Odyssey - 18 nights Athens to Barcelona LIVE ON BOARD

[galeforce9]

The sun finally came out today but the sea last night was moderate to rough as we crossed from Corfu to the ball of the foot of Italy, Crotone, in Calabria. 

 

Everyone we met in Crotone was warm and friendly.  The drivers slowed down and let us across the road.  Old ladies waved and blew kisses from shuttered windows.  Even the stray dogs seemed content to go about their own business. Old men shared bonjournos with us as we passed them. 

 

There is quite an old centre to the town, with narrow alleyways and life which probably hasn’t changed much over the years. 

 

 

[galeforce9]

[galeforce9]

A local band played us off the ship today.  One of the instruments sounded like bagpipes and looked similar.  They were really good.  

 

Locals also handed out maps of the town. 

 

 

[galeforce9]

Caviar in the sun this afternoon :-))

 

 

[oceanviewer21]

The quality of your photos is amazing. What camera/phone do you use and are you using any filters?

[Silver Spectre]

Superb photos of Corfu Galeforce9, contrasting the faded glory of the Old Town and the more modern aspects. Brought back fond memories of the 70’s and 80’s.

[galeforce9]

Special send off from Ovation yesterday, leaving Civitavecchia

 

 

 

Edited October 28, 2018 by galeforce9

[galeforce9]

Ovation enters Naples harbour with the assistance of two tugs after a stormy passage from Civitavecchia

 

[galeforce9]

 

 

[galeforce9]

Complimentary wine list

 

[Stickman1990]

Thanks for the Wine List - very interesting selection - looking forward to tasting a few when on encore in early December

 

I don't suppose you could post the current list of Spirits and Cocktails? I'm particularly interested in the Gin selection

 

Much appreciated if it's easy to do

[Thecat123]

Stickman the wife has picked Tanqueray Gin as Beverage Preference for our cabin, there was another choice of Beefeater Gin. Will they do for starters???😀

[Stickman1990]

5 minutes ago, Thecat123 said:

Stickman the wife has picked Tanqueray Gin as Beverage Preference for our cabin, there was another choice of Beefeater Gin. Will they do for starters???😀

 

Hoping for Bombay Sapphire and Hendricks - mind you there are so many Gins on the market now I'm ok branching out 🙂

Variety is the spice of life after all

[galeforce9]

I had a discussion with a bar manager about gins and how popular they are in the Uk whilst I was on Quest In the Summer. Compared to the availability of premium vodkas and whisky on board the choice of premium gins is poor. 

 

They said there isn’t the demand for it, it’s not internationally popular therefore we don’t carry them.  I explained that it would be a big hit especially with British guests. 

 

The best they have (if you’re lucky - it can be in short supply) is Tanquerey 10.  They also carry Hendricks, Tanquerey and Bombay Sapphire.   

 

Why not also carry London Dry, Sipsmith and some flavoured gins like Rhubarb? 

[galeforce9]

You can also pre request Fever Tree tonic 

[galeforce9]

 

 

[galeforce9]

[Stickman1990]

28 minutes ago, galeforce9 said:

You can also pre request Fever Tree tonic 

 

Thanks for the tip - so being new to Seabourn if I request Fever Tree is that an additional cost item? It’s interesting as Fever Tree seems to be taking the world by storm - it’s even stocked in supermarkets down here in Sydney. Crystal started sticking it as standard back in January 2018 in response to guest feedback

 

I am afraid the Bar Managers comment to you that Gins are not internationally popular is simply ridiculous! 

 

Crystal, which I am familiar with, have just expanded their Gin offerings including some pretty interesting cocktails as well as a good range of gins

 

While I don't expect like for like I'm hoping that Seabourn does offer a good range - I haven't tried Tanqueray 10 - so look forward to doing so 

 

Edited October 28, 2018 by Stickman1990

[galeforce9]

I’ve just been told by the bar manager in the obs bar that all champagne cocktails (eg French 75, kir royale) on Seabourn use prosecco.  News to me after 160 sailed days.  He told me I need to specify champagne in future if that’s what I want.  Just a tip for all of you that hoped to get an actual champagne cocktail. 

Edited October 28, 2018 by galeforce9

[oceanviewer21]

That’s a really useful tip. We also discovered you have to specify “french” champagne at the various events where they walk around with trays of drinks like the past cruisers events, otherwise you get  Prosecco even though the waiters often call it champagne.

[Stickman1990]

2 hours ago, galeforce9 said:

I’ve just been told by the bar manager in the obs bar that all champagne cocktails (eg French 75, kir royale) on Seabourn use prosecco

 

Thanks for that top

 

OMG 😯 - is that the same Bar Manager as pronounced on the worlds Gin habits? Where do they get these people?

 

Has it escaped them that Champagne = Champagne not some sugary sweet alternate (ok I’m being harsh but I really don’t like Prosecco) - so I guess I had better get ready for statimg the obvious. Hopefully the wait staff on Seabourn are quick to remember your preferences 

[galeforce9]

I hate prosecco too.  It was so obvious.  To be quite frank it was clear this was not the norm and I was being spun a yarn.  Perhaps things have changed.  It definitely didn’t used to be this way ... 

 

[SLSD]

galeforce, I just realized that we have some friends on this itinerary with you!  Look for Bill and Barb from the Pacific NW.  We met them last year on another  Mediterranean SB cruise.  Bill is quite a good photographer and they are such great people.  Wish we were there with you. 

 

[galeforce9]

For three days now I’ve been concerned about the winds forecast for Trapani, our intended port of call tomorrow.  They were forecast to be gusting to 50 mph.

 

Tonight, the cruise director, Verity, announced that we would be departing Naples about 30 minutes later than scheduled, due to port authority timings.   There was no mention of the impact on tomorrow’s arrival time in Trapani but she warned ladies “to wear low heels” tonight (really?) as the seas would be as rough as last night.  What about vertically  challenged men? 

 

There was no Captain’s sailaway announcement, which seems to have become quite common on the cruise over the last eight days.  Indeed, I have only spotted the Captain twice on the entire eight days.  A far cry from the early morning and midday deck inspections of previous captains, their breakfasting with their senior team in the Collonade and frequent greetings around the ship.  Seabourn Square told me this evening that he is seen at the Captain’s Dinner.  Well, that’s reassured me.   I saw him once then in the first week. The other occasion I presumed he was on holiday with his family. 

 

When I took the air on Deck 7, around 9pm, after dinner, I noted that the Sorrentine Peninsula and the Isle of Capri, were on the wrong side of the ship, if we were headed to Sicily.   

 

Later, on heading back to the cabin, my husband noted there was a letter in every mailbox that looked the same. 

 

It was from the Captain. Tomorrow’s port has been cancelled. Instead of sailing to Sicily, having a day ashore and sailing back to Monaco, we are now taking two days to sail from Naples to Monaco.  

 

My issues are:

 

- this could have been predicted days ago

- the Captain should have announced this himself at the earliest possible opportunity 

- an alternative call should have been arranged, as there is plenty of time in the schedule 

- the Captain should make himself more accessible and reassure guests that he can be relied upon in a crisis 

 

Now we have two days at sea.  With this and my previous post, you can see that all is not well in the world of Seabourn and the Odyssey.  The highlight of my holiday so far has been a meal ashore at my favourite restaurant on the amalfi coast.  It’s one we nearly didn’t make.  Tender operations were almost suspended before they begun as the sea was slightly choppy and the shoreside operations team were doing their best to pull it as it was a bit bouncy when ferries came and went (we heard the two way comms traffic being first in the tender queue). To be fair, they were instructed by the bridge to work around it.  It might have had something to do with the fact that Azamara Pursuit had already been operating in the same conditions for the previous 3 hours. 

 

Here is our letter. 

 

I will stick with Seabourn if only to cash in my free cruise on the new expedition ships. 

 

[Isklaar]

4 hours ago, galeforce9 said:

I’ve just been told by the bar manager in the obs bar that all champagne cocktails (eg French 75, kir royale) on Seabourn use prosecco.  News to me after 160 sailed days.  He told me I need to specify champagne in future if that’s what I want.  Just a tip for all of you that hoped to get an actual champagne cocktail. 

 

This is news to me too, and must be a fairly recent change?

SB obviously picking up tips from Silversea who were doing the same thing 6 years ago when I last cruised with them. 

 

 

Edited to add - Galeforce, I've just seen your update. Sorry to read that things aren't going well. 

Edited October 28, 2018 by Isklaar