Silver Shadow Refurbishment

[zigtraveller]

The refurbishment of the Shadow sounds as though it will be quite extensive.  I was pleased to see that it will be remaining the same size, not getting stretched.  Also a good sign that it will be remaining in the fleet for some time.

[Observer]

I am pleased there is a new thread on this topic.  But without any detail about the announcement, a reader may wonder what this is all about.  Thus, I paste in here below material from a Wes W post buried in another thread.  Wes W picked this up from the Seatrade publication.  Thanks to Wes..... 

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The 2000-built Silver Shadow is set for an extensive refurbishment in November that will create a new open-plan Atrium and enhance all suites, corridors and many public spaces, including a remodeling of La Dame restaurant, Connoisseur's Corner and the Casino.

The work is part of Silversea Cruises' comprehensive Project Invictus, and is inspired by the design of Silver Muse.

Suites

Suites and corridors will undergo a floor-to-ceiling renovation, inspired by the design and color palette of Silver Muse. Vista and Veranda suites get a full renovation of all fixed and loose furniture, new lighting, carpets and headboards. Bathrooms will be upgraded with new sinks and Silestone material.

Medallion, Silver, Grand and Royal suites will be upgraded with a new color scheme and materials, while bathrooms will undergo refurbishments. The Owner’s Suite will be entirely renovated, too, with a full refurbishment of the bathroom.

New Atrium & Arts Café

The Deck 5 space currently occupied by the Lobby, Boutique and Casino will be redesigned as a new Atrium. This social hub will feature an updated, interactive reception area, boutiques and, as its centerpiece, Arts Café, where coffees, pastries and sandwiches are available during the day, and cocktails during the evening.

La Dame

La Dame restaurant, serving French cuisine, will be refurbished and enlarged to accommodate 40 diners to ensure every traveler has the opportunity to experience the ship's finest dining spot.

Connoisseur's Corner

A rich and luxurious lounge offering fine cognacs and premium cigars, the Connoisseur's Corner will be moved to Deck 8 (in the space formerly occupied by the Library and Internet Café), where its complete reimagining will include the addition of an outdoor smoking area with comfortable seating.

The Casino will move to Deck 8, adjacent to the relocated Connoisseur's Corner. The new setting for its 11 slot machines and two gaming tables will be highlighted by updated décor.

Observation Library

Formerly the Observation Lounge, this quiet space on Deck 10 will be known as the Observation Library with a curated collection of books, new carpet and furniture.

The top-to-bottom renovation of Zagara Beauty Spa and the Fitness Center will encompass new steam and sauna rooms, fully refurbished treatment rooms, new furniture and flooring, and updated fitness equipment.

Also scheduled for comprehensive renovation are The Restaurant, La Terrazza, Panorama Lounge, The Bar, The Show Lounge and Card/Conference Rooms. Each will get upgraded décor, from new furniture to new upholstery, carpets and wall/window treatments.

The pool area will gain new outdoor furniture, refurbished teak flooring, a new canvas awning with inserted lighting and new outdoor heaters, while the jogging track will get new teak resin.

Resuming service Dec. 3

Following its refurbishment Silver Shadow will embark Dec. 3 on a Fort Lauderdale to San Juan cruise.

 

[wripro]

I'm looking forward to this refurbishment. You get all the nice decorative features of the Muse and still have a main restaurant with open seating and none of that nonsense of having to decide where you want to eat six months in advance.

[Stumblefoot]

2 hours ago, wripro said:

You get all the nice decorative features of the Muse and still have a main restaurant with open seating and none of that nonsense of having to decide where you want to eat six months in advance.

Wripro, I’m pretty sure you’re aware, but just in case you’re not, you can’t make any reservations 6-months advance on SS.  And, the Muse has 3 three restaurants that you don’t have to make reservations for at all.  While I like the Shadow, the Muse offers many more open seating and varied dining choices.

[zigtraveller]

Observer, thanks for posting the detail, I wasn't able to post the email from SS into the post for some reason.  I assumed all would have received the details already from SS.

[les37b]

41 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Wripro, I’m pretty sure you’re aware, but just in case you’re not, you can’t make any reservations 6-months advance on SS.  And, the Muse has 3 three restaurants that you don’t have to make reservations for at all.  While I like the Shadow, the Muse offers many more open seating and varied dining choices.

 

I'm pretty sure too. There is a fixation about having to book "6 months in advance". Even for restaurants that have bookings required - just because reservations are open, doesn't mean you have to. 

[wripro]

22 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Wripro, I’m pretty sure you’re aware, but just in case you’re not, you can’t make any reservations 6-months advance on SS.  And, the Muse has 3 three restaurants that you don’t have to make reservations for at all.  While I like the Shadow, the Muse offers many more open seating and varied dining choices.

With the same menus night after night. It simply is not the same thing as having an opens seating restaurant with varied options nightly. jmo.

[MBP&O2/O]

We booked a Shadow cruise some time ago .... then they started cancelling the cruises to facilitate the dry-docking. We are now on the last one before the DD so we are hoping that these plans do not impact on our cruise.

I am sure I read somewhere about an SS ship that was due to dry-dock and on the cruise immediately before it they planted a container on deck and started on the cosmetic works putting some areas out of bounds and upsetting several people. 

Fingers crossed.

[les37b]

6 minutes ago, MBP&O2/O said:

We booked a Shadow cruise some time ago .... then they started cancelling the cruises to facilitate the dry-docking. We are now on the last one before the DD so we are hoping that these plans do not impact on our cruise.

I am sure I read somewhere about an SS ship that was due to dry-dock and on the cruise immediately before it they planted a container on deck and started on the cosmetic works putting some areas out of bounds and upsetting several people. 

Fingers crossed.

 

Prior to the Spirit stretch DD, work started during the final cruise which is just not acceptable. (I think that is probably what you may be referring to?)

 

I just hope the Wind cruise we've booked just prior to the expedition conversion isn't similarly wrecked. It's something I'll be asking and seeking reassurances for. I don't think its unreasonable to expect a cruise not to deteriorate and have areas closed because they want to make it into a building site. That's not my idea of a luxury cruise.

Edited May 16, 2019 by les37b

[Stumblefoot]

43 minutes ago, MBP&O2/O said:

I am sure I read somewhere about an SS ship that was due to dry-dock and on the cruise immediately before it they planted a container on deck and started on the cosmetic works putting some areas out of bounds...

 

Yes, you are correct.  It's why we choose to avoid voyages close to dry dock, whether before or after.  We'll cross our fingers for you too.

 

39 minutes ago, les37b said:

I don't think its unreasonable to expect a cruise not to deteriorate and have areas closed because they want to make it into a building site. That's not my idea of a luxury cruise.

 

Totally agree.

[Observer]

3 hours ago, wripro said:

With the same menus night after night. It simply is not the same thing as having an opens seating restaurant with varied options nightly. jmo.

 

I also like the MDR/Restaurant arrangement on Whisper, Shadow, and older ships.

 

However, I do not believe it is entirely accurate to speak of "the same menus" on Muse/Spirit.  

 

On longer (7+?) day cruises on Muse/Spirit, the Indochine menu will change radically once, the La Terrazza menu will also change (I know because I miss Osso Bucco some nights when I dine there and the alternate menu is served), and there will be tweaks to the Atlantide menu. 

 

Of course, the Grill menu doesn't change on any of the ships.

[CruisinPashmina]

I had a cruise cancelled because of the Dry Dock and had to scramble to book another one...on The Whisper...I think it’s extremely unfair of SS to book folks on a cruise I am convinced they know they will cancel.

Does anyone know exactly when the Shadow will go into drydock? I’m almost beyond being ticked off...and now I’m mostly curious.

[les37b]

9 minutes ago, CruisinPashmina said:

I had a cruise cancelled because of the Dry Dock and had to scramble to book another one...on The Whisper...I think it’s extremely unfair of SS to book folks on a cruise I am convinced they know they will cancel.

Does anyone know exactly when the Shadow will go into drydock? I’m almost beyond being ticked off...and now I’m mostly curious.

 

I'd suggest they do know....... but leave it in just in case. Its easier to cancel and keep all the interest money earned, than try to fill a ship with a late slot added to the program. I might be cynical, but there is zero chance the Spirit Stretch and the section building was last minute.

 

Fingers crossed for you.

[MBP&O2/O]

I would be surprised if they weren’t already pencilling in dates for the next one! I suppose it will be fitted in when mandatory surveys are due etc.  Les I agree with your comments but I have an ‘ology’ in cynicism 😀

[drron29]

It is amazing what people think Silversea is doing.A gentleman on today's excursion told me that when the Wind goes into dry dock it is going to be cut in half and made larger.He would not believe it is to be Cloudified.

[TV Dad]

On 5/15/2019 at 9:36 AM, Observer said:

I am pleased there is a new thread on this topic.  But without any detail about the announcement, a reader may wonder what this is all about.  Thus, I paste in here below material from a Wes W post buried in another thread.  Wes W picked this up from the Seatrade publication.  Thanks to Wes..... 

***************

 

Thanks to both you and Wes. I had concerns about booking my first Silversea Cruise on Shadow until I read this. I’m booked now. 

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by TV Dad
Mistakes

[QueSeraSera]

Thanks to this thread, I now know we are booked on the first cruise by the Shadow after refurbishment.  After our first cruise on the Muse to Alaska this September, this will be our 2nd cruise experience, and this Caribbean visit is actually the first cruise we booked.  I'm wondering if I should be suspicious of our SS travel consultant who picked this particular sailing for us way back in February of this year...  Still, we look forward to both trips!

[Observer]

3 minutes ago, QueSeraSera said:

Thanks to this thread, I now know we are booked on the first cruise by the Shadow after refurbishment.  After our first cruise on the Muse to Alaska this September, this will be our 2nd cruise experience, and this Caribbean visit is actually the first cruise we booked.  I'm wondering if I should be suspicious of our SS travel consultant who picked this particular sailing for us way back in February of this year...  Still, we look forward to both trips!

 

And well you might look forward to sailing on a "band new" Shadow.  It should be an exciting trip.  Inevitably, there will be some loose ends, and you should be prepared for them.  Newborn infants are also challenging.  I doubt your consultant knew of this as far back as February.  In fact, I have found on a couple of occasions over the years that I informed my (excellent!) Silversea consultant of this or that (generally, I think, discovered on this board.)

[MBP&O2/O]

Ten weeks tomorrow and we are off on the Shadow ... we haven’t heard anything from SS and was it not for this thread we would’t have known about the DD.

We booked it for the itinerary so we’ll be somewhat miffed if it goes belly up 🤫

[zqtchas]

On 5/16/2019 at 4:01 PM, MBP&O2/O said:

We booked a Shadow cruise some time ago .... then they started cancelling the cruises to facilitate the dry-docking. We are now on the last one before the DD so we are hoping that these plans do not impact on our cruise.

I am sure I read somewhere about an SS ship that was due to dry-dock and on the cruise immediately before it they planted a container on deck and started on the cosmetic works putting some areas out of bounds and upsetting several people. 

Fingers crossed.

Good luck! When we were on the last leg of the Whisper before drydock in the Bahamas (which we ended up on because they canceled the the next leg) the supplies were running low and workers were doing some night time prepping. Things were stored in empty cabins and sometimes covered over on deck.

[CruisinPashmina]

I wonder if other cruise lines handle the dry docking procedures this way? And do they have major renovations going on with passengers on board?  Anyone know what other luxury lines do either pre Dry Dock?   And see below:

 

5 or 6 years ago we were subjected to the crashing, banging, building of the (useless) boutiques. Work would start early in the morning and go on until midnight. Our cabin was the closest to the chaos so got the full brunt of the noice and dust.. We were sailing on a b2b and our daughter’s joined us on the second segment fortunately in a cabin more removed. I remember feeling incredulous and furious that SS would do a major remodel while passengers were paying full fair and expecting a special, relaxing, possibly romantic cruise.

 

I may gather some opinions and answers for myself in September/ October on The Shadow...Venice to Rome. It’s a big discussion and I hope lots of folks will weigh in with their experiences and expectations. As much as I love SS, and as loyal as I am, I do believe that this in an area which needs major improvement.

 

 

[Observer]

9 minutes ago, CruisinPashmina said:

I wonder if other cruise lines handle the dry docking procedures this way? And do they have major renovations going on with passengers on board?  Anyone know what other luxury lines do either pre Dry Dock?   And see below:

 

5 or 6 years ago we were subjected to the crashing, banging, building of the (useless) boutiques. Work would start early in the morning and go on until midnight. Our cabin was the closest to the chaos so got the full brunt of the noice and dust.. We were sailing on a b2b and our daughter’s joined us on the second segment fortunately in a cabin more removed. I remember feeling incredulous and furious that SS would do a major remodel while passengers were paying full fair and expecting a special, relaxing, possibly romantic cruise.

 

I may gather some opinions and answers for myself in September/ October on The Shadow...Venice to Rome. It’s a big discussion and I hope lots of folks will weigh in with their experiences and expectations. As much as I love SS, and as loyal as I am, I do believe that this in an area which needs major improvement.

 

 

 

I hope your Venice-Rome voyage is uneventful.

 

I well recall the disruption caused by the major renovation of the boutiques while ships were underway.  This was not related to a dry dock but, rather, was prompted (as I recall) by Silversea's entering into a contract with a new concessionaire who required modification of the boutiques.  It was far from Silversea's finest hour.

 

Dry docks occur only every several years, but improvement is an ongoing enterprise for lines like Silversea, and some occurs while ships are under way.  I recall sailing Whisper a couple of years ago just before it was to embark on world cruise.  Carpeting in a number of public areas and stairways was replaced by workmen who labored silently in the dead of night.  There were a number of rolls of (well-wrapped!) carpet on the deck nine stern area, but they did not impede jogging.   Desk countertops in suites were also replaced during a cruise. This required ~ 30 minutes of work in the suite during the daytime -- all arranged well in advance.  They were also on that cruise preparing to replace all of the furniture in the observation lounge and perhaps other venues.  The  evening before arrival in Port Everglades some of the furniture was moved to open deck for prompt removal/replacement on turnaround day.  So the work was evident but not disruptive.

 

I certainly hope (and expect!) that you will not encounter anything on Shadow resembling the boutique remodel!

[les37b]

In a recent conversation I had with SS (related question but the Wind,  not the Shadow), I was told having the muscle of RCI behind SS now, disruption during sailing will be minimal and they have the ability and finance to flood the workforce numbers to get work completed in dry dock without needing to cause passenger disruption.

 

I'm a little sceptical but have no doubts on the sincerity of that info.

 

[commodoredave]

Les, I hope you are right.

In 2009 DW and I were on the Veendam the cruise prior to its refurbishment. While not a luxury line, HAL had the full financial heft of Carnival behind it, yet still starting dismantling parts of the ship (including the pool bar) and storing pieces of furniture in public areas 3 days before the end of the cruise. The explanation we were given is that dry dock is very expensive, and no cruise line wants its ship incurring those types of costs doing basic things that can be done a few days in advance. 

In any event, we are on the Shadow's 2nd post-dry dock sailing (departing San Juan) and hope everything will be ship-shape by then. It likely will be because Messrs. Conroy and Shanks will be on board hosting the cruise!

 

Edited August 15, 2019 by commodoredave

[Observer]

I understand that hurricane Dorian  has affected dry dock facilities in the Bahamas.  Does anyone have information about the date of the proposed Shadow drydock and the planned location?   Is it possible that the hurricane will have this indirect effect on Silversea (as it has on so many people in the area)?