Port Power

I had a telephone call from the Guest Relations Manager this morning. He told me he had become aware of the champagne issue after our dinner with him last night when the receptionist who was also at our table filled him in. I think he made an executive decision to supply the “next level” champagne. I have met another solo cruiser on only her second SS cruise but also matched 250 days via Celebrity. She wants to know the outcome so she can ask for a bottle of Laurent also.

You are very lucky to be seeing waterfalls on the King George River this far into the dry season. So glad you are enjoying the west Kimberley. I suspect Harry is the same New Zealander who was on Silver Expedition with us in May last year, and on Silver Wind in Antarctica over the New Year. He is pretty fun and fabulous!

I am already a long term Silversea passenger with nearly 200 days. I totally agree with you, my post just demonstrating that the SS ships are playing catch up because of decisions made by RCG. So sad for Silversea admin staff onboard. Like @drron29, if there is more downgrading due to tying the loyalty programs together, I’ll not be sailing with SS again. But hey, RCG probably don’t want us any longer. They want new passengers crossing over from RCI and X who are not aware of what Silversea once was.

No, it shouldn’t be. But as I stated, the SS ships have been placed in this position by RCG. Very unfortunate. And sad.

I had the same experience on boarding Silver Wind today. Monopole in the ice bucket. Reception confirmed they had me down as 250 days. However, the butler list they had received from head office showed Monopole against my name. I think that list might have been made up before the status match announcement was made. The receptionist also brought up the current VS benefits and acknowledged it listed the Champagne upgrade was an entitlement. Unfortunately her hands are tied. She has emailed HO and will get back to me. This is still a learning curve for the ship’s staff. They have been placed in a difficult situation by HO. Also no Duval LeRoy on the ship. The waiter didn’t know anything about the new relationship deal. Monopole blue top is the only champagne with no extra charge.

I boarded Silver Wind today. There was a bottle of Monopole blue top in the ice bucket. I queried the butler, who checked but came back advising no change was possible. The head butler said “no”. I went to reception. They did know about the status match and did have me showing 250 nights. She also looked up the VS benefits and acknowledged I should be receiving an upgraded champagne (Laurent). However, the butler list from head office had written Monopole against my name, and they couldn’t change it. However, she has emailed HO and will let me know their answer. I shall wait and see.

Our group had dinner on the 5th floor of the Reykjavík Opera House tonight, the perfect position to see Silver Wind arrive in port. It was early due to bad weather at some stage. I board her tomorrow.

You do not have status. You have privileges / benefits.

Insist that SS provide the replacement cruise as a replacement for your cancelled cruise. No further payment necessary. And if they won’t refund you for the lost days, demand OBC in lieu. It really should be that simple. Why does Silversea complicate a simple swap?

I agree. Keep pounding away at SS to pay up per the cover that they insisted on and you paid them for. I use credit card insurance, which means I have cover immediately the deposit is paid with said credit card. Otherwise I would purchase a policy immediately. Anything can happen between the time of paying the deposit and boarding the ship, as has happened to @Randy Z’s friends.

Will do. Charter flight is on the 26th.

No one on my Antarctica charters had carry on bags weighed, but the empty middle seat down one side might have given some leeway. However, no one had a carry on wheeled bag as well as a duffle bag as I see on regular flights. Just the carry on and small backpack. I am not taking any chances this trip either for the charter from Longyearbyen.

I gather one person might want to sit in the “veranda” area with the window open, while the other person wants to keep the air con on inside the cabin?

No, there is no charter flight. Flights are commercial flights to Perth. You can make the morning flight easily. Note that Broome is a small airport and check in only opens an hour or two before each flight. Qantas and Virgin are the airlines. NB. I booked door-to-door, so Silversea had booked the flights I wanted. But they were booked on a commercial airline. If you took the air credit and booked your own international flights, I would think you have to book BME-PER yourself.

I should have elaborated that the meals are not on the room service menu as seen on the suite’s television screen until 7:00pm.

You will receive your Venetian Society number after your first cruise. I doubt you need to bother calling for one. If the App shows your VS status, it will link when on your first cruise. I do note that regular Silversea passengers are not in a mad rush to synchronise the various loyalty programs. I guess we are more relaxed about these things.

Unfortunately the staff have no authority to tell a guest to go away. Not even the doctor or nurse can insist a passenger take a COVID test bless it is ship wide. I’ve just been in the same situation on a bus tour where people cough into their hands and then touch various surfaces. Or don’t cover their mouths at all! I took precautions myself. As mentioned by @LAexNY, restaurant menus are available for room service when the restaurant is open. You cannot view the menu before 7:00pm though. You have not been happy with Silver Nova or Silversea. I’m sure you’ll find another cruise line to suit you.

Perhaps you are confusing Alaska with expedition cruising? The latter don’t have formal nights.

The “new” bottles look the same as the ones I have had in my various ships’ cabins since March last year, including Wind in Antarctica in December. Never did one fall off the bench top.

Have a marvellous trip and a great cruise. However, the Kimberley, Broome and Darwin are in the tropics. They do not actually have winter. There is the wet season and the dry season. Fortunately for your personal comfort level, it is currently the dry season. Unfortunately that means less water and no spectacular waterfalls. Sadly no stunning King George Falls. On the other hand, the Ord River boat excursion will still be fantastic. The journey here is a wow factor in itself. Bon voyage! P.S. Remember to bring your binoculars.

I can sail solo in a sky suite on X just a bit cheaper than in a window view cabin (Vista Suite) on Silversea, but that is without shore excursions included. If I stayed within The Retreat bubble, it might seem similar to Silversea, but I think not quite the same ambience. I would still have to venture out to crowded bars rather than relaxed lounges. Having big production shows is the main difference. Celebrity are still big ships that don’t dock as close to town as Silversea (a generalisation but you should get my drift). I am going to do just that, an Australia/New Zealand cruise in a Sky Suite later this year. Then I will know for sure which experience I prefer. However, small ships have my vote and I don‘t expect to be won over. I still love Azamara, and hold my Captain’s Club level with them. Someone two pages back stated that Oceania was a luxury cruise. Wrong! They are also upper premium like Azamara. Definitely not in the luxury category with Silversea, Regent, Seaborne and Crystal. It has been said that RCG has been downgrading Celebrity. They definitely seem to have started the same downgrading with Silversea. Get in quick!

Silversea has the same included wine for all passengers. Decent wine brands, and Champagne. All this included in your cruise fare. Plus shore excursions. There are more expensive wines and whiskey though, which you would have to pay for. On boarding, every cabin used to have a bottle of Monopole blue top champagne in an ice bucket (SS is currently changing suppliers), so I guess passengers who had cruised 250+ days received some other, more expensive brand. You may well be a good fit with Silversea, and should give them a go. However, as this thread is about reciprocal benefits, two cruises on Celebrity probably mean you have not yet earned enough status anyway. There are plenty of passenger laundries throughout the ship at no charge. The perk of free laundry comes after 100 days sailing. Or sooner now if you are Elite with X. Perhaps not on your first cruise, though. Uncertain about that.

Already answered .

This has always happened. Nothing new in the reciprocal recognition and benefits. I was elite with Celebrity over ten years ago, and received equivalent recognition and perks when cruising on RCI. Adding Silversea into the mix is really the main change. (Apart from the Pinnacle/Zenith change.) Loyal Silversea passengers are not getting anything out of being included in the reciprocal recognition. Most would not go near an RCI ship.

You are not issued with a Venetian Society number until after your first cruise on Silversea. The same happens with all RCG ships and other brands. So perhaps the reciprocal benefits don’t kick in until after the first cruise? Once you have boarded the SS ship, go to the future cruise desk to ask if they can help. (The Future Cruise manager is also the VS representative.)