Ngaire, we look forward to your comments on the stretched Spirit. Our cruise on the Spirit on 7/24, which we booked with Susan Walsh, will be our first on Silversea, after many trips on Regent. Perhaps not the best way to ty a new line (i.e., a newly stretched ship); but the itinerary (Copenhagen to Stockholm via small ports in the Gulf of Bothnia, rather than in the Gulf of Finland) is quite unusual,

We had read about "select TAs" being invited to the cutting, and are glad that KLT will be there.

When we were in the Italian Lake district, we stayed on Lake Maggiore at the pretentiously named "Grand Hotel des Isles Barromees". The views were spectacular, the hotel was grand in late 19th century style, and we had a great meal on one of the Barromees islands. If your Lake Como hotel falls through, try this hotel. J & J