Live from Silver Wind: Athens to Dubai

Whilst not intending this to be a live trip report to be updated daily, I thought it might be useful to post some of our experiences and perceptions here as there seem to be several changes being implemented at the moment. We are sailing from Athens to Dubai via the Suez Canal and I'm very much looking forward to seeing the pyramids and also Petra.

We arrived at the port about 11:30 and were onboard by 13:00. It would have been sooner (boarding was supposed to commence at noon) however the Greek police had issues with their IT system and couldn't process passengers until those were resolved. The Silversea onshore reps gave everyone pre-cruise health questionnaire to complete; I'm sure we've done these before however this one seemed to concentrate on ebola. Also, every passenger was given their own pencil and sharing pencils was not permitted :)

Once on board, we were invited to have lunch in La Terrazza. However I wanted to ensure our dining reservations (made through the website pre-cruise) were in place so we proceeded directly to Le Champagne on deck four. To my utter surprise, all reservations we had made online were reflected in the booking sheets for each venue. The only glitch was that we'd chosen to dine at the Pool Grill midway through the cruise, but were informed our chosen night had been set aside for the deck BBQ. It was a pleasant surprise however as I'd been disappointed to read prior to the cruise that these were no longer held, so happy to hear it's going ahead on this cruise. Whilst we were checking our reservations, we noticed the MDR was also open for lunch.

We proceeded to the pool deck for our lunch and had the place to ourselves for quite some time. On the way we noticed Silver Wind was definitely in better shape this time than the last time we sailed on her in mid 2012. The public areas are fresh, clean and sparkly and decked out with carved pumpkins for Halloween. The pool deck crew were happy and welcoming and we saw several familiar faces amongst them from previous voyages.

I'll continue this shortly as we're about to head off for our first lecture but all in all, we're very pleased with our experiences so far and looking forward to a great cruise.

Lunch on the pool deck was very tasty. The menu hasn't changed much (if at all) since we last cruised at Christmas however they do seem to have increased the portion sizes. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Last night we dined in La Terrazza and the food was excellent. We're looking forward to dining there again but tonight we're in the main dining room because it's the first of three formal evenings. Incidentally, the bar on deck five also seems to have been spruced up because everything was fresh and clean and looking good there, too.

One noticeable change for us is the updated boutique. I read on a separate thread that the update had recently occurred whilst at sea, and the finished product is quite remarkable. Howard Stern appears to be out, and Bvlgari is in. The sensible stuff (toothpaste, sea sickness medication, etc) is now concealed in discrete cupboards; just ask the attendant and all will be revealed.

Internet plans. I was very pleased to see that the option to purchase unlimited Internet access for the entire cruise was an option for us. We paid USD16 per day, for 16 days ($256). This option is available for cruises of 8+ days.

Otherwise, you can purchase minute by minute (50c); $30 for one day, and then blocks of 2, 3, 4 and 5 consecutive days for what amounts to $20/day. You can also purchase 1000 minutes (to be used when you choose) for $250.

The Internet thus far has been reliable and quite quick. I'm typing this from the pool deck however this morning I tried to log in from the Observation Lounge and got no signal at all. I queried this with the Internet guy, who seemed to think the problem was with my device, rather than the wifi coverage. We shall see.

Passenger-wise, there are 260 aboard. It's a full ship however in the sense that all rooms are occupied; this is because there are apparently quite a few solo travellers aboard. There are no children that we've seen and the nationalities seem to be predominantly British and European rather than American. A smattering of the ubiquitous Aussies :) Someone opined last night that Americans generally aren't booking travel to the Middle East at the moment because of the region's volatility. On that, apparently Silversea (I'm not sure which ship) didn't make port in Alexandria last week because it was deemed unsafe so we continue to cross our fingers that we'll dock in Alex without issue tomorrow.

Our first impressions are very favourable and more than happy to take any questions.

Enjoy! We docked next to you yesterday in Piraeus, when we disembarked Silver Cloud.

Thanks very much for the detailed on board the Wind reports, please enjoy your voyage. Thanks for the internet payment plan update too. Let us know how you find the new entertainment if u get a chance.

I'm on the cruise too and I pretty much agree with badgerdee's impressions altho' I wasn't offered the unlimited internet option when I first logged on, don't know why not?

My two cents:

There is indeed, a large group of solos - over 20, I think, and only one of the two gentlemen hosts made it on board so poor Maurice is feeling overworked!

The cruise was advertised as Ecole de Chefs, but David isn't embarking until over half way through - that's a big disappointment, not to mention deceptive advertising.

The new CD Monja, is trying hard but not quite getting there yet. Her trivia yesterday was a real struggle with her almost impenetrable accent, and I think she didn't understand the questions herself so she didn't know how to ask them - it turned what I usually find to be an amusing and interesting daily interlude into a tedious chore, I don't think I'll go back.

Sorry badgerdee to hijack - I must try and meet you!

Thanks for the reports. The fact that all your dining reservations showed up in their system is quite reassuring. Also like the new internet payment plan options.

I will be interested in your comments regarding egypt as we are planning a trip there.

Thanks for your Wind report Jolly. Hope the new CD's learning crurve gets better.

We have found David's Le Ecole Des Chefs sometimes do not extend for the full voyage. Often after he presents a 4-5 day Chef's program, then he disembarks and heads for his next Le E'cole des Chefs voyage. For example, he boards the Shadow (in Buenos Aires) for Chefs voyage on 10 Feb for 17 days, then on Feb 23rd he is scheduled for another Le E'cole des Chefs on board the Spirit(in Melbourne). We hope to enjoy David's program on the latter half of this voyage and the next Spirit voyage (Fiji to LA), we expect David will disembark the Spirit before this voyage ends.

Thanks for the reports. The fact that all your dining reservations showed up in their system is quite reassuring.

Glad they seem to have gotten that fixed... Ours online requests were 1 for 3. Not an issue because the ship was pretty much empty, but a bit frustrating.

Thanks indeed for these reports, we are joining The Wind In Dubai for the cruise to Singapore.

Could you tell us who are the senior Officers and Hotel Team?

With thanks

Captain Samuele Failla

Staff Cap. Giacomo Castiglione

Hotel Director Flavio Gioia

CD Monja Salvati

I have solved the mystery of the internet pricing - we boarded Oct 31st (which is when I purchased my plan) and the new pricing structure came into effect Nov 1st! All is good tho' - I have just spoken to Alexander in the internet cafe and he has refunded my prev. plan and I now have the unlimited full cruise option at $16 per day.

The jury is still out on Monja - well, my opinion anyway - there aren't that many activities appearing in the Chronicles but since we're having a couple of port days, it's not fair to judge her yet. However, it is a fact that the large group of solos on board has been entirely ignored by her since the first evening when there was the usual get-together in the Panorama lounge - every cruise I have done so far has had an open invitation for solos to meet for cocktails every evening at 7pm or so - nothing on this cruise.

Captain Failla is perfectly pleasant but not very outgoing - I do miss the larger-than-life presence of Capt. Michele Macarone Palmieri holding court on the pool deck every lunchtime - and, obviously, I sorely miss Colin as CD. But otherwise it's all fine - I am cruising after all.

Jollyjones, Captain Palmieri is one of our favourites too :)

Since I posted last, we have enjoyed our first formal night (with Captain's Welcome) and we've enjoyed two ports of call in Egypt: Alexandria and Port Said (for Cairo). The formal night was lovely, with many decked out in finery. What hasn't changed is that dinner service on formal nights in the MDR remains painfully slow. We were seated at 19:30 and didn't finish until 22:00 (and we skipped dessert...). That said, the company was good and it was an enjoyable evening.

We enjoyed our stop in Alex although the city is not one we'd rush back to. Apparently our visit was one of only four throughout the whole cruise season; no ships called at all last year. Also in port was a large German cruise liner and we bumped into those passengers wherever we went.

A long day yesterday for those doing the pyramid tours. Our tour commenced from Port Said at 07:45 and we didn't make it back to the ship until 20:45. The Egyptians are taking security seriously; our busses travelled in a police-escorted convoy between Port Said and Cairo and each bus had an armed security man aboard (for those interested, they carried MP5s with two spare magazines). The pyramids and sphinx were just fantastic and I enjoyed every moment (apart from the long ride home). We were greeted on arrival by the Silversea band and flutes of champagne. A lovely touch.

Today is a sea day as we transit the Suez Canal. We've set up camp on the pool deck and I don't suppose we'll move much at today as the scenery unfolds before us.

Glad you enjoyed the iconic sights at Giza. They are inspiring! I wonder if they were as crowded as they were two years ago when we visited. Any indication from your tour guides as to whether tourism numbers have improved?

Enjoy the Suez Canal and Red Sea. Are you stopping in Aqaba to see Petra?

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Glad you enjoyed the iconic sights at Giza. They are inspiring! I wonder if they were as crowded as they were two years ago when we visited. Any indication from your tour guides as to whether tourism numbers have improved?

 

Enjoy the Suez Canal and Red Sea. Are you stopping in Aqaba to see Petra?

 

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Our guide in Alex noted we were just one of four cruise ships which visited this year (another was the German ship in port at the same time as us,which means just two others this year).

In Port Said, a similar story. Our guide said just a handful of ships (her company had provided tours for two visiting ships this year). Our first stop, the step pyramids of Sakara, was deserted. Our guide noted that in the heyday, it was common to make the 3.5hr drive from Port Said, then wait in a two hour queue for access to one of the tombs. We walked straight in.

Then, at Giza, if it wasn't for two busses of Russian visitors, we would have had the place pretty much to ourselves also. The most crowded area was the Sphinx and that was only because the narrow access route made for a choke point; even so we've got photos where there is nothing in shot but the Sphinx, the great pyramid and a camel :)

Edit to add: yes, we're looking forward very much to Petra! Tomorrow also will be good; we dock in Sharm El Sheik and will visit St Katherine's monastery.

Glad they seem to have gotten that fixed... Ours online requests were 1 for 3. Not an issue because the ship was pretty much empty, but a bit frustrating.

We got ours ok on the Shadow, but all the timings are still wrong.

Have to chime in. We just got off the Wind in Athens. We LOVED Monja. She has a warmth and sweetness we found disarming. Yes, her accent makes for some difficulties at Trivia, but we, our team, and other teams found hilarity in some of her mispronounced words. She laughed along with us all. She's really trying. We are rooting for her.

As for Capt. Faille: this is his first command with SS. He has worked his way up the ranks. We liked him immensely. He was a bit shy at first, and gets very nervous when he has to be on stage, but he'll become more comfortable as he has to speak in public more. If you want to see him really open up, ask to see a photo of his little girl, Martina. She's adorable and he is madly in love with her!

Have fun on this cruise..it's a fascinating itinerary.

Monja still hasn't done much to improve my opinion but it's not such a big deal.

As for the 'fascinating itinerary' - well, it is and it isn't. Basically, most of the interesting stuff is at the end of a very, very long coach ride which is OK, I suppose, if you can tolerate 3 - 4 hours in a coach each way but I just can't handle that. There's much less to do closer to these ports than in many other parts of the world so it's rather all-or-nothing.

Alexandria is a city steeped in history but unfortunately all the history has been destroyed by fire, earthquake or tsunami, and the Alex of today is just a city. I'll admit it was breathtaking to discover, while on a carriage ride along the corniche, just how much distance between vehicles, horses, and pedestrians is considered safe - answer - none-to-negative. And our guide told us that crossing the road is called 'the chicken run' ... still, we all survived.

(8 hour trip to El Alamein was available)

Port Said doesn't even have the history to redeem it - it only exists because of the Canal - it's just another city, 'nuff said.

(13 hour trips to Cairo or the pyramids were available)

The Canal I enjoyed - I like canals - I knew it wasn't an engineering marvel on a par with the Panama, and it's a shame that the traffic pattern requires much of the transit overnight, but it was still interesting to see.

Sharm is wall-to-wall hotels/restaurants/bars along the beach - shortish snorkelling, diving, submarine, or beach excursions were offered but I chose just to go for a walk along the beach. That was a mistake. Couldn't get near the beach but it didn't look very attractive so I went back to the ship after a short brisk walk to remind my legs why they're there.

(An 8 hour trip to St Catherine's monastery was offered, of which 6+ hours were in the coach)

Aqaba - ah! at last I came to the main reason for my choice of this itinerary. I girded my loins and managed the 2+ hour coach ride each way to Petra. One could say that the first impression was of dirt, dust, donkeys, and dung; but I won't. Sure, they're there, but the whole is just so much greater than the parts - it's rock, it's pink, it's huge, and it's extraordinary; you have to see it for yourself to really grasp it. I grasped what I could in the time available, bought the tee shirt, and survived the trip back.

Today is Safaga. There is nothing at Safaga except a road that leads to Luxor which you can visit and return 13 hours later. I'll be sitting on the Pool deck, flies permitting - did I mention that Egyptian flies are worse than street vendors? They just won't take no for an answer. I'd have bought an old fashioned fly whisk if I'd seen one anywhere.

The good news is that David Bilston embarks today and there is a busy programme of cooking shows/demos/whatever planned, according to Flavio, with whom I enjoyed a very pleasant dinner at Hot Rocks yesterday evening.

And talking of Hot Rocks brings me to our "Pirate Watch' status. We are in piratical waters so all curtains are tightly shut at night, including La Terraza and Panorama, balcony lights must be off, and the Observation lounge is forbidden. Hot Rocks continues, with the Pool Deck lit up like Blackpool Illuminations, I don't see the logic in that!! However, Flavio said it will be shut tomorrow night when the risk is highest. We have been given our instructions if the Pirate Attack signal is sounded (5 short blasts), and I think the Captain will address us again tomorrow about it.

I really, really don't want to be attacked by pirates (apparently unlikely, they tend to go for cargo ships with fewer crew to subdue), but I do find the 'closed in' look to the lounges unsettlingly claustrophobic - I like to see the sea and the stars, and the full moon which is tonight. I expect I can sneak out somewhere tonight and gaze skyward, if I try. I'll put on my cloak of invisibility-to-pirates, I hope I packed it.

We have had a couple of very long, but very enjoyable, days since I last updated. Jollyjones is correct when she reports the shore excursions invariably involve very long drives however the treasures which await are, in our opinion, worth the tedium and tiredness. To each, their own, and that is the beauty of cruising. Different options for everyone :)

The visit to St Catherine's Monastery (Sharm El Sheik), was just stunning. So much history. But then, this whole itinerary is steeped in history and antiquities. We are loving it.

Petra was fabulous; it's hard to know where to look when there's something awesome everywhere you turn. We climbed to the top of the Monastery, which I know now is called the Monastery of 1000 steps. Had I known what was in store I might have thought twice about the climb but all was worth it when we got to the top and saw the massive Monastery carved into the rock face, and the views over the wadi below.

Yesterday we sucked in many deep breaths and set off for Luxor. To be honest I almost pulled out after the 13 hour return excursion to Cairo (and the endless waiting at myriad check points on the road to St Catherine's Monastery) however we're not in Egypt every day and unlikely to be back for quite some time. Off we went.

So glad I pressed on. Luxor is very different to what we saw of Cairo and Alex. It's still a crowded city in a very poor country, with all the poverty and dirt and grime that comes with that, but there seemed to be a cheerier, more relaxed vibe. And the Valley of the Kings... wow. Loved every moment of our visit to the tombs and also the Karnak temple. If I had to choose between the two, I would elect to visit Luxor rather than Cairo (spectacular though the pyramids are). Luxor does indeed seem to be an open air museum full of ancient goodies and its position by the Nile adds greenery and points of interest.

When we returned (in one piece, much to my surprise... the driver went hell for leather) our lovely attendant had a bath ready for me (well, I saw it first so claimed it!) and our butler had set up for a room service supper. Little touches like this that make all the difference.

Today is the first of four sea days and it's a gorgeous day. We'll spend most of it by the pool, apart from when we have to attend the mandatory pirate briefing by the Captain. Our security escorts are stalking around the deck and the spotlights and other anti pirate equipment is in place so it seems we're set for the crossing.

Just a note to to report the deck BBQ was a resounding success the other night and the new entertainers were excellent. Monja shared our table and she is a lovely, warm woman with a terrific sense of humour and an ability to make people feel at ease. We haven't been to trivia for a few days because of long excursions but looking forward to returning this afternoon.

Which show did the new entertainers perform?

Glad you are enjoying your cruise, the trip to Luxor is really worth the long drag of the coach journey.

Thank you so much for your interesting updates on your cruise on the Wind. We enjoy reading them. We will be boarding 12 December and look forward to being on this lovely ship.

Can you tell us if the same CD and HD will be onboard then? Thanks so much and we look forward to reading more.

Enjoying your descriptions of these amazing places. We visited by land (Petra) or River Boat (Luxor) 2 years ago, so we didn't have so much coach riding as you did. But they sure are worth the effort!

Loving all the details in these posts. The loooong drives you describe are vivid memories, as are the fabulous sites at the end of these miserable rides. For some strange reason, we found tiny, unbelievably remote St. Catherine's monestary, hidden away in the Sinai, an unforgettable jewel....worth the hours of travel and seemingly endless security checks.

Glad to hear that the deck BBQ was held. We were told on the segment just before the one on which you are sailing that there would be no more of them. My DH was terribly disappointed.

Sail on, have fun, and no pirates, please!

harbormaster, I will endeavour to find out for you and let you know.

Since I last updated, we have had four days at sea and a half day in the port of Salalah, Oman. We're now steaming towards Muscat, Oman, but we have another sea day tomorrow before we dock there.

We successfully transited the pirate-infested waters of the Gulf of Aden with no more than a pod of playful dolphins as uninvited (but welcome) visitors. I am speaking a little tongue in cheek, because the waters are a high risk area, and Silversea of course took the recommended precautions. Part of that was sailing for four days at an average of around 17 knots, which made for some very breezy sea days on the pool deck. I saw variously a sarong, a towel and a cruise card whipped overboard but thankfully, none of the frailer, older passengers!

An English pub lunch was held in the bar on one of the sea days; this occurs regularly as I'm sure one was held on our Panama Canal cruise this past Christmas. I mention it because the new entertainers (apparently aboard until next April!) hosted the singalong by the piano and the songs were the same for this lunch as they were for our Panama cruise. So, it seems that the entertainers may have changed however at least some of the songs/programs remain the same. The singers are very good.

We have eaten mostly in LT this cruise and the food there is the best I can remember. Unlike other cruises, there is no problem booking a table at short notice. We have one more formal night to go but to be honest, I am now at the point when the thought of more food is quite exhausting (and we've been quite restrained on this cruise too :p ).

There is an issue with loungers around the pool, with most people who want a shady position arriving to grab their spot as early as 0730. That said, there doesn't seem to be a problem with people taking loungers and then disappearing for hours.

The only other common grievance seems to be the boutique, which is stuffed with $3000 purses and very expensive jewellery but does not stock sunblock or anything other than Tylenol (many aboard have a cough/sore throat). No more snacks, bits and pieces, souvenirs, etc. Obviously the boutique must turn a profit or Silversea would not have dedicated so much space and three members of staff to the venture however there surely must be a happy medium between high-end and the necessities of life.

We are now trying to choose our cruise for next year :o

The pub lunch was the same as usual which I always enjoy except that I made the mistake of taking the 'bloody mary' that was offered at the door - it was awful, I should have had a beer. I must just slightly disagree with bdee, the girl's voices are magnificent but one of the boys sometime sounds like he's strangling a cat.

During these sea days (and I include Salalah in them, there was little point going ashore), entertainments have included:

Lectures by Guest Lecturer Christine Rousell, which have been mostly interesting but a bit random subjectwise - one was about the construction of the Rockefeller Centre ...

Destination lectures by Jon Fleming - these have been well done - amusing and informative.

Evening shows - Musica Maestra and Broadway by the singers, Liars Club with Monja, and the only one I went to - Francisco Yglesia playing the Paraguayan harp - he is outstanding. I might make it to Mind the Gap tonight with the singers - Brit 70s music I think, that's kinda my era.

All the usual stuff - bridge, jigsaw, origami, yoga, trivia, golf putting, water volleyball, dance classes etc.

Wine, vodka and martini tastings - not all at the same time but the wine did overlap the vodka one which seemed odd scheduling to me.

David Bilsland has done a couple of cooking demos - great fun as usual - and this morning we have a treat coming - a cookoff between David, exec. chef Rene, and italian chef Gianluca - that I'm not going to miss!

But sadly, it clashes with a cocktail competition by Maryna which I had also hoped to see - there has definitely been some frustrating scheduling on this trip. I know it's not possible to have it so that nothing overlaps but this is worse than usual.

Now I must get on deck to grab a lounger - I'm a bit late, it's nearly 9am - but I want one in the sun so that's usually not too difficult. It's only 70 degrees with a 30knot wind so it might not be too crowded.

PS Haven't even set foot in the boutique - the blinding glitter visible from the door tells me that it is not for me. Maybe the profit from the occasional sale of a $3K handbag is more than from any amount of clothes, souvenirs, snacks etc, but it still seems a poor decision.

Thank you so much for your interesting updates on your cruise on the Wind. We enjoy reading them. We will be boarding 12 December and look forward to being on this lovely ship.

Can you tell us if the same CD and HD will be onboard then? Thanks so much and we look forward to reading more.

In answer you your query, the urbane and charming HD Flavio disembarked in Dubai this morning; Helmut (an Austrian HD) we have not met replaced him.

CD Monja (absolutely lovely) disembarks in Hong Kong after the next two cruises. CD Colin replaces her. Apparently Colin is regularly assigned to Wind ( we've not met him either).

Sergio remains the restaurant manager until next May.

Hope that helps, and we hope you enjoy your cruise.

Thank you for the information. We have enjoyed Helmut's company at dinner on past cruises. and, Colin is a superb CD, have loved him in the past. Should be a wonderful cruise. Enjoy the rest of yours!