Any Seabourn travellers sailed SS Silver Spirit?

[Poppy1966]

Planning a 5 wk holiday and hoping to incorporate a cruise. SB,SS, Crystal and Regent have cruises, all similar ports, timings etc. Process of elimination looks like SS Spirit. I've read SS boards, watched videos, read reviews, read SS V SB threads and wondered if any Seabourn regulars have sailed on this ship and their thoughts. I'm guessing I will get more honest views here rather than the SS forum. Our last SB cruise wasn't great tbh but we will still sail SB in the future.

All we really look for in an all inclusive ship in no particular order is a comfortable suite, decent food, drinks, spa treatments, good outdoor spaces and public areas etc. Prefer the SB ODY class ships to SS Spirit from what I seen online etc but that's not the end of the world.

We are fairly easy going and not bothered about caviar, crew referring to us by name within 24 hrs, bridge, trivia, shows, afternoon teas or joining fellow guests for dinner etc.

We prefer to eat alone, occasionally just chilling with room service and a bottle of wine on the balcony.

SS itinerary is exactly what suits and fits in with our other travelling arrangements.

I appreciate we should always try other lines to experience them as we all have different tastes, expectations etc but I'd appreciate any input/ thoughts/views/ comparisons from Seabourn regulars. Thanks

[Mr Luxury]

After reading your post,

I would say stick with SS as it sounds like you have talked yourself onto the Silver Spirit.

 

Have a good trip.

[Ravenscroft]

We have about 40 nights on Silver Spirit, haven't sailed any other Silversea ships.

I should add that our very first cruise was on Silver Spirit, our only cruising experience has been with SS and Seabourn. We've only sailed on the Odyssey class ships.

 

We are divided on this subject. My husband slightly prefers Silversea, I strongly prefer Seabourn.

 

The interiors of Spirit are decorated in a much more traditional style, and I think it can look rather old fashioned. I also prefer the outdoor areas on Seabourn, with one exception. Silver Spirit has a traditional full wrap around deck, which is great for walkers and also provides an extra deck for sunbathing. There's more opportunity to find shade there too. I struggle on sunny sea days when on Seabourn ships to find a shaded area.

 

I think the food quality is slightly better on Seabourn, but I do find the menus rather repetitive. For evening dining choices, on Silver Spirit you have the MDR, Hot Rocks Grill, La Terrazza, Le Champagne and Seishin. Both Le Champagne and Seishin have a fee (was $30 US per person last time we were on Spirit). You need to make reservations at all restaurants apart from the MDR. Therefore we feel we have more dining freedom on Seabourn because we can decide between MDR, Colonnade and Patio Grill as we're getting ready for dinner. In addition, Stars Supper Club is a pleasant place to eat if you're not especially hungry in the evening. They serve a tapas style menu. We have always enjoyed the singer in there too.

There isn't anywhere like Seabourn Square where you can just pick up a cup of coffee and a small snack, but there is of course 24hr room service and it's very similar to SB.

 

The Spirit has a couple of design flaws, which are well documented so you've probably already come across them during your research. The gap between the end of the bed and the dressing table/vanity area is very narrow. The suite itself is narrower by about 6" than on the Odyssey class ships. Some people have complained about the tap/faucet in the bathroom sink but we've never had a problem with it. It's a European style so perhaps we're just more familiar with that type of tap.

 

The beds and bedding are the quality you'd expect. The towels in the bathroom are better quality than Seabourn (I'm picky!). There are two tv screens, both set into the mirror in the room. We find that there's always one evening during a cruise that we want to just eat in the suite and then watch a film, and for me, the tv directly opposite the bed is better than the angled ones on SB. Good selection of films/documentaries available.

 

We either travel with another couple, or just the two of us. We also prefer to eat alone. Getting a table for two has never been an issue on SS, same as on SB.

 

Ok sorry this is so long. I hope I've covered some of what you needed to know, please ask if I can help any more.

[dafne]

We were on Silversea Spirit last June.

You can read the detailed review with this link.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1882801

 

After 3 cruises on Silversea we have decided to try Seabourn.

 

As you read it the major complaint was the food. Some food was great-

some should not have been served.

 

But you will read how we loved the service, the ports, the people we met etc.

So I guess it depends how important food is to you.

[Willem Ruys]

We were on Silversea Spirit last June.

You can read the detailed review with this link.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1882801

 

After 3 cruises on Silversea we have decided to try Seabourn.

 

As you read it the major complaint was the food. Some food was great-

some should not have been served.

 

But you will read how we loved the service, the ports, the people we met etc.

So I guess it depends how important food is to you.

 

 

We're aboard the SB SOJOURN now...the downfall is her very repetitively boring food choices and food about on par with what they used to serve on the Soviet liners ALEKSANDR PUSHKIN and MIKHAIL LERMONTOV, though not nearly as varied. More steak and burgers here than in an Argentine steak house. The chefs seem to be forbidden the use of garlic (just as vegan chicken and rice is just rice, this ship's twice served lunch special of "skordomakaronia" (garlic macaroni) is just macaroni. Another example: A "Tuscan Market" for dinner in the Colonnade drew the same comments from 10 people I spoke to... "MAL" from a Spanish couple; "awful" from most of the others. My comments were less enthusiastic than those. The Patio Grill is the best bet for dinner. They seem to know how to cook given their limited and 9 repetitive menus. If we don't return to SEABOURN it will be because of the food. We paid too much to be fed this poorly.

[dafne]

Just curious- what cruise ships that you have been on do you think has the best food?

[Emperor Norton]

We're aboard the SB SOJOURN now...the downfall is her very repetitively boring food choices and food about on par with what they used to serve on the Soviet liners ALEKSANDR PUSHKIN and MIKHAIL LERMONTOV, though not nearly as varied. More steak and burgers here than in an Argentine steak house. The chefs seem to be forbidden the use of garlic (just as vegan chicken and rice is just rice, this ship's twice served lunch special of "skordomakaronia" (garlic macaroni) is just macaroni. Another example: A "Tuscan Market" for dinner in the Colonnade drew the same comments from 10 people I spoke to... "MAL" from a Spanish couple; "awful" from most of the others. My comments were less enthusiastic than those. The Patio Grill is the best bet for dinner. They seem to know how to cook given their limited and 9 repetitive menus. If we don't return to SEABOURN it will be because of the food. We paid too much to be fed this poorly.

 

I've been on Seaboun, Silversea, Regent, Crystal and Oceania - all of them fail in the garlic/pepper/spice department. Did you ask on Seabourn to adjust their cooking for you?

[Mr Luxury]

I wonder why angry Willem says at the bottom of his post that he hates what the cruise business has become and has stopped sailing.

Being on The Sojourn does rather contradict this.

 

Reading the post makes me think that he would never be happy on any ship afloat

 

Tell me I'm wrong Willem

[Ravenscroft]

Interesting post from Willem there...for someone who hates to cruise it's interesting that they're now on a lengthy segment of the world cruise.

Willem, what drew you back to cruising and to pick such a lengthy cruise too?

 

I do agree that the menus can be repetitive on SB, as I mentioned earlier. And I also agree that the choices are red meat heavy - I stated this when I did a mini review in July after our Baltic cruise last summer. However, there's a good choice of where to dine in the evening so it is possible to enjoy more variety.

 

I haven't heard any of the other guests on the world cruise complaining about the food, but to be fair I'm not sure any of them have mentioned it positively either.

Edited January 31, 2014 by Ravenscroft

[rl787]

Willem may just be having some fun with us.......... Food is about opinions but hardly anyone could or would compare the food to the old Russian ships.

[Mr Luxury]

Yes meat heavy was my experience on the Sojourn at Christmas.

 

Beef Tenderloin was ever present and I counted Veal in some form or another being available at one or more of the restaurants sixteen evenings out of eighteen.

 

I usually ask the Maitre d' for special orders if the Chef is not good or not too creative enough.

 

We had the worst Chef ever on a ship this Christmas. Christian Jungling

Edited January 31, 2014 by Mr Luxury

[Ravenscroft]

Yes meat heavy was my experience on the Sojourn at Christmas.

 

Beef Tenderloin was ever present and I counted Veal in some form or another being available at one or more of the restaurants sixteen evenings out of eighteen.

 

I usually ask the Maitre d' for special orders if the Chef is not good or not too creative enough.

 

We had the worst Chef ever on a ship this Christmas. Christian Jungling

 

I wonder if the same Chef is still onboard for the world cruise? If so, hopefully he'll be getting off soon before we board Sojourn in March. :D

[Mr Luxury]

I wonder if the same Chef is still onboard for the world cruise? If so, hopefully he'll be getting off soon before we board Sojourn in March. :D

 

No,Graham is the Chef

 

There could be interference from head office regarding the menus.

 

I did ask the Chef if Seabourn had done a special cheap deal on veal

 

"it's the Veal Deal" we muttered when we saw the menu each evening.

[Poppy1966]

Many thanks to Ravenscroft and Dafne for your responses. Seabourn would normally be our choice however their itinerary is too long and has too many sea days that will eat into our overall trip. Also, SS disembarkation port will allow us spend a few days with friends we haven't seen in over six years before we continue on with our trip. Thank you again.

[Ravenscroft]

Many thanks to Ravenscroft and Dafne for your responses. Seabourn would normally be our choice however their itinerary is too long and has too many sea days that will eat into our overall trip. Also, SS disembarkation port will allow us spend a few days with friends we haven't seen in over six years before we continue on with our trip. Thank you again.

 

If you go ahead, do please let us know how you get on. If Seabourn is normally your first choice, I'd say to just lower your expectations a teeny bit, and I think you'll be fine. Especially as you're so happy with itinerary.

I don't think I talked much about the service. It's different on SS, a tad more formal, but not better or worse than SB, at least in my opinion.

[Ravenscroft]

No,Graham is the Chef

 

There could be interference from head office regarding the menus.

 

I did ask the Chef if Seabourn had done a special cheap deal on veal

 

"it's the Veal Deal" we muttered when we saw the menu each evening.

 

I'll look out for the "Veal Deal" in March. In the summer they had a "micro herb deal", resembling mustard and cress it was to be found on everything. I was waiting for a dessert to be adorned with it, but they managed to keep it away from the puds :D

 

Thanks for the Chef info.

Edited January 31, 2014 by Ravenscroft

[Mr Luxury]

Many thanks to Ravenscroft and Dafne for your responses. Seabourn would normally be our choice however their itinerary is too long and has too many sea days that will eat into our overall trip. Also, SS disembarkation port will allow us spend a few days with friends we haven't seen in over six years before we continue on with our trip. Thank you again.

 

I think we all knew by your post that you had already made up your mind.;)

Edited January 31, 2014 by Mr Luxury

[Mr Luxury]

I'll look out for the "Veal Deal" in March. In the summer they had a "micro herb deal", resembling mustard and cress it was to be found on everything. I was waiting for a dessert to be adorned with it, but they managed to keep it away from the puds :D

 

Thanks for the Chef info.

 

I thought a micro herb deal was only available at a garden centre

[Poppy1966]

I think we all knew by your post that you had already made up your mind.;)

 

 

Not quite there, haven't booked it. Just wanted any info on SS from Seabourn guests as I value their opinion. Thought after three weeks of intensive travel, joining a ship in the middle of the holiday would allow us to put our feet up, discover new ports we haven't been to, have a few spa treatments etc before meeting up with our friends which will coincide with my old boys milestone birthday before travelling on and then home. SS is the only ship that fits into our schedule. As the whole trip is a surprise birthday treat from me (have him spoilt) I really wanted reassurance that booking SS won't turn out to be a bad idea and end up a bit of a disappointment/mistake in an otherwise great trip. Have you sailed on this ship or any of their fleet?

[Mr Luxury]

Yes I have and Whisper, Shadow and Cloud

I think that Whisper and Shadow are the best two ships in the SS fleet.Spirit is not so well designed.

 

I am sure that you will have a great time

[travelingduo]

You will enjoy SS and the Spirit. We have been on all SS ships, and while there are some cons as to the design, it is still SS and the Spirit offers some amenities not found on the others including Seabourn. We love Seabourn and we also love SS. We actually had more attentive service on SS, but every cruise is like a theater performance and you never know. But if you like Seabourn, you will like SS. It is all personal preference. Sounds like this trip fits right into your plans, so you will not be disappointed! Enjoy!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Poppy1966]

Many thanks travelingduo much appreciated.

[Willem Ruys]

Good question! It's because I am now in a wheelchair and we thought it might be easier to get fed aboard ship than rolling or having Chris push me for blocks and blocks in my wheelchair to and from restaurants in Waikiki or wherever we might have gone.

 

Of COURSE I have told the chef about the lack of garlic in dishes it belongs and much else. Good food in ships is of course subjective and when the chef tried to defend his offerings by reporting that others LIKED the food I told him, that they are not eating with my mouth. I AM so what others like is immaterial. Remember the great bumper sticker - "Eat S**! 5 billion flies cant be wrong."

 

As for the food in Soviet vessels....where you there? I was and are you here now? NO. I was there (didn't have as many clams then as I do now; and I am here now. I do know food, I have been eating for decades...

 

and for us 68 days is a short cruise. we used to go for 5 to 7 months at a time - Of the 108 ships I have sailed in I worked in 14 so being aboard for long stretches is what I am used to doing.

 

I think that I have answered what some have asked me

[dafne]

You still have not said- what cruise ships that you sailed on- that you like their food?

[Poppy1966]

Willem Ruys, Miroslav Bartos in the colonnade certainly enjoys adding lots of garlic to his dishes especially pasta. He rotates between the Odyssey and Quest I think.