Concerns about dinner on the Silver Wind

[joyb52]

We are considering (and have to decide by Monday) the Silver Wind's Venice to Rome cruise in July. We have only sailed on Regent. Because of a chronic stomach problem, I cannot dine late. I noticed that dining begins at 7:30. Is there any way to get around this time? This may be a deal breaker for me.

 

Also, on such a small ship, has anyone experienced rough seas in the Mediterranean? I''m not crazy about that on a small ship either.

 

Thank you!

[duct tape]

How about a late lunch on deck? I imagine you would prefer not to have to do room service. You can always have your butler stack your refrigerator with whatever you would like. Would that help? The Med is usually calm at that time of year but there is no guarantee! Good luck.

[CanadianKate]

Aside from dining in your cabin each night, I can't think of a way around this except for switching your 'day' around. In other words, get up later, and stay up later so you can eat later in the day. If you are changing time zones, you'll be eating at different times that at home anyway, so your body will have to do some adjusting.

 

Most meal times last well over 2 hours so if you are doing 6 meals a day (as I am right now), you should be able to have an in-suite breakfast, later breakfast, light early lunch of broth in the Panorama lounge, later lunch (either at the pool grill or La Terrassa), early dinner in suite and then light dinner (just one or two starters) at 7:30 but sitting at the table socializing (since for me this is a highlight of most SS cruises.)

 

I had to cancel my cruise due to the surgery so don't know if this will actually work out, but it was my plan to try it this way. As it is, I will be land traveling over the next 2 weeks but have booked into apartment hotels so I have the ability to cook my own small meals (or order a restaurant meal and save half in the fridge to reheat the following day.)

[joyb52]

It's too bad there are no casual venues for a light, earlier dinner. How about if our travel agent emailed the ship...do you think they'd allow us in early for dinner? I have skipped dinner with a late lunch many times (or room service) on Regent. But they serve dinner earlier, so it was a little better. Thanks for your suggestions, but I'm not sure.

[newlondon]

joyb52, Bad news, We would have preferred-not as in your case needed- to eat dinner earlier on all of our SS Cruises. It truly isn't an option. Good news, the ability to eat in your suite is unlimited, and the food is basically the same. I appreciate that on a cruise you wish to partake of the atmosphere of the venues and not be confined to your suite but-up to you-it doesn't need to be a deal breaker. SS is terrific.

[Mr Luxury]

Perhaps stick with an American line as the restaurant is usualy open earlier than a European owned line.

We eat later in Europe than you do in the US.

[Keith1010]

The only option I can think of is a late snack of some sort.

 

Keith

[wripro]

SS does a lovely tea in the late afternoon where you could have sandwiches, scones, cakes etc around 4:30 or five. Then you could have a light dinner at 7:30 and enjoy the restaurant.

[duct tape]

Ah, wripro, that's it...tea. I do not partake therefore I didn't think of it. Good idea.

[CanadianKate]

One can almost never stop eating on SS even if you ignore in-suite dining which is available at any time.

 

You have to wait until after 7 for breakfast although there are pastries and coffee available earlier in the Observation lounge (and the Bar on the Spirit, if IIRC) and that stops at 10, I believe. At 11:30 is broth in the Panorama Lounge. I believe lunch starts at 12:30 or 1 p.m. and lunch on the pool deck runs until 3. At 4 is tea. At 6:30 or 7:00 canapes in the bar (I think - I don't partake of those because we have our 6 p.m. 'snack' of crudites, fresh baked breadsticks and sashimi in the cabin.) Then dinner at 7:30.

 

My concern for the OP is that everything basically shuts down on the ship during dinner hour so even if she eats earlier, evenings will be boring with no activities for her to do until the evening show starts.

 

Realistically, a cruise line geared towards Americans with a larger selection of restaurants and more amenities (like two show times) is the better choice for her cruise.

 

Dinner is truly a highlight of the day for me on SS and the open seating at dinner is the one thing that sets it aside from most other lines, including a lot of the luxury lines. If she is missing out on that, would she not enjoy a different cruise line better?

[Observer]

Is the OP certain that dinner begins at 7:30 pm. On a recent Spirit cruise in the South Pacific, dinner always began at 7 pm. Perhaps there is a later schedule in the Med, allowing people to get back from tours, etc.

[RachelG]

On our trans Atlantic cruise on spirit, dinner started at 7. I don't like to eat late either, so we usually ate right at 7.

The other options--having tea and skipping dinner altogether, eating from room service.

[ging466]

I know it's nice to eat dinner in the restaurants with your friends but SS do the best in suite dining.

 

Your butler will set up the table with a table cloth and give u your food, course by course, if u choose. He/she sets up everything and will even pour your tea etc. All u have to do is eat it. :)

 

I am a huge fan of in suite dining...I always do it for breakfast and when I'm feeling tired from an excursion, do it for dinner too.

 

It's a great option.

 

Cheers

Jennifer

[Mr Luxury]

The bottom line is that the OP is hardly going to starve, whatever time it says on her watch.

 

SS will be very accommodating

[joyb52]

My travel agent confirmed dinner is 7:30. In the past on Regent, I have done tea instead of dinner, and I have eaten in the room. But, as CanadianKate put it so well, dinner is an activity onboard a ship. And I think perhaps a different cruise where they cater to wishes to dine earlier might be better for me.I believe they have 2 seatings on a Crystal ship, for instance. And no, I never thought I would starve. Quite the contrary. But I do think dinner is an eagerly awaited social activity on a cruise ship, more so,perhaps,than on land.

[duct tape]

Whichever you choose, have a great time!

[Mr Luxury]

My travel agent confirmed dinner is 7:30. In the past on Regent, I have done tea instead of dinner, and I have eaten in the room. But, as CanadianKate put it so well, dinner is an activity onboard a ship. And I think perhaps a different cruise where they cater to wishes to dine earlier might be better for me.I believe they have 2 seatings on a Crystal ship, for instance. And no, I never thought I would starve. Quite the contrary. But I do think dinner is an eagerly awaited social activity on a cruise ship, more so,perhaps,than on land.

 

 

Yes Crystal should be perfect for you and they have a dining by reservation option for you to adopt, if you so wish.

[wripro]

Or an early seating at 6 or 6:15PM. Yes, sounds like Crystal would be a better fit.

[joyb52]

Thank you all for your empathy and helpfulness.

[Wellseasoned]

We are currently on the Cloud, and the Restaurant, La Terrazza, and the Pool bar and grill (hot rocks) all begin serving dinner at 7 P.M. The pool bar last seating for lunch is 6 P.M. Le Champagne begins at 7:30 P.M.

[joyb52]

Perhaps the Siver Cloud is different from the Silver Wind? When I called, the rep told me that the pool lunch ended at 3:30 and dinners in all the restaurants were definitely 7:30. What you are saying sounds much better, but I cannot seem to get confirmation that this is so on the Wind. I wish they were better informed when I asked them. I was also promsied someone would call me back but never did. I may try to call the ship's number one more time. Thank you.