SilverWind - Vista or Verandah cabin? ?Quiet location?

[fraj1]

Hi - trying to decide on whether to spend the extra £800 on a Verandah balcony cabin or not - balcony would be nice but most important to me is quietness and the Vistas all look to be near the launderette - any experience of which locations are the quietest at night time? I'm an early to bed early to rise person! Thanks in anticipation!

[weintime]

We had vista 431 on The Wind for our Mediterranean cruise last year. No noise at all. People further up the front of the ship complained of the noise of the anchor chain and water splashing noise on the hull. We found 431 mid ship very comfortable. :)

[CanadianKate]

We were in 421, right across from the laundry room for 29 days this year and there was no noise at night. The laundry room is closed from 10 p.m. until 8 a.m.

 

During the day, we did overhear conversations from time to time (the laundry room is like a sauna so the door gets propped open.) On the other hand, they didn't bother us and the convenience of being able to pop in to see if a machine was available or do to the ironing makes us want to have that cabin in the future.

[cotto22]

In 2009, we were in 418 on the Wind. We were not bothered by any noise around us, but at times, there was a rolling noise under us, like there were carts being rolled around. It was at various periods during the night, and also during the day. We were really bothered by it, and we had someone from Concierge come and listen during the day. They did hear it, but claimed not to know what it was. We surmised it was the ship's laundry, but that was never verified. Guess I am a light sleeper, as it woke me up almost every night several times.

 

We've not taken a Vista cabin since.

[Seafairer]

My husband and I have always booked midship Vista cabins, and noise was never a problem. That location is also the most stable (middle of the ship and close to the waterline). We feel that lounging in the public outdoor areas, with their totally wide-open views and stewards on hand for your every need, is vastly preferable to having a balcony. You're probably aware that the cabins themselves are identical, with or without a balcony. I wouldn't be surprised if many Veranda passengers use their balconies less than they anticipated. My advice: book a midship Vista cabin and see if you miss having a balcony. I suspect you won't.

[fraj1]

Thanks for all your help....be good to know if anyone else has had problems with the 'noise below'....really appreciate all the feedback!

[Seafairer]

No, honestly, we've never had problems with noise in our Vista cabins and, like you, I'm sensitive to sounds. One passenger who was located all the way forward did hear what may have been the anchor chain on the move. My rule is to stay in a midship cabin (as far back as possible) and steer clear of the laundry room.

Here's something else you might find helpful about the Vista vs. Veranda categories. On many Veranda decks, suites face each other and the doors open directly across from one other in the hall. I assume this could be a problem if a neighbor is noisy or thoughtless (NOT the typical Silversea passenger!). But you might like the comfort of knowing that your Vista cabin just has a nice, quiet wall across from your door.

And one more thought about Vista vs. Veranda. Your itinerary might influence your enjoyment of a private balcony. If your voyage includes many days at anchor, you will undoubtedly enjoy some of the loveliest views on the planet - lush tropical islands, ancient towns on the Amalfi coast. Sadly, days at anchor are rarer than they used to be. When you're docked, which is more usual, your balcony might afford views of picturesque small ports, or busy commercial piers (Civitavecchia) or even the balconies of a megaship tied up next to you.

If you want, you can check Silversea's port plans on their website. Select the "Itinerary" page for your cruise, click on each port, and read the descriptive text for the "Port Information." It usually notes whether the ship is at anchor or docked, and may tell you a little about the location of the pier (subject to change, of course).

[dusababy]

Seafarer - I love your attention to detail and using information readily available to book what works best for you, thus pretty much assuring a wonderful cruise.

[Seafairer]

Thank you for your kind words, Dusababy. Perhaps you've also found that Silversea's staff (in Fort Lauderdale) is enormously helpful in answering all kinds of questions. They're a wonderful resource. They have offices globally, and I assume all locations are equally helpful. Their commitment and level of knowledge says a great deal about Silversea!

[MCCooch]

we were on the Wind in February this year and stayed in Vista suite 439 which is midship. Great location and very quiet. However, some people we met were in suite 447 and they mentioned that noise from the gangway and provision loading was noisy at times. We were only a few doors down and heard nothing. Our friend stayed in a Veranda suite right above us and she said everything was quiet there as well. She did not use her veranda that much but it was nice to open the window and hear the ocean as we cruised. I agree with the previous poster, depending on the port, the veranda would be a nice place to sit and relax. Either way you choose, midship is the way to go. Hope this helps and enjoy your cruise

[CanadianKate]

Bunkering is another consideration although I suppose that would hit a Veranda as much as a Vista. The smell of the fuel is very strong, so much so that in one port it made me feel ill within moments of coming aboard after excursion so I had to go up to a spot on deck on the opposite side of the ship. I'm not sure if they always bunker on the same side (a more experienced sailor will be able to answer that question) but we are commonly on the starboard side and notice the right bunkering process outside our window.

 

One thing I'll emphasize with a Vista is that odors get aired out of the cabin extremely fast - it takes about 10 - 15 minutes before you can't even get a sense that I had done my nails. My nails still smell at that point, but the air in the cabin doesn't.

 

The lack of being able to open a window to air out the cabin was my biggest concern with the Vista but I learned quickly that it isn't a problem at all.