By: Nancy and Charles Nevil, London to London, May/June, 2009
Often, the anticipation of travel is stressful, unfamiliarity and new routines fill our heads and create a desire to just get the preliminaries over with. And so it was as we arrived at the pier and had our bags taken. No, it was too early to board and no, there was no place we could sit and wait. We could see the ship, why could we not board it? There was an immediate communications break down and little information provided. For the elderly or infirmed, no warning was given that there would be many steep stairs to climb before the ship could become our home away from home. Shore staff (not Silversea staff), were stiff lipped and uninformative, Frustrating! Finally we were given permission to proceed to the dock, take the 2 the minute tender ride and, at last, get aboard the Silver Cloud. Once on our ship, the world changed. The perfection of Silversea service, friendliness of Silversea staff, made all of the cares of the afternoon fade away and a virtual paradise began.
Bags were quickly delivered to our cabin, our lifeboat drill carried out, and exactly on time, we pulled out, passed under the Tower Bridge; as this is being written, we are gliding down the Thames toward the Sea. Our dinner was superb, service gracious and delightful; our journey had begun on a very high note. From the moment you cross the gangway, you can feel the warmth, hospitality of the ladies and gentlemen of your ship’s crew. And you continue to experience this welcome and caring each minute of your day and night. This is the Silversea experience.
Aboard ship, we have good internet service, excellent shops, a well stocked library (books, CDs, DVDs), lovely bars, a casino, and of course, excellent dining choices. For those of us who like to work out, there is a well equipped gym. For the ladies, there is a fine spa and hair dressing facilities. At sea during day one of the cruise, there were so many activities and things to do, there was never a dull moment. Because Silversea ships are small, you get to meet and know your fellow passengers and see the same crew members over and over and be greeted with their friendly smiles.
Cruise day one was all relaxation, good eating, a lecture on Gemology and a cocktail reception in the evening. It was a formal night (all the men in their Tuxedos looked like Penguins) and the Ladies looked pretty spiffy in their finery as we dined and chatted with new friends.
Morning of day two was again filled with sunshine. All the forecasts we had read about cold weather were false alarms and the warm clothes we packed were suffocating us. It was darn hot as we went off to Edinburgh. This incredibly beautiful town, like Rome, is built on 7 hills. It hustles, it bustles, it has bagpipers in kilts, wonderful historical places to visit, and some of the friendliest people we’ve met in a long time.
When you visit a new destination, one of the best ways to get a feeling for the landscape is to take a bus tour of the city. Nowadays, many cities offer “hop on, hop off” busses, which means you can make a circuit, see what you want to explore in detail, and go back to the point of interest, get off, go to the next venue, get off, and take as much time as you wish to get acquainted with the personality of the area and its attractions. From the dock, we took a bus into the heart of Edinburgh and from there, hopped on another bus to visit Edinburgh Castle. Before exploring the nooks and crannies of this ancient and beautiful palace high up on a hill, we looked down and saw the total beauty of the city below us. There are lots of green spaces and lovely architecture from days gone by.
Edinburgh has steep hills and is not for the weak of heart. Use busses to get around or take cabs, but, in a hilly city like Edinburgh, do not attempt to walk up and down the steep inclines unless you are looking for the ultimate in exercise. We spent a few hours at the castle and then, hopped on another tour bus to take in more of the delightful city. The surprisingly hot weather had brought throngs to the parks to sun and have fun.
When we arrived at City Center, we looked up at the beautiful Victorian, historic old Balmoral Hotel, situated right above the main train station. Historically, its clock tower always shows three minutes faster time (so that you don’t miss your train). We were excited to do an inspection to check out the refurbishments which had been made to bring this grand dame into the present day.
Marvelously, in public areas, the feeling of the past has been kept, and indeed, it evokes many thoughts of what the walls would say if they could release the secrets their silence withheld. We had lunch at the nicely appointed restaurant; the food was superb. After, we toured the hotel, checking out rooms, suites, the beautiful new bar, spa, pool, and gym. We especially loved the J.K. Rowlings Suite, where, we are told, she finished one of the Harry Potter books. It was totally charming.
The Balmoral is lovely and is THE place to stay when next you visit Edinburgh. It has memories of the past on the outside, but is sparkling and up to date on the inside.
After our hotel tour, it was back to the ship for a quiet evening as we overnighted in Edinburgh. Tomorrow, hopefully, off to the countryside, to see a little bit more of lovely Scotland, where golf and Scotch whisky (known only as Whisky here) were born.