Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome!

[bissel]

Good morning Coolers,

 

Jeff, You gave very good advice to people who are from countries with good consumer protection laws. All the other complaining about "groups" and nationalities makes me happy to come back and join the folk here who want to see food photos, discuss British TV personalities from long ago, current and old musicians, look at snowy village scenes and steam engines. I'm with Sophia about all the other stuff.

 

Thanks for creating this thread and thanks to those who contribute their happenings and thoughts. The civility and lack of tension is extremely pleasant. There is truly a water cooler effect.

 

Carolyn

[UKCruiseJeff]

How lovely. Thanks.

 

Jeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

If I may say - in this place of frivolity.

 

I was really hacked off for Cliff Richard and this police situation. Very unfair.

 

But in the spirit of lightness, and I believe he also has a self-deprecating sense of humour, and I'd like to think he'd enjoy this thought. For some reason or other, I see him in his villa as a very house-proud man, always tidying and cleaning in a pinny and with a feather duster.. in my mind he even has his sofa covered in those see through plastic covers to protect them from people coming in from the pool. " So irritating".

 

For some reason that only my imagination can answer for, I can see on these plastic covered sofas several blow up "friends". He looks straight to camera and starts to sing, "Got myself a cryin' talking, sleepin' walkin, livin' doll ......got to do the best to please her ..."

 

The one on the end then slowly starts to deflate .......

 

I take no responsibility for either my indefensible wicked mind or sense of humour. My wife fell out of her chair in convulsions when I shared this thought with her.

 

:D

Edited August 19, 2014 by UKCruiseJeff

[specialcruisegirl]

Good morning Coolers,

 

Jeff, You gave very good advice to people who are from countries with good consumer protection laws. All the other complaining about "groups" and nationalities makes me happy to come back and join the folk here who want to see food photos, discuss British TV personalities from long ago, current and old musicians, look at snowy village scenes and steam engines. I'm with Sophia about all the other stuff.

 

Thanks for creating this thread and thanks to those who contribute their happenings and thoughts. The civility and lack of tension is extremely pleasant. There is truly a water cooler effect.

 

Carolyn

 

 

Absolutely right Carolyn and just how l feel too.

 

S:)

[specialcruisegirl]

I think what some of them are now are suggesting - or more accurately hiding behind implying - is that if there are any enquiries about group bookings this would lead on inevitably ("the slippery slope") to questions about whether group bookings are, gay, black, Jewish, Muslim or red with green spots. Ai don't know whether this is the concoction they fear because they merely imply. If is it is complete nonsense. This why it is better not to try and help.

 

Jeff

 

To be honest Jeff there is enough sadness, cruelty and such horrendous stuff going on in the world, one would think that most would be counting their blessings that they have the freedom and indeed the means to enjoy the lifestyle they can.....I most certainly do and am thankful for it.

 

S:)

[lincslady]

I see the group number has now gone up to 170!

 

Just wondered where the ketchup was Jeff , because it normally figures, along with the Pecheur, in your piccies. We have not tried the Pecheur, but looking it up on the Ocado site, the reports seem to be a bit mixed. We usually drink NZ sauv.blanc, for a light white, both at home with fish etc. and on Seabourn for lunch. Tried a Chilean yesterday, from Sainsburys,and it was appallingly sulphury - normally the DH will drink sulphury stuff, but he agreed it was awful, not good enough for cooking. It was apparently bottled in Germany - a long way to travel from Valparaiso. So back to NZ, like Oyster Bay or Nobilo, when on offer they are £5 or £6. These are usually on the included list on SB -OK, not exactly 'fine wines' but drinkable for us.

 

Getting completely sick of the old entertainers paedophilia stuff - none of us know the real truth about it, but the Beeb being there before the Cliff Richard house search was appalling. Did you know Cliff charters a Seabourn ship occasionally for his chums? Or probably a part charter - have not heard any complaints from fellow passengers.

[specialcruisegirl]

If I may say - in this place of frivolity.

 

I was really hacked off for Cliff Richard and this police situation. Very unfair.

 

But in the spirit of lightness, and I believe he also has a self-deprecating sense of humour, and I'd like to think he'd enjoy this thought. For some reason or other, I see him in his villa as a very house-proud man, always tidying and cleaning in a pinny and with a feather duster.. in my mind he even has his sofa covered in those see through plastic covers to protect them from people coming in from the pool. " So irritating".

 

For some reason that only my imagination can answer for, I can see on these plastic covered sofas several blow up "friends". He looks straight to camera and starts to sing, "Got myself a cryin' talking, sleepin' walkin, livin' doll ......got to do the best to please her ..."

 

The one on the end then slowly starts to deflate .......

 

I take no responsibility for either my indefensible wicked mind or sense of humour. My wife fell out of her chair in convulsions when I shared this thought with her.

 

:D

 

Frivolity in a stress free environment.....have you ever tried the wine he produces?

I was also shocked at the news and glad to see old Parky standing his ground on this....the world has yet again gone mad me thinks....!

 

S:)

[specialcruisegirl]

I see the group number has now gone up to 170!

 

Just wondered where the ketchup was Jeff , because it normally figures, along with the Pecheur, in your piccies. We have not tried the Pecheur, but looking it up on the Ocado site, the reports seem to be a bit mixed. We usually drink NZ sauv.blanc, for a light white, both at home with fish etc. and on Seabourn for lunch. Tried a Chilean yesterday, from Sainsburys,and it was appallingly sulphury - normally the DH will drink sulphury stuff, but he agreed it was awful, not good enough for cooking. It was apparently bottled in Germany - a long way to travel from Valparaiso. So back to NZ, like Oyster Bay or Nobilo, when on offer they are £5 or £6. These are usually on the included list on SB -OK, not exactly 'fine wines' but drinkable for us.

 

Getting completely sick of the old entertainers paedophilia stuff - none of us know the real truth about it, but the Beeb being there before the Cliff Richard house search was appalling. Did you know Cliff charters a Seabourn ship occasionally for his chums? Or probably a part charter - have not heard any complaints from fellow passengers.

 

Lincs....you are quite right...and l had to giggle at your mention of no complaints when Cliff charters...spot on there!!

 

I have tried the Pecheur and it's very acceptable for a quick lunch time slurp...:eek:

As Ocado had a very good deal on with the wine this week l stocked up, most of which will be making it's way over the Pennines this weekend for my son in law!

 

I quite like a nice Sancerre and a drop of Alsace, I'm not really up with all the fine wines ....in my day it was scampi and chips in a basket and a glass of the German stuff....if l was lucky..!! :rolleyes:

 

S:)

[Travelcat2]

Okay -- here is a food picture! This is one of the crabs caught in Norway during our cruise last month. It is one of several that the group ate in tents -- it was cooked in a huge pot over an open fire. The best we have ever tasted!

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

Great picture of a great crab!

 

By coincidence Amazon are delivering two crab eating kits later today ..... in preparation for some fresh crabs and other crustaceans I plan to have delivered to the balcony next week. Hopefully also some fresh mussels.

 

Did the crab taste good?

 

Jeff

[frantic36]

Currently on Seabourn Legend and enjoying great food by Chef Roderick. No big groups on board and many pleasant people to chat with.

 

Had busy but interesting visits to St Petersburg and Tallinn. While in Tallinn we shared a taxi with another couple and they asked the taxi driver about the Russia/Ukraine situation.........just a hint for others, don't do this they get a bit defensive and it creates a tense atmosphere.

 

Rocky night on the Baltic Sea so the Captain has headed to be closer to shore to try and get the calmer seas. It appears to be working as the seas settling as the morning wears on. Tomorrow we are in the charming town of Ronne on the Daish Island of Bornholm.

 

I didn't practice posting pictures prior and don't want to waste internet minutes trying so will post some pictures post cruise. I won't post much while away as too busy enjoying the cruise.

 

Julie

[specialcruisegirl]

Okay -- here is a food picture! This is one of the crabs caught in Norway during our cruise last month. It is one of several that the group ate in tents -- it was cooked in a huge pot over an open fire. The best we have ever tasted!

 

 

Fabulous picture.....great looking crab!

 

S:)

[specialcruisegirl]

Currently on Seabourn Legend and enjoying great food by Chef Roderick. No big groups on board and many pleasant people to chat with.

 

Had busy but interesting visits to St Petersburg and Tallinn. While in Tallinn we shared a taxi with another couple and they asked the taxi driver about the Russia/Ukraine situation.........just a hint for others, don't do this they get a bit defensive and it creates a tense atmosphere.

 

Rocky night on the Baltic Sea so the Captain has headed to be closer to shore to try and get the calmer seas. It appears to be working as the seas settling as the morning wears on. Tomorrow we are in the charming town of Ronne on the Daish Island of Bornholm.

 

I didn't practice posting pictures prior and don't want to waste internet minutes trying so will post some pictures post cruise. I won't post much while away as too busy enjoying the cruise.

 

Julie

 

Good to hear you're enjoying the trip Julie, please don't worry about posting at all, it always amazes me to see folk on here when enjoying a cruise, you carry on having a blast and l shall look forward to hearing all about it when you get home....it's always lovely then to look back...makes the post cruise blues much easier!!

 

Sophia :)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Currently on Seabourn Legend and enjoying great food by Chef Roderick. No big groups on board and many pleasant people to chat with.

 

Had busy but interesting visits to St Petersburg and Tallinn. While in Tallinn we shared a taxi with another couple and they asked the taxi driver about the Russia/Ukraine situation.........just a hint for others, don't do this they get a bit defensive and it creates a tense atmosphere.

 

Rocky night on the Baltic Sea so the Captain has headed to be closer to shore to try and get the calmer seas. It appears to be working as the seas settling as the morning wears on. Tomorrow we are in the charming town of Ronne on the Daish Island of Bornholm.

 

I didn't practice posting pictures prior and don't want to waste internet minutes trying so will post some pictures post cruise. I won't post much while away as too busy enjoying the cruise.

 

Julie

 

Hello Julie,

 

Lovely of you to think of us castaways whilst you are enjoying the Baltic. I like a Balti myself as long as I've seen the kitchen first. :D

 

The last time I had a "proper cruise" in the Baltic was on the Ivan Franko and it was called Leningrad in those days.

 

Very much looking forward to all your memories and piccies when you return. Don't hold back .... give us the lot!

 

Today, after a night of The West Wing and Sopranos, she has once again abandoned me and sped of in a taxi to the station to go "up" to London to have her hair done and to improve the GDP of London. I have therefore been left to consol myself with a very early and lonely ham salad baguette and a very small glass of Pecheur. Actually it was lovely.:)

 

[Perfectionistcruiser]

I did having studied this convivial site try the Pecheur last week from Waitrose down the road at Fulham Broadway, not bad at all and I shall order some for delivery, which is a blessing in London and free also.

 

Ref the Seabourn Group, sorry I do not know company name, and Chum who was on board is now trying the new Penninsula in Paris, so I don't want to disrupt his Lunch, Shopping, Drinks, Dinner routine !!

[UKCruiseJeff]

I did having studied this convivial site try the Pecheur last week from Waitrose down the road at Fulham Broadway, not bad at all and I shall order some for delivery, which is a blessing in London and free also.

 

Ref the Seabourn Group, sorry I do not know company name, and Chum who was on board is now trying the new Penninsula in Paris, so I don't want to disrupt his Lunch, Shopping, Drinks, Dinner routine !!

 

 

Pecheur simply reminds me of the lovely cheap stuff you get when you're down somewhere on the Cote eating crustaceans and sometimes cheap light rose but this to me is great. Normally that stuff you have by the sea when everything seems perfect never tastes the same back home. As you have discovered it is very young and citrusy and a blend thus guaranteeing consistency and I feel it is an absolute bargain, and is in fact below the price of the tax when on offer. So glad you are enjoying it.

 

A few years back I had to go out to Oz to talk to a convention of a large group of computer salesman for an hour hence my nosiness. If it was the company previously known as "the largest computer company in the world" that favoured the colour blue .... then I'm not really too suprised. I flew down with a well known British singer who was singing at their evening gala dinner "do" and their reaction to her was ... let us say ... less than gentlemanly. Gosh ... I just realised that Manly is in GentleManly! How eery is that! :eek:

 

The Peninsula. Big investment. :)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Is it my imagination, or is that crab growing ....

 

:eek:

[lincslady]

Jeff - as my current expert on everything - I am puzzled about this large group thing - sorry. It sounds from recent postings by someone from the US (maybe their employment rules are different) as though employees are actually entitled, as part of their contract, to cruises/holidays of some sort. I always thought it was only if you managed to sell 1,000 tractors, or 1,000,000 lipsticks that this would happen? And therefore not a guarantee at all? Your invaluable expertise needed here, sometime when you are not too busy having a glass of Pecheur.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Jeff - as my current expert on everything - I am puzzled about this large group thing - sorry. It sounds from recent postings by someone from the US (maybe their employment rules are different) as though employees are actually entitled, as part of their contract, to cruises/holidays of some sort. I always thought it was only if you managed to sell 1,000 tractors, or 1,000,000 lipsticks that this would happen? And therefore not a guarantee at all? Your invaluable expertise needed here, sometime when you are not too busy having a glass of Pecheur.

 

Gosh, I'm a bleedin' expert on the square root of b*gger all! :eek:

 

No, you've read a post from an argumentative someone who has taken issue with my description of the word "free" (having previously taken the trouble in the same thread to make the point that this was indeed a part of remuneration .... but they never read before arguing do they .....:rolleyes: ) and .....

 

Basically this sounds like a sales convention when people sell so much they win the trip. As I said earlier in that thread but the poster seems to have missed. The people attending these conventions and running amok and enjoying themselves in my view aren't doing that much wrong. They won the trip good and proper, everything on board is "free". Unlimited booze. Lot's of mates. They are doing exactly what is expected of them. They are having a loud enjoyable party with other party goers. Normal crusing passengers are merely collateral damage. Posters keep going on about their behaviour, but what do we expect? They are misdirecting their anger. It is the cruise line that should receive that. They have sold a totally unsuitable small ship experience to a group of people who are clearly going to make the life of other passengers miserable. So as I have said ad-nauseam on the thread, go for the cruise line and make them finacially miserable in return. As I highlighted Oz and UK is relatively easy to do.

 

I'm not clear I've made this clearer. :confused:

[lincslady]

Thanks Jeff. What I thought, and have to agree entirely with your take on who is to blame for 'normal' passengers having their cruise ruined; of course it is essentially the fault of the line involved. If you are the square root, then I have to be the cube root!

[specialcruisegirl]

Is it my imagination, or is that crab growing ....

 

:eek:

 

Could be the Pech Jeff...;)

 

Lovely lunch l see.....I must get some of those baguettes.

 

Just got back from the hair salon....grey matter all disappeared again!

 

A quick chilli bubbling away for a late lunch whist I'm enjoying a wee glass of the said vino....nothing much else to do today except chill!

 

S:)

[Travelcat2]

Great picture of a great crab!

 

By coincidence Amazon are delivering two crab eating kits later today ..... in preparation for some fresh crabs and other crustaceans I plan to have delivered to the balcony next week. Hopefully also some fresh mussels.

 

Did the crab taste good?

 

Jeff

 

Best crab we ever had! This was actually a "medium" sized crab. Northern Norway has a problem with crabs. They were brought to Norway from Alaska by Stalin to feed people in Siberia. They have taken over the area as they have no predators. The Norwegian people are trying to prevent them from moving south as they would eat all of the fish.

 

Enjoy your crab and mussels!

Edited August 20, 2014 by Travelcat2

[specialcruisegirl]

Best crab we ever had! This was actually a "medium" sized crab. Northern Norway has a problem with crabs. They were brought to Norway from Alaska by Stalin to feed people in Siberia. They have taken over the area as they have no predators. The Norwegian people are trying to prevent them from moving south as they would eat all of the fish.

 

Enjoy your crab and mussels!

 

I'm not overly keen on crab but l do love mussels....interesting story about Norway.

 

S :)

[specialcruisegirl]

Hello Coolers,

 

Loving all the new pics being posted!

 

Been busy packing for my weekend away with my beautiful daughter and son in law....Mother always arrives well stocked up with all sorts of goodies!

 

Just touching on the large group thing going on.....back in 1971 whilst working on board ship we did a six week stint sailing out of Sydney to the islands...there wasn't one trip that us female crew members were not confined to cabins due to the extreme rowdiness on board....on one voyage even the grand piano in the salon was thrown overboard!

On the last of those cruises we hit extremely bad weather in the 'bite' and were tossed around like corks for three days....it was a wake up call for many on board!!

 

Maybe in this day and age we take things too seriously.......l would be inclined to say...if you can't beat em then join em....:eek: but what fun...just my take on things....

 

Cottage pie for luncheon today....very boring!

 

Sophia :)

[lincslady]

Sophia - I think probably on a Seabourn ship, normally fairly sedate apart from fairly loud chatting and laughter before dinner, a group of it appears 170 out of max. 450 would be pretty hard to join rather than beat. As it seems they were particularly drunk and badly behaved, I for one would have hated it and resented having paid a lot for what I did not get.

 

Anyways, whatever, we had a chicken forestier pate for lunch (on the Waitrose 3 for £6 offer) and it went down very well with fino sherry. The chicken thighs marinaded in the harissa and yogurt paste this evening.

 

I think you are off on a Silversea trip soon? Looking forward to hearing about it.

 

LL