Observer

Butlers service multiple state rooms.  I think the number is around a dozen. It may vary according to staffing levels and occupancy levels. It is important to recognize this reality and not to imagine that the butler is there to service you exclusively. 

12 hours ago, poinsettiaplate said:

There was a buffet and two table service restaurants for lunch, including on port days – a real plus not often found on most ships.

I agree that this is "a real plus," and I hope that Silversea will continue this practice.  (Crystal has just ended lunch on port days in the MDR.)  This is especially important for people who are mobility challenged.  

On 4/20/2024 at 10:56 AM, Whipsnade said:

All of these companies use either DHL or FedEx to do their pickups and deliveries. Any comments on how these two are similar or different?  Preferences?

I had a very unfortunate situation with DHL. DHL was clearly responsible for the situation, but Luggage Forward compounded the problem by not following up and then standing up for its "partner."

I have had no such problems when shipping via FedEx. 

14 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

Luggage forward uses a courier in most cases it is DHL.  This means it goes on there own planes.  Luggage free uses Fed Ex.

 

I was a long time user and supporter of Luggage Forward and posted enthusiastic messages about them on this board.  I have quit using them and turned to another provider after a very, very disappointing encounter with them.  Some/much of the blame doubtless lay with DHL.  But the customer service and follow up from Luggage Forward was pathetic.  

Here is another interesting post:

Manfredi Lefebvre

Here is the press release:

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bert-hernandez-named-brand-president-of-silversea-302115371.html

23 minutes ago, machotspur said:

I suspect that they also believe that the majority of these same guests – despite the ‘huffing & puffing’ – would be horrified at the thought of ‘divorcing’ their favourite cruise company.

 

Divorce can be attractive when one can compare ~$1500/day solo cruise fares with the value, consistent quality, and amenities offered at luxury resorts and hotels.  

1 hour ago, FengShui@Sea said:

A. A saving of 10% should you choose to book a different 2024/2025/2026 sailing when booking before 31 May 2024.

Interesting. Thank you.

I have a question: if I received this message today and had the relevant canceled booking, could I apply the 10% saving to a 2025 cruise I had already booked? Or is this only for new bookings?  If the latter, it seems to discriminate against people who are loyal to Silversea and book in advance. 

I have been gobsmacked by the price increases on Silversea.  I have cruises booked well into the future. I have compared the list price of my cruises (before various discounts) and the prices currently being asked.  To say that the differences are substantial would be an understatement.

I have been sailing on Silversea so long that I have two rid myself of my benchmark highest price of $500 per night solo occupancy.  (Big Macs have also gone up in price.)

I share the dismay of many regarding this development.  I understand that it will bring Silversea out of reach of many people, quite possibly including me.

But I wonder if there might be good news here. Some of this is doubtless a revenue grab by RCL. But it may be that Silversea will be able to up its game significantly.  Crew will be paid better and there will be less turnover.  Provisioning of food and spirits will be enhanced.  Higher quality lecturers will be engaged.  Etc.

Is this all implausible?  

Is it possible that they plan a dry dock during that period when cruises are waitlisted?  Perhaps they do not yet have a firm date for the dry dock.

Or perhaps period for waitlisted cruises is so long because they are going to stretch the ship again   🙂 

1 hour ago, commodoredave said:

Some people tip more regardless of the fact that gratuities are included in the fare.

Those people may believe that a $20 tip for a bartender who has looked after one well is a concrete way of expressing appreciation.  

1 hour ago, commodoredave said:

Over time, this creates a culture of tip entitlement, where crew and ship management expect pax to tip more and more. I am guilty of this syndrome, and need to reevaluate my own tipping history. It is not necessary, nor should it be expected.

As I have mentioned previously, I would welcome a situation in which crew were well compensated and there was a well-publicized rule that any crewmember accepting a tip would not have a contract renewed.

Other cruise lines offer better packages (including reasonable expectations of tips.)  Two crewmembers I know have moved from Silversea to Cunard.  I have kept in touch with them and both report that they are doing much better financially on Cunard performing the same job they were doing on Silversea.  Another moved to Crystal, again for financial reasons.

12 minutes ago, saminina said:

  Crew survives quite nicely without your added contributions.  

I believe that this is an unfortunate statement. I have come to know the number of crew during my hundreds of days on Silversea.  Most of them come from the global south. Many of them are supporting (often extended) families back home on their earnings.  They deserve our empathy.  

18 minutes ago, caviargal said:

Apparently the HD on Dawn is being replaced. 

How long was she in place?  Rotations are common, but I believe that HDs typically serve for at least a few months.

7 minutes ago, Dolcevita Diva said:

On another site, passengers aboard the Silver Dawn have just shared a letter they received from the Hotel Director suggesting appropriate amounts for "additional appreciation."

 

I am gobsmacked by this.  Was this approved by corporate?  How will the sharing take place?

On my next cruise will I receive a letter pointing out that fuel prices have risen during the voyage and that I can go to Reception to contribute to the bunkering fund? 

5 minutes ago, Herman The Cat said:

Barbara M has been remarkably silent.

This has been disappointing. Clearly, she is not a behind the scenes CEO who is shy in front of a camera.  I can withhold my admiration for a CEO who directs (or was party to the direction of) the captain to sign the announcement letter on a matter for which he was presumably in no way responsible.

3 hours ago, JSR said:

Nor sure which is worse:

- did they realize they would inconvenience and alienate people and not care?

or 

-did they not realize they would upset people? 

 

Is anything like a rebellion afoot on board?  Group meetings with the guest relations manager?  Request for a video conference with the CEO, who seems generally willing to stand before a camera?  

Just out of curiosity: how many people did the entire Grand Voyage?  I understand, of course, that this affects all disembarking passengers.  

It is really difficult to wrap one's head around this remarkable announcement.

Silversea of course has many guests from Europe and this change may have little impact on them. Most (but hardly all) Europe-bound flights depart the US after 5 PM.  

But this is likely to have very unfortunate consequences for passengers flying domestically.  Many guests (like me) book flights long in advance to get nonstop service or, at worst, one connection, aisle seats, etc.  Try getting that on relatively short notice in the midst of the spring vacation travel.

It is difficult to imagine that this crazy decision will stand.  

2 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

 

 

I think that you are both correct (in a way).

 

I've been told that there are two forms of OBC - refundable and non-refundable. The first can be applied to the crew fund and the second cannot.

This makes sense.  I am aware that there are some (fairly rare?) refundable OBCs.  However, in my hundreds of days of cruising with Silversea I have never enjoyed the refundable kind. Nonetheless, I have never had a problem exhausting my nonrefundable OBCs.  :)-

15 hours ago, toseaornottosea said:

Crew welfare fund is a good place to park any unused OBC.

I am fairly certain that this is not possible. Contributions to the crew welfare fund are put on a different invoice from the invoice on which most expenditures (which can be paid with OBCs) are placed.  Contributing to the crew welfare fund, which I do on every cruise, is treated like getting a cash advance. 

I wonder if this might be related to the current promotion providing a reduction of $2000 per guest. This promotion ends in a couple of days. Depending upon what replaces it, attractive solo fares may return. 

11 hours ago, markham said:

Seabourn is cheaper per day in general.

I certainly have not found this to be the case for solo travelers.  

1 hour ago, Gourmet Gal said:

 the only advantage is SS is liable if the car doesn’t make it back to port by all-aboard time.  

A further advantage is that one can use onboard credits to pay for the car and driver.   

This may be a trivial difference for many people, but it is an important matter for me.

For various reasons, including some mobility limitations, I do not do meals at buffets. With Silversea, I have never failed to have a served breakfast or lunch with tablecloth in The Restaurant or Atlantide.  I understand that such is not possible on SB, especially on port days.

17 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

In particular, the one that moved from included to extra cost has a 7 am departure time for a 3 hour excursion that includes a visit to a museum that doesn’t open until 10 and is supposed to inclde a light lunch!

I have noticed several 7 AM departures on excursions for a forthcoming cruise. I am fairly certain that this is a placeholder for a time to be determined later. 7 AM is the time the ship docks.