Monday, 26 February 2018

Sapphire Princess - February 2018 - Post 4

Departure Penang






With the Captain at the Most Travelled Passengers' party
Phuket, Thailand








One of Silversea's luxury expedition ships
Thai customs patrol boat
More fun ashore with Tim and Elaine


In the wine bar with friends (L-R) Drew, Dennis, Linda and Karen
Being Chinese, Qi loves these Valentines Day trinkets














My fabulous dining room team (L-R) Head Waiter Dragan (Ukraine), Waiters Widi (Indonesia) and Pisit (Philippines) and Head Waiter Nazzario (Italy)


Back in Singapore



Singapore Cricket Club - another regular haunt of mine when in town.
I always enjoy a lovely curry and several reasonably priced Tigers when at the club
Early morning view from my bed at the Changi Crown Plaza hotel
My chariot awaits

Priority tasks as soon as on board -  a glass of Dom and check out the menu




Magnificent Singapore Airlines service. I only noticed once on the plane that the ship’s laundry had lost a button on my shirt and this delightful stewardess sewed another one on for me during the flight.

Saturday, 6 January 2018

Sun Princess - December 2017 - Post 1

On 22nd December I flew to Sydney to join Sun Princess for a 13 night Christmas / New Year cruise. The ship was in much better condition than I expected (she's the oldest ship in the Princess fleet) and as always on Princess ships the food was very good and the service was excellent throughout. It was great that my good friends Jules and Phil Garvin were aboard for the cruise as were Terry and John Strange, also friends from previous cruises. It was a very good cruise with great weather and an easy-going crowd aboard.


Sydney Departure.

Me with Jules - great to catch up with her and Phil again.

The old Pyrmont wharves certainly look different these days.


Radiance of the Seas at Circular Quay.



 Christmas Day.

Early morning on deck, rounding the southern tip of New Caledonia, en route Vila.
Decorations in the ship's atrium.

A festive group at breakfast - their other halves at the table behind them don't look so jolly.
Me with the Captain (left) and Staff Captain (right). I sailed with both of them when I was in the US in October 2016 - the Captain was Staff Captain aboard Regal Princess and the Staff Captain was in the same position aboard Ruby Princess.
A lovely surprise from Jules and Phil. One of my favourite on-board tipples.

Vila.



Late afternoon departure Vila.
My good friends Jules and Phil.
Jules and me.

Some of the younger set on deck.

And a few of the older crowd.