Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome!

Thank you Jeff. Great tip re dining. So that is our plan. We will definitely stay in Dubrovnik for the evening, but back onboard for Corfu and Sorrento!

and thank you Jpalbny for your great cruise tips as well. Im starting to feel so much more confident on the cruise that we have chosen.

Cheers, Millie

Thank you Jeff. Great tip re dining. So that is our plan. We will definitely stay in Dubrovnik for the evening, but back onboard for Corfu and Sorrento!

 

and thank you Jpalbny for your great cruise tips as well. Im starting to feel so much more confident on the cruise that we have chosen.

 

Cheers, Millie

Millie

As you have decided to spend the evening in Dubrovnik, let me also suggest then you pop in to http://www.dvino.net/ ...... https://www.facebook.com/DvinoWineBar for a bit of Croatian wine tasting and your "cheese course" after your meal. They are touristy during the day but at night a nice place to be after your meal and wander around the town. They do a wine tasting menu of local wines with some local cheeses. It would be a nice experience where you can pack in some tasting of some quality wines and try some tasty cheeses before heading back for bed. It is run by an Australian/Croatian names Sasha so you'll feel right at home. From recall over 70 wines by the glass.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=d'vino+wine+bar+dubrovnik&biw=1524&bih=691&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=51E7VZiSBc_earn6gVg&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAw&dpr=1#imgrc=GP9dQQepcT8yKM%253A%3B8Vt_AliErVt6hM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fdepartmentofwandering.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2014%252F08%252FDSC02059-2-1024x682.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fdepartmentofwandering.com%252Fgreat-places-to-eat-and-drink-in-dubrovnik-that-wont-break-the-bank%252F%3B1024%3B682

Thank you Jeff. Great tip re dining. So that is our plan. We will definitely stay in Dubrovnik for the evening, but back onboard for Corfu and Sorrento! and thank you Jpalbny for your great cruise tips as well. Im starting to feel so much more confident on the cruise that we have chosen. Cheers, Millie

MillieRyan08: Thanks ever so much Terry from Ohio and to Jpalbny. So very much appreciated. Terry' date=' you did say don't be shy in asking questions so here I am back again! [b']I have looked at all your reviews and photos and follow them all with great interest.[/b] (Jpalbhy, I can't wait to set aside some time and look at your photo reviews today). It's great to see pictures of the vessel that we will be travelling on and I can' get enough of them! We are not party people but do enjoy food and wine and I personally think that the smaller Cloud will be perfect. We are not nit pickers and always look for the positive. Nothing is perfect in this world. So, here in my first question that comes to mind. Our cruise has 3 overnight ports, Dubrovnik, Corfu, and Sorrento. Our cruise is all inclusive, of course. When on these overnight ports, would you stay in town for dinner or would you treck all the way back to the boat, have dinner, and go out again? I may sound lousy, but I want to get value, and at the same time I don't want to sacrifice taking in the atmosphere of the town. We are still more than a year out from our cruise and I booked it as soon as the 2016 opened. Its a long wait! Cheers, and thanks so much. MillieRyan08 (Melbourne, Australia)

Great to get the added follow-ups from Millie, Jeff, JP, etc., etc. Below is my link with many photos, tips, ideas, etc., for amazing Dubrovnik. Am down for this weekend in Charlottesville, Va., with our grandsons, etc., so I am limited right now in being able to provide more details. Clearly, you are very fortunate to be able to overnight in this great part of Croatia. Check out the "eye candy" provided with Dubrovnik.

YES, keep your wonderful questions rolling along. We are all happy to share more. Have lots of added thoughts for in and around Sorrento and the amazing Amalfi Coast, etc.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Super loved Dubrovnik!!! See more details and lots of great visual samples/examples at this link. Have had over 27,832 views on this posting and appreciate those who have tuned-in and dropped by.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227

Go on the trip,you'll love it; besides the Colts have NO chance as long as my boy Tom Brady is still playing!!

Tom Brady is truly one of the all time great quarterbacks. Figure Andrew Luck has a chance at fame one of these days! ;)

Great to get the added follow-ups from Millie, Jeff, JP, etc., etc. Below is my link with many photos, tips, ideas, etc., for amazing Dubrovnik. Am down for this weekend in Charlottesville, Va., with our grandsons, etc., so I am limited right now in being able to provide more details. Clearly, you are very fortunate to be able to overnight in this great part of Croatia. Check out the "eye candy" provided with Dubrovnik.

 

YES, keep your wonderful questions rolling along. We are all happy to share more. Have lots of added thoughts for in and around Sorrento and the amazing Amalfi Coast, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Super loved Dubrovnik!!! See more details and lots of great visual samples/examples at this link. Have had over 27,832 views on this posting and appreciate those who have tuned-in and dropped by.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227

Great photos. Agree with seeing Dubrovnik at night. Was fortunate to see it when it was still part of Yugoslavia and then again after. Luckily when were there the second time in shoulder season and it was not as crowded. Was enthralled both times. And, I'd go back again...and I just did by looking at your pictures!

Great photos. Agree with seeing Dubrovnik at night. Was fortunate to see it when it was still part of Yugoslavia and then again after. Luckily when were there the second time in shoulder season and it was not as crowded. Was enthralled both times. And, I'd go back again...and I just did by looking at your pictures!

Appreciate this follow-up and these nice comments. Below are just a few of my "eye candy" samples from Dubrovnik. Many more on the full posting. Fortunately we were there on a day in June where we were the only ship in port that day.

We dined at the Restaurant Komarda. It is about 1000 feet just east of the Ploce gate. You can go to this website in order to see lots more about

http://komarda.hr/index.php?lang=en

Part of what their website notes is: "If you want to experience Dubrovnik in a special way, visit the restaurant Komarda and discover this unique terrace next to the sea. It is a secluded place where you enjoy perfect privacy in the shade of old pines, palms and fragrant Australian laurel.”

Their e-mail is: restorankomarda@gmail.com

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 198,139 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

We started in Dubrovnik with a local cab driver who gave us a “panoramic tour”, including crossing their unique bridge near the main cruise ship docking area. He called this bridge their “Golden Gate” like in San Francisco. It is nine years old. Then we drove up and up through narrow twisting roads to the high point overlooking Dubrovnik and near the cable car high station. From this point, we could also see part of Bosnia and and Montenegro. The “super star” view was down below with this angle of the harbor and walled city. Beautiful!!!:

Here is the view of the Cable Car going down from the high point over Dubrovnik with interesting areas and islands west of the city shown. This cable car has been re-built since the early 1990’s war years. It’s a dramatic coastline with great views here!:

This is Dubrovnik’s Pile Gate as the grand western entrance to the walled city. It was constructed in 1537. As you go through the gate, look for the statue of St. Blaise, the city's patron saint,. There is an inner gate, which is even older and was built in 1460. Entering the city this way, you see the surrounding fortifications hiding the buildings inside. There is a drawbridge fronting the Pile Gate that was once lifted each evening. From this location, you can get a cab that will take you back to the port and your ship. Sharing the cab, makes it nice and affordable.:

This is the Stradun or Placa, a 300 meter-long, limestone-paved, pedestrian main shopping street of Dubrovnik. Here is the view as it stretches through the walled town in the east-west direction, connecting the western entrance called the Pile Gate to the Ploce Gate on the eastern end. Stradun became the city's main thoroughfare in the 13th century and its current appearance was mostly created following the 1667 earthquake which destroyed most of the buildings. Both ends are also marked with 15th-century fountains (Onofrio's Large Fountain in the western section and Onofrio's Small Fountain on the east end. There are also bell towers (the Dubrovnik Bell Tower to the west end and the bell tower attached to the Franciscan monastery to the east). The buildings along this way all have shutter painted in the same color. The Stradun and some of the surrounding houses were damaged in mortar shelling during the Siege of Dubrovnik in 1991–92 but most of the damage has been repaired. When you look at the tile roofs, you can see the difference between the older and newer based on that battle damage. Don’t miss walking the wall in this great town.

This is a view of the historic Dubrovnik wall at an upward and outward point built on top of the rocks and where it overlooks the Adriatic Sea. Walking this wall is a wonderful and unique way to sample and see up close and personal what makes this city so special.:

For our lunch at Komarda restaurant, here is the view from our table. Could you ask for a better location on a perfect weather day? It is about 1000 feet just east of the Ploce gate. You can go to this website in order to see lots more about

http://komarda.hr/index.php?lang=en:

Torturous to look at those pictures when it's 47 degrees and we are having a thunderstorm! I need a Star Trek transporter. :)

Welcome Jim.

Amazing photo.

What ship are you booked on?

Silver Shadow, we are down on deck 5 in the "cheap seats" - buts that's OK, its one of the shared balcony rooms. We book for itinerary and this is one we want to do. Very few ships stop in Dutch Harbor and this is one - after watching Deadliest Catch I want to go - actually first time across the Pacific pond (and first SS cruise) for me so really looking forward!

Jim and Sharmon

This is really great trip, one we would be happy to repeat.

Even better to continue on down the coast if you can manage it.

There is an excellent trip report by DrRon on AFF , and here also if you can find it.

http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/trip-reports-and-trip-photos/i-can-see-russia-my-29754.html

Thanks once again Jeff. We will definitely go to the Dvino Wine Bar after dinner. And the cheese will be our dessert! You are right, Dubrovnik looks awesome under the cover of darkness, great pics.

Terry from Ohio, love your pictures as well. And I will check out your restaurant recommendation for sure. It looks like Dubrovnik is the kind of place we would just stay around, or within, the village walls for the day and stay on for dinner, i.e. no excursion?

Any other suggestions would be received warmly.

Cheers, Millie

Thanks once again Jeff. We will definitely go to the Dvino Wine Bar after dinner. And the cheese will be our dessert! You are right, Dubrovnik looks awesome under the cover of darkness, great pics.

 

Terry from Ohio, love your pictures as well. And I will check out your restaurant recommendation for sure. It looks like Dubrovnik is the kind of place we would just stay around, or within, the village walls for the day and stay on for dinner, i.e. no excursion?

 

Any other suggestions would be received warmly.

 

Cheers, Millie

Hi Millie,

You would like some further thoughts re your visit which I've been thinking about.

I mentioned we normally plan a once a year stay there for 5 nights or so - our last was 2014. I do not think it worthwhile organising any tour to take you away from Dubrovnik. Anything worthwhile will be a fairly long drive and anything close isn't really worth the effort, particularly as the focus of your visit should be the town itself and the core of your time should be within Dubrovnik itself. So this advice is going to seem odd but I really suggest you consider it seriously.

You do not need to join a tour to see the sites of D. In fact a tour will be a pain as you cannot self-pace. Just buy a guide book or be guided by Tripadvisor. However there is one thing I suggest you do that will really change your visit.

When we have stayed in D. we have been lucky enough to meet some locals who were managing the club lounge in the hotel we use. We always visit out of the main season when it is much much quieter and we have the place more to ourselves. So, on a couple of nights when the lounge was empty we have been able to coerce them into pouring a drink and sitting down and chatting to us. On one night they came back with partners and joined us for a very long night on our suite terrace. This to me was the heart of our trip. To hear about life within the walls particularly during the siege was without doubt the most interesting and moving experience my wife and I had, and of course this was by chance. Most people are unaware of how much of D. was lost and how much of it has been totally rebuilt. So I've been thinking about your visit and how you might achieve that experience and replicate it if it interests you. Social and real history is a real passion of ours.

I suggest you through Tripadvisor and the tourist office ask if there is a guide who is a fairly mature resident within the walls who lived as an adult through the siege and could take you on a personalised walking tour who would be happy to talk about life within the walls both now and then. I think that would make a truly memorable experience.

Eat where you wish ... but I feel it would be a missed opportunity to travel all the way to D and eat as Terry did outside of the walls of D. The food might be better but in my view I think it misses the point of travel. It is the differnce between being a tourist and a traveller/explorer. Neither approach is wrong ... just a different philosophy. Decide which you are! We are all different but I like to always experience as much more local feel and soaking up atmosphere as we can and eating within the walls and eating traditional local food and soaking in local atmosphere and food to me is always the imperative. Not the finest food ... you can have that at home ... but the finest overall experience of the place you are visiting. If you don't then the point of traveling so far seems to me to be pointless. Eat within the walls is my preference!

Enjoy your stay and ask anything else.

Jeff

Asparagus is out and lovely in England this week ....

Some of the last weeks food .... at chez Jeff

TLCOhio, did you bring this miserable weather to Charlottesville?

42 degrees and rain.

TLCOhio, did you bring this miserable weather to Charlottesville? 42 degrees and rain.

Not guilty!! That's my story and I am sticking to it. Yes, the weather was a little damp at times yesterday in Charlottesville, but it was not my fault. Did not bring it from Ohio!!! And, the temperatures were not that bad. Did we still have fun? Below is my photo evidence as "proof" for the excitement enjoyed yesterday. Rain has stopped here today and things are starting to brighten up.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 21,961 views for these postings.

Here are three visuals with our two grandsons Saturday in Charlottesville, Va. Yes, a little rain, but they wanted to be outside and enjoying the environment. The oldest is four and a half. The youngest is two years and nine months. Fun!!:

Jeff

Lovely to see some food pics again, yes the English Asparagus season is underway, love it so much, and we're they Jersey Royals on the same plate?

Best wishes

Jeff yippeeeeeeeee....food pictures!

Wow that burger looks insanely good!

Thanks for posting them.

Jim and Sharmon, Have been to Dutch harbor on the Discoverer. Fortunately it was in the summer when the weather was calm. In fact the Bering sea was like a lake. There are no cheap seats on Silversea.

Terry, those grandchildren are just beautifully handsome. The littlest one looks like a real imp!

Millie, I will be on the Cloud in July, and will hopefully get to post, although the itinerary is a little port intensive.

I am still trying to figure out where to put my thousands of photos so that I can upload them to this site or any other. I have been doing research and trying to decide what is best for my needs.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, number two son was in a major car accident last Saturday. Driver of other car almost hit him head on, in making an improper turn and pushed him into oncoming traffic. Sons car is completely destroyed, it was a show car and not even six months old. Fortunately all air bags deployed and although son is very bruised and suffered contusions and a broken rib, he is ok. That is what really matters.

The bruising on his belly and chest is a black and blue imprint of a seat belt. So a reminder, please wear your seatbelt.

spinnaker2, scary stuff. Glad the important things are OK.

Thanks JP.

I used those exact words after I saw the dash cam video.

then I added he was lucky to have survived.

spinnaker2, best wishes for your son's speedy recovery! Definitely one of a parent's worst nightmares!

Dear Water Cooler participants,

I am so grateful to receive all this wonderful advice. I am thrilled and pleasantly surprised. Everyone has been so generous with their time! I truly appreciate it and of course, will milk it for all I can ;)

Jeff, what a great idea about getting a mature aged guide whilst in Dubrovnik. You obviously know and love the place very well to keep returning. Our one day/night will hardly touch on it but at least we will get an idea and perhaps return ourselves for an extended period of time. I will let you know how I go. We also try to avoid touristy and kitchy stuff as much as we can, so to have a local show us around would be awesome.

Spinnaker2, sorry to hear about your number 2 son. But he's ok, that's the main thing. I can't wait for you to cruise on the Cloud in July, (bet you can't wait either!). You will be able to give me a true picture of what to expect. Where are you cruising?

Again, thanks to everyone, I'm becoming addicted!

Cheers, Millie

Jeff yippeeeeeeeee....food pictures!

Wow that burger looks insanely good!

Thanks for posting them.

 

Jim and Sharmon, Have been to Dutch harbor on the Discoverer. Fortunately it was in the summer when the weather was calm. In fact the Bering sea was like a lake. There are no cheap seats on Silversea.

 

Terry, those grandchildren are just beautifully handsome. The littlest one looks like a real imp!

 

Millie, I will be on the Cloud in July, and will hopefully get to post, although the itinerary is a little port intensive.

 

I am still trying to figure out where to put my thousands of photos so that I can upload them to this site or any other. I have been doing research and trying to decide what is best for my needs.

 

Meanwhile back at the ranch, number two son was in a major car accident last Saturday. Driver of other car almost hit him head on, in making an improper turn and pushed him into oncoming traffic. Sons car is completely destroyed, it was a show car and not even six months old. Fortunately all air bags deployed and although son is very bruised and suffered contusions and a broken rib, he is ok. That is what really matters.

The bruising on his belly and chest is a black and blue imprint of a seat belt. So a reminder, please wear your seatbelt.

Spin, that is terrible news about the accident, but it must be a great relief for you that he has come out of it protected somewhat by the car and seatbelts. I hope the recovery both in the mind and body is swift. best wishes.

Glad you like the burgers ........ some other pictures of the burger meal ... the first outside this year ..... we had some bangers and mash as well .....she likes beans I don't!

Jeff

 

Lovely to see some food pics again, yes the English Asparagus season is underway, love it so much, and we're they Jersey Royals on the same plate?

 

Best wishes

They were Jersey Royals, but not as we remember them. We use to buy them fresh and with dirt on them but no more. Today we're having the same meal but I am using charlottes pan buttered. Yes we also had the English strawberries ... again early but sweet and deliciious. I had some more delivered today.

Dear Water Cooler participants,

 

I am so grateful to receive all this wonderful advice. I am thrilled and pleasantly surprised. Everyone has been so generous with their time! I truly appreciate it and of course, will milk it for all I can ;)

 

Jeff, what a great idea about getting a mature aged guide whilst in Dubrovnik. You obviously know and love the place very well to keep returning. Our one day/night will hardly touch on it but at least we will get an idea and perhaps return ourselves for an extended period of time. I will let you know how I go. We also try to avoid touristy and kitchy stuff as much as we can, so to have a local show us around would be awesome.

 

Spinnaker2, sorry to hear about your number 2 son. But he's ok, that's the main thing. I can't wait for you to cruise on the Cloud in July, (bet you can't wait either!). You will be able to give me a true picture of what to expect. Where are you cruising?

 

Again, thanks to everyone, I'm becoming addicted!

 

Cheers, Millie

Hi Millie,

I'm really pleased you've found the suggestions useful. I know that when you travel across the world somewhere like this it may end up only being once in your life and a range of suggestions could change that one opporunity into something special which you always remember. Hence the effort and particular appreciation for simply being thanked. So many do not say "thank you"!

I think it important to try and help because so many of the forums are (with respect) mostly well meaning people who have also only been to a place for a few hours and sometimes a bit more from others who have had the opportunity to get a bit more under the skin of a place can be helpful. So much help these days seems to be provided by others who have been to a place for a few hours. You wait to you go to Singapore ..... then I'm on home ground!

We're very lucky. Today as well as early asparagus and strawberries the bluebells are out. This is very sad, but I so look forward to them. Earlier in the thread I mentioned we have a roman villa in the village ... well it use to be here in Roman times. Next to where the villa was is a small private unkown wood which I sort of consider "my own". Well the bluebells are out. Early so not as good as last year ... but they are there.

Asparagus, Jersey Roayals, Salmon, strawberries and now bluebells. Is there anything else in life?

Lovely to see you here ... do ask any more questions.

Thanks Mysty and Millie. Son seems to be ok. As I told JP, when I watched the video from the dash cam I was amazed there was not more trauma. The other car drove directly into son. I know that dash cams are popular in Europe, but not many Americans have them. I guess in this case, it will support the fact that the other person was at fault, although he has already been charged with the accident. I don't know how admissable these videos are in a court room.

Millie, we are going to the Baltic. The highlight of the cruise is the stay over in St. Petersburg. Its only a 12 day cruise, so quite short for such a long series of flights to get to Copenhagen and then not much time in any one place. And yes, we are excited. I have been reading and researching Russian history in order to get a better picture of the development of the country and what we must see in the short time. In my era as a kid, we were all practicing for the bomb to be dropped as we were engaged in a cold war, the arms race and we watched Khrushchev with his shoe at the UN. Consequently the history taught was quite skewed.

If anyone has thoughts of what to see, besides the Hermitage, please let me know.

Its Monday!!!

Thanks Jeff, our posts crossed.

The bluebells are a carpet of magical vibrant color! The woods look mystical as if they hold the secrets of ancient times. I bet they do.

And the burgers and accompaniments look good too.

Mmm. Burgers! I have some boneless short rib meat that I got on sale yesterday. Think I'll grind some and make gourmet burgers tonight...

Hi All,

Spin.... if I recall your skills as a lawyer should either have the piccy admittd or at least it's existance might sway things. Good luck.

The wood is an ancient wood. Totally uncultivated but is a few yards from an old drove road or as it is now a hidden and forgotten track. It was used when they used to drive cattle and pigs and turkeys from various places up north down to Salisbury to market. I believe it was also a Roman road.

JP .... there is nothing like a burger. Nothing in the world. Mincing meat gives it both edible class texture and you can add flavour. I love anything mince ....

As you can see from the other pics. Rendang pork ball curry, lamb kofta, burgers, sausages ..... MINCE!

How is the pizza going? Did you see my Turkish Lahmakan piccy! Did you not one of your own! :p Lahmakan is lovely ... we have it fairly often and I make double the mince lamb and freeze some. There's always a few sourdough pizza balls in the fridge so a Lahmakan is only a pizza oven heat up away.

Today I tried a different approach to the salmon and asparagus meal ... and it is less elegant but tastes a lot better. Sorry about the slightly out of focus piccy with a shadow. Not up to Terry standards.