Musica Review October 2023

[Beamafar]

1 hour ago, perakcruiser said:

Wrote down in my planner 🙂

If you catch the information when the opera night is happening (if) please let me know also. They have a talent that you easily miss it and there is only one chance per cruise. 

Tonight is White Night.  This is what the app is showing for the theatre tonight.  Does this look like it might be the opera?

 

[Beamafar]

We did an excursion to Ephesus today (thanks Ken @CruiseIrelandfor sharing your experience, which convinced me, not just to book it, but to give Mary’s House a miss). 
 

We got back too late to have lunch in the MDR (and I can’t access lunch menus on the app 🙄), so I won’t be able to post the menu. 
 

Instead, we had lunch in the buffet.  There was a terrific selection available.  I had trouble deciding what to have (and that’s saying something 🙄).  Mr B tried out several pizza offerings (he only liked one) and I had lamb curry 😋followed by one of my favourite lunch items: fish goujons. 
 

 

 

Pork was the roast of the day. 

Edited October 17, 2023 by Beamafar

[Beamafar]

Our table mates have told us that they used Hoppa.com to book return transfer from the airport to port to airport and that they paid €67 total.  I’ve just checked for a one way from port to airport and the fare is €79. 

[Beamafar]

23 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

Our table mates have told us that they used Hoppa.com to book return transfer from the airport to port to airport and that they paid €67 total.  I’ve just checked for a one way from port to airport and the fare is €79. 

 

OK - so I requested that the online quote be sent to me by email and received the following:

 

[Beamafar]

I’ve scanned the QR code for today’s menus which is posted outside the MDRs.  I see that I missed out on the Cuban sandwich. 😆

[perakcruiser]

3 hours ago, Beamafar said:

Tonight is White Night.  This is what the app is showing for the theatre tonight.  Does this look like it might be the opera?

No, it has a stupid name with "Amore", in the last two years it was a short version of "La traviata". 

 

I am not keen to go to Ephesus as I have been there some years before and not expect too much has changed 😄 But the family will probably force me too. Probably the same taxi drivers as in Athens, you went with MSC? 

[lisiamc]

@Beamafar, thank you for these menus, they look great! We board Armonia on Friday, and I would guess that we might see some of these menu choices on there. It’s great to have a sneak preview. I’m enjoying your review very much.

[Beamafar]

59 minutes ago, lisiamc said:

@Beamafar, thank you for these menus, they look great! We board Armonia on Friday, and I would guess that we might see some of these menu choices on there. It’s great to have a sneak preview. I’m enjoying your review very much.

Thank you - much appreciated. 

[Beamafar]

1 hour ago, perakcruiser said:

No, it has a stupid name with "Amore", in the last two years it was a short version of "La traviata". 

 

I am not keen to go to Ephesus as I have been there some years before and not expect too much has changed 😄 But the family will probably force me too. Probably the same taxi drivers as in Athens, you went with MSC? 

I didn’t think it was the opera event. So the Italians may yet get 2 nights dedicated to them in the theatre. 🤷‍♀️

 

It’s amazing that they think they’ve only uncovered 15% of Ephesus. We prebooked an MSC excursion and had a very entertaining guide who was extremely knowledgeable, interesting and funny.  We also visited a carpet weaving place, but we stayed on the bus as we weren’t interested. 

[Beamafar]

Tonight’s dinner menu, as per the app (🙄)

 

 

We will probably dine in the MDR tonight.  

[Captain-John]

Thanks for your continued updates Bea. I appreciate the actual delivery doesn't match the app sometiems, but I continue to be impressed by the menus and do not remember them having as many appealing (to me) options in the past.

 

I would quite enjoy the Gloria Italia show, I don't speak a word of Italian but went to see Zucherro in Glasgow last year so much a fan I am.

 

2 hours ago, Beamafar said:

We also visited a carpet weaving place, but we stayed on the bus as we weren’t interested. 

 

I thoroughly resent any kind of tour that has a shopping or 'demonstration' element to it, which is to say almost all cruise line operated tours.

 

I appreciate I am in a minority as I had someone say to me in St Petersburg once that 45 minutes in the cruise-line owned 'souvenir' shop 'wasn't enough' and another threesome kick up an almighty hell that they missed a tour of an aloe factory in Aruba because the ship docked late on a Sunday and the factory was closed.

 

[CruisingFox27]

I'm in your minority group Captain! My heart sinks when I read "opportunity to shop at the local xy or z" shop of overpriced tourist tat 🙄

 

On a (not MSC) tourist tour in Egypt we had someone selling 'genuine bedouin' crafts and gifts. Unfortunately, we'd just seen them removing them from little plastic bags. Which I suspect said "made in China" and they bought in bulk 😂

[Beamafar]

 

A taster clip from the ‘Blinding Lights’ show (as promised)

[Beamafar]

13 hours ago, Captain-John said:

Thanks for your continued updates Bea. I appreciate the actual delivery doesn't match the app sometiems, but I continue to be impressed by the menus and do not remember them having as many appealing (to me) options in the past.

I thoroughly resent any kind of tour that has a shopping or 'demonstration' element to it, which is to say almost all cruise line operated tours

 

I’m with you on that one, Cap’n. 
 

Last night’s choices for us were lamb (for me) and blackened salmon (for himself). Our 2 table mates also chose the salmon and all 3 said it was really good.  My lamb was better than usual. 
 

 

Edited October 18, 2023 by Beamafar

[Beamafar]

I’ve managed to book a private transfer to the airport at a cost of €65.97 with hoppa.com.  That includes the 25% discount that I received through the email when I had requested that they email me with the quote.  So, that’s the thing to do if you’re considering Hoppa for airport transfers.  The original online quote only had a 15% discount applied (automatically). 
 

MSC does offer transfers, but our flight was too early to avail of the service. 

[Beamafar]

Today’s lunch menu

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2023 by Beamafar

[Beamafar]

Deleted 

Edited October 18, 2023 by Beamafar

[Beamafar]

We’ve had some rain showers in Rhodes today.  Seems like the most recent one was very heavy (we were having lunch, so didn’t notice).  As a result, the pool deck is flooded and is far too wet to traverse. 
 

 

 

[Beamafar]

So, for lunch, Mr B had the stuffed eggs and sardine salad, which he thought was good.  We both had our very favourite lunch offering: fish and chips.  Piping hot and the fish was really fresh. 
 

 

Edited October 18, 2023 by Beamafar

[Beamafar]

There’s a feel that autumn is setting in here.  We’ve had a breeze for a couple of days, now, and temperatures are low 20s until around midday.  It was 27 degrees in Ephesus yesterday but I was told that it got quite cool on the pool deck in the afternoon in Kusadasi. I believe it’s chilly in the evening/night so I would advise anyone sailing this region soon to bring a light sweater/jacket. 

[Beamafar]

Balls:  if you’re looking for some, they are available between 9.30am-12pm and 3-6pm on the pooldeck.  I’m referring to the ones you need for basketball, ping pong, table soccer, etc.   You cannot have them (or hold onto them) outside of these times. 

[perakcruiser]

5 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

but I was told that it got quite cool on the pool deck in the afternoon in Kusadasi. I believe it’s chilly in the evening/night so I would advise anyone sailing this region soon to bring a light sweater/jacket. 

Uh, I am not prepared for this. But I better prepare for it.

 

And only the females in our family / travel group are entitled for check in luggage, the males, my brother and me, only qualify for hand luggage😄 

[Beamafar]

Well, I’m sitting on the balcony in the sun right now, P, and it’s very pleasantly warm.  Easily 26 degrees with a warm breeze blowing.  I will check outside tonight if I get a chance.  I’m not used to dining at 9pm so I don’t have my usual onboard routine.  

[perakcruiser]

Interesting will be Mykonos, when the ship docks until 2am, I probably will go out for a night walk if it not too cold. Usually I get sick immediately when I am in Europe in winter 😄

[Beamafar]

OMG, these small bottles of water are nigh on impossible to open.  Mr B uses his thumbnail to break the little connectors to free the cap.  I remember this issue being discussed when we were on WE back in April but I can’t recall if they were the same ones, though I think they weren’t as bad as these guys.