ship design

[meow!]

Unlike most other cruise ships, which have some floors for cabins and other floors for public areas, the Silversea ships have all cabins in front and public areas (other than the spa) towards the stern. On the Shadow/Whisper, there are as many as four elevators towards the back and only one in front (as per brochure drawings). These ships were actually custom designed and built specifically for Silversea. For those of you who have cruised on them (and other ships) before, do you find them particularly convenient/comfortable? Thank you.

[goeurope]

The public rooms aft/cabins midship and forward design is unusual, but whether it's superior to traditional designs is a matter of taste. Some might argue that it's more convenient to have public rooms spread the length of the ship on one or two decks to eliminate the need for going up and down. But with Silversea providing such a high elevator-to-passenger ratio, going from deck to deck is no great hardship (even for people who can't use or don't like stairs).

 

IMHO, the biggest advantage of Silversea's arrangement is the reduction in noise. Even the noisiest neighbors on the deck above or below are likely to be quieter than a show lounge or a dining room.

 

--

Durant Imboden

Europeforvisitors.com

[meow!]

Thanks to GoEurope for a very reasonable answer. Incidentally, I have just discovered that Silversea has now corrected a long-time error in their schematic drawing of deck 10 of the Shadow/Whisper on their website. For years, the front elevator was shown right next to the "Fitness Centre" on deck 10, now it has finally been moved to its rightful position immediately above where it is shown to be from deck 4 to 9. Isn't that nice and interesting? Thank you.

[Seas the Day]

I never even thought about having to travel up and down - to access public spaces - as inconvenient. Perhaps because there are so few decks. Actually I liked it. I tried to rarely use the elevators at all because it made me feel better about having eaten more than I typically do. Going up and down stairs compensated for the fact that in my normal life I don't eat five courses at every lunch and dinner...

[meow!]

Another question: Years ago, Silversea listed the Shadow/Whisper at 25,000 tonnes and 597 ft long, then they changed it to 28,252 tonnes and 610 ft long. Now, their website, under "ships" then "ship tour" has gone back to the old version. It seems that they cannot make up their mind about how to calculate the ship's volume (gross tonnage), and as for length, it can be measured! Which is right and why? Thank you.

[suzanne1109]

Meow - Does size really matter?

[Seas the Day]

Or is it the motion of the ocean?

 

Seriously, size does make a difference. Many people pr

[Seas the Day]

Yikes... I hit send by mistake... and I couldn't delete the previous message. We'll see, I guess, if the hosts will do so for me.

 

But, ship size does make a difference. Just not the small degrees that meow mentions from reference to reference for Silversea.

[Seas the Day]

Could be that one measurement was LOA, and the other LWL. See below for definition of differences - from my "Nautical Know How Boating Basics" course manual.

 

How to measure length:

A motor boat is measured along its centerline from the outside of the hull aft to the outside of the hull forward. This measurement does not include any attachments such as swim platforms, outboard motors, bow sprits, etc. This measurement is called the length overall (LOA). You may also hear the term length of waterline or load waterline (LWL). This is the length of the boat, parallet to its centerline, at the line where it meets the water.

[meow!]

No, size difference of that magnitude does not matter at all. It is technical trivia, it can be a good question for trivia sessions on a sea day, right? Thank you.

[meow!]

Seas the Day:

The book you mentioned is interesting, do you or does anyone else on this board know of a book, or preferably a website on "nautical knowhow on cruise ships"? Thank you.

[Seas the Day]

My book is a manual for boat safety certification. Children under the age of 18 must pass a test in order to drive a boat without adult supervision. We live on a river and have a 19 foot runabout on the pier in our backyard - and children under 18. So... the book teaches them the basic facts about boating, which they will be tested on later this summer. It teaches the basics of ALL types of boats - and ships. You can purchase online at www.boatsafe.com. It isn't cruise-ship specific, but will tell you the basics of what the officers and crews are "worrying" about each day.

[meow!]

Thank you for the link, it is very interesting and informative.

[meow!]

On a recent trip to Vancouver, I saw the Silver Shadow docked at the Canada Place pier. Comparing it to the Silver Cloud we saw two months ago at Monte Carlo (docked next to where our Regatta tendered ashore), the Shadow seemed substantially larger than the Cloud. The former looked more like a "ship" (in shape and impression), while the latter more like a "boat" (albeit a very large one at that)!

 

The Shadow appeared somewhat "front heavy". Reading the Silversea brochures, they showed it as having ten decks in front, and actually only eight decks at the stern. Since the ship is designed to have cabins all in front and public areas to the back, why not move the deck 10 "spa/exercise complex" from deck 10 front to deck 9 stern (when the ship was originally designed)? Won't that be more logical and better "balanced" (in looks if not also in weight)? Any comments? Thank you.

[DevonGal]

On a recent trip to Vancouver, I saw the Silver Shadow docked at the Canada Place pier. Comparing it to the Silver Cloud we saw two months ago at Monte Carlo (docked next to where our Regatta tendered ashore), the Shadow seemed substantially larger than the Cloud. The former looked more like a "ship" (in shape and impression), while the latter more like a "boat" (albeit a very large one at that)!

 

The Shadow appeared somewhat "front heavy". Reading the Silversea brochures, they showed it as having ten decks in front, and actually only eight decks at the stern. Since the ship is designed to have cabins all in front and public areas to the back, why not move the deck 10 "spa/exercise complex" from deck 10 front to deck 9 stern (when the ship was originally designed)? Won't that be more logical and better "balanced" (in looks if not also in weight)? Any comments? Thank you.

You want them to move the front of the boat to the back?!?!

 

meouw! Your interest in ship design is absorbing. As long as the pointy bit is at the front and the blunty bit is behind you I think you'll be safe - except when going backwards in which case you'll be going down. Thank you.

 

DevonGal

[uk1]

You want them to move the front of the boat to the back?!?!

 

meouw! Your interest in ship design is absorbing. As long as the pointy bit is at the front and the blunty bit is behind you I think you'll be safe - except when going backwards in which case you'll be going down. Thank you.

 

DevonGal

 

 

I think you're being unfair. Meouw hasn't sailed with Silversea yet - and if she wants to redesign the boat before she commits herself - why not!? I think we should clear the table and sketch out on a napkin how we can get the front of deck 10 on the top of rear deck 9. Then meouw can take the cruise with worrying.

 

Meouw - where would you like the anchors and the engines and we'll get sketching?

[meow!]

This is a thread talking about technical ship design rather than just cruising. As I have said (in brackets), wouldn't it look better if the spa on deck 10 were moved to the stern of deck 9 when the ship was ORIGINALLY designed. That means some years down the road, if they want to build a new ship, it is a point that can be considered. It does not mean they should do it now! It is a discussion for technical enthusiasts, just as train design and aeroplane design interest some people, while it does not really affect which train or plane they take.

[goeurope]

I don't know if I'd want Silversea's naval architects to move all those front-heavy parts aft. Wouldn't the ship be in greater danger of spinning out if it encountered ice? (On the other hand, it might be fun to cut doughnuts amid the icebergs, at least until the inevitable bump and grind.)

[meow!]

Do you mean that the ship will roll more if it is back heavy rather than front heavy? Since these ships do not have ice cutting reinforcement, I guess it would avoid sailing in ice heavy areas! I would tend to think that there would be less rolling with lower centre of gravity. While moving equipment from deck 10 to deck 9 will not help much, it is not likely to hurt, unless the ship needs more weight at the "wave breaking" point to keep it steadier. Perhaps it is because the "stabilizers" are usually close to the front of the ship.

 

GoEurope: Will you kindly explain the dynamics in more detail? I would like to know. Thank you.

[goeurope]

GoEurope: Will you kindly explain the dynamics in more detail? I would like to know. Thank you.

 

I was speaking tongue-in-cheek. And I don't think this forum is the best place to get information on naval architecture, since none of is an expert. Try the Cruise Ships Design Forum at:

 

http://dvo.free.fr/forum/index.php3

[meow!]

Thanks for the link!

[meow!]

GoEurope:

I happened to come across your "Silver Whisper 2003 Photo Gallery" on the web. I could see in the series of pictures, with description, the bridge, the kitchen, the laundry room, and especially the engine room. All these detailed pictures were precious and not otherwise easily available. Your special efforts to put them on the web to share with the rest of us have been cordially appreciated. Thank you.

[goeurope]

GoEurope:

I happened to come across your "Silver Whisper 2003 Photo Gallery" on the web. I could see in the series of pictures, with description, the bridge, the kitchen, the laundry room, and especially the engine room. All these detailed pictures were precious and not otherwise easily available. Your special efforts to put them on the web to share with the rest of us have been cordially appreciated. Thank you.

 

Thanks for the compliment. I wanted to show the brig, too,but they took away my camera along with my shoelaces. :-)