Buzz’s comments on his Cruise from Lisbon to Miami on the Seabourn Sojourn November to December 2023

Another great trip on Seabourn!

Friday 03NOV23 AA258 Philadelphia Lisbon 9:16 pm 04NOV23 7:55am

Day/Date Port

SAT 04NOV23 Sail from Lisbon, Portugal – I attended the Solo Travelers Reception and the Welcome Aboard Party. I had a hosted dinner with Ceci Leger, the entertainment manager

SUN 05NOV23 Sea Day - I had a hosted dinner with Paul Deegan, Featured Conversationalist who I met and had extended discussions with a past cruise. I spent my day attending:

· A CONVERSATION WITH ERIN MANNING ‘TRAVEL PHOTO BASICS’

· A CONVERSATION WITH DENNIS MOLNAR ‘THE TWO BEST SPIES OF WORLD WAR 2 INCLUDING THE JAMES BOND LADY’

· TEAM TRIVIA WITH NICK & CECI

· DUPLICATE BRIDGE

· Cocktails & Piano Melodies with Deborah

· SHOWTIME TONIGHT - CH2 – Guitar Duo, hailing from the heart of South Africa

MON 06NOV23 Sea Day - I had a hosted dinner on Formal night with Marcel Kiers, Chief Engineer. I spent my day attending:

· A CONVERSATION WITH DENNIS MOLNAR ‘LIVING BEHIND THE BERLIN WALL: LIFE FOR FAMILIES IN COLD WAR EAST GERMANY.’

· A CONVERSATION WITH STEPHEN COLE ‘THE NEWS BUSINESS. CONFESSIONS OF AN ANCHORMAN (WITH APOLOGIES TO RON BURGUNDY)’

· A CONVERSATION WITH ERIN MANNING ‘GET CREATIVE WITH THE IPHONE CAMERA APP’

· TEAM TRIVIA WITH NICK & CECI

· Bridge Play with Pedro

· SHOWTIME TONIGHT – CAN’T STOP THE FEELING - A whistle-stop tour of Ballroom and Latin favorites.

TUE 07NOV23 Santa Cruz de la Pama, Spain. I ate dinner at the Thomas Keller Grill with Paul Deegan. I wondered through the port and attended some activities on the ship:

· The Farewell to Europe Caviar Sail Away Party

· The movie Plane

WED 08NOV23 Sea Day - I had a hosted dinner with Paul Deegan, Featured Conversationalist I spent my day attending:

· A CONVERSATION WITH A CONVERSATION WITH DENNIS MOLNAR ‘THE WORLD WAR 2 SPY WHO WAS THE REAL JAMES BOND’

· A CONVERSATION WITH Paul Deegan ‘UNLOCKING EVEREST’S SECRETS’

· TEAM TRIVIA WITH NICK & CECI

· A CONVERSATION WITH ERIN MANNING ‘PHOTO EDITING WITH THE IPHONE PHOTOS APP – PART 1’

· SHOWTIME TONIGHT – MIDNIGHT HOUR Michael Bublé, Peggy Lee, Elvis Presley, Billy Paul, Booker T and the MG’s and Wilson Pickett all featured

THU 09NOV23 Sea Day - I had a hosted dinner with Dennis Molnar, Guest Conversationalist. I spent my day attending:

· A CONVERSATION WITH STEPHEN COLE ‘VLADIMIR PUTIN’

· TEAM TRIVIA WITH NICK & CECI

· A CONVERSATION WITH ERIN MANNING PHOTO EDITING WITH THE IPHONE PHOTOS APP – PART 2

· SHOWTIME TONIGHT – ROY TAN PRESENTS ‘SOUNDTRACK’

FRI 10NOV23 Sea Day - I had a hosted dinner with Cornelle Hutten and Michiel Jocobaz, Guest Entertainers. I spent my day attending:

· TEAM TRIVIA WITH NICK & CECI

· DUPLICATE BRIDGE

· A CONVERSATION WITH ERIN MANNING ‘FUN AND FABULOUS PHOTO APPS’

· A birthday get-together for one on the passengers that I sailed with before.

SAT 11NOV23 Sea Day - I had a hosted dinner with Darwin Hasfian, Chief Purser and Silvia Nagaoka, Crew Purser, I spent my day attending

· A CONVERSATION WITH STEPHEN COLE ‘CHINA’

· OFFICERS VERSUS GUESTS TRIVIA

· DUPLICATE BRIDGE

· A CONVERSATION WITH A CONVERSATION WITH DENNIS MOLNAR ‘AMAZING PEOPLE STORIES OF WORLD WAR II,

· SHOWTIME TONIGHT – ShowManShip. From Billy Joel to Spandau Ballet

SUN 12NOV23 Sea Day - I had a hosted dinner with Stephen Cole, Guest Conversationalist. I spent my day attending:

· A CONVERSATION WITH DENNIS MOLNAR ‘CUBAN HISTORY IS WRITTEN WRONG - CORRUPTION, DEEP SECRETS AND TRUTHS OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION AND THE COLD WAR NUCLEAR MISSILE CRISIS.’

· A CONVERSATION WITH CONVERSATIONALIST, PAUL DEEGAN ‘IN THE SHADOW OF MOUNT EVEREST’

· A CONVERSATION WITH ERIN MANNING ‘PHOTO EDITING IN THE SNAPSEED APP’

· DUPLICATE BRIDGE

· SHOWTIME TONIGHT: LATIN QUARTER A dynamic collection of Latin American beats, vocals and dance featuring music from renowned artists including Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin and Camila Cabello.

MON 13NOV23 Sea Day - I had a hosted formal night dinner with Fernando Bellantani, the Seabourn Club Representative. I spent my day attending:

· FUN FAIR ON DECK!

· TEAM TRIVIA WITH NICK & CECI

· A CONVERSATION WITH DENNIS MOLNAR ‘AMAZING PEOPLE STORIES OF WORLD WAR II, INCLUDING THE WW2 SPY TECHNOLOGY YOU ALWAYS CARRY AND USE EVERY DAY.’

TUE 14NOV23 Sea Day - I spent my day attending:

· A CONVERSATION WITH STEPHEN COLE ‘OPEN BORDERS’

· Q&A WITH CAPTAIN HAMISH ELLIOTT & SENIOR OFFICERS

· TEAM TRIVIA WITH NICK & CECI

· DUPLICATE BRIDGE

· A CONVERSATION WITH DENNIS MOLNAR ‘MISTAKES, LUCK & DISOBEYING HITLER - THE DECIDING FACTORS IN THE CHASE AND SINKING OF THE BISMARCK IN WORLD WAR II’

· PRE-DINNER SHOW: ROY TAN ‘unPlugged’

· Popcorn Movie - MISSION IMPOSSIBLE DEAD RECKONING'

WED 15NOV23 Sea Day - I ate dinner at the Thomas Keller Grill with Erin Manning. I spent my day attending:

· A CONVERSATION WITH CONVERSATIONALIST, PAUL DEEGAN The Forbidden Mountains

· TEAM TRIVIA WITH NICK & CECI

· A CONVERSATION WITH ERIN MANNING Look Good in Selfies

· SHOWTIME TONIGHT: CROSSROADS

THU 16NOV23 Sea Day - I spent my day attending:

· A CONVERSATION WITH STEPHEN COLE ‘Artificial Intelligence’

· A CONVERSATION WITH DENNIS MOLNAR ‘AMAZING PEOPLE STORIES OF WORLD WAR 2 INCLUDING THE WW2 SPY TECHNOLOGY YOU ALWAYS CARRY AND USE EVERY DAY’

· TEAM TRIVIA WITH NICK & CECI

· FEATURE DOCUMENTARY IN SEARCH OF GREATNESS

· SEABOURN SIGNATURE EVENT:EPICUREAN & TEAM MEMBER FAREWELL PRE-DINNER ENTERTAINMENT: SERENADE

· POPCORN MOVIE: MARLOWE

FRI 17NOV23 Miami, Florida, US Guests departed and new ones boarded. All the cabins now occupied. I attended the Solo Travelers Reception and the Welcome Aboard Party. I had a hosted dinner with Oleg Gluschenko and Yefym Yefimov Seabourn dancers.

SAT 18NOV23 Sea Day - I had a hosted dinner with Roy Tan, Guest Entertainer. I spent my day attending:

· Tour Talk with Destination Services Manager, Chris

· A CONVERSATION WITH JAMES KENNEDY ‘50 YEARS OF SPACE EXPLORATION…IMAGINE THE NEXT 50’ An introduction to the triumphs and tragedies of human and robotic exploration of space.

· Team Trivia with Nick & Ceci

· A CONVERSATION WITH DENNIS WILLE ‘ISLAND HOPPING’

· SEABOURN SIGNATURE EVENT: BLOCK PARTY

· SHOWTIME TONIGHT: THE SHAMROCK TENORS

SUN 19NOV23 Sea Day - I had a hosted dinner on Formal night with Marcel Kiers, Chief Engineer. I spent my day attending:

· A CONVERSATION WITH JAMES KENNEDY ‘SPACE SHUTTLE AND INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION PROGRAMS’ A detailed look at the Space Shuttle and the Orbiting Outpost known as the International Space Station.

· OFFICERS VS GUESTS TRIVIA

· A CONVERSATION WITH DENNIS WILLE ‘BIRDS AROUND THE CARIBBEAN SEA’ A view of the fascinating world of seabirds.

· PRE-DINNER EVENT: CAPTAIN’S RECEPTION

· SHOWTIME TONIGHT: LATIN QUARTER

MON 20NOV23 San Juan, Puerto Rico I had a hosted dinner with Matthew Campbell, one of the Shamrock Tenors. I spent my day wondering around Old San Juan and after returning to the ship, I attended:

· Marigot, St. Martin Port Briefing with Destinations Manager, Chris

· CAVIAR SAILAWAY WITH SOPHIE AND THE BAND

TUE 21NOV23 Marigot, St. Martin I booked a 3.5 hour excursion: A Walk through Marigot History & A Taste of the French Caribbean – We had light rain and cloudy conditions that made this walk comfortable. This was my first visit to the French side of the island of St. Martin. We started the tour with a walk to Fort Louis Hill and climbed a set of steps to reach the fort. The guide described how the fort protected France's treasure from invaders and about the famous Concordia Treaty, which brought lasting peace between the French and Dutch sides of the island. We headed back downhill and into the streets of Old Marigot. With its cobblestone streets, colonial architectures, and bustling market square, it evoked a sense of the town’s rich past. En route to the Galisbay waterfront, we passed many typical boutiques and cafés. We passed the old prison, the original lighthouse, and the Fort Louis Marina. We arrived at the bustling Marigot marketplace. We stopped at Bacchus, an upscale French restaurant, specializes in exquisite delicacies from France to try their locally-baked pastries and specialty coffees and teas. After returning to the ship I attended:

· Team Trivia with Nick & Ceci

· SHOWTIME TONIGHT: ShowManShip

WED 22NOV23 Terre-de-Haut, Iles des Saintes, Guadeloupe I ate dinner at the Thomas Keller Grill. I booked a two hour excursion: Discover Iles des Saintes - We were escorted you to Fort Napoleon to discover an important piece of this island's history. The fort was built originally for defense against British invasion but in the end was never used for that purpose. Instead, it served as a penitentiary. We spent an hour in the lovely garden, which showcased the beautiful and striking flowers of the tropics. We saw the village with the multicolored houses, the fishing port, and historic church. After returning to the ship, I attended:

· Team Trivia with Nick & Ceci

· CAVIAR SAILAWAY WITH SOPHIE AND THE BAND

· SHOWTIME TONIGHT: THE SHAMROCK TENORS

THU 23NOV23 Fort-De-France, Martinique I had a hosted dinner with Uliana Khuda and Elena Macovei, Seabourn Dancers. I booked a 4 hour excursion: A Taste of Martinique: Rum & Fritters – We started the day by heading to the prestigious Rhum Clément, nestled in the heart of sugar cane plantations. Habitation Clément offered an opportunity to discover the techniques and manufacturing process of its beloved rum. A natural product derived from the direct distillation of sugar cane juice, rum has been prepared on the estate since 1917. The Habitation Clément tour was a complete immersion into a family devoted to rum. We were invited to taste the rum and decide for yourself how it stacks up. Next we visited Prisca Restaurant, where we learned all about life in Martinique – including the art of making traditional fritters using fresh seasonal produce. We tasted various French West Indian aperitifs and fritters. After returning to the ship, I attended:

· A CONVERSATION WITH JAMES KENNEDY ‘STORIES OF SPACE EXPLORATION, PART I’

· Bridgetown, Barbados Port Briefing with Destinations Manager, Chris

· PRE-DINNER SHOWTIME: TIFFANY DISSETTE

· SHOWTIME TONIGHT: ROY TAN

FRI 24NOV23 Bridgetown, Barbados I had a hosted dinner with Dennis Wille, Guest Conversationalist. I booked a 2.5 Hour expedition: Explore Barbados on a Submarine Expedition - The professional Atlantis crew welcomed us and provided an informative safety briefing. Then we made the easy transition from the Ocean Quest to the submarine – the Atlantis III. Peering out the windows, we saw an old shipwreck as the sub dives to depths of 150 feet. The knowledgeable co-pilot narrated this 40-minute underwater adventure and identified the sea life. After returning to the ship, I attended:

· SHOWTIME TONIGHT: AMOUR

SAT 25NOV23 Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia I had a hosted dinner with Vlad Plingau and Amelia Roberts, Seabourn Dancers. I booked a 4.5 hour excursion: St Marks & Rum Tasters Thrill – We began the tour with a view of the city from Morne Fortune—the name means Hill of Good Luck. The first stop was at an old colonial home, St Marks, to learn the history of the family, the home and also to enjoy a small bag of plantain chips, fruit juice and rum punch was served. We continued to Howelton Estate where we saw a brief demonstration of batik making. At the only rum distillery on the island, we saw how this is produced and tasted the finished product. The guided tour included an audio-visual presentation. After returning to the ship, I attended:

· Team Trivia with Nick & Ceci

· St. Johns, Antigua and Barbuda Port Briefing with Destinations Manager, Chris

SUN 26NOV23 St. Johns, Antigua and Barbuda I had a hosted dinner with Georgina Jackson, Guest Entertainer. I booked a 6 hour excursion: Catamaran Cruise & Lobster Lunch – We boarded the catamaran Mystic at the pier and sailed along the coastline of Antigua, propelled by gentle trade winds that kept the temperature comfortably cool. The first stop was at Deep Bay Beach. We relaxed on the beach as refreshing fruit drinks were served. Nearly 100 years ago, a ship from Trinidad caught fire in these waters and sank. A short sail down the west coast brought us to another beach, lined with coconut trees. The water was a slightly cooler here -- clear and delightfully refreshing. As we explored this beach, the crew prepared a lobster buffet. We enjoyed the feast as we sailed back along the coast. An open bar and the lively beat of Caribbean music complemented the delectable meal. After returning to the ship, I attended:

· Saint Kitts and Nevis Port Briefing with Destinations Manager, Chris

· Hell’s Gate Steel Band performance

MON 27NOV23 Carambola Beach, I ate dinner at the Thomas Keller Grill with a fellow passenger.

I booked a 3.5 hour excursion: St Kitts Scenic Railway and Sightseeing Coach - The island’s history and natural beauty was explored. We boarded the St. Kitts Railway for a journey around the island. We traveled along the northeastern coastline where fields of sugarcane used to stretch from the shoreline up to the mountains. We rolled across high steel bridges and wind through small villages and farms. Specialty beverages and a local cookie were served, accompanied by island music and a colorful narrative history of the Caribbean. We switched to a sightseeing coach for a drive along the southwestern coast to take photos as we drove past Brimstone Hill Fortress – the Gibraltar of the West Indies. We saw the tombstone in Middle Island marking where Thomas Jefferson's great-grandfather is buried, and for egrets nesting in the trees. Today was the Beach party day at the tender site.

TUE 28NOV23 Great Harbour, Jost van Dyke,BVI This was a morning stop for people who wanted to go to the beach. I stayed on board the ship. I had a hosted formal night dinner with Fernando Bellantani, the Seabourn Club Representative. I spent my day attending:

· A CONVERSATION WITH JAMES KENNEDY ‘THE FUTURE OF NASA AND WHY SHOULD I CARE?’ Plans for NASA’s Future and what it means to us all.

· Team Trivia with Nick & Ceci

· SHOW TIME – Georgina Jackson Brings The Sass And The Brass - celebrating some of the icons of ‘Vintage Vegas’ journeying through Louis Armstrong to Adele with her velvet vocals and sizzling horns

WED 29NOV23 Sea Day - I spent my day attending:

· Engine room and other mechanical areas tour conducted by the Chief Engineer

· A CONVERSATION WITH JAMES KENNEDY ‘STORIES OF SPACE EXPLORATION PART II’ Little known, incredible stories about the men and women who turned our dreams of space exploration into a reality.

· TEAM TRIVIA WITH NICK & CECI

· A CONVERSATION WITH DENNIS WILLE – Sea Life

· SHOW TIME – Limelight featuring the very best of musical theatre.

THU 30NOV23 Sea Day - I had a hosted dinner with Jim Kennedy, Guest Conversationalist. I spent my day attending:

· A CONVERSATION WITH DENNIS WILLE – ‘BIRD BRAIN’

· Team Member Farewell

· Bridge Tour

· SHOW TIME – Seranade

· SHOW TIME – Ralph Harris and Georgina Jackson

FRI 01DEC23 Debark Ship Miami, Florida, US and was transferred to my flight home:

AA AA 1184 Miami Philadelphia 1:40pm 4:26pm

Enjoy the pictures.

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