Silver Spirit 27 September

[MBP&O2/O]

We are on board at the moment so if anyone has any questions I’ll try and answer them but the wifi is terrible (measured at zero point three mbs this morning) so it may be a while. Semaphore would be quicker!

Mixed impressions so far. 
The buffet in La T is under strict control and you feel guilty browsing. 
Depending on who you ask there are between 150 and 200 pax on board.

We have noticed several suites are sealed and have ‘sanitised’ labels on the door so why they need a late check in to prepare suites is anybodies guess as many will be already ready?

 

 

[WesW]

Thanks for the Spirit update MBP &02/0.

 

Can you please share who the Captain, HD, CD, Restaurant Mgr and Head Sommelier are--thanks in advance

[ronrick1943]

Thank you so much for the update.  We’ll be on the spirit later first cruise on Silversea, would be happy just hearing about your personal experience you are having on the ship in general, food and service.  Thanks form taking the time.

[CJANDH]

5 hours ago, WesW said:

Thanks for the Spirit update MBP &02/0.

 

Can you please share who the Captain, HD, CD, Restaurant Mgr and Head Sommelier are--thanks in advance

We are sailing on Spirit for the Christmas/New Year Caribbean cruise. I too would be interested in who is the Cruise Director. Thanks.

[Lois R]

Thanks for the update from me too🙂 No need to feel guilty about looking at the buffet!  I will be browsing in there next week and there will be no guilt involved. I always browse before I choose something in there.😀

 

Hope you have a wonderful cruise🙂

[jpalbny]

7+ weeks until we board in Barcelona!

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, jpalbny said:

7+ weeks until we board in Barcelona!

Let us know how guilty you feel browsing the breakfast buffet once on board.  

[jpalbny]

25 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Let us know how guilty you feel browsing the breakfast buffet once on board.  

 

Not likely; we hardly every eat breakfast in a dining room of any kind. Coffee and a pastry in the Panorama is our usual MO.

 

Then we'll have a big lunch in LT, mind you... And I'll browse like a boss.

Edited September 28, 2021 by jpalbny

[FLRI]

Can you elaborate on “mixed impressions so far” besides the buffet???

 

[Zouave]

Describe the mask wearing policy and its enforcement on board please.

 

greg

[MBP&O2/O]

Mixed impressions: 

Mask wearing is semi enforced. I have not seen anybody stop checked, nor have I seen anyone picked up for not using the hand sanitizer.

The IT system seems to be a bit iffy … it has dropped all my restaurant reservations to they needed rebooking? Key cards are frequently failing. Not impressed with passport numbers being on the cards. Lose the card and then what?

Staff are fine although some seem to be reciting the courtesies almost parrot fashion.

 

Internet is a shambles. I use an ipad and I cannot connect to the UK Gov. website to do anything with the Passenger Locator Form. They - SS - say it is because it is an insecure connection.  I am invited to purchase a premium package which might work …. But no guarantees.

 

Check in was a shambles. What ‘corporate’ said and what happened were two different things. People arrived at 1215 and were told to wait until 1230. The unseated arrivals hall with 30 or so seats was made available for the wait. At 1220 we were told it would be another hour. We were told no refreshments would be provided as the ship refused to supply them because of covid?

As the arrival continued people had to wait outside until check in was  called when it became a mad rush! Six star service it was not! SS blamed the port and the port blamed SS. You decide!

 

No change on the buffet. You are followed everywhere. The ‘hot’ food isn’t ….😕 but there is a reasonable selection.

 

What I find annoying is they are pushing social distancing but there is minimal separation between tables in the restaurant?

 

Food in La T and Atlantide is pretty good. Menus in the Asian two are not to my taste so can’t comment. Trying La Dame tomorrow …. If the reservation remains on the system 😁

 

Will update staffing later … they are outside of my social circle 😃 and I haven’t seen any senior staff at all … dunno who the CD is but he is a nuisance … tannoy messages mid dinner to remind you of what is happening tomorrow!

 

 

 

[Lois R]

Thanks for the update.......all I can think of saying is WOW😲 the CD is making announcements during dinner?  YUK!!!!   So sorry about embarkation but I know I got an email saying no boarding would be permitted until 2:00 but the process sounds TERRIBLE😟..........The blame game?👎 Does not sound very "Silversea like".😥........maybe they will have learned from your experience and mine will go more smoothly.

Did everyone receive a Covid test prior to boarding?

[Sunday golf]

We were on the previous cruise which sadly reverted from Northern Europe to round the UK again. Found the check in at Southampton quite good and we’re onboard in a little over an hour. The Covid control takes a bit of getting used to but having said that all the staff could not do more to make us comfortable. Food was good and in fact improved during the cruise. Possibly the only down side was the service in La Dame, although the food was outstanding. Would agree the WiFi was less than perfect. So many of us are used to a full ship and the fun of mixing and making new friends, overall felt that Silversea did an amazing job

[MBP&O2/O]

On the lighter side …..

Here we are in France …. taking into account the menu will not change “our sommelier has selected these wine as best for your meal”.

A Spanish white and a Spanish red?  Doh!

What will they select tomorrow. 😁

Good News?

Male in shorts and tee shirt came into Dolce Vita … on formal night … and was refused service/admission!

 

Just been summoned by the HD and GR managers … they understand I was unhappy with boarding proceedings in SOU …. they appeared dismayed at what had happened. As the man said, they can’t fix it until they know it is broken. I have no idea as to how they found out?

 

Embarkation:

Once embarkation started it was pretty good … beforehand it was a complete and utter shambles.
Everyone completed a health questionnaire… usual one dozen covid questions … and then temperature tested .. no contact wrist thermometer … thence to nose brodle covid test … 15 min wait for results ... onto check in …  thence on board. The whole proceedings took less than an hour … although there was one hell of a queue when we left. There were six testing stations in operation … ballpark … 30 guests per station for a less than two minute process. No issue unless you were at the back of the line.

 

The Chronicles does not show staffing … still looking.

 

 

 

 

[Lois R]

Thanks for the continued updates🙂

 

I was told Roy Perez was supposed to be the CD.  Not sure if he is or not though.  I hope you mentioned to the HD/GR about the dinner noise (announcement).  

[WesW]

Yes Lois, Roy Perez is the Spirit's CD.  Here is a photo of him on board the Spirit now.

[cece50]

I noticed your comment about the wines being Spanish and not French….fear not, looks like your itinerary takes you up the river to Bordeaux.  One of my fav ports of call….we did similar itinerary on SB Ovation and Bordeaux was a highlight.  You dock right downtown.  We took a private day tour to St Emilion and two surrounding vineyards….Oh Wow!!  We were in port overnight, so had dinner in town, again, Oh Wow!  We did not have time to visit the Medoc, but plan to go back sometime soon.   (sorry SS fans, but this is the Ovation in Bordeaux). 

Edited September 29, 2021 by cece50

[Observer]

4 hours ago, Lois R said:

Thanks for the update.......all I can think of saying is WOW😲 the CD is making announcements during dinner?  YUK!!!!   

 

These CD announcements of forthcoming event are really a nuisance, but it does not happen more than once a day. Apparently it is a firm requirement of corporate.  The announcements are especially unwelcome when the CD tries to insert a bit of comedy act into the announcement.  Does corporate think the SS guests are unable to read the daily Chronicle?   

[FLRI]

I have NEVER heard announcements made during dinner. How odd and inappropriate. 6pm maybe, but never during dinner. I can understand when people are back on board but pre-dinner makes sense. Could be a HD rather than a CD decision? After all, the CD reports to the HD….

 

[ronrick1943]

30 minutes ago, cece50 said:

I noticed your comment about the wines being Spanish and not French….fear not, looks like your itinerary takes you up the river to Bordeaux.  One of my fav ports of call….we did similar itinerary on SB Ovation and Bordeaux was a highlight.  You dock right downtown.  We took a private day tour to St Emilion and two surrounding vineyards….Oh Wow!!  We were in port overnight, so had dinner in town, again, Oh Wow!  We did not have time to visit the Medoc, but plan to go back sometime soon.   (sorry SS fans, but this is the Ovation in Bordeaux). 

Very nice, happy to hear they dock so near.  Thanks for the updates.

 

[BuenaVista1]

Hello, we would like to know if there is any entertainment e.g. dancing? Thanks for letting us know.

[Lois R]

39 minutes ago, Observer said:

 

These CD announcements of forthcoming event are really a nuisance, but it does not happen more than once a day. Apparently it is a firm requirement of corporate.  The announcements are especially unwelcome when the CD tries to insert a bit of comedy act into the announcement.  Does corporate think the SS guests are unable to read the daily Chronicle?   

Hi,🙂 I know the Capt normally has an announcement. and that is during the day. The CD could also do one at that same time.  But during dinner? I have never heard the CD doing announcements in that time frame and hope it stops. Talk about BAD timing.

[Zouave]

6 hours ago, MBP&O2/O said:

On the lighter side …..

Here we are in France …. taking into account the menu will not change “our sommelier has selected these wine as best for your meal”.

A Spanish white and a Spanish red?  Doh!

What will they select tomorrow. 😁

Good News?

Male in shorts and tee shirt came into Dolce Vita … on formal night … and was refused service/admission!

 

Just been summoned by the HD and GR managers … they understand I was unhappy with boarding proceedings in SOU …. they appeared dismayed at what had happened. As the man said, they can’t fix it until they know it is broken. I have no idea as to how they found out?

 

Embarkation:

Once embarkation started it was pretty good … beforehand it was a complete and utter shambles.
Everyone completed a health questionnaire… usual one dozen covid questions … and then temperature tested .. no contact wrist thermometer … thence to nose brodle covid test … 15 min wait for results ... onto check in …  thence on board. The whole proceedings took less than an hour … although there was one hell of a queue when we left. There were six testing stations in operation … ballpark … 30 guests per station for a less than two minute process. No issue unless you were at the back of the line.

 

The Chronicles does not show staffing … still looking.

 

 

 

 

Great info.  Keep it coming!

[Silver Spectre]

Perhaps by the time you get to Spain they will have found some French wine 😎

[les37b]

17 hours ago, MBP&O2/O said:

On the lighter side …..

Here we are in France …. taking into account the menu will not change “our sommelier has selected these wine as best for your meal”.

A Spanish white and a Spanish red?  Doh!

What will they select tomorrow. 😁

Good News?

Male in shorts and tee shirt came into Dolce Vita … on formal night … and was refused service/admission!

 

Just been summoned by the HD and GR managers … they understand I was unhappy with boarding proceedings in SOU …. they appeared dismayed at what had happened. As the man said, they can’t fix it until they know it is broken. I have no idea as to how they found out?

 

Embarkation:

Once embarkation started it was pretty good … beforehand it was a complete and utter shambles.
Everyone completed a health questionnaire… usual one dozen covid questions … and then temperature tested .. no contact wrist thermometer … thence to nose brodle covid test … 15 min wait for results ... onto check in …  thence on board. The whole proceedings took less than an hour … although there was one hell of a queue when we left. There were six testing stations in operation … ballpark … 30 guests per station for a less than two minute process. No issue unless you were at the back of the line.

 

The Chronicles does not show staffing … still looking.

 

 

 

 

 

I rather suspect they read CC and there are not too many guests with you from Northumberland...... said in my best Sherlock voice! 😆