I have had a few questions along the line of “What do you do with so many sea days? A week at sea before the first port? Egad, what is there to do????” and similar expressions of doubt that we can keep entertained, let alone find time to eat and sleep. We have now had the first week art sea and tomorrow we drop anchor at Nuka Hivu in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. More on French Polynesia later.

Let’s start with food. There are four restaurant choices for lunch and five for dinner. In addition, there is afternoon tea and there are special food events from time to time. The food is probably the best we have had on any ship we have been on. Variety of courses, selection of food, and presentation are all top-notch. Bear in mind that the ship only carries about 370 people when full and we currently have only about 260 people aboard. I imagine that when we get to. Sydney, we will pick up a bunch more. The public spaces – bars, theatre, meeting rooms for card players, etc. are all spacious and another hundred people or so should not affect our perception of the ship. We love that there is no waiting in line for elevators, food, or any service. In addition to actual eating, there have been both food and wine lectures and tastings.

For example, the other evening, we ate in La Terrazza, an Italian-themed “Slow Food” restaurant. The food, wine and service were excellent. Bonnie and I both started with an amuse bouche of duck confit. That was followed by house-made pasta course and the main was a veal scaloppini. All were served with the appropriate wines. Not too shabby… The main dining room, somewhat understatedly called simply “The Restaurant” is where we normally have dinner. Every evening there are choices of fish, meat, pasta, regional specialty, or just plain steak chicken or salmon, all accompanied by the appropriate vegetables and garnishes. And more wine…

Among the wine lectures we had a discussion/comparison of Old World vs. New World and a very good primer/review of Italian wines. The food demonstrations/tastings have thus far ranged from home-cured salmon (which I have been doing for a few years, but I learned a new trick) to an eggless lemon pudding called a “posset” that was as creamy and rich as any custard. We can’t wait to get home and try these ourselves – well, yes, we can…we still have 108 days to go…

Silversea is also all about service. The staff and crew are eager to assist and we believe they are sincere. This is a no-tipping cruise line and the staff seems very content as many of them have been with the line for a number of years. One of the junior officers told us that the turnover is very low for a cruise line. Apparently, they practice strict in-house training and promote from within. This is also an Italian-owned line and it shows in a lot of the smaller items. The European sensibility about what is really luxury versus what is the appearance of luxury is evident in everything from the flower arrangements – simple, but abundant – to the fact that there is no steam table at any food venue. Just about everything is cooked and plated a-la-minute.

For our bridge-playing friends: yes, we are playing bridge occasionally (and not doing all that well…), but there is so much to do that we don’t want to miss some other opportunities. For example, I have been attending a series of lectures by an eminent scholar, Dr. Robert O. Freedman of Johns Hopkins University, on world events concerning the issues in the Middle East. He has given lectures about world affairs that I must admit I thought might be sleepifying, but I have found to be quite stimulating. One day we did a galley tour and that is when we found out that they do not use steam tables and saw how they prep for 300 or so people and make every plate distinctive.

Of course, reading, napping, having a cocktail or a coke with new-made travel friends are also part of the day. This crossing of the Pacific is the lead-in to our upcoming adventures in Australia, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia. Typically, we sail back from Europe and use the Atlantic crossing to relax, refresh and re-compose after trekking around Europe. This time is seems that we, and many others, are using the Pacific crossing to gather strength for the upcoming stops.

Bonnie and I have also been very pleased that we do not have to pull out a key-card every time we want a coke or an adult beverage. There are no “ship’s photographers” bouncing around every time there is an event. There is no pressure to get the “drink of the day” or to line up for Jackpot Bingo. An all-inclusive fare is just that – all-inclusive. While the price might seem slightly higher than other cruise lines, when you factor in the constant out-of-pockets, which come up daily on those cruise lines, against the all-inclusive fare, there is only a slightly higher per day cost. That higher cost is more than made up for in the service and quality of everything aboard.

So much for the ship and the logistics. Let’s talk about French Polynesia. Here are a few basics:

Size: ~ 1300 sq mi

Administrative Capital: Papeete, Tahiti, Society Islands

Population ~268,000, over one third of whom reside on Tahiti in Papeete

Currency: Central Pacific Franc (XPF), about UD$1=XPF$100

Ethnicity: 74% Polynesian, 12% European, and about 14% Asian

Official language: French

The islands of French Polynesia make up a total land area of 3,521 square kilometers (1,359 sq mi), scattered over more than 2,000 kilometers (1,200 mi) of ocean. There are 118 islands in French Polynesia. The highest point is Mount Orohena on Tahiti. French Polynesia is composed of five major island groupings: the Marquesas Islands, the Austral Islands, the Gambier Islands, the Tuamotu Archipelago, and the Society Islands. We will be stopping at Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas, Rangiroa in the Tuamuto Archipelago, and Moorea and Tahiti in the Society Islands. One of the territory’s most famous citizens was the painter Paul Gauguin.

Here is a look at where French Polynesia lies:

Seriously, here is French Polynesia:

The first stop is Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas, followed by the atoll of Rangiroa in the Tuamotu Archipelago, then Moorea and Tahiti in the Society Islands.

Stay tuned….