Solo mi!

Interesting article in The Economist 1843 magazine this month on the struggles that Venice is having with the growing tourist population.

 

https://www.1843magazine.com/features/not-drowning-but-suffocating

I have a friend who has just returned from Venice and Florence. She said that this time, the trip was horrible. In both places, during the day, one simply could not move. The lines for everything were tremendous. Shopkeepers and waiters were rude and impatient. Garbage was waiting for pickup on the canals throughout the day and at night, the noise from the boats coming to collect the refuse was horrible. Even with pre-purchased tickets for museums, the wait time was onerous. How sad.

No offense intended but that is a good one!

Penny

A most profound statement: No cruise line and no cruise ship suits everyone.

Que tenga buen semana.....Penny

Appreciate the reassurance!

 

I tried to remove this post, realizing that even asking the question may not yield the desired outcome.

I see that you do look at the Water Cooler! Go back further and read the wonderful reports of recent cruises and look at the pics that have been posted. Most folks have warm feelings for the crew, the restaurants, other cruisers that they meet. Enjoy your cruise!

Most people that you meet onboard are delightful! They are folks who are interested in other cultures, like good food, enjoy being with shipmates from other countries, and more. Most but not all like dressing up in the evening. There are sufficient venues that it is not necessary to do the formal thing. The only shiny new ship is the Muse, but the others are not run down in the least. Take a look at the Silversea Watercooler thread and see what seasoned SS cruisers have to say.

My guess is that you will have a wonderful time and will likely choose SS again. I have done the Trans Atlantic crossing three years in a row. I can't wait to sail away again in November.

I'd like to sneak in here with something that is not politics/insurance/healthcare. I stumbled on an interesting music collaboration. Three traditional griot (the caretakers of west Africa's oral traditions) from Mali known as Trio Da Kali have teamed up with the Kronos Quartet ( an American string quartet based in San Francisco in existence with a rotating membership of musicians for over forty years) on an album called Ladilikan to be released September 15, 2017. Here is a link to the Youtube release of the first single taken from that album.

What a beautiful voice!

Penny

If I may weigh in here. Respectfully I would suggest that those of us in the last quartile of our lives are not completely responsible for the world as it stands. it is indeed a mess of epic proportions and we may have contributed but we are not solely responsible. Once again I raise the flag that critical thinking is missing. Not just among the more aged of us. The younger folk voting are not schooled in thinking for themselves and they buy into sound bites. If we could escape the madness I think we would all leave the island. Unfortunately we cannot. We are not all responsible for the mess and we are all responsible for doing our part to fix it.

Very well said, Mysty. I agree with you about younger folks buying into sound bites. Look what is happening with the printed word and in depth news reporting. Mind you, both are better in Canada and the UK. Everywhere you go you see folks staring at their IPhone. So much has been lost through the runaway speed of technology...Now, I am showing my age....

Penny

I think you will have a wonderful cruise Lois! I have found, as a solo, that everyone is friendly. Your butler should prove to be especially helpful! I have never had language issues with anyone on my cruises. I can't wait for my next one!

Buen viaje!

Penny

I'm sorry you had these issues on your cruise. No one would happy with what you described. Saying that we also had a poor experience on the Silverseas Galagos cruise a few years back. However, I did write a letter to Silverseas explaining our disappointment and came out with a different ending. I won't go into the cruise issues (it was one of the first after Silverseas took over a new ship), so there were several issues.

 

After two months Silverseas finally replied to my letter and offered a very nice partial voucher for another Silverseas cruise. If we had not received this voucher, we would have never tried Silverseas again. That would have been a shame, because the next Silverseas cruise on the Whisper in 2016 was one of our best ever cruises. Now we are looking forward to the Muse in September 2017. So my suggestion to you would be to continue to follow up with a written explanation of your disappointment sent to their corporate offices. Also have your TA support you in this effort. I think all of us forget that any cruise line has thousands of clients each month, and there are various issues that need corporates attention. Unfortunately the squeaky wheel gets the grease (as we say in America), so squeak nicely but be persistent. You should get no less than an apology, but hopefully more. I am guessing you were not the only travelers on this cruise that complained. Good luck, and let us know how things turn out.

Like you, I did not give up on Silversea and will be going on my fourth this Fall. My subsequent cruises have been delightful!

Penny

I had an issue onboard three years ago. I Googled Silversea and found the senior executive, in my case the Director of Guests Relations. I wrote to him and explained my issue and complaint. I received an almost immediate reply acknowledging my letter and shortly thereafter, I received an email from him telling me that I would soon receive a letter from SS. I received the letter within three weeks (AND I live in Mexico) apologizing for what had occurred and the obstacles that I encountered and giving me a generous credit for a future cruise. I would suggest that you investigate further as to who to direct your complaint to. Having the name of a specific person would probably help tremendously, rather than just issuing a general complaint. Good luck

 

 

 

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Beautiful and, I am sure, delicious!

Penny

I recall we had plenty of time to go through the buildings, keeping in mind that there are strict time and capacity controls of the complex.

We had a very good guide who provided us with lots of information, but there is no substitute for educating oneself beforehand in order to develop an appreciation for that which you are visiting and experiencing.

Thanks to your YouTube suggestion, I am educating myself beforehand. i would imagine that there will not be as many people touring the site due to the fact that it will be early November. I am also considering the comment that if I am on a SS excursion, the ship won't sail if we are late returning. That, to me, IS a big deal!!

On an Oceania cruise, we booked an excursion to Granada with Spain Day Tours. They included the admission to the Alhambra, as well as a nice walking tour of the city of Granada. They did an excellent job and charged much less than the ship's excursion. You might check them out and see if they have a tour available.

Thank you, I'll look at the site!

I do recall the bus ride to Alhambra was long.

Bring a book or your Kindle.

We stopped for a terrific lunch on the way back.

I've just been looking at YouTube. Great suggestion! I will be booking the tour on day one for sure.

Again, thank you!

The Alhambra is amazing, yes. If you have the chance to see it, by all means do so.

 

We spent a week in Marbella, independently, a few years back. We did some long car trips including Granada and Cordoba, so we toured Alhambra on our own at a nice relaxed pace.

 

Well worth the trip, we thought. Then we walked down to the city of Granada to see the church with Ferdinand and Isabella's tombs, and grabbed some lunch before heading back to Marbella. It was 2h each way but Malaga is probably 30m closer so you're looking at probably 1h30 minimum bus time. And the route is quite hilly IIRC, so the bus may be slower than the BMW 3-series that we were driving...;)

 

We actually never got to Malaga from Marbella. We tried one day and could not find parking so we gave up and went to the mountains that day instead.

Unfortunately, the SS excursion does not allow time to spend in Granada. That will have to be on the bucket list for next time. I would love to visit the church where Ferdinand and Isabella are entombed. Yes, I would imagine your BMW was much faster! Thanks!

Penny

I watched some program on the Alhambra before we went. It was on YouTube. It explained how the Alhambra was constructed and based upon a mathematical equation. It was fascinating and made me appreciate the building so much more.

 

 

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I'll check into what YouTube has. Thank you! I am also re-reading Tales of the Alhambra.

Thanks so much! I have read that it is amazing. We are going to Morocco after Malaga so this should be a great preparation.

I have not been able to find a thread that specifically deals with Silversea excursions from Malaga to the Alhambra. Does anyone have info on this excursion?

I have not been in an SS excursion to Granada and trust that those that have been will chime in, and those that have been with private tours will as well. All I can say is that the Alhambra is a "die and go to heaven" type of experience. We had the opportunity to stay overnight at the Alhambra Palace Hotel, and we enjoyed the site both in daylight and at nighttime. Something to caution with is that it will take up all your time from Málaga, which is so lovely that deserves a day for its enjoyment. I do hope you have the time to do both!!

Thank you! I have wanted to go for years! I have been to Malaga twice and it is wonderful, too.

Hi everyone:

If you have gone on the Silversea Alhambra excursion from Malaga I would really appreciate your thoughts. Excursions will shortly be available for my Nov. cruise and your input would be helpful.

Thanks, Penny

How was the doner kabob? One of my favorite meals! This one looks good, also. I will be buying res al hanout on my trip.

Penny

Done.

Penny

Penny, I'd miss buying spices you can easilly and freshly source at home but in Morroco, I'd buy ras el hanout.

Thanks, Jeff! However, I live in Mexico and don't often travel to the US or Canada....My annual trip to Europe to board a SS cruise is when I purchase spices......

Don't forget tahini! And garlic, and some lemon juice. And spices... maybe some sumac for decoration?

 

I have some sumac that I got on the street at a market in Amman. I always remember the trip to Petra when I use it. :)

 

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My next cruise originates in Barcelona, where I'll be picking up paprikas, olive oil and saffron. I'll be in Morocco also. What spices/condiments would you recommend I look for?

Thanks!

Penny

Thanks for the advice re:trivia. Also, good point about west vs east crossings. I had not thought about the time changes.