Live From Lisbon

[Lois R]

Happily arrived in Lisbon this morning around 8.30am.😀........we were early.  The sun was shining and I think I slept almost all 6 hours! Customs was a BREEZE!!!! Literally the line just flew. Bags took about 15 minutes to come through....we had a full plane. I booked my hotel and transfers through SS and went out to the area where all the drivers have names on signs........could not find mine. Fortunately, after a few more minutes I saw a couple with a guy and the sign. Yea! I had walked out to the left and they were all the way over on the right side.  So off we went and on to the hotel. Staying at the Intercontinental. Very nice property. Got here about 9.45 and they had rooms ready!.  Took a wonderful hot shower and changed out of the clothes I had been in all day and night.  I booked a tour with Premiere,,,,,THANK YOU WES! The guide was promptly here at 11 off we went.......we toured for about 2.5 hours and then we went to a local place for a wonderful lunch. I have the name of it....but not right now. Food was outstanding.....fresh seafood.......Portuguese style.....soooooooo good.

Got back to the hotel about 4 and just chilling out........they said the first bus to the ship tomorrow leaves here at 2.45.   I think I am going on my own instead......about 1.45 and it will get me to the ship around 2.  Not sure why they are leaving so late. But I  know the last email I got said you could be there at 2.

Anyway, the weather is spectacular.sunny, NO HUMIDITY lol.....in the mid 70s.   

Will let you know how things go at the pier😀

[fdnycruiser]

Lois, is the 72 hour PCT COVID test still required to enter Portugal?  Some of the information gets confusing, but I don’t believe they will accept our vaccinations because we’re not reciprocal. Please correct me if I’m wrong. 
Enjoy your cruise !!!

Bob

[mchell810]

Looks like you are off to a great start; can't wait to hear more!

[cece50]

If you have time, take a cab to ……pasteis de belem…..the famous coffee and pastry shop. It may seem like a tourist place, but seriously  we tried the famous custard pastry all over the city and it just tasted the best there.  There is a walk up window….always a wait but wind your way all the way to the back dinning room, it’s large & airy and usually no wait, especially this time of the year.  

[MHF]

I am surprised that the bus doesn't leave until 245.  Do they expect you to sit in the lobby from check-out until then?  I think I will look into a cab too to as I'm at the same hotel in November.

 

Glad to hear Premiere was a good tour, looking forward to it!

 

M in M

[WesW]

Hooah (as we said in the US Army for Great) wonderful to hear your Lisbon arrival was smooth.  And very glad you enjoyed your Premier tour Lois.  Bon Voyage!

 

 

[Lois R]

Well, it seems my body clock is off a bit........I laid down and thought I could watch tv but must have fallen asleep for about 3 hours........now it is just after 10 and I am awake.......thought I would answer some of the questions/comments.......maybe if I stay up a little while I can go back to sleep for the rest of the night.

Bob, nobody even asked to look for tests/vaccinations after arriving in Lisbon. I had uploaded all the required paperwork into the UNITED airlines website. As for the test, I had the rapid Antigen and it was accepted. I always travel with my vax card and when we went through Immigration, I pulled out my Passport and the vax card.......they only wanted the passport.  I cant tell you if others had a different experience.  I also had my negative test results with me but I didn't even offer them up and they did not ask for them.

 

Missy, I dont know why they are leaving so late for the ship.......I spoke with a nice gal here at the hotel who is like a liaison between SS and the transport......she said they are only allowing a certain amount of people through at a time so there is not a back up? I know everyone is getting a test before boarding. 

And I dont know what the set up is for seating and she didnt seem to know that answer.  Anyway, will let you know how it goes. But I guess yes, if you are not touring in the morning you will be waiting here in the lobby...which is quite nice but still........

 

Wes, I am using Premiere the day we get back as well.......I fly home on the 21st.  Doing a tour to Sintra....they will pick me up at the ship and looking forward to it😀

 

Cece, thanks for the tip.....looks delicious but they are having free breakfast for us folks staying here.....

[wine-wine-wine]

13 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Bob, nobody even asked to look for tests/vaccinations after arriving in Lisbon. I had uploaded all the required paperwork into the UNITED airlines website. As for the test, I had the rapid Antigen and it was accepted. I always travel with my vax card and when we went through Immigration, I pulled out my Passport and the vax card.......they only wanted the passport.  I cant tell you if others had a different experience.  I also had my negative test results with me but I didn't even offer them up and they did not ask for them.

 

Similar experience in August... That said, we will follow every process to the "t" next month just in case.

[jpalbny]

Glad you're having a great time! We love Portugal and hope to be there next month.

 

Our rule is that you can NEVER lie down until it's bedtime. We keep moving for the entire day after arrival, even though we may be sleepwalking part of the time. Hope the nap doesn't mess up your sleep too badly. Enjoy the cruise and we look forward to hearing all about it!

[Emtbsam]

Lois. Sounds like your trip is off to a good start.  What information did hou have to load into the UAL site?  Were there any other forms you had to fill out before leaving for Portugal?  
 

Thanks.

[Lois R]

4 hours ago, Emtbsam said:

Lois. Sounds like your trip is off to a good start.  What information did hou have to load into the UAL site?  Were there any other forms you had to fill out before leaving for Portugal?  
 

Thanks.

Hi😀

[Lois R]

Oops for some reason typing on my phone is funky this morning. I was able to go back to sleep. Woke up about 2 and watched Food Network and fell back to sleep till about 7. It is now 8:15.

The forms I uploaded were the passenger locator form, my negative covid test and a copy of my vacation card.

[spinnaker2]

Good luck with boarding!

Happy day 1 of the cruise!

[jpalbny]

Hi Lois, I know that you meant a vaccination card...but your phone must have had other ideas. I would much prefer a vacation card! Does your phone know where I can get one of those?

 

Hope embarkation is smooth and that you're soon on board, enjoying another nice cruise.

 

 

[Silver Spectre]

Here’s hoping for speedy boarding and a lovely cruise.

[Lois R]

Hi again😀 I tried to edit that JP but could not get my fingers to work lol

[Gourmet Gal]

Sounds like a good start to another well-planned trip.  Thank you for keeping us in the loop!  Bon Voyage!

[ronrick1943]

Sounds like you are ready to have a great cruise.  Enjoy your time and I’ll be waiting for your write ups.  Thanks again Lois for taking the time to share.

[Lois R]

 I am on board😀. l had met a nice couple at the airport and we stayed at the same hotel and we shared a cab to the ship. It was only 10 Euros so we shared that too. We left the hotel about 1:45 and got here a little after 2 and there was a line already. Covid test and results and then check in all took about 45-50 minutes I would guess. I know I was eating a portobello sandwich at the pool at about 3:30. 

Anyway, will follow up tomorrow.

[DCCruiser57]

Lois - have a great cruise.  DW & I just disembarked after 35 wonderful days.  Great food and a wonderful staff.  The tender beef rossini and the veal tenderloin in Atlantic’s was some of the best we have ever had.  It was great to see so many familiar crew.  First leg had 414 guests and next two legs had only about 150 guests.  Supposedly there are 50 in transit guests on your cruise and 285 newbies.

[Gourmet Gal]

A little article from Culinary Backstreets about food finds in Lisbon.

 

https://us6.campaign-archive.com/?u=a0ae56aa748a1aa09bedbfa2f&id=1e8aa76c79&e=1c4c6b6d21

[rkacruiser]

19 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Our rule is that you can NEVER lie down until it's bedtime. We keep moving for the entire day after arrival, even though we may be sleepwalking part of the time.

 

Flying to Europe, that's what my traveling companion and I do.  Not "sleepwalking", but on the day we arrived in Amsterdam, we had a dinner canal cruise.  We did a good amount of walking/tram riding before the cruise.  Great dinner and Amsterdam after dark is lovely.  But, my traveling companion fell asleep, resting her head on the bulkhead next to her as the dinner cruise came to an end.  We had planned to take a tram back to our hotel, but, we were both so tired--and a taxi was at the dock where the canal boat tied up--I made the decision that it was in both of our best interests to spend the money and take the taxi.  

[Gourmet Gal]

I actually fell asleep during a day 1 dinner in Rome and when I got up to leave almost fell down!  But we still try to keep moving until a reasonable bedtime when traveling eastward.  I like to book flights that leave the US as late as possible arriving in the afternoon in Europe.  You can check into your hotel right away, tour the nearby area and make it through an early dinner.  Then you can hit the road running the next day.

[TLCOhio]

On 10/7/2021 at 5:26 PM, Lois R said:

I fly home on the 21st.  Doing a tour to Sintra....they will pick me up at the ship and looking forward to it

 

Great that Lois arrived in Lisbon safely and is enjoying doing her sailing with Silversea.  Look forward to many pictures and details.  This includes for how full is this ship, feed-back from the staff as to how this re-opening process is happening, etc., etc.  

 

Glad to know when returning to Lisbon that you are going to Sintra.  We super loved that charming town, the castle, etc.  Lots to love in and around Portugal.  To help build excitement for this visit, below are a few visual preview samples.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Lisbon, NWSpain, Bordeaux/Brittany: Live/blog, June 2017 from Portugal to France along scenic Atlantic Coast on the Silver Spirit.  Now at 31,964 views.  Many interesting pictures, details for history, food, culture, etc.:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

 

From our visit to Sintra, below are just three visual samples for the unique blend of architecture as this castle, plus nearby views, an interior sample.  Enjoy this visit to an important part of Portugal's long history.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

 

[Lois R]

Good morning with a quick update. I have been told 2 things. The first is there are 383 passengers on this sailing. The 2nd is on this itinerary and any other European itineraries you cannot sit at the bars, which happened when I sailed in July on The Moon too. When I was the Muse it was allowed. Seems they are following EU guidelines on this and I miss it but am still happy to be on board😀

I am taking a river cruise later on the Tunga (sp)

Dinner in Atlantide last night with 4 other solos I had drinks withand the food was delicious. I had grilled grouper.

 

More later.