Silver Spectre

I hate this stuff unless it’s adulterated with something useful like brandy

Ok, but how would I know if it was snarky?

Now this was a huge shock, I haven’t seen this stuff in my suite since about 2010! I just hope it’s not another cost cutting measure.

Boarding went like a breeze. We turned up just after 1pm and were onboard 10 minutes later. Apparently boarding actually commenced at midday although the documentation still states 2pm. We still had to do the health form but that was it. Checkin was done in the Venetian Lounge. Norman is here and for the whole voyage, also met Tom Harrison again who is on for a few days. Barbara joins just before we leave this evening and Frank is going to be here for the Bergen event.

No way, English and Irish irony allowed.

If he’s leaving today, then it’s Copenhagen

Not true, I have a full list from our last Moon cruise last year. You just have to find the correct person. I agree it was correct only at the point of printing, but it does exist.

Silver Note perhaps?

Will be onboard tomorrow and will happily provide some insights and a commentary with one proviso. No snarky comments.

Price gouging reigns supreme with SS. I’ve just booked a cruise that leaves fairly soon to travel with friends. They sent me their booked excursions list which were all included at no charge. When I go to book the same ones, they are predominantly charged at $139 or more, and most are full. I can live with the fact that the cruise pricing is dynamic and generally increases with time, not always true, but most of the time. What I don’t agree with is SS pushing it’s all inclusive nature with included excursions, but only for some. That is downright divisive. On top of the D2D v P2P marketing mistake, Nova restaurant pricing, dumbing down the dress code and now this, it looks like someone at SS or more likely RCL is hell bent on destroying what has made it my go to cruise line for the last 20 years, and that is very sad.

Wow, that’s close to gouging.

Well said Turtle, brave of you to express that view here.

You did a fabulous job for SS and it was a shame when they decided to copy the format with a downmarket replica. We made good friends with most of the original 24.

Having cancelled a re-booked cruise 7 weeks ago the London office is still sitting on my deposit. The original Nova booking was made onboard, deposit paid to SS. It was passed to a TA and then SS completely changed the itinerary, supposedly for my benefit and to remove a number of sea days. Eventually we moved to a different cruise. Having spoken to the TA and SS more than once they are now blaming each other for the delay but won’t say why. SS have cancelled the cruise. Quite frankly this is appalling service.

Neither relevant to La Dame.

Just my two penneth on the pricing. IMHO La Dame has never really been a patch on Le Champagne and all our post COVID dining experiences on the Shadow and Dawn have been somewhat below par. If it wasn’t for a copious amount of OBC we wouldn’t have gone or would have requested a refund. To remove the hot foie gras was a bad mistake, especially when you can order it for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Atlantide. The loss of the Grand Marnier soufflé was sorely missed. Being presented with a cheese course consisting of three small, artfully placed, pieces of cheese, with no blue, and then told there was none on the ship (except of course every day in the La Terrazza buffet) left us speechless. So to be offered an updated product that will cost an extra $100 per head just for the food is outrageous. Fixing the existing product would make more sense!

Oh no, can you not remember the Gourmet Burger wars back in the day 😎

Definitely Panorama Lounge.

Hi Charles, hope you do.

Wow Stumbles, 600+ posts and you finally got him. But, was it worth it?

I was amazed to see that this is already being sold by a major UK TA with a full page spread in last week’s Times. So much for exclusively.

It’s worth a try, however they are more likely to tell you to claim on your insurance if you have to cancel. We had to cancel at a weeks notice and got no help from the London office and an email to Barbara Muckermann, the CEO, went unanswered.

Communication regarding major and totally unacceptable changes to itineraries comes from the marketing department, or at least it used to. There are at least two previous threads covering this issue.

What on earth is ‘primo’ time. I’ve tried Google translate and it hadn’t a clue.

Whilst the onboard experience has changed since RCG took over, mostly it’s still positive with some beneficial changes. What has deteriorated is the service provided by the shore based staff. Those in the London office try to do their best but have been hamstrung by significant changes to how they operate and the flexibility they can offer to guests. As for the marketing department, it’s still heading downhill.