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

[newlondon]

Also still wondering, did you actually go to the NC and how about the farm in the mountains?

[TLCOhio]

Also still wondering, did you actually go to the NC and how about the farm in the mountains?

 

THANKS for the follow-up on your two good questions! Been busy catching-up after getting back and missed that one.

 

We were "at" the North Cape from the Barents Sea side around 10 am right as the clouds were clearing and we got great views there, etc. The night before, we had a rental car and were going to visit the North Cape Hall on the land side after doing our bird island tour and seeing the puffins, etc. . BUT, by around 10:30 pm things were getting so totally foggy and so super challenging that we decided to scrub going up to that location. We had the time (as the ship would not leave until 6:30 am the next day), but we didn't feel it would be worth it to go up there under these limited conditions. I understand the film shown up there is good, but we could not have seen anything there outside.

 

We weren't able to do the "farm in the mountains" trip as that was at the same time as we were doing the "Roof of Norway", eight hour tour while going from Hellesylt to Geiranger. We saw some other farm setting along the fjords and on a couple of the islands. It's not the same thing as this tour, but we got a good feel for how important is the agriculture aspects to Norway. Love those red barns! Great and wonderful country and people.

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[CintiPam]

Hi, Terry, thank you for putting a link to this thread on the Northern Europe/Baltic forum because I never ever would have had this amazing one-hour virtual cruise with you if you had not. (I only ever look at my roll call, Oceania forum and the ports of call forums for my next trip; that takes enough of my time from my regular life:)).

 

I have enjoyed your wonderful photos and postings in response to questions from Med cruisers, but I am rendered speechless almost by this amazing virtual reality undertaking.

 

I am so glad that you added your picture in your red sweater so that now I have a face to match with my awestruck appreciation of my "near north" neighbor.

 

Sincerely,

Pam

 

PS Do you have a Copenhagen hotel rec from your three hours sleep there? :)

Edited July 19, 2010 by CintiPam

[newlondon]

Cintipam, We stayed at the Marriott which is right near Tivoli and has its own river tour stop. When we did the cruise it was the SS hotel of choice. We used Marriott points.

[dougburns]

Terry; Again, thanks for all of your efforts. Because of you I've updated my cameras. I just purchased a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ35K with great wide angle and telephoto capability, as well as reasonably good video capability. In addition, I purchased a Sony DCRSR68 hard disc mini-camcorder. The old cameras just weren't hacking it to my satisfaction. Hopefully, I'll be able to post some decent pics from our Silver Spirit cruise this Dec and our Wind cruise next Mar. By the way, I had our TA check with SS corporate on the smoking policy issue and there is no change in the works as of this A.M.

[TLCOhio]

Hi, Terry, thank you for putting a link to this thread on the Northern Europe/Baltic forum because I never ever would have had this amazing one-hour virtual cruise with you if you had not. (I only ever look at my roll call, Oceania forum and the ports of call forums for my next trip; that takes enough of my time from my regular life:)). I have enjoyed your wonderful photos and postings in response to questions from Med cruisers, but I am rendered speechless almost by this amazing virtual reality undertaking. I am so glad that you added your picture in your red sweater so that now I have a face to match with my awestruck appreciation of my "near north" neighbor. Sincerely, Pam

PS Do you have a Copenhagen hotel rec from your three hours sleep there? :)

 

THANKS, Cincy neighbor Pam, for the kind comments. I don't often hear the phrase "awestruck appreciation". That's a good one!!!

 

We stayed at The Square hotel with a wonderful location facing the plaza in front of their City Hall and only a block from Tivoli. Below is a picture of the front of the hotel. This hotel is in a super location and we booked it through Orbitz. They had a very wonderful breakfast buffet on their top floor with a view. It was a clean and nice hotel with a sparkling bathroom. They picked up the "square" theme through many varied, creative design touches. Samantha Brown stayed here and featured the hotel during her "Passport to Europe" segment on the Travel Channel. Me getting three hours sleep wasn't the hotel's fault, just my body clock getting adjusted. Which it did and we had a great cruise/travel experience.

 

We considered staying at the Marriott in Copenhagen, but it's location, in my view, is not as handy for "walking around" and quickly seeing some of the top attractions in this great, charming city. It's on a canal/water site, but you've got distance from the "stars" in this Denmark capital. You can stay in a "Marriott", but The Square gave me a better appreciate for good and unique Danish design done in a nice, warm manner.

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

In Copenhagen, we stayed at The Square hotel that overlooks the main plaza in front of their City Hall with its large tower. This picture angle is framed by two statutes in front of this civic building.:

 

Edited July 19, 2010 by TLCOhio

[TLCOhio]

Terry; Again, thanks for all of your efforts. Because of you I've updated my cameras. I just purchased a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ35K with great wide angle and telephoto capability, as well as reasonably good video capability. In addition, I purchased a Sony DCRSR68 hard disc mini-camcorder. The old cameras just weren't hacking it to my satisfaction. Hopefully, I'll be able to post some decent pics from our Silver Spirit cruise this Dec and our Wind cruise next Mar. By the way, I had our TA check with SS corporate on the smoking policy issue and there is no change in the works as of this A.M.

 

THANKS, dougburns, for the nice comments! Glad you've updated your photo/visual tools. That helps!!! Good luck on your two upcoming cruises. I don't know if you or others have caught or checked my photo tips. These suggestions and ideas are at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=977864

 

On getting better visual images, the camera and its use are important. What you do, however, on your laptop or PC is becoming more and more amazing. I'm not talking about the "over-the-top PhotoShop" touches. Just the basics of good cropping can be an amazing improving factor, plus shooting in "RAW" or at a higher pixel levels allows a great ability to produce much better results.

 

On a potential change in smoking policy, I didn't mean to imply that this has been announced or will be coming in the next few weeks. My sources say "it's coming". It could be late this year or early next year when it's officially announced. Clearly, the marketplace trends are moving that way. As we moved around in London, Copenhagen and Norway during this trip, it's amazing to me on how things are moving and shifting about smoking in these parts of Europe compared to what I remember from the past.

 

Keep the comments rolling. Don't be shy. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[Off2China]

I read this entire thread this afternoon and have only one comment:

 

WOW!!

 

This trip is now on my bucket list--absolutely fantastic review and pics. Thanks, Terry!

[jgrahamiii]

Thanks so much Terry. We are on the Cloud at the end of October and it was great to get such a fantistic preview of the ship and crew. The scenery you enjoyed was also stunning.

 

I'm sorry to learn that your Captain will be on another ship during our voyage. He really seemed to add something to your voyage. Hopefully ours will do the same. Any idea if Chef Hope will be remaining with the ship for an extended period? Sounds like he really enhanced your voyage more than the previous chef might have.

 

-John

[whitetruffle]

Your pictures are fabulous, and we truly appreciate the time and effort you took to share. Thanks so much!

[ging466]

I just purchased a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ35K with great wide angle and telephoto capability, as well as reasonably good video capability.

 

Hi dougburns

 

I bought the same camera for my cruises in Oct/November. After seeing Terry's amazing photos, I've booked myself into a photography course in a couple of weeks to get myself prepared.

 

Cheers

Jennifer

[TLCOhio]

I read this entire thread this afternoon and have only one comment: WOW!!

This trip is now on my bucket list--absolutely fantastic review and pics. Thanks, Terry!

 

Your pictures are fabulous' date=' and we truly appreciate the time and effort you took to share. Thanks so much![/quote']

 

Thanks so much Terry. We are on the Cloud at the end of October and it was great to get such a fantistic preview of the ship and crew. The scenery you enjoyed was also stunning. I'm sorry to learn that your Captain will be on another ship during our voyage. He really seemed to add something to your voyage. Hopefully ours will do the same. Any idea if Chef Hope will be remaining with the ship for an extended period? Sounds like he really enhanced your voyage more than the previous chef might have.-John

 

Hi dougburns. I bought the same camera for my cruises in Oct/November. After seeing Terry's amazing photos' date=' I've booked myself into a photography course in a couple of weeks to get myself prepared. Cheers Jennifer[/quote']

 

THANKS to Deb for the super "WOW" comment! Glad this trip has been added to your "bucket list".

 

Appreciate whitetruffle's kind comments.

 

From "Down Under" in Aussieland, Jennifer makes the excellent point that taking a photography class can really help in getting "smarter" about taking better digital pictures and what to do with them after you have taking these many visuals. One of the key advantages/secrets is "EDITING". Narrow down your photo options/selections. Show only the "Best of the Best". In doing this board, the maximum that can be posted at one time is only six pictures. If you bore people with five pictures of the same thing, poorly cropped with margin lighting, contrast, etc., their interest fades very fast. EDIT!!!! Don't show people the average and marginal pictures. Less is more!

 

For John, I would hope and assume that Silversea will have an equally good Captain for your journey. The fact that the Silver Cloud leads the company in its ratings says they have something "good" there and that they don't want to lose that base of happy customers.

 

Enjoy! Keep the comments and questions coming. Terry in Ohio

[Conte Di Savoia]

Terry, now that we are safely home, and all washed up I've had some time to look at your great photos you took. They are a very accurate representation of our experience aboard the Cloud. I'll be adding some of them to my own collection from the trip (if you don't mind). Great candid shot of me in the deck chair! I had a friend of mine send me an e-mail to tell me "I see you!" when he spotted the photos on the thread. Hope all is well with you.

Edited July 20, 2010 by Conte Di Savoia

[Paulchili]

Terry, I agree with your assessment of the Square hotel (location, location, location...). While it's not 5*, it is very nice, contemporary (up to date) with Danish design; also it is the only hotel in Copenhagen in its category with A/C.

While the rooms facing the square have a view, the rooms in the back are quieter.

Thank you again for the wonderful report and great pictures :).

Edited July 20, 2010 by Paulchili

[frockoff]

Terry, forgive me if you have already answered this question.

 

What was the choice of Champagne on the Cloud, when we sailed with the Wind in January there was only "Drappier" on offer. Were there any other brands of champagne available thanks

[TLCOhio]

Terry, now that we are safely home, and all washed up I've had some time to look at your great photos you took. They are a very accurate representation of our experience aboard the Cloud. I'll be adding some of them to my own collection from the trip (if you don't mind). Great candid shot of me in the deck chair! I had a friend of mine send me an e-mail to tell me "I see you!" when he spotted the photos on the thread. Hope all is well with you.

 

Paulchili: Terry, I agree with your assessment of the Square hotel (location, location, location...). While it's not 5*, it is very nice, contemporary (up to date) with Danish design; also it is the only hotel in Copenhagen in its category with A/C. While the rooms facing the square have a view, the rooms in the back are quieter. Thank you again for the wonderful report and great pictures.

 

THANKS, Dr. Carl, for the follow-up and great comments! It's hot back in Ohio and the east, too. Much rather be in Norway . . . on the Silver Cloud. Loved being able to connect with you and all of the other great people on this cruise. That was a big part of the fun, experience and enjoyment.

 

Yes, share the pictures with friends and encourage them to check out this web posting on these CC boards. This posting is now approaching 10,000 views, which is huge. It has been fun doing and getting the feed-back and questions. If you need a couple of pictures in a larger or better format, just let me know by e-mail. You've got it.

 

Appreciate Paulchili's nice comments. We stayed facing the "side" street and things were fine at The Square hotel. Loved that great location and easy of slipping out the front door, walking around nearby, etc.

 

Hope to post today more on the question of . . . IS THE SILVER CLOUD TOO OLD?

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[TLCOhio]

Terry, forgive me if you have already answered this question. What was the choice of Champagne on the Cloud, when we sailed with the Wind in January there was only "Drappier" on offer. Were there any other brands of champagne available thanks

 

Good question and I don't think anyone had raised it earlier. The main offering that I saw on the Silver Cloud was Drappier. In the Le Champagne room, they served Pommery. When in France in 2005, we visited the Pommery caves and their tour area. That was a nice connection with our visit to Reims and nearby in that great region of France. When you see how Champagne must be made, aged, etc., you better understand why it costs more than other wines.

 

If you have a mid-level French Champagne in mind, you might ask for it by name. Or, ask what are the other options on the ship. Without needing to pay extra on the ship, you won't be getting Cristal or Dom Perignon.

 

Drappier is still a family-owned house and according to Wikipedia, their loyal customers over the years have included Maurice Chevalier, Charles de Gaulle and Jean-Paul Belmondo.

 

We enjoyed the Champagne (and most everything else) on the Silver Cloud. THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

These three pictures from our Pommery House tour show how it looks down in the caves and the various art items seen during this tour, including a carved barrel prepared for a World’s Fair. Also, here is the outside of this interesting place that produces such good bubbly. Great places to tour in and around Reims.:

 

 

 

 

 

[RichardMK]

Well, we are home and getting rid of our jet lag. I want to thank everyone onboard Silver Cloud; the staff and the many passengers that helped to make this one of the best voyages ever. Just for information, I request Pommery everywhere onboard and have always been served it. What a great cruise indeed.

[duct tape]

Well, we get off tomorrow and fly home to the heat! And...none too soon. This 1/2 charter Legacy group has negatively impacted nearly everyone's cruise. I will always remember the previous cruise and group and will talk about it for years to some. Hope to see you all again soon. Thanx everybody!!!

[daddyo]

Well, we get off tomorrow and fly home to the heat! And...none too soon. This 1/2 charter Legacy group has negatively impacted nearly everyone's cruise. I will always remember the previous cruise and group and will talk about it for years to some. Hope to see you all again soon. Thanx everybody!!!

 

If your going home now, there will be a lot us that will have no reports/updates to look forward to!

[duct tape]

We reboard in London on the 13th of August!

[Mayflower1]

Good morning Duct Tape - we are sorry to hear that the present Cruise was blighted by a Charter ( Every part Charter we have been involved with on Silversea has produced the same outcome and now we try desperately not to sign up if there is the slightest hint of one ). We hope that your brief trip home is smooth and that your forthcoming Iceland adventure goes well - we may stand on the banks of the Thames to wave you off !!!

 

Have a great time and hope to meet up again soon.

[TLCOhio]

We reboard in London on the 13th of August!

 

The great news is that duct tape will be back on the Silver Cloud soon. Our "fate" is not as good. Adjusting to "real life" is not easy. As promised or threatened . . . .

 

One key question that came bouncing up on these boards prior to our cruise was whether the Silver Cloud was . . . “TOO OLD?”.

 

I was not that worried, but I wanted to check the facts and form my own opinion. The answer, in my view, is . . . NO! . . . but . . . there are some qualifiers and factors to consider in how the owners deal with some issues in the future and/or some specifics that could be made better. This is only our third cruise after Seabourn Spirit for the Greek Isles/Turkish Coast in 2006 and Crystal Symphony for the Baltics/Russia in 2008.

 

The Silver Cloud began service in 1994 and it does have that older, timeless, well-aged patina that still knows how to have fun, be functional and flexible. When I mentioned my phrase that called this ship like a “classy broad”, I was quickly corrected by a proper English woman on the ship to say “classy lady”. Point well taken! We did not need the “newest, flashy” feel. Sometimes the “newest” ages fast and gets out of fashion. Good and comfortable are fine with us.

 

There are fears, however, that an upcoming Silver Cloud re-do could be “too much” or take it in the wrong direction, like how some Hollywood stars suffer from too much Botox or skin-stretching plastic surgery. That major re-do was supposed to be done last year and it might be coming in the next year. Many on the Silver Cloud love it . . . “just the way it is right now”. I can understand why!!! BUT, what does Silversea do to change and update things to attract new, younger audiences, changing market conditions and needs? It will be a delicate balance for their management.

 

There are six public decks with a crew of 212 on the Silver Cloud. Lots of singles were on this sold-out cruise and the final passenger total was 268, not the stated capacity of 296. The ship is rated as being 16,800 tons (compared to the Symphony at 51,000 tons and Seabourn Spirit at 10,000 tons). Our Silver Cloud room (not counting the balcony) was 240 sq. ft. (versus 202 sq. ft. with Crystal and 277 sq. ft. on Seabourn).

 

Silversea bills the ship as “the most intimate of sailing experiences” with “fewer guests, more space and the ability to slip into exotic ports off the beaten path.” They call it “a grand hotel, as gracious as a long-time friends’ home. Each all ocean-view suite provides a sumptuous retreat. Each public space is intimate yet inviting. It’s a warm feeling of home upon the seas of the earth.” There is a little “hype” there, but it is mostly all true. Plus, they also boast of “our six-star level of luxury”. One review accurately said: “elegant without being stuffy, fun, but not too frivolous, ideal for couples who enjoy fine food, sublime service and intimacy and combined with the truly all-inclusive fare”

 

Like any ship (including with Seabourn and Crystal) there are a few minor areas showing some wear and tear (if you look long and hard enough). Overall, I was impressed with how the crew is always taking good care of the ship, painting, cleaning, polishing, etc.

 

Like an older house or building (we live in a home built in 1929), there are, however, the normal mechanical challenges that happen when certain of these ship systems get “old” and need to be replaced or re-designed for the Twenty First Century. Early in our trip, we got moved (terrible!!) to a mid-ship balcony (from Vista 427) and another friend had a water leak in the cabin above him, forcing their move/shift. When ships like this are at a certain age, get used so much by a large number of different people and have to battle the sea air, water and rough weather conditions, it takes a toll over time. Many of these “systems” are behind the scenes and hidden from the eye. Fixing or changing them takes major time and costs real money. Many of these issues cannot be solved with just new wall coverings or carpet.

 

WHAT TO FIX? The room walls can be a little thin. We could, at times hear the folks next-door talking or sounds from their TV playing. The door to the hallway has a louver that can allow some outside light, air or sound to enter. None of these were major problems for us, but it is “there”. Around 7 pm on some evenings, the hot water for showers could be a little irregular as so many are getting ready for dinner. In the main suite, having only one electrical outlet at the make-up desk is very 1990’s and behind today’s standards and needs. I use a CPAP breathing machine and did bring extra extension cords. BUT, I (and many others today) bring along a laptop, iPod’s, cameras, etc., that all need re-changing and/or electrical access. There should be an electrical plug next to the bed, at the main desk area, etc. My maize of electrical cords in suite 532 was kind of “third world’ish”. Not ideal or safe to be walking across.

 

OTHERS, LITTLE & PICKY? The dryers in the 4th floor self-serve laundry area did not work well and Hotel Director Gianni Dotti was frustrated for three months that he could not get somebody from the equipment company to fix these high-end pieces of equipment that cost Silversea $60K to buy. The four main elevators were not always synched together when you are pushing a call button on one side. In the super minor department, there was a small tear on the left pocket of my robe and when I needed the umbrellas for the one day when it rained, it would not open and stay up. A better cashew or almond-only mixes was not available and the nuts available were too peanut-loaded. The snack offerings could have been better. Personally, I like a more “plush” towel, but those hatched patterned towels worked fine. That style is probably better when you have such heavy use and need to wash them over and over. To get your room really, totally dark (especially in the Land of the Midnight Sun), you needed to be a little creative with how to fix the drapes (maybe some duct tape and pillows at floor level). As noted earlier, it would be nice to have a larger bathroom with two sinks, but it still works OK. And you cannot just enlarge all of the bathrooms while the ship would be in dry-dock. That “mistake” was made in the early 1990’s. Is listing this being picky and hyper-detailed enough?

 

NEW IMPROVEMENTS: There were some new wicker chairs on the outdoor Terrace deck and around the pool that had fresh-looking orange pads. These news chairs are the same type used on the new Silver Spirit. They have a nice look/feel and are light/easy to move around.

 

OVERALL: I loved the use of the cherry-style wood in the suites, its excellent condition; the speed of the elevators; the easy-to-understand, simple lay-out of the ship; the back Terrace deck for dining; the Panorama Lounge and its walk-out deck with great old chairs; walking around the top decks; the size and lay-out of the pool area (way too small on Seabourn); having elevators that goes down to the third deck for debarking; nice library and news options; simple Internet sign-on and set-up; the two-level Venetian Lounge with excellent AV/lighting for a ship this size, etc., etc. Lots to love and enjoy on the Silver Cloud before you get into the wonderful food, great staff and interesting fellow passengers.

 

Reactions? THANKS for all of the nice comments! This posting is now over 10,500 views. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Anchored in the Sognerfjord, here is the Silver Cloud as we were getting ready to depart from Gudvangen.:

 

[unfathomable]

There are fears, however, that an upcoming Silver Cloud re-do could be “too much” or take it in the wrong direction, [...] That major re-do was supposed to be done last year and it might be coming in the next year. [...] BUT, what does Silversea do to change and update things to attract new, younger audiences, changing market conditions and needs? It will be a delicate balance for their management.

The changes to Silver Wind in its refit are probably a good guide. We thought most of them were improvements.

[Conte Di Savoia]

One key question that came bouncing up on these boards prior to our cruise was whether the Silver Cloud was . . . “TOO OLD?”.

I don't really know what people mean when they say "too old". Silver Cloud is no rust bucket in danger of floundering. I think that what is implied is that she does not have the "latest and greatest" facilities (amusement park features like wave runners, rock climbing walls and skating rinks). To be sure if that is what a prospective passenger deems important, then this certainly isn't the vessel to consider. She has been and remains understated and elegantly comfortable ship but like any vessel there are quirks to her. There is no such thing as the "perfect" ship because each of us has a different idea of what constitutes "perfect". Nowadays ship owners need to keep up with what their clientele want and expect. I understand that. But if a ship was designed properly from the beginning, then radical changes shouldn’t be necessary aside from keeping the fittings clean and not worn. I was on Silver Cloud’s second and third cruises and have found her pretty much the same. Sure, there are new chairs in the dining room and around the pool; the observation lounge has been made into a gym (client demand) and a computer room has been added but otherwise she is what she has always been. There is nothing wrong with patina. Cunard maintained the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth with their original Art Deco interiors until they were retired although Queen Elizabeth was finally given an outdoor pool to accommodate guests during her occasional cruise.

Small Ship vs. Megaship Cruising. Silver Cloud and Costa Magicain Bergen

Edited July 23, 2010 by Conte Di Savoia