Port Power

Princess Cruises emailed today to advise they have redeployed Grand Princess next year and she is not coming to Australia.  Obviously both my cruises have been cancelled.  Just as I was becoming familiar with how life on a Princess ship works!

1 hour ago, Will Work for Tiramisu said:

Stickman, Thanks for your thread, I'd love to cruise Japan soon.  We are boarding the Muse in Seward in June for two weeks.  A question for you, are there binoculars provided in your Deluxe Veranda Suite?  Don't want to miss wildlife, but nice to not pack binocs if don't need to.  Thanks. 

 

No, binoculars are not in veranda suites.  I’m definitely glad I took my own for the Alaska section. (Binoculars are not in cabins on Silver Wind/Cloud in Antarctica either.)

5 hours ago, bohaiboy said:

Both  pre and post .  Atlantide overwhelmed by customer at 700.  Then customers sit around chatting   We arrived at 835 pm tonight. Not seated until 905 pm. Missed 930 show.  We just booked a SB cruise.  Fed up with SS and the RCL management

Arriving in the dining room at 8:35pm, there was no way you were going to be finished and out for the 9:30pm show anyway.  

39 minutes ago, Mahogany said:

My interpretation of Bohaiboy's comment was that they were sitting around talking waiting for food, not AFTER the food.

I think he meant they were remaining at the table chatting after eating, and therefore blocking other passengers who were waiting to dine.

4 hours ago, bohaiboy said:

On the Muse currently.  Have 130 days on SS.  We have two more booked but we just booked a Seabourn where we only have 18 days onboard.  SS has basically no enrichment or learning, the quality of the entertainment outside the Venetian has deteriorated, and the food quality has gone down.  There is  and rush for dinner at 700, and we have often not even been able to get in to Atlantide until almost 850.  Too many people at one so food is slow coming out and then folks sit around and chat while others are waiting for a table.  

 

There is a lot of new competition out there, Ritz, Explora, Atlas, Four Seasons and Eclipse not to mention Seabourn and Regent.  SS needs to step it up a little but afraid the new CEO will take it down further.

Notwithstanding your other comments, I think one of the pleasures of dining is to sit after the meal and enjoy conversation. Perhaps with another wine, a coffee or a port/liqueur.

You have posted some lovely, atmospheric photos.  Cloud and grey skies make for wonderful lighting and contrast.

13 hours ago, Lookingtocruise42 said:

That’s actually the cruise we are joining! It hits SF tomorrow and we are hopping on for the 3 days to Vancouver and then from Vancouver to Anchorage.

 

the butler will move our stuff from one room to another right? We have a base ish room on the first chunk and then move to an Otium suite.

Pack your toiletries and items from shelves and drawers* into a suitcase for crew to move.  Clothing on hangers will be transferred on a trolley.

*Ask about items in drawers first.  Sometimes the attendants just swap over the entire drawer from cabin to cabin.

2 hours ago, vickykay said:

Ken, what time are the shows on Princess?  Thanks.

See post #212 above, and post #188 on the previous page.  Ken has posted the daily program several times.

14 hours ago, GMIAC said:

Never mind - I got the 2025 list from the RSSC website. 

 

Wow, that 2025 cruise completely skips Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Is that still considered a "World Cruise?"

Definitely still a World Cruise!  It is probably an even better itinerary now that it doesn’t have to be re-worked to avoid the Suez Canal.  Itineraries have to be swapped around to help avoid repetition.

I agree it’s up to the Atlantide Maître d’.  On Dawn last year we frequently had a group of 8 solos use the large table.  One of us would ask at lunchtime and he would keep it for us.  Otherwise we would make sure to be there at 7pm. Not formal night, as @drron29 explained.  The 8-top is otherwise left empty or used as a share table.

It is difficult to give advice when you do not say in which country you are using the service.  In Australia, I receive an email from Silversea with a link to book the transfers.  As there is no extra charge for an SUV, you could ask for a rebate of two rides.  However, you might need two vehicles due to luggage.  

1 hour ago, TLCOhio said:

 

YES!  YES!!!  That "pay up in full way ahead" is one of my big, big hang-ups about considering Viking.  Also, have had friends who had to hassle for getting proper credit on re-booking after a booked-and-paid cruise was scrubbed during the Covid period.  

 

Will be interested to see as Viking adds more ocean cruise ships if and when they "get real" with their payment policies and other financial practices.  

 

It will be interesting to see as Ritz-Carlton and others go after the more upscale, smaller ship market if Viking's offers and options evolve.  PLUS, we are all waiting till when the next recession hits and how deep it impacts consumer decisions/spending.  

 

Sorry, not a Gin and Tonic guy, so I have no opinions as to that special subject.  Am more of a frozen margarita guy as the below visual shows from our February 2024 Silver Moon, Mumbai to Singapore adventure.  Anyone remember super wonderful Jeffrey from past Silversea sailings?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 56,161 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Jeffrey is still going strong.  I had the pleasure of meeting him on a couple of cruises last year, and saw a recording of one of his acts.  Fabulous person!

All being equal, you should definitely be able to walk off with your luggage by 8:00am.  Taxis are readily available at the pier.

2 hours ago, tinaincc said:

I am new to SSea and will be sailing on Ray in June hopefully. I am wondering how SSea goes about staffing a new ship, do they hire a completely new staff or do they pull experienced staff from other ships or a combo? 

 

 

I have had the same experience as @Solitarycruiser.  Experienced staff are pulled from the rest of the fleet to balance a lot of newbies.

On 5/2/2024 at 1:28 PM, Ken the cruiser said:

Here’s a description of our excursion tomorrow, which I’ve got to say looks pretty awesome! 😁

 

And the weather looks like it’s going to be cooperating as well! But we will still bundle up and bring our heavy coats, especially since we will be cruising around on a boat looking for wildlife to start things off! 😁

 

I did this excursion from Silver Muse last year.  There were also groups from an NCL ship at the two rescue centres.  All three parts were fascinating!  At that time there were plenty of whales feeding prior to heading for Hawaii.  
 

(I’m booked on Grand late next year, so following your very interesting thread for a general idea of the ship’s condition and activities.)

3 hours ago, Dolcevita Diva said:

For some reason when I did a normal search for the Lower Solo Supplement offer using the drop-down on the website, only 54 voyages show up.  Here's the link that brings up the larger list of 0% solo supplement voyages:     Enjoy our Exclusive Solo Travellers Offer | Silversea

I have also found booking a very long time in advance (18-24 months), the solo supplement is often 25%.  Soon after I have booked, that discount disappears.  I have booked Silver Ray for March 2026.  The transatlantic has a 25% solo supplement, but the Caribbean cruise is 50%.  Caribbean cruises always book well, so no incentive for SS to reduce the supplement.  Transoceanic cruise do not book out, hence a better incentive.

My TA did pass on that email from SS with the list of low solo supplement cruises.  Not that many of them are this year.

The Japanese string duo are very good.  I really enjoyed their show.  After sailing a few Silversea cruises, you get to know the production shows off by heart.  It's refreshing when local talent comes aboard.

45 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

It’s a real shame that you need GF. Can you tolerate a small amount of gluten? 

 

By coincidence yesterday I made some lovely orange almond cake that was very good.  It is gluten free and although it is unphotogenic it is extraordinary.  

 

It seemed a waste to have it with tea and so Amaretto is a proper substitute. 

 

 

No. I have coeliac disease and adhere to a gluten free diet.  There used to be a wonderful patisserie that made delicious pies and an excellent Italian loaf, but they shut up shop years ago.  I lost my recipe for orange almond cake.  Boiling whole oranges is a great way to start making a cake!   

1 hour ago, mysty said:

 

Sorry!  I'm not taking photos of menus.  It's just too much effort while we're trying to enjoy the last bit of our cruise.  

Fair enough.  I can’t be bothered at any time!  
 

The menus seem to be the same on all ships anyway, so those posted from the Muse on a few recent threads would give a good idea, Atlantide having the same menu as The Restaurant. The Grill is definitely the same on all ships, and La T also more or less.

17 hours ago, Susan64 said:

Hi all…

does anyone have any menus from not one of the newer ships

i know this ship just has the restaurant, la dame, grill and Italian. 
 

thanks 

You should ask @mysty in her thread "A Silver Shadow Over The World..." as they are on the ship currently.

7 hours ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

Supper was rusticly simple.

 

I wish I could eat bread!   I never see gluten free bread that looks this good.  I have baked my own GF bread in the past, but I don't eat enough of it to make that a regular past time.

8 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We finally boarded the ship a little after 2 pm, over 3.5 hours after checking in with the ship transfer POC at the airport. The first part of the adventure took over 90 minutes to go 12 km from the Vancouver airport to the cruise terminal, mostly caused by some serious downtown traffic jams due to ongoing construction along with 3 cruise ships in port today!

 

 
But after creeping along or standing still for over 90 minutes, we finally saw the ship! 
 

 

Then it took another 90 minutes to go through the checkin process. The main cause for this horrendous delay was that the embarking passengers associated with all 3 ships were being processed through the same cruise terminal, where normally there is only 1-2 ships in port on any given day! 😱

 

 

  

Now I know why I stay at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel!  Just walk across the road.

My goodness, there are a lot of CCers cruising around and to and from Japan at the moment!

I really like this itinerary, going up to Seward and then visiting much more of Alaska.

10 hours ago, DavyWavey70 said:

Thank you mauimary, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Life's too short for arguing with the warriors and I certainly didn't want to waste my precious holiday time on them. And for the record, I Don't like moustaches on men or women! I'm sure you'll have a great time on the Edge.

I finally looked up your Celebrity Edge live report.  It was enjoyable: lovely photos and pertinent comments. I also like your writing style. Obviously all the nasty stuff had been deleted.

The ship looks fabulous!  I am going to book a solo cabin on that next season to see it for myself.  Or maybe a last minute special?  At least I can avoid the crowds and have breakfast in Tuscan. I haven't been on Celebrity for at least 8 years.

1 hour ago, LoisRJax said:

Lirio, great story😀 sounds like a fascinating Mom and daughter!

 

Jazz, thanks for the help and for everyone else......it is me, I set up a new account. Something happened and I could not log in and could not figure out why..........wrong email? wrong password?

Could not figure it out so I thought the easiest the thing to do would be to start fresh.

Welcome to Cruise Critic.  🤣🤣🤣 

(Now you have to work your way back up to an established contributor again.)