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    • The Best of Goldring Travel’s Making Waves Blog
  • Cruise/Travel Reviews
      Seabourn
      Seabourn Quest – December 2019 (South Georgia Island and Antarctica III)
      • Seabourn’s Antarctica and Patagonia – Goldring Travel’s Third Expedition – Part I
      • Seabourn’s Antarctica and Patagonia – Goldring Travel’s Third Expedition – Part II (Anticipation)
      • Seabourn’s Antarctica and Patagonia – Goldring Travel’s Third Expedition – Part III (South Georgia Island)
      • Seabourn’s Antarctica and Patagonia – Goldring Travel’s Third Expedition – Part IV (Hope Bay, Cuverville Island, Lemaire Channel and the Iceberg Graveyard)
      • Seabourn’s Antarctica and Patagonia – Goldring Travel’s Third Expedition – Part V (Paradise Bay, Torgersen Island & Half Moon Island)
      • Seabourn’s Antarctica and Patagonia – Goldring Travel’s Third Expedition – Part VI (Patagonia)
      Seabourn Quest – January 2019 (Antarctica II)
      • Seabourn’s Antarctica Revisited – Part I (Pre-Cruise Perspectives and Santiago) 
      • Seabourn’s Antarctica Revisited – Part II (Desolation, Getting the Party Started and Perspective – Chilean Patagonia)
      • Seabourn’s Antarctica Revisited – Part III (Ushuaia and The Drake Passage – Are We There Yet?)
      • Seabourn’s Antarctica Revisited – Part IV (First Days in Antarctica: Revelations, Deception and Ansel Adams)
      • Seabourn’s Antarctica Revisited – Part V (Antarctica Weather, Wonder & WOW!)
      • Seabourn’s Antarctica Revisited – Part VI (The Falklands – It’s Ain’t Over Till Seabourn Says It Is Over!)
      Seabourn Quest – January 2018 (Antarctica)
      • Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part I
      • Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part II (Falkland Island Penguins)
      • Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part III (Drake Passage and Greenwich Island-Yankee Harbour)
      • Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part IV (Torgersen Island/Neko Harbor – “The Lifting of the Fog!”)
      • Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part V (Peterman Island)
      • Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part VI (Captain Larsen and Class, Crossing the Southern Polar Circle & Breaking Records)
      • Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part VII (Waterboat Point, Kayaking…and Sadness)
      • Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part IX (Punta Arenas & Goldring Travel Goes Local and Culinary)
      • Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part X (El Brujo Glacier, Galley Market Lunch and Castro, Chile)
      • Antarctica and Patagonia: An Adventure on the Seabourn Quest – Part XI (Reflections + Puerto Montt and Heading Home)
      Seabourn Sojourn – June 2018 (Alaska)
      • Seabourn Sojourn in Alaska – Part 1 (Getting There)
      • Seabourn Sojourn in Alaska – Part II (Calm Seas, Great Views, but a Rough Start)
      • Seabourn Sojourn in Alaska – Part III (A Seabourn Moment and “Such a Hike. Oy!”)
      • Seabourn Sojourn in Alaska – Part IV (Tourism, Tracy Arm, Kayaking and a Duck)
      • Seabourn Sojourn in Alaska – Part V (Seabourn Ventures: Inian Islands, Icy Strait and College Fjord)
      Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Seabourn Ovation
      • Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part I (Getting There…Oy Vey…and Copenhagen)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part II (Seabourn Signature Suite & Gothenburg, Sweden)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part III (Olso & Sandefjord, Norway…Getting Culinary – Norwegian, Sushi and Earth & Ocean…and Discussing Whaling!)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part IV (Newcastle upon Tyne, Thomas Keller and Complimentary Wines)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part V (Invergordon, Scotland – Glenfiddich Whisky!)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part VI (Scrabster, Scotland and Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland – Who Knew?)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part VII (Goldring Travel Grand – Scottish & English – Culinary Event, Galley Market Brunch & More)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2019 Culinary & Cultural Cruise -Part VIII (Bremerhaven and The Kiel Canal, Germany)
      Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Seabourn Encore
      • Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural Cruise – Part I (Getting Ready and Looking Forward)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural Cruise – Part II (Barcelona and Mahon, Menorca)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural Cruise – Part III (Monaco and Portovenere, Italy)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural Cruise – Part IV (Rome and Amalfi, Italy)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural Cruise – Part V (Syracusa, Sicily and Crotone, Italy…and Chef David )
      • Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural Cruise – Part VI (Corfu, Greece – A Culinary & Cultural Day to Remember!)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2018 Culinary & Cultural Cruise – Part VII (The Seabourn Chefs Let Loose! and Katakalon, Greece)
      Goldring Travel’s 2017 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Seabourn Encore
      • Goldring Travel’s 2017 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Part I (Getting There and Getting On With It)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2017 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Part II (Tangier, Morocco: Why It Is “Culinary & Cultural”; Not “Food & Wine”)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2017 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Part III (Cadiz and Portimao : Sherry, Cocktails, Cheese…and a Mixology Competition!)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2017 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Part IV (Incredible Private Cooking Demonstration and Fireworks in Gibraltar)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2017 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Part VI (Tapas…And I Mean Tapas!) 
      • Goldring Travel’s 2017 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Part VII (The Famous Food & Wine Event: Chef’s Nine Court Tasting)
      Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – Seabourn Quest
      • Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise on the Seabourn Quest – Part I
      • Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise on the Seabourn Quest – Part II (British Wine Tour and More)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise on the Seabourn Quest – Part III (Torquay, Pokémon Go and Little Things)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise on the Seabourn Quest – Part IV (Stornoway, Scotland and Smoked Salmon)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise on the Seabourn Quest – Part V (Kirkwall, Ullapool, Whiskey and the Kindness of a Stranger)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise on the Seabourn Quest – Part VI (Oban, Greenock and Belfast – Seabourn Moments!)
      • Goldring Travel’s 2016 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise on the Seabourn Quest – Part VII (Belfast, Liverpool – And Another Seabourn Moment!)
      Goldring Travel’s 2015 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise
      • Part I (A Look Back and A Look Forward)
      • Part II (Copenhagen & The First Day)
      • Part III (Flam & Alesund)
      • Part IV (Slovlaer and Tromso)
      • Part V (Honningsvag) – Ventures By Seabourn
      • Part VI (Sea Days & Private Culinary Events)
      • ​Part VI (Bergen, Stavanger & The Last Two Culinary Events: Shopping with the Seabourn Chef and A Cheese Tasting)
      Goldring Travel’s 2013 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise
      • Preparations and a Plan…Sort Of! 
      • Take Off…and A Fresh Perspective 
      • Air Travel, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Meat! 
      • The First 24 Hours and Ihhabela, Brazil 
      • The Little Things (Paranagua and Porto Belo, Brazil) 
      • Seabourn Quest’s Chef Creates An Incredible Tasting Event 
      • The Event: Montevideo, Uruguay- Caviar, Caviar and Sturgeon ​
      Goldring Travel’s 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride
      • Part II (Perspective)
      • Part III (Storms A Brewing…And A Double Rainbow!)
      • Part IV (Fish & Chips…And A Great Beer)
      • Part V (Cork, Ireland and a Lucky Leprechaun Named Darina Allen)
      • ​Part VI (A Day at Sea with Special Events…And Then A Most Charming Port )
      • Part VII (Bordeaux- Day 1)
      • Part VII (Bordeaux- Day 2: Chateau Margaux and Chateau Lynch-Bages)
      • Part VIII (Relaxing and “Basque”ing)
      • Part IX (Shopping With The Chef)
      • Part X (The Goldring Travel Food & Wine Tasting)
      Goldring Travel’s 2011 Food & Wine Cruise – Seabourn Sojourn
      • Part I
      • Part II
      • Part III
      • Part IV
      • Part V
      • Part VI
      • Part VII
      • Part VIII
      • Part IX
      Goldring Travel’s 2010 Food & Wine Cruise – Seabourn Odyssey
      • The Beginning…Almost.
      • The Beginning…Leaving On A Jet Plane
      • Oy, Such Problems!
      • Doing So Much and Doing Nothing
      • A Sea Day and Some Thoughts About The Dining Experiences
      • Shopping with the Chef and Sicilian Seafood Experiences
      • Malta and Food for Thought
      • Pizza or the Wintergarden Suite’s Spa? Let’s Try Both!
      • The Food & Wine Tasting to Die For!
      • Finding Pizza and What It Means to “Travel”
      Goldring Travel’s 2009 Food & Wine Cruise – Seabourn Spirit
      • 2009 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit
      • Some Pre-Cruise Thoughts and My Plan
      • The Start: It’s All About The Clothes???
      • Walking With Wine In Venice
      • Finally Onboard…Err, I Mean, Home!
      • Split, Croatia: Shopping With the Chef & Chilling Out Seabourn Style
      • Its About The Fish!
      • Meeting Up With The Big Sister & Chef’s Surprises
      • Some Final Thoughts
      Goldring Travel’s 2008 Food & Wine Cruise
      • Travelogue Part I
      • Travelogue Part II
      • Travelogue Part III (The Food & Wine Tasting!)
      Goldring Travel’s 2007 Seabourn Food & Wine Cruise
      • Goldring Travel’s 2007 Seabourn Food & Wine Cruise
      Seabourn Quest Pre-Inaugural Cruise 2011
      • Part I
      • Part II
      • Part III
      • Part IV
      • Part V
      • Part VI – The Photos!
      Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural Cruise (2010)
      • The Inaugural & Maiden Voyage Travelogue
      • The Inaugural & Maiden Voyage Travelogue – Part II
      • The Inaugural & Maiden Voyage Travelogue – Part III (The Seabourn Sojourn Has Been Delivered!)
      • Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural and Maiden Voyage – Part VI
      • Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural and Maiden Voyage – Part XII – Some Videos and Photos
      2009 Seabourn Odyssey Inaugural Cruise
      • The Ca’ Segredo Hotel Starts The Sojourn
      • First Impressions
      • Cuisine, Venues, People
      • The Standard Suites – Part I
      • The Standard Suites- Part II
      • The Upper Suites
      AmaWaterways River Cruises
      Goldring Travel’s 2014 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise – AmaWaterways AmaCerto
      • (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part I
      • (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part II
      • (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part III
      • (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part IV (Georg Breuer Riesling Tasting)
      • (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part VI
      • (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part VII (Bamberg Brewery Tour and Beer Tasting)
      • (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part VIII
      • (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part IX (Food & Wine Tasting on the AmaCerto)
      • (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part X
      • (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part XI – The Tokaji Wine Tasting
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part VI (Hualien, Taiwan and Okinawa – The Kindness of Strangers)
      AmaWaterways AmaLotus – Vietnam & Cambodia
      • AmaWaterways Mekong River Cruise – Radio Interview
      • Part I
      • Part II
      • Part III
      • Part IV
      • Part V (Getting There & Day 1: Hanoi)
      • Part VI (Let the Tour Begin!)
      • Part VII (Halong Bay…and A Monk)
      • Part VIII
      • Part IX (The Ship)
      • Part X (The Egg)
      • Part XI (Happy Pizza)
      • Part XII (The Killing Fields)
      • Part XIII (Our Last Days)
      • Review and Reflection of the 2012 AmaWaterways AmaLotus Vietnam and Cambodia Tour and Cruise
      Avalon Waterways

               – Avalon Myanmar – Myanmar River Cruise – April 2017

      • Avalon Waterways Myanmar – Part I (March 2017
      • Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part II (Getting Here & Getting It On)
      • Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part III (Yangon – Day 2)
      • Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part IV (Bhamo to Katha)
      • Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part V (Katha to Tigyang)

      • Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part VI (Kya Hnyat to Kyauk Myaung)

      • Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part VII (Mingun to Mandalay)
      • Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part VIII (Sagaing to Bagan)
      • Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part IX (The Ship: Avalon Myanmar)

      •  

        Avalon Waterways – Myanmar (Burma) – Reflections: “Isn’t This Amazing!?”

      Azamara Club Cruises

         *Azamara Club Cruises – Azamara Journey – Singapore to Dubai (April 8, 2018)

      • Azamara Club Cruises – Azamara Journey – April 8, 2018 (Singapore to Dubai) – Revisiting the (Upgraded) Experience
      • Azamara Journey Asian Adventure – Part I (Getting There and Getting Set)
      • Azamara Journey Asian Adventure – Part II (Initial Impressions and Myanmar)
      • Azamara Journey Asian Adventure – Part III (“Cruise Global, Go Local” in Sri Lanka)
      • Azamara Journey Asian Adventure – Part IV (The Culinary Experience)
      • Azamara Journey Asian Adventure – Part V (Cochin, Goa & Mumbai, India)
      • Azamara Journey Asian Adventure – Part VI – Reflections (Azamara Journey vs. Regent Seven Seas Voyager)

      * Azamara Quest – Southeast Asia and Japan (February 2015)

      •  Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part I
      • Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part II
      • Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part III (Bali and Komodo Island) 
      • Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part IV (Upscale Meets ????)
      • Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part V (Manila, Philippines – By Day and AzAmazing Evening) 
      • Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part V (Perspectives on Experiencing Developing Ports)
      • Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part VI (Hualien, Taiwan and Okinawa – The Kindness of Strangers)
      • Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part VII (Doing It On Your Own – Part A – Dontonbori, Osaka)
      • Azamara Club Cruises in Asia – Is it Amazing? Part VIII (Doing It On Your Own – Part B – Kyoto – Why You Can’t Rely Only On Guidebooks or TripAdvisor!)
       

       

       

       

      Celebrity Cruises
      Celebrity Xperience – Galapagos (2017)
      • Celebrity Xperience – The Galapagos- Part I
      • Celebrity Xperience In The Galapagos- Part II (Getting There, Pre-Cruise, Baltra & Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz Island
      • Celebrity Xperience In The Galapagos- Part III (More Than You Expect)
      • Celebrity Xperience In The Galapagos- Part IV (Sea Lions & Boobies & Penguins, Oh My!)
      • Celebrity Xperience In The Galapagos- Part V (The Attack of the Flightless Cormorant…and Other Cool Stuff!)
      • Celebrity Xperience In The Galapagos- Part VI (Incredible Birding, Baby Sea Lions and So Much More)
      • Celebrity Xperience In The Galapagos- Part VII (Reflections & Updates on the Ships – Including the new Celebrity Flora – and What to Consider.)
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
      Celebrity Century (2011)

      – How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? – Part I
      – How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? Part II
      – How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? Part III
      – How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? Part IV
      – How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? – Some Final Observations and Thoughts

      Celebrity Equinox (2009)

      – The Prologue to the Travelogue
      – The Adventure Begins…With a Bump or Two
      – Settling In Made Easy
      – Luxury Touches Here, There and OK, Not, Everywhere…But There Are Lots of Them!
      – Asian Flair Onboard and On Shore
      – Private Tours, Israel and Conflicts in Perceptions and Perspective
      Celebrity Equinox 2009 – Egypt…Impressive and Depressing
      – Dining With the Captain and the Reidel Wine Seminar
      – The Last Dinner (Tuscan Grille) and Disembarkation
      – What Happens When A Class Act Meets Highly Discounted Cruise Fare

      Celebrity Silhouette (2013)

      – How Upscale to Luxury is a Celebrity Cruise Experience? – Part I
      – How Upscale to Luxury is a Celebrity Cruise Experience? – Part II
      – How Upscale to Luxury is a Celebrity Cruise Experience? The Review – Part III

      Celebrity Solstice (2008)

      – Celebrity Solstice 2008 Inaugural Cruise – Part I
      – Celebrity Solstice 2008 Inaugural Cruise – Part II

      Celebrity Summit “Solticized” – A Ship Inspection (2012)

      Celebrity Summit “Solticized” – A Ship Inspection (2012)

      Crystal Cruises
      Crystal Serenity – November 2015

      – Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part I
      – Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part II
      – Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part III
      – Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part IV (Food & Wine!)

      Crystal Symphony – April 2011

      – Part I
      – Part II
      – Part III
      – Part IV
      – Part V
      – Part VI
      – Part VII
      – Part VIII
      – Part IX
      – Goldring Travel’s Pacific Exploration of Crystal Cruise’s Luxury Experience – “Reflections”

      Cunard

      – Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 – A Winter Transatlantic Crossing on Her 10th Anniversary

      Fathom Impact Travel

      – Immersing In fathom’s Social Impact Programs

      G Adventures - Amazon River Cruise

      – Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures – Part I
      – Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures – Part II
      – Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures – Part III
      – Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures – Part IV (What Group Travel Should Really Be About!)

      Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)

      – Norwegian Gem – Budget Cruises Pitching Luxury: You Don’t Get What You Pay For, You Only Think You Do.

      Paul Gauguin

      – Paul Gauguin (2007)

      Princess

      – Princess Cruises Doesn’t Treat You Like Royalty; Celebrity Cruises Does! Which is a Better Value for the Upscale Cruise Guest? Part I
      – Celebrity Silhouette vs. -Royal Princess – Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part II: The Standard Veranda Staterooms
      – Celebrity Silhouette vs. Royal Princess – Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part III: Treating You Right From The Start
      – Celebrity Silhouette vs. Royal Princess – Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part IV: The Wine Lists Speak Volumes (As Do The Beverage Packages)

      Regent Seven Seas

         Regent Seven Seas Voyager – August 2017

      • Goldring Travel Revisits Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager: Rome to Barcelona – August 1, 2017)
      • Goldring Travel Revisits Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager: Rome to Barcelona – August 1, 2017) – Getting There and First Impressions
      • Goldring Travel Revisits Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager: Rome to Barcelona – August 1, 2017) – Part III (Florence and Ajaccio: Starting to Drill Down on the Regent Experience)
      • Goldring Travel Revisits Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager: Rome to Barcelona – August 1, 2017) – Part IV (La Spezia and Monaco: Consistent Inconsistencies and Misses)
      • Goldring Travel Revisits Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager: Rome to Barcelona – August 1, 2017) – Part V (Antibes and Marseilles: The Ensemble Experience, Cultural Wine “Tasting” and Sette Mari – Luxury Experiences for Sure)
      • Goldring Travel Revisits Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager: Rome to Barcelona – August 1, 2017) – Part VI (Palamos, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca & Valencia: Culinary Bliss..and Consistent Inconsistencies)
      • Goldring Travel Revisits Regent Seven Seas Cruises (Seven Seas Voyager: August 1, 2017) – Caveat Emptor! Consistently Inconsistent: Not a “Six Star Luxury” Cruise Experience
      Royal Caribbean

      – Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas Travelogue – Prologue
      – Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas – My First 24 Hours
      – Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas – A Hurricane Runs Through It…Almost
      – Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas Travelogue – The Last Days …

      SeaDream Yacht Club

      – Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part I
      – Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part II (Getting There, The Stateroom and First Impressions)
      – Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part III (“You Can’t Teach Five Star Service” and Bonafacio, Corsica)
      – Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part IV (Calvi, Monaco, Portofino, Porto Azzurro…and Stale Bread)
      – Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part V (My Last Day…and How The Chef’s Team Makes It Happen)

      Silversea
      Silversea Expeditions – Silver Discoverer – November 2016 (Indonesia & Myanmar)
      • Silversea Expedition Cruises – Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part I
      • Silversea Expedition Cruises –Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part II (Singapore & Raffles Hotel)
      • Silversea Expedition Cruises – Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part III (Ship Happens: Singapore Day 2)
      • Silversea Expedition Cruises –  Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part IV (The Ship Arrives)
      • Silversea Expedition Cruises –  Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part V (The Expedition Begins – Orangutans & Jimmy Buffett)
      • Silversea Expedition Cruises – Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part VI (What is an Expedition Cruise? Why am I Here?)
      • Silversea Expedition Cruises – Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part VII (Myanmar – No Complaints!)
      • Silversea Expedition Cruises – Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part VIII (Myanmar – Developing Tourism & Finding Nemo Again)
      • Silversea Expedition Cruises – Silver Discoverer Indonesia/Myanmar Expedition: Part IX (Reflections)

         
         

         

      Silversea Silver Shadow – June 2013 (Alaska)
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review – Part I
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review – Part II
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review – Part III
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review – Part IV
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review – Part V
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review – Part VI
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review – Part VII
      Taipei, Taiwan - Independent Travel

      – A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan – Who Knew? – Part I
      – A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan – Who Knew? – Part II
      – A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan – Who Knew? – Part III (Spa, Beauty and Fashion)
      – A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan – Who Knew? – Part IV (Cuisine: Street, Sublime & Surreal)

      Windstar
      Windstar Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise

      – Windstar Cruises’ Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise – Part I
      – Windstar Cruises’ Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise – Part II – The Transformation of A Cruise Line
      – Windstar Cruises’ Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise – Part III – The Windstar Experience 2.0

      Windstar Pride – Black Sea Cruise – September 2014

      – Windstar Cruises – Star Pride Black Sea Cruise – Part I
      – Windstar Cruises – Star Pride Black Sea Cruise – Part II
      – Windstar Cruises – Star Pride Black Sea Cruise – Part III

      Windstar’s Wind Surf – Caribbean – January 2014

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Crystal Serenity – Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part III

 

In my continuing analysis of how Crystal Cruises measures up as a “move up” from premium cruise lines and as a “move over” from other luxury cruise lines, my November 13, 2015 cruise on the Crystal Serenity continues…

Having explored Lisbon and Madeira in Portugal and a good bit of the Serenity, we set sail for the Canary Islands (which, by the way, is part of Spain).  Our first stop was Santa Cruz, Tenerife, which is not exactly the hotbed of culture or cuisine (and is better know as a cheap warm holiday destination for Europeans).

Because the Crystal Serenity does not go to bed after dinner, with the lively piano bar, Avenue Saloon,

Crystal Serenity’s Avenue Saloon Piano Bar
A beautiful venue where oldies and show tunes are sung
each evening by a talented pianist/singer
with a loyal crowd enjoying it.

and the disco, Pulse,

Crystal Serenity’s Pulse Disco
Home to late night dancing and a couple of Karaoke Nights
drew a good crowd every night of our cruise

both in full swing until at least 2:00 a.m. we had a rather late night (for research purposes only!)  so the next morning was a bit slow; starting with another lovely breakfast on our balcony.

With no real “must do” highlights we decided to simply take a walk…a long walk…exploring the town, old and new.

Crystal Cruise’s port lecturer was fantastic.
When he mentioned this church, he knew exactly when it would, curiously, be closed.
He was right! 
The African Market (really just a mercado) is with a quick visit

One of the more interesting site is the Audiorio de Tenerife, which is a very attractive structure with a small cafe if you are interested.

Auditorio de Tenerife
 

Passing an old fortress we came upon a couple of private/public swim clubs which you can tell would be jam-packed if it was summer.

Santa Cruz, Tenerife looks pretty from a distance…from a distance

And then it was onto a what I thought would be a lovely garden, the Palmetum.  The woman that greeted us was surprised and happy to have American visitors, which she said was very rare.  And we were off on a winding uphill path with over 400 species of palm varieties and many other plants in a beautiful setting.

Palmetum in Santa Cruz, Tenerife

And then, when you reach the top of the hill, the brochure explains that what you are walking on is actually a landfill that was abandoned in 1983, but which is still “fermenting” and the black pipes you see here and there are used to release methane gas…and the water you hear trickling all around you is from the nearby sewage treatment plant. I actually recommend supporting Palmetum, and similar projects, as it is a environmentally responsible way to address our waste problems.  (Just stay on the path! LOL).  Seriously, take a look at the photograph of Santa Cruz, Tenerife above which was taken from the Palmetum.  An architectural masterpiece and a very popular swim club sit by a garden, but would otherwise be adjacent to a garbage dump.

After a walk through town it was time for some lunch before heading back to the Crystal Serenity. Admittedly I was struggling to find a non-touristic place for lunch…and then I saw, ‘er um, heard a place with only Spanish being spoken:  Restaurante El Lateral 27.  Friendly waiters who spoke just enough English for us and good, local, food (though a few things I wanted they were out of).

Fresh fried sardines.  Yum!
Friendly waitress…that insisted we needed a “digestive”.

It was a lovely lunch and then our waitress said we needed a digestive afterwards.  Why not?  Well when she arrived with a literally florescent green glowing liquor with two large brandy snifters with ice I knew I was in trouble.  Tasting like a cross between limoncello and sambuca this licor de hierbas could have been the highlight of the day…and the need for a nap immediately thereafter!

 


When we returned to the Crystal Serenity Santa’s elves were hard at work getting ready for the holiday season.  It was actually kind of fun seeing how each day more and more decorations seemed to magically appear.  Alas, it was a little early for Christmas decorations for me, but those on the next cruise might well find late November to be “The Season”.

That evening we tried out Prego, Crystal Serenity’s second alternative dining venue.  Honestly, it was fine, but I left a bit underwhelmed (as I did after dining in Prego on the Crystal Symphony a few years ago).  Maybe it is because I have had too many great meals traveling through Italy or that I live in the New York area with so many great Italian restaurants.  That said, there were some real highlights including the “signature” mushroom soup served in a bread bowl.  A disappointment was the “signature” lasagna – which was unlike any lasagna I have ever had (and it is not exactly an upscale dish).

Giving it another chance, we dined at Prego again.  Again, it was fine, but not impressive.  The beef carpaccio and risotto were excellent.  When you order pasta (in my case fettuccine) you have the option of the type of pasta and of various sauces. While my pasta was clearly high quality and tasteful it was dried (not fresh) and I was given a green pasta (assumedly spinach) because I ordered it with pesto.  I did not order or want spinach pasta…but I ate it.  The pesto was good and the addition of coarsely chopped pine nuts was nice.

Another niggle:  Dessert offers gelato and then calls it ice cream.  I asked the waiter and he said they are actually the same.  They are not!  Gelato has far less butterfat, is creamer and thicker with less air. In an Italian specialty restaurant that is just not acceptable.  (It was ice cream and it was good, but not gelato.)

Speaking of ice cream in a positive way, Crystal Cruises excels when it comes to ice cream!  At Scoops, its complimentary ice cream bar, a variety of Ben & Jerry’s ice creams are available each day in either a waffle cone or cups.

Crystal Cruises does ice cream right:
Ben & Jerry’s generously served in a waffle cone!

Our next day brought us to Arrecife on the Canary Island of Lanzarote, Spain; a curious volcanic island that appears to be on the map of bicyclists and triathletes as well as those interested in its volcanic history and beaches.  But for me, I wanted to explore the island’s unique wines!

We headed out, only to have another long wait for the Crystal shuttle buses (seriously, first up they should be running constantly) and then, after some negotiation, hired a taxi to take us to the famous lava fields; opting to avoid the bus tour.

As we headed out of town I sight I did not expect:  A Volkswagen Westfalia Vanagon campermobile almost identical to mine; though in far worse shape!

Soon we began to see some very low growing grape vines (not dissimilar to those you see on the island of Santorini in Greece.  However in Lanzarote the vines are protected from the salt air and ocean winds by low semi-circular walls made of volcanic rock and are planted in very thin soil covered by volcanic dust.

A small vineyard on the Canary Island of Lanzarote, Spain

The wine would have to wait as we headed to Timanfaya National Park.  What I didn’t know is that you are required to take a bus tour of the park, which is narrated in various languages (be sure you get on the correct bus) and takes about 30 minutes.  (A tip:  The lines into the park can be hours long, but buses and taxis can skip the line.)

Timanfay National Park, Lanzarote, Spain

It was interesting enough, but the touristic “pour water down a hole and watch it steam” and watch chicken cook over another hole (which you can then buy and eat) kinda put me over the edge.  One of the few “been there, done that” environmental experiences I have had.  Now, if I could have explored a bit it could have been a highlight!

And now, finally, the wine!  Our taxi driver took as past a few wineries to La Geria for a wine tasting of the various offerings.

La Geria Winery

Fortunately, we arrived in between buses so we were able to taste some of the rather interesting and higher quality wines, rather than the cheap stuff doled out in tiny plastic cups to the later arriving throngs…who must have also just been to the volcanic fields.

The Moscatel Dulce was actually quite good and a bottle found its way home with me.  Ya never know!

Our taxi dropped us off in town, which was not terrible inspiring.  I said, “That’s it.  There has to be something down one of the side streets!”  and with that I turned down the first alley and saw it: Museo del Vino!  And the tapas crawl began!  (Again, ya never know!)

Paella, empanadas, sausages,

shrimp with garlic, sauteed mushrooms with garlic

and then a change in venue with a bit of a view and cured meats and cheeses

A cute boat basin in Arrecife, Lanzarote, Spain

It was then back to the ship and time to enjoy a sea day before arriving in Malaga, Spain.

Unfortunately, I encountered a major service flaw in the Main Dining Room. It was a one-off situation, but worthy of note.  We needed to have our assigned late seating table moved (not an issue) and our butler took care of it seamlessly.  When we arrived we were quickly escorted to our new table and was told it would be our table for the remainder of the cruise.  The service is was fine and the food quite good.  We were happy.

However, the next evening we arrived and “our” table was occupied so they put us isolated, in a corner, with my view being a mirror…although it was a table by the window.  Making matters worse our table wasn’t properly set with glasses, etc. missing.  An oblivious assistant waiter came over to serve bread and when I asked that he not until the table was properly set, I got a good dose of “attitude”.  However, once I made it known that was totally unacceptable (not that I should have), we probably had the most cheerful, competent and friendly waitstaff of our cruise.

I have always said that the service makes the dining experience far more than the food and this night was proof of that.  There is no such thing as perfection and a true luxury cruise line can turn that push of your “hot button” into a success…or a disaster that sticks with you.  Fortunately, Crystal addressed the issue quickly; so with our service actually outshining our cuisine (which really was wonderful) Crystal Cruises turned was could have been a disaster into a positive.

For your Food & Wine Lovers:  Look forward to my next article!  Crystal really sparkles in that one!!

Interested in booking a Crystal Cruise? Please give me a call:

United States:       (877) 2GO-LUXURY
United Kingdom: 020 8133 3450
Australia:              (07) 3102 4685
Everywhere Else: +1 732 578 8585

Or email me at eric@goldringtravel.com.

Goldring Travel LLC
12177 Business Park Drive, Suite 6
Truckee, California 96161

US:   (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)
UK:   020 8133 3450
AUS: (07) 3102 4685
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Email: info@goldringtravel.com

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  • 2009 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit
  • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey – A Sea Day and Some Thoughts About The Dining Experiences
  • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey – Doing So Much and Doing Nothing
  • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey – Finding Pizza and What It Means to “Travel”
  • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey – Malta and Food for Thought