1st Timers booked Silverseas

[breckpatty]

I have enjoyed reading the forums since I booked our first cruise a few months ago. Now I am ready to join in the fun:)

 

:eek:oops, 1st mistake:posted this on the wrong forum.

:oOK here goes again

 

We have always been independent travelers. From a very small communite, we try to avoid crowds.

To celebrate our 30th anniversary we decided we may like the convenience of visiting a several countries without having to pack & unpack.

I booked Silver Wind for size & quality and based for early season sailing from Istanbul. We will be on ss # 2010 April 7, 2010 Istanbul to Venice.

I know that the Wind was refurbished just a year ago, yet I have not been able to find and passenger reviews about the "new Wind".

I'd like to hear from anyone who has been on Silver Wind recently as well as anyone booked on the April 7 sailing.

Patty & Robin

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[dwelsh]

Patty & Robin: You made the same error as I did, and I am sure several have done in the past. It's SILVERSEA not Silverseas!!!!:):):)

 

Have a wonderful cruise and I hope you are able to findsome CC savvy pax. They seem to be few and far between!

[unfathomable]

We were on Wind last month, having also been on it (her?) several times pre-refit.

 

In the public areas, the changes are noticeable, but only really structural on the forward section of the top deck (9) and pool deck (8).

 

The old gym on deck 9 (some years previously the little-used observation lounge) has been enlarged and connected to the rest of the superstructure, so you can walk up the front stairway and into the new structure without going out on deck. The enlargement has covered what used to be an under-used sun deck and has also taken (maybe) a foot off the outside deck at the sides of this section and a couple o feet at the front, so now the outside decks are a touch on the narrow side. The new section contains a new observation lounge, a real asset IMO, a gym, an exercise room and the spa, moved up from deck 7.

 

There's a new outdoor elevator on the pool deck (8) going up to deck 9. I found this very useful. The large central stairway in the middle of deck 8 has gone, replaced by the elevator and a smaller stairway opposite it. his makes extra space for tables and loungers. A permanent pool grill has been built opposite the existing pool bar, a popular innovation. "Dinner under the stars" was available most nights.

 

Also on deck 8, some officers' cabins have been converted into (four?) up-scale suites. People seemed to like them.

 

Deck 7 now has some extra up-scale suites where the spa used to be. La Terrazza has been refurbished: doors on the buffet section makes it a bit more sophisticated in the evening; there is a slightly more sophisticated layout of tables and wait stations; and outside, a much bigger, semi-rigid canopy that won't sag and hold rainwater.

 

You can get some idea of the layout before-and-after by looking at the Cloud and Wind deck plans.

 

Public areas have new carpet and reupholstered seating, with a bit more leather and a bit less fabric. Maybe some of the joinery has been refurbished and/or updated, but it wasn't very obvious. Artwork seems to be pretty much unchanged.

 

In the suites, the big change is in the bathrooms. They have been completely redone. The look is dark wood with chocolate and cream marble.

 

The wood is a pet hate. For all I know, Silversea sent emissaries deep into the rainforest to hand-strip veneers from virgin hardwoods and then lovingly applied them to half the vertical surfaces in each bathroom. But the effect looks like cheap printed self-adhesive vinyl. Ugh. And it makes a small bathroom feel even smaller.

 

The bath tub has a fixed glass screen along half of the open side, and a fixed shower head (previously, the shower head was not fixed, which I preferred).

 

The washbasin is a fashionable but not-very-practical sit-on-top inverted cone. If the tap (faucet) is twisted a little off-centre, you get an extra shower. The plug is not intuitive -- it clicks shut, we eventually discovered, and clicks again to open.

 

The cupboard behind the mirror has gone, replaced with narrow shelves.

 

All the plumbing works, the layout is pretty much as it was before, and they have made the most of the limited space available.

 

The walk-in wardrobe looks unchanged to me: still vast.

 

The joinery has been changed in the sitting areas to accommodate the new flat screen TV. The glass-fronted cupboards have gone and open shelves replace them. The lower section seems unchanged, as is the joinery in the bedroom area. New bedside lights have been installed. They seem to be a bit better for reading. Lighting is otherwise unchanged.

 

Upholstery has been changed too, to a more "boutique" look with white and dark red.

 

The dark wood theme carries on in the corridors: again, not to my taste.

 

Short version: I very much doubt that these changes will make or break your trip.

[TLCOhio]

We have always been independent travelers. From a very small communite, we try to avoid crowds.

To celebrate our 30th anniversary we decided we may like the convenience of visiting a several countries without having to pack & unpack.

I booked Silver Wind for size & quality and based for early season sailing from Istanbul. We will be on ss # 2010 April 7, 2010 Istanbul to Venice.

Patty & Robin

 

We are getting ready to do our first Silversea cruise July 1-16, 2010, along the Norway Coast. BUT, our first cruise was on Seabourn from Athens to Istanbul in 2006 enjoying the Greek Isles and Turkish Coast. Your cruise and its port stops look great. We did Mykonos and Kusadasi, loving both of these stops. On our future "wish list", we want to see Santorini and the Croatian Coast. You will be able to do it "ALL" on this one cruise! From our Seabourn experience with this type of "smaller" ship and talking with Silversea veterans, I think will be very, very happy with both this size of boat and your planned cruise. Here are a couple of suggestions:

 

1. ADDED ISTANBUL TIME: I hope you have not yet bought or booked your air tickets and can adjust your schedule to have a couple of extra days before starting the cruise to enjoy fully the great history and charm of Istanbul. Below are some picture/visual examples of what makes Istanbul so wonderful. Happy to share more if it helps you "get ready". Don't miss Istanbul! You might also consider a private guide there as it is a large, complex city. You can do some of the stops on your own, but if you want to maximize the experience, a guide can significantly improve your time-efficiencies and aid your understandings for what you are seeing and doing.

 

2. ADDED VENICE TIME: Venice is one of my all-time favorite cities. Love it!!! Hopefully you will have some added time there if you have not already gotten a chance to explore and discover this wonderful city that benefits from not having the noise and traffic that burdens so many other urban environments.

 

Use these board to the maximum to answer your questions and learn more. The only "dumb question" is one you don't ask.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

First view of Istanbul from our Cruise ship:

 

 

 

Inside the Blue Mosque:

 

 

 

Inside Hagia Sophia with its mix of Islam & Christian visuals:

 

 

 

New Palace used by Sultans in late 1800's:

 

 

 

Outside the Spice Market:

 

[BWR47CT]

Hi Patty and Robin, Thanks for a great post - it's exactly what I've been watching the board for since we booked the same cruise a few months ago. We're celebrating our 28th anniversary during the cruise. We've scheduled 3 nights in Istanbul prior to departure. Our son did the Semester at Sea program (went around the world with 10 stops) and loved Istanbul the most! We'd love to meet you either before or during the cruise.

Craig & Barbara from Connecticut

[breckpatty]

Thanks Terry, Your report on the makeover sounds like primarily cleanup. Nothing I agree dark wood maked any space seem smaller. I hope they adjusted the lighting to compemsate!

Your photos of Istanbul are great; I can't wait to see it in person! We do plan to arrive Istanbul 4 days early. I appreciate your suggestions, we will have a lot to see in a short time. Patty & Robin

[breckpatty]

Thanks for pointing that out.

Oh, where are those cute faces to add showing my chagrin?

[breckpatty]

Hi Craig & Barbara,

 

Thanks for replying. It is amazing that this forum can bring together 4 of 298 passengersfor this cruise in the whole wide world! This looks like a fabulous itinerary ; the ports are all new to us. Seems like a great way to learn what to come back to see next time!

When we first thought of a cruise, Robin asked if we could visit Istanbul. We were delighted to find this sailing.

We, too plan several days in Istanbul and may be able to meet up there. We have booked an hotel in Sultanmet but no other specific schedule, we will be on our own to see the sights.

We welcome any tips you may have from your previous visit.

Let's keep in touch, Patty & Robin

theobald@colorado.net

[TLCOhio]

Your photos of Istanbul are great; I can't wait to see it in person! We do plan to arrive Istanbul 4 days early. I appreciate your suggestions, we will have a lot to see in a short time. Patty & Robin

 

THANKS for the kind comments on the Istanbul photos! Since you will be visiting Kusadasi, Turkey, here are some pictures from historic Ephesus to help get you excited and prepared. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Famed outdoor theatre that hosted Peter preaching, plus rock stars, etc.:

 

 

 

Ruins from when this was Rome's capital of Asia Minor:

 

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed a night concert in front of the historic library:

 

 

 

Carpet demo was interesting and educational:

 

[BWR47CT]

Wow, Terry, your pictures are fabulous! My husband, a former social studies teacher, is eagerly awaiting our stop in Kusadasi to see Ephesus and you've really excited us even more. Any advice for the Greek Islands where you stopped - maybe Mykonos?

Barbara

[pegsammax]

My husband and I have also booked this cruise as our first ever.

This itinerary was the most interesting to us. We're spending

a couple of extra days in Istanbul also. I'm excited to see

some posts from future fellow cruisers.

 

Peggy and Dave

[TLCOhio]

Wow, Terry, your pictures are fabulous! My husband, a former social studies teacher, is eagerly awaiting our stop in Kusadasi to see Ephesus and you've really excited us even more. Any advice for the Greek Islands where you stopped - maybe Mykonos?

Barbara

 

Thanks for the kind comments on the pictures. Here are some ideas on what you can see and do in Mykonos. The main village has narrow streets and lots of shops, plus windmills, etc. We got a rental car and went over to the other side of the island.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ladies departing a church service in main Mykonos:

 

 

 

At the fish docks in Mykonos:

 

 

 

On the opposite side of the Mykonos village on the island, here's the beachside activities:

 

 

 

Housing up the hillside near Mykonos:

 

[BWR47CT]

Terry, your pictures are gorgeous!! What month did you do your cruise?

[Emtbsam]

Terry - your pictures are gorgeous. What kind of camera do you use?

[dwelsh]

Embtsam - It's not the camera it's the person behind the viewfinder!!

 

They are beautifully composed and so very well balanced.

[TLCOhio]

Terry, your pictures are gorgeous!! What month did you do your cruise?

 

From Emtbsam: Terry - your pictures are gorgeous. What kind of camera do you use?

 

From dwelsh: Embtsam - It's not the camera it's the person behind the viewfinder!! They are beautifully composed and so very well balanced.

 

THANKS for the kind comments! To answer your questions:

 

1. Was in the Greek Isles in late June 2006.

 

2. Have a Nikon D50 camera with Nikkor AF-S 18-55mm and 70-300mm lens. Before doing a 2008 Baltics cruise, I got a Sigma 10-20mm that worked exceptionally well in the churches and key museums. That wide angle lens really helps in St. Petersburg with its great beauty, etc.

 

3. Digital has improved things and Nikon works well. BUT, dwelsh is correct that what you you do behind the camera makes the real difference. Below are my tips and suggestions for better photography. Hope this is of interest.

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Photo secrets? It's a little more than just the "camera". The Nikon D50 SLR is good, but not at the super pro level. Lots of people have cameras at and near that quality or comparable. These days, the digital technology has improved so much that nearly everyone can take good to great pictures. Here are some of my tips, secrets and suggestions to share. I found taking cruise and travel pictures is fun, plus cheaper than shopping for souvenirs.

 

1. ZOOM/FRAMING: Fill the frame and make it interesting. Use your feet. Move closer. Zoom in or out. Make it tighter in the picture frame, etc. People don't want to be bored with a key subject or highlight being only in the middle 15% of the picture frame.

 

2. LENS: Many of the nice pictures in certain famed palaces and churches in Russia, etc., were taken with a new 10-20 mm lens that gives a wider angle view than average. That really helped create some picture "drama" without being too wide and distorted as can happen with a fish-eye lens. There are cases where that longer lens (have a 70-300 mm zoom) can really help. In many cases, my basic 18-55 mm zoom covers the basic middle range. It's nice to have one lens that covers all needs, but then you lose some in the desired picture quality.

 

3. LOTS OF PICTURES: With digital, it is much easier and cheaper to take lots of pictures, see what you have, take more pictures, try different angles, etc. In the old 35 mm film days, you could not take as many different pictures and you were always guessing and hoping on exposure, what you really captured, etc. Then you need to be checking as you go on what you just shot, blow off the duds, etc. It's great instant feed-back on what's working and what's not. As you are riding on a bus, waiting in line, that picture checking is a good way to both pass the time and monitor your picture progress/success (or failure).

 

4. STEADY HOLD: I mostly use the eyepiece viewer, not the back of camera viewing screen. That keeps the camera closer to my body and makes it more stable. Use your elbows against your body to brace the camera. I'll lean against walls or doorframes when taking certain inside pictures in low light situations to improve . . . stability! You don't want blurred and shaky pictures. Set the camera on walls, chairs, etc. Stability! Some think that if they push the button faster to take the picture, then it will be better. WRONG! Gently S-Q-U-E-E-Z-E that shutter button, slowly! It makes a major difference in picture quality.

 

5. PEOPLE: Having people as a part of the picture gives it context, interest, etc. Lots of "just the place" pictures are nice, but I have found that the ones with some human involvement and/or connection look and work better.

 

[dwelsh]

Thanks for those very useful tips. Obviously you think hard before squeezing!!

[ging466]

These are great tips but I reckon if I did this much thinking before I took the photo, the subject would have long gone.:D:D:D

 

Stability is the hardest I think, especially going around Cape Horn in those winds. All my Cape Horn photos are grey, misty and blurry!

 

Cheers

ging466

[Emtbsam]

TLCOhio - Thanks for the information on the camera and lenses. Since I don't want to carry a lot of equipment, I opted for the Tamron 18-250 to go with my Sony A300. While it is a very versatile lens and does what I intended it to do, I do feel that I have sacrificed some clarity and possibly color.

 

Dwelsh - It goes without saying that the talent of the photographer is much more important than the type of equipment. In photography magazines, frequently the type of equipment is listed to provide additional information. I certainly meant no disrespect to TLCOhio!

[TLCOhio]

Thanks for those very useful tips. Obviously you think hard before squeezing!!

 

THANKS for the nice comments! You actually don't want to "THINK TOO HARD" on each shot. That's the great advantage of digital and being able to see right then what you have. As Nike says "JUST DO IT" is important to remember. You need to "think", but not too much. Also as ging466 also notes, "grey and misty" is serious challenging. If you're lucky to have nice, sunny weather, it does help. Another secret? Only show people your good pictures! The more you shoot, the better your odds of excellent pictures, if you work at it. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[breckpatty]

Hi Peggy & Dave,

Now we have 6! Have you read barbara & Craig's note? They are booked with us and planning a few days in Istanbul.

You are welcome to e-mail me at Theobald@colorado.net

Patty & Robin

[henrygee]

Some of the photos on here are amazing- well done, thanks for sharing TLCOhio!

It's good to see what happens during others' excursions too..

 

I enjoyed the insights being given on here, you can never learn too much! :D :D

 

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some greek islands holidays info

[TLCOhio]

Some of the photos on here are amazing- well done, thanks for sharing TLCOhio!

It's good to see what happens during others' excursions too..

I enjoyed the insights being given on here, you can never learn too much! :D :D

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some greek islands holidays info

 

THANKS, henrygee, for the kind comments! On the Northern Europe/Baltics boards I have posted many more pictures there on St. Petersburg, Moscow, Copenhagen, Tallinn, etc. We did a cruise there last summer and there is so much to see and enjoy in the Baltics. Great visuals and history in that part of the world, too. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[BWR47CT]

Terry, thank you so much for the pictures and the tips for taking better photos. I will definitely try to follow what you've suggested and hope that I get some good shots.

 

Peggy & Dave, here's my email in case you want to get in touch prior to the trip. We're arriving in Istanbul Sunday the 4th.

bwr@barbarareynoldslaw.com

[breckpatty]

jgibbs,

Thank you for the details! Sounds like there will very little wear & tear in the suites.