dawntrdr

Well, I've done my part! You're welcome.

You can never miss with "The chair was empty when I got here."

How about you let him in but give him a table by the kitchen door?

Have you tried this site: https://alaindupetit.com/ You could buy a suit and leave it behind when you debark.

I certainly would be interested in reading your well-travelled post. There are no dedicated "compare and contrast" general topics on the boards home-page so I would suggest that it could go in as a new topic in the cruise-line forum for any of the lines that you will be discussing.

My experience on the Dawn in January was the same - OK but not worth the upcharge and everything tasted more or less like soy sauce. The portions were large.

It has been my experience that if you booked onboard and got the 5% onboard discount, or got the 5% Venetian Society discount on your original booking, they only give you $45 back each way (to account for the fact that you didn't really pay the full $50 per trip).

Nevertheless, congratulations and many more to you and your dear one! Life is short and how lucky we are...

Good to know, thanks! I would not choose X for me and DH, but if I were travelling with family, I think X is a good option.

Since reservations are not required, ask to see the menu before you sit down and if if you do not see something that intrigues you, go to Atlantide. You will have a great meal either way.

At about 270 before sailing date, you can contact Silversky (Silversea's air dept/agency) and ask for your desired flights. You must do this through your TA or SS cruise consultant. They may or may not have the flights available under their air contracts with the suppliers, but you can ask and many times it works out. I seldom request a specific itinerary or airline, but I've been generally satisfied with what they assign, and if I don't, I just go back and ask them to see what else they can do. If a pre- or post-night is not included in your voyage (check the voyage itinerary), you can certainly ask to come in earlier and there will be a $150 deviation fee for changing the flight - otherwise, they will book you to arrive the day of sailing. If Silversea arranges the pre- hotel, there will be no deviation fee and you will retain your included transfers to the airport. The same is true if you stay later and they book the hotel. Be sure to compare the price of the SS hotel - sometimes it is a good deal and sometimes it's more economical to make your own arrangements, even it you pay the deviation fee and transfers.

Check with your butler. There is usually a choice of soaps.

I heard this rumor twice from a fellow passenger on the Wind last month: he had been told that SS had sold the Wind as well as the Explorer. I did not discuss where he heard that, but I thought "hmm, that would explain the lack of updates."

Our cabin (627) on the Wind in May was the same dated look. I was surprised to see all of the woodwork and cornices which are no longer in style. The Cloud was "Musified" in 2018 with all new decor; but not the Wind. The Wind has been made ice-class recently, but I venture (and this is just an opinion) that the unexpected availability of the Endeavor put any Musification of the Wind on permanent hold.

On our recent Wind expedition tour, they had an excellent pianist/vocalist (Eduardo) and a guitarist/singer in the Dolce Vita and Panorama every night - so even the smaller ships have entertainment.

It appears that all Dawn cruises between April 2 and May 2, 2024 (5 voyages) have been changed to "Waitlist", including the two mentioned in this thread.

Did you folks now on the Wind hear anything about a protest at Dournenez, France on May 6 which prevented some pax from going ashore? It sounds like the Finn citizens have been much friendlier.

The Silver Nova is out for sea maneuvers:

Some people enjoy the challenge of making their own plans. But if you make your own plans and something goes wrong, you are the only one to fall back on to fix it. It's in your lap alone. I have been happy with Silversea air arrangements. Nevertheless, I look at them carefully and, with connections, I do a little homework to see what the other flights might be available at that airport if there is a problem. I keep their emergency number, and my CC's number, at hand. Travel is always subject to risks, regardless of who makes the plans.

We just got off the Wind in Hamburg; just prior to its current cruise. They are changing Captains in Helsinki.

@Host Jazzbeau, I believe you are correct; I had a booking for this cruise until a few months ago and I assumed that the bookended hotels had to do with accommodating the long flights (or recognizing that SilverSky might have a more limited choice of contracted flights).

In the past, pre- and post- one night hotel stays have only been included on expedition cruises (and sometimes not even then if the cruise involves an overnight on the ship at the destination, such as at Tower Bridge). I have never had a classic cruise (nor seen one on offer) where a pre- or post- hotel was offered unless the destination had such inconvenient flight times that there is no way to get a flight the same day as arrival or departure. I agree that if it's in the cruise description, @Mountain Traveler should not have to pay for their pre-cruise night.

That's not decoration; that's a fire hazard.

The standard soaps and shampoos are Bvlgari (Bulgari), although they have other scents available if you ask (for example, DH always asks for Ortigia Siciliana, which is less perfume-y). They come in bar soap, liquid hand soap, liquid shampoo, conditioner and liquid shampoo/body wash combo. There's a lotta soap! The bath salts are not automatically in the room but can be requested from the Butler. The "Otium" program in the Dawn boasts that you may request a luxury bath experience with salts, LED candles, rose petals, etc. I beta-tested it in the Moon and it was pretty nice. Amenity kits are in the bathrooms; I believe they include q-tips. I don't have a specific memory about the magnified mirror, but I use one and I don't recall being disappointed.

Not to mention that Crystal is re-introducing two ships to the ultra-luxury category this year. Not new ships, but more competition in the race for the ultra-luxury customer.