Silversea vs Seabourn

[cruisesurf99]

I've only been on one Luxury cruise, with Seabourn, and I'm now considering booking a Silversea cruise. (with the new explorer ship in the Galapagos)

I must say I was rather underwhelmed by Seabourn, it was an Antarctica cruise, the destination was superb but I was expecting somewhat more from the service.
Having done several cruises with Princess, Celebrity, RCCL and the likes I thought Seabourn would have knocked my socks off but I think my expectations were too high.  Yes, there was lot's of free alcohol and some free caviar but the service was so-so.  eg. My roommaid was a job student.  She was very friendly and helpful but also very often clueless and forgetful.  Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the cruise but I left with the idea that an RCCL cruise with a full-blown drinks package would almost give the same experience.
Celebrity does also have cruises in the Galapagos so now I wonder if Silversea would give a better experience than Seabourn, otherwise I might just go for a Celebrity ship.

[Gourmet Gal]

The new SS ship in the Galapagos is probably a good choice.  I sailed there on an SS charter on the older vessel and everything was great for an expedition ship.  The guides were all outstanding.

 

Was your Seabourn cruise during Covid or before?  I do know that during the cruise industry recovery there are many new-to-cruising staff and reduced staff and the effects are being felt everywhere.  

[cruisesurf99]

14 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Was your Seabourn cruise during Covid or before?  

  It was before Covid.  It was around the time they introduced their new ship. I had the impression that about half the staff of our ship was moved to the new ship and they filled the gaps with newcomers and job students, maybe thinking that the destination would make up for the service issues.
But they didn't even gave any training to the new staff members. (that's at least what our room maid said).

Anyway, that are things of the past.  Thanks for your reply!

[Rothko1]

I did the trip last September on the new Silversea ship, the Silver Origin, and was blown away.  It was my best cruise ever.  The ship was virtually brand new.  The max limit of passengers is 100 but there were 66 passengers onboard.  The ship felt like a yacht.  There were many places onboard where we were the only people (whether in the observation lounge, or on deck, etc.) and so it felt like we owned the ship.

 

The suite was very lovely, and well appointed.  The butler service was good; I don't really use it for much except breakfasts in the morning in the suite, etc.  

 

The food is oriented towards local cuisine; the chef was Ecuadorian.  I hope you like ceviche, because it is at every meal (fish, shrimp, octopus, etc.) and eating it with popcorn was a different experience, but they say that's how the locals eat it.  There was a heavy emphasis on seafood, but of course they had "regular" fare as well.

 

The crew are almost all from Ecuador, but they were very friendly and accommodating.  You will get to know the expedition rangers very well, and the Zodiac drivers.  They are all fantastic.

 

This is definitely an Expedition.  You are up and in zodiacs by 7:00 a.m. some days.  There are several expeditions per day.  You are hiking, riding the zodiacs, kayaking, snorkeling for many hours.  You get back in time to get ready for drinks, listen to the lectures on what you are doing the next day and local history, etc., eating dinner, and then almost everyone is going to bed.  No late night disco parties - tomorrow comes early.  There were a couple of days to hang out on beaches.

 

You are snorkeling with seals, and penguins, and fish, and manta rays, and sharks, and water birds, and sea turtles.  You are hiking with the water iguanas, sea lions, and the land iguanas, and the tortoises and the various indigenous birds.  The scenery is unique and the wild life is just so special.  You come off the zodiacs onto the ship in your wetsuit, and the staff hands you warmed towels and there's sinfully delicious hot chocolate to warm you as well.

 

It was a bucket list trip, and we are already thinking of going back for the other SS itinerary.

 

[princeton123211]

20 minutes ago, cruisesurf99 said:

It was around the time they introduced their new ship. I had the impression that about half the staff of our ship was moved to the new ship and they filled the gaps with newcomers and job students, maybe thinking that the destination would make up for the service issues.
But they didn't even gave any training to the new staff members. (that's at least what our room maid said).

Thats a shame that was your first impression of Seabourn-- we've sailed with them many times and they always have done a nice job. Frankly I am not a huge fan of the newer, larger ships. The Odyssey class should be the largest they operate. I miss the old "Seabourn sisters"-- Legend, Pride, and Spirit which were only about 200 passengers and truly were yacht-like. 

 

That being said I think that the new Seabourn expedition ships like Venture are going to be fantastic-- less than 300 passengers and we have always enjoyed trips on the Odyssey class. 

 

Barring your first experience, which sounds like it was a bit atypical with training, or lack thereof happening, you would find Seabourn or Silversea to be a significant upgrade from Celebrity, especially on their smaller ships. Seabourn wouldn't still be in business if the experience you had was what they regularly delivered. 

[cruisesurf99]

19 hours ago, Rothko1 said:

I did the trip last September on the new Silversea ship, the Silver Origin, and was blown away.  It was my best cruise ever.  The ship was virtually brand new.  The max limit of passengers is 100 but there were 66 passengers onboard.  The ship felt like a yacht.  There were many places onboard where we were the only people (whether in the observation lounge, or on deck, etc.) and so it felt like we owned the ship.

 

The suite was very lovely, and well appointed.  The butler service was good; I don't really use it for much except breakfasts in the morning in the suite, etc.  

 

The food is oriented towards local cuisine; the chef was Ecuadorian.  I hope you like ceviche, because it is at every meal (fish, shrimp, octopus, etc.) and eating it with popcorn was a different experience, but they say that's how the locals eat it.  There was a heavy emphasis on seafood, but of course they had "regular" fare as well.

 

The crew are almost all from Ecuador, but they were very friendly and accommodating.  You will get to know the expedition rangers very well, and the Zodiac drivers.  They are all fantastic.

 

This is definitely an Expedition.  You are up and in zodiacs by 7:00 a.m. some days.  There are several expeditions per day.  You are hiking, riding the zodiacs, kayaking, snorkeling for many hours.  You get back in time to get ready for drinks, listen to the lectures on what you are doing the next day and local history, etc., eating dinner, and then almost everyone is going to bed.  No late night disco parties - tomorrow comes early.  There were a couple of days to hang out on beaches.

 

You are snorkeling with seals, and penguins, and fish, and manta rays, and sharks, and water birds, and sea turtles.  You are hiking with the water iguanas, sea lions, and the land iguanas, and the tortoises and the various indigenous birds.  The scenery is unique and the wild life is just so special.  You come off the zodiacs onto the ship in your wetsuit, and the staff hands you warmed towels and there's sinfully delicious hot chocolate to warm you as well.

 

It was a bucket list trip, and we are already thinking of going back for the other SS itinerary.

 

Thanks a lot for you detailed review, a week of ceviche sounds like a lot but I think I can handle it. 🙂 I remember I liked it from when I was in Peru.

Which itinerary did you do last year?  

Our travel agent is offering us a USD500 stateroom credit, in their words among other things for excursions and drinks.  From what I read the cruise is truly all-inclusive with all drinks (including premium alcoholic drinks) included as well as shore excursions.  Can you remember that there were extras?

Thanks again for the review, I'm already starting daydreaming about the cruise 🙂

[MBP&O2/O]

FWIW ... I have ditched Silversea and booked with Seabourn ... I have no faith in (UK) corporate and I do not like the new AI pricing structure.

I looked at a Galapagos  cruise and compared SS to Celebrity .. and chose the latter as in my opinion Celebrity offered a better package for my needs.

I have no problem with life on board SS .... once onboard ... but UK corporate suck 😁

[Gourmet Gal]

5 hours ago, cruisesurf99 said:

Thanks a lot for you detailed review, a week of ceviche sounds like a lot but I think I can handle it. 🙂 I remember I liked it from when I was in Peru.

Which itinerary did you do last year?  

Our travel agent is offering us a USD500 stateroom credit, in their words among other things for excursions and drinks.  From what I read the cruise is truly all-inclusive with all drinks (including premium alcoholic drinks) included as well as shore excursions.  Can you remember that there were extras?

Thanks again for the review, I'm already starting daydreaming about the cruise 🙂

All drinks and I believe all excursions are included but you could use the OBC for upgraded wines or spa treatments.

[Rothko1]

On 7/16/2022 at 5:50 AM, cruisesurf99 said:

Thanks a lot for you detailed review, a week of ceviche sounds like a lot but I think I can handle it. 🙂 I remember I liked it from when I was in Peru.

Which itinerary did you do last year?  

Our travel agent is offering us a USD500 stateroom credit, in their words among other things for excursions and drinks.  From what I read the cruise is truly all-inclusive with all drinks (including premium alcoholic drinks) included as well as shore excursions.  Can you remember that there were extras?

Thanks again for the review, I'm already starting daydreaming about the cruise 🙂

 

I'm not sure which one it is called.  We did the trip where you stop at Post Office Bay (still waiting for someone to deliver/mail our postcard back!).  

 

You can spend the credit on the premium wines, or the spa (which was tiny) or there are some things you can buy onboard as clothing/gifts.  As I recall, all of the excursions were free; there were no premium excursions to spend money on.

 

I can't offer any opinion as to the Celebrity ships, as I haven't been on them.  But I suppose you can look at them on the Celebrity website, and the Silver Origin on the SS website, and see how they compare.

 

 

[christraveller]

Seabourn has great Caribbean itineraries in January- March 2023.

 

Silversea, unfortunately, does not. 
 

The choice of ports in the planning stage of future cruises at Silversea is puzzling many of their (former) passengers. 

[TV Dad]

I have sailed both Silversea and Seabourn. Love them both.

 

The underwhelming experience you had might have been the itinerary! Smaller ship means less to do. You're probably not having drinks by the pool in the Antarctic.

I suggest you try Silversea next, but don't give up on Seabourn. They're both superior lines. Look for the itineraries you like and go for it. Bon Voyage!

[Rothko1]

4 hours ago, TV Dad said:

I have sailed both Silversea and Seabourn. Love them both.

 

The underwhelming experience you had might have been the itinerary! Smaller ship means less to do. You're probably not having drinks by the pool in the Antarctic.

I suggest you try Silversea next, but don't give up on Seabourn. They're both superior lines. Look for the itineraries you like and go for it. Bon Voyage!

 

It's like choosing between a Mercedes and a BMW.  Both are wonderful cars.

[calliopecruiser]

On 7/14/2022 at 6:20 PM, cruisesurf99 said:

but the service was so-so

I too found the service on my first (and probably only) Seabourn cruise to be somewhere between "meh" and "bad", in spite of its great reputation.  I admit my expectations were high after sailing with Crystal for 5 years, but at a luxury cruise price, I should be able to expect that they won't forget to deliver the tea I ordered, or forget to put some cans of gingerale in my cabin fridge.  I don't know why our experiences were so unlike their reputation, but there are lots of other cruise lines on the oceans.  In the next 2 years, I have cruises planned on Azamara, Silversea, and Crystal (new owners), so I'll see if I can find something more to my taste.