I’ll be posting updates as we make the trip from Dublin to Reykjavik aboard the Silver Cloud, with stops at Portrush, Isle of Skye, Isle of Canna, Isle of Skye (Dunvegan), Shetland, Orkney Islands, St. Kilda and Western Iceland.
We are currently on board the Silver Cloud after spending last night at Anantara the Marker in Dublin, which was booked for us as part of our Silversea door-to-door fare. We spent the previous week in Dublin and Wales. The Anantara was quite a good hotel – we are travelling with our two children, and they had booked 2 rooms for us. They were next to each other rather than connecting, but it still worked well enough for our purposes.
Hotel photos courtesy of the Anantara website
Beds were very comfortable and rooms got nice and dark through the use of blackout curtains. Breakfast was included, and was one of the better continental breakfasts that we’ve had – scrambled eggs were very good, which is something I rarely say about eggs served at a buffet. We were a bit disappointed that Anantara wasn’t able to arrange for transportation for us from the Dublin Ferries terminal – but given how many guests they had staying, it was understandable. We had tried to book through the Dublin NXT taxi app but they were unfortunately a no-show after confirming the booking.
Few other cabs were present and we’d wondered if we’d have to take the bus into Dublin, but thankfully we were able to grab some other cabs as they dropped people off. When we first arrived in Dublin a week ago we arranged our pickup through Dublin’s Corporate Chauffeur Services – Home – Corporate Chauffeur Services – if I’d been thinking, I would have booked through them again. We had a Mercedes van driven by a retired Garda sergeant name Kevin who was a great guide and driver.
Embarkation was straightforward. We were the second bus out, scheduled to leave the hotel at 12:20 pm. We were onboard by 12:10, and left around 12:25 or so after waiting for a few stragglers. Then about 10 minutes to the ship and – after a minor collision between the bus and the wall – were in line to board the ship by around 12:35. 5 minutes outside, then we had champagne in hand and were part of a well-organized circuit that got us registered. Better than expected.
Photo of the Silver Cloud from the Silversea website. It’s over 30 C today in Dublin so there’s definitely no snow to be seen
The Grill was busy – no tables available, but we found a spot on the lounge chairs. Staff was great and continually checked in to see if we needed anything. We’d eaten before leaving and so just had a few drinks. Kids had a nice swim in the pool and enjoyed the hot tub. It’s been lovely weather in Dublin, and by all reports the water in the pool is nice and warm.
Photo of the Grill restaurant and pool courtesy of Silversea
Otherwise, Silversea has cancelled our planned hike on the Old Man of Storr in Skye so we’re trying to figure out a workaround with that. We have a driver lined up but it’s looking like we won’t get in to Dunvegan until after 9 am. With a 12:30 departure, we wouldn’t have time to make the hike. Sounds like they’re trying to extend the stay at Dunvegan Castle but no promises yet. Disappointing, but we’ll see what we can work out.
For anyone who has been on a cruise, you know that all the important activities and times are in the daily printout. We’ve already been warned by crew members that on an expedition cruise it is even more important as all activities, and sometimes ports are subject to change.
Today’s Chronicle:
Getting ready to leave Dublin
Getting underway – view from the Observation Room
Monument outside the Dublin Ferries terminal – Our Lady, Star of the Sea
View from La Terrazza leaving Dublin
Racing sailboats off the Irish coast
Seagulls keep pace as the sun sets on the Silver Cloud
The rest of our first day went quite well. We were invited to meet our butler and see our room at around 2 pm. One of our bags had not yet arrived, but appeared soon afterward. We had had some concerns that our butler would unpack for us, so we’d left a note asking that they not do so – no issues with this.
Took a few minutes to figure out the television system, but we were soon watching the safety video (and giving our acknowledgement). Then we spent some time unpacking and getting settled in, while the kids had a bit of quiet time.
Muster went well – certainly much better than it did on Disney, which has been our only other cruise experience to date. Everyone showed up promptly and we were there for perhaps 15 minutes before we followed the line out to the life rafts and went on our merry way. You can definitely tell the difference between a cruise with 221 guests (current number according to Reception) and one with 800 or more – everything seems to be moving smoothly, and there’s much less waiting.
After the muster drill, we went to the observation deck to watch the ship get underway. Dublin port isn’t terribly scenic but it was still interesting to see the mix of buildings – old and new, rugged and modern. Then down to the theatre for the Zodiac briefing, which is mandatory for anyone who will be using the Zodiacs to get off the ship – which I expect will be practically everyone, as it’s the only option for most ports. No complaints here, though, as it’s a great way to travel.
We had dinner booked at La Terraza for 7 pm – it was a lovely meal. We had antipasta plates and I had the duck ragout pasta. We had a small glass of Prosecco, followed by the house white and a lovely pinot noir. All very tasty – though I did not manage to get a shot of the pasta until I’d already dislodged the garnish. I’ll try to remember for next time…
Everyone else turned in early, then I stopped by La Dolce Vita for a small bourbon and to listen to the guitarist, Helder, who is very good. Then off to sleep – we are in the Royal Suite with 4 people so the 2 kids are in the main suite, my wife is on the single sofa bed, and I am on an inflatabed next to the desk. Silversea’s luxury bedding makes an interesting contrast with an inflatable bed – sort of like a hot dog topped with fois gras – but it seems comfortable enough. The only downside is that it shakes a bit with the motion of the ship, but that shouldn’t prevent me from getting a very good night’s sleep.
Tomorrow’s Chronicle:
Continue reading British Isles & Iceland – Day 2 here.