Goldring Travel
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    • Seabourn >
      • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise >
        • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part I (A Look Back and A Look Forward)
        • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part II (Copenhagen & The First Day)
        • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part III (Flam & Alesund)
        • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part IV (Slovlaer and Tromso)
        • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part V (Honningsvag) - Ventures By Seabourn
        • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part V (Sea Days & Private Culinary Events)
        • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part VI (Bergen, Stavanger & The Last Two Culinary Events: Shopping with the Seabourn Chef and A Cheese Tasting)
      • Goldring Travel's 2013 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise >
        • Goldring Travel's 2013 Food & Wine Cruise - Preparations and a Plan...Sort Of!
        • Goldring Travel's 2013 Food & Wine Cruise - Take Off...and A Fresh Perspective
        • Goldring Travel's 2013 Food & Wine Cruise - Air Travel, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Meat!
        • Goldring Travel's 2013 Food & Wine Cruise - The First 24 Hours and Ihhabela, Brazil
        • Goldring Travel's 2013 Food & Wine Cruise - The Little Things (Paranagua and Porto Belo, Brazil)
        • Goldring Travel's 2013 Food & Wine Cruise - Seabourn Quest's Chef Creates An Incredible Tasting Event
        • Goldring Travel's 2013 Food & Wine Cruise - The Event: Montevideo, Uruguay- Caviar, Caviar and Sturgeon
      • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride >
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part I
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part II (Perspective)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part III (Storms A Brewing...And A Double Rainbow!)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part IV (Fish & Chips...And A Great Beer)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part V (Cork, Ireland and a Lucky Leprechaun Named Darina Allen)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part VI (A Day at Sea with Special Events...And Then A Most Charming Port )
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part VII (Bordeaux- Day 1)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part VII (Bordeaux- Day 2: Chateau Margaux and Chateau Lynch-Bages)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part VIII (Relaxing and "Basque"ing)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part IX (Shopping With The Chef)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part X (The Goldring Travel Food & Wine Tasting)
      • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise - Seabourn Sojourn >
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part I
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part II
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part III
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part IV
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part V
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part VI
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part VII
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part VIII
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part IX
      • Goldring Travel's 2010 Food & Wine Cruise - Seabourn Odyssey >
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - The Beginning...Almost.
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - The Beginning...Leaving On A Jet Plane
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - Oy, Such Problems!
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - Doing So Much and Doing Nothing
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - A Sea Day and Some Thoughts About The Dining Expereiences
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - Shopping with the Chef and Sicilian Seafood Experiences
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - Malta and Food for Thought
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - Pizza or the Wintergarden Suite's Spa? Let's Try Both!
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - The Food & Wine Tasting to Die For!
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - Finding Pizza and What It Means to "Travel"
      • Goldring Travel's 2009 Food & Wine Cruise - Seabourn Spirit >
        • 2009 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit
        • Goldring Travel's 2009 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit - Some Pre-Cruise Thoughts and My Plan
        • Goldring Travel's Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit 2009 - The Start: It's All About The Clothes???
        • Goldring Travel's 2009 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit - Walking With Wine In Venice
        • Goldring Travel's 2009 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit - Finally Onboard...Err, I Mean, Home!
        • Goldring Travel's 2009 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit - Split, Croatia: Shopping With the Chef & Chilling Out Seabourn Style
        • Seabourn Spirit 2009 Food & Wine Cruise - Its About The Fish!
        • Goldring Travel's 2009 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit - Meeting Up With The Big Sister & Chef's Surprises
        • Goldring Travel's 2009 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit - Some Final Thoughts
      • Goldring Travel's 2008 Food & Wine Cruise >
        • Goldring Travel's 2008 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit: Travelogue Part I
        • Goldring Travel's 2008 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit: Travelogue Part II
        • Goldring Travel's 2008 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit: Travelogue Part III (The Food & Wine Tasting!)
      • Goldring Travel's 2007 Seabourn Food & Wine Cruise
      • Seabourn Quest Pre-Inaugural Cruise 2011 >
        • The Pre-Inaugural of the Seabourn Quest - Part I
        • The Pre-Inaugural of the Seabourn Quest - Part II
        • The Pre-Inaugural of the Seabourn Quest - Part III
        • The Pre-Inaugural of the Seabourn Quest - Part IV
        • The Pre-Inaugural of the Seabourn Quest - Part V
        • The Pre-Inaugural of the Seabourn Quest - Part VI - The Photos!
      • Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural Cruise (2010) >
        • Seabourn Sojourn - The Inaugural & Maiden Voyage Travelogue
        • Seabourn Sojourn - The Inaugural & Maiden Voyage Travelogue - Part II
        • Seabourn Sojourn - The Inaugural & Maiden Voyage Travelogue - Part III (The Seabourn Sojourn Has Been Delivered!)
        • Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural and Maiden Voyage - Part VI
        • Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural and Maiden Voyage - Part XII - Some Videos and Photos
      • 2009 Seabourn Odyssey Inaugural Cruise >
        • Seabourn Odyssey - The Ca' Segredo Hotel Starts The Sojourn
        • Seabourn Odyssey - First Impressions
        • Seabourn Odyssey - Cuisine, Venues, People
        • Seabourn Odyssey - The Standard Suites - Part I
        • Seabourn Odyssey - The Standard Suites- Part II
        • Seabourn Odyssey - The Upper Suites
    • AmaWaterways River Cruises >
      • Goldring Travel's 2014 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto >
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) - Part I
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part II
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part III
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part IV (Georg Breuer Riesling Tasting)
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part VI
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part VII (Bamberg Brewery Tour and Beer Tasting)
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part VIII
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part IX (Food & Wine Tasting on the AmaCerto)
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part X
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part XI - The Tokaji Wine Tasting
        • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part VI (Hualien, Taiwan and Okinawa - The Kindness of Strangers)
      • AmaWaterways AmaLotus - Vietnam & Cambodia >
        • AmaWaterways Mekong River Cruise - Radio Interview
        • AMAWaterways' AmaLotus - 2012 Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part I
        • AMAWaterways' AmaLotus - 2012 Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part II
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - 2012 Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part III
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part IV
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part V (Getting There & Day 1: Hanoi)
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part VI (Let the Tour Begin!)
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part VII (Halong Bay...and A Monk)
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part VIII
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part IX (The Ship)
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part X (The Egg)
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part XI (Happy Pizza)
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part XII (The Killing Fields)
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part XIII (Our Last Days)
        • Review and Reflection of the 2012 AmaWaterways AmaLotus Vietnam and Cambodia Tour and Cruise
    • Azamara Club Cruises >
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises - Is it Amazing? Part I
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part II
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part III (Bali and Komodo Island)
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part IV (Upscale Meets ????)
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part V (Perspectives on Experiencing Developing Ports)
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part V (Manila, Philippines - By Day and AzAmazing Evening)
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part VII (Doing It On Your Own - Part A - Dontonbori, Osaka)
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part VIII (Doing It On Your Own - Part B - Kyoto - Why You Can't Rely Only On Guidebooks or TripAdvisor!)
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part IX - Reflections
    • Celebrity Cruises >
      • Celebrity Century (2011) >
        • Celebrity Century Cruise 2011 - How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity's Smallest Ship Get?
        • Celebrity Century Cruise 2011 - How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity's Smallest Ship Get? Part II
        • Celebrity Century Cruise 2011 - How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity's Smallest Ship Get? Part III
        • Celebrity Century Cruise 2011 - How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity's Smallest Ship Get? Part IV
        • Celebrity Century Cruise 2011 - How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity's Smallest Ship Get? - Some Final Observations and Thoughts
      • Celebrity Equinox (2009) >
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009- The Prologue to the Travelogue
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - The Adventure Begins...With a Bump or Two
        • Celebrity Equinox - Settling In Made Easy
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - Luxury Touches ...
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - Asian Flair ...
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - Private Tours, Israel ...
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - Egypt...Impressive and Depressing
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - Dining With the Captain ...
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - The Last Dinner ...
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - What Happens When ...
      • Celebrity Silhouette (2013) >
        • Celebrity Silhouette 2013 - How Upscale to Luxury is a Celebrity Cruise Experience? - Part I
        • Celebrity Silhouette 2013 - How Upscale to Luxury is a Celebrity Cruise Experience? - Part II
        • Celebrity Silhouette 2013 - How Upscale to Luxury is a Celebrity Cruise Experience? The Review - Part III
      • Celebrity Solstice (2008) >
        • Celebrity Solstice - An Absolutely Amazing and Impressive Ship - Part I
        • Celebrity Solstice - An Absolutely Amazing and Impressive Ship - Part II
      • Celebrity Summit "Solticized" - A Ship Inspection (2012)
    • Crystal Cruises >
      • Crystal Serenity - November 2015 >
        • Crystal Serenity - Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a "Move Up" & "Move Over" Luxury Option - Part I
        • Crystal Serenity - Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a "Move Up" & "Move Over" Luxury Option - Part II
        • Crystal Serenity - Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a "Move Up" & "Move Over" Luxury Option - Part III
        • Crystal Serenity - Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a "Move Up" & "Move Over" Luxury Option - Part IV (Food & Wine!)
      • Crystal Symphony - April 2011 >
        • Crystal Symphony - Part I
        • Crystal Symphony - Part II
        • Crystal Symphony - Part III
        • Crystal Symphony - Part IV
        • Crystal Symphony - Part V
        • Crystal Symphony - Part VI
        • Crystal Symphony - Part VII
        • Crystal Symphony - Part VIII
        • Crystal Symphony - Part IX
        • Crystal Symphony - Goldring Travel's Pacific Exploration of Crystal Cruise's Luxury Experience - "Reflections"
    • Cunard >
      • Cunard's Queen Mary 2 - A Winter Transatlantic Crossing on Her 10th Anniversary
    • fathom Impact Travel >
      • Immersing In fathom's Social Impact Programs
    • G Adventures - Amazon River Cruise >
      • Goldring Travel Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures - Part I
      • Goldring Travel Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures - Part II
      • Goldring Travel Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures - Part III
      • Goldring Travel Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures - Part IV (What Group Travel Should Really Be About!)
    • Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) >
      • Norwegian Gem - Budget Cruises Pitching Luxury: You Don't Get What You Pay For, You Only Think You Do.
    • Paul Gauguin >
      • Paul Gauguin (2007)
    • Princess >
      • Princess Cruises Doesn't Treat You Like Royalty; Celebrity Cruises Does! Which is a Better Value for the Upscale Cruise Guest? Part I
      • Celebrity Silhouette vs. Royal Princess - Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part II: The Standard Veranda Staterooms
      • Celebrity Silhouette vs. Royal Princess - Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part III: Treating You Right From The Start
      • Celebrity Silhouette vs. Royal Princess - Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part IV: The Wine Lists Speak Volumes (As Do The Beverage Packages)
    • Regent >
      • Regent Seven Seas Mariner (2005)
      • Regent Seven Seas Navigator (2006)
    • Royal Caribbean >
      • Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas Travelogue - Prologue
      • Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas - My First 24 Hours
      • Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas - A Hurricane Runs Through It...Almost
      • Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas Travelogue - The Last Days ...
    • SeaDream Yacht Club >
      • Goldring Travel Cruising on SeaDream Yacht Club - Italy and Corisca 2014 - Part I
      • Goldring Travel Cruising on SeaDream Yacht Club - Italy and Corisca 2014 - Part II (Getting There, The Stateroom and First Impressions)
      • Goldring Travel Cruising on SeaDream Yacht Club - Italy and Corisca 2014 - Part III ("You Can’t Teach Five Star Service" and Bonafacio, Corsica)
      • Goldring Travel Cruising on SeaDream Yacht Club - Italy and Corisca 2014 - Part IV (Calvi, Monaco, Portofino, Porto Azzurro...and Stale Bread)
      • Goldring Travel Cruising on SeaDream Yacht Club - Italy and Corisca 2014 - Part V (My Last Day...and How The Chef's Team Makes It Happen)
    • Silversea >
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review - Part I
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review - Part II
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review - Part III
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review - Part IV
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review - Part V
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review - Part VI
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review - Part VII
    • Taipei, Taiwan - Independent Travel >
      • A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan - Who Knew? - Part I
      • A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan - Who Knew? - Part II
      • A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan - Who Knew? - Part III (Spa, Beauty and Fashion)
      • A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan - Who Knew? - Part IV (Cuisine: Street, Sublime & Surreal)
    • Windstar >
      • Windstar Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise >
        • Windstar Cruises' Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise - Part I
        • Windstar Cruises' Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise - Part II - The Transformation of A Cruise Line
        • Windstar Cruises' Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise - Part III - The Windstar Experience 2.0
      • Windstar Pride - Black Sea Cruise - September 2014 >
        • Windstar Cruises - Star Pride Black Sea Cruise - Part I
        • Windstar Cruises - Star Pride Black Sea Cruise - Part II
        • Windstar Cruises - Star Pride Black Sea Cruise - Part III
      • Windstar's Wind Surf - Caribbean - January 2014
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Crystal Cruises is, to my mind, a great “move up” from a premium cruise line (Celebrity, Oceania, etc.) and also a wonderful “move over” from the luxury lines (Seabourn. Silversea, Regent, etc.).  But there are a number of misperceptions that have kept this presently two ship (and rapidly expanding and diversifying) cruise line from being at the fore of many traveler’s thoughts.  And that is why I have taken this November 13, 2015 cruise from Lisbon, Portugal to Madeira to the Canary Islands to Malaga, Spain and ending, finally, in Monaco.

Crystal Serenity
I especially liked this itinerary, not for its uniqueness, but its economies; focusing on it being a great value proposition…and not just for the cruise.  Because the ship does not depart Lisbon until 1:00 a.m. technically on Day 2, we had the ability (with just a touch of trepidation) to fly into Lisbon the same day (avoiding the cost of a hotel stay) and have time to enjoy the city with a bit of cushion should there had been flight delays or lost luggage…which fortunately did not happen.

Lisbon, Portugal and its beautiful old trams
We arrived in Lisbon, Portugal early in the morning (7:30 a.m.) and, after a quick coffee, were met by our outstanding guide, Susana, for a private tour of Lisbon.  Susana honestly reaffirmed what I already knew:  Lisbon has suffered terribly from a depressed economy and a declining population.  It was understanding the attempted rebuilding of the business and financial sectors (and the accompanying residential market) by moving them to the new Expo area (with some wonderful modern architecture) that provided a first-up important perspective of the city…the famous older part being virtually abandoned other than for the tourism and hospitality industries.

Pasteis de Belem
We then visited Pasteis de Belem for one of Lisbon’s delicacies, custard tarts.  This bakery is well worth the visit as is taking some time to sit in one of the many rooms of is almost 200 year old building and enjoying a tart or two…with a glass of tawny port (even if it is only 10:00 a.m.)


Famous Lisbon Custard Tart with a Tawny Port or Espresso
After a few more sites, just near the famous Tower was a little, funky, van with a sign “Wine with a View”…and you know that sucked me right in.  Two glasses of white port, please!


White Port with a View
And then, Oh Boy! What I a view did we have. (And they did it because they wanted to sit in our chairs.  Seriously???

Not such a good view
From there we visited Padrão dos Descobrimentos (the Discoveries Monument) that was created during the dictatorship of Salazar, but remains one of my favorite modern sites.



As we were heading to the old town Susana pointed out Mercado da Ribeira, also known as the Time Out Market, in Lisbon.  This is a new venture with a farmer’s market on the right and a massive food hall with various take-away restaurants lining the walls.  I asked if we could stop for a look; as these sorts of places can either be a tourist trap or a real find.  (Anthony Bourdain is developing a somewhat similar, though more diverse, concept in New York.).  Susana said we could pop in for a look, or if we wanted to eat there we could.  Well, the food hall was interesting, but not for me.

Mercado da Ribeira
However, I found an area behind the food hall with a few restaurants that most never even venture into and there it was:  Mariscada Azul. What attracted me was the beautiful seafood display, but what got me to stay was the friendly, but understated, staff.  And with that we pulled up two stools (this is not a typical restaurant) and before we could even order the waitress placed three delicious things in front of us:  A gooey, smelly, runny…and wonderful…sheep’s cheese, an octopus salad and delicious Portuguese bread with a buttery herb spread.  I had been waiting for a pata negra (Iberico ham) and they had a leg of it right there and sliced off a plate for us.

Iberico Ham, Octopus Salad, Sheep Cheese and Portuguese Bread
was just the start!
 But then there was a sign for cod, or bacalao.  Interestingly, as Susana had mentioned earlier, the Portuguese eat a tremendous amount of cod, but never fresh.  It is always salted and, thus, made into bacalao.  Even more interesting, just this past June on the 2015 Goldring Travel Culinary & Cultural Cruise we visited Tromso, Norway (where I held one of our events) and visited one of the processing areas where the cod is dried and salted.  [I am really blessed to be able to tie this very important and international culinary and cultural item together in a matter of a few months!  And now you know why Goldring Travel doesn’t just have Food & Wine cruises; we do so much more!]

Bacalao with Potatoes
Anyway, we obviously ordered the cod with potatoes.  It was fantastic, but actually the potatoes could have stolen the show on that plate!

But while that was being prepared I spotted two of my favorite foods:  Razor clams and Gooseneck barnacles; the latter being a real delicacy with a unique flavor and texture.
Razor Clams with Garlic
Gooseneck Barnacles!
We, of course, paired our feast with a Portuguese Alvarinho wine.

After lunch we drove through the old town portion of Lisbon, which is really being renovated and upscaled with many more restaurants, cafes and shops being present than the last time I was here.  But with full stomachs and the Crystal Serenity waiting for us we decided to head to the ship (now it was about 2:30 p.m.).

From the time we arrived to getting to our Penthouse took less than 15 minutes and our bags arrived about five minutes after that.  Very impressive.

What I notice almost immediately is the layout of the Penthouse is very similar to the layout of the new Crystal Esprit yacht!  So over the next nine days I will be figuring out how well it “lives”.  But no sooner did I notice that my doorbell rang with our butler, quickly followed by our two room stewardesses, introducing themselves.  Crystal Cruises really does a wonderful job of making you feel welcome as soon as you board.

We had contemplated getting settled, but then heading out into the town (which in Lisbon is walking distance), but with the mandatory muster at 8:00 p.m. we decided it would be better to enjoy the Crystal Serenity for the evening rather than try and do too much.  Options are a good thing, and to be sure, as you will see throughout my articles, one of the strong points of Crystal Cruises is that you have many options available to you…and being able to check in and then go out on this cruise is just one of them.
Crystal Serenity Pool Area
(Note the two paddle tennis courts aft)
After unpacking we took a stroll around the ship, which is similar, but still different from, the Crystal Symphony which I sailed on a few years ago.  Most of the public spaces are located in the aft third of the ship on Decks 7 and 6 with Reception and the Main Dining Room midship on Deck 5.  The larger lounges are on Deck 12 and 6 forward.  In other words, this midsized ship is very easy to understand and get around.  (The concern by some luxury travelers that the Crystal Serenity is too large simply is not well-founded.)

After our stroll, we sat in our suite and enjoyed a glass of champagne before heading to dinner.  On Crystal Cruises your alcoholic beverages are included, so reaching into your stocked refrigerator is very convenient…as is stopping by one of the various bars and lounges.  (A little niggle is that the refrigerator gets cool, but not cold.)

Time for dinner!  On Crystal there are three dining times:  Early (6:30 p.m.), Late (8:30 p.m.) and Dining By Reservation.  As I did not want to bother with making a reservation each evening, Crystal’s late seating at a table for two was perfect.   The service and cuisine was very good and a sommelier serves the complimentary wines.  I must note that the complimentary wines so far are superior to those offered by Seabourn…though I am not so sure the sommelier is really as knowledgeable as he should be. (I was having a seared ahi tuna appetizer and he suggested I switch to the offered pinot grigio rather than the cabernet I was drinking.  Not a good pairing.)

After dinner it was time to enjoy the rest of the evening.  We started in the Connoisseur’s Club which is, by far, the nicest cigar lounge at sea.  The staff quickly brought me a Glenfiddich, which I noticed is in higher quality glasses then elsewhere on the ship, and I was quite happy.  Literally steps away is Avenue (a very social and popular piano bar) the Stardust Club (a larger venue for dancing and talks) and, Pulse (the disco) and just a few steps further is the movie theater.  

The concept that Crystal Cruises is only for older travelers is not exactly accurate.  Debunking that was the last stop on our first evening:  Pulse.  Suffice it to say, the night went past 2:00 a.m. and that is just not an option on most luxury cruise ships.


All in all an excellent experience…and this cruise is just getting started!

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  • Home
  • My Blog
    • My Blog Archive - June 2008 Through July 2014
  • Cruise/Travel Reviews
    • Seabourn >
      • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise >
        • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part I (A Look Back and A Look Forward)
        • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part II (Copenhagen & The First Day)
        • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part III (Flam & Alesund)
        • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part IV (Slovlaer and Tromso)
        • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part V (Honningsvag) - Ventures By Seabourn
        • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part V (Sea Days & Private Culinary Events)
        • Goldring Travel's 2015 Culinary & Cultural (formerly Food & Wine) Cruise - Seabourn Quest - Part VI (Bergen, Stavanger & The Last Two Culinary Events: Shopping with the Seabourn Chef and A Cheese Tasting)
      • Goldring Travel's 2013 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise >
        • Goldring Travel's 2013 Food & Wine Cruise - Preparations and a Plan...Sort Of!
        • Goldring Travel's 2013 Food & Wine Cruise - Take Off...and A Fresh Perspective
        • Goldring Travel's 2013 Food & Wine Cruise - Air Travel, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Meat!
        • Goldring Travel's 2013 Food & Wine Cruise - The First 24 Hours and Ihhabela, Brazil
        • Goldring Travel's 2013 Food & Wine Cruise - The Little Things (Paranagua and Porto Belo, Brazil)
        • Goldring Travel's 2013 Food & Wine Cruise - Seabourn Quest's Chef Creates An Incredible Tasting Event
        • Goldring Travel's 2013 Food & Wine Cruise - The Event: Montevideo, Uruguay- Caviar, Caviar and Sturgeon
      • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride >
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part I
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part II (Perspective)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part III (Storms A Brewing...And A Double Rainbow!)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part IV (Fish & Chips...And A Great Beer)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part V (Cork, Ireland and a Lucky Leprechaun Named Darina Allen)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part VI (A Day at Sea with Special Events...And Then A Most Charming Port )
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part VII (Bordeaux- Day 1)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part VII (Bordeaux- Day 2: Chateau Margaux and Chateau Lynch-Bages)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part VIII (Relaxing and "Basque"ing)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part IX (Shopping With The Chef)
        • Goldring Travel's 2012 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Pride - Part X (The Goldring Travel Food & Wine Tasting)
      • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise - Seabourn Sojourn >
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part I
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part II
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part III
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part IV
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part V
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part VI
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part VII
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part VIII
        • Goldring Travel's 2011 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Sojourn - Part IX
      • Goldring Travel's 2010 Food & Wine Cruise - Seabourn Odyssey >
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - The Beginning...Almost.
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - The Beginning...Leaving On A Jet Plane
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - Oy, Such Problems!
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - Doing So Much and Doing Nothing
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - A Sea Day and Some Thoughts About The Dining Expereiences
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - Shopping with the Chef and Sicilian Seafood Experiences
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - Malta and Food for Thought
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - Pizza or the Wintergarden Suite's Spa? Let's Try Both!
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - The Food & Wine Tasting to Die For!
        • 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Odyssey - Finding Pizza and What It Means to "Travel"
      • Goldring Travel's 2009 Food & Wine Cruise - Seabourn Spirit >
        • 2009 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit
        • Goldring Travel's 2009 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit - Some Pre-Cruise Thoughts and My Plan
        • Goldring Travel's Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit 2009 - The Start: It's All About The Clothes???
        • Goldring Travel's 2009 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit - Walking With Wine In Venice
        • Goldring Travel's 2009 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit - Finally Onboard...Err, I Mean, Home!
        • Goldring Travel's 2009 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit - Split, Croatia: Shopping With the Chef & Chilling Out Seabourn Style
        • Seabourn Spirit 2009 Food & Wine Cruise - Its About The Fish!
        • Goldring Travel's 2009 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit - Meeting Up With The Big Sister & Chef's Surprises
        • Goldring Travel's 2009 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit - Some Final Thoughts
      • Goldring Travel's 2008 Food & Wine Cruise >
        • Goldring Travel's 2008 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit: Travelogue Part I
        • Goldring Travel's 2008 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit: Travelogue Part II
        • Goldring Travel's 2008 Food & Wine Cruise on the Seabourn Spirit: Travelogue Part III (The Food & Wine Tasting!)
      • Goldring Travel's 2007 Seabourn Food & Wine Cruise
      • Seabourn Quest Pre-Inaugural Cruise 2011 >
        • The Pre-Inaugural of the Seabourn Quest - Part I
        • The Pre-Inaugural of the Seabourn Quest - Part II
        • The Pre-Inaugural of the Seabourn Quest - Part III
        • The Pre-Inaugural of the Seabourn Quest - Part IV
        • The Pre-Inaugural of the Seabourn Quest - Part V
        • The Pre-Inaugural of the Seabourn Quest - Part VI - The Photos!
      • Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural Cruise (2010) >
        • Seabourn Sojourn - The Inaugural & Maiden Voyage Travelogue
        • Seabourn Sojourn - The Inaugural & Maiden Voyage Travelogue - Part II
        • Seabourn Sojourn - The Inaugural & Maiden Voyage Travelogue - Part III (The Seabourn Sojourn Has Been Delivered!)
        • Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural and Maiden Voyage - Part VI
        • Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural and Maiden Voyage - Part XII - Some Videos and Photos
      • 2009 Seabourn Odyssey Inaugural Cruise >
        • Seabourn Odyssey - The Ca' Segredo Hotel Starts The Sojourn
        • Seabourn Odyssey - First Impressions
        • Seabourn Odyssey - Cuisine, Venues, People
        • Seabourn Odyssey - The Standard Suites - Part I
        • Seabourn Odyssey - The Standard Suites- Part II
        • Seabourn Odyssey - The Upper Suites
    • AmaWaterways River Cruises >
      • Goldring Travel's 2014 Culinary & Cultural (Food & Wine) Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto >
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) - Part I
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part II
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part III
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part IV (Georg Breuer Riesling Tasting)
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part VI
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part VII (Bamberg Brewery Tour and Beer Tasting)
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part VIII
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part IX (Food & Wine Tasting on the AmaCerto)
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part X
        • Goldring Travel's 2014 Food & Wine River Cruise - AmaWaterways AmaCerto (Amsterdam to Budapest) – Part XI - The Tokaji Wine Tasting
        • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part VI (Hualien, Taiwan and Okinawa - The Kindness of Strangers)
      • AmaWaterways AmaLotus - Vietnam & Cambodia >
        • AmaWaterways Mekong River Cruise - Radio Interview
        • AMAWaterways' AmaLotus - 2012 Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part I
        • AMAWaterways' AmaLotus - 2012 Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part II
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - 2012 Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part III
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part IV
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part V (Getting There & Day 1: Hanoi)
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part VI (Let the Tour Begin!)
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part VII (Halong Bay...and A Monk)
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part VIII
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part IX (The Ship)
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part X (The Egg)
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part XI (Happy Pizza)
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part XII (The Killing Fields)
        • AmaWaterways' AmaLotus - Vietnam, Cambodia and The Mekong River Cruise- Part XIII (Our Last Days)
        • Review and Reflection of the 2012 AmaWaterways AmaLotus Vietnam and Cambodia Tour and Cruise
    • Azamara Club Cruises >
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises - Is it Amazing? Part I
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part II
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part III (Bali and Komodo Island)
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part IV (Upscale Meets ????)
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part V (Perspectives on Experiencing Developing Ports)
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part V (Manila, Philippines - By Day and AzAmazing Evening)
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part VII (Doing It On Your Own - Part A - Dontonbori, Osaka)
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part VIII (Doing It On Your Own - Part B - Kyoto - Why You Can't Rely Only On Guidebooks or TripAdvisor!)
      • Goldring Travel Experiences Azamara Club Cruises in Asia - Is it Amazing? Part IX - Reflections
    • Celebrity Cruises >
      • Celebrity Century (2011) >
        • Celebrity Century Cruise 2011 - How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity's Smallest Ship Get?
        • Celebrity Century Cruise 2011 - How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity's Smallest Ship Get? Part II
        • Celebrity Century Cruise 2011 - How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity's Smallest Ship Get? Part III
        • Celebrity Century Cruise 2011 - How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity's Smallest Ship Get? Part IV
        • Celebrity Century Cruise 2011 - How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity's Smallest Ship Get? - Some Final Observations and Thoughts
      • Celebrity Equinox (2009) >
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009- The Prologue to the Travelogue
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - The Adventure Begins...With a Bump or Two
        • Celebrity Equinox - Settling In Made Easy
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - Luxury Touches ...
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - Asian Flair ...
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - Private Tours, Israel ...
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - Egypt...Impressive and Depressing
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - Dining With the Captain ...
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - The Last Dinner ...
        • Celebrity Equinox 2009 - What Happens When ...
      • Celebrity Silhouette (2013) >
        • Celebrity Silhouette 2013 - How Upscale to Luxury is a Celebrity Cruise Experience? - Part I
        • Celebrity Silhouette 2013 - How Upscale to Luxury is a Celebrity Cruise Experience? - Part II
        • Celebrity Silhouette 2013 - How Upscale to Luxury is a Celebrity Cruise Experience? The Review - Part III
      • Celebrity Solstice (2008) >
        • Celebrity Solstice - An Absolutely Amazing and Impressive Ship - Part I
        • Celebrity Solstice - An Absolutely Amazing and Impressive Ship - Part II
      • Celebrity Summit "Solticized" - A Ship Inspection (2012)
    • Crystal Cruises >
      • Crystal Serenity - November 2015 >
        • Crystal Serenity - Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a "Move Up" & "Move Over" Luxury Option - Part I
        • Crystal Serenity - Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a "Move Up" & "Move Over" Luxury Option - Part II
        • Crystal Serenity - Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a "Move Up" & "Move Over" Luxury Option - Part III
        • Crystal Serenity - Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a "Move Up" & "Move Over" Luxury Option - Part IV (Food & Wine!)
      • Crystal Symphony - April 2011 >
        • Crystal Symphony - Part I
        • Crystal Symphony - Part II
        • Crystal Symphony - Part III
        • Crystal Symphony - Part IV
        • Crystal Symphony - Part V
        • Crystal Symphony - Part VI
        • Crystal Symphony - Part VII
        • Crystal Symphony - Part VIII
        • Crystal Symphony - Part IX
        • Crystal Symphony - Goldring Travel's Pacific Exploration of Crystal Cruise's Luxury Experience - "Reflections"
    • Cunard >
      • Cunard's Queen Mary 2 - A Winter Transatlantic Crossing on Her 10th Anniversary
    • fathom Impact Travel >
      • Immersing In fathom's Social Impact Programs
    • G Adventures - Amazon River Cruise >
      • Goldring Travel Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures - Part I
      • Goldring Travel Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures - Part II
      • Goldring Travel Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures - Part III
      • Goldring Travel Cruising the Peruvian Amazon With G Adventures - Part IV (What Group Travel Should Really Be About!)
    • Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) >
      • Norwegian Gem - Budget Cruises Pitching Luxury: You Don't Get What You Pay For, You Only Think You Do.
    • Paul Gauguin >
      • Paul Gauguin (2007)
    • Princess >
      • Princess Cruises Doesn't Treat You Like Royalty; Celebrity Cruises Does! Which is a Better Value for the Upscale Cruise Guest? Part I
      • Celebrity Silhouette vs. Royal Princess - Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part II: The Standard Veranda Staterooms
      • Celebrity Silhouette vs. Royal Princess - Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part III: Treating You Right From The Start
      • Celebrity Silhouette vs. Royal Princess - Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part IV: The Wine Lists Speak Volumes (As Do The Beverage Packages)
    • Regent >
      • Regent Seven Seas Mariner (2005)
      • Regent Seven Seas Navigator (2006)
    • Royal Caribbean >
      • Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas Travelogue - Prologue
      • Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas - My First 24 Hours
      • Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas - A Hurricane Runs Through It...Almost
      • Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas Travelogue - The Last Days ...
    • SeaDream Yacht Club >
      • Goldring Travel Cruising on SeaDream Yacht Club - Italy and Corisca 2014 - Part I
      • Goldring Travel Cruising on SeaDream Yacht Club - Italy and Corisca 2014 - Part II (Getting There, The Stateroom and First Impressions)
      • Goldring Travel Cruising on SeaDream Yacht Club - Italy and Corisca 2014 - Part III ("You Can’t Teach Five Star Service" and Bonafacio, Corsica)
      • Goldring Travel Cruising on SeaDream Yacht Club - Italy and Corisca 2014 - Part IV (Calvi, Monaco, Portofino, Porto Azzurro...and Stale Bread)
      • Goldring Travel Cruising on SeaDream Yacht Club - Italy and Corisca 2014 - Part V (My Last Day...and How The Chef's Team Makes It Happen)
    • Silversea >
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review - Part I
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review - Part II
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review - Part III
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review - Part IV
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review - Part V
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review - Part VI
      • Silversea Silver Shadow Alaska Cruise Review - Part VII
    • Taipei, Taiwan - Independent Travel >
      • A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan - Who Knew? - Part I
      • A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan - Who Knew? - Part II
      • A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan - Who Knew? - Part III (Spa, Beauty and Fashion)
      • A Few Days in Taipei, Taiwan - Who Knew? - Part IV (Cuisine: Street, Sublime & Surreal)
    • Windstar >
      • Windstar Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise >
        • Windstar Cruises' Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise - Part I
        • Windstar Cruises' Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise - Part II - The Transformation of A Cruise Line
        • Windstar Cruises' Star Breeze Inaugural Cruise - Part III - The Windstar Experience 2.0
      • Windstar Pride - Black Sea Cruise - September 2014 >
        • Windstar Cruises - Star Pride Black Sea Cruise - Part I
        • Windstar Cruises - Star Pride Black Sea Cruise - Part II
        • Windstar Cruises - Star Pride Black Sea Cruise - Part III
      • Windstar's Wind Surf - Caribbean - January 2014
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