Christmas on Silversea

[Him and her]

We are very excited about out Christmas cruise on Silver Shadow leaving Sinagpore on December 20th and are sure we will have a wonderful time. What sort of celebrations will there be onboard- the passenger list will be very cosmopolitan and from many different countires, so I just wonder how Silversea acknowledge with all the different national celebrations. In short, what can we expect.

[Seafairer]

I haven't yet sailed over Christmas either, and also wonder if there are more children onboard, since it's school vacation. In earlier years, I believe these holiday sailings had an older crowd, but that may have changed.

 

(And please let's not highjack this into another argument about children on Silversea - I'd just like to know the facts, to add to the poster's question above, on how Silversea makes these holidays special. Thank you.)

[wripro]

Seafairer,

 

You introduce the topic of children on SS and then ask people not to discuss it. Obviously, there will be more children on board during the holidays which is why I personally wouldn't be caught dead on a holiday cruise.

[Randyk47]

We are very excited about out Christmas cruise on Silver Shadow leaving Sinagpore on December 20th and are sure we will have a wonderful time. What sort of celebrations will there be onboard- the passenger list will be very cosmopolitan and from many different countires, so I just wonder how Silversea acknowledge with all the different national celebrations. In short, what can we expect.

 

I'm hoping eventually you'll get answers to your questions. Our Christmas through New Years cruise is actually over a year off and we actually booked it to hold a cabin while we make up our minds. Christmas is typically a big deal for us so cruising for Christmas is a pretty big change. It may or may not change our minds but it would be nice to know what to expect on a Silversea Christmas cruise.

[chicagogal]

I'm hoping eventually you'll get answers to your questions. Our Christmas through New Years cruise is actually over a year off and we actually booked it to hold a cabin while we make up our minds. Christmas is typically a big deal for us so cruising for Christmas is a pretty big change. It may or may not change our minds but it would be nice to know what to expect on a Silversea Christmas cruise.

 

Him and her,

 

I cannot speak to your question specifically because none of our Silversea cruises have been over the holidays. We have, however, sailed over Christmas and/or New Years nearly every year on various cruise lines and every one has had special food and decorations and programming and usually something special for any children on board. If other "lesser" lines do this, I can't imagine that SS would do less.

 

I LOVE sailing over the holidays - it just makes everything SO easy! Just show up and enjoy! I doubt you will be sorry but hopefully others from the SS family will respond with their actual experiences.

 

We sailed from Singapore on Dec 26th several years back and we found the city and our hotel pre cruise (the Four Seasons) festive and lovely, too.

 

Patty

[Him and her]

I'm hoping eventually you'll get answers to your questions. Our Christmas through New Years cruise is actually over a year off and we actually booked it to hold a cabin while we make up our minds. Christmas is typically a big deal for us so cruising for Christmas is a pretty big change. It may or may not change our minds but it would be nice to know what to expect on a Silversea Christmas cruise.

 

Thanks Randy-I promise to let you know how we get on.

[Him and her]

Him and her,

 

I cannot speak to your question specifically because none of our Silversea cruises have been over the holidays. We have, however, sailed over Christmas and/or New Years nearly every year on various cruise lines and every one has had special food and decorations and programming and usually something special for any children on board. If other "lesser" lines do this, I can't imagine that SS would do less.

 

I LOVE sailing over the holidays - it just makes everything SO easy! Just show up and enjoy! I doubt you will be sorry but hopefully others from the SS family will respond with their actual experiences.

 

We sailed from Singapore on Dec 26th several years back and we found the city and our hotel pre cruise (the Four Seasons) festive and lovely, too.

 

Patty

 

Thanks Patty-we are actually having four days in Singapore (at the Shangri-La) prior to our cruise so your comments about Singapore were very interesting.

 

What I am really looking forward on our cruise is no meals to make (for once not my responsibility this year) and no families to placate.

 

Him and her

[Ravenscroft]

We spent Christmas and New Year 2011 onboard Silver Spirit. I know there are at least two other regular CC posters who we met who were on the same cruise, perhaps one of them will chime in too.

The cruise was in the Caribbean and we had anticipated lots of children onboard. There were less than we expected and the younger ones were overall very well behaved. We had more problems from the college age kids lucky enough to be away with their parents for the holidays ;)

 

There were interdenominational religious services on the relevant dates, and a Catholic Mass was held either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. There was a Rabbi onboard too ; for those of the Jewish faith there was a lighting of the Chanukkah (sp?) candle over 7 days.

 

The ship was decorated in a low key but tasteful way. Garlands around the bannisters on the staircases. Gingerbread houses with lots of sweets at strategic points around the ship. And a model train too :D

 

The entertainment on Christmas Eve in the theatre was a nativity play/musical. There was some Christmas music played around the ship but not so much that it was annoying. Galley Lunch was held on Christmas Day which was a sea day.

 

We prefer to escape from Christmas which is one reason we take our holidays during that time. We didn't feel that the 'Holiday' theme was over egged, just the right balance. Some who are very keen on the whole thing may have felt it was underdone. But I certainly heard no criticisms of that sort.

 

Overall it was an excellent cruise.

 

If anyone has any questions, please ask. I've got all the Chronicles from the holiday so I can refer to them for menus or entertainment queries.

[Randyk47]

Sounds pretty good to me. I guess I was looking for a balance between ignoring the holidays and being over the top and what you described sounds about right.

[Ravenscroft]

Sounds pretty good to me. I guess I was looking for a balance between ignoring the holidays and being over the top and what you described sounds about right.

 

Yes, it was a perfect balance in our opinion. We've spent Christmas away from home nearly every year for the last 10 years and this was the best.

 

 

I realised I didn't talk about NYE. It was very festive, party on the pool deck from around 11pm that went on until the early hours. I'm afraid I only made it to about 1am ! On New Years' Day they switched the usual breakfast services - they had a breakfast brunch in the Restaurant from 10am to 2pm and waiter served breakfast was in La Terrazza.

 

I can't remember a Christmas tree! There must have been at least one, but I have no memory of it.

[Him and her]

We spent Christmas and New Year 2011 onboard Silver Spirit. I know there are at least two other regular CC posters who we met who were on the same cruise, perhaps one of them will chime in too.

The cruise was in the Caribbean and we had anticipated lots of children onboard. There were less than we expected and the younger ones were overall very well behaved. We had more problems from the college age kids lucky enough to be away with their parents for the holidays ;)

 

There were interdenominational religious services on the relevant dates, and a Catholic Mass was held either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. There was a Rabbi onboard too ; for those of the Jewish faith there was a lighting of the Chanukkah (sp?) candle over 7 days.

 

The ship was decorated in a low key but tasteful way. Garlands around the bannisters on the staircases. Gingerbread houses with lots of sweets at strategic points around the ship. And a model train too :D

 

The entertainment on Christmas Eve in the theatre was a nativity play/musical. There was some Christmas music played around the ship but not so much that it was annoying. Galley Lunch was held on Christmas Day which was a sea day.

 

We prefer to escape from Christmas which is one reason we take our holidays during that time. We didn't feel that the 'Holiday' theme was over egged, just the right balance. Some who are very keen on the whole thing may have felt it was underdone. But I certainly heard no criticisms of that sort.

 

Overall it was an excellent cruise.

 

If anyone has any questions, please ask. I've got all the Chronicles from the holiday so I can refer to them for menus or entertainment queries.

 

Thanks Ravenscroft-your reply was very informative and perhaps a little bit surprising in that you say the celebrations are quite low key-which is fine by us. I suppose, though, thinking about, over the top celebrations would not be the Silversea way and I am not sure I would enjoy them all that much-they can be way over the top.

 

Gingerbread houses are very common in Russia at Christmas and when I was there several years ago over the festive season, there were many of them, all absolutely delightful, each one different and so beautifully decorated-I thought they were marvellous.

 

But whatever the celebrations are, it will certainly be a Christmas with a difference.

 

Thank you again.

[Randyk47]

If we indeed go on the cruise next year it'll be the first time we've ever been away from home for Christmas. I did it once, in a previous "life", and did Christmas and New Years in Hawaii with the ex and her family. I don't know if it was all the drama that came with her family or what but that particular experience didn't do much to encourage me to spend Christmas vacationing. That was 25 years ago and other than spouses things have changed. Our whole family in the world is now down to five people, my wife and I included, and we're spread from California to Texas to Pennsylvania so it's not like there's a big family get together opportunity or tradition. It was a bit different when the parents were alive but they're all gone now and no grandchildren, nieces, or nephews. It actually wasn't until I tripped across the Whisper itinerary for a full transit of the Panama Canal over the holidays that we even considered the option. Our cruise friends from our Wind cruise are also signed up but also kind of wanted some kind of Christmas and they were pleased with what we've read here so far.

[CanadianKate]

Maybe it is my personal bias (I'm a Christmasholic) but it seems to me if you are away from home and hearth at Christmas it is a sign that the holidays need to be low-key for you and you are purposefully getting away.

 

My daughter's godparents had Christmas at Disneyworld the first year after the grandmother died because they were too raw to figure out new traditions. The Christmas after 3/4 of our parents died, we made things low-key but at home because being away from home was not an option I'd consider - I'd rather muddle through here.

 

Now, with grown kids who can't be home at Christmas, I still choose to volunteer at a community Christmas dinner as well as all my church responsibilities. But if I needed to escape the overwhelming memories of Christmas at home, a cruise would be a good distraction.

 

So I suspect Silversea walks that fine line with grace and that would be where I'd head, some place where I feel valued but not put upon. A place with a sense of community but without all the holiday baggage.

 

I'd be surprised if there'd be a lot of kids because most families want to be by home and hearth at Christmas. Perhaps on a cruise that leaves after the 25th but for one including the 25th I'd expect few children. Especially on Silversea.

[Randyk47]

Maybe it is my personal bias (I'm a Christmasholic) but it seems to me if you are away from home and hearth at Christmas it is a sign that the holidays need to be low-key for you and you are purposefully getting away.

 

Actually for us Christmas has always been a big deal. We decorate the outside, the inside, and even around the pool in the backyard. Heck, we put up three trees in the house to display our collection of ornaments and, in fact, bought this specific house because the living room has a cathedral ceiling that allows us to put up our 12' tree. Nothing bad has happened to us around Christmas so that's not an issue. Again, we're not fully vested in next year's trip, it's just an option for a great cruise that just happens to fall over the holidays. For the most part Silversea isn't like the larger cruise line that run the same itinerary over and over again, year after year so if one comes up that attracts you you kind of have to research, contemplate, and decide if you want to grab a unique cruise or move on to something else.

[Miss Jet Set]

We have spent the last 40 Christmas/NewYear on cruise ships, quite a few on

Silverseas, Wind, Cloud and the Shadow. It is a great way to spend the holidays

and we would recommend it to anyone who likes cruising. However we have found,

in our opinion, that Crystal has always been the most memorable.

We are returning to the 'Wind' this year so here is hoping for a very merry one on

board.

[Avant42]

We'll be on the Singapore cruise also. I just love the itinerary.

We'll have all the family over Thanksgiving so decided to "chill" for Christmas. Looking forward to a relaxing holiday :-)

[duct tape]

We have sailed the last few years for the holidays. I love it! There are decorations, trees, gingerbread houses and,yes, the trains. There are religious services for most and interdenominational services for others. The crew goes caroling thru the ship and there is usually a sing-along somewhere. If there are children, Santa makes an appearance and there are gifts. NYE is usually quite an event with a late dinner in the DR, lots of decorations, hats, noise makers and great charm in reserved people blowing them loud and often! Festivities may move to the pool or the Theatre, depending on the weather. It is not for everyone, but it is definitely for us! No dishes to do nor pine needles to clean up either!

[PremiumSuite]

We have for the past 15 years always been away at Xmas/New Years on a cruise. We prefer it this way, no baking, cooking or cleaning and tno unwanted in-laws that always show up unannounced at the door.

[Seafairer]

I've lately been wondering if it would be fun to try this. After reading all these comments, we'll have to start thinking about it a little more seriously...

 

Thanks, all, for your reports!

[Him and her]

Thanks everyone for all your replies to my question. When we return I will post a report and let you know how we went on.

 

Him and her

[Kappy65]

I'm hoping eventually you'll get answers to your questions. Our Christmas through New Years cruise is actually over a year off and we actually booked it to hold a cabin while we make up our minds. Christmas is typically a big deal for us so cruising for Christmas is a pretty big change. It may or may not change our minds but it would be nice to know what to expect on a Silversea Christmas cruise.

Curious - are you booked for Dec. 2013 - I'm seriously considering back to back starting Dec. 4 in Singapore and then picking up next cruise in Sydney ending in Auckland

[Randyk47]

Curious - are you booked for Dec. 2013 - I'm seriously considering back to back starting Dec. 4 in Singapore and then picking up next cruise in Sydney ending in Auckland

 

Yes. We're booked on the Whisper from Ft Lauderdale to Los Angeles sailing on December 20.

[Kappy65]

I saw in a previous posting that you were considering 2013 sailing on the Shadow - that's what I was referring to - starts Dec. 4, 2013 out of Singapore

[Randyk47]

I saw in a previous posting that you were considering 2013 sailing on the Shadow - that's what I was referring to - starts Dec. 4, 2013 out of Singapore

 

We were and actually might go back to considering that. We're just heading home from a quick getaway in Las Vegas where we met up with our cruising friends. They told us just yesterday that they're strongly leaning toward building a beach/future retirement home next year and probably won't go on the cruise. Kind of opens us up to reconsidering so I'll do some new research when I get home.:)