Observer

Yes

The real crunch at Barbados airport occurs when several wide bodies from the UK, and or Europe have arrived around the same time. Not withstanding access to Airlines schedules, these timings are in some ways unpredictable: whether or mechanical or other factors can delay arrivals. I have found five star fast track to be very reassuring when I can see two European wide bodies unloading at the same time.

definitely and enthusiastically this company: https://fivestarfasttrack.com/

Fast Track in Barbados is an important investment. It is worth every penny.

Thank you. That is an interesting insight. I know that Dawn has items from an Otium menu available through room service. I found several of these items to be very tasty. I wonder if they are available on Moon as well

This is not really meant to be a competition. I am told that these ships are newly clones of one another. I am asking now if people who have sailed on both can identify any differences between them TIA.

It would be disappointing to have the presented menu differ from the menu presented on the TV. I generally look at the menu on the TV for La T. If there is nothing I fancy, I cancel my booking and go to Salt Kitchen. If there is a dish I fancy, I keep my booking and appear at La T. I would feel I had been duped/misled if staff could not be bothered to coordinate the printed and TV menus. Interesting. You have excellent taste! This is a favorite dish of mine, featured on the LaT menu a third or a quarter of the nights I have supped there.

This is disappointing news. Perhaps an abbreviated menu will enhance the speed of service in LaT, especially in face of staffing challenges. Spaghetti aglio e olio has often been my default entree if nothing else on the menu appealed. It does not appear to be on the abbreviated menu. Does anyone have experience ordering a simple dish like this without the 24 hours notice?

Such chairs, without arms, seem to be increasingly prevalent on the recent ships. They may be fine for the younger demographic Silversea seems to be seeking. They are very challenging for some of us older folk who rely on the arms when getting into and out of a chair.

Comments about the music are very sobering. I have noticed the presence of loud recorded music on the pool deck and on the area outside Panorama Lounge on Muse class ships. I complained once to the HD and was informed that the A/V guy controlled the music and decided what would be played and when and how loud. I was dismayed. I would have thought there was a corporate policy on this matter and that control was not simply in the gift of the A/V guy. Is this the Carnivalization of Silversea?

Thank you for a wonderful, detailed, elegantly written review. Your essay raises a question and an observation for me. First, the question: Is the Marquee entirely exposed to the elements or are there covered areas in case of rain, etc. Are there overhead heaters for chilly days/evenings? Is there a bar ready of hand so that one can grab a drink before taking a table? Second, the observation: People complain about the inability to get restaurant reservations, but (as you observe) Silversea compounds the problem by making it difficult to cancel reservations. One cannot do so online after embarkation. Butlers are off duty at precisely the hours one might decide to have dinner in the suite or just grab a simple pizza. And on two separate occasions in recent years I have call Reception to cancel that evening's dinner reservation, only to find that all of my reservations for the cruise were canceled. I have now given up on trying to have Reception cancel the reservation.

Just curious. Have you sailed on Moon? Is there a reason that Dawn trumps Moon? I understand that there are some significant differences between Dawn and Muse,

Thank you. As usual, you are very knowledgeable and helpful. So let me be more specific. Arrival on a domestic flight at Fort Lauderdale airport. Many thanks.

Blacklane advertises "Meet and Greet" as a core part of their airport transfer service. When being provided Blacklane service from airport to home, does the driver meet you in the terminal, escort you to baggage claim and then to the car? Or do you have to schlep your own luggage and find the car/driver in the taxi/limo lane? Many thanks.

What does "non-sponsored" mean? Did they pay their own fares like any other guest?

What ship? Did you complain to server or maitre d'? What was their reaction?

Not so. It is included in the fare (free?) for many long voyages. It is available for a fee on most (all?) voyages. Information at valet@silversea.com A great advantages is that, in my experience, the Silversea port agent is involved both in picking up and delivering the luggage.

I used Luggage Forward for years with good results. But they seem to have grown very fast, and their service has really deteriorated in my experience. I am now using the Silversea Baggage Valet service. It is somewhat more expensive than Luggage Forward, but I believe it is worth it.

In many respects, Silversea does not have complete control over the excursions. They must of course contract with providers in the various ports. There will be a finite supply of coaches or vans and guides. If there are a number of ships in port on a given day, transport may be more crowded than it would be on a day with fewer ships. Silversea could presumably specify that no vehicle can be more than half full. However, in that case, many more excursions might be unavailable ("sold out"),

I suppose I have been living on another planet, but I am surprised (and very disappointed) to learn that lunch is not routinely available in the MDR. Is Waterside closed only on port days? Is it open on sea days?

On the Muse class ships it has been available 11 am until ~ 10 pm at Spaccanapoli.

Thank you. I noted that post and was tempted to respond. Clearly, Crystal is using dynamic pricing in this instance. It does not work for me. For various reasons, I must book well in advance. Furthermore, I imagine that this arrangement might distress solo guests who had booked long in advance and find that their solo neighbor on board has a much lower single supplement.

This is precisely my situation. I would like to return to Crystal occasionally, especially with reduced guest capacity. As a solo, I can be comfortable in the smaller Crystal cabins. However, I require a veranda attached to my cabin, and the Crystal fares for solos in cabins with verandas are far higher than can be found on other luxury lines like Silversea.

The deposit required and/or cancellation penalties may be much more severe with port to port.

I have frequently seen various options for disembarkation. One was a direct transfer to the airport. Another (in some cases with multiple offerings) included sightseeing and even lunch, for a surcharge. I do not doubt that there is cost cutting in various areas. I do not think that this is one of them.