“David, could you share some highlights of your recent World Cruise on the Silversea Whisper?”
An almost impossible request after returning from a 132-day cruise where my wife, Una, and I visited 52 ports across 31 countries, experienced seven lavish special events, took thousands of photos and made hundreds of new friends.
We certainly weren’t “cruise-a-holics” having been on three cruises previously, so why a massive luxury cruise like this?
It was an invitation from our Halcyon Landing neighbours, John and Lynn Carr, to join them on their half-world cruise.
With 14 cruises under their belt, we trusted their judgement and decided it was a great way to mark our wonderful 50 years of marriage. Our world cruise departed San Francisco, USA on January 6, 2019 and, at first, we were worried we may not last the distance.
Once onboard, all our worries melted away. Everyone, including the cruise director, knows your name and treats you like a friend. Our itinerary was fantastic and had a very different ‘feel’ to shorter cruises.
While at sea, we enjoyed activities such as aqua aerobics, bridge and craft classes; attended lectures and heard from guest authors and presenters; were entertained, and even tried a martini making class. We were certainly never bored and as busy as our lifestyle at Landing.
As we crossed the globe, Una and I enjoyed the most incredible travel experiences.
We jet skied and swam with sharks and stingrays in Morea, visited lemurs in Madagascar, dune-bashed in Namibia, attended the Seville Fair in Spain, visited a zen temple in Japan and swam in the crystal blue waters of Zanzibar.
To celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary, the cruise staff decorated the Observation Lounge and served lavish canapés with champagne for 70 of our new-found friends. It was incredible and something we will cherish and remember forever.
Would we go again? In a heartbeat. We’re looking at a 37-day Mediterranean Grand Cruise with Silversea. Life’s all about stretching the budget, right?
