Just returned from Shadow

[Joc123]

DH and I have just returned from Silver Shadow and thought I would share our views. First, our sailing history - 1 x P&O, 1 x HAL, 1 x Windstar, 4 x Seabourn. This was our 1st time on SS and although we love SB, this itinerary (Singapore - Singapore) suited better and we went ahead and booked. We found a trip in Sept that we thought we would also like so we booked Spirit (Venice - Venice) at the same time. We really thought SS would be as good as SB.

Check in at Singapore was great - it only took a few minutes and we were on board. No champagne in sight but that was ok because we were directed to Le Terrazza for lunch - decor looked a bit dated but Art Deco can sometimes give this impression. I would rather that than a lot of glitz - personal taste. Lunch was alright - nothing special, but it is hard on turn around day to have your best menu up and running. Wine was good - better than SB. After lunch we walked around the ship working out what was where until we were called to our suite - 826. So far so good and to our surprise, our luggage was there waiting for us. No champagne to greet us, but we had wine with lunch, so really didn't need it. We unpacked, read all the information, tried to work the TV/DVD player but the remote did nothing (had to be replaced). Still had not seen any member of staff. After we had been on board for 4 hours and just before muster, the butler came with soaps etc (not sure why as the bathroom was well stocked) and if we would like champagne she would ring down for it - we said don't bother. We did ask if she could book dinner for us in both restuarants - didn't matter when. After muster she rang back to say Le Champagne was fully booked but she managed 1 night in Le Terrazza. I find this very annoying - in all brochures we have read, it says, ask your butler to make reservations. Clearly this is not right - you have to rush and do it as soon as you get on board! A strange concept and just a little bit like mass market.

Dinner in MDR was good and we stared to settle in.

Back in the suite, we started to notice things were not quite up to 5* standard - woodwork chipped and badly scratched, robe had holes where belt loops had been ripped off, lamp shade was torn, bath was chipped, A/C had a mind of it's own! We were starting to get worried.

Buffet breakfast - very ordinary and didn't get any better. For some reason the floor area around the buffet was very slippery and it turned out it was every morning - it almost felt greasy. One the last day, the orange juice was watered down - fact! We could not believe it. For breakfast and lunch, we often had plates that were chipped and the coffee was often luke warm.

Buffet Lunch - on pool deck was ok, but really not up to 5*. Very little choice and salads were very limited. In Le Terrace it was no better - how can a cabbage salad be salty? IMHO, it was about the standard of a country Motel - 3*

Dinner in MDR was mostly good but our 1 night in Le Terrazza was not so good. I enjoyed my fish but DH had crumbed pork which was deep fried, black around the edges and tough.

We did try Hot Rocks, but could not get it right. I really don't like the idea at all.

Over all we thought the food was not high quality and the cooking was not a high standard.

We did find that the wines were good and that often got us through our meals.

Entertainment - We do not take these cruises to have big production shows, but the same 6 (average) singers every night is really a bit much.

We decided it was better to go to the lounge or club instead. It was then we noticed how dirty the chairs were - upholstery on the arms was very badly stained from years of sweaty hands, and one chair DH had, the arm was broken - 5*? I don't think so.

This trip was port intensive, and we did SS tours at every port. These were excellent so the holiday was not a complete waste.

In summary, IOHO, this is not a 5* ship. It was a disappointment and as soon as arrived home, we cancelled our trip in Sept. The crew tried hard - still don't know why you need a butler - and our room was always beautifully clean, but they can only do so much. If SS don't fix the food, fixtures and fittings, on Shadow, it will never be a true 5* ship.

[WesW]

Joc123, thank you for taking the time to share your recent Shadow experience. Sorry to hear it was a disappointment. Did you share your thoughts with any senior staff while on board (e.g. food & beverage manager, hotel director)? Also, if you used a Travel Agent to book, suggest having them send a note to Silversea expressing your disappointment/concerns. Or if you booked your voyage direct, you send a letter to Mark Flagler, VP, Venetian Society @ markf@silversea.com,

[CanadianKate]

A copy of this post should also be moved to the Food Sticky so it will be easily found by others in the future.

[Merriem]

Our experience was very similar a year ago, on the exact same cruise. We are trying it one more time on the Whisper in November. Hoping it was just that ship.

[markincanada]

DH and I have just returned from Silver Shadow and thought I would share our views. First, our sailing history - 1 x P&O, 1 x HAL, 1 x Windstar, 4 x Seabourn. This was our 1st time on SS and although we love SB, this itinerary (Singapore - Singapore) suited better and we went ahead and booked. We found a trip in Sept that we thought we would also like so we booked Spirit (Venice - Venice) at the same time. We really thought SS would be as good as SB.

Check in at Singapore was great - it only took a few minutes and we were on board. No champagne in sight but that was ok because we were directed to Le Terrazza for lunch - decor looked a bit dated but Art Deco can sometimes give this impression. I would rather that than a lot of glitz - personal taste. Lunch was alright - nothing special, but it is hard on turn around day to have your best menu up and running. Wine was good - better than SB. After lunch we walked around the ship working out what was where until we were called to our suite - 826. So far so good and to our surprise, our luggage was there waiting for us. No champagne to greet us, but we had wine with lunch, so really didn't need it. We unpacked, read all the information, tried to work the TV/DVD player but the remote did nothing (had to be replaced). Still had not seen any member of staff. After we had been on board for 4 hours and just before muster, the butler came with soaps etc (not sure why as the bathroom was well stocked) and if we would like champagne she would ring down for it - we said don't bother. We did ask if she could book dinner for us in both restuarants - didn't matter when. After muster she rang back to say Le Champagne was fully booked but she managed 1 night in Le Terrazza. I find this very annoying - in all brochures we have read, it says, ask your butler to make reservations. Clearly this is not right - you have to rush and do it as soon as you get on board! A strange concept and just a little bit like mass market.

Dinner in MDR was good and we stared to settle in.

Back in the suite, we started to notice things were not quite up to 5* standard - woodwork chipped and badly scratched, robe had holes where belt loops had been ripped off, lamp shade was torn, bath was chipped, A/C had a mind of it's own! We were starting to get worried.

Buffet breakfast - very ordinary and didn't get any better. For some reason the floor area around the buffet was very slippery and it turned out it was every morning - it almost felt greasy. One the last day, the orange juice was watered down - fact! We could not believe it. For breakfast and lunch, we often had plates that were chipped and the coffee was often luke warm.

Buffet Lunch - on pool deck was ok, but really not up to 5*. Very little choice and salads were very limited. In Le Terrace it was no better - how can a cabbage salad be salty? IMHO, it was about the standard of a country Motel - 3*

Dinner in MDR was mostly good but our 1 night in Le Terrazza was not so good. I enjoyed my fish but DH had crumbed pork which was deep fried, black around the edges and tough.

We did try Hot Rocks, but could not get it right. I really don't like the idea at all.

Over all we thought the food was not high quality and the cooking was not a high standard.

We did find that the wines were good and that often got us through our meals.

Entertainment - We do not take these cruises to have big production shows, but the same 6 (average) singers every night is really a bit much.

We decided it was better to go to the lounge or club instead. It was then we noticed how dirty the chairs were - upholstery on the arms was very badly stained from years of sweaty hands, and one chair DH had, the arm was broken - 5*? I don't think so.

This trip was port intensive, and we did SS tours at every port. These were excellent so the holiday was not a complete waste.

In summary, IOHO, this is not a 5* ship. It was a disappointment and as soon as arrived home, we cancelled our trip in Sept. The crew tried hard - still don't know why you need a butler - and our room was always beautifully clean, but they can only do so much. If SS don't fix the food, fixtures and fittings, on Shadow, it will never be a true 5* ship.

 

 

I am a little concerned now as we are on the Shadow in two weeks for a Singapore to Hong Kong trip. Joc 123, do you have any tips on for us? I have read before that you need to book the reservation restaurants as soon as you board for any chance at a table. The review is disappointing considering the price point.

 

Cheers

[Merriem]

We had no problem getting in to La Terraza many nights, but the cruise was disappointing. We are giving Silversea one more try, and hopefully the cruise will be great. I booked a silver suite so it had better be good!

[duct tape]

Sorry to hear about your disappointment. I do hope you spoke with the Hotel Director and/or whomever was responsible for those areas. Thanx for posting. Hope the next one is better!

[wripro]

Every cruise line seems to have one ship that is inconsistent with the others in the fleet. On SS it seems to be the Shadow, Of all the SS cruise I have taken only one on the Shadow was a huge disappointment in terms of food and service.

[duct tape]

Interesting how the bad karma seems to have moved...it was the Whisper for years!

[Keith1010]

So sorry that your cruise turned out this way. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with everyone.

 

Keith

[Seafairer]

It was very good of you to supply your experience on the Shadow, Joc123. I'm sorry there were areas of disappointment and have to agree that the staff should have taken care of obvious things like the torn lampshade, damaged woodwork, ripped robe, etc., before you even arrived in your suite. They're normally very careful about these things, and the Director of Housekeeping makes regular spot checks to be sure the suites are as required.

 

Mark, I always give people about to embark on their first Silversea cruise the same advice: if there's anything you need, anything at all, please let the staff know right away. I once noticed a little mold on the shower curtain, mentioned it to the [then] stewardess, and a new one was installed by the time we returned from breakfast. They can repair or replace just about anything. You may very well be perfectly satisfied with everything on your cruise, but if you feel that something needs attention, please tell your butler (if it's in your suite) or the Hotel Director or front desk immediately. If you give them the opportunity to tend to things, you'll be happy and they will, too.

 

Best wishes for clear skies and smooth sailing.

[oregon50]

The review is disappointing considering the price point.

 

Cheers

 

Would love to know the price point.

 

Regarding the orange juice. It's too late for the OP, but "all you have to do is ask."

[Merriem]

Would love to know the price point.

 

Regarding the orange juice. It's too late for the OP, but "all you have to do is ask."

 

cut and pasted right from the invoice, we were in a terrace suite, and had buisiness class air

 

 

Reservation Amount 20,034.00

[Seafairer]

I've been thinking about understandably disappointed reports of not being able to dine in Silversea's alternate venues. La Terrazza is a fairly small space with a high concentration of attention and service, so seating is limited. Several years ago, passengers were limited to 2 or 3 Terrazza reservations, to allow everyone the opportunity of dining there, and it was never a problem.

 

But those were the days of longer cruises of 10, 12 days or more. Now that so many cruises are only 7 days or less, it's entirely possible that these small venues simply can't accommodate everyone on shorter sailings. With the same number of passengers sailing on just a handful of nights, it stands to reason that some will, indeed, be left out. Makes sense?

[markincanada]

I've been thinking about understandably disappointed reports of not being able to dine in Silversea's alternate venues. La Terrazza is a fairly small space with a high concentration of attention and service, so seating is limited. Several years ago, passengers were limited to 2 or 3 Terrazza reservations, to allow everyone the opportunity of dining there, and it was never a problem.

 

But those were the days of longer cruises of 10, 12 days or more. Now that so many cruises are only 7 days or less, it's entirely possible that these small venues simply can't accommodate everyone on shorter sailings. With the same number of passengers sailing on just a handful of nights, it stands to reason that some will, indeed, be left out. Makes sense?

 

The issue of getting reservations seems to be repeated fairly often on the board for Silversea, so it likely is an issue with the 10+ day cruises . (ps I am not sure if any shorter cruises have actually taken place yet). I know our cruise is for 11 days - maybe it will not be an issue at all.

 

I do believe if they advertise the various dining experiences as an important part of the shipboard life, you should be able to experience it if you wish.

[Seafairer]

Thank you for your comments, Mark. I totally agree that since these venues are promoted so heavily, passengers should be able to secure a reservation a day or two in advance without a lot of fuss or anxiety. And, yes, while there were many 7-day cruises in the past year, some posters have mentioned this issue on the longer cruises, too. Not sure what's happening here.

 

(By the way, I decided to re-post this as a new thread, so you'll see it up on the main page, too.)

[Joc123]

The last thing I want to do is put anyone off their next cruise - this was our experience, yours may be different. We met some lovely people and as I said, the tours we did were great. We did not walk around all day with a frown. We did get the torn gown replaced but the lamp shade remained - I wonder if it is still there - anyone in 826 to report? There were alot of other things - no bath mat on 2 days, clean towel with what appeared to be mascara from previous person, I could go on but wont - in the end,we just looked at each other and laughed.

Food is difficult to change in the short term. The powers that be, need to take a long hard look at where they are trying to save money. If things could be changed, eg lukewarm coffee, chipped plates etc, we told them, but the overall standard is not where it should be for a luxury product. Same goes with the furniture. A lot of it needs to be replaced or at the very least cleaned. Is the ship due for dry dock?

We were very disappointed because we really wanted to love SS. It would give us more destinations if we sailed with SB and SS - that was our plan. Sadly that will not be the case.

[UKCruiseJeff]

The last thing I want to do is put anyone off their next cruise - this was our experience, yours may be different. We met some lovely people and as I said, the tours we did were great. We did not walk around all day with a frown. We did get the torn gown replaced but the lamp shade remained - I wonder if it is still there - anyone in 826 to report? There were alot of other things - no bath mat on 2 days, clean towel with what appeared to be mascara from previous person, I could go on but wont - in the end,we just looked at each other and laughed.

Food is difficult to change in the short term. The powers that be, need to take a long hard look at where they are trying to save money. If things could be changed, eg lukewarm coffee, chipped plates etc, we told them, but the overall standard is not where it should be for a luxury product. Same goes with the furniture. A lot of it needs to be replaced or at the very least cleaned. Is the ship due for dry dock?

We were very disappointed because we really wanted to love SS. It would give us more destinations if we sailed with SB and SS - that was our plan. Sadly that will not be the case.

 

Many people reading your account -long term fans of SS - will be disappointed and perhaps even distressed to read of your experience, The fact is - it took a wheelbarrow full of marketing cash to win you as a customer and you bit the bullet and booked two cruises, one of which wasn't as you expected and the other in September - now sadly cancelled. This should have been the start of your marriage with SS not the divorce.

 

The problem is that with such high fixed costs all they can shave is the stuff that's really important. What is "doubly" sad is that all those employees knew and know they are providing sub-standard and it must hurt some of them - but they are clearly being heavily constrained.

 

In the next few days no doubt they will start to talk about how they plan too mark 20 years of history - in April 2014 when Cloud was born. Many doubted then that there was a niche for a line that SS led by Manfredi aspired with vision to be. Perhaps they were right. I don't think so. You simply need to focus on what you intended.

 

Let's hope it is a "cunning plan" to restore it to it's former glory and win you back.

 

Thanks for posting - your account sound really well balanced. :)

[Ocean Bound]

I agree with the questionable need for a butler. I found it nice, but confusing. What was I supposed to ask him to do that any other waiter or cleaner could not do? Butler service seems more of a marketing strategy then a real concept.

[Seafairer]

UKCruiseJeff, your comments are always thoughtful and informed. Thank you. And in addition to losing Joc123 as a client, Silversea has also, sadly, lost the value of Joc123 recommending the line to others. Word-of-mouth brings many to try this line.

 

It IS distressing to read this account, especially since Silversea has always prided itself on keeping all of the ships beautifully maintained, even the older Cloud and Wind. On the one hand, we tend to attribute any substandard experience to financial challenges, but the company just added the Galapagos ship and has a new Spirit sister ship on the way, so how much leeway should we give them? These are puzzling times.

[Older Party]

DH and I have just returned from Silver Shadow and thought I would share our views. First, our sailing history - 1 x P&O, 1 x HAL, 1 x Windstar, 4 x Seabourn. This was our 1st time on SS and although we love SB, this itinerary (Singapore - Singapore) suited better and we went ahead and booked. We found a trip in Sept that we thought we would also like so we booked Spirit (Venice - Venice) at the same time. We really thought SS would be as good as SB.

Check in at Singapore was great - it only took a few minutes and we were on board. No champagne in sight but that was ok because we were directed to Le Terrazza for lunch - decor looked a bit dated but Art Deco can sometimes give this impression. I would rather that than a lot of glitz - personal taste. Lunch was alright - nothing special, but it is hard on turn around day to have your best menu up and running. Wine was good - better than SB. After lunch we walked around the ship working out what was where until we were called to our suite - 826. So far so good and to our surprise, our luggage was there waiting for us. No champagne to greet us, but we had wine with lunch, so really didn't need it. We unpacked, read all the information, tried to work the TV/DVD player but the remote did nothing (had to be replaced). Still had not seen any member of staff. After we had been on board for 4 hours and just before muster, the butler came with soaps etc (not sure why as the bathroom was well stocked) and if we would like champagne she would ring down for it - we said don't bother. We did ask if she could book dinner for us in both restuarants - didn't matter when. After muster she rang back to say Le Champagne was fully booked but she managed 1 night in Le Terrazza. I find this very annoying - in all brochures we have read, it says, ask your butler to make reservations. Clearly this is not right - you have to rush and do it as soon as you get on board! A strange concept and just a little bit like mass market.

Dinner in MDR was good and we stared to settle in.

Back in the suite, we started to notice things were not quite up to 5* standard - woodwork chipped and badly scratched, robe had holes where belt loops had been ripped off, lamp shade was torn, bath was chipped, A/C had a mind of it's own! We were starting to get worried.

Buffet breakfast - very ordinary and didn't get any better. For some reason the floor area around the buffet was very slippery and it turned out it was every morning - it almost felt greasy. One the last day, the orange juice was watered down - fact! We could not believe it. For breakfast and lunch, we often had plates that were chipped and the coffee was often luke warm.

Buffet Lunch - on pool deck was ok, but really not up to 5*. Very little choice and salads were very limited. In Le Terrace it was no better - how can a cabbage salad be salty? IMHO, it was about the standard of a country Motel - 3*

Dinner in MDR was mostly good but our 1 night in Le Terrazza was not so good. I enjoyed my fish but DH had crumbed pork which was deep fried, black around the edges and tough.

We did try Hot Rocks, but could not get it right. I really don't like the idea at all.

Over all we thought the food was not high quality and the cooking was not a high standard.

We did find that the wines were good and that often got us through our meals.

Entertainment - We do not take these cruises to have big production shows, but the same 6 (average) singers every night is really a bit much.

We decided it was better to go to the lounge or club instead. It was then we noticed how dirty the chairs were - upholstery on the arms was very badly stained from years of sweaty hands, and one chair DH had, the arm was broken - 5*? I don't think so.

This trip was port intensive, and we did SS tours at every port. These were excellent so the holiday was not a complete waste.

In summary, IOHO, this is not a 5* ship. It was a disappointment and as soon as arrived home, we cancelled our trip in Sept. The crew tried hard - still don't know why you need a butler - and our room was always beautifully clean, but they can only do so much. If SS don't fix the food, fixtures and fittings, on Shadow, it will never be a true 5* ship.

 

I know the singers on the Shadow. They were on the Cloud. One has sang at the Met, another was Grizabella in a National Tour of Cats, a few are members of Actors Equity, another came from Disney ... hardly AVERAGE.

 

This is why I never understand making decisions on other people's advice and experiences. If you thought these very capable, professional, and accomplished singers were average, then maybe your review of the food not being "high quality" is biased toward an expectation which may not be reality based for the majority of SS cruisers?

 

I do not question your experience, nor dislike of those things you mention here, as I am sure you WERE disappointed. I point it out merely to expound on my point of view that it remains strange to me someone would cancel a cruise based on another person's opinion, most especially a stranger's opinion.

[UKCruiseJeff]

UKCruiseJeff, your comments are always thoughtful and informed. Thank you. And in addition to losing Joc123 as a client, Silversea has also, sadly, lost the value of Joc123 recommending the line to others. Word-of-mouth brings many to try this line.

 

It IS distressing to read this account, especially since Silversea has always prided itself on keeping all of the ships beautifully maintained, even the older Cloud and Wind. On the one hand, we tend to attribute any substandard experience to financial challenges, but the company just added the Galapagos ship and has a new Spirit sister ship on the way, so how much leeway should we give them? These are puzzling times.

 

Many thanks. You've put your finger on it exactly

 

I think what effects "thinkers" more is not so much the comments about the food (although that is bad enough) it is comments about soiled and broken furniture and about torn robes .. and although "food" and specifically the idea of some poor employee watering down the orange juice etc is just awful, we all undersand that food feedbback can be subjective - - but I find these accounts totally believable - but it's the very basic maintenance that is less easy to argue away. I eat well at home and on dry land - the poor food i'd tolerate. It's dirtiness - the impression of "cost panic" and a lack of maintenance that is concerning.

 

The reality is that you and I were SS left us ... but they have moved on to somewhere else it seems.

 

There is however a lucrative Aisian market that may be both less discerning - a less provided for market - and have enough of a market size to provide them with enough people to pay more for less ... so let's see where their future marketing efforts - and ships - will be be.

[UKCruiseJeff]

I know the singers on the Shadow. They were on the Cloud. One has sang at the Met, another was Grizabella in a National Tour of Cats, a few are members of Actors Equity, another came from Disney ... hardly AVERAGE.

 

This is why I never understand making decisions on other people's advice and experiences. If you thought these very capable, professional, and accomplished singers were average, then maybe your review of the food not being "high quality" is biased toward an expectation which may not be reality based for the majority of SS cruisers?

 

I do not question your experience, nor dislike of those things you mention here, as I am sure you WERE disappointed. I point it out merely to expound on my point of view that it remains strange to me someone would cancel a cruise based on another person's opinion, most especially a stranger's opinion.

 

I think you are confused.

 

The person you are replying to is also the OP. He is cancelling on the basis of his own and partners first hand experience - not anyone elses.

[Older Party]

I think you are confused.

 

The person you are replying to is also the OP. He is cancelling on the basis of his own and partners first hand experience - not anyone elses.

 

Not confused at all. I was referencing my previous posts concerning those who do cancel because of other people's opinions. I apologize for not writing my thoughts clearly.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Not confused at all. I was referencing my previous posts concerning those who do cancel because of other people's opinions. I apologize for not writing my thoughts clearly.

 

Thanks for clarifying.

 

Logically and superficially, perhaps you may be right if based on a single or limited number of opinions. But is it equally that sensible to ignore credible warnings from existing customers on aspects of service that are important to you?

 

I think sensible people consider current reputation and their options based on lot's of feedback and sources and it is most certainly a sensible thing to do if you remain concerned considering all that you have digested. Ploughing on with a booking when you have growing and signifiant concerns and doubts may be a dafter thing to do when you have other options,