Whispering Around The World 2019

[threeforthree]

On 10/21/2018 at 1:22 PM, joe_90 said:

Hi all WC'ers  I have heard on the wires that the wonderful chef David Bilsland will be on for the first 2 sectors so get ready to have  clothes with extra inches or more walking the deck.

 

Joe

I plan to lead the league in laps on the cruise....so I'm game to eat anything!

[turtlemichael]

Bring it on threeforthree! (Although I am better downwind than upwind.)  Hope you are in training 🙂

[mysty]

Turtle....your post-cruise plans sound awesome!

 

And TFT.....it seems that Turtle and I will follow your steps!  Lay on Macduff!  🙂

[mysty]

The action is heating up!  The Travel Journal is available for download on My Silversea.  Formal nights have not yet been identified for the period April 2 to disembarkation.  Hopefully soon.  🙂 

[threeforthree]

On 10/25/2018 at 3:12 AM, turtlemichael said:

Bring it on threeforthree! (Although I am better downwind than upwind.)  Hope you are in training 🙂

 

I have been....usually do either 5 miles on treadmill, or walk for about 90 minutes in the park.  I will probably do more in gym than on deck, but I like to walk a LOT 🙂

[mysty]

TFT.......I will attempt to follow in your footsteps but will probably be waaaaaaay behind you!  

 

Apparently I did not book enough excursions involving food.  🙂  We have added three more to the list:

 

For Ho Chi Minh City.......Good Evening, Saigon (SGN-C)

For Walvis Bay.....Namib Desert Dinner & Extravaganza Show (WVB-K)

For Seville.....Flamenco Evening with dinner (EVL-I)

 

Today we are 70 days and counting down to sail away.  Excitement is building!

[joe_90]

Mysty

 

I have been to both the desert and Saigon tours and  both were great nights out.  The Saigon restaurant was the more tasty for the food whereas the desert was great fun with camel rides fire dancers and a choir ( you might have to check details) 

 

Joe 

 

Hows the packing going? and if you have not started the list the next 60  days will fly past.

 

 

[mysty]

Hi Joe!  Thanks for your input on the excursions!  🙂  I have multiple lists in play at the moment.  Clothing lists for Myster and me (ongoing edits though), to-do lists,  to buy lists, etc.....  Time will tell if I have everything under control or not.  Hopefully not NOT.  Our luggage pick up is December 20.  This time I will call FedEx ahead of time to confirm.

[MissSophia]

M...l need to catch up with all your exciting pre voyage happenings....right now it all sounds just wonderful....😊

[mysty]

Thanks so much Miss S!  I do keep pinching myself to make sure I'm not dreaming!  🙂  We are two very lucky bumpkins!  

[mysty]

I have been researching restaurant options for the ports where we have not booked shore excursions.  Myster has been to the Tokyo area for business but this will be a new experience for me.  In the course of my research I found an interesting bit of advice from a reviewer of one of the restaurants I was checking out on Trip Advisor for Osaka..  Folks may find this useful info for dining in Japan:

The reviewer goes by the user name kaukau:

"Here's how it's done (in any restaurant in Japan): When you arrive, give a greeting like "Konichiwa" followed by a slight bow. Then hold up two fingers and say "Ni, kudosai." (Two, please) or "Yon, kudosai" (Four, please) or whatever. The host will probably bow back, smile, and say a few words which you won't understand, but that doesn't matter, because you will smile back, bow slightly again, say "Hai" (Yes) and then follow him to your table. When you get to your table, turn to the host, bow slightly again and say "Arigoto" (Thank You) and sit down. Now you know Japanese restaurant etiquette!

Unlike western restaurants, no one will come to your table to take an order until you signal them by catching anyone's attention and saying (loudly) "Sumimasen" - "Excuse Me" (I'm ready to order something!), and then they will know you want something and will happily scurry over to take your order. Not knowing simple Japanese restaurant etiquette will leave you feeling helpless, without service, and blaming the restaurant for treating Non- Asians poorly, which is simply not the case, and is completely untrue and a grave injustice to the nice hardworking people at the restaurant who want nothing more than to please their customers and deliver delicious food and good service. If you think you're being ignored it's because they don't think you know what you want yet, and you don't know how to get it. Now even if you don't know any more phrases than the few simple ones I've listed, with that good start you can just carry on by pointing at what you want, using fingers for numbers, using sign language, whatever, and that's how it's done."

 

 

 

 

Edited October 29, 2018 by mysty

[frantic36]

Hi Mysty, Thanks for posting this as it is very helpful for those visiting Japan. I will print of a copy for myself to use when we go to any Japanese restaurant. Not that we will necessarily need the way to order so much in Western countries but it is nice to know and use the correct greetings and manners.

 

Would you mind if I copy this over to the Seabourn board? I know SLSD has been asking questions re Japan for her upcoming cruise next year.

 

Julie

[mysty]

Hi Julie!  By all means share the information!  I think it is always a good thing to learn about other cultures.  And to be respectful visitors!  🙂

[mysty]

I have added an email address to my signature temporarily should anyone have an interest in direct contact.  

Edited October 30, 2018 by mysty

[turtlemichael]

My calendar says 67 days to sailing as I'm deliberately not allowing for the time change to San Francisco!  And 54 days until we head off from home. I remember when it was mid 400's.

 

Interesting you are using Fedex,  Mysty. Silversea told us the date for collection (December 17) but not who had the job. I expect we'll get the paper work closer to the event.

 

And we are in the same sorting, listing, buying, not quite packing state.  I went shopping for new jeans (for the dining room  of course- just kidding!!) on Saturday and came home with everything but jeans. Next time! One issue for us is that we have two weeks of travel before sailing in a couple of different climate zones so we will have to take a suitcase and not just rely on hand luggage. That means dividing stuff up in some sort of logical way. As I am far from logical that will be a challenge!

 

I don't think we'll be adding any Silversea dining tours to our list though the Namib evenng looks very interesting.  Our preference is going to be to try some of the local restaurants when we have an overnight or a late departure.

 

 

 

 

[joe_90]

not sure I would survive direct contact

[mysty]

Turtle.....I'm basing the FedEx reference purely on our last go at this.  I could be off base.  We also plan to explore restaurants in port for lunches.  Your packing considerations are a challenge!  Best of luck with that planning.  We plan for 4 pieces of ship ahead.  Then 2 pieces of checked luggage for departure plus carry on.  Hopefully my eyes are not bigger than our suitcases!  🙂

[mysty]

Ha Ha Joe!  You did live through the last exposure!   Maybe a hazmat suit would be a solution. 

[joe_90]

Hi Turtle

 

I see you are frim my favourite city in world.

 

Re luggage I have always have the cases picked up by fedex and the tracking is excellent, as one year the time to transport was very short but a email to the right person in ss was all it took to correct.

 

dont know if you have done a worldie before so better not put my foot in mouth.

I will miss the banter this time with the driver I always have to send a postcard from the most remote point.

joe

Edited October 30, 2018 by joe_90

[turtlemichael]

Hi Joe,

 

Yes we live in a great place for all the finer things in life.  And we are central and able to walk everywhere.

 

It's our first and probably our only World Cruise so we plan to make the most of it.  SS has told us our luggage pick up date is December 17 (because I asked) but no details as yet. The paperwork will arrive a week before that apparently.

 

Looks like we are taking exactly half the cases that mysty is taking so we may need to borrow, at least from MrMysty!  Just let us know his shoe size, height and weight so we can be prepared!

[mysty]

Turtle...this may be a problem.  I would say that about 70% of the content of the 4 cases is Mysty's and not Myster's.    However if you are about 6'3" Myster may be able to help you out.  🙂

[joe_90]

Hi Turtle 

 

It is great to be on a world cruise and Mysty will be able to answer any questions as they are now fully 'Worldies' .  

 

When packing for last  time  we had 6 cases in total  and each item was given a score of how  much it was needed along with case number. That way it is was way to discard the lower numbered items.

 

4 fedex

 

(do not put anything  which might be considered strange as US Customs will open up the bag  if necessary break in so use  locks to which they have a key.

2 in aircraft

2 small carry on

 

Always leave lots of time for flights  its part of the adventure and if the ship changes timings co with the flow.

 

Can I recommend  2lectures

 

Jon Fleming  45 mins of the history of port not a diamond shop ever mentioned.

Tracy Fleming Photgraphy knows everything about pictures

 

That's all folks

 

Joe_90

 

 

 

[mysty]

Thanks for your kind words Joe!  I am nowhere near the expert that you are on the art of WCing.  I have a lot yet to learn.  And I am eagerly pursuing that education.  🙂

[mysty]

Another bit of information found in the Travel Journal......"Expect to have 25 formal, 66 informal and 41 casual nights. Attire recommendation is for your packing guidance and is subject to change."   Still waiting for formal night designations for April 2 to debarkation.

[turtlemichael]

I see that several of the segments are now available for part booking (4903,4 and 5). I've no idea what that means, if anything, other than that SS do not now think they'll sell the whole segment.

 

Mysty, where do you see the Travel Journal? I've got the Journal link on MY Silversea but mine only contains the ports I've been to on past cruises.

Edited November 2, 2018 by turtlemichael