Live from Silver Wind: Lisbon - London (19-31 May)

[Tothesunset]

No. Not live... yet. 

 

But we leave tomorrow for Gatwick Airport, stay the night at the Sofitel then on to Lisbon for 2 nights at the Avenida Palace before joining Her Windship on 19th.

 

This was an offer by a large UK travel agent whose Offers are advertised to Readers of UK newspapers. Flight, 2 nights Lisbon, cruise and home to airport then London to home limo. £5299 each minus £150 each from a previous credit. 

 

When booking we asked if suite 738 was available; it was. Booked it. 738 is a Vista cabin that, at one time, was the library but converted years ago into a suite. It's roughly 50% larger than a standard vista. When last we sailed in 738 it had 2 large windows but during the expedification of the Wind I understand these were converted to Juliet balconies. Hearsay that I hope to confirm 4 days from now. 

 

First expedition cruise for us after 201 nights on the classic ships (including Wind pre-conversion). Looking at the itinerary it doesn't look all that adventurous - that's fine. Three main reasons for selecting this: 

 

1. 738 on the Wind

 

2. Good offer

 

3. Visiting unknown parts of France

 

4. Sail in under Tower Bridge. 

 

OK, 4 good reasons. 

 

I must say, some recent posts and threads had us wondering if, 5 years since our last SS cruise, we are heading for a disappointment. Then common sense kicks in and we realise that the only opinion that matters is our own so keep an open mind (although comparisons with our 3 previous Wind cruises are inevitable). 

 

Oh, yes. I'm dreadfully unreliable so  expecting me to slip away from my whisky sour each evening to diarise the events of the day is a step too far. But I'll try and jot down ad hoc when the mood strikes. 

[LAexNY]

We will be joining you on Wind in Lisbon and staying on to Reykjavik.  Will be our second B2B on Wind.

Have never done SS Classic yet but will do our first this November on Nova, Cairns-Sydney-Auckland.

[Tothesunset]

54 minutes ago, LAexNY said:

We will be joining you on Wind in Lisbon and staying on to Reykjavik.  Will be our second B2B on Wind.

Have never done SS Classic yet but will do our first this November on Nova, Cairns-Sydney-Auckland.

If you haven't sailed into the Pool of London under Tower Bridge before, you're in for a treat. Should be the highlight of the cruise. 

[Lvshack]

5 minutes ago, Tothesunset said:

If you haven't sailed into the Pool of London under Tower Bridge before, you're in for a treat. Should be the highlight of the cruise. 

Spent Saturday night at the shard for evening dinner ..what a fantastic view looking out at the tower & st Paul's 

Enjoy.. 

[jpalbny]

4 hours ago, LAexNY said:

We will be joining you on Wind in Lisbon and staying on to Reykjavik.  Will be our second B2B on Wind.

Have never done SS Classic yet but will do our first this November on Nova, Cairns-Sydney-Auckland.

 

Jealous! Of course we're off to Silver Cloud for our Kimberley expedition in 3 weeks so I can't really be too envious... Hope you have as much fun as we did on our Wind cruise together last year. Wish we were there with you to meet TTS - say hello from us!

 

3 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

If you haven't sailed into the Pool of London under Tower Bridge before, you're in for a treat. Should be the highlight of the cruise. 

 

I agree, it is fantastic! Enjoy it.

[LAexNY]

Enjoy the Kimberley.  We did it last year on the Explorer swan song and it was spectacular. 

[les37b]

6 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

If you haven't sailed into the Pool of London under Tower Bridge before, you're in for a treat. Should be the highlight of the cruise. 

Completely agree. It would be the highlight of most cruises. I’ll certainly watch you sailing under the Dartford Ctossing at 6am and hopefully be there in the pool to say hello a few hours later. My fingers are crossed for you know what… and as of now, it’s still not rectified.

 

Enjoy your cruise and 738 and hopefully the cupboards on board are fully stocked!

 

Looking on the SS website, I see they are still using my video extract of Wind sailing under Dartford Bridge and Cloud under Tower Bridge. Brings back such fond memories.

 

https://www.silversea.com/destinations/northern-europe-british-isles-cruise.html

 

Click watch video on the page to view.

 

This was a live broadcast I did on YT which I’m sure you were watching TTS?

 

 

Edited May 16 by les37b

[Tothesunset]

Morning all. 5am my internal alarm clock went off. 2 hours early. Suspect it needs a new battery. 

 

Last minute packing today. 5th consecutive day of last minute packing. One of my sons does his packing in the last half hour before travelling. Never forgets anything, either. It's inhuman. 

 

Hate this bit about travelling, most particularly leaving the dogs in kennels. They don't mind, though, and that somehow makes it worse. 

 

The car arrives with us at 2pm.  Which means we will be pacing the hallways from about 12.30 onward. We get maybe 4 or 5 vehicles use our lane each day so each time we hear something we'll grab our bags only to find it's Dave the farmer going home for lunch or something. To say we get ready early for rendezvous is to seriously underestimate our punctuality. Still, when it comes to flights etc, better 3 hours early than 3 minutes late. 

 

The weather has joined us in feeling gloomy and slightly stressed. There's a spooky fenland mist out there and it's none too warm. But once we're in the car I expect the holiday feeling will take over. In fact, I know it will. 

[lincslady]

Have a great time - I well remember that lovely feeling when you get into the car and wave goodbye to the house and daily routine, and think about what is ahead of you.

 

Bon voyage, and we will look forward to news - if and when you have time.

[highplanesdrifters]

TTS - wishing you a most excellent journey!

 

9 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

Last minute packing today. 5th consecutive day of last minute packing

 

I call it picking and gathering, sounds less ominous. I'll often start a week or 2 in advance. Sometimes just wash and repack after a trip. 😃

[Tothesunset]

Now I'm impressed. The TA arranged for our car to arrive at 1400 for the trip to LGW. 13.58 he arrived at the gate in a new Audi A6. Nice smooth ride to the Sofitel. 145 miles, 3 hours. Typical airport hotel but it's only for one night. 

 

Isn't online check-in wonderful? When it works. Did mine, boarding pass on Google wallet. All good. Did OH's, got to the final screen and no option to download, copy or anything else concerning a boarding pass. Oh, flipping heck (or similar expletive). Started to go through the check in process again and it told her she had already checked in and did she want a boarding pass? Well, duh. So we are each checked-in. Phew!

 

As an aside, last week elder son and I returned from Warsaw and landed just as the entire UK Border Control systems failed. A mere 5 hours to get through immigration. Oh, I do love air travel. Not. (Warsaw is a wonderful city. Why it isn't more visited, at least by Brits, I don't know. I'd live there tomorrow.) 

 

 

[DavyWavey70]

2 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

As an aside, last week elder son and I returned from Warsaw and landed just as the entire UK Border Control systems failed. A mere 5 hours to get through immigration. Oh, I do love air travel. Not. (Warsaw is a wonderful city. Why it isn't more visited, at least by Brits, I don't know. I'd live there tomorrow.) 

 

 

I Suppose after Lincolnshire, anywhere with a little undulation might be a welcome relief. Have you ever tried Madeira (either the Island or the drink? I Like both) Here in Wales it is thought that the reason that many Welsh people are born with one leg shorter than the other is a direct result of the number of contour lines printed on maps, a curious side effect of topography. I'm Glad you got your packing sorted. Looking forward to hearing about your trip. Wishing you a smooth sailing and a fabulous time. May the road rise up to meet you. 

[Tothesunset]

2 hrs of sitting on the tarmac at Gatwick really didn't get the day going well. Our scheduled 10.35 departure became 12.45 getting into Lisbon at 15.10

 

Sailed through immigration but OH had to endure the queue of the great unwashed who aren't EU citizens. Bless. 

 

Both feeling lacking in vim and pep so wandered about 200 metres to the Hard Rock Cafe, which offered its now corporate, but still tasty, menu. Burgers and brownies later we waddled back to the hotel for a lie down. Until morning. 

 

I feel sad for those who never got a chance to visit the 2 original HRCs in London and (of all places) Stockholm. In the late 70s/early 80s it was tremendous. The food was better for a start but the music was brilliant - bearing in mind that all good rock music happened between Woodstock and 1979.  I'd often stroll down Piccadilly after a meeting or whatever, still in suit and tie, and perch at the bar like Billy no mates. Then it was bought out, went all corporate and slightly lost sight of what made the place unique. 'Twas ever thus. 

[UKCruiseJeff]

It’s hard to comprehend these days but the HRC in London had the best burgers in town.  But there were queues.  I believe that it was the inspiration for Bill Wyman’s Sticky Fingers.  

 

It is eerie you mention Woodstock AND HRC. I’ve been to HRC with my cousin who engineered the Woodstock 3 day album.  He went on to much greater things and sadly I still eat burgers!  Also he is older than me but looks younger.  Life is not fair.

 

 🙂

 

Have a stonkingly good trip. 

 

Jeff

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 17 by UKCruiseJeff

[DavyWavey70]

3 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

2 hrs of sitting on the tarmac at Gatwick really didn't get the day going well. Our scheduled 10.35 departure became 12.45 getting into Lisbon at 15.10

 

Sailed through immigration but OH had to endure the queue of the great unwashed who aren't EU citizens. Bless. 

 

Both feeling lacking in vim and pep so wandered about 200 metres to the Hard Rock Cafe, which offered its now corporate, but still tasty, menu. Burgers and brownies later we waddled back to the hotel for a lie down. Until morning. 

 

I feel sad for those who never got a chance to visit the 2 original HRCs in London and (of all places) Stockholm. In the late 70s/early 80s it was tremendous. The food was better for a start but the music was brilliant - bearing in mind that all good rock music happened between Woodstock and 1979.  I'd often stroll down Piccadilly after a meeting or whatever, still in suit and tie, and perch at the bar like Billy no mates. Then it was bought out, went all corporate and slightly lost sight of what made the place unique. 'Twas ever thus. 

The Hard Rock was my local when I first moved to London in 89. It was fantastic. I lived 100 yards from Hyde Park Corner at the time. What a place to be 18! 

[highplanesdrifters]

18 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

all good rock music happened between Woodstock and 1979

 

Hear Hear!

 

As a side, just watched 'Trainwreck: Woodstock 99' on Netflix. Worth a look see.

 

Fair winds.

[UKCruiseJeff]

14 hours ago, DavyWavey70 said:

The Hard Rock was my local when I first moved to London in 89. It was fantastic. I lived 100 yards from Hyde Park Corner at the time. What a place to be 18! 

 

😁

 

A park bench? 

 

Jeff

[Fletcher]

My regular 'workplace' London haunt was Joe Allen in Exeter Street and near my flat in St John's Wood was a fab Italian place called Rossetti.  

[DavyWavey70]

21 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

😁

 

A park bench? 

 

Jeff

Some nights maybe but most nights Headfort Place.

[Tothesunset]

52 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

 

Hear Hear!

 

As a side, just watched 'Trainwreck: Woodstock 99' on Netflix. Worth a look see.

 

Fair winds.

Yes, I've seen that. Horrific. 

[Tothesunset]

Footsore now from pounding the streets of Lisbon. Such a good city for aimless rambling. Bit like this thread. 

 

I know one should always try something different but tonight we are going for the tasting menu at Prado in the Alfama district:

 

https://pradorestaurante.com/

 

It really is such good food and something of a bargain at €80 each. Oh, I do like a bargain. 

 

I might have mentioned that we are staying at the Avenida Palace Hotel. It's about as central as you can get and charmingly old-fashioned but with all modern amenities. Oddly, they don't have a proper restaurant, just a breakfast room. Not that Lisbon is short of eating places. The rooms are quite small, though. Comfortable but probably around 22 sq mtr (I think that's something like 200 sq ft) so there's no cat-swinging potential. 

 

We noticed 2 cruise ships docked at the cruise terminal. One was a Costa something-or-other disgorging passengers onto the quayside in a human avalanche. It's a big ship. Yuk! The other ship was farther along and I didn't recognise the funnel insignia nor was I sufficiently interested to be bothered strolling any further to identify it. 

 

24 hrs from now we should, with a fair wind, be in our favourite suite on our favourite ship. 

 

Sometimes we just need to step back and remind ourselves how privileged we are. 

[Luv2Cruise1016]

According to CruiseMapper they are Costa Favolosa and Fred Olsen Balmoral.

[les37b]

33 minutes ago, Tothesunset said:

24 hrs from now we should, with a fair wind, be in our favourite suite on our favourite ship. 

 

Sometimes we just need to step back and remind ourselves how privileged we are. 

 

Enjoy. Was the last time in 738 on the rather rough seas to Tower Bridge from Fort Lauderdale? At least you can be sure you wont get those seas on this one! 

 

BTW, I've had no joy with the issue we are aware about and its still not showing up as you board. I'll check again on Monday and have another go. Might be an idea to speak with the HD to advise your name needs to be on that list or you wont be coming in (and ask if they understand how it works!) Please post if you do get some feedback. My fingers and toes are crossed for you.

[Tothesunset]

1 minute ago, les37b said:

 

Enjoy. Was the last time in 738 on the rather rough seas to Tower Bridge from Fort Lauderdale? At least you can be sure you wont get those seas on this one! 

Spot on. We were warned of 11 metre swells (36 ft) but it settled at a tame 9 metres (30 ft). Had the dining room pretty much to ourselves! 

[Tothesunset]

4 minutes ago, les37b said:

 

 

BTW, I've had no joy with the issue we are aware about and its still not showing up as you board. I'll check again on Monday and have another go. Might be an idea to speak with the HD to advise your name needs to be on that list or you wont be coming in (and ask if they understand how it works!) Please post if you do get some feedback. My fingers and toes are crossed for you.

I hope you're wrong! But being forewarned puts us in a good position. 

 

(I know nobody understands what Les and I are talking about. But all will become clear in 2 weeks. Mysterious, eh?)