Since our last St. Lucia visit a quite nice shopping area around the pier has developed. The ship also organized a complimentary late afternoon beach party on St. Lucia. While we were not able to attend,  we heard it was very nice, with music from two steel bands.​

SEA DAYS
​Maybe because this was a fairly port intensive cruise, there was not a great deal of organized activity on the two sea days. Golf putting and trivia seemed to be the best attended activities of the day. Most people seemed content to be out on deck. There were no photographers on board and  no art auctions. Library was nicely stocked with comfortable tables and chairs, although we never saw anybody sitting in there. There are additional books in the Observation Lounge at the top of the ship. This deck is also where the fitness center and spa/beauty salon are located. Yoga and other classes are held in this lounge but I never saw anybody in it otherwise. It was a poor utilization of space.(MOBILTY NOTE: The Silver Wind was the perfect size ship for us, since my husband John needs a transport chair pushed most of the time.  He can walk just short distances.  It was  odd that no regular elevator to reach Deck 9. You either have to take stairs from the outside deck, or from Deck 8 there is a wheelchair lift up to the higher deck.) 

SHIP DECOR AND CONDITION
The ship is scheduled for refurbishment to expedition status in 2020. I had read on-line reviews before boarding which made it sound like drydock was WAY overdue, so I was not expecting the ship to look great and I was pleasantly surprised. I found the carpeting, upholstery and general condition of the ship to be very good.  There was lots of dark wood, marble and tile, which I understand will be updated to a more modern look with the refurbishment. UPGRADE NOTE: A major upgrade in December 2018 saw Silver Wind looking better than ever. A second refurbishment in November 2021 saw her benefitting from a strengthened to ice-class hull and made her one of the most adaptable ships in Silversea's fleet. 

OUR STATEROOM 
We had a midship veranda suite which was very comfortable. It had a layout similar to mini-suites on Princess but just wider giving a bit more space. It also had a walk-in closet, a bathtub and shower. The  bathroom size was okay, but not overly spacious and somewhat dark and it could use better lighting. The television in room had the regular assortment of news and other shows plus on-demand television shows and movies. The room service menu is 24/7 and very impressive - really the best I have seen on any ship. They also will serve the menu from the restaurant in your room if you wish, but that’s sort of in the fine print of information.​

DRESS CODE
​Speaking of dress code, the Silversea website says:
​Shipboard attire ranges from casual to formal. Casual wear is appropriate for daytime aboard ship or ashore and consists of standard sports outfits as worn at five-star resorts. Shoes should be flat or low heeled for deck activities. Evening attire falls into three categories: casual, informal and formal. On casual evenings, pants, blouses, skirts and casual dresses for ladies; open-neck shirts and slacks for gentlemen are appropriate. On informal evenings, ladies usually wear dresses or pantsuits; gentlemen wear jackets (tie optional). Appropriate formal evening wear for ladies is an evening gown or cocktail dress; gentlemen wear tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits. Tie is required. On formal nights, guests may dine in La Terrazza and choose to dress informal; dresses or pantsuits for ladies, jackets for gentlemen (tie optional).  Dining at The Grill is optional casual attire all nights. Following dinner on the formal night, all guests are free to take advantage of any or all public spaces, however, jacket is required. Sailings of 9 days or less typically feature 1 formal night, while longer voyages usually have 2-3 formal nights. 
​
However, despite the code and the brochure photos, we found the dress code to be far less formal.  On the formal night men are supposed to wear a jacket to dinner.  Many did not, and there was no fuss about that.  

LOUNGES AND ENTERTAINMENT
People gathered for cocktails either in The Bar or in the Panorama Lounge. There was comfortable seating in both areas, with live music before and after dinner but tiny dance floors. Entertainment and shows were in the ship’s Show Lounge. For a small size ship, it seemed unusual how large the the lounge tiered seating and a good size stage. There were no extravagant shows like on the big ships. There were six young people called the Voices of Silversea who performed in various shows, but these were sadly rather poorly attended. The cruise director was Colin Barbierre-Brown, who was a real class act and a trained concert pianist. He did three classical oriented programs that were excellent. ​

The Grill is one of the most inviting poolside casual restaurants I have seen on any ship. Instead of buffet style, there are menus and orders taken at your table for lunch. There were excellent appetizer platters, wraps, hotdogs, hamburgers and desserts. John figures we drank at least $100 worth of champagne (the real stuff) one day at lunch. On occasional nights they also have a casual Hot Rocks dinner option where they heat flat stones super hot and you cook your own dinner at your table – shrimp, salmon, steaks.  ​

THE CREW
The crew could not have been nicer or more helpful.  They really go out of their way to be friendly and made sure we were happy.  The wait staff, a mix of European and Indonesian and Filippino people, were excellent. 

This cruise was the perfect, warm,  luxurious escape that we needed!

I flew down to Southern California with my husband Bob for a long weekend getaway at Terranea Resort. I'd long heard about this oceanfront resort, which opened in 2015, and was eager to check it out for myself. Terranea is an 582-room property in Ranchos Palos Verdes, which is a 30-minute drive from Long Beach airport or 60 minutes from LAX.

The dress code is basically country club casual but there were a lot of families dressed very informally. ​

This resort is good for multi generational families, girl friend getaways, wedding parties, groups, and of course babymoons. Couples seeking privacy and a quieter environment would do better elsewhere.  Terranea could be an excellent place to stay before or after an ocean cruise departing from San Pedro or Long Beach.

Rates start at about $400/night plus their daily resort fee.

​If you book this hotel through Dimensions in Travel, you have access to these outstanding
​ENSEMBLE EXCLUSIVE AMENITIES:

• Breakfast for two daily (up to a $60 value per room) in Catalina Kitchen or via in-room dining
• $100 resort credit per room, per stay

Do let me know if I can book this Southern California oceanfront escape as a long weekend for you!

Day 6 (Nile River Cruise aboard the Sanctuary Sun Boat III - Luxor)
We began our day with a motorized boat ride to Philae Temple on the island of Agilika. This sacred complex was dedicated to the Goddess Isis and reflects a fusion of three great civilizations: Egyptian, Greek and Roman. The temple was dismantled and then painstakingly reassembled when the Aswan High Dam was constructed in the 1960s. The dam spans the Nile River, more than two miles across and incorporating 16 times the amount of material that went into the Great Pyramid at Giza. It provides irrigation and hydroelectric power to much of Egypt.
 
Afterward, we enjoyed lunch as we cruised to Kom Ombo (Hill of Gold) to visit the Greco-Roman temple dedicated to Haroeris (the sun god) and Sobek (the crocodile god), who was considered by some ancient Egyptians to be the creators of the world. 

Back on board, we enjoyed time to relax, admiring the scenery as we sailed towards Luxor. Later we joined our chef for a cooking lesson featuring Egyptian specialties, followed by afternoon tea and a scenic sundowner. Tonight, we attended a festive Egyptian-themed costume party onboard the boat. We savored a buffet of local cuisine, danced and listened to music, and since we wished to look the part, we tried on complimentary galabeyya (traditional Egyptian robes.​

This afternoon, we chose from two Design Your Day options:

1. East Bank of Luxor  - Continue exploring the Nile's east bank at the Temple of Karnak, a sprawling monument bearing the mark of 30 pharaohs. Over the span of centuries, each ruler added their own monuments to the temple, making it the largest open-air religious site in the country. Proceed to Luxor Temple, ancient Egypt's most significant religious center.
2. Funtasia Cultural Center - We all visited this wonderful school and I highly recommend it for all my clients. This is a project supported by A&K Philanthropy and offers after school programming for local children, ranging in ages from 4 to 16 years old. The center focuses on strengthening confidence, communication and collaboration with young people using tools such as the arts, gardening, poetry, nutrition, health and coding. It is taught by locally trained facilitators. The aim is to prepare youth for a life of meaningful connections with people, for the job market of tomorrow, and to use creativity as a means to finding solutions to their challenges.

 
We returned to 'Sanctuary Sun Boat III for afternoon tea. Tonight's farewell dinner was a gala affair, with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine.

Day 8 (Luxor - Cairo)
Early in the morning, we bid farewell to Sanctuary Sun Boat III. After disembarking, we flew by charter flight to Cairo, where we enjoyed lunch followed by a visit to the Azza Fahmy Jewelry Gallery. Join the famed jewelry designer for a behind-the-scenes look at the intricate craftsmanship incorporated into every piece of her handcrafted jewelry and a discussion on how she gained access to the historically male-dominated field of jewelry making in 1967.
 
We spent the rest of our afternoon at leisure or shopping at Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, one of the city's major souks (open-air marketplaces).
 
Tonight's farewell dinner was a private affair at the Madam Sadat’s home.  She personally greeted everyone and welcomed us in to a lounge space where she spoke candidly for about an hour, then we were treated to a buffet of traditional Egyptian dishes.

​Next, we are off to Jordan! Stay tuned...