Silver Moon now visiting Greece and Turkey 10 to 22 December 2023

[mancunian]

We boarded at Athens yesterday very quickly.   The ship is decorated for Christmas which is lovely but definitely not overdone. 

 

The two crew members who pushed my wheelchair down to Dolce Vita for boat drill told me there was just over 300 passengers.  I will check that fact with someone higher in authority but ship definitely seems quiet.  I guess with the cancellation of Israel and Egypt many people have cancelled or rebooked.  Of course those two countries were likely to have been the reason people booked in the first place.  Indeed we booked because we wanted a return trip to Israel though not necessarily Egypt as we have done them before.  We are happy with Greece and Turkey and very relieved we were not in Israel when the war broke out.

 

All seems good onboard though Atlantide at breakfast with 5 waiters to 5 tables was still very slow.  Think we will skip formal tonight and go elsewhere (not because of the dress code!).

 

This is our sixth cruise with SS - Shadow, 3 times on Spirit, Dawn and now Moon.  We are at sea today and I have never found before such an active sea day morning.   Lecture on Istanbul, handicrafts following, then a Salt cookery demo before lunch.  Have not yet studied after lunch - I take half a day at a time.

 

We went to Salt kitchen for dinner last night and I was impressed with the Greece/Turkey menu which seemed authentic - in fact more impressed than with the UK menu on Dawn in August.

 

We seem to have a great butler/room steward team who sized me up quickly, the steward rushing to get me a stool for the shower and the butler offering to get me two bags of ice in sealed bags morning and evening for my leg.  Can see we are going to be very well cared for.

[lincslady]

Thanks for posting. I hope you will continue to send reports as and when you can.  Istanbul tomorrow; lots to see and do there.  Looking forward to hearing more, which is nice for those of us currently stuck in windy and fairly wet Blighty!

[TheRampantSnail]

Glad you are enjoying your cruise on the Moon. We had two excellent trips on her last year.

They may not be back on board, but look out for John Michael and Aslan - two excellent waiters (well, they all are). Aslan is Turkish.

[HappyLadyTravels]

Hello, I had wonderful time on the Silver Moon and departed there on November 29. If you happen to have Zalmar as a waiter, please say hello for me. Thank you!  Maxine 

[TLCOhio]

6 hours ago, mancunian said:

We boarded at Athens yesterday very quickly.   The ship is decorated for Christmas which is lovely but definitely not overdone. The two crew members told me there was just over 300 passengers.  I will check that fact with someone higher in authority but ship definitely seems quiet.  I guess with the cancellation of Israel and Egypt many people have cancelled or rebooked.   We are happy with Greece and Turkey and very relieved we were not in Israel when the war broke out.  We went to Salt kitchen for dinner last night and I was impressed with the Greece/Turkey menu which seemed authentic - in fact more impressed than with the UK menu on Dawn in August.

 

Yes, YES, appreciate your posting and all of these details for this sailing on the Silver Moon.  

 

Agree with lincslady as our hopes that you post and share much more for the ship, food, staff, speakers, etc.  We will be on the Silver Moon for February going from Mumbai to Singapore.  Interested as to the Cruise Director, etc., how much longer they will be on the ship, etc.  Not surprised that this cruise only has about 300 (half capacity) on this sailing.  

 

Great to hear that the SALT dining experience has been so "authentic".  Looking forward to reading and learning more from your sailing.  Any and all added details appreciated.  Istanbul is wonderful and there are many interesting options in that region of the world

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

Edited December 11, 2023 by TLCOhio

[applefan75]

I’m onboard for this sailing as well and I agree that it’s very quiet onboard given the lower passenger count. I dined at Salt Kitchen as well last night and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I also was happy with the number of activities this morning and they have some great enrichment lectures planned for the cruise. 

[TLCOhio]

39 minutes ago, applefan75 said:

I’m onboard for this sailing as well and I agree that it’s very quiet onboard given the lower passenger count. I dined at Salt Kitchen as well last night and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I also was happy with the number of activities this morning and they have some great enrichment lectures planned for the cruise. 

 

Great news you are also along for this adventure.  Appreciate any menus from SALT, speaker details, dining treats, staffing info, etc.  AND, super love any visuals from the ship, crew stars, etc.  Keep it coming!!

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

[nav1027]

Hi Terry, hope to introduce myself to you tonight. 🙂 I also loved that they allowed us to board early in Athens (in fact, even SilverSea buses were bringing people from hotels around noon). The sailing from Athens was remarkably smooth for this time of year. Dined at SALT yesterday, but I personally enjoyed our first meal at Atlantide even more. 🙂

 

And yes, everybody whom we've talked to have booked the cruise because of the Israel and Egypt itinerary. Oh, well...

 

AT & KIra

[mancunian]

Here we are in Istanbul which is to me one of the best ports in Europe.  Sadly unable to go ashore today as my leg is playing up and it is a   l o n g   way to and through the terminal which in fact is four layers all underneath gtround level.  Above this is a pubic area with walks along the water topped with mainly public buildings, entertainment and museums and eating places.  Particularly fine at weekends when Turkish families come for entertainment.  They even have put trees and bushes on the flat roofs.

 

So I am waiting for the return of my husband and have spent my day resting, mainly sitting outside Arts Cafe watching the shipping activities i on-the-go Bosphorous.  I am totally mystified how the powers that be can have built the new ship with such a poor equivalent.   For sure we will never go on them for overall the arts cafe and its position are our top favourites and judging by its number of visitors this applies to many, many people 

 

TLC Ohio.  Adam from Birmingham is cruise director and I guess he will be around when you come from a comment made by the captain at formal night.   We get a new captain either tonight or tomorrow with a difficult name so I will put it in when I see it in writing.

 

The dressing up aspect of formal night seemed high possibly because a lot of Brits on the ship as was the case on Dawn in August which was predominantly British.  Some may have a background of Cunard and P and O England which have a great formal background.   Many took both black and white dinner jackets and the wives very often in long dresses.  There were always queues for the photographers.

 

Apparently according to one of the cd team I was talking to the number on board is 296

 

 

[TLCOhio]

2 hours ago, mancunian said:

Here we are in Istanbul which is to me one of the best ports in Europe.  Sadly unable to go ashore today as my leg is playing up and it is a   l o n g   way to and through the terminal which in fact is four layers all underneath ground level.   TLC Ohio.  Adam from Birmingham is cruise director and I guess he will be around when you come from a comment made by the captain at formal night.   We get a new captain Apparently according to one of the cd team I was talking to the number on board is 296

 

Super appreciate from our UK friend all of this background and details from your current Silver Moon sailing.  Sorry to hear as to your challenged leg.  Hope things improve and that you better enjoy some of these upcoming locations.  

 

Interesting about the high number of UK residents on board for this sailing and their love of formal nights.  Will check more about Adam as your CD.  Glad to know he will be on the ship for our February Mumbai to Singapore sailing.  Yes, let us know as the name of the new ship Captain.

 

Keep it coming!!  Fun and exciting to learn more.   Great added info from nav1027, etc.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 22,219 views.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

[TLCOhio]

As a follow-up on your Silver Cloud Cruise Director, I did a quick search and think I have found him.  Right person?  Adam Illsley from the UK and Wales?  Starting July 2023 with Silversea as an Assistant CD and for seventeen years prior worked as a professional singer, events manager, etc.  Started as a SS CD in October 2023.  Some of his earlier time included with the touring show of Starlight Express.  From Middlesex University, he has a Master of Arts in Dance Professional Practice.  Good, interesting background!!  Any other feed-back from those on the ship now who have interacted with Adam?  And confirming that his current plan is to be on the Silver Moon through the end of February 2024?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

[mancunian]

Yes this is him.     I have only met him in the queue for formal evening and I  was somewhat upset that he addressed me like a child.  I am disabled and walk with a rollator but I am very with it!    This was why I had decided not to ask him would he be onboard for your cruise.

 

As far as I can tell he seems to run his side of things OK and I guess that is all that matters.

 

 

 

 

[mandymay]

Met him on Silvermoon last month & second mancunians opinion, found him to be rather condescending. 

[nav1027]

Went to SALT tonight. Chicken skewers and duck were dry. So had to order fish instead of chicken after sending it away. Not what we were expecting. 😞 Still enjoying our cruise and having fun. One other observation. Dancers and singers on Crystal and Regent would come for late dancing (on Moon it would be the Observation Lounge), but on the Moon nobody shows up after the performance. And there are no gentlemen hosts for single travelers too. 

Edited December 13, 2023 by nav1027

[mancunian]

Hi nav 1027.  Glad you are enjoying it.  So are we.    We too went to SALT last night.  Fortunately our dinner was excellent.  I had the Briam a vegetarian Turkish dish which I liked very much and Peter had sea bream with the Turkish equivalent of ratatouille which he too thought was good.  We think that on this cruise SALT is very good but we like Greek and Turkish dishes.  We were much less keen on Dawn but that was more about the menu than the place. It is very relaxed and we like the decor much better than  Atlantide though we are meeting up there tonight.

3 hours ago, nav1027 said:

Went to SALT tonight. Chicken skewers and duck were dry. So had to order fish instead of chicken after sending it away. Not what we were expecting. 😞 Still enjoying our cruise and having fun. One other observation. Dancers and singers on Crystal and Regent would come for late dancing (on Moon it would be the Observation Lounge), but on the Moon nobody shows up after the performance. And there are no gentlemen hosts for single travelers too. 

 

Say hi and have a chat if you see us about.  I am easily spotted as I push a bright red rollator (push along)

[nav1027]

Hi Angela, somehow we've missed you and Peter again. 🙂 Sona at the Venetian Lounge was a great singer tonight meanwhile. Her English being her fourth language after Armenian, Russian and German was not too bad after all. 🙂  And her voice is amazing.

[nav1027]

Another great day: Kusadasi's weather was perfect. Now we are cruising to Rhodes and it seems that we are going full speed because the vibration is quite palpable for the first time in 6 days of the cruise. We are on deck 7 (735 & 737), so it is somewhat surprising given the location.

[mancunian]

18 hours ago, nav1027 said:

Another great day: Kusadasi's weather was perfect. Now we are cruising to Rhodes and it seems that we are going full speed because the vibration is quite palpable for the first time in 6 days of the cruise. We are on deck 7 (735 & 737), so it is somewhat surprising given the location.

Not sure.  We are on deck 8, suite 823.  It had a small left, right, left motion which I thought was the stabilisers being near the front because whilst not very rough there was some movement

[nav1027]

Our luck with the weather ran out in Rhodes. Our tours to Lindos got rained out after buses took us to the village. Some people braved out the rain and went on to the Acropolis while most of us (worried about slippery and steep steps leading to the top of the mountain) asked to be taken back to Rhodes for a short walk around the ancient city and a visit to the Palace of the Grand Master showcasing amazing ancient floor mosaics. Fortunately the rain stopped when we got back and the rest of the day was sunny and warm.

 

[mancunian]

We too  had torrential rain in the morning few people got off the coach at the first stop coming very wet indeed.  Our excursion had. lindos around lunchtime so we were lucky.

[applefan75]

Yes, I had the morning Lindos excursion as well and was very close to going back into town with the other bus due to the rain. Took a gamble though which paid off with some beautiful views from the top of the Acropolis as the sun broke through. Completely understand those who went back though as it was very slippery going up and back. 
 

Met Mancunian later in the afternoon and was a pleasure chatting. 

[nav1027]

Paphos weather was great as well as our tour to Temple of Apollo and Ancient Kourion. The only minor issue is that it ran late and we got back at 2:30 PM and missed the lunch at La Terrazza. Ended up at the Arts Cafe for some English Tea sandwiches because I was confused by The Grill menu and did not notice the main menu options (don't ask me why and how; I am embarrassed and angry at myself). 🙂

 

[nav1027]

A day in Antalya started on a colder side (with temperatures in low 40s), but warmed up later in the morning. We had a great guide Erhan on a tour of the ancient Perge and a remarkably preserved theater of Aspendos. Antalya's traffic is pretty bad, so the shuttle from the cruise terminal can take anywhere from 30 minutes to almost an hour to reach the city center (Republic Square AKA Cumhuriyet Meydani). Went there after lunch to catch great views and visit the old port. A dinner with two other couples at Silver Note was great, everyone enjoyed a lobster tail as an appetizer or a main course (some of our friends even ordered a double portion). We had such a good time there that we've ended up staying from 8 to 11:30 and missed the show and other entertainment. 🙂

[TLCOhio]

4 hours ago, nav1027 said:

A day in Antalya started on a colder side (with temperatures in low 40s), but warmed up later in the morning. A dinner with two other couples at Silver Note was great, everyone enjoyed a lobster tail as an appetizer or a main course (some of our friends even ordered a double portion). We had such a good time there that we've ended up staying from 8 to 11:30 and missed the show and other entertainment. 🙂

 

Appreciate these great details and updates from your current Silver Moon sailing.  Loved it that the Silver Note worked out so well, including with the lobster tail treat.  We are on the Silver Moon in February, Mumbai to Singapore.   

 

If handy when in contact with the top officers, hotel director, etc., on your current sailing, you might ask if and how they are going to sail the Silver Moon January 11-12, 2024, through the southern end of the Red Sea as they need go through that narrow passageway near Yemen and into the Gulf of Aden.  That's where the rebels are using armed drones and missiles to attack shipping.  Most of the major ships have ceased attempting that dangerous passage way.  

 

Keep up the great sharing!

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 22,277 views.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

[mancunian]

17 hours ago, nav1027 said:

A day in Antalya started on a colder side (with temperatures in low 40s), but warmed up later in the morning. We had a great guide Erhan on a tour of the ancient Perge and a remarkably preserved theater of Aspendos. Antalya's traffic is pretty bad, so the shuttle from the cruise terminal can take anywhere from 30 minutes to almost an hour to reach the city center (Republic Square AKA Cumhuriyet Meydani). Went there after lunch to catch great views and visit the old

 

Having decided that  none of the Antalya excursions would work for me because too much walking we  decided to go into town on the shuttle.  We were obviously lucky because we went in on the 9.30 shuttle and back at12.30 and both ,journeys took 25 minutes.  We were surprised how big Antalya was and that eormous central area with the lovely views of the hills (or perhaps mountains) and Old Antalya below

We went to Terraza in the evening and the funny, annoying or puzzling thing was that my main course was given with the warning how hot the dish was.  It was indeed as was the side salad served on the same plate.  The maitre’d who arrived a bit later to ask how the meal was rushed off to get me a new salad.  I had immediately moved the salad onto my bread plate and when the new salad arrived one was bright green the other a dark grey/green.

I know it was formal evening but there were only 26 people there, and my husband looked into Silver Note where there were 8     Numbers are low on this cruise but where was everyone.

Yerry I would not dream of asking about the Red Sea as I am sure the staff if they know anything they will have been told not to discuss.  Sorry.

 

17 hours ago, nav1027 said: