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  • Making Waves Blog
  • Cruise/Travel Reviews
    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
    Aurora Expeditions
    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

    Explora Journeys
    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.

    Oceania Cruises
    Paul Gauguin
    • HERE IS THE ARTICLE LINK
    • HERE IS THE ARTICLE LINK
    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 …

    Sea Cloud
    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
    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
    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 IV (Calvi, Monaco, Portofino, Porto Azzurro…and Stale Bread)

 

 

Goldring Travel Cruising on SeaDream Yacht Club – Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part IV (Calvi, Monaco, Portofino, Porto Azzurro…and Stale Bread)

 
 
Portofino on SeaDream II
I need to take a moment to discuss “travel”.  Since Bonafacio SeaDream Yacht Club’s
SeaDream II has been to Calvi, Corsica (not a great port), Monaco and Portofino
(a great port…read on), but today we are in Portoferraio on the island of Elba.  (Our itinerary has changed, eliminating
Portovenere/Cinque Terre, due to heavy swells…a disappointment).  
 
Rather than staying the rather depressing
port of Portoferraio we take a 20 minute taxi ride to Porto Azzurro (more on the port
later). After our walk we find all the good restaurants are only
open for dinner, so three of us are sitting at a quayside restaurant and are
presented with a basket of stale bread.
It is an insult.  We are American tourists.  We are offended.  It is not good.  Or is it???
 
 
A seafood feast in Port Azzurro
I now regress.
 
 
Our second port is Calvi, Corsica.  It is not a port of any real interest.  You know if there is something in town worth
finding I will sniff it out, but I am at a loss.  
OK, I did sniff out this little gem in Calvi, Italy!
So I am back on SeaDream II within an hour.
 
 
Aside from the two hour nap that I never take, I now have a
good feel for the ship and its staff.
There is no question that by the third day I feel at home.  The staff has figured out that while I like
to be pleased I also like to be teased.  They
sense when I want to be left alone and when service is needed…always with a
genuine smile.  
 
Zoltan shows off a perfect Pimm’s Cup
on SeaDream II’s Top of the Yacht Bar
In the evenings I like to drink Glenfiddich on the
rocks.  Being outside in the summer the
ice tends to melt a lot fast than I consume the whiskey…which I use as an
excuse to drink slower than some others.  Michael has it figured out.  He asked me if I would like more ice; not
another drink…unless, of course, there is almost nothing left in my glass.  (As you may have read, Silversea’s inability
to provide this sort of service – no less on a consistent basis – was a real disappointment.)
 
 
So while you know I am impressed and enjoy the service, many
of you have asked how the cuisine is.  It
ranges from very good to excellent, but is always creative and enjoyable.  It doesn’t matter if it is a Caesar salad
with anchovies or escargot with a gratin or osso bucco (properly prepared, so
it not just the name of a dish) or Dover sole or lobster, there is always a
subtle twist.  I, and the other guests,
really enjoy the surprise to the cuisine.  I have not had a disappointing taste on board…not
one.
 
 
I mention to the chef when we are heading to Portofino that
I love a local pasta called trofie with pesto I find he added it to the menu…with
truffles! 
 
I wasn’t going to have breakfast, but my friends said, “You
have to try the French toast”.  So – to be
polite – I did.  It wasn’t your ordinary
French toast, but rather a thick, but light, grain bread with a light nutty texture…even
with maple syrup.  Who knew?!
 
SeaDream II’s Chef’s Play on French Toast.
Chef Tomasz Kozlowski explains to me that there are no set
menus, though there are regular or consistent items.  Because of the small galley staff there are
no assistants, so everyone must be on their game, so with the flexibility of
the menu comes a heighted responsibility to assure everything leaving the galley
(which is almost always cooked ala minute) is prepared, seasoned and presented
at a very high level. 
 
 
I will have more to say about the cuisine after the last
night’s Degustation Menu, which will be served in the main dining room.  There is necessarily a definite difference in
menu and presentation when dining al fresco versus in a dining room…so stay
tuned.
 
After Calvi we cruised to Monaco which I used as a lazy day,
but one to really take a good look around the ship.  Even though she was built in 1985 and shows
her age here and there, when something is painted, it is painted well.  If something is repaired it is repaired
properly.  In fact, I am impressed that
the water pressure is excellent, the water is clean and hot water is not an
issue.  (I am told virtually all of the
water lines have been replaced with modern, plastic, lines…which is the wave of
the future… and the water-making equipment is brand new.)
 
But make no mistake, this is not a new ship.  The cabinetry in the staterooms show a bit of
age, no matter how well maintained, but everything functions well.  One will quickly and happily remember that “It
is the software (people), not the hardware” that matters most on SeaDream Yacht
Club.
 
Sailing out of Monaco is my night to enjoy the SeaDream
Yacht Club Sleeping Under the Stars on one of its Bali beds.  There is no question that the one on the bow
is “prime” as it is secluded, quiet and receives the best breeze.  If you can get that one, do it.  My bed was the only one on the starboard side
aft with three others being made up on the port side.  (SeaDream II obviously got the memo that I
snore loudly, so it made sure I was alone…and separated from the innocent
others by the ship’s funnel!)
 
It was a nice experience, but honestly it is not for
everyone.  If the bar is open late you can
be disturbed.  (I grabbed my headphones
and some music seeing the situation.)  If
the ship is moving slowly (as it did in my case) you can get a whiff of the
exhaust from time-to-time.  (This would
not be a problem if there is any distance between ports, but on this cruise
they are all close together.)  At 6:30
a.m. I heard the staff setting up for breakfast…but then the next thing I knew
it was 7:30 a.m. and I felt well-rested.
 
I needed that restful sleep for our next stop:  Portofino; the picturesque Italian port.  However, today is not set for “the beautiful
people” but rather a 10 kilometer hike right up the mountain and ending in
Santa Margherita.  It was a real hike,
but well worth it.  Besides being great
exercise, the views were fantastic and our guide was energetic, experienced and
charming.  
The view while hiking
from Portofino to Santa Margherita, Italy
But it almost didn’t happen.
 
 
You should appreciate that SeaDream Yacht Club has a
definite focus on those wishing a more active experience.  When at anchor the complimentary wave
runners, sailboats, kayaks, water skiing and trampoline are offered alternating
with time for swimming.
 
Part of SeaDream II’s fleet of water toys
Interested in bike riding?
There is a small fleet of high quality touring mountain bikes which you
can take yourself or join a complimentary bike tour headed by the activities
director or the captain.  Those bike
tours range from a casual scenic ride to very serious, challenging, expeditions
that will leave even the most fit with burning thighs.
 
 
 

SeaDream Yacht Club also offers a small variety of additional
cost tours ranging from very low key to very active.  The hike from Portofino to Santa Margherita was
one of them.  Unfortunately, I was the
only one to sign up for it.  I am told 48
hours prior that it won’t be going.  I
mention this to a couple and they said they would love to take the hike
too.  So I ask the concierge, Kathrin, if
we could hire the guide directly.  Rather
than the standard cruise line “No!” I received the SeaDream “Yes”.  I asked if we should pay the guide
directly.  Silly me.  SeaDream had it all taken care of.  As the group increased to five people, they
did the accounting directly so nobody has to worry about collecting funds.

 
 
As our hike finished in Santa Margherita one’s initial impulse
would be to purchase its famous pinot grigio.
Not me.  I wanted to purchase what
the locals drink which I found out was Vermentino and Pigato grape based
Riviera Ligure di Ponente.  So with a bottle
in hand along with 3 bags of dried trofie we take the 6 Euro/15 minute ferry
back to Portofino.  We have touristic,
but nice, lunch at Del Fino (The Dolphin) with a perfect view of the beautiful
people…and a good number of tourists before heading back to the ship.
 
A soak in the hot tub was, unfortunately, interrupted by the
Norwegian toddlers that the parents/grandparents have let pretty much overtake
the swim deck when they are present.
SeaDream has done a great job with segregating them during meals, but
the parents and grandparents need to do their jobs and not have SeaDream Yacht
Club be the babysitter/children police.  Overall
the Norwegian family’s children have not been too much of an aggravation for
me, but for those that live by the pool the opinion is quite different.  If SeaDream Yacht Club failed anywhere on this
cruise, it is with how the children (and their parents) have not been told, “No!”  (SeaDream has even tried to create a Kid’s
Club to move them away from the other guests, but it isn’t enough.)
SeaDream II’s Dessert Extravaganza
Rant over, a wonderful lobster dinner was followed by
SeaDream’s Dessert Extravaganza poolside.
It was nice but not really my style.
But with the Top of the Yacht Bar closed for the evening, it was time to
join ‘em, rather than fight ‘em, before calling it an evening. 
 
The problems I have mentioned are like the stale bread I
mentioned before… 
 
Back now to Portoferraio.
We find an old Italian taxi driver that tells the fare to Porto Azzurro
is 38 Euros.  We get in his taxi and are
greeted by a sign in four languages, “I am an honest Italian taxi driver”. He
points to the sign and says, “Impossible!” with a laugh.

As we are driving I hear a harmonica…and then
a familiar tune…and then THE voice:  Bruce
Springsteen.  My friends speaks Italian
and they start talking.  The taxi driver
exclaims he has seen Springsteen ten times and he likes him because his
grandmother is Italian.

 
So with the Jersey Shore serenading us we arrive at a very
pretty Porto Azzurro.  We wander the town
and stumble upon a sign for a ceramic studio.
I follow a small path through residences to a garden/studio where we
meet Talo, the gray and wild-haired, slight, elder artist who has combined
Italian and Japanese Raku techniques.  I
buy a memento.  (Now I just need to get it
home!)
 
Italian Ceramic Artist Talo in Porto Azzurro, Italy
Oh, yes, back to the restaurant!  After the stale bread was removed for fresh
bread, nice local white Vermentino wine was brought to the table along with a
seafood feast of local fish, swordfish, squid, octopus, mussels, clams, prawns
and langoustine. Porto Azzurro provide us with a fantastic lunch and we are
picked up by our Springsteen loving taxi driver for the ride back.  Oh, yes, it was 38 Euros each way. 
 
 
Back on the ship my friend says he wants to go off the ship
to get an espresso as the ship’s isn’t really to his liking.  The best place, we are told, is next to the
taxi stand.  Our taxi driver is there…and
buys us espresso!
 
 
We had a great day with a Springsteen loving Italian taxi
driver, a wild-haired Italian artist, a beautiful port, a great seafood lunch
and SeaDream II…or we could focus on the stale bread (or a few children whose
parent/grandparents should be ashamed of themselves).
I’m without question focusing on another great day on
SeaDream II!
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