Spirit LA - LA via Auckland

Tonight enjoyed our sailaway from Sydney, pls enjoy a couple of pix:

Sailing under the Harbor Bridge at night:

The gorgeous Sydney Opera house at night:

David , Glad to hear all is well. LOVE the pic of the ducks.. Enjoy !

Today we are enjoying our first of a dozen plus seadays. Seas are calm 3-6 feet, tho we do see a few white caps--almost perfect conditions for a cooking demo. Highlights for the Spirit's first sea day include; multiple enrichment lectures (am attending, "The Knights of Gallipoli": The ANZACSs and the fight for the Dardanelles.) Ida and I will attend yoga, then get our fancy duds on for the first of five formal nites. We have our Venetian cocktail party at 7pm on the pool deck.

The Silver Spirit Executive Chef, Jerome Paillasson conducted an outstanding Cooking demonstration this morning as we are enroute to Brisbane.

He showed us step by step how to prepare Tournedos Rossini on Pommes Paillasson and Jasmine Creme Brulee.

Also, we are observing lots of paintings for sale ($$$) on the deck walls. Artwork that we (read I like) like they have for sale on the seventh deck features color and black and white photos of Marilyn Monroe. The family approved pix I can post ($850) is shown below:

Really great pics Catlover54...especially of White Island. My helicopter trip was cancelled due to high winds so I wasn't able to get there (very disappointed) so u were lucky to see it!

Cheers

Jennifer

Ging - It was great to see you yesterday. I can't believe it's been over 4 years since the wonderful transatlantic crossing on the Spirit.

I have contacted my friends about the FL - FL cruise and will private message you with contact information.

Ida and I enjoying before dinner drinks in the Panorama Lounge on board the Silver Spirit:

Artists of Silversea performing their second to last performance ever of the High C's:

Great photo of a lovely couple! Thanks for sharing it.

Is Frederick still managing the Panorama Bar? Ask to see pictures of his gorgeous baby girl. Is Ari still in charge of the Pool Grill? Is Gareth aboard?

If so, please send them our regards.

Looking forward to hearing about your cruise. We will be following your posts eagerly.

Hi Wes, the last time I saw that print of Marilyn Monroe was on the Shadow with Michael Judge (and the less family friendly ones too). Thanks for keeping us up to date. Enjoy all those lovely sea days.

Wish I was there to enjoy the last performances of the wonderful Artists.

Spinnaker2/Candy & Larry, Your very welcome. Yes, Ari is on board--he came up to Ida and I and introduced himself in the new Silversea head waiter duds (black jackets with small gold stripe in upper part of the lapel, Sommelier's wear the jacket with a purple stripe in lapel). Will find out if he is in charge of the Pool Grill and let you know. Will also seek out Frederick (if) in PL and pass on Larry and your very warm regards and let them know you will see both of them at the end of the month in FLL.

Mr. Silver (regards to Mrs. Silver); Ida and I both felt the High C performance last nite had an extra punch--as the artists know they're contract (sadly) ends in Los Angeles (March 27th). Would you like me to pass on y'alls regards to any one of the artists?

During this morning's early morning run on board took a few pix as we sailed into Brisbane, Australia. Pls enjoy this visually stunning sunrise, views from the port (left) and starboard (right) side of the Silver Spirit as we are escorted by the pilot boat to our Brisbane berth.

Also, now back from our morning tour of Brisbane--have a half dozen+ pix of the Queensland capital to post soon. Beautiful city with very friendly people--even saw a Model S (Tesla) on Elizabeth Street.

Pls enjoy some pix taken today on our tour of one of Australia's up and coming cities--Brisbane. Brisbane is located on the wide Brisbane River. Queensland's capital is the third largest city in Australia. Brisbane's subtropical climate means the city is heavily dotted with beautiful verdant/green trees. Also, the typical Brisbane dress is T-shirts, shorts and flip flops when casual.

The windy/meandering Brisbane river with the Brisbane Skyline in the background:

Old Windmill is a sandstone tower built by convicts in 1828:

This picture of Jolly bridge (foreground) and Kuriba bridge (many cabled bridge far background) are just two of the half dozen bridges that cross the Brisbane River.

Statute of Queen Victoria (Australia's first Monarch) in front of the magnificent Treasury Hotel.

Brisbane is known for the many green trees that line the streets. The Moreton Bay Fig tree on Elizabeth street is the largest tree in Brisbane.

Candy, Frederick left the Spirit last month. Ari is Maitre'd at the Pool Grill have asked Newton the bar mgr to pass y'alls regards and I will tonight.

Sent from my iPad mini using Tapatalk

Thanks Wes. Saw those uniforms when we were aboard on the crossing. Regrettably they are not tropical weight, and when it's hot those polyester uniforms are like wearing a plastic suit, especially at the pool grill, aka hot rocks.

Ari is a delightful gentleman and when he smiles his whole face lights up. Sorry Frederick not on board. Thanks for seeking them out. I bet Henry is aboard...

Thanks for sharing the photographs, we are enjoying them.

Hi Wes, Mrs Silver say hi to you too. Thanks for the offer to say hi to the Artists, however I only know them by their reputation.

Great photo's of Brisbane.

Spinnaker2/Candy & Larry; Your welcome x2. Mr & Mrs Silver, y'all also are welcome for the Brisbane pix--wish we had more time in this delightful Australian city.

Sunrise this morning on board the Silver Spirit:

This morning Ida and I enjoyed the second series in the Silversea Wine Ambassador (Lawrence D'Almeida)

wine classes titled, "Wine Revolution-Wine Talk & Tasting." This was the first in about a dozen wine classes that we've taken over the lastten years on Silversea and Regent where nearly 15% of the ship was in attendance (about 75 folks). Lawrence did an

outstanding (extraordinary wine knowledge, engaging) class that featured 3 (SS comp wine) tastings of a Spanish Douro Red, Chilean Malbec, and a Chilean Chardonnay (Morende). (Ida and are at Seishin for lunch today and we paired our Sushi with this delightful Chilean Chard).

Tomorrow is the last wine class in Lawrence's series, Super Tuscan tasting ($100pp to taste Solaia, Sassacia,and Ornelia). Alas, this class sold out the first day out of Melbourne so we could only Waitlist.

Pls enjoy some pix below:

Seeing you are in Australian waters are there any of our beautiful wines on offer?

Wes, lovely pictures .... and gosh some of those tasters look really thirsty and desperate for the speaker to push on so they could have a glug. I hope you weren't expected to spit it out! Prizing wine out of wifey's mouth once it is in wouldn't work at all .:eek:

I hope they weren't expecting you to soak up Australia's chardonnay wine lake!

:D

Please enjoy a few pix for yesterday (Yoga class we take every other day) and dinner in Le Champagne with good friends (Emtsbam's; Bob & Victoria) we had dover sole--outstanding, followed by the delish Grand Marnier Centenaire Signature Souflle). Off for early a.m. run. Thanks to Kiri (head Sommelier) he snagged me a space in the Super Tuscan tasting today at 5:15pm.

Aww! I love all those dishes, my favorites though I do think the dover sole is better on regent. Still my mouth is watering (even though I made fried chicken and mashed potatoes for George for his birthday tonight, and they were pretty darn good if I do so).

Joc123, yes, will list the complimentary australian wines and connoiseur list aussie wines

in a later post after discussing w/Kire head sommelier.

Thanks Jeff.

Today's 3rd wine series class was again excellent. Italian wines featured

for tasting during Lawerence's wines of Italy class were white from Frulia, a delish Primitivo, and Silversea's anniversary 14th Valpolicella ripasso. Pix and test when

we return from lunch with Donna and Alan.

This pix is the first of a series of Silversea Spirit Crew Profiles (SSCP). We try to profile behind the scene crewmembers (those who do no receive thank you's from ship board guests like crew in the Galley and Dry Cleaning dept) Pls meet Dennis a member of the Deck Department (these folks get up earlier than all 4am to wash the decks daily to keep the salt off the decks, in my obsvn they are some of the hardest working crew members on board). Dennis is from the Phillipines, he is married to Love (5 yrs) and keeps in touch with her back home via crew internet and phone. He has been with Silversea for nearly a year. When asked what he likes most about working for Silversea, Dennis gushes the people (fellow crew members and guests). He said working on the Silver Spirit is like having a second home.

As we arrived in Noumea we were welcomed at 7 AM with Dancers and drummers.

Pix of Ari (head waiter) in hot rocks shared with y'all and particularly for Spinnaker2--Ari looks fwd to welcoming you on board

later this month.

Joc123, below are the Australian wines offered on the connoisseur list:

White: Margaret River Chardonnay 2008

Red: Penfolds Grange, 2005, Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz, 2009, Penfolds Bin 389 2010

Enjoyed our first Silversea wine series tasting with the Silversea wine ambassador, Lawrence D Almeida on board the Spirit last night at 5:15pm. Outstanding event made possible by the outstanding Spirit sommelier team on board; Kiri (head), Raymond, Nerick, and Bamba. The super tuscan's we tasted; 2010 Ornellaia, and 2009's Solaia and 2009 Sassiccaia were truly exceptional in taste (elegant, full bodied, simple exquisite) was transported into wine heaven for a brief moment. Pls enjoy some pix of the wine tasting below:

The three super tuscans we tasted:

Raymond & Nerick filling our glasses:

Lawrence D'Almeida passionately explaining the background of these

Super Tuscans.

Please enjoy some pix of out sail in to Noumea, New Caledonia. Noumea, is located at the southern end of Grand Terre (Principal Island of New Caledonia), has a perfect location on a large peninsula surrounded by several bays, the main shown is Moselle Bay

Sail in (starboard view) about 7a.m

Port View sailing in about 7 a.m:

Just prior to noon today, who did we see at the Pool grill for lunch..Crocodile Dundee aka Bob and Victoria, Ida and I. Bob & Victoria are having an early lunch as they leave for snorkeling at 12:30. Ida and I, Alan and Donna and about a dozen other Spirit guests left for the morning snorkel about 8:30 a.m. (pix to follow this post)

Ida and I enjoyed the ship's snorkel excursion today to Signal Island in Noumea. Fish life was outstanding (Signal Island is a Marine Park Reserve set aside by Noumea) consequently the coral was vibrant and colorful. Under water we saw numerous schools of yellow perch, red snapper, four good sized sea turtles, a couple of 8 ft black tip sharks, Grouper, et. al).

Ida boarding our boat:

Alan and Donna preparing to enter the water:

Ida (first one in) enthusiastically ready to enter these South Pacific Ocean waters: