Paris coffee that seems to be 93% cognac and 7% whipped cream. Soon off to our expedition briefing, and then off to dinner.

[RyanJCanada]

Tomorrow’s Chronicles: