Master Echo’s first Moon Shot - July 28. - Aug 7

[Master Echo]

Greetings from Silver Moon anchored off Patmos Greece.

 

On this thread I will deal with Topics of interest on these boards not covered by ops currently onboard.

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo 

[jpalbny]

Looking forward to it! Have a fantastic trip.

[Lois R]

Hope you have a fantastic time🙂

[Silver Spectre]

3 hours ago, Master Echo said:

Greetings from Silver Moon anchored off Patmos Greece.

 

On this thread I will deal with Topics of interest on these boards not covered by ops currently onboard.

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo 

Have a great time ME. Hope it’s not too hot for you.

[spinnaker2]

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT ABOARD!

and yes I am screaming it loudly!

Mostly because the re entry is gut wrenching.

:-)))))

Edited July 31, 2021 by spinnaker2

[Ilikebigboats]

Looking forward to your observations! Have fun! 😃

[boccenana]

Waiting for your observations Master Echo.

Hope to hear about how the excursions are going.

Has your itinerary changed at all?

Enjoy every minute of your cruise.🍸🍹🍽

We are counting the days for our 48 day cruise on the Moon commencing this October 23rd.

 

[Emtbsam]

Bon Voyage.  Hope to see you soon.

[CruisinPashmina]

I can’t wait to hear about your experiences. There really is no other poster whose opinions I value more. XO

[les37b]

Looking forward to your musings. (Wrong ship I know -  but It didn't sound right to say I was looking forward to you "mooning")  🤣

 

That advisory removal came just in the nick of time. Phew!

 

Hope you both have a good vacation. I've zero doubt you will have a fantastic time and pampered rotten.

Edited August 2, 2021 by les37b

[Master Echo]

Firstly apologies for tardy reply - as usual thanks to the vagaries of
Cruise Critic. 
Staff-

Captain Chavdar Georgiev seemingly known as Captain ‘Charlie’ as no one can pronounce his name correctly👎  - Bulgarian, who has taken over from  Alesandro Zanello, who has moved to Ancona to deal with the Silver Dawn.

 

Hotel Director - Stephen Crimes

 

Cruise Director - Vicki Van Tassel

 

Passenger numbers ‘around 300’ this has fluctuated as the voyage progresses mainly due to ‘ non- revenue’, journalists, photographers etc, joining & leaving.  This number will be kept for the foreseeable future, being virtually 50% full capacity.

Passenger mix - roughly a third US, a third UK & a third European - age range younger than might be expected - there are quite a number of teenagers with their parents from Europe particularly Germany.

All passengers went through 20-25 minutes of hell in a little room at the port of Piraeus with the view of the ship only just outside the window. This was the ante -room after having a Covid test next door, where everyone waited for the results, most of us in fear and trepidation of falling now at the final hurdle.  Obviously all the tests were numbered and finally appeared on a board & called out to the assembled crowd.  Many found it hard to hold back the tears.  Heartbreakingly one passenger tested positive, so was refused embarkation.  Another female passenger refused to have the test, & was told by a very senior member of SS that no test - no cruise. She took the test!!!

Covid protocols

SS have refined the above to a fine art & everything works like clockwork and unobtrusively.  The tour agent used for all the excursions is Rhapsody Travel.  All their coaches carry hand sanitisers, and employ social distancing, e.g the coach used in Rhodes was a 44 seater, but only 14 pax.  Masks are mandatory on tours until outdoors. Before each excursion starts the local guide reminds all that masks must be worn covering the nose mouth & chin - & the shore excursion rep from the ship had to remind the few recalcitrant passengers who tried to get away without doing so.

New masks are liberally provided onboard & passengers are invited on returning to the ship to sanitise their hands, discard their mask & pick up a new one.  There is a daily morning temperature check between 8.00 and noon by either the Butler or the suite attendant. Mask wearing is mandatory when walking around the ship inside.  Only two passengers allowed in the lifts at any one time, so it’s good there are so few passengers!  Once outside on the open decks masks can be removed - as also in bars/restaurants whilst eating/drinking.

Initially not allowed to sit at the bars, but this seems to have been relaxed in the last day or two.

All shorexes are included apart from the privatos.

The swimming pool is the longest in the Fleet, even bigger than the Muse & has full width steps with handrail for entry.  Sun loungers are also social distanced so it makes the whole pool area feel very spacious.

For  those who expected the ‘little toiletries bottles’ to disappear, I can report that there are alive & well & living in bathrooms ship wide now!!  Likewise water bottles collected from the gangway are still plastic & not the heavy metal ones provided in expedition ships.

I am sure there are many items I have forgotten, but at least am glad to have touched base to you all.

So for the moment that is all

 

Kindest regards 

Master Echo

 

Apologies for the change of font above - seems to have had a funny five minutes which I have been unable to rectify!

 

 

[Lois R]

Thank you for the update🙂,,,,,who in their right mind would tell the staff they are not going to take the test?😲.......she must have lost hers (mind)!!!!!!!!!!! Unreal. 

 

And so sorry for the gal who tested positive!

[Silver Spectre]

Thanks for your report ME. As a matter of interest was anything done to mitigate against possible close contact with the person (possible gal?) who tested positive. Any idea what SS did to get them home etc.

[Master Echo]

Good morning all

 

Hot off the press - yesterday all passengers had their mandatory mid cruise antigen test & I am very pleased to report that the whole ship has returned a complete negative result🙏🙏👍👍😁😁.

 

In Limassol this morning.  Weather continues to be lovely with temps in the 90s F/36C.

 

Apart from many old faces amongst the crew, Gennaro the Italian cobbler is plying his trade as usual amidships just behind the pool with prices which do not seem to have escalated.

 

Daily turnaround of journalists continues to create a heavy workload for the GRM and her team.  One such is Rachel Johnson, sister to the British Prime Minister, Boris.

 

 

No more for now

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

[CruisinPashmina]

Thanks, M E. As predicted, your reporting was very interesting and beautifully detailed. Hope your next Tutti-frutti Trivia time drink is as yummy as usual! 
OMG…there is Trivia, isn’t there??

[Lois R]

1 minute ago, CruisinPashmina said:

Thanks, M E. As predicted, your reporting was very interesting and beautifully detailed. Hope your next Tutti-frutti Trivia time drink is as yummy as usual! 
OMG…there is Trivia, isn’t there??

Hi, yes there is🙂......I saw folks playing every day. Well, it seemed like every day.

[Master Echo]

 

 

The menu in Silver Note is similar but somewhat different to that which was offered on the Silver Muse, but still very quirky with larger portions & less ‘mezes’ than on the Muse which led to complaints of hunger!

 

One other note - the big cumbersome round mirror on the dressing tables in cabins which used to unscrew so easily has been replaced with a smaller higher magnification  mirror which is vastly superior to the original.

 

Regarding Silver Spectre’s question I needed to find the right person in the correct department to give an accurate answer.  SS has protocols to deal with medical emergencies both onboard and ashore.  In the event of a positive test at embarkation SS in collaboration with the Port Agents, would ensure that someone denied boarding would be taken care of properly and not just abandoned in the embarkation hall.

 

Cruisin Pashmina - yes of course Trivia operates as usual. Venetians account for 78% of passengers on this voyage.

Congratulations CIN Beach on reaching her 350 days milestone.

I must apologise for my haphazard posting.  The internet connection is painfully slow - possibly due to the number of media posting their Reports and their videos.  Surprisingly enough it was abysmal yesterday in Limassol, but a little better today whilst at sea.  Frustratingly I am also being disconnected every few  minutes from CC

 

So all for for now

 

Kindest regards

Master Echo

 

 

 

[Lois R]

Hi Master Echo,🙂 I want to thank you as those folks thanked me.........we all appreciate your updates😃

I have one question, can you make your font on the postings 1 number larger? Seems it is coming thought really small............😲

[Master Echo]

Dear Lois - how how I wish I could master CC & get it to do what I want!!!  I do apologise for the font size - I initially made it 12 point Arial but it seems as if it will change to what it wants - is it me?  If so instruction will be gratefully accepted.!!! 👍👍xx

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

[Lois R]

49 minutes ago, Master Echo said:

Dear Lois - how how I wish I could master CC & get it to do what I want!!!  I do apologise for the font size - I initially made it 12 point Arial but it seems as if it will change to what it wants - is it me?  If so instruction will be gratefully accepted.!!! 👍👍xx

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

You got it fixed on this post👍

[les37b]

11 hours ago, Master Echo said:

Dear Lois - how how I wish I could master CC & get it to do what I want!!!  I do apologise for the font size - I initially made it 12 point Arial but it seems as if it will change to what it wants - is it me?  If so instruction will be gratefully accepted.!!! 👍👍xx

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

 

ME, are you typing your text outside of the CC site and pasting? If yes, there is an option to paste as plain text (rather than just paste, which brings in formatting from elsewhere.)

 

Obviously not relevant if that's not how you are typing.... But, just in case, it could be the issue.

[Master Echo]

Hello everyone.

 

Firstly, yes Les you are quite correct I have been typing this up first in Pages, - I learned from many wasted hours, that typing it directly onto the CC boards, inevitably lead to it disappearing in the ether never to be seen again!  However thanks for telling me I need to paste as "plain" text.

 

More to follow

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

[Master Echo]

Dear All,

 

I am now home but see from CC that several of my posts on different threads are missing.  I will have to try to resurrect these.

 

In the meantime, some thoughts about the SALT concept launched on the Moon.  My cruise had a contingent of media, who received briefings about SALT.  Although I saw Adam Sachs (who heads the programme) and David Bilsland, unfortunately neither could spare the time to discuss how the programme will work.

 

Former on-board Executive Chef Anne-Marie, who opened the Muse in April 2017, and now has a fleet-wide role in HQ, was also on board.  An informed source said she does the heavy lifting with the SALT menus, not Adam.

 

As most will know, the SALT concept is based around cuisine local to the places being visited.  One section of the menu is called Terrain and changes daily to offer a range of local dishes.  Anne-Marie researches and prepares these menus and someone procures the ingredients ashore.

 

This offers a very good way of sampling local cooking without leaving the ship and its hygiene standards, albeit probably adjusted to suit better US palates.

 

I had three meals in SALT kitchen.  The third main course was served as described, and was a dish from Mykonos, the island we had visited earlier.  It was a very tasty casserole using local sausage.  I reflected later that, if I had seen sausage casserole on a Silversea MDR dinner menu, I do not think I, or many others would choose it!!

 

It will be interesting to see how the SALT programme copes with some of the places on the Silver Moon and Dawn itineraries. Away from Western countries, Silversea haute cuisine standards do not exist and local cooking is frequently basic.

 

The Greek and Cypriot wines served were a revelation, being much better than expected.

 

Moving on, Silversea has cut its tie to Relais et Chateaux for La Dame. The brand has very little relevance these days.

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

[ronrick1943]

Great reporting, I’m new to Silverseas and learning from your reports—can’ wait for my time to cruise.

 

[Lois R]

Welcome Home😃 thanks for all your updates and hope you had a wonderful cruise.