Silversea
Cruises' Silver Shadow
Cruise
Diva's Cruise Diary
A Swedish Sojourn
|
| An
Absolut good time in the Ice Bar |
Stockholm, July
7-8, 2007
At best, air travel isn't enjoyable
these days and the most comfortable way to get to Europe
is still by ship. Unfortunately, when a cruise begins in a wonderful
embarkation city such as Stockholm, a transatlantic crossing isn't
always feasible. So, we checked in at Lufthansa in Atlanta dreading
the ten-plus hours we'd be in the air. Fortunately, the
flights--Atlanta to Frankfurt, where we changed planes, and a short
flight to Stockholm--weren't full and we were able to spread out and
catch some sleep.
Upon arrival for a pre-cruise
overnight, we took a pass on the airport-to-downtown train, even
though the Central Station was right next to our destination, the
Radisson SAS Royal Viking Hotel. There are times when a cab is just
worth the extra cost and, being jet-lagged, we opted for the easy,
yet pricey, taxi option.
Our plan was to shower, nap, and,
once refreshed, go the Ice Bar in the Nordic Sea Hotel where
everything is made of sparkling clear ice and the 'seats' are
covered with furry hides. It was an
easy task to pre-reserve a spot over the Internet before our trip
and a fun way to kick off our time in Sweden. Only thirty people at
a time don parkas for for 45-minute sessions in the -5 degrees
Celsius environment. Our fellow patrons were an
international lot, from Ireland to the U.S. and Brazil.
Stockholm, July
9, 2007
We slept soundly beneath down comforters and awoke to a somewhat
drizzly and chilly day, which curtailed our city wandering somewhat.
No problem, we'll be back at the end of our cruise.
Another taxi delivered us pierside
mid-afternoon and the Silver Shadow staff welcomed us
aboard at 3pm. For me, it was good to be "home" again with
the Silversea family. For Mel, as a first-time guest, everything is
brand-new, but it didn't take long for him to get acclimated to the
suite life on Silver Shadow--all accommodations are suites and our
luggage made it to ours before we did. Even with a full ship, Mel
remarked how swiftly we embarked and, later, how uncrowded the
public rooms seem. However, first things first, and after unpacking
was complete we explored the outer decks and joined fellow
passengers for tea in the Panorama Lounge. It's something of a
surprise to see several families on board with toddlers.
Still a bit jet-lagged, we
nevertheless enjoyed a lovely dinner with drinks afterward, and then
slept like babies on Silverseas' new beds that feature pillow top
mattresses, comfy duvets, and down pillows. We feel like valued
guests on a private estate (one that just happens to float), where
our every whim is catered to and no wish is too difficult to
fulfill. The bathroom is outfitted with my favorite Bvlgari green
tea toiletries and I couldn't be happier.
For excitement, just wait until our arrival
tomorrow in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden. We've never seen anything like it.
Seriously!
Back to the Swedish
Sojourn Index
Forward to Ornskoldsvik,
& Lulea,
Sweden
Forward to Vaasa
& Turku, Finland & a Day At Sea
Forward to Oslo,
Norway; Gothenburg, Sweden; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Lubeck, Germany
Forward to A
Day At Sea & Exploring Stockholm
Photos
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