Cloud Expedition, Lisbon to London

[Zenblue100]

Wow what great photos les37b

[les37b]

A few more .... Will try to board at 11..

 

Phone photos are never that great... Hopefully the full frame photos will be better..

 

Will post the video when edited... Won't be today though.

 

 

 

 

And for those wondering how you board.... the little tender takes you to HMS Belfast, the you board from the Belfast by a long passage

 

Edited May 8, 2018 by les37b

[Silver Spectre]

Excellent photos Les, enjoy your visit!

 

 

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[les37b]

Excellent photos Les, enjoy your visit!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

 

Cheers :-)

 

[WesW]

Les, thanks for sharing in outstanding photos the Cloud cruising into Tower Bridge.

Enjoy your lunch on board!

[les37b]

Les, thanks for sharing in outstanding photos the Cloud cruising into Tower Bridge.

Enjoy your lunch on board!

 

 

 

You are welcome... and is a pleasure.

 

I will post the video of the Cloud coming through and a walk through I’ve just done.

 

Im aware I’ve posted a few times in my excitement to share so hope Im not seen as hijackng and is an enhancement.

 

My impressions... seems like the same Silve Cloud to me. Sure, new carpets and sure the suites have improved, but it seems very similar to what I remember from on my lunches and cruise from Tower Bridge. Obviously there were no Zodiacs in the “gap” before!

 

But I’m certainly enjoying myself basking in the glorious sunshine in the 80s in London in May!!!

 

I saw lots of guests tendered off this morning going on their trips... not many on board at the moment!

 

Will post more if Dieter is happy with my well intentioned interruption!

 

[Tothesunset]

Great photos, Les.

[TLCOhio]

A few more .... Will try to board at 11. Phone photos are never that great... Hopefully the full frame photos will be better. Will post the video when edited... Won't be today though.

 

Appreciate these great visuals and details from Les. Look forward to seeing the video and added pictures, etc. Above visual is my favorite among those posted so far. Keep 'em coming!! Very fun and interesting!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean adventure that started in Barbados, here is the link for that live/blog. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.):

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 56,076 views for these postings.

[RachelG]

Excellent photos, and I particularly love seeing the zodiacs.

[les37b]

Excellent photos, and I particularly love seeing the zodiacs.

The Zodiacs are located in the gap on Deck nine and stern... So actually restricts views. In front of Tors, was hated so you can't view apart from inside the glass. That means restrictive views from the bow unless in 701/2 and 601/2

 

I guess you don't need icy wind at the poles to distract!

 

Have now been around taking photos with camera and phone. Don't bother with the 360... Look just like the cloud to me with s few zodiacs.

 

That's not a negative!

 

In the meantime... Triv sounds inviting! ! Lol

[HappyCamper777]

Have now been around taking photos with camera and phone. Don't bother with the 360... Look just like the cloud to me with s few zodiacs.

It's interesting to read your POV regarding the Cloud Les. As much as I like the Cloud, I was hoping after such a significant renovation she would look and feel a bit different. I've seen the Zodiacs in their new structure on the top/front of the ship, but that is all, other than wondering why they didn't add a covered hallway to Tors during the reno.

 

Very appreciative of you sharing your perspective.

[HappyCamper777]

Wellseasoned (Dieter & Debbie) with our very good Army friends (Carl & Cathy) on Omaha beach. Almost photo shopped Dieter’s ball cap with an Army one vs Navy

Thank you for sharing your photo Wes.

 

A very dear friend of mine who was at Utah on D-Day passed away but a few weeks ago. He had the greatest disposition of any person I've ever met with a personality permeated by genial positivity. I never heard him utter an unkind word as he always offered words of encouragement.

 

No matter how many times I've seen the beaches of D-Day, I am overcome with emotion each time. The determination those boys had coming ashore with absolutely no cover is mind boggling.

[les37b]

It's interesting to read your POV regarding the Cloud Les. As much as I like the Cloud, I was hoping after such a significant renovation she would look and feel a bit different. I've seen the Zodiacs in their new structure on the top/front of the ship, but that is all, other than wondering why they didn't add a covered hallway to Tors during the reno.

 

Very appreciative of you sharing your perspective.

Please appreciate I was probably looking more structural than anything. It's 4 years since I sailed on the Cloud.. my perspective and what I remember may be scewed.

 

We didn't ask to visit any suites. I'm sure they are very different...,

 

The carpets throughout are different.... I guess I was kinda expecting something more radical. Seeing the zodiac location was maybe disappointing.... But realistically where could they go? Hope I'm not sounding negative here. I still love the cloud... Just wasn't as photogenic as I'd already done it.... But the Hull... That's a different story.

 

Not sure how long left... But savouring every moment

[HappyCamper777]

Please appreciate I was probably looking more structural than anything.

 

We didn't ask to visit any suites. I'm sure they are very different...,

 

I guess I was kinda expecting something more radical. Seeing the zodiac location was maybe disappointing.... But realistically where could they go? Hope I'm not sounding negative here.

Thanks for the additional context and I'm not taking your comments as negative at all. The zodiac location is what it is.

 

I don't know why, but like you I figured the first time I would come back on board the Cloud I'd be like "Wow! This is really different" seeing how I thought deck 3 was probably the biggest redesign, along with fitness center and revamp of the lounge/theater on deck 6.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm still very much looking forward to my return to the Cloud in a couple of years.

[les37b]

Thanks for the additional context and I'm not taking your comments as negative at all. The zodiac location is what it is.

 

 

 

I don't know why, but like you I figured the first time I would come back on board the Cloud I'd be like "Wow! This is really different" seeing how I thought deck 3 was probably the biggest redesign, along with fitness center and revamp of the lounge/theater on deck 6.

 

 

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm still very much looking forward to my return to the Cloud in a couple of years.

 

 

 

Glad it wasn’t taken as a negative./ and I must admit I’ve not visited the gym.

 

In the meantime something extraordinary.

 

Another tug pulled cruise ship came all the way up to the bridge and pulled back. Great experience if you can’t get through for sure. Think it was called Boreal....lots of photos taken from the panorama....

 

 

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[shipsmail]

 

Just one more pic from above (taken from the Shangri-La in The Shard).

[shipsmail]

„Le Boreal“ just came up the river to the Tower Bridge and then went down again.

[les37b]

„Le Boreal“ just came up the river to the Tower Bridge and then went down again.

 

 

 

Crazy wasn’t it! It was at one point like “what you doing in our spot!” The tug stopped no more than 25 to 30 metres before the bridge. On its way back for a moment it looked like it was berthing!

[Wellseasoned]

Lovely day in London. Last day for most aboard. Only 18 of us will remain. We are aboard for two more segments, ending in London on June 2. So, two more trips under Tower Bridge.

It was a beautiful sail in this morning. I will add a couple of photos from the ship early and from the ship tonight. We did some walking during the day. Tonight there was an excursion to the Royal Geographical Society. Food and drink as well as a presentation on photography and the Shackleton Antarctic expedition. They are taking good care of us!

 

 

 

 

 

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[jpalbny]

 

Here is your first picture, which didn't appear correctly in the previous post. The frontslash got eliminated from the URL and replaced with a few returns. I didn't want to miss any of your pictures so I took the liberty of fixing it. Hope that's OK!

[shipsmail]

Crazy wasn’t it! It was at one point like “what you doing in our spot!” The tug stopped no more than 25 to 30 metres before the bridge. On its way back for a moment it looked like it was berthing!

 

Berthed in Greenwich now.

[les37b]

Berthed in Greenwich now.

Transferred the photos from my SLR......

 

I’m guessing They advertised as Tower Bridge but did the best they could.

 

Silversea have a similar situation in September for the Spirit. Advertised Greenwich but now docking in Tilbury as something else has been given the berth.

 

And it’s a wonderful sight looking out of my office window this morning to see Silver Cloud. (Taken from phone just now...)

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2018 by les37b

[Wellseasoned]

Thank you for rescuing my photo, jpalbny! And thank you for all the great photos, Les!

Another nice sunny day in London. Only 18 of us are continuing onward on the Cloud, but the ship is again full for the next segment. Tomorrow morning's passage under Tower Bridge will have better viewing opportunities since we are backing out, allowing clear viewing from the stern areas. The last time we backed out a few years ago, "Rule Britannia" was playing loudly, a very rousing experience. Don't know if they still do that.

 

There was no zodiac use on the segment just ended. The three anchor ports were calm enough for tenders, though we were still required to take the life jackets along in case things got rough before returning to the ship. We will probably have a lot of zodiac trips on our next two segments before we again return to London. Our first stop on Friday will be St. Peter Port, Guernsey, either tender or zodiac.

[claudiaYVR]

Wellseasoned, I'm really enjoying your posts and pictures. We will be on our first SS cruise on the Cloud in late October and have a request. If possible, could you post a couple of pictures of the fitness room, in particular the weight-lifting machine and its weight stack? Many thanks and continue enjoying your fabulous cruise.

[les37b]

Sad to see Silver Cloud leave this morning.

 

Weather took a turn for the worse (back to normal I guess!) Was raining on my way into work but fortunately sunny but much cooler for departure at 9am.

 

Left my ipad pro against the window of my office to record Tug Bootle power it from the Belfast before assisting Brunel pulling the Cloud through Tower Bridge backwards. Watched... And only a short clip of "action" but come out well.

 

Walked over to my usual spot in front of the Tower of London. Set the first GoPro up and started recording. Then the second, only to realise that I'd downloaded the content of both last night, but had left one micro SD inside my laptop!

 

Still recorded the entire departure with the other, but with a small amount of movement as she passed. I also use a normal 1080P HD video camera (with the same movements)... Seems to have come out well.

 

And along with my DSLR and phone, I've another large collection of photos and video.

 

I watched the incoming footage from the 8th last night and happy with the results.

 

Will post the YouTube links once editing is complete. Hopefully this evening I'll get both completed.

 

Cloud left 5 mins later than scheduled this morning. I saw what looked like port authority guys board the Belfast and run up to give something to someone. How it looked anyway.

 

She made good time and a speedy turn above Rotherhythe tunnel but reached my usual viewing location of Dartford bridge 2 hours after departing.... Exactly on time!

 

Busy month coming up with Silver Spirit in Greenwich for the start of June. And a bonus, clouds next departure on the 3rd of June will pass Spirit while moored. Hopefully I'll still be on board the Spirit at that time to film.

 

 

 

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Edited May 10, 2018 by les37b