Day 9. Corinthe Canal, Greece

The day today was delightfully slow in starting. There was no port stop, which meant we could sleep in and do as we pleased. After all of last night’s fun and games and a night at the disco, it was very nice to have no commitments. We had a leisurely breakfast outside and then wandered around the ship. We also managed to get in a load of washing - a minor detail but important when we are away for so long. Here’s some of the ship pics and areas you may not have seen before!

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library

martini bar

slots/casino

laundry in our room. LOL

It wasn’t long before we bumped into some of the “new” friends and heard all about the dramas and excitement of last night. We had headed out of the night club moderately late, but after we left, lots of “interesting things” happened. One lady went ballistic in the casino and overturned a table, another fell over on the dance floor and took out two chairs, and one of the norty Southwest flight attendants on board didn’t make it back to his cabin... He preferred the luxury of the Swiss suite (with the Swiss couple - LOL).... Fun and hijinx on the high seas all while we slept soundly in our quiet cabin!!!! 

Today was the day for traversing the Corinthe Canal, a featured highlight for this sailing. This canal connects the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean sea with the Gulf of Corinth. It cuts through the Peloponesian Penisula , separating it from the mainland. The canal is 4 kilometers long and in some parts, it is only 21 meters across. Most modern ships cannot get through the canal, though when it was completed in 1883, it was a viable short cut for the many ships that used it. The canal was never as big of a success as planned due to many landslides and blockages, inhibiting its viability, and as a result, is mostly used for tourism related activities in modern days.

 

 The Corinth Canal (Greek: Διώρυγα της Κορίνθου) is a canal that connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnesian peninsula from the Greek mainland, thus effectively making the former an island. The builders dug the canal through the Isthmus at sea level; no locks are employed. It is 6.4 kilometres (4.0 mi) in length and only 21.3 metres (70 ft) wide at its base, making it unpassable for most modern ships. It now has little economic importance. The canal was mooted in classical times and an abortive effort was made to build it in the 1st century AD. Construction finally got underway in 1881 but was hampered by geological and financial problems that bankrupted the original builders. It was completed in 1893, but due to the canal's narrowness, navigational problems and periodic closures to repair landslips from its steep walls, it failed to attract the level of traffic anticipated by its operators. It is now used mainly for tourist traffic.

We had a lovely afternoon with some spectacular views of the canal. It was very social and there was a lot of chat and fun with people we have met through the week. With such a small crowd, it is easy to catch up with people who you have met and others that you come across. We also got some stats on the crowd with an update that was published. There were 70 USA, 60 UK, 10 AUS, 11 Canadians and small numbers of several other countries. A nice mix.... The ages range from mid 30s to 80’s with most in the middle. There are a lot more younger couples on this cruise than any other we have done before. The people we have talked to have been all nationalities. There seems to be a lot of interliners (travel related industry) on board with a mix of airlines and travel companies. I even talked to a lady who had worked for Braniff for 35 years and had modeled and worn their famous Pucci uniforms with the boots and helmuts - She still looked fabulous too....

Late in the afternoon, we were talked into something we have never done before, and that was enjoying a hot tub on the deck. We loved the spa and enjoyed chatting with some new people. There was so much ship gossip that we had been oblivious to including who the couples were amongst the crew. Some surprising combinations. LOL. The bubbles were flowing both in and out of the tub!!!! Cory had a pina colada and certainly seemed to enjoy our spa time! LOL





Tonight we enjoyed the crew show and thank you form the Captain. It was a little sad as we saw all the people on stage that have looked after us so well this week. The Seabourn team are certainly a wonderful and hard working group. Their focus on customer service makes me blush as it is exactly what we are looking for in our own industries back home...

For dinner, tonight we dined in the alternate restaurant, Restaurant 2, where it was an Italian themed night. The food was divine, and in particular, there was a focus on black truffles which I am a major fan of. Cory had a beef carpaccio, which I did not expect! He never eats raw beef, but he loved it!!!

It was a late showtime of 10pm, so we returned to our suite for a bit. Cory laid down, and that was the end of him. I went to the “broadway showstoppers” alone, though managed to find the large contingent of people we have been mixing with.

We continued sailing, on very smooth seas towards our last port of call - the island of Mykonos.