Port Power

You can order room service dinner from the Atlantide menu or the room service menu. Or put in a special request with reasonable notice.

On Dawn a couple of weeks ago there was lactose free milk, soy milk, almond milk, and both whole and skim cow’s milk. After I wrote the request on the room service breakfast menu, my butler brought me a litre carton to keep in my suite refrigerator.

Perhaps this question would be best asked in a more appropriate thread for the destination. This thread was a review of a Norwegian Fjords cruise. Trømso is not even a port stop for this itinerary.

I saw the sign “Helly Hansen” above a store recently in Oslo. I had no idea what was sold there. Not that you would buy in Norway: far too expensive.

I totally agree about the hotel rates. I booked the same Vancouver hotel that S/S uses for two-thirds their price. I lost my transfer from the airport, but I can afford a taxi with the $800 I saved! However, their price for flights was just a bit better than I could get, and flights were excellent routings with a preferred airline.

Travel agents (as Silversea is in this situation) can hold seats for varying lengths of time. Silversea seems to be able to hold flights without ticketing for 9 months! I had exactly the same situation for my flights in May this year. Every time I went in to to “manage my booking” to choose seats, I wasn’t able to as “the flight has not been ticketed”. The flight was not ticketed until a month or so (cannot remember exactly) before departure. This is normal. If there are flight cancellations or route changes, S/S doesn’t have to keep making adjustments. Nevertheless, once ticketed, I was still able to select my seats and also lodge a request to upgrade with points to business class (US domestic first class). S/S book fully flexible fares usually.

I work for an immunologist paediatrician. Allergic reactions are very real, especially anaphylactic reactions. Developing a rash from spruce is very different from enjoying looking at a spruce Christmas tree from afar.. just don’t touch. An anaphylactic reaction just from smelling peanuts is much more nasty - and life threatening! The spruce allergy person can easily stay away from the source. The peanut allergy person is much more at risk of aerial contamination and potential fatality.

Nova does have more passengers than previous ships, and that might be reflected in the entertainment spaces and numbers. But I'm with you if the new format does come to fruition. However, Cruise Directors are usually past entertainers or were in the entertainment business. One of the female singers on Silver Dawn was also the assistant CD. Another of the redundant singers is also going that route. So they might have to do double-duty and return to the stage in case of emergency! Yep, it will be interesting to find out.

All six of the Voices were very good on Silver Dawn this month, but Cruise Director, Bruno, did tell us that the current format was finishing in two months’ time. I really enjoyed all the performances. Two of the singers said the new line up would be two singers and four dancers. That doesn’t sound so good. What happens if one singer is sick? Maybe it will be like the old Azamara (under Royal) when there were two lead singers, two dancer/singers as from musical theatre, and two dedicated dancers. That will work, as long as the shows are changed often. People who cruise the same company regularly don’t want to see the same performance on every cruise! I’ll find out when on Dawn again in November.

I feel I should see if my brother is at home to take you around. He is a retired (young) Air Force officer, my sister-in-law a retired US Airforce officer. That is a ridiculous price! There might be a local “tours by locals” that will do a good pub crawl with commentary? Or one of the excellent tours @drron29 listed. I’ll be visiting Newcastle during my 2025 World Cruise. (Not S/S.) Nothing like going the long way around to visit family!

Don’t go with the big/wide boats on the canal. Crowded and horrible! We went on black RIBs, something like “Happy Boats”. Only 8-10 passengers. They are in the water where the HOHO bus stops. Very informative skipper/guide and they can go down the smaller canals. if you have time, a tour of the opera house is superb.

I was part of a group on Silver Dawn, so didn’t utilise every part of the ship. I only went to the Observation Lounge on the last night. Wow! My favourite place. On Silver Muse next month, that will be my bar for evening cocktails! I did find the Arts Cafe tucked away and quite small. I didn’t like sitting inside for long because new people wanted to drink their coffee. The outside deck was great if warm enough.

I never actually looked for port or Sauternes, but there surely would be. After all, Baileys and Sambucca are on the bar. The included wines are very drinkable. Some might not be to your taste, but nothing wrong with them. Included red wines on Silver Dawn were from Chile, Argentina, Spain and Australia, etc.

No worries. There doesn’t t appear to be an actual list of the included wines. Choices will be presented each night, but you can ask for a wine you have tried previously or for a style of wine. The wonderful waiters tend to remember what you like, too.

I do agree that higher level suite guests receive more privileges and attention; they pay much more, so it is quite reasonable and fair. I was just saying that there are also other reasons for suite numbers to be given at dining venues. No need to be snarky.

As @Lois R says, you will get them at the pier. I forgot that mine were provided by my travel arranger as we were a group. Don’t stress, it is a very smooth and easy process with the low passenger numbers on a Silversea cruise.

Suite numbers are taken for logistic reasons and stock control, but also to show dietary restrictions. I was in a normal verandah suite and also never had to wait, etc, same as you. But my dietary restriction was always acknowledged and I was told if something I ordered was not suitable. (I would order the day before if there was a meal I really e wanted and it needed to be adapted. Yes, soufflé!)

@crusinbanjo is right, but I actually did board in Copenhagen a few weeks ago. We wheeled our cases toward the tent but porters came racing out to assist. I had printed my luggage tags at home and attached them at the hotel, but the porter will assist if you haven’t done that. You then board the ship and your photo is taken there, and credit card swiped. Then off to your stateroom to drop the carry-on, and off you go! Have a wonderful time. *Remember to watch the safety video in your cabin so that you know what time to attend the Muster drill, where you will be signed off.

I really enjoyed your blog and the photos. I will be boarding in Vancouver in two week’s time and am really looking forward to the month aboard. Sitka is rarely visited by ships, and I look forward to visiting there again.

If you make your cruise booking directly with Silversea, they are called your personal consultant. Any travel agent can book a cruise for you, although it is best to use one that is a cruise specialist dealing with premium lines such as a Virtuoso agent. I use such a TA in Bicton, Australia, or one in Orlando.

No. If booked through a TA, the passenger cannot change flights, only the agency that made the booking. There is a banner across the screen advising this whenever I log into manage my booking. I can choose seats, but not alter the itinerary. Also, as S/S are arranging transport from the ship, they can coordinate everything. Anyway, that’s their job.

There is a snack bar in one carriage. I know some of my group bought Pringles and coffee. Whether they sell sandwiches, I don’t know. Perhaps bring some muesli bars with you from home.

But team trivia is at 4:45pm! As mentioned above, no guest speakers present their talks after mid afternoon. Usually 10am and 11am, and possibly 2pm and 3pm when at sea. Bingo is held at about 4pm.

That is exactly right. Don’t sit back and expect Silver Air to contact you. The airlines contact their passengers about changes, not the TA. So the passenger needs to let S/S know as soon as possible.

Good choice. Keep checking regularly until bookings open. Perhaps available to book in September/October? 😀