I was luckily able to spend some time with Cecilia Bartoli, the beautiful and charming world famous mezzo soprano. We chatted over coffee in my Silver Suite suite on the ultra luxury six-star Silversea Cruises' Silver Shadow; her suite was just across the hall. More a conversation than an interview, the visit was casual and comfortable.

Her mother, renowned singer (and Cecilia's voice coach) Silvana Bazzoni was traveling with her, which pleased me greatly since I enjoy mother-daughter trips as well.

Miss Bartoli was about to embark on her North American tour when she discovered that Silver Shadow was sailing from Dublin, Ireland, to New York just after her Dublin recital and with an arrival date just prior to her first scheduled U.S. appearance. The timing was perfect. Miss Bartoli had never cruised before and wanted to be able to experience life at sea.

GG: This is really your first cruise?

CB: Yes. I've never had time before, although I have wanted to try it for quite awhile.

GG: And? What do you think?

CB: It's wonderful. The seas haven't fully cooperated and some days are rocky, but the experience is wonderful.

GG: You realize, don't you, that you will not be able to cruise on any other cruise line. You've started at the top!

CB: Yes, I am realizing that. The service and atmosphere are excellent.

GG: You and I are in probably the finest ocean-going suites ever built. Have you seen pictures of the typical cruise ship bathroom?

CB: No. But the bathrooms in our suites are very nice.

GG: Yes, I'd love to have this bathroom in my home! You don't find marble and granite, two sinks, a full-sized Jacuzzi tub and a separate stall shower in most cruise-ship bathrooms, and you don't find a separate room and sink for the toilet, either. Usually it's a teeny shower, a toilet and a sink.

CB: Oh. So you've cruised before? You have been on other ships?

GG: Yes, several. On my first cruise the cabin was so small we had to open the door to get our pants on! You would have a really hard time adapting to another cruise line, believe me. What made you choose to do this?

CB: The timing, of course; my recital in Dublin was just a few days before this sailing. Some friends recommended Silversea and I saw this schedule in their brochure. I called my manager and he arranged it all for me. [Miss Bartoli performed while on board; the recital was attended by nearly every guest on the ship, all of whom spoke about the performance for days.] Really, I wanted to experience what my predecessors had to do to travel from Europe to North America. Can you imagine... whole opera companies with their costumes and dressers and the orchestra and all of the sets were transported by ship years ago. Now it's all by air. I wanted to try this.

GG: What have you enjoyed most about the cruise, or the ship?

CB: Three things. First, I am relaxing and doing very little. I rarely get that opportunity, my schedule is always so full. Second, the service is so good; everything is taken care of for me, the food is excellent, the staff is friendly but respectful. And third, I like being able to visit places this way, without having to fly or drive and pack and unpack. It's very restful, and there is no jet lag.

GG: Where is your home?

CB: I travel around so much that I don't really have one. I'm from Rome, though, so I suppose I would call that my home. My sister lives in Northern Italy; she keeps my dog and I stay with her between trips, so that's my home too...

GG: When you are not traveling to get to your performances, where do you like to go? Just for vacation?

CB: I visit with my family and friends.

GG: What's your favorite city?

CB: Oh, that's hard. I have so many favorites. But if I have to choose one, I'd say it's Rome.

GG: What's your favorite hotel?

CB: I travel so much they all end up looking the same. I'm going to stay at The Peninsula in New York, though. Is that nice?

GG: It's wonderful! One of the top hotels in the world, great location, and it has a fabulous rooftop spa. I love New York.

CB: What hotel do you like in New York?

GG: There's a little hotel around the corner from Carnegie Hall that I just love, the Gorham. It's small, friendly; the rooms are really nice, the bathrooms are nice, and every room has a little kitchenette with a microwave and fridge. My parents stayed there for a week and enjoyed it too. It's not real fancy, but it's very New York. The breakfast they serve is incredible, bagels as big as a dinner plate.

CB: Oh, can you write down the name for me? And the address? Any others?

GG: I love The Metropolitan on Lexington. Again, it isn't fancy like The Peninsula or The Mark, but they allow me to bring my dogs and... you know, New York is a state of mind as much as it is a city, and this hotel is just very New York. The staff is so wonderful and the bar and restaurant are in the middle of the lobby; I love it there. Where are you staying in the other cities on your tour? Boston? Philadelphia?

CB: Ritz-Carlton, I think, in both cities.

GG: What's the best vacation you have ever had? What is your favorite memory?

CB: I would have to say it was when I was very young, I was at the beach with my family. I just remember this blissful time, playing with my sister, enjoying the beach, being a child.

GG: To you have any travel horror stories?

CB: No, I really don't!

GG: That's pretty remarkable considering how much of the time you are on the road...

CB: Well, the occasional lost luggage, you know, but that's part of the life.

GG: Would you do me a favor and let me take a photo of you with my daughter? My parents are really big fans of yours and it would please them to have a picture of the two of you.

[Miss Bartoli graciously allowed me to take a photograph of her with my daughter but she made me promise not to publish it because she was casually dressed in black jeans and tennis shoes. She looked lovely, refreshed, rested and happy. The photo came out great, my parents were thrilled; I'm sorry she made me promise not to use it because it's beautiful and perfectly captures her charm and grace.]

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