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

[RyanJCanada]

13 hours ago, RachelG said:

Really enjoying all your posts as we did a very similar itinerary a few years ago, and I have been to almost all the stops.  Brings back good memories.  

 

As far as free laundry, 100 nights, and it is yours, the holy grail. 

That’s what I’d feared… oh well, good incentive to book more cruises. I ran a  few numbers last night, and it’s almost worthwhile to book one of the less expensive repositioning cruises from Alaska to Japan just to get that much closer to free laundry and the extra discount… but only if I do that solo, which I don’t think is going to fly with the rest of the family.

[RyanJCanada]

13 hours ago, Fletcher said:

Thanks for that.  Very interesting.  As a lifelong movie fan - who turned that hobby into a career - I have never ever looked at video games though I know how popular they are.  It's a generation thing.  As for the highlights on my Cloud trip - well, you could read my own blog which is on this Forum, back a page or two.  A nice contrast of styles I'd say and I wish more of us would do it.  

Congratulations on your work on the movie industry - not an easy field to break into. I’d love to do a screenplay or TV series at some point, but I think that’s a ways off for now. Thanks for the tip on how to find your past trip report - I’d checked out your profile but couldn’t find it there. That would make good reading for our at-sea day today.

[Fletcher]

5 minutes ago, RyanJCanada said:

Congratulations on your work on the movie industry - not an easy field to break into. I’d love to do a screenplay or TV series at some point, but I think that’s a ways off for now. Thanks for the tip on how to find your past trip report - I’d checked out your profile but couldn’t find it there. That would make good reading for our at-sea day today.

Good morning Ryan - Here's a link to my Cloud blog:

 

[Dolcevita Diva]

6 hours ago, RyanJCanada said:

That’s what I’d feared… oh well, good incentive to book more cruises. I ran a  few numbers last night, and it’s almost worthwhile to book one of the less expensive repositioning cruises from Alaska to Japan just to get that much closer to free laundry and the extra discount… but only if I do that solo, which I don’t think is going to fly with the rest of the family.

Another option to obtain free laundry is to book a Silver Suite or higher. 

[RyanJCanada]

Day 8 Update:

 

No, I have not spent the past 83 minutes googling "home lava stones" - why do you ask?

 

The tail end of Day 7 was a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, we had a lovely dinner at the Grill (aka Hot Stones). On the other hand, the sea turned choppy as we made our way into the North Atlantic, and both of our kids struggled with it.

 

Thankfully - after a bit of a false start - they crashed out hard and slept through the rest of the night. I had a bit of a tough time trying to fall asleep, particularly as we're right at the front of the ship and - on an air mattress - and it felt as though I was trying to sleep on a trampoline while someone was slowly bouncing next to me.

 

But sleep finally won out, and we enjoyed a nice lie-in after some very busy days. Kids even made it past 7:30 am, which is close to a record for us.

 

We'd initially though that clocks had turned back an hour, and that we'd have to wait an extra hour before heading off to breakfast. But we were pleasantly surprised to find out that would happen tonight, instead. So we might get two lie-ins in a row. Unthinkable luxury on an expedition!

 

With nothing but time on our hands, we went to the Restaurant for breakfast this morning and very much enjoyed ordering off the menu. The kids and I ordered waffles and various varieties of eggs, along with crispy bacon and home fries. All very tasty, though sadly unphotographed.

 

We headed off to the observation lounge for a bit, and then my son and I once more joined our group for trivia and... we won! It was a tremendous thrill for both of us, though I doubt we'll be able to repeat it another time this cruise. But, always nice to have a reason to come back...

 

To make the victory all the sweeter, our group has very kindly donated their points to my son. So we've gone from 8 points to some 268 points. We've been joking that if my son is able to buy the ship, he'll have to give us a ride on it. Seriously, though, we are now very hopeful that he'll be able to pick up a t-shirt, if nothing else.

 

After trivia, we got changed and went for a trip to the "wave pool" (or the "pool", as we'd call it on regular days - though it's gotten quite wavy now that we're fully underway). The kids really enjoyed that, and even the regular pool was warm enough to stand up to a cool Atlantic wind.

 

We went back and forth between the pool and the hot tub twice, and by then it was time to head for lunch. We sadly skipped the seafood buffet, opting instead to have a look at the buffet at La Terraza. Tempted though I was by the sushi, we elected for the Restaurant instead. My wife and I had clam chowder followed by arctic char and risotto, while the kids had pizza - everyone very happy with their choices.

 

I went back to the room for another glorious power nap, and then back to the panorama lounge for the 'handicraft' meetup. I'm currently knitting a scarf, so I was curious to see if anyone else would show up - and a guest from Tasmania joined me for a bit as she worked on a lovely pair of socks.

 

Second round of trivia started at 4:30 pm. We weren't as lucky as last time, but it was hard to be disappointed after the prior generosity of our team members. Nor was there much time, as we needed to dash downstairs to the Explorers' Lounge for a lecture on Arctic cold weather animal adaptation at 5 pm. Very informative, and well suited for kids and adults alike.

 

My wife and daughter headed down to Dolce Vita to find a quiet corner where they could hang out and play with some of her toy animals. They'd called in to request a cheese plate and some bread to fill in the gaps until our dinner at La Dame tonight but unfortunately the food still hadn't arrived by the time the lecture started, about 50 minutes after they ordered. A rare miss by Silversea, though it was waiting for us in our room after the lecture wrapped up - so, could've been worse.

 

And that catches us up - off to La Dame tonight, then Iceland bright and early tomorrow morning.

[RyanJCanada]

3 hours ago, Dolcevita Diva said:

Another option to obtain free laundry is to book a Silver Suite or higher. 

Good point - we'll keep an eye on that, though I don't think the numbers will work out for us, unfortunately. We were very lucky to get the Royal Suite for the price that we did, and I doubt lightning will strike twice anytime soon.

[RyanJCanada]

Today’s Chronicles:

 

 

[RyanJCanada]

Tomorrow’s Chronicles:

 

 

[drron29]

On the classic fleet 268 points would give you 2 T-shirts.

[RyanJCanada]

11:37 pm and the sun still hasn’t quite set on the Cloud…

[jpalbny]

3 hours ago, drron29 said:

On the classic fleet 268 points would give you 2 T-shirts.

We must have had the expedition discount, at 80 points per shirt?

[drron29]

9 hours ago, jpalbny said:

We must have had the expedition discount, at 80 points per shirt?

The numbers are only a guide. most people who cashed in points on the Moon got more than they were expecting.

[RyanJCanada]

Super jeep tour in Djupivogur:

 

 

[RyanJCanada]

Really appreciate the comments about what you can get with the points - please keep them coming!

 

[RyanJCanada]

Knitting in the Observation Lounge, with a fine, foggy view of Iceland in the distance:

 

 

[RyanJCanada]

Day 9 Update:

 

When last we left off, we were getting ready for our dinner in La Dame.

 

We’d initially thought we’d have to skip it because we were travelling with children, but it appears that kids are actually allowed. Still, we’d only recommend it if you’re certain that the kids in question are able to behave very well for an extended period of time.

 

Which ours did – for the most part. There was one moment at the beginning when my daughter attempted to tear up some mini-baguette and instead launched it across the dining room, but otherwise it all went well.

 

For that meal, the adults had the Foie Gras Williams and the Lobster Bisque. My wife then had the Dover sole, while I had the rack of lamb. Our kids also had the bisque, and our daughter had the filet of beef and our son also had the rack of lamb.

 

Because I’m rubbish at taking pictures, I got the menus but missed most of the dishes. I did get the desserts, however! I got the pistachio dark chocolate souffle, while everyone else got the mousse. All very delicious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And that brings us to today – in Djupivogur, our first stop in beautiful Iceland.

 

Meanwhile, the signs of the end of our cruise are becoming too numerous to ignore – luggage tags have been dropped off, the Captain’s farewell is on the schedule, and we are already preparing ourselves for the hybrid chess game / blood sport that is disembarkation.

 

But that’s still a day or two away, so let’s try and push the nasty thoughts out of our head and focus on the business of the day – the super jeep tour.

 

I’ll admit that I was a bit reluctant to sign up for a jeep tour in Iceland. We tend to be more hiking / archaeology type of people, but the only real alternative today involved a 5 hour bus tour so we decided to go for something short and simple that we hoped the kids would enjoy.

 

The day did not get off to an auspicious start. After a week of near-perfect weather, we woke to a mix of fog and rain. But soon we were in our super jeep – a Frankenstein’s-monster like hybrid of a Ford 350 and Expedition that had been welded together – and wobbling along down Iceland’s narrow roads in search of some boonies to bash through.

 

Although we’d worried about the fog limiting our visibility, it actually ended up giving everything quite an ethereal, dream-like quality. So, very pretty.

 

And despite the rather bodged-together nature of the vehicles, they are well put together and quite comfortable. The interior was leather and all 4 rows of passengers had ample space and legroom. Some of the guests in the back row got a bit fogged up, but it was nothing that was unmanageable.

 

 

 

We didn’t have any trouble seeing through the rain on the windows, but some guests would occasionally roll down their windows to get a better view or take a picture, and the climate control still managed to keep everyone warm enough.

 

The vehicle design is quite ingenious, and it’s immediately apparent that the frame is not the only alteration that’s been made. There’s also a complex system used to manage tire pressure, which can quickly raise the tires up to 22 PSI for highways and then drop it down to 8 PSI for off-roading. Our guide noted that, in snow, he might drop that down to as low as 0.5 PSI.

 

We turned off into a lush, wild valley and were advised to keep our eyes out for reindeer as we went. We saw just one initially, then spotted quite a large herd moving through the area. (Though sadly they remained unphotographed.) We moved through the area, stopping as we went – two waterfalls, the end of the valley, a beautiful pale-blue river canyon, and then finally a farmhouse where we had cakes and coffee before setting back to Djupivogur.

 

Ducks in the mist

 

Our guide also took a brief detour over to a nearby ‘hot tup’ that is undergoing some repairs – one of Iceland’s famous hot pots that are throughout the landscape. We’re hoping to check out some more once we make landfall in Reykjavik.

 

The weather remained rather bleak, but rather than return to the Cloud we returned to one of our favourite activities – trying out a local playground. In this case, that playground is an oversized trampoline / slide / bounce pad that the kids (and lets be honest, the adults) absolutely loved. But we knew everyone would soon be wiped out after a very full day, so after about 10 minutes we pried them off and started the 5 – 10 minute walk back to the ship.

 

This is every bit as fun as it looks

 

Zodiacs were running on a quick timeline, but we were still properly cold and damp by the time we re-boarded the Cloud. Brief stop to hang up the wet clothing, and then we were off to the Grill for lunch. It was quiet with so many guests ashore, but cozy – they had all the heaters going and the staff were handing out blankets for those who wanted them. Burger number 5 – or is it 6? – was equally delicious as its counterparts, and I dropped off for my usual afternoon nap.

 

One small point that I noticed – if you ask for a burger with ‘just bacon and cheese’, it’s a coin flip as to whether they include the BBQ sauce. So recommend asking for ‘just bacon and cheese, no BBQ sauce’ if you want to be thorough about it.

 

The pool steams away on a cool rainy day

 

After my nap, I met up with the kids in the Observation Lounge so that my wife could have a brief break. We then went down to La Dolce Vita for a bit – it’s not technically open or serving at that time, but as a result it tends to be deserted and is a nice place where kids can hang out without being quite as quiet as they would need to be otherwise.

 

In any case, it's time to run - trivia starts in about 20 minutes.

Edited June 23, 2023 by RyanJCanada

[RyanJCanada]

The last of the full-day Chronicles:

 

 

[RyanJCanada]

Day 10 Update:

 

We had our second-last dinner in La Dolce Vita, this time opting to split a pair of cheese pizzas amongst the four of us. This has been a great option for the kids, as it’s meant that we’ve been able to eat a bit earlier in the evening.

 

After dinner, we went to – sniff – take in the Captain’s Farewell, and to say a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the staff who worked so hard to make this such an incredible trip.

 

 

As she took in the celebration of the ship's crew, our daughter leaned over and, sounding somewhat concerned, asked: “Who is steering the ship?” She was reassured to hear that not all the crew was present for the Farewell.

 

They presented a series of awards to the crew that had gone above and beyond during the previous month, and reminded the guests that they could contribute to the Crew Welfare Fund – which we did early the following morning.

 

We then made our way to the Restaurant, but only dropping in for a quick dessert before we went off to bed. My son ordered the apple pie a la mode off the children’s menu, and I’ve included a picture for those curious as to what that looks like:

 

I shall call him Mini-Pie

 

We then headed off to bed, growing slightly concerned as we noticed the chop getting stronger and stronger as we got closer to the front of the boat. We are mostly adjusted to rough seas at this stage, but definitely not the best night’s sleep I’ve gotten since getting on board.

 

Vestmannaeyar, Iceland

 

We woke at around 7 am this morning, grateful for the chance to sleep in. We had a leisurely breakfast in the Restaurant, then went back to our room to start packing (boo!) and to get ready for our rib boat safari.

 

Food blogging tip - if you once again forget to take a picture of your food until after you've started eating it, opt for an artistic close up

 

Eggs over medium and a hash brown

 

It can be a bit of a wait for a hand-made cappuccino in the Restaurant - but they're worth it.

 

However, we noticed that the pool had been closed – related to the extent of the swells, perhaps? It proved to foreshadow what was yet to come – our planned tour, the rib safari of Heimaey, was cancelled due to the severity of the seas.

 

No big deal, we figured, as there was a beautiful swimming pool in the area that we could take in instead. But then, the second announcement – the seas were so severe that zodiacs themselves would not be able to make the trip.

 

(You could tell that announcer from Expeditions was feeling a bit flustered by the sudden change as he announced an impromptu lecture by Dr. Zhivago, rather than the actual guest lecturer – Dr. Zavagno.)

 

So, no trip to Vestmannaeyar.

 

The good news – We had time to fill out the survey, write a letter to the Hotel Director, and pack our bags.

 

The bad news – That's all done, and it is only 10:30 am.

 

So, what happens next? Will we head to another surprise location akin to the Shiant Isles, or will this be the end of our expedition cruise?

 

Stay tuned to find out.

[Lois R]

Hi Ryan, question for you. I have never heard of dinner being served in Dolce Vita before. Was this something special? Just curious really. 

[RyanJCanada]

52 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Hi Ryan, question for you. I have never heard of dinner being served in Dolce Vita before. Was this something special? Just curious really. 

Silversea's All Around Dining can be sent to virtually any location on ship when other dining options are unavailable - so basically, we're just having room service delivered to Dolce Vita. We double-checked that it would be okay before we did this (and it's specifically mentioned as an option on the TV menu) but I will admit that it feels like the crew reaction is occasionally a bit mixed.

[Mr Luxury]

4 hours ago, RyanJCanada said:

Day 10 Update:

 

We had our second-last dinner in La Dolce Vita, this time opting to split a pair of cheese pizzas amongst the four of us. This has been a great option for the kids, as it’s meant that we’ve been able to eat a bit earlier in the evening.

 

After dinner, we went to – sniff – take in the Captain’s Farewell, and to say a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the staff who worked so hard to make this such an incredible trip.

 

 

As she took in the celebration of the ship's crew, our daughter leaned over and, sounding somewhat concerned, asked: “Who is steering the ship?” She was reassured to hear that not all the crew was present for the Farewell.

 

They presented a series of awards to the crew that had gone above and beyond during the previous month, and reminded the guests that they could contribute to the Crew Welfare Fund – which we did early the following morning.

 

We then made our way to the Restaurant, but only dropping in for a quick dessert before we went off to bed. My son ordered the apple pie a la mode off the children’s menu, and I’ve included a picture for those curious as to what that looks like:

 

I shall call him Mini-Pie

 

We then headed off to bed, growing slightly concerned as we noticed the chop getting stronger and stronger as we got closer to the front of the boat. We are mostly adjusted to rough seas at this stage, but definitely not the best night’s sleep I’ve gotten since getting on board.

 

Vestmannaeyar, Iceland

 

We woke at around 7 am this morning, grateful for the chance to sleep in. We had a leisurely breakfast in the Restaurant, then went back to our room to start packing (boo!) and to get ready for our rib boat safari.

 

Food blogging tip - if you once again forget to take a picture of your food until after you've started eating it, opt for an artistic close up

 

Eggs over medium and a hash brown

 

It can be a bit of a wait for a hand-made cappuccino in the Restaurant - but they're worth it.

 

However, we noticed that the pool had been closed – related to the extent of the swells, perhaps? It proved to foreshadow what was yet to come – our planned tour, the rib safari of Heimaey, was cancelled due to the severity of the seas.

 

No big deal, we figured, as there was a beautiful swimming pool in the area that we could take in instead. But then, the second announcement – the seas were so severe that zodiacs themselves would not be able to make the trip.

 

(You could tell that announcer from Expeditions was feeling a bit flustered by the sudden change as he announced an impromptu lecture by Dr. Zhivago, rather than the actual guest lecturer – Dr. Zavagno.)

 

So, no trip to Vestmannaeyar.

 

The good news – We had time to fill out the survey, write a letter to the Hotel Director, and pack our bags.

 

The bad news – That's all done, and it is only 10:30 am.

 

So, what happens next? Will we head to another surprise location akin to the Shiant Isles, or will this be the end of our expedition cruise?

 

Stay tuned to find out.

I suppose they could have shown the film Dr Zhivago.

That would have pleased everyone 😀 

[Host Jazzbeau]

We didn't make Heimaey on our cruise in 2019 – we were on one of the last of Ponant's itineraries that was scheduled to completely circumnavigate Iceland, but we had to turn back after Seyðisfjörður because we would have been sailing into the teeth of a major storm all the way south and west back to Reykjavik.  I think they changed their later itineraries because the seas on the south side of Iceland are often heavy even without a Nor'easter like we had – the Captain did mention that Heimaey is often impossible because of the narrow opening to the harbor.  I was so hoping that you had gotten there (so I could live vicariously through your pictures!)

[RyanJCanada]

Changeover Chronicles:

 

 

[drron29]

😢🥹 Didn't have a sad icon for your post. You can hardly like or laugh at a post when someone is coming to the end of an obviously enjoyable voyage.

A great report and thanks for sharing.

And by the way tell your children from me that they have great parents.

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, drron29 said:

And by the way tell your children from me that they have great parents.

In a few years nothing you or anybody says will convince them that that is true – but then with a little more time they will hopefully realize what great parents they have had all along!