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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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Goldring Travel Cruising on SeaDream Yacht Club – Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part II (Getting There, The Stateroom and First Impressions)

 

 

Goldring Travel Cruising on SeaDream Yacht Club – Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part II (Getting There, The Stateroom and First Impressions)

 
SeaDream is more of a cruising yacht than a yatchie cruise ship
The day of my departure for my week on SeaDream Yacht Club’s
SeaDream II was a study in contrasts.  I
pride myself on making the trip to a destination (be it a cruise ship or a land
experience) easy and efficient.  But I spent
a good bit of my day with a new client who has never really traveled, but was
hell-bent on insisting that the journey to his vacation would be such an ordeal
it would be unbearable…and, in fact, probably not worth even attempting…and
then that accommodations would be too small based, of course, on what he read
on the internet.
 
 
Meanwhile with a 8 hour flight, then 6 hours of downtime, I
was about to board a “yacht” more so than a cruise ship, but not truly a private
yacht…and would be staying in stateroom rather than a suite.  So while I must not prejudice my thoughts or
create expectations that are unrealistic, but fresh with a prime example of how
many people have misguided “knowledge” based upon questionable sources, my
journey is about to begin.
 
Getting There Doesn’t
Need to be An Ordeal
 
After putting in most of a day’s work I arrived at the airport
about 2.5 hours before my flight to Rome.
Being United Premier Gold my check-in took about 8 minutes…3 minutes of
which was trying to explain to the man blocking the aisle that you just walk up
to a computer terminal to check-in as “people” don’t check you in.  Then it was off to security…on a Friday
afternoon in the summer with one hour plus horrifically long lines…I approached.  But I have taken the time to be TSA
pre-screened, so my line consisted of only 3 people.  I was through and into the United Club in
about 5 minutes.  That’s right:  Curbside to cocktail in less than 15 minutes.
 
I boarded my flight to Rome in one of the first boarding
groups and was sitting in my bulkhead aisle premium economy seat with plenty of
space for my Goldring Travel backpack overhead.
My old noise-cancelling headphones had seen their day, so I just
purchased new ones.  There was no way I
was going to plunk down $400 for Bose, but there were some pretty great reviews
for Soul’s at about a quarter of the price, so I thought I would try them
out.    What I slice of heaven!  Great sound and really efficient at cutting
out the drone of the aircraft and people around you.  If the noise on your flight bothers you, it
is worth this small investment. (Note:  My daughter would not let me purchase plain
black ones, so I had a sort of Jamaican theme about my head…but she says it
gives me a chance at having some style!)
 
After reading through a pile of magazines I am always
promising to get through, a couple of scotches, a movie and a bad meal, it was
time for a sleep; only to be awoken hours later by the aircraft cabin lights
coming on for breakfast.  Passport
control was not too bad, my bag was delivered…and my brand new phone wasn’t
working in Europe.  (The idiots at Sprint assumed because it has a SIM card it would work
in Europe, but it isn’t GSM compatible so I am sans mobile phone for a
week.  I am not sure that is a terrible
thing…as I do have wifi, but more on that later.)

 

 
As I arrived at 7:20 a.m. and SeaDream Yacht Club is quite
strict about not boarding anyone until 2:00 p.m., I booked a room at the Best
Western Rome Airport.  This gave me a
nice breakfast (Italian coffee, granola, eggs and croissant), a place for a power
nap and a hot shower for 60 Euros – a bargain and far better than trying to
kill time somewhere in the purgatory of Fumiacino Airport/Civitavecchia.  My car arrived at bit early (I like to see
that!) and I was off to the ship at 12:30 p.m. for the trip that usually takes
1.25 hours.
 
My First Hours and
Impressions on SeaDream II
 
I am not sure how, but my driver (who was not driving like a
crazy Italian…and we know about those folks!)…efficient made the trip in a mere
40 minutes.  That was the good news.  The bad news was that I was required to sit
in a tent at the Port of Civitavecchia waiting to board until 2:00 p.m.
 
As I was sitting I see a group of 19 Norwegians arrive with
children and strollers with very young children.  Now rather than having the anticipated “Oh
No!” I see it as a golden opportunity. Why?
Because one of the criticisms of SeaDream Yacht Club that I have read
about is that a group or a family with children can really negatively impact
upon your experience.  Now I get to see
if this is true.  For me this is a
bonus…and an opportunity for SeaDream to show me how they address those
challenges (both for the families and the other guests).
 
Just after 2:00 p.m. we are guided from the tent and we walk
down the quay to the yacht.  We are
greeted by the Captain, officers, Thai spa staff, and smiling staff along with
a cold glass of Prosecco.  We are led
into the Main Salon where a guitarist provides background music and a very
plentiful and well-presented antipasti and finger sandwich buffet is presented
to keep us occupied as they take one person/couple at a time to be checked in.  It was a little awkward, as I am traveling alone,
to sit there for about 20 minutes, but the music and food was good…and June
(pronounced June-ee) made sure my glass was always filled.
 
SeaDream II Oceanview Stateroom
 
The check-in process took only moments and I was off to my
stateroom (403).  On SeaDream Yacht Club all
of the staterooms are essentially identical (save three larger ones) varying
only by location and those on Deck 2 having portholes rather than picture
windows.  Remembering that this is a
yacht and not a cruise ship, my 195 square foot stateroom is quite well laid
out.  
 
A vanity at the foot of SeaDream’s stateroom bed makes for good use of the stateroom’s space
My bed is dressed in crisp white linens next to the window with a vanity area at its foot, while the living room area has a built-in sofa,
its own desk, plenty of drawers and storage space and an adequate hanging
closet.  The room around the bed is a bit
tight, but serviceable and does not feel cramped or closed in at all.  (There is a removable wood cover under the
bed, making stowing your luggage a snap…while keeping the yacht feel.
 
 
The bathroom, while beautifully clad in marble, is
tiny.  Interestingly, the marble shower
is actually quite a good size and is fitted with a multi-jet system.  The vanity is very small, but works.  My challenge is the toilet as you need to
walk in, close the door and then slide into the area.  Most certainly not a deal-breaker, but
important to note. Personally I think a cramped toilet in order to have really
nice shower is a great trade-off in design.  (I will see how well it all functions over the
week, but I can tell you that if my wife was along, finding space for my “stuff”
would probably be a non-starter.) 
 
 
After unpacking I headed to the Top of the Yacht Bar after a
quick tour of the ship.  Instantly you
can tell the service is excellent.  The bartender
greeted me, the wait staff was scurrying about attending to every new face and comments
like “So good to see you again” and “I am so happy to be back onboard” were
commonplace.  It sets a very nice
tone.  
 
I enjoyed my vodka and tonic and
the side dish of nuts and chatted with a lovely American family (including their
three daughters) taking their first cruise after spending a week on power land trip
around Italy.  It was announced that due
to high winds and some rougher seas the departure would be delayed until 9:00
p.m.  While that should not have been a
reason to have another drink, it was a good enough excuse.
 
As I am traveling alone, when I entered the dining room I
was asked if I wished to be social or to dine alone.  I thought that was an interesting way to ask
if I wanted to dine with someone.  Nice.
I had dinner with an older, and quite interesting, Australian woman.  As I came in later than she, I sort or rushed
through my courses, but enjoyed them all.
A nice antipasti platter (beautifully presented), a delicious corn and
crab chowder and very nicely prepared duck breast.  (I know the dishes don’t pair well, but I was
rushed and just picked what I liked.)
 
Pablo, the sommelier, knew that my dinner companion – a past
SeaDream guest – liked Cote du Rhone so he poured it freely for her.  I drank a Tempranillo…and then after my meal
Pablo, who now had some time, came over for a chat and offered some Cotes du
Rhone to me to try.  Very nice.
 
 
An after dinner whiskey and a cigar brought my long day to a
close.  
 
 
With a comfortable bed and the
ship having little more than a gentle rocking, I slept…soundly.
 
 
A very nice first day.
But tomorrow will start my understanding what SeaDream Yacht Club is
really all about.
 

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

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