Picto Diary - 13, 14 December 2023 - Koessler and the Arabian Sea

Above: TIMDT and Koessler face time. Abord Seabourn Encore, Arabian Sea, southbound. 13 December 2023.

A pick-me-up on at sea days is visually connecting with family, real time while on opposite sides of the globe. Koessler has done a magnificent job staying in touch with his mom over the years. PS. I get to talk to Koessler plenty. I applaud the special relationship he has communicating with his mom.

Note: Internet service has been top notch on this cruise. It has been four years since we have cruised, the last cruise being 2019, a Regent cruise from Lisbon to Cape Town. Previous cruises had internet but not as reliable as we are experiencing on this voyage.

There is less paper to deal with as well, compared to the "old days" of cruising. The ship no longer gives you printed facsimiles of newspapers. Get the news off of your phone, computer or live TV in your cabin. For all you on board planning, such as restaurant reservations, shore excursions, spa appointments etc. you do through the Seabourn Source app on your phone.

Above: Koessler blurb from his law firm. Retrieved off of Facebook today. 13 December 2023.

TIMDT and Mwah (sic) are very proud of Koessler and his family.

Above: Patio Restaurant. Seabourn Encore. 14 January 2023.

Nigerian Shrimp. A first for me. Never consumed a shrimp this big!

There are five choices for restaurants.

The Restaurant - Deck four main dining room. White tablecloth. No reservations required. Also breakfast
The Grill - Deck eight, aft. A top-level steakhouse. American prime beef served.
The Colonnade - Deck nine, aft. Buffet or a la carte. Also, breakfast.
Sushi - Deck eight mid-ship.
Patio Restaurant - Outdoors on pool deck. Deck nine. Casual dining.

Food is also available 24 hours via room service, tea-time in the observation lounge, and deck seven "Seabourn Square." Early risers can get coffee and croissants from 6:00 AM in the Observation Lounge.

My "at sea" day today: (Sailing down the Arabian Sea coastline of India between Mumbai and Cochin. We bypass ports of call on previous cruises in these waters: Mangalore and Goa).

6:00 AM. Coffee Observation lounge. I was alone. I run through the days news... emails etc. At 6:30 AM TIMDT and some others joined, one in her bathrobe. TIMDT said that coming to a public place like the Observation Lounge dressed in your bathrobe was gauche.

7:30 AM. Breakfast with TIMDT at Colonnade. Scrambled eggs, potato patty, English bacon, baked half tomato, oatmeal, coffee, ice water.

8:15 AM. With TIMDT thirty-minute walk outside on deck five.

9:00 AM. Nap in cabin for an hour.

10:30 AM: Computer. Correspondence, diary update

12:00 PM. Lunch with TIMDT at Colonnade Restaurant.

1:30 PM. Walk 30 minutes outdoor deck five.

2:00 PM. Nap one hour (I'm still jet lagged).

3:00 PM Start movie. Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One

4:00 PM. Tea. Observation Lounge with TIMDT

5:00 PM. Book. Chapter One. "Return of the God Principle", Stephen C Meyer.

6:30 PM. Cocktails with TIMDT. Observation Lounge.

7:30 PM. Dinner. The Patio. Nigerian Shrimp.

9:30 PM. Seabourn Singers. Theater, deck six. Highly professional presentation.

10:45 PM Bed

Half the days on this cruise are sea days. Relaxation without any responsibilities was one of the things we were looking for when deciding on this cruise. This is the fourth time we have sailed in these waters over the last twenty-five years. We love stopping in India. We feel a sense of familiarity in this part of the world. We love reviving old memories.

Addendum:

Steve-

Nice to see you and Margaret feel so comfortable in the Maximum City and navigate the organized chaos with such ease. I am looking forward to my own 2 week trip in January and am being told that the infrastructure projects going on e.g. subway and Metra, bridges across the Arabian Sea to improve transport, etc. are moving along at good speed…I almost don’t recognize my own neighborhood on these visits anymore, but I come back feeling optimistic about how faith/spirituality, science and their ability to improvise with limited resources is helping to trickle-down
economic progress slowly but surely…. enjoy!

Best,
RJ,
Chicago, IL

India is energy, in contrast to what seems to be a depleted West.

Brings back memories of our visits to India with you.

Montage
Marina del Rey, CA

Yes Great memories with you two in these waters.

Great photos Steve and Margaret we are envious and glad you are having a great time

Steve and Arlene
Park City, UT

Is that an egg timer - with three tumblers for hours, minutes, and seconds in different colors of sand?

Seabourn Encore Ship Stats & Information- Seabourn Seabourn Encore Cruises: Travel Weekly

Seabourn Encore is too big for my tastes. I like the freighters with about 12 non-crew passengers.

We would take a United Fruit Company ship from Panama to ports in CA. 12 passengers.

https://visitpuertoarmuelles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Typical-Menu-Great-White-Fleet.jpg

Enjoyable – no longer on the seas….

Panama,
Los Angeles, CA

Tea timer. White tea. One minute. Three minutes. Five minutes. I take the tea at five minutes.

Steve.. I hope you had a safe passage through the straights, and I am glad Margaret solved the oxygen compressor problem in her own calm ways. Looking forward to reading more of your adventures and wishing you both a great trip.

Espresso,
Washington, D.C.

Unlike what's going on in the Red Sea now, things were quiet in the Persian Gulf, where we were sailing. Before we boarded in Dubai, our ship, had come through the Red Sea and the Straights of Bab el Mandab in a convoy. Crew members we talked to said their were no problems. At this writing, we know from news reports that the Houthi rebels have caused enough Red Sea mischief to cause some cruise lines to pend their Red Sea passages.