A muse on the Muse to NZ.

[OATEK]

we totally enjoyed being able to have tables for 2 and tables for 4 when we were with Ms FM and SIL. There was plenty of socialising in the lounges/bar etc - really had no desire to share a table with strangers - maybe this is part of the reason why we aren’t really cruise people.

Yes, I guess I should have expanded my earlier comment to say we are generally about the destination, rather than the cruise experience. Again, shows how different we all are in our approach to cruising.

 

[tgh]

Cruise lines cater for a range of social tastes and needs
Some passengers seldom leave their suites and some seldom visit it.
Silversea tends to attract a fairly predictable demographic; and this tends to permit interesting dinner conversations.
There are always tables for 2 tucked away from the sometimes noisy large tables/big groups.
Over time I have evolved from reticence to ebullience and I can usually orchestrate a very fraternal dinner even with couples that start out very quietly. I find the exercise good fun and I have heard about all sorts of interesting stuff from some very learned table companions.
To each his own….

 

[Pushka]

One thing that totally peeved me with Princess was that we would say we’d like to join a table and instead of putting us with a table of others about to order, they had just been delivered their dessert! So we’d say hello, watch them eat their chocolate puddings and then they left, leaving us at a table of eight, dirty dishes, empty seats, and us looking like idiots. After that we just had a table to ourselves.

 

[tgh]

Chalk and Cheese.. would not happen on SS , who employ "real" maitre 'ds (sp???)
On the smaller ships they pay attention : I always make an effort to chat and it does not take long to be recognised.
Good evening mr tgh.. you were last to leave last night (we thought you would all never stop gasbagging, they have been down in the hold today to find more of your favourite plonk.....) .. would you like to start another table like that tonight ??

 

[Pushka]

Chalk and Cheese.. would not happen on SS , who employ "real" maitre 'ds (sp???)
On the smaller ships they pay attention : I always make an effort to chat and it does not take long to be recognised.
Good evening mr tgh.. you were last to leave last night (we thought you would all never stop gasbagging, they have been down in the hold today to find more of your favourite plonk.....) .. would you like to start another table like that tonight ??

It’s the little things! I’m hoping we something like this with Viking.

 

[drron]

Arriving at Station Pier.

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[Pushka]

Oh, you’re back. We were just chatting amongst ourselves.

 

[drron]

Well tonight was one of those nights tgh was talking about.I was seated next to a couple from Las Vegas.Started slowly but then became a great night.Last to leave.They brought out the Executive Chef I think to give a hint that nobody else was in the restaurant.The sort of night I just love as well tgh.

 

[Pushka]

Well tonight was one of those nights tgh was talking about.I was seated next to a couple from Las Vegas.Started slowly but then became a great night.Last to leave.They brought out the Executive Chef I think to give a hint that nobody else was in the restaurant.The sort of night I just love as well tgh.

We had dinner with our four Canadian mates on our Baltic Cruise. When it is still bright at 11pm. A rollicking good night. Thankfully the Canadians are good at tipping the staff.

 

[drron]

That night we went to Kaiseki.No points for guessing it is a Japanese restaurant and there is a surcharge at night.Teppanyaki style.When we arrived the rice was already on the teppan.

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Served a pre dinner coughtail-prosecco,vodka and elderberry juice.Plus I was drinking sake.

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The menu.

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There were also 3 warm appetisers but they were not appetising to us.First some edamame then your appetisers served in a bowl.

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I had the seafood appetiser with tuna and snow crab which was a little spicy.

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Mrsdrron had the meat.Pork belly and waygu beef de-spiced.

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Each of the 3 appetiser courses came with a seaweed salad.

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[drron]

Then comes the Teppanyaki courses.First the sauces and a lobster tail as the first course.

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Then black cod.

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I forgot to take a pic of our waygu beef course but here is one they prepared later.

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A really good night and you do of course have people on either side.

 

[drron]

We had dinner with our four Canadian mates on our Baltic Cruise. When it is still bright at 11pm. A rollicking good night. Thankfully the Canadians are good at tipping the staff.

But on Silversea all inclusive so no tipping.We do however donate to the crew fund.All the crew are told and they all then know us.

 

[Pushka]

But on Silversea all inclusive so no tipping.We do however donate to the crew fund.All the crew are told and they all then know us.

Well yes, we had included tips too but sometimes you just need to go the extra mile. And the Canadians couldn’t help themselves. And boy did they get good service.

Love a good tepannyaki and sharing with others.

 

[drron]

Tuesday morning and the Spirit is in.

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We left the ship at 1030 to do a little shopping but also to have lunch with one of our surrogate granddaughters.It is Chinese New Year,she is half Chinese so it was the Flower Drum we chose.On the way evidence of the New Year-we were given fortune cookies.

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The Flower drum is very good both from the service and the food.Of course that makes it a little more expensive than your ordinary Chinese restaurant.The food is brought to a side table and today divided 3 ways.We began with char siu pork and Peking duck pancakes.Both excellent.

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then mixed sauteed mushrooms and honey,garlic ribs-which I forgot to photograph but they were really yummy.

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We finished with beef and hor fun noodles.Again excellent.

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A really good lunch and now time to say goodbye and walk back to the ship shuttle bus.

 

[drron]

So walked back along Swanston street over the Yarra.To go with the grey clouds and cold winds they were making a mess of the street.Still some nice views.

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On the shuttlebus back to the pier.

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Took a while to actually enter the pier as one woman couldn't find her ship ID.
Views from the Starboard side.

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And we are on our way to NZ.

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Three sea days ahead.

 

[drron]

Tuesday night and we ate in Silver Note.Said to be styled on a New York piano bar.

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The menu.First raw starters.And cooked starters.

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Mains and dessert.

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[drron]

Mrsdrron had the beef starter and I had the beehive.

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Mrsdrron liked hers.Mine was too clever.Little serves with not really enough to get the flavours.Just too busy.
The mains.Mrsdrron had the lobster and I the duck.

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Both nice.
Desserts and mrsdrron had the berry fantasia and I the sugar volcano.

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Plating a bit strange as mrsdrron's dessert looked more like a volcano and mine was served on a berry coloured and contoured plate.Both very rich.

 

[drron]

Wednesday morning and we decided to have brekkie in our suite.I went the full Tony Hancock and had an English special brekkie.

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That morning there was a presentation by the Silversea Master Chef David Bilsand.Here with our Cruise Director Jimmy.

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The making of a Bundt cake was the subject of this presentation.

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[drron]

Lunch that day was in Atlantide.Mrsdrron had the roast lamb and I the mushroom ragu.

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Both were very nice.
The sun came out briefly in the late afternoon.

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Before that we transitted Banks Straight.Not a mistype.Banks strait separates Tasmania from Cape Barren and Flinders Island.Because of the proximity to land there was some birdlife.I presume the smaller dark ones are shearwaters/mutton birds.

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You could see Cape Barren and Flinders islands.

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And Tasmania.

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Then out into the Tasman Sea.

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The next 2 days the weather was awful.

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The seas though were basically calm with a swell of 1 metre and very occasionally 2 metres.Some guests though still had sea sickness.

 

[Flying mermaid]

But on Silversea all inclusive so no tipping.We do however donate to the crew fund.All the crew are told and they all then know us.

i had never heard of the crew fund until they did the auction on the last night and certainly no mention of guests contributing to it. We did the charity contribution.