Emtbsam

Too bad about the short stay in Adelaide - no time to visit Penfold’s.

My first trip to Perth was in 1968. I was on an extended cruise on P & O’s Arcadia. We stopped in Freemantle and drove up to Perth where I went to the tallest and seemingly only hotel in town on the park. The view from the roof was lovely. We went back to Perth a few years ago, and it is still there. last evening, I looked outside my house in north Florida and was greeted by our neighbor. Estimates put him around 500 pounds. He is much larger than the one I saw in September.

Lois - We are on Alligator Point.

I have been so impressed by all the wonderful photos posted of safaris, chateaux, churches in Brazil among others. On this last day of 2023, I found myself down on the dock of the bay at my house in North Florida in a very melancholy mood. Although this is far from an exciting part of the world, I was struck by the sheer beauty of the wildlife and solitude I am privileged to enjoy. I hope all Coolers have a very happy, safe and healthy new year.

Lirio - I was able to visit the Cloud in Maryland over the summer. Contact guest services a few months ahead of time and ask for the form. Once you fill it out and send it back, they will let you know if you are approved. It will still be up to the port security people the day you want to go, but unless things are different in Brazil or especially during Carnival, you should be okay.

Mysty and Myster - I still remember your excitement prior to your first world cruise. I hope this year exceeds the fun and joy you had on the first cruise. We will miss you. Have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy new year.

Lois - so sorry to hear you have been sick. Here’s hoping you feel much better soon!

JP - we were just in the Azores on the way home on the Nova. We had a great guide and saw a lot on our brief tour of Ponta Delgada. His name is Bruno but I do not know which company Silversea uses there. I would love to go back and am sure you and Chris will enjoy your time there.

DW70 - I am so sorry to hear what you have been going through. It is heartbreaking. How wonderful that lavender spray has such a calming effect. I hope I remember that should I ever need it.

Deck 9 party central!

Say hello to the ping pong crowd for me! Have a wonderful time.

JP and Chris - Your energy amazes me.

there are 700+ on board now. 81 are staying on for the crossing and there will be around 500 total for the crossing. We will also be on 9 moving from 7. The ship will arrive in Lisbon some time on the 6th so don’t be surprised if you see it. The Captain announced that we will have slightly rough weather tonight and rough weather tomorrow evening. looking forward to meeting everyone.

When I think about “risk” in foreign countries, I have to remind myself that I live in the US near Baltimore, one of the most dangerous cities in the country. We did enjoy our brief stay in Tunis and were fortunate with the weather. I would not want to go there when it is really hot.

ReefKnot - Thank you for the suggestions on what to do during our one day in Tunis. We took the ship’s tour to Carthage and saw many of the attractions including Les Bains de Antonin, the Roman villas, and the aqueduct. The tour also included time in Sidi Bou Said which was lovely if a bit crowded. The weather cooperated with a slight breeze. The visit to the Medina was cancelled due to security concerns although I must admit, I felt quite safe everywhere we went. We hope to return to Tunisia some day.

They would not permit this on the Origin! We tried.

When we were on the Origin, we had the same thing happen. We asked the HD several times, but NEVER got an acknowledgement.

Returning to Sorrento every night will mean a lot of time on the road and possibly in traffic. Will you be in a big bus or a smaller one? Will you get to Ravello and Amalfi in addition to Positano? It might be better to visit Positano by boat from Sorrento. The views are extraordinary and there is less traffic. Regardless of how you go, it is a magnificent part of the world and you should have a wonderful time.

I am well aware of that, but due to time constraints and scheduling for some in our group, this is what we can do. My question remains - has anyone had any recent problems on board, if so, what kind and what location on the ship. If it were just up to me, I would be on the Endeavour if I even took this itinerary! Thanks.

This makes me so glad I retired 16 years ago before this became the norm. It is bad enough in the volunteer fire service.

I have seen several over the years, but never during the day nor quite that close!

Glad I sold my Rolex. I prefer my Apple watch anyway.

We made it through the storm! Hoping for the best for those affected in other parts of the south.

I totally agree. It does seem as if Jacksonville will not be particularly impacted. Our little slice of redneck heaven however is another story. The house survived Denis and Michael, so we are hoepeful.