Whispering Around The World 2019

[mysty]

We just got an email from Silversea letting us know that our tour scheduled for Shanghai on March 6 has been cancelled due to the late arrival in port.  Obviously some communication is working well!  🙂  

[mysty]

One of the world’s largest art studios is in an unexpected location: North Korea.  It may seem odd that I am posting about this since obviously North Korea is not on our itinerary.  However, one of the pieces of art crafted by this art studio is in Dakar, Senegal which is on our itinerary.  I just read about it in an article in 1843 (a magazine published by The Economist).  From that article:

"The Mansudae Art Studio in Pyongyang is one of the biggest art-production sites in the world. Created in 1959 to produce art that revered the totalitarian regime, it now employs around 1,000 artists and 4,000 other staff, such as researchers and technicians, all of whom work on a campus in the centre of Pyongyang. The studio makes everything from small sketches, woodblock prints and ceramics to monumental statues that are sculpted in cavernous halls.

North Korean artisans are highly skilled and, compared with their global competitors, extremely cheap. Until the United Nations added products from the Mansudae Art Studio to the list of sanctioned North Korean exports in 2016, they were attractive to cash-strapped governments who wanted to kit out their countries with monumental statues. Dakar, capital of Senegal, boasts a 160-foot monument celebrating “African renaissance” that was completed in 2010. It shows a windswept family gazing out heroically from the top of a mountain. "

 

 

If anyone is interested in the complete article it can be found here:

https://www.1843magazine.com/culture/the-art-of-diplomacy

Edited December 11, 2018 by mysty

[mysty]

Meet & Mingle Update:

3 segments have met the quorum requirement:

January 6 - 16

March 18 - 10

April 3 - 4

April 17 - 6

May 11 - 2

 

Getting closer!  🙂

[mysty]

We are awaiting the paperwork for the ship ahead luggage as well as the arrival of the silver or white box.  We know that HunEBear has received two boxes.  How is everyone else doing?  Box received or no?  If using ship ahead...paperwork received or no?  Unfortunately I am a little on the impatient side (probably because I'm also a little on the Nervous Nellie side).

[DCCruiser57]

No paperwork for luggage shipment.  Frank Sansone', VP of Guest Relations, e-mail indicated we would get a Fedex overnight package, requiring a signature, the week of 12/10.  For 2016 and 2018, I do not remember having to sign.

[mysty]

3 minutes ago, DCCruiser57 said:

No paperwork for luggage shipment.  Frank Sansone', VP of Guest Relations, e-mail indicated we would get a Fedex overnight package, requiring a signature, the week of 12/10.  For 2016 and 2018, I do not remember having to sign.

 

No email from Mr. Sansone for us.  I seem to recall that we did sign for our 2016 though.  Of course I could be mis-remembering.  I really hope this all works out!  Thanks for your input DCC57!

[DCCruiser57]

His message sent 11/12

ACTION IS NECESSARY

YOUR RESPONSE IS REQUIRED BY NOVEMBER 30, 2018

 

Dear Silversea Guest,

 

As a World Cruise guest you will receive 2 suitcases per person, up to 50lbs each, shipped round-trip compliments of Silversea. Any additional suitcases you wish to ship over the complimentary allotment, will be charged as follows:

 

Home to San Francisco, California one-way:

1 - 150 lbs. - $200.00 per piece

London (Greenwich), United Kingdom to Home  one-way: (per piece)
1 - 30   lbs.      $375.00      
31 - 50 lbs.      $475.00
51 - 60 lbs.      $500.00
61 - 70 lbs.      $525.00

We require the luggage be ready for pick up on Thursday, December 27, 2018.. Included each price of luggage is automatically insured up to $2,000.00 USD. Should the value of your items exceed this amount, we recommend purchasing specific travel insurance to supplement the higher value of the items. However, please note, Silversea Cruises does not offer supplemental baggage insurance coverage over the stated "insured up to $2,000.00 USD".

 

An overnight FedEx package will be sent to your home or office, your signature is required for this delivery. This package will be sent the week of December 10, 2018.

 

In order for us to send this package to you, please provide the following information.

 

          1.          Please provide the delivery address to ship the luggage tags to

          2.          Please provide the pick-up address (No P.O. Box) for the luggage including telephone number

          3.          Please provide the number of suitcases you will ship

 

Your return service from ship to home will be handled onboard Silver Whisper prior to the conclusion of your voyage.

 

It is our pleasure to be at your service and we remain available to you should you have any questions.

 

Sincerely,

Frank

 

FRANK SANSONE

Vice President, Guest Relations

 

[mysty]

Thanks DCC57!  We got our info via our travel agent.  Just the basics though.....paperwork date, pick up date for the luggage and request for delivery/pick up address and phone number.  I'm thinking your paperwork delivery will happen before ours as we are in Canada and it will need to be processed through Customs.  Hopefully it will arrive before the luggage is due for pick up on December 20.

[mysty]

Late breaking news.....we just got an email from our travel agent.  The silver box has arrived at their office.  She will be sending it to us by courier tomorrow.  At least things are starting to happen.  One nerve is now a little less frayed.  🙂

[Lifesgreat]

My wife Una and I will be boarding in SF and my friend and his wife will be boarding in Singapore. The four of us are from The Sunshine Coast in Qld Aussie and are looking forward the adventure.

[Lifesgreat]

Although we are Down Under, SS have promised to have "The Silver Box" delivered by tomorrow???????

 

[mysty]

42 minutes ago, Lifesgreat said:

My wife Una and I will be boarding in SF and my friend and his wife will be boarding in Singapore. The four of us are from The Sunshine Coast in Qld Aussie and are looking forward the adventure.

Hi Lifesgreat!  Welcome!  Looking forward to meeting you and your wife.  Hope your silver box is delivered as promised!

[Lifesgreat]

25 minutes ago, mysty said:

Hi Lifesgreat!  Welcome!  Looking forward to meeting you and your wife.  Hope your silver box is delivered as promised!

 

[Lifesgreat]

Thanks Mysty. We are Cruise Critic Virgins and it all looks exciting. I am sure we will learn a lot from the old/young hands. Look forward to saying hi! (gidday in Aissie)

[mysty]

11 minutes ago, Lifesgreat said:

Thanks Mysty. We are Cruise Critic Virgins and it all looks exciting. I am sure we will learn a lot from the old/young hands. Look forward to saying hi! (gidday in Aissie)

So glad you decided to get your feet wet here!  🙂  Will this be your first World Cruise?  To my mind there is something extra special about that first experience!

[Lifesgreat]

We have been caravanners around Aussie for 45 years. Just sold our 25 ft luxury van as we have started cruising and can't use it for almost a year now. FIRST WORLD, fourth cruise.

[mysty]

 

5 minutes ago, Lifesgreat said:

We have been caravanners around Aussie for 45 years. Just sold our 25 ft luxury van as we have started cruising and can't use it for almost a year now. FIRST WORLD, fourth cruise.

WOW Lifesgreat!  That must have been a wonderful 45 years of exploration!  I hope you find the world exploration in a floating hotel as satisfying, interesting and entertaining as your past adventures!

[mysty]

Further late breaking news....the paperwork for the ship ahead luggage was just delivered by FedEx!  Another nerve has been saved from further fraying!  Best wishes for all who are awaiting deliveries!

[HunEBear]

2 hours ago, mysty said:

Further late breaking news....the paperwork for the ship ahead luggage was just delivered by FedEx!  Another nerve has been saved from further fraying!  Best wishes for all who are awaiting deliveries!

 

That is wonderful news - so glad you received your paperwork.  I will check the porch later today as our FedEx deliveries usually come around 5.  

[mysty]

17 minutes ago, HunEBear said:

 

That is wonderful news - so glad you received your paperwork.  I will check the porch later today as our FedEx deliveries usually come around 5.  

Best wishes HunEBear!  Packing has begun here.  🙂

[turtlemichael]

4 hours ago, mysty said:

Further late breaking news....the paperwork for the ship ahead luggage was just delivered by FedEx!  Another nerve has been saved from further fraying!  Best wishes for all who are awaiting deliveries!

Glad yours has arrived!  Get on with that packing!  Today (it is Friday morning here now) is effectively the last day for ours to arrive as our bag pick-up is due on Monday. If it doesn't get here by tonight I'll be on to Mr Sansone to delay the pick-up. Our TA still does not have our silver box but there is more time for that to arrive.  I am not at all into this last minute stuff and do find it quite unimpressive by SS.

Edited December 13, 2018 by turtlemichael

[mysty]

2 minutes ago, turtlemichael said:

Glad yours has arrived!  Get on with that packing!  Today (it is Friday morning here now) is effectively the last day for ours to arrive as our bag pick-up is due on Monday. If it doesn't get here by tonight I'll be on to Mr Sansone to delay the pick-up. Our TA still does not have our silver box but there is more time for that to arrive.  I am not at all into this last minute stuff and do find it quite unimpressive by SS.

Oh Turtle...so sorry to hear that your deliveries have not happened as you had hoped!  How very frustrating!  It's stressful enough planning a venture of this sort without the added complications of necessary documents not arriving in a timely manner!  I hope you get your documents today!!!!

[turtlemichael]

2 minutes ago, mysty said:

Oh Turtle...so sorry to hear that your deliveries have not happened as you had hoped!  How very frustrating!  It's stressful enough planning a venture of this sort without the added complications of necessary documents not arriving in a timely manner!  I hope you get your documents today!!!!

I'm in Perth watching cricket for a couple of days so I am avoiding the stress! The stress is back at home lol

[mysty]

12 minutes ago, turtlemichael said:

I'm in Perth watching cricket for a couple of days so I am avoiding the stress! The stress is back at home lol

Does that mean your Mrs. Turtle is holding the fort?  I hope she is not stressing out!

[mysty]

1 hour ago, turtlemichael said:

I'm in Perth watching cricket for a couple of days so I am avoiding the stress! The stress is back at home lol

Turtle...packing instructions for ship ahead say "clothing and toiletries" only.