Bari - Italy

Day 8 June 6^th Bari (Italy) very hot, sunny and clear

Woke just in time to see us sail into Bari harbour and moor at the Cruise Terminal. It was wonderfully clear and we had great views of the harbour and town behind.

View from our balcony over Bari

After breakfast we decided to use the shuttle bus into town as it was very hot and we needed to conserve our energy. Seven ports in seven days is tiring and it's meant to be a holiday! Good look around the Old Town with its numerous churches and narrow streets.

One of the many narrow streets

Basilica of San Nicola

Then a little look and the new shopping areas and seafront which is advertised as the longest in Italy: it did seem to go on forever.

Back to to the ship for a cooling swim, lunch, more swimming and just lazing around as we are on holiday! Dinner followed by Mark Donoghue, multi-instrumentalist in the theatre, which we decided to miss and have another early night.

Kotor

Day 7 June 5^th Kotor (Montenegro) warm but overcast with a few sunny spells

Kotor is situated 15 miles inland up what can only be described as a fjord. As we wanted to see the sail in we were up at 6am ( yes we know its a holiday but we like views!). A little overcast but some sun greeted us and the views were worth the effort. We had breakfast on the terrace so as not to miss any of the scenery and were on the first tender ashore just after 8am. A good look around the Old Walled Town before we decided to make the climb up to Fortress of St John, a 45 minute climb from the town. Very hard work on mainly loose steps but the views were well worth the effort.



Ship moored in 'Fjord'



Old town of Kotor

Back to the ship just in time for lunch and a very lazy afternoon recovering. Just enough energy for a guided tour of the ships galleys which we both enjoyed along with the glass of champagne they gave us!

 Evening formal dinner and second show from the Silhouette Production Cast called Velocity which we both enjoyed: although Alan had difficulty staying awake!

Dubrovnik

Day 6 June 4^th Dubrovnik Hot and sunny -again!

Awake early enough to see us sail into the Dubrovnik cruise terminal which is to the north of the Old Town – as we sailed in from the north we could not see to old walled Town. It was however very pretty and we followed Costa Classica which must be soon due for retirement! After breakfast were were on the first shuttle bus to the Old Town and eventually found the well hidden cable car in time for its first assent at 9am. Only 5 of us on it so easy to see the wonderful panoramic view as we ascended.

Old City from top of cable car - 403 Metres (Strincjera)

We had a good look around and took far too many photos of the views in perfect clear conditions. Only people on the descent and then,as we had walked the walls before, we looked around the harbour and Old Walled Town before returning to the ship. The town was becoming very busy with 3 cruise ships in today.

Main Street ( Stradun Placa)

Cathedral

Alan went to an interesting talk about how ships are tied up before another nice dinner and Lindsay Hamilton in the theatre, who we had seen before and only stayed about ten minutes as we wanted to be up early tomorrow for the cruise into Kotor.

Split

Day 5 June 3^rd Split Hot and sunny

Up early to see us sail in past some islands in clear and sunny weather. Light breakfast on the open terrace which is where we have eaten all our buffet meals so far. The ship moors off Split and we are tendered into the picturesque harbour on the ship's lifeboats on the first tender ashore at 08 15! Split is an old walled city but very compact.

Cathedral of St Duje and bell tower

Good look around, and we enjoyed the narrow streets and market areas. The seafront seems to have been recently re-done and is very impressive: pedestrian but not motor scooter free!

Back to the ship after a few hours, but the wind has got up and we cannot dock the tender at the ship despite several attempts. So while we wait with just 4 of us in the tender in rough open waters, the anchor is raised and the ship repositions so they can secure the tender in the lee of the wind on the starboard side. We seem to have a novice officer 'driving' the tender as we make quite a few abortive attempts to dock and eventually make a strong contact and are lassoed by the ships crew! Jack was a bit wary, especially as I had persuaded her to travel on the open top of the boat, where the motion was exaggerated! It seemed ages before we were able to board the ship!

Time for our usual swim before lunch, afternoon siesta by the pool, another swim and Alan enjoyed a talk about the ships propulsion system before dinner. Show was billed as David Deble a comedy juggler and that was what he was. Enjoyable and a bit different.

Blog 2 Koper

Day 3 cont.

….....formal dinner was nice with everyone dressed up, but most of the non British men wore lounge suits, not dinner jackets as we expected. Show was good with songs from musicals and before that we had a toast with the Captain and Officers in the theatre. Good idea: free champagne and chocolates and a chance to see who was who. What is it with fire and us on the holiday? At about 10 30pm we heard a PA announcement asking crew to go to cabin 3031 on the port side where there was a fire. Much speculation why a code was not used: hot money on needing to embarrass the occupants of that cabin. We heard a couple in the lift this morning who we thought were to blame excusing themselves as it was too much wine!

Day 4 June 2^nd Koper Warm but overcast – rain as we docked.

A new country for us: Slovenia. Up early to find it raining as we docked right in the town of Koper. Then breakfast before leaving early to explore to town. It's our kind of place, small, interesting and an easy walk from the ship. No silly and expensive shuttle buses. First people up the 12^th Century bell tower with its 204 steps- a bit scary for Jack.

Great views back to the ship in the harbour and over the old town area and further afield.

Back to an empty ship where we both had a relaxing swim before lunch, siesta, another swim and lazy afternoon before dinner.

Talked with our new American friends so long that we had to be thrown out by the waiter wanting to prepare for the late sitting. Enjoyed the singer piano player much more than we expected, but it was a little long so not much time before bed!

Silhouette - Blog One

Day 0 May 29^th Up to Gatwick Hilton

Uneventful journey to Gatwick well in time for a nice buffet dinner and do a dry run to North Terminal and our check in desk. Early night spoilt by a fire alarm at 10 20 – Alan was asleep; false alarm but we joined hundreds gathered at the front of the hotel waiting for the Fire Brigade to give the all clear!

Day 1 May 30^th Flight to Venice and afternoon and evening aboard Silhouette – Hot and sunny.

After a pretty poor night's sleep up early(04.50) for 07 40 BA flight to Venice. Late departure due to fog but arrived pretty much on time with good tail winds. Very efficient transfer and check-in so we were on board by 12 15. Lunch before exploring ship and unpacking. Decided not to visit Venice as we were pretty tired.

Day 2 May 31^st Venice Hot and sunny

Up early and after breakfast we walked through Venice to St Marks Square and back to the ship a different way via the Rialto Bridge. Used the People Mover to get from docks to City outskirts. This only costs one Euro for each journey and is totally unstaffed! Spent 3 hours wandering around Venice and enjoying the atmosphere.

 

Traffic jam of Gondolas!

Back to ship in time for a swim before lunch and then watched Celebrity Solstice, our sister ship sail out at 2pm. Spent afternoon lazing on ship: Jack even ventured into the pool! Then just time to see the impressive sights as we sailed out of Venice before dinner.

 

Jack on our balcony as we sail out of Venice

St Marks Square from Silhouette

We have two US couples either side of us at dinner from Austin,Texas and Philadelphia and we seem to be getting on fine with them: so far! Nice dinner followed by introductory show in the theatre.

Day 3 June 1^st Ravenna Hot but a little overcast.

Up too late to watch us sail-in but did not miss much as we are berthed in the commercial Porto Corsini. After breakfast we caught the overprice shuttle bus($14) to look around the town of Ravenna. Interesting but not earth shattering! Nice old squares and many churches. We went into the Basilica di S. Vitale with its ornate mosaic floors.

Jack by Silhouette on Quayside at Ravenna (Porto Corsini)

Usual afternoon of lunch followed by time round the Solarium Pool which we like very much: best pool of any ship we have been on. First formal evening followed by show by the Silhouette cast.

Adriatic Cruise - Celebrity Silhouette

We are off again on our travels on Tuesday 29^th May, when we travel up to Gatwick, staying at the Hilton . Then, early (07 40) on Wednesday we fly to Venice where we join Celebrity Silhouette for an Eastern Mediterranean (Adriatic) cruise.

Celebrity Silhouette

Our Itinerary

Date	Port/City	Activity	Arrive	Depart
May 29th May 30th	Hilton Hotel Gatwick Fly Gatwick  (07 40) to Venice, Italy
May 31st	Venice, Italy	Docked		5:00 PM
June 1st	Ravenna, Italy	Docked	7:00 AM	6:00 PM
June 2nd	Koper, Slovenia	Docked	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
June 3rd	Split, Croatia	Tendered	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
June 4th	Dubrovnik, Croatia	Docked	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
June 5th	Kotor, Montenegro	Tendered	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
June 6th	Bari, Italy	Docked	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
June 7th	Corfu, Greece	Docked	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
June 8th	At Sea
June 9th	Valletta, Malta	Docked	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
June 10th	Sicily (Messina), Italy	Docked	8:00 AM	6:00 PM
June 11th	Naples, Italy	Docked	7:00 AM	6:30 PM
June 12th	Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy Fly to Gatwick		4:30 AM

Celebrity Silhouette