Host Jazzbeau

Thank you for the implied compliment, but I don't claim to know everything about Azamara much less Silversea – therefore I didn't try to compare the two lines, only this recent Silversea cruise against my latest Azamara cruise: I thought it was obvious, but maybe my writing is not as clear as I like to think...

But my comparison was with Silver Whisper, built 2001. So on this thread you seem to be carping.

Rüdesheim may be more enjoyable in the Amsterdam to Basel direction than the other way. Early in the cruise, before you have been exposed to very much authentic German culture, it seems fun. And that mechanical music machine museum is indeed a lot of fun.

I remember a newspaper column many years ago noting variations in local usage on the US East Coast. "Regular coffee" was a slippery term, because in some places it meant black, others with sugar, others with cream...

DW reminds me that there was one year when that last step might have been hazardous to our teenager's health! Luckily he knew how to tie his own ties!

I don't know what you are referring to, but: Silver Whisper built 2001; Azamara Pursuit built 2001. Your point is???

You don't mention what port this was in. For $500 you should be able to hire a private guide to take you somewhere for the day and drop off at airport. We use daytrip.com for this for of thing. For example, from Civitavecchia to FCO they suggest possible stopovers at Santa Severa Castle (60 minutes, adds 50 Euros to trip cost); Necropolis de la Banditaccia (120 minutes, 92 Euros), and/or Ancient Ostia (90 min, 88 Euros). Basic trip cost would be 309 Euros. So you could do all the stops for a little over 500.

I've been advised (I think by Phil among others) that the last N1 (under the aft bathrooms) and first N2 port side cabins (under the Windows entrance) are the quietest – safe from pool chair or waiter cart noises. [I hope that's right because I have 8056 on Journey (equivalent to 8048 on Onward) booked for next year!] It should also apply to those under the forward bathrooms.

I'm confused because your 'original route' map doesn't show Hoorn or Ghent. Had the route already been changed earlier? Of all those changes, missing Ghent would have been the biggest disappointment to me.

New article on CruiseIndustryNews: Atlas Announces Academia Barilla on 2024 Epicurean Expeditions

New article on CruiseIndustryNews: Margaritaville at Sea Unveils Entertainment Onboard Islander

Fuhgeddaboudit!

I have followed your lead, reposting a new thread without comment:

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/04/explora-journey-creating-a-unique-cruise-brand/ posted without comment

Often the levels are close enough to the cusp that it can change from one day to the next!