Silver Shadow disappointing alternative accommodations

[shadowycruiser]

We're in Vancouver waiting to board the Silver Shadow. The ship is already back in port (docked around 5pm), but for some reason we're not able to embark until 3pm tomorrow.

 

Communication has been terrible - we still have no idea what the new itinerary will be.

 

And they're not doing anything to make Vancouver interesting. We're unexpectedly here all day today and most of tomorrow, and all they're offering is a boring hop-on / hop-off tour and a bunch of lackluster buffets.  At least encourage us to experience the nature and food of the city?  (We are anyway, though it appears that's on our own dime, likely replacing an included glacier exploration)

 

Very disappointing. Here's hoping they turn it around.

[Observer]

22 minutes ago, shadowycruiser said:

We're in Vancouver waiting to board the Silver Shadow. The ship is already back in port (docked around 5pm), but for some reason we're not able to embark until 3pm tomorrow.

Is it really that great a mystery to you?  Is this your first cruise?  Ever?  The ship has to be turned around, provisioned, sanitized, and perhaps inspected by Canadian authorities.

 

22 minutes ago, shadowycruiser said:

 

Communication has been terrible - we still have no idea what the new itinerary will be.

And what difference would it make for you to know the revised itinerary 24 hours earlier?  Why the urgency?

 

22 minutes ago, shadowycruiser said:

 

And they're not doing anything to make Vancouver interesting. We're unexpectedly here all day today and most of tomorrow, and all they're offering is a boring hop-on / hop-off tour and a bunch of lackluster buffets.  At least encourage us to experience the nature and food of the city? 

 One can hop off the hop on/hop off bus to explore the city and experience the city?   Would you prefer a regimented coach tour?  Perhaps Silversea imagined that the hop on/hop off bus provides optimal opportunity....

 

Stuff happens in life.  It seems to me that Silversea has done a very decent job addressing this unfortunate situation.

 

[Gourmet Gal]

Vancouver is a fabulous city.  Have fun!

[turtlemichael]

 I reckon I learn a lot more, with a few exceptions of course, from the glass half full posts. After all, cruising is a privilege and its occasional inconveniences are just that, inconveniences and I feel lucky to be able to do it. But that is me.

 

53 minutes ago, Silver Spectre said:

I wonder if your post will be allowed to stand, whenever I have mentioned the other place in a post it has been deleted. Perhaps you will have better luck.

[Lois R]

Sorry you are so unhappy. I have a feeling they were able to get The Hop On/Hop Off tour was because there was not a contract needed.  Normally, when tours are offered, SS has to get a contract with the tour company and maybe they didn't have enough time to get other choices set up.  You mentioned it being boring.  So liven it up a bit🙂.....get on and get off the bus at every stop (or every other stop).....walk around downtown Vancouver and then find the next bus.  Try to make it a fun tour, rather than a boring one.

And as for not being able to board? Every cruise I have taken since the re-start last summer, nobody has been able to board till 2:00. They are saying 3:00? Maybe there are more complicated issues involved.

[jollyjones]

12 hours ago, shadowycruiser said:

We're in Vancouver waiting to board the Silver Shadow. The ship is already back in port (docked around 5pm), but for some reason we're not able to embark until 3pm tomorrow.

 

 

Since the OP has managed to find these boards, it seems a pity they didn't read the recent (posted Wed) thread about the electrical issue on the Shadow:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2859736-silver-shadow-electrical-issues/#comment-63399864

 

Hope they can embark soon and enjoy their cruise. With SS cruising it's not just glass half full, it's half full with champagne ...

[SLSD]

I would imagine you don't know the new itinerary because it is still being worked out.  A ship just cannot go where they want, when they want.  The ship has to get permission from every port to dock.  Since the time frame is different, this has to be redone.  I'm sure they are doing the best that they can.  

[FauxNom]

2 hours ago, jollyjones said:

Since the OP has managed to find these boards, it seems a pity they didn't read the recent (posted Wed) thread about the electrical issue on the Shadow:

Indeed! Since the OP started that thread yet never bothered to offer the customary thanks to the folks who tried to be helpful, I'm not holding my breath that responses to the current thread will be appreciated. 

 

But if you're still reading, I do hope you were able to get out and enjoy Vancouver--a very walkable and vibrant city. Bon voyage!

[rkacruiser]

8 hours ago, Lois R said:

  You mentioned it being boring.  So liven it up a bit🙂.....get on and get off the bus at every stop (or every other stop).....walk around downtown Vancouver and then find the next bus.  Try to make it a fun tour, rather than a boring one.

 

I have been to Vancouver several times and have taken the Hop On/Off bus on all of the routes available more than once and always find it interesting and fresh.  Vancouver is a great city!!!

[Rothko1]

We were on this trip on Silver Shadow also.  We were flying to Vancouver on the 15th when we got word that the ship wasn't going to depart on June 16th but rather on June 17th.  Silversea changed our hotel to a different one in order to ensure we had 2 nights reserved instead of one.  They comped us two breakfasts, two lunches and a dinner at the hotel restaurant, gave us tickets to the Hop On/Off bus.  They paid for everyone to get new Covid tests at the hotel if their Covid test expired - like ours did.

 

They changed the Alaska itinerary, eliminating the stops in Juneau and Skagway, but added a stop in Wrangell.  They gave us $300 each in ship credit, and a 30% credit based on how much you paid for the cruise portion of the Alaska trip, to be used within 2 years on a future trip.

 

The word we got was that the Silver Shadow had suffered an electrical failure, and limped into Vancouver a day late.  I would hate to think what they had to do to re-book everyone's flights home.

 

I give credit to Silversea for trying their best to make amends.  But it was still a big hassle and stressful.  Having to make last minute decisions about new excursions in Wrangell before they got booked up.  Losing the excursions planned for in Juneau and Skagway, which we had really been looking forward to.  Losing a day on the ship - of course Vancouver isn't exactly a bad town to be trapped in for an extra day.

 

(This is my first post on CC, so go easy on me!)

Edited June 28, 2022 by Rothko1

[calliopecruiser]

On 6/16/2022 at 8:58 PM, shadowycruiser said:

And they're not doing anything to make Vancouver interesting.

Vancouver is already interesting - they don't need to do anything to tart it up.  You have a great city waiting there, and you're upset that they didn't make it "interesting" enough for you while you wait out a technical problem???

[Stumblefoot]

On 6/28/2022 at 2:33 PM, Rothko1 said:

(This is my first post on CC, so go easy on me!)

😅😂🤣

I love this!

 

First post, but already knows it’s a rough crowd here.

[rojaan19]

19 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

😅😂🤣

 

First post, but already knows it’s a rough crowd here.

YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN STUMBLES  ....