January 7 Silver Cloud - Sidney-to-Sidney

[stevefrankel]

We've just booked on this cruise and we would love to contact anyone else out there who is booked on it; or who has sailed on the ship on a similar cruise (which focuses on the Great Barrier Reef area and even goes to New Guinea for one stop) and can give us some impressions of their experiences.

 

Also, some questions for you experienced Silversea cruisers out there:

 

We've done quite a few cruises on Radisson, Chrystal, Windstar, and several other lines, but this will be our first Silversea cruise. We love wine, food, ships' small restaurants, really good ship lectures and shore excursions which go well beyond mass market bus tours. How strong is Silversea and the Silver Cloud likely to be in these areas. Any comments or suggestions?

 

Also, what about the computer facilities? Are they reasonably fast and fairly priced? We both will be getting some business email daily that we'll have to answer.

 

Finally, I don't enjoy wearing a tux and my wife doesn't enjoy wearing a gown. On other high-end lines, I feel appropriately dressed on formal nights in a dark business suit with dark business shoes and I usually see about half the men dressed the same way. Will the Silver Cloud probably be the same way?

 

Thanks in advance for any information or suggestions. We're both really looking forward to this experinece.

[Bonnilee]

Where is Sidney?:eek: Perhaps you mean Sydney (Australia):rolleyes:

[unfathomable]

We love wine, food, ships' small restaurants, really good ship lectures and shore excursions which go well beyond mass market bus tours. How strong is Silversea and the Silver Cloud likely to be in these areas. Any comments or suggestions?

The inclusive wine is generally OK with some bottles being better or worse than the average, and with a wide range available. You can always request something else if you don't care for what they're pouring and they'll happily produce whatever you fancy, if they have it. The for-purchase wine is higher quality but you'll be paying $40 a bottle and up. We've always been happy or very happy with the standard food and it has improved over recent years. The alternative restaurants have been widely discussed elsewhere on this board. Some like them, some don't. Ship lectures are variable: generally not of the standard found on the dedicated "discovery" ships such as Swan Hellenic. But it depends on the lecturer and there are certainly exceptions. Shore excursions tend to be the "usual stuff" but sometimes go a bit beyond the mass market and tend to be less crowded (buses often only half-full and smaller numbers per guide) and sometimes better organised.

 

Also, what about the computer facilities? Are they reasonably fast and fairly priced? We both will be getting some business email daily that we'll have to answer.

Again, widely discussed here. Summary: speed probably no better than any other service dependent on satellite service with an unstable dish at sea; sometimes unavailable (i.e. the same as any other ship); after the recent price hike, no cheaper than other luxury lines, i.e. quite expensive.

 

Finally, I don't enjoy wearing a tux and my wife doesn't enjoy wearing a gown. On other high-end lines, I feel appropriately dressed on formal nights in a dark business suit with dark business shoes and I usually see about half the men dressed the same way. Will the Silver Cloud probably be the same way?

Our experience is that well over half the men wear tuxes (and some of the ladies will be dressed up to the nines), but (a) it depends on the passenger mix and (b) nobody will make you feel out of place if you wear a dark suit and there will be plenty of others not in tuxes. OTOH, the stated dress code is enforced -- if you show up in the bar in casual clothes on a formal night, you'll be (very discreetly) asked to change.

[Ms Understood]

Our experience is that well over half the men wear tuxes (and some of the ladies will be dressed up to the nines), but (a) it depends on the passenger mix and (b) nobody will make you feel out of place if you wear a dark suit and there will be plenty of others not in tuxes. OTOH, the stated dress code is enforced -- if you show up in the bar in casual clothes on a formal night, you'll be (very discreetly) asked to change.

 

Just recently got off the Cloud. La Terraza is never formal and we had a reservation there on a formal night. we went to the bar before dinner and the waiter was sent over by the bartender to advise that the 2 men in our party were not appropriately dressed (both had on jackets but no ties) Frankly I think you would be more comfortable in the tux than the suit altho the suit is OK and no one will refuse to serve you, this was a very dressy ship.