Roll Call: Silver Spirit, Lisbon-Bridgetown, 23 October 2010

[cechase]

It seems that this roll call is heating up because many of us will be leaving in a month or earlier for Lisbon - that is great and looking forward to meeting all of the CCer's who have posted on here.

 

Have taken care of all of my convoluted travel plans, with one exception. That is whether to schedule an airport transfer in Lisbon to my hotel. I will have one large piece of luggage, one small carryon bag, and my portable oxygen concentrator. It would seem to be easier to make arrangements for a transfer ahead of time. Do you have any recommendations or have you engaged a car in Lisbon. If so, would like your recommendation.

[ging466]

Hi Charlie

 

When do u arrive in Lisbon....I'll keep my eye out for u at the hotel. I'm arriving late p.m. on Tue 19 October.

 

I'm either going to take a taxi or the bus to the hotel, depends how tired I am...my trip is going to take me over 30 hours as I transit in Hong Kong and then have a long layover in London:(

 

Everything is organised but I've got this niggling little idea that I've forgotten something:confused:

 

Has anyone got their documents yet?

 

Cheers

Jennifer

[scandun]

Hi Charlie

 

When do u arrive in Lisbon....I'll keep my eye out for u at the hotel. I'm arriving late p.m. on Tue 19 October.

 

I'm either going to take a taxi or the bus to the hotel, depends how tired I am...my trip is going to take me over 30 hours as I transit in Hong Kong and then have a long layover in London:(

 

Everything is organised but I've got this niggling little idea that I've forgotten something:confused:

 

Has anyone got their documents yet?

 

Cheers

Jennifer

 

 

Hi Jennifer, I am on the cruise before yours and haven't got my documents yet. Just been informed by TA that my guaranteed veranda suite is upgraded to midship veranda, though the midship veranda is still quite to the front of the ship. Cheers!

[dougburns]

Scandun; You really shouldn't have any problem. We were in 801 and went thru the equivalent of a cat 2 hurricane between Lisbon and Madeira in Jan. Couldn't get into Funchal and had to go on to Las Palmas. Silver Spirit is a great riding ship; the best out there.

[cechase]

Hi Charlie

 

When do u arrive in Lisbon....I'll keep my eye out for u at the hotel. I'm arriving late p.m. on Tue 19 October. [/quote

 

Hi Jennifer: I will be getting in at around 8:30 a.m. on October 22nd. Broke the trip into two parts - Reno to Newark Liberty [New Jersey], stay overnight, and then fly nonstop to Lisbon.

 

I think that I will probably do a little Google search and see what is available in Lisbon. Normally, I would lug my bags around myself, but am having a lot of physical therapy on a right knee that is acting up, and help probably will be greatly appreciated.

 

No documents yet as they should come in a week or two. Can't wait for this trip to start. The number of CCer's that you have rounded up is the largest in my four Silversea cruises. Believe me it really adds to the cruise and thanks for being our point person.

[Wellseasoned]

Have taken care of all of my convoluted travel plans, with one exception. That is whether to schedule an airport transfer in Lisbon to my hotel. I will have one large piece of luggage, one small carryon bag, and my portable oxygen concentrator. It would seem to be easier to make arrangements for a transfer ahead of time. Do you have any recommendations or have you engaged a car in Lisbon. If so, would like your recommendation.

 

When we did the Spirit crossing from Lisbon last January we simply used a taxi from airport to hotel. The airport is quite near the city, taxis were readily available, and the drive was short and not expensive.

[sistahyaya]

Hi Susan, Michael,

'The House' at Paynes Bay on the west coast is a very nice and up market small hotel. It is right on the beach and next door is Daphne's which is a very nice Italian themed restaurant owned by Daphne's of Londan, very well known in the UK. You will enjoy it there and the Lobster Pasta at Daphne's is superb.

See you at the Marriot in Lisbon for cocktails.

Andy

 

 

Yay! Thank you Andy - really looking forward to it!

[scandun]

Scandun; You really shouldn't have any problem. We were in 801 and went thru the equivalent of a cat 2 hurricane between Lisbon and Madeira in Jan. Couldn't get into Funchal and had to go on to Las Palmas. Silver Spirit is a great riding ship; the best out there.

 

Dougburns: thanks, but you might misunderstood my meaning. What I did not say is those suites are all quite to the front of the ship so why do they take the chance to charge higher as "midship verandah". I do not really regard it as an upgrade.

[Emtbsam]

Has anyone received the silver box yet?

[sistahyaya]

Has anyone received the silver box yet?

We got ours yesterday! This being our first cruise on Silversea, we were VERY impressed. Opening the box you get that whiff of "fine corinthian leather" haha!!!

[Emtbsam]

The Silver boxes arrived in Maryland today, delayed one day by our TA. If the exterior of the travel wallet is "pleather", it is very high quality "pleather". Frankly, I think it is leather. The inside most definitely is plastic and smells like it. That being said, I do prefer the zipper on this model.

 

The card describing the donation to the Foundation is prominently displayed in the wallet. What a shame that they still don't understand that contributions should be totally voluntary.

 

I noticed that they are offering a chartered plane trip to Marrakesh which I will research. The thought of spending 6 hours in a bus is not a pleasant one. Anyone else interested?

 

We're now in "travel mode" and will start packing (or at least ironing) shortly.

 

Looking forward to meeting everyone at the Marriott.

[ging466]

Hi Victoria

 

I haven't got my docs yet, apparently they are en route to my TA so hopefully I might get them by the end of next week.

 

I've already packed:) just to see what I can fit in my bag, I'm going to have to do some ironing and then do my final pack:)

 

There's no mention of a plane trip to Marrakesh in "My Voyage". Does it say how much it is? The bus trip is $259.

 

I'm excited...can't wait to meet everyone in Lisbon.

 

Cheers

Jennifer

[Focused1]

I will be on the Lisbon to Bridgetown cruise. Are there any other solo travelers?:o

[ging466]

Hi kathyjoy

 

Glad to hear u r coming with us. I'm a solo traveller and there are a few more of us.

 

Pls email me your name & suite number and I'll invite u to our onboard CC get together. (gingiepoo@hotmail.com)

 

A number of us are also meeting in Lisbon on the Friday night at 7pm at the Marriott Hotel. U are most welcome to attend.

 

Cheers

Jennifer

[Emtbsam]

Hi Victoria

 

I haven't got my docs yet, apparently they are en route to my TA so hopefully I might get them by the end of next week.

 

I've already packed:) just to see what I can fit in my bag, I'm going to have to do some ironing and then do my final pack:)

 

There's no mention of a plane trip to Marrakesh in "My Voyage". Does it say how much it is? The bus trip is $259.

 

I'm excited...can't wait to meet everyone in Lisbon.

 

Cheers

Jennifer

That excursion is mentioned in the cruise documents in the Silver box. I have yet to research the cost. I'll let you know what I find out.

[cechase]

Kathyjoy, welcome to Jennifer's flock. There are a number of solo cruisers including moi on this cruise. My experience has been that Silversea has more solo cruisers because they are more lenient on the solo supplement than most cruise lines.

 

Thought that the presentation of the silver box and its contents was quite nice. Will look over everything this evening. One more passport portfolio - nice - but I have my old standby leather one which I bought years ago. Perhaps should hold a garage sale and see if I can sell all of my Silversea passport portfolios. [grin]

[DGF]

The Silver boxes arrived in Maryland today, delayed one day by our TA. If the exterior of the travel wallet is "pleather", it is very high quality "pleather". Frankly, I think it is leather. The inside most definitely is plastic and smells like it. That being said, I do prefer the zipper on this model.

 

The card describing the donation to the Foundation is prominently displayed in the wallet. What a shame that they still don't understand that contributions should be totally voluntary.

 

I noticed that they are offering a chartered plane trip to Marrakesh which I will research. The thought of spending 6 hours in a bus is not a pleasant one. Anyone else interested?

 

We're now in "travel mode" and will start packing (or at least ironing) shortly.

 

Looking forward to meeting everyone at the Marriott.

 

Yes, we would be interested in the charter flight to Marrakesh

[cechase]

Am not interested in a charter flight to Marrakesh, but the Heli-Flightseeing Over South Island at St. Lucia sure caught my eye. Several cruises ago, I took a ground tour of St. Kitts and as an afterthought wished that I had seen it from the air.

 

So I signed up for this tour at St. Lucia. Sure hope that others do also, because the tour is subject to a minimum amount of activity - like at least 6 pax.

[ging466]

Am not interested in a charter flight to Marrakesh, but the Heli-Flightseeing Over South Island at St. Lucia sure caught my eye. Several cruises ago, I took a ground tour of St. Kitts and as an afterthought wished that I had seen it from the air.

 

So I signed up for this tour at St. Lucia. Sure hope that others do also, because the tour is subject to a minimum amount of activity - like at least 6 pax.

 

Hi Charlie

 

I'm still toying with the idea of doing this excursion. I've been to St Lucia before and was thinking I'd just stay on the ship, however I haven't seen it from the air and it would be spectacular.

 

Cheers

Jennifer

[cechase]

Hi Charlie

 

I'm still toying with the idea of doing this excursion. I've been to St Lucia before and was thinking I'd just stay on the ship, however I haven't seen it from the air and it would be spectacular.

 

Cheers

Jennifer

 

Jennifer, I sure hope that you will sign up. This is my first visit to St. Lucia, and would love to see the pinons from the air as well as the rest of the island. Last year was my first visit to St. Kitts, and while the ground tour was very interesting, it would have been more spectacular from the air. Plus, it is a very short tour.

[ging466]

Jennifer, I sure hope that you will sign up. This is my first visit to St. Lucia, and would love to see the pinons from the air as well as the rest of the island. Last year was my first visit to St. Kitts, and while the ground tour was very interesting, it would have been more spectacular from the air. Plus, it is a very short tour.

 

 

Hi Charlie

 

I've signed up:D

 

Cheers

Jennifer

[Focused1]

Just trying to plan for packing. Has anyone done this route during this time of the year? and what can we expect in terms of the weather and seas?

[unfathomable]

We've done this route in both directions fairly regularly for the last 10 years. You're not guaranteed constant fine weather and flat calm seas on a southerly crossing, but there is a good chance of predominantly good weather and a gentle ride, and a much better chance than the northerly route.

 

There are a couple of reasons for this. The ocean is very deep, which tends to reduce wave height compared to shallower seas -- try the Aegean at the same time of year or the Baltic most times of year! And there is lots of room either side of the line drawn on the map: with modern satellite weather, the Captain can 'see' bad weather far in advance and either skirt around it or avoid it altogether.

 

Moreover, the ship's maximum speed is much higher than its economical cruising speed: fuel being the price it is, most trips are planned at the economical speed, but it is possible to divert around bad weather and still arrive on time. Finally, all the ships have stabilisers against rolling, which don't eliminate rolling but do help to reduce it. (The conventional wisdom is that the rolling makes you feel unwell, whereas the pitching motion merely shakes you up.) Spirit is supposed to be good in bad weather: maybe we'll find out first-hand!

 

YMMV: we could get a wet day or two, and it can be windy.

 

We will take a light sweater and a slightly warmer one, plus a light windproof jacket each. With average luck, the sunscreen will be more use.

[Focused1]

Thank you jgibbs, for your helpful response. I have sailed across the Pacific from Mexico to the Hawaii where we had 20 to 25 foot swells for four days in December. I was hoping it wouldn't be anything like that.

[ging466]

I certainly am...I've got 12 days till I leave Sydney and I'm counting them down.

 

Is there anyone else lurking in cyberspace that would like to join this happy group of CCers?:)

 

Cheers

Jennifer