Live/Silver Cloud: Norway Coast/Fjords July 1-16 Reports

[TLCOhio]

Hi Terry. No way are we bored...I'm sure everyone is disappointed that your cruise has finished. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your pics and hearing more of your 'Cloud' thoughts. I'm sailing on her in November through the Panama Canal. Cheers Jennifer

 

You want more??? I'm happy to share more. Appreciate the comments from Jennifer, Keith, etc. Keep it coming.

 

For our Hellesylt to Geiranger bus tour, there were 67 from the ship (out of 268 total) who took this eight-hour tour. Even with the various weather challenges, it was still very fascinating to see all that we did. It gave us a better feel some of the rugged areas that are farther back from the coast than what we would normally experience while on the cruise. With the added rain that morning, it made the waterfalls even more interesting and flowing.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Hellesylt is not a large village, but it was a starting point for our overland tour. In most cases, you don’t take the tender into this port unless you have a tour departing from this point. Its options as a village are very limited. As this picture shows, it was raining. Bummer, but in the overall cruise, this is really the only place where weather had any negative impact. And, by mid-day, much of the rain has lifted.:

 

 

 

These are two trolls at the Raftevold Hotel, overlooking the Hornindals-Vannet Lake. At approximately 1,700 feet, this crystal-clear lake is as deep as Lake Tahoe and is the deepest lake in Europe.:

 

 

 

On the eight-hour “Overland from Hellesylt to Geiranger” bus tour, we stopped at the Jostedalsbreen National Park with these great views, even on a cloudy and foggy day. The rains had stopped by this point in the tour. These visuals include a nearby village scene, the grass on the top of a small building and this Aussie couple on our cruise checking out the interesting display of various stones from all over Norway.:

 

 

 

 

 

In the afternoon of this overland tour, this was the scene as the Silversea excursion supervisor snapped a picture showing so much snow still on these mountains as their high locations, even in the middle of July.:

 

[TLCOhio]

Here’s the next group from that long, but very interesting second fjords day.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

At the Videseter Hotel, we had lunch with a wonderful son and his mother from Russia. He spoke perfect English, studied at Stanford, had former Sec. of State Condi Rice as a teacher. Interesting lunch discussion. I showed them some of pictures from our 2008 visit to St. Petersburg that we loved so much. Before lunch, we saw this spectacular waterfall up close and personal. This is also where we saw one of these cute sheep at his high mountain elevation. Notice the cute "HI" from this sheep raising a leg and curling an ear, etc.:

 

 

 

 

 

This is the super scenic view from immediately above Geiranger that shows the Silver Cloud and Costa ships tendered. A little before this picture, we were to go to Mt. Dalsnibba as a photo stop from this 4,920-foot vantage for the snow-covered surrounding mountains, icy glaciers, crystalline lakes and Geirangerfjord far below. We went there, but it was totally “socked in”. It was so thick, you could barely find your bus on this day on top of the big mountain crowded with lots of buses from the Costa ship.:

 

 

 

While waiting to board the tender in Geiranger, Cruise Director Jimmy Kovel (right) along with two passengers made the “Polar Plunge” to test the fjord waters. It was very, very cold water, but they survived that initial shock and came out in good order to get dried off. The 2,720-passenger Costa Magica is shown in the background.:

 

 

 

At the end of our visit to Geiranger, our last fjord stop, here was this cute troll to whom Sharon decided to give a little hug and big chin tickle.:

 

Edited July 18, 2010 by TLCOhio

[TLCOhio]

Here are two more shots from this second fjord day, plus a “bonus” of some better, but not yet posted visuals, from the journey to Flam and Gudvangen along this lengthy Sognerfjord during our first main fjord day on July 3. We got to see lots and lots in these various, great fjord areas, plus the bonus of sailing up the very narrow Trollfjords in the Lofoten Islands.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

After being tendered from Geiranger, we passed by two super famous waterfalls. YES, yes, we saw lots and lots of waterfalls on this trip, but these two were among the “best of the best”. First is the “Seven Sisters”. Next shown is directly opposite in this narrow fjord and it is called several names, including “The Suitor”. The majesty for these feats of nature is pretty amazing.:

 

 

 

 

 

You go on these Norway Coast cruises for the spectacular fjords. From the earlier journey to Flam, Gudvangen and Sognerfjord, here are four added pictures that had not been previously posted. These four pictures also give you a sampling for how the skies can change from cloudy to sunny, plus offer sights of the farms, green fields, etc. along these beautiful internal coast lines of the fjords.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 18, 2010 by TLCOhio

[TLCOhio]

Good afternoon Duct Tape ( and companion !!! ). Having arrived back in the UK safely and without hassle J & I would like to thank you both for making our trip so special. It was, as well recorded by Terry, a very special Cruise aided by good weather,a superb Crew and a good bunch of guests. Silversea should be very proud of The Cloud family and hopefully will listen to their Venetian members and keep this lovely ship in service for many years to come. We wish you a happy current cruise ( albeit I guess that the Guest make up is somewhat different ? ) and many more to come - we hope to catch up with you again soon. Have fun.

 

THANKS for the great summary from our new English friends! Loved meeting and getting to know lots of new, interesting and fun people. Here are a few more “ship things” that might be of interest for those planning their first Silversea journey. Or, to bring back nice memories. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

For our World Cup Championship Game, Spain versus Holland, this was our “PARTY” set-up in our room. It worked well for size with six in that space. Eight people would have been too tight for such a party in a regular suite. Our great Butler, Parai, is shown and pulled together all of the food and drink options from the regular "room service" menu. It was great fun, plus an exciting game, too.:

 

 

 

At one of the Venetian Lounge shows, the dancers recruited volunteers from the audience to come up on the stage. Here’s our DC area friend, Sharon, taking her turn, plus a super enthusiastic senior dancing with the female lead professional dancer on this journey. FUN to watch!!!:

 

 

 

Here’s another sample from one of the shows with the Silver Cloud dancers and singers.:

 

 

 

As we were docking in Bergen, here was the “LAST BREAKFAST” for super Hotel Director Gianni Dotti as he was back in civilian clothes and ready to fly out that morning for his son’s Saturday wedding near Mexico City. Also pictured is Captian Mino Pontillo, new Hotel Director Giuseppe Bagnato and the employee relations manager.:

 

[TLCOhio]

Here are some other visuals and details for “life” (pampered) on the Silver Cloud, July 1-16, 2010.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Each day, there are various news summaries prepared and delivered to each room and available, as shown here, early each morning in the Panorama Lounge. Those delivered to each room are tailored for the nationality for that person in each suite. Of the 268 passengers on this ship, about 146 were from the United States. Australia was second largest in its representation with 21 passengers from there on board.:

 

 

 

What are the toiletry items available on the Silver Cloud? Here’s a sampling for the Bvlgari and Acqua di Parma selections. There is also Neutrogena for those wanting no scent. We used and really liked the Bvlgari items. It is scented, but not as much as you will find with Acqua di Parma. Nice!!! :

 

 

 

On the final Captain’s Farewell Night, the Venetian Lounge after-dinner program featured dancing and songs from along the world, including the popular and well-done “Can Can”. Here, some of the stars take their final bows and get audience response, which was very good. It is not Broadway or London’s West End or a big ship show, but was nice done in costumes, staging, lighting, music, etc.:

 

 

As a part of the Captain’s Farewell program on July 13, the staff comes down the stairs and is richly honored on the stage for their great hard work and dedication.:

 

 

 

When departing the Silver Cloud in Copenhagen, both Chef Douglas Hope and new Hotel Manager Giuseppe Bagnato were there, outside the ship, greeting and talking with passengers. Nice finishing touch. The Chef had been getting detailed report on these Cruise Critic posting from Cruise Director Jimmy Kovel. The CD including a picture that I posted of him near midnight of a near sunset north of Tromso during the final Farewell Night program/show. Jimmy and the Chef were “battling”, in a fun way, to see who got posted most on this web report.:

 

 

 

As we drove back through Copenhagen from the Silver Cloud to the airport, this was the famous scene I snapped out the bus window of the “New Harbor” with its colorful buildings and super charming setting, :

 

[TLCOhio]

What were our dining preferences?

 

It is so, so much of a “personal” choice and much depends on your exact interest, style and timing wishes. Some want lots of variety, while others seek more of the same, over and over. We certainly did not go hungry. We loved the food on this cruise, both in quality and for the many options and settings available. For breakfast, our main plan was mostly the Terrace, hopefully outside. There was a nice buffet of items, plus custom egg preparation/orders. About five times, we did have breakfast in the room, which was super nicely served by our Butler, Parai. Your in-suite breakfast options are large and you could pick as many options as you desired to be included for what is served in your suite.

 

For lunch, we mostly did The Terrace, again aiming for outdoors on the back deck, if possible. Their lunch buffets here were varied and very nice. There was a pasta station that would custom prepare an item, plus a hot dessert area, plus special breads, salads, fruits, cheeses, desserts, etc. You could make the timing fit your schedule and the staff was great for responsiveness and help.

 

Except for the two great, special mid-day buffets, we did not eat in the main dining room for lunch. We did the pool grill a couple of times, which worked out well and added to the variety on this 15-day cruise. We also had a couple of box lunches (in a nice, ship-provided padded black fabric containers) that we used when doing our private rental car and independent shore “adventure”. This saved time from needing to order, wait, etc., for the food. It saved budget as things are extremely costly on shore. In Norway, as an example, it is ultra pricy for things to eat, drink, etc. Our friends dropped $65 at Peppe’s Pizza in Tromso for two drinks with a hamburger and only a small pizza.

 

With our travel-dining style and desire to do much as possible on the ship and off, the main dining room had an image, for breakfast and lunch, of being a little too slow and/or formal for our needs and interests. We did not try that venue for a normal breakfast or lunch, so maybe, we have been a little unfair in that judgement. We were also so super happy with the Terrace and the other options so that we had no need to “go there” for breakfast or lunch.

 

In the evening, our prime choice was the main dining room. As noted earlier, Maitre D’ Jorge Caeiro from Portugal was so totally super, super in how he handled things and took care of our needs and interests. We had two nights in La Terrazza. That was fine and very good, but the menu can be a little limited if you try to go there too often, based on our personal interests for variety. On the second night in La Terrazza, we were with Hotel Director Gianni, singer Jennifer, the customers relations director and other guests at a special table. That night, we had some special items different from the main menu, including a super pasta and veal saltimbocca. Wonderful!

 

As also noted earlier, Chef Douglas Hope has done a great job shaping up the Silver Cloud kitchen. Based our experiences and the comments from more seasoned Silversea travelers, this Chef was and is wonderful. We attended two of his cooking demos, talked with him many times around the ship, did a galley tour, etc. You can’t ask for better in what he did and how he gets the best out of the hard-working staff. It's a complex process to manage and make work. You’ve seen the great pictures for his work. Now, here’s more! Hungry?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

For our final dining the main dining room, here is that visual report. First, is the salmon trilogy sampler with a tartare, salmon-crab roulade and salmon rilletts. There were also appetizer options this night for goat cheese and cherry tomato tian and veal sweetbreads with crayfish sauce.:

 

 

 

Second, is this pasta . . . cannelloni with a herb and Parmesan filling, plus purple artichokes. There were also “intermezzo” options this night for crumbled blue cheese salad or dumpling soup with black rye bird dumplings and soured cabbage and caraway. :

 

 

 

For our final dining main course, after the strawberry sorbet serving, I had in the main dining room, this Angus beef that was called “Entrecote Rossini”. It was served with fois gras, a crispy potato galette and truffled jus. There were also main course options of sautéed sea scallop and shrimps, slow-cooked pigeon “Souvaroff” or summer lasagna without meat in it. There would be a Relais & Chateaux chef-suggested way to pick a selection for these three courses based on their “collection” of menu items for Silversea. Wellness and vegetarian options were noted on the menu. You could do menu special orders with a day’s advance notice to the kitchen. We did this as a group with a special Thai dinner that evening. If you had special diet needs, the kitchen should be advised in advance and they adjust well.:

 

 

 

For wine on the Silver Cloud, there is usually a suggested white and red that is offered and paired with the meal for that evening. Many of these come from Italy, Chile, Spain, California, France, South Africa, etc. I would call most of wine options as “good”. They are not low level, nor high. You can buy a higher-end selection, if you wish. You can also ask for some other options that you had tried and done earlier. Here was a California Cabernet Sauvignon from Esser that we liked and requested several times.:

 

 

 

For dessert on our final evening in the main dining room, here is that visual of my apple-related pastry with great sauce, etc.:

 

 

 

Our last lunch was on the outdoor Terrace Café deck. Super great location, food, service and people!

 

Edited July 18, 2010 by TLCOhio

[TLCOhio]

We got home last night @ 9:00 PM. I must say this is the best SS cruise that we have ever experienced; great scenery, nice people, and a great crew. As we go back to work, we continue to look for updates on a daily basis from Duct Tape!!! Jody

 

Truly enjoyed the commentary and fabulous photos, Terry. Safe travels home through our fair city today! Patty

 

 

THANKS for the added comments and feedback! Doing both Heathrow and O'Hare in one day can be challenging, but as happened in 2008 for our return from Stockholm after our Baltics/Russia cruise, it all worked fine and on time. Both of these are among the three biggest and most massive airports in the world, but they generally work and get the job done. Large, large! Heathrow is the winner with so many shopping experience and "opportunities", if that's important. Copenhagen's airport had many nice wooden floors that added a wonderful "touch", plus after security, they had smaller carts for your carry-on bags so that you could spend more time doing their various and many shopping places.

 

My wife was worried in Chicago that all of our luggage would not make it. BUT, it did, last piece right at the end. Since this was only our first time on Silversea, I can totally and honestly agree with Jody that this was also our "BEST" with SS.

 

Glad to hear that duct tape is now missing us more and appreciating us better. That great traveler, with three other family members, was fun to be with and from whom to learn more as a Silversea "virgin". This was only on our third time doing a cruise. Wow, what a smart trivia player and super great on the twenty question contests on the ship.

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[canyonman]

THANKS for the added, nice comments! Don't know that I'll be turning my reports into a book and/or that there would be that much interest to kill the trees to print it, but it is a much appreciate comment.

 

For canyonman, good luck on your upcoming Silver Cloud sailing in the eastern Med. In 2006 on the Seabourn Spirit, we much loved our first cruise as we went from Athens to Istanbul, with added time before and after in those two super great and historic cities. I would suggest doing a separate "ROLL CALL" on this Silversea Cruise Critic board to connect with those traveling on that cruise with you. The roll call for this cruise attracted lots of interest and helpful connections that made our Norway Coast cruise work so well. Also, go to the Greek and Other Med board for added ideas and tips in connection with those popular areas.

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Hi Terry,

 

Thanks so much for your responses. It appears everyone had a great trip and I can't wait until we board the Cloud in Oct. I will be posting a ROLL CALL soon and hope we can meet new friends to enjoy the trip with. Just want to thank everyone for their great comments and photo's. :)

[TLCOhio]

Hi Terry, Thanks so much for your responses. It appears everyone had a great trip and I can't wait until we board the Cloud in Oct. I will be posting a ROLL CALL soon and hope we can meet new friends to enjoy the trip with. Just want to thank everyone for their great comments and photo's. :)

 

Appreciate the nice comments. Don't be shy! Let us know any added questions while these "things" are fresh in our minds and my picture collection is handy. Really loved the ship and its great crew, plus the other fellow passengers.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[ClaudiaF]

Thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures and the updates on your cruise.

[newlondon]

Hi Terry, Wish I had your computer skills to post such wonderful pictures. I was fascinated to see that all good photographers take a picture of their ship in the fjord. You obviously had as good a time as we did. Interesting to me was how much more effort SS made for your trip. Ductape had a lot to do with that but imo the service level should be more uniform. No resentment, just surprise. We had a terrific time. Still interested to find out; did you go to the North Cape itself or just look from offshore and did you skip the farm in the mountains-sounds like you did. Whatever, thanks for posting and the great pictures. I wish I could do as good a job as we now do the Chilean fjords on the Whisper.:)

[WesW]

Believe Terry, his wife and close friends were able to enjoy such a wonderful cruise and SS was able to deliver primarily due to the exhaustive research Terry did prior to this cruise. When Terry boarded, he had learned from his due dilligence (primary from right here on the SS CC thread) what to ask for from the Cloud crew well in advance. Having ductape onboard was as added bonus for her special (xceding 1000 days on board SS) breakfast. As he wonderfully posted, (except for the 3% finance charge) the Cloud team delivered magnificently on his reasonable requests. (any SS guest can do the same--and I believe SS will deliver similar results) We also experienced this above and beyond Silversea service on our January Spirit crossing--Dougburns, Emmy and I just asked the Spirit crew in advance (e.g a special meal, anniversary dinner, Panorama outdoor deck cocktail party, vow renewal ceremony) and they also delivered outstanding/life long cruise memory results.

Edited July 18, 2010 by Colonel(Ret.)Wes

[Rally]

Appreciate the nice comments. Don't be shy! Let us know any added questions while these "things" are fresh in our minds and my picture collection is handy. Really loved the ship and its great crew, plus the other fellow passengers.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Truly amazing photos, and such informative ones! We board Cloud Aug. 13 and can hardly wait! =)

[newlondon]

Colonel Wes, Very interesting post. I guess my problem is I don't like to ask for extra as I do associate that with more money. Certainly SS doesn't encourage you to try for the above and beyond that Terry and Ductape received. Should one expect it? We are not demanding types and therefore maybe we leave the best on the table. I still feel that the Cloud voyage Terry took was quite a bit different than the Wind trip we took 3 years ago. SS should imo try to standardize service or encourage patrons to ask for what special services they want. Your thoughts?

[newlondon]

Colonel Wes, Just as an example, I looked at the pictures of Terry's World Cup party and shuddered. I would love to do that, but I am thinking several hundred $ on the shipboard account. I have no idea what Terry paid if anything but you get what I mean.

[WesW]

Hi Newlondon, believe Terry did not pay a thing for his World Cup party, imagine

his Butler took care of the snacks, appetizers and drinks. My limited SS experience

(Whisper, Shadow and Spirit) tells me that the Silversea senior staff (Hotel Director,

Food & Beverage Mgr, M'D and A/M'd) enjoy special requests (within reason) and

work to exceed the guest's expectations (generally at no extra cost) but this

above & beyond service does serve to engender guest loyalty. Terry have you booked or are you booking another SS voyage?

[Rally]

Believe Terry, his wife and close friends were able to enjoy such a wonderful cruise and SS was able to deliver primarily due to the exhaustive research Terry did prior to this cruise. When Terry boarded, he had learned from his due dilligence (primary from right here on the SS CC thread) what to ask for from the Cloud crew well in advance. Having ductape onboard was as added bonus for her special (xceding 1000 days on board SS) breakfast. As he wonderfully posted, (except for the 3% finance charge) the Cloud team delivered magnificently on his reasonable requests. (any SS guest can do the same--and I believe SS will deliver similar results) We also experienced this above and beyond Silversea service on our January Spirit crossing--Dougburns, Emmy and I just asked the Spirit crew in advance (e.g a special meal, anniversary dinner, Panorama outdoor deck cocktail party, vow renewal ceremony) and they also delivered outstanding/life long cruise memory results.

 

Spot on, Colonel, as usual. SilverSea encourages guests to ask for whatever they don't see. We have asked and always gotten a smile and, usually, a "yes." If it is not on the ship, of course, it cannot be done (until the next port =) Asking, nicely, is not assoicated with more money. We do not tip individuals; we don't stay in fancy suites (I wish but it is not going to happen =) and we do not have 100 days (yet.) Still, we have never been disappointed. By the way, we have had the same experience on Regent.

[ging466]

Hi Terry

 

Another set of magnificent photos, and the food...especially that huge Chocolate Eiffel Tower...I hope the chef will be on the Cloud in November.

 

I hope to book this fjord cruise (or similar) when I'm on board for maybe 2012.

 

Terry has given everyone a fantastic virtual cruise, SS or Norway couldn't hope for so much positive publicity if they paid for it.:)

 

Well done Terry!

 

Cheers

Jennifer

[V8Babe]

Terry

 

Thank you SO MUCH for your fantastic reports and amazing photos. The time and effort you put into providing us with an account of your cruise are really appreciated.

 

Glad you had a great trip and look forward to hearing from you lots in the future.

 

Take care.

[duct tape]

Any guest can make any request they would like, obviously within reason! I do think that lots of first-timers are not aware of what is possible so do not ask. Parties in your room do not entail any additional charges unless you are ordering something that would be an additional charge anyway. I have suggested having "frequent floaters" at the First Timers Party for resource info that may not occur to the staff and crew. I have sailed on the first four ships and have had great cruises and a few, very few, not so great cruises. I may be biased, but I think all guests are treated equally, even thought some of them are occasionally rude to the crew.

Edited July 19, 2010 by duct tape
add'l info

[TLCOhio]

Spot on, Colonel, as usual. SilverSea encourages guests to ask for whatever they don't see. We have asked and always gotten a smile and, usually, a "yes." If it is not on the ship, of course, it cannot be done (until the next port =) Asking, nicely, is not assoicated with more money. We do not tip individuals; we don't stay in fancy suites (I wish but it is not going to happen =) and we do not have 100 days (yet.) Still, we have never been disappointed. By the way, we have had the same experience on Regent.

 

Believe Terry, his wife and close friends were able to enjoy such a wonderful cruise and SS was able to deliver primarily due to the exhaustive research Terry did prior to this cruise. When Terry boarded, he had learned from his due dilligence (primary from right here on the SS CC thread) what to ask for from the Cloud crew well in advance. Having ductape onboard was as added bonus for her special (xceding 1000 days on board SS) breakfast. As he wonderfully posted, (except for the 3% finance charge) the Cloud team delivered magnificently on his reasonable requests. (any SS guest can do the same--and I believe SS will deliver similar results) We also experienced this above and beyond Silversea service on our January Spirit crossing--Dougburns, Emmy and I just asked the Spirit crew in advance (e.g a special meal, anniversary dinner, Panorama outdoor deck cocktail party, vow renewal ceremony) and they also delivered outstanding/life long cruise memory results.

 

newlondon

Colonel Wes, Very interesting post. I guess my problem is I don't like to ask for extra as I do associate that with more money. Certainly SS doesn't encourage you to try for the above and beyond that Terry and Ductape received. Should one expect it? We are not demanding types and therefore maybe we leave the best on the table. I still feel that the Cloud voyage Terry took was quite a bit different than the Wind trip we took 3 years ago. SS should imo try to standardize service or encourage patrons to ask for what special services they want. Your thoughts?

 

newlondon

Colonel Wes, Just as an example, I looked at the pictures of Terry's World Cup party and shuddered. I would love to do that, but I am thinking several hundred $ on the shipboard account. I have no idea what Terry paid if anything but you get what I mean.

 

 

Col. Wes and Rally sums up most of these issues and questions very, very well. The staff cannot read minds or guess what is of interest to or need for each passenger. The Silver Cloud Butlers, based on both our experience and that of our friends on the 4th level, were asking and seeking to "do more"!!!

 

On the World Cup Party, there was no extra charge on the shipboard account for that food. For the three couples, we ate here in our suite with items ordered off of the regular "room service" menu that available every day, 24/7. The Silver Cloud was going to feed us, at their expense (that we paid in advance), that evening, whether in the main dining room, La Terrazza or in our room.

 

Asking and talking with the staff can yield great results. From my limited experience in doing just three cruises (one with Silversea, the others on Crystal and Seabourn), my view is that some are “just along for the ride”. They take what is given as the basic and do not seek or want much more. That’s fine and can work. Others are a little more creative and/or adventure-seeking. We did BOTH ship excursions and shore things we set-up on our own. We like to be more active and pushing the options a little more.

 

Col. Wes also correctly noted that I did a good bit of advance research and prep. These Cruise Critic boards are very helpful. Knowledge Is Power! Understanding better what might be possible for my wife’s July 1 birthday made it easier to “UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM” and connect with the key staff to learn and do more.

 

Finally, on this Butler program, I think some in these positions know that, long-term, the more people use, know and love this set-up, it means more/better job security for keeping this process happening. Plus, helping Silversea's competitive position and building customer loyality. I was very doubtful on the actual benefits of the Butler program before doing this cruise. Now, I am a strong believer!!!! It can work well and makes a very positive difference.

 

This is a good chance to “name names”. Parai was our Butler and I previously had a picture of him and four other Butlers as we sailed out of the first set of fjords. Lissan was our first “Butleress” as she described herself. When we were moved to a balcony and another floor, we lost her. BUT, later in the cruise, Lissan got a top staff award and our friends who had her, just super loved everything she did and how it was done with such great spirit, skill and enthusiasm.

 

Does this help? As with Crystal and Seabourn, the more you know and seek, generally, you get better results.

 

There is no reason that others can get similar, great results. Weather is beyond the staff's control, however. Reasonable requests done in a nice way work well and the staff likes being helpful and involved. That’s not “special”, just “normal” for how they like to operate, in my opinion.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[TLCOhio]

Terry, Mr. Scales gives us info we may not want to know,i.e. lbs. gained:eek:

 

You earlier asked this question and now here's the honest answer. Yesterday, I did the official "WEIGH IN". I was 2.7 pounds higher compared to the day, June 29, that we left. For a guy who is six foot, two inches, that was not bad considering all that we had and enjoyed on this first Silversea cruise. That's about 1.1% higher. Not bad, under the circumstances.

 

Why? We did lots and lots of walking around doing these various port stops, on the ship, plus all of the long airport walks at Heathrow and O'Hare, moving luggage, etc. Did I visit the exercise room? YES! Was there about six or seven times to check it out, use the handy restroom there, take pictures, etc. BUT, visiting there does not mean I was using the equipment. Just visiting there!!!! Nice location with great views and decent equipment on a ship this size.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[newlondon]

Good for you Terry:). My experience on SS & RSSC has been 3-5 lbs. Our Tauck river cruise was also similar even though we did a lot of walking. You and I are the same size, so I'm guessing you have more discipline to push the plate away:D.

[TLCOhio]

Just to update on Internet uses with Silversea from our just-completed Silver Cloud cruise, I posted this info and wanted to share this background. I had my laptop (MacBook Pro) and the wireless function generally worked well in our suite (532) and in most places around the ship, including the pool area, Panorama Lounge, etc. The sign-on function had several steps (which is good to prevent any mistakes) and was clear/functional to understand/do.

 

PROBLEMS? Sure, there were some as we were sailing along the Norway Coast, in fjords and above the Arctic Circle. At the high latitudes in the far northern (or southern) part of the world, things can get iffy or limited. High mountains or hills can limit things in some locations, etc. We had no service when within the fjords. In many areas north of the Arctic Circle, we had some service, including around the North Cape. But, in these northern most places there could some irregularities or down periods with no hook-up. Overall, it was better than I expected. The service and speed seemed improved to what we had in 2006 with Seabourn in the Greek Isles and in 2008 with Crystal in the Baltics. Part of that could be this satellite technology improving and evolving, in general. Others, like Keith, are much smarter on these issues than me. On the new Seabourn Sojourn that we saw in port in Bergen, they had two of those white, round "heads" for such transmissions. Two of those transmitters would be better than just one, but, as we discussed on the bridge tour with top staff, that costs more. That Seabourn ship is also larger with more passengers and staff than the Silver Cloud. Such ships could do it better and we would love it if they offered "free" service. BUT, unlimited service invites some abuse and some uses are "bandwave" hogs.

 

SECRETS? First, know how to sign-off quickly when done. You do the 1.1.1.1 in your web browser, hit return and it closes things off right at that point. Second, writing and composing . . . BEFORE you go on line makes a big, big difference. I did lots of posting, e-mails and picture uploading during this 15-day cruise. I used, however, only one 250-minute and one 100-minute package during this long and busy trip. If you are focused and careful, you manage things and not run up a big bill.

 

TAKING LAPTOP? I did and was very, very glad. Most of it was for picture-taking purposes. Taking over 3000 pictures during this trip with so many great visual options, I wanted to download them, back them up to a portable drive, fine-tune and edit these pictures as we traveled, etc. That was important for my needs and protection. The Internet room had five terminals on the ship and they did not seem to be that busy on a few times when I checked. The chairs were nice and the areas seemed fairly comfortable. It's just wonderful and more convenient to be able to compose before going on line and be working with a piece of equipment that you know and are used to using, efficiently. Plus, on my laptop, I had lots of tour/port info stored there, other travel details, key websites bookmarked, etc.

 

Hope this helps. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[TLCOhio]

Good for you Terry:). My experience on SS & RSSC has been 3-5 lbs. Our Tauck river cruise was also similar even though we did a lot of walking. You and I are the same size, so I'm guessing you have more discipline to push the plate away:D.

 

THANKS, newlondon, for the added comments! I would add that most of the main dining food portion were fairly "small" or "smart" as our travel companion/friend Dennis would say. That sizing helped give you taste and fun of the food, without feeling that you "ATE THE WHOLE THING!".

 

Then, there were the buffets, Terrace selections, desserts, etc. Challenging not to eat and love it too much. Plus, afternoon tea treats, etc. Don't know that I have "more discipline".

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Edited July 19, 2010 by TLCOhio