Whispering Around The World 2019

[mysty]

6 minutes ago, HunEBear said:

SS cancelled the scheduled cruise and the Whisper is now headed to Freeport where she will enter drydock on 11/30.  SS previously reported that they extended the drydock to 3 weeks to make further enhancements (for one, they are adding zodiacs and a crane for the upcoming visit to Antarctica during the 2020 WC).

 

Thanks for the update HunEBear!  Hopefully all the planned work goes smoothly.  Maybe SS will keep us posted as things go forward.

[SSCAF001]

6 hours ago, Bluebelle14 said:

Yes, the Whisper will go to drydock December 8 and be in Ft. Lauderdale December 20.  She will be beautifully renovated and the holiday cruise will be wonderful.  Can't wait to get aboard!!

Thanks but isn't it contradictory with some info we got a few weeks ago mentioning the fact that the drydock duration was extended to avoid bad surprise and that the November 26 cruise was canceled? In just 12 days I am not so sure they will have the opportunity of a complete refurbishment or there will still be many things to be fixed during the holiday cruise!!!

[SSCAF001]

1 hour ago, HunEBear said:

SS cancelled the scheduled cruise and the Whisper is now headed to Freeport where she will enter drydock on 11/30.  SS previously reported that they extended the drydock to 3 weeks to make further enhancements (for one, they are adding zodiacs and a crane for the upcoming visit to Antarctica during the 2020 WC).

Thank you. It is more in line with what I had in mind.

[mysty]

I just watched an amazing video with gorgeous images and a powerful incentive to travel and learn.  UKCruiseJeff posted the link to the video in the Water Cooler this morning.  I am sharing it here in case there are folks who don't visit the Cooler (although they might want to dip their toes in the Cooler water to give it a try 🙂 ).   I want to thank UKCruiseJeff for brightening my day!

 

The segment about flying into Paro, Bhutan brought back wonderful memories of our 2016 adventure!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifUUOxlZTiE

[mysty]

We have never sailed out of San Francisco before.  We have visited the area a few times and we are looking forward to sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge.  Our set sail time is 6:00 pm.  I was curious about how much light there would be for the sail away.  Apparently that time falls into the category of twilight called Nautical Twilight. 

 

From timeanddate.com......."Each twilight phase is defined by the solar elevation angle, which is the position of the Sun in relation to the horizon. During nautical twilight, the geometric center of the Sun's disk is between 6 and 12 degrees below the horizon.

In clear weather conditions, the horizon is faintly visible during this twilight phase. Many of the brighter stars can also be seen, making it possible to use the position of the stars in relation to the horizon to navigate at sea. This is why it is called nautical twilight."

 

I'm hoping the ambiance will be magical!  🙂

 

 

[Bluebelle14]

Sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge is magical.

[mysty]

Thanks BB14!  It is a sight we are very eager to enjoy!

 

 

Our motto!  🙂

[SWFLAOK]

While on the Barbados to Barbados cruise this month, the crew told us that they would be headed to dry dock in Freeport after our disembarkation. Many of them would be spending their time pulling up carpets and doing other duties as assigned on their way there. We had a sliding glass door that rattled until we stuck a folded piece of paper in the base of it, and were told that a repair was put on the list of dry dock items. There were some toilet flushing problems on deck 6  early in the cruise, and a grey water tank smell in The Bar, that I'm sure they will be addressing as well. Overall, however, the ship seemed to be in very good shape. I wouldn't hesitate to do a World Cruise on the Silver Whisper in cabin 724. It was very comfortable and spacious, and our butler and suite attendant were top notch.

[mysty]

Thanks SWFLAOK!  That is good news!  Hopefully the dry dock goes smoothly and any remaining issues following will require only minor fine-tuning!  

[mysty]

Still waiting for the Formal Night designations to appear for segments 7, 8 and 9.  Perhaps they will appear in December at the 120 day mark.

 

As an aside...after our last big adventure Myster decided that he wanted to get a bow tie.  He purchased a lovely tie-it-yourself version.  Since he had never been especially interested in formal wear I was intrigued.  He spent time searching the internet for a video step-by-step instruction guide.  It was very entertaining to watch as he moved from the computer screen to the hall mirror to follow along with the video.  The man has the patience of Job!  On the cruise following the purchase he again went from bookmarked video to mirror to video to mirror to video to mirror.  Success!  I did applaud his efforts.  🙂  We are set to repeat this dance on the upcoming adventure.  And he has purchased 2 more bow ties.  These, however, are pre-tied.  It seems his patience does have limits.

[Emtbsam]

12 hours ago, mysty said:

Still waiting for the Formal Night designations to appear for segments 7, 8 and 9.  Perhaps they will appear in December at the 120 day mark.

 

As an aside...after our last big adventure Myster decided that he wanted to get a bow tie.  He purchased a lovely tie-it-yourself version.  Since he had never been especially interested in formal wear I was intrigued.  He spent time searching the internet for a video step-by-step instruction guide.  It was very entertaining to watch as he moved from the computer screen to the hall mirror to follow along with the video.  The man has the patience of Job!  On the cruise following the purchase he again went from bookmarked video to mirror to video to mirror to video to mirror.  Success!  I did applaud his efforts.  🙂  We are set to repeat this dance on the upcoming adventure.  And he has purchased 2 more bow ties.  These, however, are pre-tied.  It seems his patience does have limits.

Bob decided that he wanted to be able to look like Pierce Brosnan at the end of the movie The Thomas Crown Affair where Brosnan untied his tie, so he bought a number of bow ties.  He used YouTube for instructions and is now a pro!  From my perspective, the most important consideration is to have a tie of the proper length.  Looking forward to meeting Mysty and Myster once we board in Singapore.

[mysty]

 

27 minutes ago, Emtbsam said:

Bob decided that he wanted to be able to look like Pierce Brosnan at the end of the movie The Thomas Crown Affair where Brosnan untied his tie, so he bought a number of bow ties.  He used YouTube for instructions and is now a pro!  From my perspective, the most important consideration is to have a tie of the proper length.  Looking forward to meeting Mysty and Myster once we board in Singapore.

Thanks Emt (I know the bsam is important and if it's ok with you could I call you Emt?)  Myster is not a tux man and he thought the bow tie would make him feel more comfortable.  He is not yet a pro and his journey continues.  I think your comment about the length of the tie is very appropriate.  I think Myster's tie-it-yourself is a little too short.

 

We're looking forward to meeting you and Bob when you board in Singapore!

[mysty]

On our 2016 overland trip to Bhutan we were lucky enough to be in Paro when the Paro Tsechu was taking place.  I got to attend this festival with 2 other SS passengers on the overland trip along with our guide.  It was magical!  Paro Tsechu is one of the most popular festivals in Bhutan. Featuring dances performed by trained monks and laymen in amazing masks and costumes, Tsechus (festivals) are one of the best ways to experience the ancient living culture of Bhutan. A Tsechu is a Buddhist festival in honour of Guru Rimpoche, the saint who brought Buddhism to Bhutan. A highlight of the Paro Tsechu is the unfurling of the silk Thangka – so large it covers the face of an entire building and is considered one of the most sacred blessings in the whole of Bhutan. The ‘Thangka, known in Bhutan as a ‘thongdroel’ is a religious picture scroll, and is only exhibited for a few hours at daybreak on the final day of the festival enabling the people to obtain its blessing. This holy scroll “confers liberation by the mere sight of it” (the meaning of the word ‘thongdroel’ in Bhutanese).   Myster had the camera with him for his climb to Tiger's Nest.  Here is a picture I found of the Thangka.

 

I decided to investigate other festivals around the world for the ports and days we will visit on the 2019.  We will miss one by a hair.  We are traveling from Osaka to Kyoto through Nara on February 28.   In Nara, Japan Omizutori is an event held every year between the 1st to the 14th of March or the second month of the lunar calendar and is a series of ceremonies of repentance at the Todaiji Temple. The 1,250-year-old tradition is known to be one of the oldest Buddhist recurring events. It involves lighting large numbers of torches and hanging them from the balcony that runs along all sides of the temple, creating rigorous strips of fire on the sides of the temples. People attend this ceremony to cleanse themselves of sins, and look forward to spring and a fresh start when all of the cherry blossoms emerge. It is believed that if you are showered with one of the fire sparks from the torches, it is good luck and you will be protected from evil.  Here is a picture....

 

We will, however, be in Seville during Feria de Sevilla.  The 2019 Fair  begins on Sunday, May 5 at midnight with the lighting, when thousands of light bulbs light up the front and the streets of the enclosure and ends on Saturday, May 11 at 24:00 with the launch of Fireworks.  Here is a picture....

 

And here is a link that describes the festival from a tourist perspective.......

https://www.dangerous-business.com/2016/04/tips-visiting-seville-feria-de-abril-tourist/

Looks like fun to me!

[turtlemichael]

Thanks Mysty. That is very informative. A midnight ramble around Seville looks like it is on the cards.

[mysty]

We are now at 34 days and counting down to sail away.  In advance of our last big adventure in 2016 we received an email from SS on October 1, 2015 which read:

 

"As embarkation day approaches and we finalize some of the personalized amenities for our full World Cruise guests, we kindly request your assistance with providing confirmation of your preferences on a few items. Please take a moment to complete the following questionnaire. We would appreciate a reply by October 30th, 2015."
 

Interestingly we have received no such email for the 2019 version.  Anyone have an inkling about this?   Thoughts?

[turtlemichael]

6 hours ago, mysty said:

We are now at 34 days and counting down to sail away.  In advance of our last big adventure in 2016 we received an email from SS on October 1, 2015 which read:

 

"As embarkation day approaches and we finalize some of the personalized amenities for our full World Cruise guests, we kindly request your assistance with providing confirmation of your preferences on a few items. Please take a moment to complete the following questionnaire. We would appreciate a reply by October 30th, 2015."
 

Interestingly we have received no such email for the 2019 version.  Anyone have an inkling about this?   Thoughts?

Hi mysty, what amenities did it cover?

[mysty]

 

14 minutes ago, turtlemichael said:

Hi mysty, what amenities did it cover?

Turtle...I would love to answer you and I don't want to give away any hints or spoil any surprises.  I'm not sure they are taking the same approach this year as they have in previous years.  I'm inclined to think they are going for something different.  I can say that one of the preferences for 2016 was associated with the benefit "Special Commemorative Gifts".   I don't want to be a spoilsport by not responding to your question and I also don't want to spoil surprises.

[turtlemichael]

2 minutes ago, mysty said:

 

Turtle...I would love to answer you and I don't want to give away any hints or spoil any surprises.  I'm not sure they are taking the same approach this year as they have in previous years.  I'm inclined to think they are going for something different.  I can say that one of the preferences for 2016 was associated with the benefit "Special Commemorative Gifts".   I don't want to be a spoilsport by not responding to your question and I also don't want to spoil surprises.

Gotcha. I thought you were talking about the soaps and shampoo! I'll bring an empty suitcase!

[mysty]

 

8 minutes ago, turtlemichael said:

Gotcha. I thought you were talking about the soaps and shampoo! I'll bring an empty suitcase!

Turtle...for sure not the soaps and shampoo!  🙂  Part of the wonder of doing the SS World for the first time is the newness of the experience (for us it was nothing like any other cruise we had taken),  the various surprises along the way and the wonderful camaraderie of traveling with people for an extended length of time.   And I do not want to ruin that anticipation and enjoyment for anyone.

[mysty]

I found another fascinating resource for interesting things to see around the world.  The website is called Atlas Obscura.

 

From the website:  

"Atlas Obscura catalogues the most unusual, surprising, and amazing places around the world, thanks to the discoveries shared by our intrepid community of travelers and explorers. There are now more than 15,200 incredible hidden wonders listed in the Atlas, and we’ve plotted each and every one of them on this interactive map.

The possibilities are vast, from the Icelandic witchcraft museum to the tree goats of Morocco, to Galileo’s middle finger, to the Skeleton Lake of India and thousands of other architectural oddities, natural wonders, catacombs and crypts, and unique collections across the world’s continents and oceans.

Start exploring, and see what rabbit holes you may stumble down. "

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/all-places-in-the-atlas-on-one-map

 

For example for Lome, Togo......

"Akodessewa Fetish Market  
Togo’s capital city of Lomé is the birthplace of the largest Voodoo market in the world – a kind of super supply store for fetishes, charms and anything else one might need for a ritual. The Akodessewa Fetish Market, or Marche des Feticheurs, is a place where you can find anything from leopard heads and human skulls to Vodou (voodoo) priests who bless and create fetishes or predict the future and make medicines to heal whatever ails you."

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/akodessewa-fetish-market

(I think the tour we booked goes here).

 

They even highlight local food and drink.....

"In Togo, West Africa, when people talk of la boisson (“the drink”), they are referring to tchoukoutou. Tchouk for short, tchoukoutou is a home-brewed beer made from sorghum (and sometimes millet) that is central to Togolese social and ritual life."

https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/tchoukoutou-togo-beer

 

I'm going exploring now.......

 

Edited December 3, 2018 by mysty

[joe_90]

99% of the time every activity starts on time.

 

If I could give 1 piece of advice dont be late for any of the specials or indeed anything on the ship and unlike other ships there are very few bing bongs.

 

When I read the Chronicle I put on the wall times for the various things we want to do or avoid. 

 

Mysty you have told the new sailors group about the magnets etc?

 

As I have said before its a wonderful adventure now does anyone know of a money tree and a bank that forgets to shut it's doors I need to save for 2020

 

Just you average

 

Joe.

 

 

[mysty]

Hi Joe!  Thanks for sharing your wisdom!  I did not mention magnets.  I guess I have been remiss.  Please jump in with all the hints and advice you want to share.  Two heads (or more) are better than one and are welcome!  And if I could find a money tree I would have booked for 2020.  🙂  I'm just thrilled we are getting to do this one!

[mysty]

Long awaited Formal Night designations for segments 7, 8 and 9 have appeared on MySilversea.  We are good to go and Myster is a happy camper.  🙂

[Emtbsam]

8 hours ago, mysty said:

Long awaited Formal Night designations for segments 7, 8 and 9 have appeared on MySilversea.  We are good to go and Myster is a happy camper.  🙂

I will have to check them out.

[mysty]

As EMT reported in one of the roll calls for this cruise we have met the Meet and Mingle quorum for segments 6 (Singapore to Mombasa) and 8 (Cape Town to Lisbon).  Looking forward to meeting some lovely folk!