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First Time on Silversea - Long


hamasgirl
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Amawells,

We haven't been on Silver Spirit since Silversea stretched the ship.  I certainly hope what you report about being unable to stroll in and eat casually in the evening without a reservation isn't true.  If so, that is a radical departure from Silversea's stated policies.  We've always been able to dine without a reservation in a wide variety of venues on Silver Sea ships.

While we find 9 dining venues more than adequate for a ship that holds roughly 600 passengers, I certainly can appreciate your frustration knowing you prefer to eat very early (6:00p), dress casually, and attend shows during what is the height of dinner service for most passengers.  As it currently stands, Silversea is definitely not going to be a cruise line that is a best fit for you.  But, with that said, I do thank you for sharing your recent experience!

 

 

Edited by Stumblefoot
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6 hours ago, amawells said:

We just returned from a Silverseas sailing on Silver Spirit from Barcelona to Rome. It was our first time with Silversea.

I had mixed reviews as well sailing with them.

I liked our specious suite and the service was quite good. 

However, as the OP stated, the dining options are rather limited. I did not like the fact that dinner started late- 7pm at the earliest.  And, I also thought the dress code on non formal nights was too formal.

There was also no casual dining options in the evening except for room service.

The shows were also on late - at 10pm.

I would prefer the option to eat at 6 and go to a show at 8 or even 9.

Also, I got ill- food poisoning. I am pretty sure it was from an oyster in the lunch buffet. I was sick all night, and then quarentined all the next day. After I recovered I was fine the rest of the trip.

 

While I enjoyed luxury crusing, I don't think I would do Silversea again as I would prefer earlier dining options/earlier shows/less formal dining options.

7pm is not late, it’s only just after tea time. If you wish to eat early either cruise on a mass market line or stay at home.😎

Edited by Silver Spectre
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20 minutes ago, Silver Spectre said:

7pm is not late, it’s only just after tea time. If you wish to eat early either cruise on a mass market line or stay at home.😎

Other luxury lines have earlier times like 6:15 not just mass market lines.  Some people are not into tea times or the maybe coming back from a late arriving tour with no lunch.  A bit earlier would be better for the crew as well.  IMHO

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13 hours ago, les37b said:

 

LOL I actually think I saw this. Were you in La Terrazza on the inside but right next to the terrace glass smack back in the middle of the row?

 

Edit.... just now read you've said it was La Terrazza.... Think it was probably the first sea day after St Thomas....

 

Can't say I disagree. They seemed most surprised at your suggestion a luxury cruise line shouldnt be serving frozen waffles..... and them being told to remove them from your table.

 

Overall, how did you enjoy the cruise.... waffles aside?

 

 

.

It was okay nothing like the Whisper or the Muse ,first time that during trivia the re was no bar service or and crew available to move chairs around I think Colin did trivia because he had too it was NO fun

I think the crew just went through the motions and the food was just okay when everything is served on HOT  plates it makes you wonder

But this was my 3rd cruise on the Wind and I think it is the ship

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12 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

  As it currently stands, Silversea is definitely not going to be a cruise line that is a best fit for you.  But, with that said, I do thank you for sharing your recent experience!

 

 

 

+1

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52 minutes ago, etual324 said:

It was okay nothing like the Whisper or the Muse ,first time that during trivia the re was no bar service or and crew available to move chairs around I think Colin did trivia because he had too it was NO fun

I think the crew just went through the motions and the food was just okay when everything is served on HOT  plates it makes you wonder

But this was my 3rd cruise on the Wind and I think it is the ship

 

Yes I got the impression Colin was going through the motions as well.... when he was there! I'm trying to work out now which team you must have been on. I'm guessing (as I've now worked it out a bit better), that you were right next to the bar.... and had a doctor called Brian in your team? I wasn't really paying too much attention if I'm honest..

 

Now you mention the bar, I cant remember its ever been open during Triv apart from when Panarama has been used. I agree it definitely could be better managed.... and there is a definite knack to moving those chairs.

 

Overall we enjoyed it and wasn't too much to worry us about. I was amazed to be told they'd run out of Merlot after a few days! I hadn't realised I'd drunk so much! 

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13 hours ago, amawells said:

Really? 

With a med cruise and no days at sea, sometimes having the option to eat earlier or more casual is nice after a long day at port.

No snarky comments or admonishments needed. 

 

 

Simple, polite advice.

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13 hours ago, MalbecWine said:

Other luxury lines have earlier times like 6:15 not just mass market lines.  Some people are not into tea times or the maybe coming back from a late arriving tour with no lunch.  A bit earlier would be better for the crew as well.  IMHO

The anytime dining menu means just that, always available, at your pleasure. What I fail to understand is why some wish to change SS's unique Usp's. There is plenty of choice out there if SS doesn't suit.

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2 hours ago, les37b said:

Now you mention the bar, I cant remember its ever been open during Triv apart from when Panorama has been used.

Interesting.  Now mind you, we've only played trivia on the Muse, but both times the bar was open with waitstaff serving cocktails.  I just assumed that is how trivia was run across the line.

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54 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Interesting.  Now mind you, we've only played trivia on the Muse, but both times the bar was open with waitstaff serving cocktails.  I just assumed that is how trivia was run across the line.

 

The Shadow bar was open for those of us playing trivia. He knew our orders by the 3rd day.

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3 hours ago, les37b said:

 

Yes I got the impression Colin was going through the motions as well.... when he was there! 

 

Do we have any speculation on why Colin wasn’t up to his usual high standard?

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33 minutes ago, Unibok said:

 

Do we have any speculation on why Colin wasn’t up to his usual high standard?

 

I just had the impression it was a chore that he wasn't enjoying and there were other things he'd rather be doing. I may well be mistaken and doing him a disservice, but it was how it seemed to me personally. 

 

1 hour ago, Stumblefoot said:

Interesting.  Now mind you, we've only played trivia on the Muse, but both times the bar was open with waitstaff serving cocktails.  I just assumed that is how trivia was run across the line.

 

Looks like I've just been unlucky. I've never seen the bar manned during Triv when held in the bar on deck 5. There has always been soft drinks left, but the bar itself closed.

 

 

 

Edited by les37b
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2 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Interesting.  Now mind you, we've only played trivia on the Muse, but both times the bar was open with waitstaff serving cocktails.  I just assumed that is how trivia was run across the line.

Jimmy's trivia on the Muse was great fun. Drinks served throughout, apart from blended drinks as too noisy.

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We booked our first Silversea cruise on a whim, a great deal including business class airfares from Sydney, after our Ponant cruise was cancelled.

So I didn’t research them at all, saw an email on Friday, booked Saturday, fully paid the following week, so reading about the dress policy now, has me concerned. We are adventurous travellers who enjoy off the beaten path type travel, Silvercloud and the Arctic itinerary seemed a good match, but my hubby will not wear a jacket or tie (we had no issues on our Ponant Antarctica cruise and wrongly assumed Silverseas would be similar), so reading this 75 days out from our cruise is concerning...

How do you find out what days are formal nights? The least I can do is book another restaurant for those nights

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31 minutes ago, gogo65 said:

We booked our first Silversea cruise on a whim, a great deal including business class airfares from Sydney, after our Ponant cruise was cancelled.

So I didn’t research them at all, saw an email on Friday, booked Saturday, fully paid the following week, so reading about the dress policy now, has me concerned. We are adventurous travellers who enjoy off the beaten path type travel, Silvercloud and the Arctic itinerary seemed a good match, but my hubby will not wear a jacket or tie (we had no issues on our Ponant Antarctica cruise and wrongly assumed Silverseas would be similar), so reading this 75 days out from our cruise is concerning...

How do you find out what days are formal nights? The least I can do is book another restaurant for those nights

Contact the SS local office and they should be able to tell you. I’m not sure but it may also show on ‘MySilversea’

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2 hours ago, gogo65 said:

We booked our first Silversea cruise on a whim, a great deal including business class airfares from Sydney, after our Ponant cruise was cancelled.

So I didn’t research them at all, saw an email on Friday, booked Saturday, fully paid the following week, so reading about the dress policy now, has me concerned. We are adventurous travellers who enjoy off the beaten path type travel, Silvercloud and the Arctic itinerary seemed a good match, but my hubby will not wear a jacket or tie (we had no issues on our Ponant Antarctica cruise and wrongly assumed Silverseas would be similar), so reading this 75 days out from our cruise is concerning...

How do you find out what days are formal nights? The least I can do is book another restaurant for those nights

 

Hi gogo65, I'm pretty sure that expedition sailings do not have formal nights. That's just for the classic ships. Your dress code will be Informal at most.

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16 minutes ago, Unibok said:

 

Hi gogo65, I'm pretty sure that expedition sailings do not have formal nights. That's just for the classic ships. Your dress code will be Informal at most.

 

I agree that there will be no formal nights.  Most nights, if I understand correctly, will be casual, with the exceptional informal (jacket but no necktie).  I wearing a jacket on such informal nights as there are is a deal-breaker, one can always dine in the spacious Cloud suites, served by the butler.

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On expedition voyages

3 hours ago, gogo65 said:

...reading about the dress policy now, has me concerned. We are adventurous travellers who enjoy off the beaten path type travel, Silvercloud and the Arctic itinerary seemed a good match, but my hubby will not wear a jacket or tie (we had no issues on our Ponant Antarctica cruise and wrongly assumed Silverseas would be similar)...

 

I really think you can rest easy as casual resort wear is appropriate at all times when on board an expedition voyage, with the exception of two evenings when informal attire is required.  For mean this means a jacket, tie is optional.  On those informal nights you can dine at The Grill which is always casual, or as Observer suggests, in your suite.

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In four past Expedition cruises, even informal night was not really enforced. Expedition cruising is a totlly different animal. I suppose that could be a little different on Silver Cloud vs. Silver Explorer, but either way, wearing a jacket to dinner in the Arctic is certainly not too much trouble for me. It certainly won't feel too hot - I find the Arctic to be colder than Antarctica.

 

You might even be more comfortable in a jacket, depending on how cold it is. I will certainly bring one to Iceland (we cruise in about 85 days) and I will probably just wear it on the plane. It does not have to be a fancy suit jacket. A casual blazer is more than enough. Where is your cruise? Are you on the cruise before ours, ending in Reykjavik on August 5th? Or are you on our cruise around Iceland, August 5-14?

 

If you are adventurous travelers who enjoy off the beaten path destinations then SS Expeditions should be a nice fit. As above, we've done 4 and we are signed up for #s 5 and 6. Please don't let this dress code stuff bother you, as we have always found a casual atmosphere on board. It is really not a big inconvenience or imposition in the grand scheme of things, IME. I have never had a bad time because I "had to" wear a jacket on board. 

Edited by jpalbny
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On the Silver Cloud Expedition there is 'All Around Dining' - basically room service, but delivered to anywhere on the ship at any time of day when the dining venues are closed. I assume the other ships in the fleet are the same.

 

I think I was the first person in the history of Silversea to have meals delivered to Connoisseur's Corner (The Humidor). Typically: three Shrimp Martinis, two bowls of Beef Consume and two Clubhouse Sandwiches (sans egg & cheese). :classic_biggrin: 

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1 hour ago, Bill B said:

I think I was the first person in the history of Silversea to have meals delivered to Connoisseur's Corner (The Humidor). Typically: three Shrimp Martinis, two bowls of Beef Consume and two Clubhouse Sandwiches (sans egg & cheese). :classic_biggrin: 

 

Egg on a club sandwich??

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As an Aussie I hate formality and being strangulated by a necktie….one of the personal irritations of traditional SS cruising

For SS expedition cruising however, a light Jacket is a small packing imposition that I happily accept.

I lug it around the world for 6 weeks to wear it for the Captains and Venetian nights !
I may also choose to wear a jacket to LaDame and if and when invited to dine with a crew member.

It's my choice , a token of respect for the  dying traditions of "polite society" .

Nobody will be excommunicated for being jacket less.. in fact most will not even notice ..

 

btw gogo65 .. there are a number of the Arctic cruises with active roll calls   check them out..

 

Edited by tgh
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