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

[dougburns]

Just about to leave Langkawi. Thought it would rain some because we had thundershowers enroute from Phuket. However, it has turned out to be a nice day here. They had a shuttle into town and it was only about a 10 minute ride, thank goodness. There is a lot of construction around town; mostly hotels and resorts going up. There's not much to the town though; just duty free shops and rather expensive. What I call a tourist rap! I guess I must have blinked because tomorrow is our last day; a sea day to Singapore. Packing day tomorrow ARG! The ship is in good shape, the crew is wonderful and we've had calm seas the entire way. A good cruise overall.

[spinnaker2]

I have enjoyed reading your posts Wes and Doug, and following along with the pictorial essays.

Thanks so much.

Safe travels home!

[Master Echo]

Thanks for reminding us of this lovely part of the world.  I was disappointed on landing on James Bond Island, how the patter of "large tourist feet" had ruined the pristine edges of the water, where we saw bits of plastic and other flotsam and jetsam. Why can we not adopt the mantra of the Galapagos Islands,  - leave nothing but footprints!!!

 

Seems you had a brilliant time with good weather, so pleased for you.  A long time ago, an SS Captain told me that he was in charge of the ship, but the weather was up to me!!  Seems you have come up trumps!! 

 

Please thank both Martin & Kirk for organising the "crew" news, and I await your last one.  I am also very grateful to them both for openess regarding the news on the refurbishment of the Shadow in November.  Shame I will be onboard before all this happens.

 

Thanks again for both Wes & Doug for including me in your cruise.  Hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have.

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

[dougburns]

It's 0730 1 Apr and we're at sea on the way to Singapore. Wes is probably in the gym doing his hamster thing on the eliptical while I'm about to head to breakfast. Strong thunderstorm early this morning with lots of rain, but good now. Seas still calm. Last night Wes and I ate at the Grill. After that he headed to siesta time and I headed to the Panorama Lounge for '80s disco. Fun time! Kirk was running the show. Lots of old cronies dancing, or trying to! For a change I just watched for a bit and didn't dance. The night before was '70s and my back was sore for most of the day. It's hell to get old!

[WesW]

Spinnaker2/Candy and Larry and Master Echo; you’re all very welcome

a few snaps from dinner last night first drinks with Ana international hostess






Time for another Silversea Silver Shadow crew member profile. Thanks again to Hotel Director Martin, Cruise Director Kirk, and Food and Beverage Manager Phillip for facilitating these Shadow crew member profiles.

Today let’s meet Marvee of the Shadow Provision Man.

Marvee hails from Manila the Phillippines.

Marvee started serving on the Whisper in 2007 as a kitchen Stewart. Marvee has served on five Silversea ships; Whisper, Shadow, Wind, Cloud and the Silver Explorer. Marvee does not have a favorite ship to serve on, for him it is the crew that he serves with that makes the ship his current favorite. I really like Marvee’s answer for him it is not the Silversea hardware (ship) that makes it his favorite, it is the Silversea precious software—the people he works with.

Tho, Marvee does enjoy serving on the smaller Silversea ships meaning a smaller crew and the chance to get to know his fellow crew better.

Among Marvee’s principal duties revolve around the issuing of six different provision groups; poultry,fish, meat, wines, spirits, and guest selling items (cigars, wines).

Most challenging duty is on transition day when they are loading three or four shipping containers in a short period of time. Marvee works with a four men provision team on the Shadow (2 provision men, 2 utility men). During transition day (day passengers leave and board the Silver Shadow) when they expect a large shipment of containers, Marvee and the Provision team are augmented. For example, tomorrow is transition day for our cruise and they are expecting to off load three large shipping containers. Thus, Marvee and the Provision team will have between six and eight additional Shadow crew helping them off load coveted food and spirit items.

Marvee tells me his most rewarding Silversea duty as the Provision Man, is that he relishes being at heart of operations because fellow crew come to Provision team since they manage the distribution of supplies his fellow crew mates need.

Why has Marvee stayed with Silversea for over 12 years? Emphatically, Marvee says Silversea allows you to grow and develop pointing out he started as a Kitchen Stewart to now working as the Shadow Provision Man.










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[Stumblefoot]

So cool that you got to see all the wine.  And, it's nice to know they serve us Driscoll berries.  They are by far the best IMHO.

[drron29]

3 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

So cool that you got to see all the wine.  And, it's nice to know they serve us Driscoll berries.  They are by far the best IMHO.

You mean the ones they import from Australia!😉

They have a huge set up just down the road from where I am working in Tasmania.Growing raspberries-in season now.

Huge blueberry plantation in Northern NSW as well.

[jpalbny]

Marvee looks familiar. I bet we have seen him on a prior Cloud or Explorer cruise. Thanks for doing these profiles, Wes. Have a pleasant journey back home!

[Silver Spectre]

6 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

So cool that you got to see all the wine.  And, it's nice to know they serve us Driscoll berries.  They are by far the best IMHO.

Impressed that Wes managed to get a great photo of Marvee and some Sassicaia at the same time. Kudos Wes.

[dougburns]

It's 2 Apr and we just arrived back in Singapore at 0630. Time to head home. It was a great cruise except for the fact that 4 days in Yangon was way too much.

[boblerm]

Wes and Doug, 

Thank you for a most enjoyable report. 

Safe travels home. 

Bob

[Stumblefoot]

3 hours ago, dougburns said:

It's 2 Apr and we just arrived back in Singapore at 0630. Time to head home. It was a great cruise except for the fact that 4 days in Yangon was way too much.

Thanks Doug for sharing your voyage with us and answering questions.  Hope to meet you on a future cruise someday.  Have a safe trip home.

[WesW]

JP, Bob, all; thank you for joining Doug and I on our solo/sans wives Shadow voyage.  As Doug said, outstanding cruise but two too many days in Myanmar for the guests and especially the crew.

 

Can’t wait now for our next SS voyage with a number of you—the Silver Moon fall crossing in November 2020 (Barca to Ft. Lauderdale).  

 

We now are in the public spaces waiting four our luggage tag to be called and to be schlepped to the Crowne Plaza Airport.  Tonight I have 30 hours (2 flights) with 7 hour layover in Doha, before arriving in ATL.  Doug leaves early Wednesday morning and arrives back home on Wednesday too.

 

Now Doug and I are residing in our temporary home until our flights leave—the Crowne Plaza Airport hotel in Singapore.  Will meet Doug in the Club Loung shortly as we fondly recall our Shadow Asia sojourn.

[Unibok]

1 hour ago, WesW said:

  Tonight I have 30 hours (2 flights) with 7 hour layover in Doha, before arriving in ATL.  Doug leaves early Wednesday morning and arrives back home on Wednesday too.

 

 

Wes, I might see you in Doha! I leave Colombo tonight for a short (5-hour) hop to Doha before continuing on to Montreal. If a strange woman approaches you in the Qatar lounge, it might just be me. 

 

Let me also join my voice to the chorus of thanks for your wonderful crew profiles and the chance to follow along on your adventures. 

[WesW]

Hi Unibok, you’re very welcome.

Will be nice to see/meet another avid SS cruise critic at Doha airport (Qatar Lounge). Tho, don’t arrive until 12:15am Doha time.




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[Unibok]

1 hour ago, WesW said:

Hi Unibok, you’re very welcome.

Will be nice to see/meet another avid SS cruise critic at Doha airport (Qatar Lounge). Tho, don’t arrive until 12:15am

 

We might just barely miss each other, as I arrive around 6:00 am Doha time. In case I don’t see you, wishing smooth and ease-filled travel home to both you and dougburns.

[Master Echo]

Hi guys

 

firstly thanks so much for all your posts and the pics. The box of Driscolls berries, was a big coincidence.  I had just returned from buying a kilogram of their blueberries and raspberries from Costco!

 

I have used the Crowne Plaza several times as a pre/post cruise stopover in order to fly to other countries nearby.  So convenient.

 

Wishing both Doug and Wes a safe, flight home, and hope your memories will carry you through the long boring hours of your flights.  God speed - until the next time!!

 

kindest regards

 

Master Echo

 

[WesW]

Love that I am writing this at 35000 feet on Qatar on included internet.

 

Hi Unibok; we have about 75 min overlap before (@ 7:15am) I head out for ATL flight. Will look for you, am in Lime green Columbia short sleeve shirt.

 

Thanks ME, really Doug and our pleasure to share. Yes, CP is a terrific gateway hotel right @ airport to fly in/out of Singapore

 

 

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[Stumblefoot]

17 hours ago, WesW said:

...with 7 hour layover in Doha, before arriving in ATL.  Doug leaves early Wednesday morning and arrives back home on Wednesday too.

Ouch!  That's a brutal layover, especially at the time of day you'll be arriving.  Hopefully Doug is on the SQ nonstop from SIN to SFO.

[WesW]

Hi Brian, not looking forward to this layover but the Qatar lounge is very nice, almost got a day room at the Hamad International airport but decided I would rough it in the lounge :).

 

btw, am finding this business class experience(hardware and software) on Qatar as good as Thai and Singapore airlines.  In fact the service has been the most intuitive I’ve experienced in the air.

[Stumblefoot]

Good deal Wes.  Hopefully I'll have the opportunity someday to use my AA miles on them.  I've heard rumblings Qatar may leave OneWorld which would be a big loss to American's AAdvantage program.

[Tothesunset]

I echo Wes's thoughts re Qatar business which we used for Cape Town last year. Beats Virgin Upper (our usual choice but they don't fly to Cape Town) and BA (to be fair, that's not difficult). 

[jpalbny]

Good reference point for me; we really liked Virgin Upper Class from MEL-LAX and RT LHR-NY last year. So if Qatar is better...hmmm!
 

Only problem for us trying one of the Gulf airlines like Emirates is that we try to keep within SkyTeam as much as possible. Now, if Qatar drops OneWorld and joins SkyTeam...guess all bets would be off!

Edited April 2, 2019 by jpalbny

[Travelcat2]

On 3/15/2019 at 2:09 PM, WesW said:

 

I do not respond to anything TC posts, if u want the rest of the story, pls send me an email at yahoo.com below.

 

 

 

What a strange, unkind and untrue thing to post  No one should bash another poster on Cruise Critic.  Master Echo, I would be happy to explain this if you email me at mitamejade@gmail.com.  

 

Wes, very happy to see you back on Silversea!  As you now know, I also review posts on the Silversea board as I do like the Whisper and Shadow.  

[jpalbny]

Wes, it looks like Unibok's flight is running about 20 minutes late (I'm assuming it's QR669, scheduled for 5:55). Flight tracker is estimating a 6:18 arrival. Hope you still have a chance to see each other.

 

Time for sleep on the East Coast so I guess I will find out tomorrow whether or not you met up!