Post card from the silver muse: Dinner at 7:30

[Doc Vernon]

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Fri Sep 22^nd St Pierre (St Pierre & Miquelon): Absolute charm & picture post card beauty (and serenity). With only 6,000 population, the island is French territory – so yes, we are on France soil – St Pierre & Miquelon are part of the so-called French Overseas Collective. French language, French shops & the only place in all North America where the Euro is the currency. A magical day (with miles & miles of those ink blue skies) – and St Pierre itself with narrow streets, colored houses & bakeries that sell the best croissants in all North America. Other little tidbits: St Pierre is home to the only guillotine again in all North America and the clock tower atop the post office is, in a quirky way, shaped like a praying monk.

Luxury at sea: And time to talk of the 698-ft long, 40,700-ton Silver Muse itself: It is all very luxurious, spacious, quite yacht-like. The decorative tone & style is very Silversea: Very understated. Nothing bright or glaring – or Heavens forbid – glitzy. Lots of subdued browns & beiges – and glossy marbles & polished stainless. And lots of modern art including some mounted glass pieces from Murano. This $600 million ship was, after all, built by the ever-busy Italian shipbuilders Fincantieri. And there's 411 staff & crew to look after a maximum of 596 passengers (we had 499 on our trip). There's 8 decks for guests. The pizzeria is at the top, on Deck 11, and then downward to the pool & forward-facing Observation Lounge. Thereafter, all public rooms face aft – the Panorama Lounge, Arts Cafe, boutiques, Connoisseur's Corner, casino, spa, fitness center, the big Dolce Vita Main Lounge and the restaurants: La Terrazza, Silver Note, Atlantide, Indochine, Kaiseki & La Dame. The Venetian Theatre might just be my favorite – it is warm & embracing & even cozy (especially from a speaker's point of view --- but also delightful as a listener).

Rating sheet: It is always difficult to judge, say, the best 5 features of a ship, especially a six-star ship like the Silver Muse. But I might go with:

1. Service – hugely friendly & totally flawless ... with gold stars for the butlers

2. Food – thoroughly magnificent – even the morning scrambled eggs are six-star!

3. Suites – wonderfully comfortable, palace-style bed & bedding ... and the fastest, most reliable internet I've yet seen on a ship, especially a moving one

4. Shipboard organization -- excellent

5. Itinerary – 18 days of very interesting, diverse ports

Open air: Dinner up on Deck 11 tonight – overlooking the romantically lit swimming pool & lido. With soft blankets just in case, a delightful change from the restaurants below. Food superb (Caesar salad, filet mignon & vanilla cheese cake) and almost decadent service – 5 waiters looking after four of us!







Photo: Memory Lane -- Claudette Colbert arriving in NY on the Queen Mary in 1957.

[Doc Vernon]

What a lovely Lady she was so plain but yet so Pretty in her own way!
So many of the Stars of the past were like that,no Airs and Graces just plain down to Earth People that loved life!

[John Arton]

Vernon
In our local paper there was an item about an auction of Photographs of famous people (Elizabeth Taylor, Morecombe and Wise etc.) taken by George Ruff, who was the chief photographer for 20 years on Cunard Cruise vessels. Did not mention where the auction was being held.
rgds
J.A.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Sorry for hijacking but whilst on the subject of auctions Brian (Kong) among others said they had some interesting marine items, plus pictures, stamps, QE Envelopes etc that they would like to put in auction

Marine specialists auctioneers are now accepting items up to 23rd February 2018 for their 1st May 2018 Auction in London

email enquiries@charlesmillerlondonltd.com / ph 02078065530

Although as I have advised earlier you will receive a better price on the American market by searching for American marine artefacts dealers, especially for any items that have a 'Queens' (ships! not UCL!) connection, for large items there are specialist packers in the UK but a lot of American dealers have their preferred packers in the UK and the Post Office also offer a good service

[Captain Kong]

Thanks for that Ivan, will look into it.

Anne bought two paintings when on opur last cruise this year.Cost me £1400 they came from the States by FEDEX and cost £56 each.in a special packing carton.

Cheers
Brian