Venetian Society questions..

[Nigella]

Hi everybody, just back from a wonderful voyage on the Spirit. I enjoyed it very much, despite having some first time cruiser concerns prior to setting sail!

I can tell you all now that I completely understand how addictive cruising can be. I'm not sure that I can go back to a 'regular' beach hotel type holiday ever again :D

 

So I have two questions. How/when do we get our Venetian Society membership number? I just tried to login to that area of the website but am unable as I don't have that number. I read through all the information provided on board but it isn't there either.

Secondly, how do I ensure to get the Venetian Values email as quoted recently by ColWes? We did complete the form on board which asked for our email address etc. Is this sufficient or do I need to register elsewhere also?

 

If anyone has any questions about Silver Spirit I will try to answer them.

 

FYI : current Ship's Captain is Capt Corsaro, Staff Captain is Sergio Topazio, cruise director is David Oliphant, Hotel Director (who we never saw at all the whole trip) is Paolo Percivale. We joined the ship a week after the World Cruise ended and were informed that there had been several staff changes.

 

I will post a full review at some point in the next few days.

[Herman The Cat]

Welcome back! Happy to see you online and delighted to hear you had an enjoyable time!:)

If my memory serves me correctly, we received the card in the mail a few weeks after returning. To receive the email, I think we signed up for it in the Venetian Society part of the website. But that was years ago so perhaps things have changed. I'm sure someone will read this and have a better memory than I!

The cruise director's name sounds familiar. Was he American, mid40s and from NY? Your staff captain was different than ours in December, who was Salvatore ___. Any favorite members of the waitstaff, and do you remember who the pool bartender was? What deck were you on and how was your butler?

We leave from Venice at the end of August and I am almost counting the days!

[Evertonian64]

I would be interested as well as I have e-mailed Silversea twice with no response. The actual ship experience was wonderful but the "backroom" appears to be very unhelpful. It is their loss as if I cannot get the possible Venetian Soc. discount I will look elsewhere. I was under the impression that these luxury cruise lines were trying to fill their ships but it seems not!:mad:

[duct tape]

As a Venetian, you will always get the VS discount, you do not need to sign up. To sign up for the Venetian Value Sailings, you must do so on-line, at the website, after you get your membership card. Good luck. I have signed up numerable times and still don't get it!

[bobndee]

We took our first SS cruise in May of last year. While on board we booked this year's cruise (next week, yea!!!) and got the Venetian Society discount. But it took two months after we got home for the email with our Venetian Society membership number to arrive.

 

Bob

[sakaara]

Hi Nigella, really enjoyed your posts so far. I'm delighted you had a fabulous cruise on Spirit recently. I look forward to reading your review and as I am sailing from Cannes in 3 weeks time i'm super excited being a newbie to Silversea. On your voyage which night was formal night? I have some excursions planned and one is from Livorno for wine tasting and a large lunch, therefore we wont have dinner that evening. If formal night coincided with our day 3 then I dont need to pack a tuxe or formal dress. Any advice would be great.

Like you I have found these boards fantastic for information and tips, so thanks

to everyone for participating!

 

Kind regards

Sakaara:)

[dusababy]

Sakaara - looking at the itinerary - if you are on Voyage 5117 - I'd bet the farm your formal night will be on the sea day -- easiest for everyone not to hurry back from an excursion.

So don't worry about Florence.

FWIW -- and don't tell me if I'm wrong......;)

[cotto22]

Our Mediterranean cruise in the fall of 2009 was quite port intensive, so one of the formal nights was, in fact, the same night as our stop in Florence. Our excursion (really just transportation to Florence) was late getting back due to traffic, and we missed the pre dinner festivities, Captain's cocktail party etc. Some of the guests on the bus were a bit upset. My only concern was feeling rushed to get showered and dressed after a beautiful but tiring day.

[sakaara]

Dusababy, thanks for your reply. Yes I am on voyage 5117 and the tour I am taking is a gourmet experience in Chianti.

I hope you are right and formal night will be on the sea day as I would hate to miss it. Fingers crossed I get to have both gourmet experiences!

 

Cotto22, you are right this voyage is port intensive and it could fall badly for me. Being used to 7 day Celebrity Cruises, formal nights for me always were on the second and second last night.

 

Really appreciate your help. Either way I will report back and let you know how it goes.

 

Regards

Sakaara

[duct tape]

We just did the gourmet experience in Chianti @ Antinori. Superb!

[sakaara]

Hi Duct Tape, delighted you have enjoyed the Chianti trip. Was the menu the degustation or a 3 course lunch?, and do you have any recommendations for me from the menu?.

This will be our first visit to a vineyard and the Badia looks stunning.

Amazing to have this advice from you as I have followed this board closely since booking our cruise, and I know that if you say it's superb it will be memorable.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

Kind regards

 

Sakaara

[duct tape]

Sakaara, we had a set menu: amuse bouche, pasta, cornish game hen with fresh vegetables, cheeses with chocolates, coffee and 5 of their premium wines! The wine was freely poured and the service was lovely. You will have a great time. The ride from Livorno is really scenic and you make a nice stop in Greve in Chianti where you can stroll and/or enjoy a beverage in the classsic square. The Badia di Passignano is adjacent to an active monastery (the Abbey of Passignano, Vallombrosian monks) that dates from 395 AD. Enjoy!

Actually, in Greve I purchased a jar of parmesean, creamed with truffles. We shared it last evening on the deck with some friends. Yum.

[sakaara]

Duct tape, apologies for not replying until now.

Thank you for your wonderful review of the Osteria, which sounds incredible.

May just have to hunt down a jar of creamed Parmesan in Greve as I also have a weakness for truffle! The days can't go quick enough.

Thanks again

Sakaara