Spotbattman

I am aware there have been some refrigeration issues on Silver Whisper. Is anyone on board right now that can update us? We are due to join her for an upcoming cruise. 

Have you seen that the ‘new’ Crystal Cruises are offering a Butler Lite option on some on their suites? I think this might be a way forward. 

We are currently on this cruise too. We chose a PH suite, for the extra amenities. Another plus is that today due to higher winds, the outside decks are closed for safety, but we have a bigger veranda to sit on, and a nice big window/door to both sit in front of to watch for - anything! The walk-in wardrobe is huge, and the extra space welcome. Recommend deck 10, as there is a large overhang from the pool deck that steals the sunshine from verandas on deck 11, plus if chairs are dragged on the pool deck it can be noisy especially in the mornings. 

Boarded Marina yesterday. Full muster done -  bar a visit to the lifeboats.

These days there are very few places where we can dress up. I wear a long dress and my husband wears black tie. If we book a SS cruise we know this is the requirement. 

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

the free pressing is for Concierge & above & I believe  it is 4 items  (they give you a card to stick in the bag with your item) not same day service

You can also do the paid service  or go to the laundry room & use the irons

 

Thank you. We are in a PH so I will choose my items carefully! 

I read this as ‘clothes can be pressed (not laundered) following embarkation and unpacking’ Is this correct? Can any seasoned ‘O’ travellers tell me how many garments this is restricted to. TY

We might have been on this Cloud trip too. Was it the one where the air conditioning broke down? I seem to remember the cruise before ours had issues too, but they let us board anyway. Ended early in Manaus and many Americans flew home early in time for their Thanksgiving. We booked another cruise for almost nothing with the credits we were given! 
The actual cruise was amazing and not spoiled at al by the problems.

4 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

There is no ship of equivalent size to Marina, other than perhaps the Viking Jupiter  Next largest is the Hamburg.

Accepted. Are you on Marina? Why the itinerary change? As I said, port info & ship itinerary suggests arrival on 30th in Ushuaia not today. Puzzled about the discrepancy, that’s all. 

2 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

Updating....in Ushuaia today and unable to get ashore.

 

They have a pier - but the winds won't allow ships to either leave the pier or to dock.

Are you on board? The itinerary (and the port schedule) suggests that Marina arrives in Ushuaia on 30th Jan. Right now there are several large ships similar in size to Marina in port. Not sure if your information is correct. 

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

The 2 larger ships are owned  by  A&K Travel Group Ltd.

The original owner of Silversea,  Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio & Geoffrey Kent of Abercrombie and Kent have together formed the new Crystal Cruise line. They will have 2 fully refurbished ships and sail in 2023/24. 
Our first cruise was in 2001 on Silversea and I am really hopeful that the new Crystal will offer the same quality and service as SS did back then. They have  also already wooed several high profile senior SS long term crew members , including their Venetian Society chap, Fernando.
Cruises go on pre sale on Feb 20th and general sale later in the month, I shall certainly be very interested to see what is on offer. 
The Crystal Endeavour,  which had only just started sailing when the company collapsed, was snapped up by Silversea, and has been sailing the Antarctic since late 2022 as Silver Endeavour. 

I looked them up

59 minutes ago, zalusky said:

Is that the only complaint about Viking - there payment policy?

 

What about the ship, the tours, the food, the service?  How do they compare?

Our Christmas 2019 cruise on Viking was a disappointment. Queues everywhere, buffet food warm not hot, constant mistakes made with meals.Even after discussing with the Head Chef they couldn’t get things right. Afternoon tea was served in the area by the (covered ) pool, no where to sit and the smell of chlorine in this area overpowering.

On the plus side, we loved our cabin & the crew were wonderful. Would not sail with them again tho. 

I have been reading these posts too. The pictures look amazing. We board Marina on 7th Feb to do the same itinerary in reverse. Weather reports are suggesting it is cold - 1degree celsius. Hats and gloves required. Also that it is chilly around the ship too! Icebergs, whales, penguins etc -  all seen from the decks and balcony of the ship. Hoping for more luck than they had at the Falkland Islands and that we are able to land. Getting very excited for our trip. 

We also were sent this book, just before Christmas. Personally I was very happy to receive it, although I really wasn’t sure why. Thank you for the info on the QR code and the limited edition number. Ours is 733/4000 🙂

There are 3 varieties of Bulgari products. Green Tea, Blue Tea and White Tea. From information I have found, they are all available- just ask for your preference. 

Sorry to read this. We are on the next Marina cruise, the reverse of yours. I have been watching the weather all week. Winds certainly look higher tomorrow than they are today, around 28mph plus gusts. This is also one of the big draws for us. Hopefully we will have better luck. 

34 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

They maybe telling you the ship is expected in later than originally planned.

 

Biggest part of your question revolves around where you are boarding. Some ports will not allow you into the terminal area until your prescribed boarding time.

TY. Boarding in Santiago on 7th Feb. Was just wondering if this is usual for embarkation and whether it relates to how quick the pax complete the check in form and therefore effectively missed an earlier slot. (Like reserving a table in the speciality restaurants 😂 ) 

Finally sorted the photos. Now on to boarding time choice. As we are in a PH our paperwork suggests we get priority boarding. However our earliest choice in the drop down box is between 2 & 2.30pm.
My question is how binding is this time, and will there be a problem boarding if we arrive earlier as per our suite privileges? 
Anyone have any experience of this? TY

I am in process of doing this too. I can upload the pictures but unable to crop them as per the instructions. Not sure if the pictures need to fit into the dotted circle or not. Can anyone with previous experience advise? 

Great video. Thank you for sharing your holiday. Many of the restaurants look quiet. I imagine the ship was not at full capacity. Also very helpful to see the on board dress code! 

Our first Silversea cruise was for my 40th birthday. We were the youngest passengers. Bar will stay open until last person leaves. Entertainment is generally low key. Food is excellent, ask and you shall be served with whatever you want. We haven’t eaten in La Dame. My OH is allergic to crustaceans and the menu seems skewed towards lobster! The MDR food is all we need. If I end up near the gym I am probably lost so can’t help with exercise equipment. 

16 hours ago, annapolitan369 said:

We are on the May 26th Journey cruise and I am concerned about final payment next week.  Our T/A states that Azamara told them that the cancelations were because of Covid.  I find that hard to believe, as the other Azamara ships are still sailing to countries that are in the same CDC categories.  Can anyone shed some light on this with better information from Azamara?

Thanks, Jay

I think it’s much more a case of restrictions due to Covid and therefore pax cancelling their cruise than a case of Covid cases on board the ships. Reports are that the last 3 Journey cruises have had around 200 pax on board, and very few from the US, and presumably looking ahead the numbers are similar, hence the decision to cancel these financially unviable cruises. Numbers on board the other ships are probably ‘break even’ 

We will be on the final cruise before this break (disembark on 8th Feb) I am gutted for those people who have had their cruise cancelled, I know how disappointed I would be. Whilst an almost empty ship will make it feel very special, like a private yacht, it’s understandable that Azamara have made this decision, as I understand it, purely on a commercial basis. This will be our first Azamara cruise.