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torst

By torst,
in Silversea

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torst

torst

Posted
Posted

Having greatly appreciated the questions, tales and oberservations on this board I feel obligated to happy to give you a few thoughts of my own.

 

We have just recently completed the Copenhagen to Copenhagen (west coast of Norway) on the Whisper. We are middle aged and our only previous cruise experience had been on the Seven Seas Voyager in 2007.

 

The cruise certainly lived up to our expectations. A midship verandah on deck nine was very comfortable and quiet.

 

The food, though not always exceptional, is very good, we particularly enjoyed the hot rocks on the pool deck as it was great to eat outside on nice evenings. I though the pool deck lunches sub standard. La Terrazza for dinner was a pleasant alternative to the restaurant but would be more interesting if the menu changed. A highlight was the galley buffet, as much for the glimpses behind the scenes as for the food. I do think a centralized reservation system for the restaurants would be an improvement. It should not be necessary for a passenger or their butler to have to call and then wait for someone to return their call to conirm.

 

The service in the restaurants, bars and decks very fine almost excessively so. For us the butler service was a non event. I guess we just do not need a butler.

 

Embarkation and disembarkation were flawless. We more no more than 10 minutes from being dropped off at the ship to opening champagne in our room! Port access when docked or tendered was very smooth as well.

 

The champagne was drappier though pommery was always available by request. The chosen wines at dinner were always very good but many other options were readily available if and when one chose.

 

The mixed nuts always good, the potato chips alas second rate.

 

We are non smokers and were never disturbed by smoking.

 

The crew were most efficient and always appeared more than happy to provide anything that was requested. It did appear to be a very happy ship!

 

I do not envy anyone the job of cruise director and ours was fine but a little too rah rah for a ship full of grown ups. A low point was the evening that quiet music and drinks in the main bar was interuppted at 11pm for a game of wheel of fortune. Many left and went to bed. This was a sophisticated, worldly group of travellers if we had wanted a party ship we would have chosen Disney.

 

The charitable charge did appear on our bill. Enough said...

 

We greatly enjoyed being on a small ship and often wondered where the people were (the ship was full).

 

The weather was great and the fjords most beautiful.

 

Silverseas vs. Regent? As someone else on the board put it Silverseas does it better. We would certainly consider a Silverseas cruise in the future.

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TLCOhio "Live from...." Rare

TLCOhio

Posted
Posted
Having greatly appreciated the questions, tales and oberservations on this board I feel obligated to happy to give you a few thoughts of my own.

La Terrazza for dinner was a pleasant alternative to the restaurant but would be more interesting if the menu changed. A highlight was the galley buffet, as much for the glimpses behind the scenes as for the food. I do think a centralized reservation system for the restaurants would be an improvement.

The champagne was drappier though pommery was always available by request. The chosen wines at dinner were always very good but many other options were readily available if and when one chose.

The mixed nuts always good, the potato chips alas second rate.

We are non smokers and were never disturbed by smoking.

Silverseas vs. Regent? As someone else on the board put it Silverseas does it better. We would certainly consider a Silverseas cruise in the future.

 

THANKS for posting your comments and experiences! From our Silver Cloud sailing, I agree on many of your key points. I would like a little more variety of changing menus with La Terrazza. Great idea on the centralized reservation system. Loved Galley Buffet.

 

Disagree on the mixed nuts. Ours were too loaded with just peanuts. The "Ruffles" potato chips were excellent, but I didn't like it when they served the Pringles in the Panorama Lounge for a couple of our days. Silversea management and staff do read many of these posts and it helps them to get this feedback. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For more details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle Silver Cloud experiences:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

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Silver Spectre "Live from...." Rare

Silver Spectre

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I do not envy anyone the job of cruise director and ours was fine but a little too rah rah for a ship full of grown ups. A low point was the evening that quiet music and drinks in the main bar was interuppted at 11pm for a game of wheel of fortune. Many left and went to bed. This was a sophisticated, worldly group of travellers if we had wanted a party ship we would have chosen Disney.

 

The charitable charge did appear on our bill. Enough said...

 

We greatly enjoyed being on a small ship and often wondered where the people were (the ship was full).

 

The weather was great and the fjords most beautiful.

 

Silverseas vs. Regent? As someone else on the board put it Silverseas does it better. We would certainly consider a Silverseas cruise in the future.

 

Thanks for your post Torst. Could you let us know who the cruise director was.

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dougburns

dougburns

Posted
Posted

The Lefebrve D'Ovidio family, owners of Silversea, have a non-profit charitable foundation called the Maruzza Lefebrve D'Ovidio Foundation. The foundation supports persons affected by life-threatening or life-limiting conditions and their families, regardless of age or background. Maruzza was the sister of Manfredi Lefebrve D'Ovidio, the chairman of Silversea. She died in 1989. That's where the donations would go.

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Silver Spectre "Live from...." Rare

Silver Spectre

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The Cruise Director was Sam

 

Thanks Torst, assume that was Sam Perry. Very good if you are a trivia lover, but has been know to be mildly overenthusiastic at times. Cooking is definitely not his forte.

 

We were with him earlier this year and will be back with him again if he is still there when we leave Southampton in Sept.

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CruisinPashmina

CruisinPashmina

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Have to jump in! We've sailed with Sam Perry twice, both times with adult children and all six of us thought Sam was a breath of fresh air. We really enjoyed his sly British humor, he took teasing in stride, had a lovely calm voice when making announcements and took his job seriously....always with a smile.

As to the dreadful "charity" charge... What did returning passengers do? And how did the staff handle anyone who was offended and refused to pay it? Were people chatting about having the charges put on their bills, and did SS actually put a fundraising letter and a wrist support band in each cabin? Lastly did anyone use the words; presumptuous,and embarrassing to describe what is essentially a poorly thought through tactic which should never be used on a five star cruise line?

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wripro

wripro

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CruisinPanama,

 

Suggest you read the rather lengthy thread on the charity charge. It iwll tell you anything and everything you want to know.

 

I suggest everyone deduct ten dollars a day from final payment so the Lefebvre family can endow our favorite charities.

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TLCOhio "Live from...." Rare

TLCOhio

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We were recently "billed" for this charitable contribution. I went to the desk and declined. We were in transit and on the next segment, the charge did not even appear!

 

Great point by duct tape. I had noted by "lack of interest" by e-mail to the folks in Ft. Lauderdale and then I checked after boarding. They told me that they already knew my opinion and that I would not be charged. I was not. Silversea staff doesn't like to talk about it, but they know this is not a good thing. BUT, they can't and won't say much publicly for fear of creating some family/ownership anger. Anyone want to start a "betting pool" on when they dump this turkey?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For more details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle Silver Cloud experiences:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

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