Silversea Vibe

[Fletcher]

2 hours ago, JsJourneys said:

Thanks, Fletcher.  Oh dear on the snootiest.  Ugh. Glad the smoking sounds better. Food sounds OK.  Do you think La Dame is extra posh, extra dressy and a good experience or not really something to bother with?  Good info on the decks.  We’re looking at Greek Islands in October.  Hopefully a bit past the busy season??

 

I wouldn't know about La Dame restaurant as I refuse to pay up and the menu always looked a bit ambitious.  Seabourn's fine dining venue, Thomas Keller, is included in the basic cruise price and after two visits I can say it's total rubbish.  Regent's top eaterie, Prime Cut, was excellent on our one visit.

 

October would be a little quieter than September in places like Santorini, maybe .  to take a date at random, 10 October 2019, four monster ships in port -

 

https://www.cruisetimetables.com/visitingsantorinigreece-10oct2019.html 

Edited August 29, 2019 by Fletcher

[SLSD]

6 hours ago, JsJourneys said:

I’ll check it out.  Thanks, SLSD!  So is there a butler, a butler assistant and a cabin steward???

Concerning Seabourn--no butlers--just a stewardess.  It works very well.  Personally, I found the butler on Silversea to be a bit intrusive and not that helpful.  I know that some people love having them.  BUT--if you are looking for something less formal and stuffy, Seabourn might be perfect for you.  It's perfect for us.  

[twoboys]

We were on Seabourn a few years ago Athens-Venice. It was lovely and we met a nice couple we are still friendly with. But over all, we didn't think the vibe was that friendly or dpwn to earth. The service was impeccable and the food fantastic! Then we did Windstar through Sicily. The people were fantastic and we made plans with several for tours and excursions and dinners on the ship and stayed in touch through social media. It was casual and they do your laundry which made packing so easy. Ships crew were amazing, the food was delicious.  We will be on the Whisper next week and all these posts about tuxedos and gowns are freaking me out a bit . But despite what folks wear, I hope they are friendly

and chill.  If I were goign to cruise through the Greek Isles I might look at a Windstar sailing ship. But its WAY more relaxed, so might be too far over in the other direction for the OP

[philw1776]

Was not a fan of butlers as our 1st Silversea cruise (Istanbul, Greek Isles & Turkey) he was annoying ALWAYS knocking at the door interrupting us as we were cleaning up dressing for dinner.  This last cruise, our butler was far more unobtrusive, so I'd chalk this up to poor training for our 1st butler.  The latest butler took our luggage out from under the bed and cleaned it to make ready for our packing night.  Much appreciated.  Our room steward was excellent as well.

Since I don't pay the $60 per person for the specialized dining I did not run afoul of any tux fashion police.  I wonder if our Silver Muse Alaska cruise this month was an anomaly?  More % Americans and especially more families (strollers on up) than the standard Silversea cruise.  In any case, it was superb. Fellow passengers were a pleasure to cruise with.

[markham]

As we are including the dress code - or lack of one - on Silversea ships, I might as well fold in the question of why some passengers ignore it for whatever reason.

 

We are on the Cloud, an expedition ship. I get that it is not a “classic” ship. But with the elegance of the MDR and its superb food that is so distinctive, especially that of my favorite, Italian, I cannot get used to passengers appearing in tee shirts and blue jeans for dinner. This is a very expensive product and the seasoned managers on the restaurant side conduct the service delivery like an orchestra. But you could be in a school cafeteria. Different strokes? Obviously.

 

Oh, and you almost never see the senior officers about- as I am used to seeing on Seabourn. Very low key, and so I wonder how senior officers know how things run, how they train staff, and how they can anticipate and prevent problems with service delivery in general.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[Colgal]

I think you will be comfortable on either Silversea or Seabourn. They are both wonderful lines with personalized service and good food.

 

We have sailed with both -5 on Seabourn and are taking our fifth cruise with Silversea (and our second this year) in November. We found the crew on Silversea to be more polished and the food more varied. We did enjoy La Dame on three different evenings and did not have a problem with the upcharge as the experience was really lovely. 

 

There are more jackets in all the dining venues but I would not be concerned by excessive formality. The only evening we saw tuxedos was formal night but a majority of the passengers wore suits or sport coats and ties and the women wore everything from slacks to cocktail dresses- no one was in a ballgown.

 

As to the Butler- we found him to be so helpful-not obtrusive. He served our room service breakfast several mornings, our evening canapés and a room service dinner. He arranged for a mattress topper and even shined my husband’s dress shoes (without being asked). He arranged dinner reservations, helped with the free wifi, cleaned our suitcases before departure, and was delightful to be around.

 

You can’t go wrong with either line and perhaps you should try both to determine which is best for you. Have a great cruise!

[Gourmet Gal]

Well said Colgal.

[ketjupiter]

2 hours ago, markham said:

As we are including the dress code - or lack of one - on Silversea ships, I might as well fold in the question of why some passengers ignore it for whatever reason.

 

We are on the Cloud, an expedition ship. I get that it is not a “classic” ship. But with the elegance of the MDR and its superb food that is so distinctive, especially that of my favorite, Italian, I cannot get used to passengers appearing in tee shirts and blue jeans for dinner. This is a very expensive product and the seasoned managers on the restaurant side conduct the service delivery like an orchestra. But you could be in a school cafeteria. Different strokes? Obviously.

 

Oh, and you almost never see the senior officers about- as I am used to seeing on Seabourn. Very low key, and so I wonder how senior officers know how things run, how they train staff, and how they can anticipate and prevent problems with service delivery in general.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

I agree with Markham... I recently sailed on the Cloud from Amsterdam to Dublin.. We had a great time, but myself and travel companions were horrified as to how people dressed for dinner....jeans, t shirts, polos, hiking boots to dinner at LaTerraza.. I was happy to see that they turned someone away from LaDame, as they were wearing jeans, hiking boots and a ball cap....I find it interesting that SilverSea doesn't enforce at least a minimal dresscode, especially for dinner.  I do recognize that the Cloud is an expedition boat, but my group wore sports jackets to dinner....I am booked on the Moon next year and am looking forward to a little bit more refined experience.

[ketjupiter]

2 hours ago, markham said:

As we are including the dress code - or lack of one - on Silversea ships, I might as well fold in the question of why some passengers ignore it for whatever reason.

 

We are on the Cloud, an expedition ship. I get that it is not a “classic” ship. But with the elegance of the MDR and its superb food that is so distinctive, especially that of my favorite, Italian, I cannot get used to passengers appearing in tee shirts and blue jeans for dinner. This is a very expensive product and the seasoned managers on the restaurant side conduct the service delivery like an orchestra. But you could be in a school cafeteria. Different strokes? Obviously.

 

Oh, and you almost never see the senior officers about- as I am used to seeing on Seabourn. Very low key, and so I wonder how senior officers know how things run, how they train staff, and how they can anticipate and prevent problems with service delivery in general.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

I agree with Markham... I recently sailed on the Cloud from Amsterdam to Dublin.. We had a great time, but myself and travel companions were horrified as to how people dressed for dinner....jeans, t shirts, polos, hiking boots to dinner at LaTerraza.. I was happy to see that they turned someone away from LaDame, as they were wearing jeans, hiking boots and a ball cap....I find it interesting that SilverSea doesn't enforce at least a minimal dresscode, especially for dinner.  I do recognize that the Cloud is an expedition boat, but my group wore sports jackets to dinner....I am booked on the Moon next year and am looking forward to a little bit more refined experience.

[philw1776]

7 hours ago, ketjupiter said:

I agree with Markham... I recently sailed on the Cloud from Amsterdam to Dublin.. We had a great time, but myself and travel companions were horrified as to how people dressed for dinner...jeans, t shirts, polos, hiking boots to dinner at LaTerraza.. I was happy to see that they turned someone away from LaDame, as .they were wearing jeans, hiking boots and a ball cap....I find it interesting that SilverSea doesn't enforce at least a minimal dresscode, especially for dinner.  I do recognize that the Cloud is an expedition boat, but my group wore sports jackets to dinner....I am booked on the Moon next year and am looking forward to a little bit more refined experience.

Gotta admit I'm shocked.
i always accused Viking about being "homeless chic" but at its worst this was not allowed on Viking Ocean (World Cafe is informal, no problem, but not dining elsewhere) . My experience on both lines is that folks with jeans, T shirts or (no sports coat Silversea) being politely asked to go back & change.  OK, a couple exceptions on Viking but the rarity.  I attribute that to folks whose luggage was lost.

 

[ketjupiter]

interestingly....my luggage somehow got lost in my Boston connection for 3 days, and with a miracle, showed up at the boat 5 minutes before departure.. they had to re-open the door to the boat and re-extend the gangway...  that being said, and not knowing if our luggage would arrive, we had to buy all clothes/footware/etc that we would need for 10 days at sea, and knowing that I was going on Silversea I needed to buy appropriate clothing for dinner, which would in include proper footwear and jackets.   Personally, I would not have event attempted to dine in any of the venues without proper clothing and would have dined in my room until I was able to purchase the proper attire, even at the next port.  

[markham]

Just to be clear, the “slippage” now on Cloud is related to its role as an expedition ship. It is incongruous to me that the MDR with its professional ie competent and comprehensive flow of service with its authentic, top quality and generous choice menu is delivered to passengers who are so informally dressed. They did not lose their luggage; they are in their zone - as they might be at home. Few sport jackets, of course no ties, too many on jeans and sports shoes, following drinks at Dolce Vita in their tee shirts. That said, it could be worse. The overall experience and calm are a credit to its mature and affable maitre d’hotel, Gilbert. So nothing to do with us...

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

 

[Gourmet Gal]

20 minutes ago, markham said:

Just to be clear, the “slippage” now on Cloud is related to its role as an expedition ship. It is incongruous to me that the MDR with its professional ie competent and comprehensive flow of service with its authentic, top quality and generous choice menu is delivered to passengers who are so informally dressed. They did not lose their luggage; they are in their zone - as they might be at home. Few sport jackets, of course no ties, too many on jeans and sports shoes, following drinks at Dolce Vita in their tee shirts. That said, it could be worse. The overall experience and calm are a credit to its mature and affable maitre d’hotel, Gilbert. So nothing to do with us...

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

 

But isn’t The Cloud dress code more relaxed anyway?  You know, when you stay at an FS, Aman, RC resort (not city properties) the vibe is the same....elegant, delicious dining but one can dress fairly casually...to me, that is true luxury.  If one has to pack for hiking and more adventure it is understandable to not want to pack dressy clothes.

[markham]

Different strokes.

 

Yes, code is casual. Fine. But the ship delivers a 5 star service. FS, Aman? That matters not at all to me here. You have Gilbert orchestrating a sophisticated restaurant service and smart butlers in corridors wearing tails. The substance is not lost on me: these people are proud to serve. It’s a matter of respect, something my parents taught me. My take is that tee shirts and blue jeans are out of place. Anyone can pack some collared shirts and trousers. And a sports jacket. There are no children here but if there were maybe they would be given a pass... As for these adults? That up to them, obviously.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[Gourmet Gal]

Yes, different strokes.  And yes, respectful is good but I don’t feel like I need to impress the wait staff.  I’m the one paying, after all.  The Cloud is an expedition ship with a more relaxed dress code and how I wish that applied to the entire SS fleet.   Dressing appropriately is always fashionable but the formal attire is the one aspect of SS that gives it a somewhat dated and old-fashioned vibe.

[bobolz]

We enjoyed our cruise on Silverseas and have another one planned for next year. I didn’t find the clientele “snooty”, but clearly they enjoy the more formal atmosphere vs country club attire that seems to be the preferred  dress code on other upscale lines. 

 

We we are seasoned travelers and were Oceania regulars. We also are not big fans of formal nights or butler service, but we managed. 

 

 For the formal nights , my mom wore  sequined-typed jacket and flowy  pants, I wore a long black dress that was a polyester blend that could easily be rolled up without wrinkling , my husband wore a suit,  my dad just brought a sports coat  and tie with nice trousers . It all worked. Most women wore cocktail dresses, some more formal than others; men mostly wore suits or jackets w ties, don’t recall too many tuxes. Other than casual nights, most men had a sports jacket and women wore dresses or nice pant suits/outfits. No one was as sloppy as our Viking cruise , where some people wore sneakers and cargo type pants or jeans, that was too sloppy for me. I don’t mind dressing up a little nicer than I would at home while on a cruise, but some nights would have preferred a more casual option , but the hot rocks (the pool deck outdoor venue) was your only casual option, but the menu was limited. I did miss not having a buffet at dinner, but it all worked out. 

 

We we have been on Oceania, 1 Silverseas and 1 Viking cruise and I enjoyed them all for different reasons. I would travel again with all of them depending on the itinerary, which is usually the determining factor as well as price. I don’t see me ever traveling Seabourn or Regent , I’m not interested in included excursions , we prefer to do private or smaller group tours and I do not perceive “value for my money” at their  price points. 

 

In in regards to smoking, there was smoking allowed on a section of the pool deck that was near the outdoor bar, so I tried to stay clear of that when eating at Hot rocks . I don’t recall smoking being a real problem in other outdoor areas.

 

 Good luck with your decision, I’m sure you will be satisfied with Silverseas or any of these smaller upscale cruise lines.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2019 by bobolz

[wripro]

As Maggie Smith said to Hugh Bonneville on Downton Abbey the first time she saw him wear a tuxedo  instead of white tie and tails to dinner...."I thought you were a waiter!" Same thing holds true now, the staff can wear tails and tuxedoes  but those being served are far more casually dressed no matter where you go. It's a sign of the times just as it was back in 1912!

[les37b]

3 hours ago, wripro said:

As Maggie Smith said to Hugh Bonneville on Downton Abbey the first time she saw him wear a tuxedo  instead of white tie and tails to dinner...."I thought you were a waiter!" Same thing holds true now, the staff can wear tails and tuxedoes  but those being served are far more casually dressed no matter where you go. It's a sign of the times just as it was back in 1912!

 

Did they have Hawaiian Shirts in 1912? 

[wripro]

21 hours ago, les37b said:

 

Did they have Hawaiian Shirts in 1912? 

Point?

[dawntrdr]

I have been following this topic regarding dress code issues and behaviors with interest and respect for experienced Silversea cruisers.  As I've told my children, just like showing up on time, proper attire shows respect for your host and your fellow guests, and when in doubt, it's always better to be overdressed than underdressed.

 

That said, I've been on the other side of this issue too, and I would be very interested in reading how you would handle this situation.  It was the last night of a 15 day cruise on the Shadow this year, and my husband had already packed his jacket and tie.  We thought the butler would be busy enough, so we went to the MDR to enjoy our final evening meal on board and possibly say goodbye to some of our new acquaintances.  DH was wearing his favorite travel togs:  a crisp longsleeve button-down shirt and dark grey (not blue) jeans with leather boat shoes (I was wearing a navy blue suit).  I thought they might cut us some slack on the last night, but the Maitre'D instantly directed us to a table in the corner next to the kitchen door, completely surrounded on all sides by crew in their white day uniform shirts (not jackets).  Yes, we were being "table-shamed;"  no correctly attired passenger would have to pass or even see us.   In that situation, what would you do?:

 

1.  Take the hint, politely leave and order room service;

2.  Shrug, accept that rules are rules, enjoy the meal and leave as soon as politely able; or 

3.  Ask the Maitre'D if we could be moved to a table among the regular passengers.

 

We chose #2, but that's not the end of the story.    It seems that after we left, a group of other passengers arrived wearing bathrobes, and were seated in the main room, where they remained so dressed through the entire meal.  I think the Maitre'D would have been happy to overlook our attire had we walked in then!  Here is the thread; the MDR event is on page 3.

 

 

DH and I look forward to your comments.

 

 

 

[les37b]

Dawntrdr are you absolutely sure that’s what he actually did? Were you asking to seat on a larger table and declined or did he just think you wanted a table for two?

 

Last night is casual, so seems crazy if he did that.

 

That said, I’d have thought he may have redirected the bathrobe guests to the spa..... even at breakfast, that’s not good IIMHO.... and I’m surprised that even happened. Shorts are not allowed after 6 inside... so semi naked is a bit much! lol

[bigmjh]

The last night is always casual dress and apparently you were both dressed appropriately. Cannot understand why any MD would "table-shame" you under those circumstances.

[SLSD]

On 8/31/2019 at 8:37 AM, bobolz said:

I don’t see me ever traveling Seabourn or Regent , I’m not interested in included excursions , we prefer to do private or smaller group tours and I do not perceive “value for my money” at their  price points. 

 

 

 

 

 

I am interested to know---why do you not see yourself on a Seabourn cruise?  I've been on both Silversea and Seabourn and love Seabourn.  Are the price points for Seabourn really higher than Silversea?

 

[Lois R]

I am taking my first cruise on Seabourn next year.....what included excursions is the poster referring to? They offer choices, but they are not included and they are not included on SS either. You pay extra for excursions (looks like on both lines) so you can book private tours no matter which line you are sailing.

 

I sail solo and from what I have read, many of the folks on the Seabourn forum have given me very positive feedback

 

And I would never wear a bathrobe to dinner.....no matter what line I am sailing

 

Dawn, you are asking for opinions? I would have asked to be moved...if he had problem with the request? Too bad.....I hate sitting by the galley doors and sitting by a service station is not my first choice either.

 

 

[Gourmet Gal]

2 hours ago, dawntrdr said:

I have been following this topic regarding dress code issues and behaviors with interest and respect for experienced Silversea cruisers.  As I've told my children, just like showing up on time, proper attire shows respect for your host and your fellow guests, and when in doubt, it's always better to be overdressed than underdressed.

 

That said, I've been on the other side of this issue too, and I would be very interested in reading how you would handle this situation.  It was the last night of a 15 day cruise on the Shadow this year, and my husband had already packed his jacket and tie.  We thought the butler would be busy enough, so we went to the MDR to enjoy our final evening meal on board and possibly say goodbye to some of our new acquaintances.  DH was wearing his favorite travel togs:  a crisp longsleeve button-down shirt and dark grey (not blue) jeans with leather boat shoes (I was wearing a navy blue suit).  I thought they might cut us some slack on the last night, but the Maitre'D instantly directed us to a table in the corner next to the kitchen door, completely surrounded on all sides by crew in their white day uniform shirts (not jackets).  Yes, we were being "table-shamed;"  no correctly attired passenger would have to pass or even see us.   In that situation, what would you do?:

 

1.  Take the hint, politely leave and order room service;

2.  Shrug, accept that rules are rules, enjoy the meal and leave as soon as politely able; or 

3.  Ask the Maitre'D if we could be moved to a table among the regular passengers.

 

We chose #2, but that's not the end of the story.    It seems that after we left, a group of other passengers arrived wearing bathrobes, and were seated in the main room, where they remained so dressed through the entire meal.  I think the Maitre'D would have been happy to overlook our attire had we walked in then!  Here is the thread; the MDR event is on page 3.

 

 

DH and I look forward to your comments.

 

 

 

Just wondering, what gave you the impression that you were being table shamed?  Did you feel you could not ask for another table? Was there a major eye-roll when you arrived?  In the daily bulletin what was the designated attire for the evening?   Perhaps you weren’t under-dressed at all.  There are bad tables in every restaurant and someone  has to sit there on a busy night.  Quite often a maitre d’ will try to seat people there but will also honor a request to be moved.  But, if you were table shamed that is just wrong.