Silversea Sets Aggressive Growth Course

[Rocchi]

Silversea is pushing forward into the future.

 

Link to Cruise Industry News website

 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/20728-silversea-sets-aggressive-growth-course.html

 

[Tothesunset]

As long as SS don't lose sight of what makes SS the go to line for so many cruisers. 

[UpstateJan]

Great article, thank you for the post.  I agree with the last statement in the article, “We also interpret luxury differently. We are more about whispering luxury, rather than shouting luxury.”  .... are you listening RCCL?

[Stumblefoot]

I’m unable to open Rocchi’s link or the Cruise Industry News website at the moment.  

 

Here is is a link to an interview with Silversea’s CEO; Roberto Martinoli.

[Stumblefoot]

Was finally able to reach the Cruise Industry News website.  I found the comment, “‘We also have some other expedition projects, but are not ready to talk about them yet,’ added Martinoli” interesting.  I bet DrRon and Rojann know what these projects are!

[wripro]

They can whisper luxury all they want but they better find enough good staff so while they're whispering the passengers aren't screaming.

[drron29]

5 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Was finally able to reach the Cruise Industry News website.  I found the comment, “‘We also have some other expedition projects, but are not ready to talk about them yet,’ added Martinoli” interesting.  I bet DrRon and Rojann know what these projects are!

Not all the details but some will find them very attractive.

[Silver Spectre]

Not sure that a 64 seat La Dame on the Moon is going to work, or where it will located to allow outdoor dining. Will wait and see but I suspect the current intimacy will disappear.

 

This is from an article on the Travel Agents Central site, along with more S.A.L.T. info

Edited April 20, 2019 by Silver Spectre

[turtlemichael]

22 hours ago, wripro said:

They can whisper luxury all they want but they better find enough good staff so while they're whispering the passengers aren't screaming.

Hi Wripro, from my recent extensive experience on Silversea they already have them. They are equal to, or better than any other luxury line that I've been on. They have coped with recent expansions and I can't really see how they won't cope in the future.  Have you been on Silversea recently?

Edited April 20, 2019 by turtlemichael

[TLCOhio]

22 hours ago, wripro said:

They can whisper luxury all they want but they better find enough good staff so while they're whispering the passengers aren't screaming.

 

Excellent above point/question by wripro as to the priority for maintaining the quality and motivations for very good staff on these growing numbers of Silversea ships.  Nice to read turtlemichael saying: "from my recent extensive experience on Silversea they already have them. They are equal to, or better than any other luxury line that I've been on. They have coped with recent expansions and I can't really see how they won't cope in the future".  

 

With our upcoming Silver Muse sailing in late July from Vancouver up to Alaska, we will get a chance to sample the current status of staff quality.  My sense/guess is that this is a "double-barreled" challenge as many other cruise lines are adding many new ships.  Overall, not just more ships but also larger ones with more sophisticated operations and demanding customers.  Plus, with the world-wide economic recovery from the 2008-2010 downslide, the labor market and competition has tighten.  Makes for more challenges in getting and keeping the best staff.  Not just cruises and in many other areas.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Wonderful scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 234,818 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Randyk47]

 Certainly Silversea now has a bigger and maybe more direct source of trained and experienced staff as a part of RCCL.   A few years ago we boarded the Wind in Barcelona and within about an hour we were greeted excitedly by one of bar managers.   Turned out she had been a bartender then bar manager on Holland America and remembered us from a few cruises we’d had with her.   Over the 14-day cruise with had the chance to chat and talked about why she left HAL after rising to the level of staff trainer.   Bottom line for her was higher pay, shorter contracts, and better working conditions. She said while Silversea did hire staff with little or no experience most of the service staff came from recruiting experienced staff from other cruise lines.   On that particular cruise she said there were six or seven staff recruited from HAL and mentioned three or four lines as sources.   As an aside the one thing we’ve noticed is the slow but steady growth in Eastern European staff members over our 25 years of cruising.   Not so much on HAL, more on Celebrity, and maybe a few more on Silversea.  

[Stumblefoot]

3 hours ago, Randyk47 said:

As an aside the one thing we’ve noticed is the slow but steady growth in Eastern European staff members over our 25 years of cruising.

I think that was the biggest surprise on our river cruise last summer as virtually the entire crew was European, primarily eastern European.  Our last SS voyage had the most EE's we've ever had.

[Randyk47]

1 hour ago, Stumblefoot said:

I think that was the biggest surprise on our river cruise last summer as virtually the entire crew was European, primarily eastern European.  Our last SS voyage had the most EE's we've ever had.

 

We were Kotor four years ago on the Spirit and after walking around town we stopped at one of the sidewalk cafes near the main entrance.  Our waitress was a local who spoke good English and she asked if we were off one of the cruise ships in the harbor.  She explained she had a appointment to interview with RCCL and she was interested in our view of what it might be to work and live on a ship.  Of course we explained we were passengers so really didn’t have that experience.   We talked about, as we understood it, the close quarters, long hours, etc., but she said she shared a one bedroom apartment with two other girls so close quarters were nothing new.   She also said she worked 50-60 hours a week and by our calculations was making about $300 a month.   The RCCL potential as she understood it was well above that.

 

Turns out we were back in Kotor the very next year and we went to the same sidewalk cafe.   We didn’t see the waitress so we asked our waiter if he knew her.   He said yes and that she had gone to work for RCCL.   Turns out he was one of the managers and said thanks to her he had lost three of his English speaking wait staff thanks to her.   

Edited April 22, 2019 by Randyk47

[TLCOhio]

6 minutes ago, Randyk47 said:

 

We were Kotor four years ago on the Spirit and after walking around town we stopped at one of the sidewalk cafes near the main entrance.  Our waitress was a local who spoke good English and she asked if we were off one of the cruise ships in the harbor.  She explained she had a appointment to interview with RCCL and she was interested in our view of what it might be to work and live on a ship.  Of course we explained we were passengers so really didn’t have that experience.   We talked about, as we understood it, the close quarters, long hours, etc., but she said she shared a one bedroom apartment with two other girls so close quarters were nothing new.   She also said she worked 50-60 hours a week and by our calculations was making about $300 a month.   The RCCL potential as she understood it was well above that.  Turns out we were back in Kotor the very next year and we went to the same sidewalk cafe.   We didn’t see the waitress so we asked our waiter if he knew her.   He said yes and that she had gone to work for RCCL.   Turns out he was one of the managers and said thanks to her he had lost three of his English speaking wait staff thanks to her.   

 

Appreciate from Randy this very interesting perspective and follow-up.  Yes, we live in a "world economy" where people can be mobile and seek what works best for them and their personal interests.  Clearly her skills with being English-speaking aided her situation and provided more future job options.  There are trade-offs for staff in working on ship.  But, there are also pluses and upside, too!  During our cruising, we enjoying talking with the staff, learning more about their background, cruise experiences, motivations, etc.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 245,577 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[Stumblefoot]

24 minutes ago, Randyk47 said:

Turns out we were back in Kotor the very next year and we went to the same sidewalk cafe.   We didn’t see the waitress so we asked our waiter if he knew her.   He said yes and that she had gone to work for RCCL.   Turns out he was one of the managers and said thanks to her he had lost three of his English speaking wait staff thanks to her.   

The interconnected global economy in action through the competition for labor.  BTW... love, love, love Kotor!

[Randyk47]

42 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

The interconnected global economy in action through the competition for labor.  BTW... love, love, love Kotor!

 

And yes Kotor is one of our favorite ports.    Three visits and we enjoy it every time.

[Observer]

3 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

I think that was the biggest surprise on our river cruise last summer as virtually the entire crew was European, primarily eastern European.  Our last SS voyage had the most EE's we've ever had.

 

I am fairly certain that EU regulations require that river boats operating within EU employee only EU passport holders.

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, Observer said:

 

I am fairly certain that EU regulations require that river boats operating within EU employee only EU passport holders.

Interesting.  I had no idea of that regulation.  Certainly explains why we witnessed what we did.

[philw1776]

21 hours ago, Observer said:

 

I am fairly certain that EU regulations require that river boats operating within EU employee only EU passport holders.

I've been on Uniworld & on Viking River.  Mostly EE but a good number of excellent English speaking Asians.  The Asians could well be EU passport holders.  Until last year at least, in Portugal all lines' river crew staff with a couple exceptions had to be Portuguese.  Captain, Cruise Director & Pastry Chef were not Portuguese.  In any case it was a great Portuguese crew on Uniworld.

[Balian65]

On 4/22/2019 at 8:19 PM, Observer said:

 

I am fairly certain that EU regulations require that river boats operating within EU employee only EU passport holders.

 

Not really correct. Anybody who has a valid residence and working permit for the country the ship is registered can work on such a ship. But the employer has to guarantee that minimum wages and agreed tariffs of the country affected must be paid to avoid any kind of wage dumping.

 

And then there are certain rivers like the Duoro in Portugal where only ships operated by local companies are allowed to cruise there. That means international river cruise companies like Uniworld or Viking have to engage a local service company and do not have much influence on the people.

[CruisinPashmina]

And what affect does that have on the service and atmosphere on both Viking and Uniworld?  And  which company would you choose? I have really enjoyed several cruises on Viking Longboats, but my companion had a bad experience on Viking so I need to look around.  

Anyone had experiences sailing on The  Douro ?  Would you recommend this itinerary? 

[philw1776]

Longtime Viking cruiser who sailed the Douro last year on Uniworld.  Our longtime tour companions are Uniworld only and they felt the local service was up to U standards.  Only thing as a Viking person I noticed was that lunch on U was more elaborate and delicious, too delicious.  And that liquor was included.  Dinners & breakfast, slight edge to Viking to my surprise.

I loved our Uniworld Douro cruise.  Both Viking & Uniworld hit the same stops except that Uniworld had an optional tour to Côa Valley Archaeological Park with a jeep tour to the valley where you climb down and see drawings etched in the rock from 30,000 years ago to a few centuries ago.  Unless Viking also offers that tour, I'd pick U just for that reason.  I did U because for some inexplicable reason U was very much cheaper than V for that week. Go figure.

[tsavorite]

And don't forget that Tauck has a new boat in the Douro from 2020. My experience is that Tauck is the nearest equivalent to SS on the rivers.