jollyjones

Another little point of interest to some - the walking / jogging track.

It definitely exists on Deck 10 and has a specific marking on the floor; it goes round the funnel, past the Marquee, through the Dusk Bar, and back to its beginning. It is 8 laps to a mile and is pretty dull.

However, I have found that it is perfectly easy to do a full circuit of Deck 10 which is more interesting (I'm a bit of a people watcher), and two to three times as long.

You do need to traverse the Observation Lounge for the full circuit but with the automatic doors this is barely an impediment.

There's no need to worry about disturbing other pax in the Observation Lounge, the bridge players do that without any assistance from walkers.

However, like so much else on Deck 10, I fear my enjoyment of this walk may be reduced now that we have passed the mouth of the Gulf of California and are well into the cold California Current. 

Outside air temperature has plummeted and is much closer to 60 than the 70s and 80s to which we have become accustomed around Central America.

So, I assume, there won't be many sunbathers but who knows? Maybe there will be plenty of people wrapped in blankets reading or snoozing.

I ate in the Marquee last night (as I do every night when I'm not in La Terrazza) in the said cold temperature.

The place has surprisingly efficient space heaters but they can only work properly if there is some sort of wind break on the port side (the starboard side already has clear panels) and some form of ceiling cover.

I don't see how they can easily enclose the ceiling as even if there was a retractable (or fixed) roof cover, the space is two storeys high and is open all around on the Deck 11 level.

IMO this is the biggest design flaw in this ship which is a great shame as the Marquee is by far the most charming place to eat. Proofing it against cold and wet weather would probably remove much of its charm, but otherwise it's wasted space for anything but warm weather itineraries.

No minimum, you can play on your own if you want but you'll be at a disadvantage.

Usual max is eight pax, and once formed it is usual for the team to stay the same for the whole cruise.

Don't get too bound up by what Chris says - yes it's competitive but the main idea is to have fun.

The 'points' you win if coming in first, second or third are almost completely worthless, it's just about bragging rights and no-one is listening to those!

It's just for fun, and it usually is fun.

11 minutes ago, Tothesunset said:

That's the thing about doing a "live from" or giving one's personal experiences and thoughts: there'll always be someone prepared to let you know you're wrong. 

Oh, so true.

The Nova is the most accessible ship of the SS fleet - all doors in public areas are automatic, either they automatically open as you approach them or they have a sensor that you wave at to open them.

The sensor is green when at rest and turns red when you activate it and it opens the door - this amused me as a landlubber because it seemed back to front - in most land based applications green means 'go' and red means 'stop' whereas these doors are green when it's 'stop, I'm shut' and red when it's 'OK, I'm open, now you can go".

However, I was at dinner last night at a table including the Staff Engineer who explained that in nautical convention green means 'all doors shut' and red means 'something is open' so is a warning that the ship may not be fully seaworthy.

So now I know!

15 minutes ago, SelectSys said:

  I did see that AA is starting service from DFW to Brisbane this coming fall.

I hope that happens as I'm already booked on it. They've only changed the schedule once, so far.

16 hours ago, Fletcher said:

 

 

This evening, at long long last, Africa came up on the horizon.  There were hazy mountains, and the rather chaotic geography of Freetown, a former British colony.  A woman passenger, dressed as if for a party at Mar Del Lago, looked ashore and said, “Oh my they have electricity.”  I detected a note of surprise and also perhaps disappointment in her voice.

 

Maybe she wasn't so wrong to be surprised?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c97zx45vp28o

Teams of usually up to eight, maybe six on smaller ships.

You just turn up a bit early on the first day and eyeball the room - then you wander around and ask any group you like the look of if they need someone else on their team.

If nothing works out well for you doing that, the Cruise Director and assistants are pretty good at getting you on a team, just ask them.

It's very pot luck, sometimes you get a good team, not always.

Be warned - trivia on Silversea is a blood sport, not to be undertaken lightly.

(By which I mean it's very competitive but enormous fun!)

39 minutes ago, dawntrdr said:

@jollyjones, do remember to tell us about the Panorama on the Nova.  Do they still positively cram it for trivia?

Yes, they do.

They also put all the other activities in there that in the Muse class ships would be in the Dolce Vita which, until the bar opens at 6pm, is an absolutely desolate desert.

I have made a note to myself to try and check out Panorama as a lounge in the evening when there is nothing particular happening - I mostly gravitate to the Dusk bar (if it's not raining) or the Shelter for my pre-dinner drink.

And today - a sea day - they have given the prime 10am lecture slot to a future cruise talk about the Galapagos (in which I have no interest) and the actually interesting lecture by Prof. David Drewry about Volcanoes and Earthquakes is at 6.30pm!!

So a slight rearranging of usual drink plans will be required - could be a good day to test the Panorama.

If I remember.

A twenty three day cruise with lots of sea days is making my brain go and lie down somewhere, I'm not quite sure where I left it.

One really excellent feature of the Nova is that the gangway can be rigged from Deck 2, 3 or 4 so the tremulous tiptoe down or breathless struggle up a gangway pitched at a steep and alarming angle is no more. 

There is one thing that keeps niggling at me - I assume it's just on the Nova, it certainly wasn't on the Dawn in February.

And that is the new uniforms for the suite attendants.

The men wear navy blue trousers - docker style - with mid-blue checked not-exactly-gingham but very similar short sleeved shirts. Very much 'civilian' clothes - I have seen pax wearing almost the same outfits.

The women wear long sleeved navy blue tunics and trousers of a style one might expect in the spa. The tunic could be considered to be a descendant of hospital scrubs but is more fitted and fastens down the front. The outfit is plain navy blue but with mid blue trim around the neckline and down the front.

This seems a rather discordant design choice - I think that all members of the same team should have uniforms that don't need to be identical but should fall within the same design theme. It's almost as if the designer thought men and women should not look at all alike.

It's just a small niggle to my costumier's eyes, and the crew say they are very happy with them, they are very comfortable, so this is really just an idle observation that I post as I await the 11am departure for my little bus tour here in little Golfito, Costa Rica.

PS the butlers are unchanged - black tailcoats and white gloves - although they ditch the coats in the morning in favour of gold coloured waistcoats.

14 hours ago, ak1004 said:

 

 

For some people having good wine is a big issue. For others it’s sparkling water.

And for some neither is an issue.

I find the still water and the pour-of-the-day wines to be plenty good enough quality for me. 

22 hours ago, Stick-Monkey said:

Global Entry only appears to only be available at Port Everglades.

Thanks for the reply - I knew about Port Everglades and I had a slight - obviously vain - hope that it might be available at more ports.

Just FYI -

Dunking is what Americans do with donuts.

Ducking is what Brits do with wenches.

Hope you enjoy it!

PS If it's the same wench as last year, her name is also Laura.

Does it make any difference in Brooklyn if you have Global Entry? Is there a separate queue or do all the hordes just go through the same channels?

For Dr Ron - walking two lengths - ie stern to bow to stern - of each of the four passenger decks plus the stairs in between comes to about two and a half thousand steps.

That's according to my phone, not sure I entirely trust it, I'll probably pace out one length and count it manually.

Decks 8 and 9 are slightly shorter but only by a few paces.

And for rojann - while I seldom eat meat, on my first dinner in La T I indulged in lamb chops - the plate held three plump juicy tender and delicious chops - you would have loved them! Even the spinach underneath them was cooked al dente rather than the usual slightly slimy overcook.

La T being down on Deck 4 is slightly less bright and cheerful than it is on other ships up on Deck 7, but otherwise I have found it to be excellent. I eat lunch there often and have had dinner twice so far and am looking forward to more - so far everything I have chosen has been well cooked (or well presented for the raw stuff), and has been of good quality and delicious.

I'm guessing flyers, whose experience differs, chooses different dishes - I am not vegetarian but choose mostly fish or vegetarian options because that is what I prefer. I don't eat beef, so much of the general angst that I read about the quality of steaks or burgers completely passes me by.

I haven't made it down to Atlantide for dinner yet so can't comment on the relative merits vis a vis La T.

Now I must bring my attention back to today - we are just approaching the entrance to the Canal, passing Colon to port, I'm looking forward to an interesting, albeit very warm and humid, day!

Back to random observations about the ship ...

(to other posters, please do continue to join in even if we do go wandering off down highways and byways, it's all great fun)

Today's observation is how grateful I am that the SALT bar has been raised from the dungeons of Deck 4 up to the rarified air and expansive views of Deck 10.

I did once enjoy a delicious cocktail in the SALT bar on the Dawn and would have liked to repeat the experience, but the room was just too small, dark and crowded for me - it induced stirrings of claustrophobia.

Now I can enjoy Interesting Drinks and a wonderful Panorama which is a big bonus because the Panorama lounge ain't wot it used to be - more about that on another day.

A simple SALT G&T:

23 minutes ago, flyers said:

Jolly you must be keeping a low profile as still have not seen anyone with the colourful description that you have given!

So here is a photo of us all at lunch when visiting the Nova when she was last in St.Lucia together with the Mother of Nina Compton the ships God Mother.

Sorry! I was ashore yesterday and, being a person who enjoys her own company I usually gravitate toward the less populated areas of the ship. But this is a long enough cruise, I'm sure we'll bump into each other sometime.

And I think the amount they put in is too much - I have considered asking for no chili flakes but have suspected that’s not possible. 
Reminds me of les37b and myself re the Muse - he found the food in Indochine to be too bland, I struggled with it as being painfully over spiced. 
 

Chili (capsaicin) is sensed in the mouth by the pain receptors - I don’t understand the attraction of food that hurts. 
 

11 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Just curious if they changed anything since last year......Is the Arts Cafe still only open till 6pm? Or did  they wake up and decide to offer evening hours? And did they decide to offer adult beverages in that venue? 

 

I’m coming to that Lois, but, sadly, no. 

2 hours ago, flyers said:

Hey Jolly how about a photo so we know where to find you?

David

I bet you could find me if you try - both les37b and Stumbles managed it first go on cruises long past. (Where are you both? We miss you)
I’ll be found strolling the ship solo clutching my trusty iPad and a real book, I’ve short white/grey hair and red rimmed glasses, and - no getting round it - I’m not as slim as I was. 
More clues in due course if that’s insufficient. Life’s a game, after all. Let’s all enjoy. 

 

PS - BTW the duck pasta thing in La T has been rubbish for years  - do not let your eyes settle for even a nanosecond on that menu option. It was once good but it is time for that myth to curl up in a corner and die of shame. Maybe the mid-cruise questionnaire would be a vehicle to suggest that? Again. 

Instalment the next …

To begin at the bottom - Deck 3 - where one will find Atlantide side by side by SALT.

Last night I planned to eat at one of these venues so I thought I would try a pre-dinner tipple in the Shelter - an attractive semi circular room on the for’ard side of the huge empty area around the aft stairs.

I had been down there earlier to sit in what appeared to be some comfy chairs (they are), but there was a rather loud speed Sudoko competition going on so I retreated rapidly.

Upon my evening return, I could see that it is the ante room to the other Deck 3 facility - the toilets - and so it is a completely logical design choice that it is The Place for sophisticated and soignee souls to sink serious dosh buying posh champagne.

Being but an ‘umble person (who had to look up the spelling of soignee), I opted for the house champagne which was about to be delivered on a silver tray when  CRASH  came the sound as a mobility scooter exiting the aforementioned facility somehow tumbled over.

I drifted thataway to see if urgent help was required but the need was mechanical, not medical, so I retreated.  Help was summoned, the situation saved, peace was restored and my silver tray arrived.

It really is a beautiful bar, I will be back.

At about 8.20pm I wandered to the restaurants which were of course both busy, the rush of early eaters still eating, (I’m not deliberately awkward, it just works out that way), but the Maitre’d in SALT found me a perfect table and I enjoyed one of the best meals I have ever eaten on SS.

I’ll come back to food in another instalment, but suffice it to say that so far every morsel of every meal I have eaten on this ship has been good, great or best … no, sorry, I lie, the French fries at lunch in the Marquee are a bit skinny for my taste ... but otherwise it's all good.

2 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

If it's wobbly, deck 6 would be best.  

That's why my cabin is on Deck 6!

However, this ship is seriously stable. Admittedly the sea hasn't been very lumpy yet but it's a good job there's huge windows everywhere or it could be difficult to believe we're sailing the ocean blue. And it is blue ... and beautiful.

Having 9082 in the foreground was a bit of a giveaway, but full marks.

My first thought on viewing these long corridors was OMG, I'm back on a mainstream ship. But they're not that bad.

I love 'em because if I get too close to a 'fitness centre' I have an overcoming and have to go lie down till it passes, but I do like to walk. There is a perfectly good walking track up on Deck 10 but it goes through the Dusk Bar, my favourite, which whispers the siren song of temptation on every lap.

And if it's too cold, wet, hot, humid, wobbly or whatever, I like to walk indoors along the corridors so these are perfect for me, the other ships are too short.

I haven't counted the steps yet but I bet up and back once each on decks 6, 7, 8 and 9 might even be enough for Dr Ron. Or maybe twice.

And your starter for ten:

Where am I?

And back to Chris's original post - here on the Nova there is no touching serving utensils yourself in La T for lunch, you are served by a crew member.

Who, one has to hope, has put clean gloves on not too long ago and hasn't touched anything dodgy without changing their gloves.

One hopes.

And the public areas are being wiped down a lot - elevator panels (there are no buttons), stair rails, chairs, all sorts of things. After the lecture this morning a crew member came round the theatre and sprayed something on all the seats and surfaces.

The library is still closed 'for extra sanitation' - dunno what, probably waiting for any virus to wither and die of old age. Hope it does before I do, I'd like to look at some books.

No-one seems worried although there are some people wearing facemasks, I presume they are still concerned about Covid. Hope no-one has H5N1.

But Captain Samuele appears in a good mood and very cheerful so mebbe all is well.