Silver Muse/Silver Shadow, Live (almost) from Mar 15 - Apr 2

[Unibok]

2 hours ago, WesW said:

 

Enrichment lectures are a.m.(Singapore) p.m (ASEAN) 

 

Great report, Wes -- thank you for making the effort, and I do hope you are able to post those crew profiles. What a wonderful idea!

 

When you have a chance, can you post the name of the enrichment speaker on ASEAN? I'm curious to see if somehow it is the same guy we had on the Shadow that I disliked so much. 

[dougburns]

Wes; I'll be outta' here in a few hours. See you in Singapore!

[spinnaker2]

Safe travels Doug!

[Master Echo]

Wes,

 

Thank you for your feedback re the Moon.

 

I have heard a rumour about major changes on the Shadow during her November drydock.  Perhaps a few discreet enquiries when on board might elicit further and better particulars.

 

Glad you enjoyed KK.

 

Waiting for some more news from you in due course.

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo 

[Stumblefoot]

12 minutes ago, Master Echo said:

I have heard a rumour about major changes on the Shadow during her November drydock.  Perhaps a few discreet enquiries when on board might elicit further and better particulars.

Master Echo, you probably have seen the Silver Shadow Transformation thread, but just in case you haven't the link will take you there and hopefully Wes can confirm with Martin while on board the Shadow during the next couple of weeks.

 

I'd also be interested in reading what rumors you have heard through the grapevine too!

Edited March 19, 2019 by Stumblefoot

[boblerm]

22 hours ago, WesW said:

Brian, the Shafer Cab is $230 but tastes like a $20 Cab even had Carolina pour herself a glass (she said it is fine but too young—WS rated this Shafer higher (97)than any of the ship’s Connisseur list Cab offerings.  Caymus is a home run, this Shafer vintage is a foul ball.  

Wes, a question from someone  very naive  in regard to ordering  from connoisseur wine collections on a cruise ship (I don't think that I ever have)-

given the fact that you were so unsatisfied with the quality, and the sommelier  seemed to agree, were you allowed to send it back?

Bob

[Master Echo]

4 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Master Echo, you probably have seen the Silver Shadow Transformation thread, but just in case you haven't the link will take you there and hopefully Wes can confirm with Martin while on board the Shadow during the next couple of weeks.

 

I'd also be interested in reading what rumors you have heard through the grapevine too!

Stumblefoot,

 

Thank you so much for giving me the link to above - no I didn't know about this thread.

 

What about changes to the reception/lobby area?

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo 

[WesW]

Unibok; the ASEAN enrichment speaker is Bob Warne

 

Brian/Stumblefoot; should have known better to have paid for the 2013 Shafer. Shafer should not be drank unless 2007 or older. begs the ? why is this vintage on the connoisseur list

 

Doug; save travels can’t wait to join you on the Shadow tomorrow

 

ME; will endeavor to find out project Invictus (RCL name for SS upcoming refurbs)refurb plans for the Shadow

 

Bob; your right I should have sent it back but once Carolina (head sommelier)tasted and said it was good I proceeded to drink [emoji485] and share with table-mates. bottom line in retrospect it is the taste to my palate that counts not the sommeliers

 

Did my best to make up the one out of ten off connoisseur wines I enjoy this voyage yesterday. Tez poured a delish 2013 Don Melchor Cab at lunch and an Allegrini Amarone for dinner. Shared this witness friends that were on the 5 week Regent South Pacific crossing with ida and I last October

 

It is time for a Silversea Silver Muse Crew member “who works behind the scenes” profile.

 

In over a dozen Silversea cruises, working closely with many of Silversea’s hotel directors for permission (thanks Paolo)I enjoy a tradition of profiling crew members who work behind the scenes and who do not normally get told, “Thank You,” by Silversea Guests. These crew members are equally responsible for the wonderful on board experience we enjoy on Silversea, but unlike restaurant venue servers, bar tenders, others, they are unseen by the guests. You will find these hard working crew members mostly below deck; doing your laundry and or dry cleaning, or they could be serving in the engine room making sure the engine is clean, they could be unloading fruits and vegetables (and wine!) in the provisions area, making your scrumptious breads/salads/sauces.

 

Profiling these unseen crew members is one of my favorite activities while on board Silversea as I get to meet a variety of crew members, often these crew members become friends and we stay in touch for years.

 

Today, let’s meet the Silversea Silver Muse Deck Bosun, Pat.

 

Pat hails from the city of Jala Jala in the Phillipines

 

Pat has been married to his beautiful wife, Rosamyrna for 22 years. Pat and Rosamyrna have one adorable 21 year old daughter, Patricia Nicole.

 

This August Pat will have served almost two decades ( 19 years)on Silversea Ships.

 

Pat’s principal duties as Deck Bosun is as a supervisor for 21 deck hands.

 

His varied duties include supervising deck hands that perform deck maintenance (painting, varnishing), deck washing, the quartermaster who swipes your suite card at gangway are part of Pat’s team. Also the able bodied seaman comes under Pat’s supervision. You might observe the able bodied seaman changing the Muse flags. Pat’s team also prepares the Muse tenders for tender operations (four tenders)

 

Safety is a big part of Pat’s duties too. The Fire patrol teams work for Pat in three different ships to cover 24 hours. And he has team members who work on the Muse’s bridge performing bridge watch for the officers on the duty

 

He tells me his most challenging duty is helping to keep the Muse in “ship shape.” This requires painting the Muse’s hull. Pat tells me this is one of his team’s most difficult duties. When members of his team have to paint the Muse’s outside hull, they put on harnesses and personal protective equipment. On occasion they are hanging off the top deck to do required outside hull painting.

 

When asked what he likes most about working for Silversea Pat, ebulliently tells me, “it is the teamwork we are led by good officers and the deck hands who all pitch in and work very hard.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[jpalbny]

10 minutes ago, WesW said:

should have known better to have paid for the 2013 Shafer. Shafer should not be drank unless 2007 or older. begs the ? why is this vintage on the connoisseur list

 

To bring home and age properly, in your personal wine cellar!

 

Thanks for profiling the equally hard-working crew members who are mostly behind the scenes. 

 

Enjoying the additional pics of our favorite wine somm, Monteza. We tried a Don Melchior (brought it home from the September 2018 Wind voyage) and maybe it was too young; wasn't so excited by it. We have some nice blends which we tasted on our latest Chile trip, peacefully resting in the wine cellar now, awaiting a special occasion.

Edited March 19, 2019 by jpalbny

[WesW]

JP (and Chris)  you’re very welcome.

 

The Don Melchior is not as delish as the Caymus but the 2013 was very enjoyable.  Carolina is bringing out one of the last 2012 Don Melchior for me to try today.

Edited March 20, 2019 by WesW

[WesW]

please view Silver Muse Deck team photo



from left to right the hard working Silversea Silver Muse Deck crew: top, Mark, Jose, Stephen Jhay, Marlon, Richard, Hartwin, Rafael, Darwin. Bottom row: Gody, Joey, Wes, Pat (Muse Bosun), Jonifer


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[Stumblefoot]

2 hours ago, jpalbny said:

We tried a Don Melchior (brought it home from the September 2018 Wind voyage) and maybe it was too young; wasn't so excited by it.

I’m with you JP.  We did a vertical tasting of five separate vintages in 2017 and all I kept thinking to myself was, why does Wine Spectator rave about this wine so often?  While the clones are from Bordeaux, the style of wine just doesn’t suit my taste buds.

 

Wes, be careful with that 2012.  The Chilean growing season was super warm with temperatures higher than normal throughout the entire  ‘11-‘12 growing and ripening season.

[Stumblefoot]

4 hours ago, Master Echo said:

What about changes to the reception/lobby area?

ME, from what I understand it’ll just be a complete refresh to the Muse materials and color palette.  The boutiques are all directly behind reception and have already been Musified.

[Unibok]

4 hours ago, WesW said:

Unibok; the ASEAN enrichment speaker is Bob Warne

 

 

Ah, good. Different guy.

 

Wes, thank you so much for the profile of Pat the Muse Bosun. You strike such a good balance of the personal and the professional. I often saw the deck crew hard at work in the early mornings, a rare show of visibility in what you rightly note is often unseen labor. Thanks to you, I now know more of the story. I hope you'll be able to do another profile on the Shadow next week?

 

Looking forward to more of your travels,

 

 

[flossie009]

Hi Wes,

We will watch you hop from Muse to Shadow in Singapore tomorrow (well we would if we had binoculars and X-Ray vision).

We disembarked Seven Seas Navigator in Singapore this morning and are now in the Mandarin Oriental with a stunning view over Marina Bay.

 

We are enjoying your thread as we have two fellow Brits on board the Muse with you; they will be joining us here at the Mandarin tomorrow after disembarking.

 

All the best

S & D

 

 

[Observer]

Thanks so much for the prose portrait of Pat and the photo of the entire deck crew.  I assume that posting will get lots of hits from family members in Philippines or elsewhere.  Sailing on Silversea and enjoying the marvelous Silversea experience would be impossible without the hard-working and often invisible crew.  Thanks for helping give them some of the recognition they deserve.

[rich48100]

Hey Wes,  Rich here.  Glad you are having an enjoyable cruise, and as usual doing a great job posting.  Just curious, are you needing to get up at 5 am to get good internet for posting and pictures or is internet pretty good all day.

 

also never been on a Silversea that is not an expedition ship, so curious if coat and tie are a must for dinner or if it is more like Regent and smart casual applies for dinner.

 

thanks, and keep on enjoying cruising and life.  You and Ida are doing a good job at both.

[WesW]

thanks so much Susan and david and Observer

 

Enroute to our last Port (Singapore) on board Silversea Silver Muse. On board you never know who you will meet and you contstantly relearn it is indeed a small world. In the photo below is General (Retired) William Crouch and his wife Vicki. We served together in VII Corps in 1985-1986 when he was the VII Corps Chief off Staff then as a Brigadier General. Ida and both serve as young US Army Captains in our first of three tours of duty in Germany. (85-88, 93-96, 2001-2004),Ida briefed General Crouch daily on the terrorist threat in the VII Corps Germany area of operations. I served as the First Infantry (forward) Public Affairs Officer.

 

 

tonight for last dinner enjoyed Gary-and Barbara at Atlantatide. pls enjoy a few photos

 

 

 

 

 

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[Master Echo]

13 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

ME, from what I understand it’ll just be a complete refresh to the Muse materials and color palette.  The boutiques are all directly behind reception and have already been Musified.

Stumblefoot. 

 

Thanks, but I heard that the whole of the lobby area was being opened up, whatever that may mean!  Hopefully, Wes wiIll be able to probe Martin, the HD for as much information as he is prepared to reveal at present when he boards the Shadow.

 

Wes, thank you vey much for Pat's story - as you say it is the crew we do not see on a day to day basis that need to know how appreciative we are for all their hard work.  Look forward to hearing where your gaze falls onto next.

 

Bon voyage, and as someone I heard once say (??)  Fair skies and calm seas!!

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

[TLCOhio]

14 hours ago, WesW said:

Profiling these unseen crew members is one of my favorite activities while on board Silversea as I get to meet a variety of crew members, often these crew members become friends and we stay in touch for years.

 

Appreciate these great profiles on the Silversea crew.  Smart in checking with the Hotel Director.  In the past, I have shared a number of pictures of crew members on my live/blogs and many on the CC Boards have been happy to see some of the familiar faces.  Most of crew have been very, very pleased when you show such interest in them and are giving the staff well-deserved recognition.  When doing our Vancouver to Alaska cruise on the Silver Muse in July, I will try to do more about the excellent staff that make these trip happen. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 44,592 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

[flossie009]

We see a ship docked in the distance ................... but can’t make out Wes giving a wave.

 

 

Safe travels on the next leg of your cruise 👍

[WesW]

 

Rich48100/Rich & Barbara, have fun on your Cloud voyage, look forward to following along. Have yet to do an expedition voyage but from what I’ve read, smart casual will work fine. If RachelG pops in here, she can set the record straight.

 

ME; you’re very welcome—have known Pat for about nine years since he started serving on the Silver Spirit

 

Terry; you’re very welcome too. Any additional attention you can put on the Silversea crew is welcome and appreciated not only by cruise critics here but by the crew too...and if you active on Facebook you can extend the reach of your posts so the crew’s friends and families can enjoy your words (if the crew friend requests you—I always ask them if they would like to be friends to send me a friend request). Have about a dozen Silversea and dozen Regent crew FB friends.

 

Hi flossie009/Susan and David; yes was frantically waving at y’all earlier glad you were able to see. Yet, once again we are so close but not together while traveling. Thanks too for the next leg cruise well wishes

 

Stumblefoot/Brian, JP; passed on the 2012 Don Melchior Cab and as you see above had another Caymus special select CAB

 

Got a delightful surprise email from our terrific travel agent, saying they put a gift on both Doug and my Shadow account so we can take a guest to Le Dame or use it for whatever we would like.

 

Just a final comment about these special Silversea all inclusive Asia cruises—they are an absolute home run. Included excursions are very well done, couple that with the included air, and huge SBC, strongly recommend others take advantage of these specials if you can. The sweetener for me was the added $0 single supplement.

 

Next post will be from the Shadow with Dougburns!

 

 

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[Stumblefoot]

57 minutes ago, WesW said:

Stumblefoot/Brian, JP; passed on the 2012 Don Melchior Cab and as you see above had another Caymus special select CAB

 

Got a delightful surprise email from our terrific travel agent, saying they put a gift on both Doug and my Shadow account so we can take a guest to Le Dame or use it for whatever we would like.

I think you made the right call on Caymus, Wes.  Such a solid cab, year after year.

 

Enjoy your special gift!  We’ll be following along now that it’s 11:00a and we imagine you are safely ensconced on the Shadow.

[Stumblefoot]

9 hours ago, Master Echo said:

Stumblefoot. 

 

Thanks, but I heard that the whole of the lobby area was being opened up, whatever that may mean!  Hopefully, Wes wiIll be able to probe Martin, the HD for as much information as he is prepared to reveal at present when he boards the Shadow.

Cool ME!  Will be interesting to see how the redesign will work and where they’d place the HD’s and Cruise Consultant’s offices, let alone the entire Shore Excursion office too.

[WesW]

We’re both now on board the Silver Shadow.

Kirk Detweiler greeted us at check-in and we got to catch up with Clive (Destinations Mgr) who is leaving today to enjoy a few weeks in India.

Kirk told us only six guests continued on with this voyage but we expect 330 more.

Doug transferred directly from the airport at 8:30 am to the cruise terminal. He had to wait about two hours but was just ahead of me when he boarded at 10:30 am. It was a smooth transfer from the Muse, tho Singapore immigration takes time to process both on disembark and embark. Customs took at least 20 minutes before I declared my Chateau Y’quiem, paid on $5.20 in taxes. Look forward to enjoying this delish after dinner wine with Doug over the next week+





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