Silver Spirit maiden

[meow!]

Good news! There will be a separate shower stall..pls read note I rcvd from Silversea

home office this morning...suggest when anyone has a question on the hardware or

software of the Spirit..simply send an email to address below...have found they answer my email ? with eight hours...very timely...

This is a topic important enough to affect Silversea's reputation as a luxury cruiseline, especially since all other new ships by Seabourne and RSSC have separate tub and shower, that the management will quickly correct the mistaken information. The person who told you the wrong information could have been reprimanded!

 

We wonder why they go from double sink to single, sinks don't cost much, and the new standard suite has more space than the old.

 

Are there two TVs per cabin, one facing the bed and the other in the living area (as per the picture)? That will be an improvement.

 

Is the Japanese restaurant purely Japanese (high quality specialty with a true Japanese chef) or pan-Asian (more variety especially for long voyages)?

 

Pricing wise, the "vista" : "verandah" in the other ships used to be 0.8 : 1, now with the new ship it has become 0.9 : 1. So there is little incentive to take the vista. And in any case, there are only 12 (less than 5%), that shows the tendency to move away from non-balconied cabins. Perhaps half of them will be taken by guest speakers and entertainers, so it is becoming less of a "viable category". (RSSC is getting rid of non-balconied cabins altogether, but Seabourne is still keeping them, what Silversea has done is in-between the two).

[wripro]

Personally, since I never share bathroom use with anyone I much prefer a single sink to two sinks. It gives me much more counter space to spread out all my potions and lotions.

 

Also, I don't care how big Oceania's suites will be, you cannot compare a luxury line like silversea to a deluxe line. The who experience is simply better on silversea.

[swindy]

From Monday this voyage will be open to all.

Does anybody know how many suites have been sold in the first week on the Lisbon to Fort Lauderdale crossing on 3 January 2010?

[ansjefitnes]

Hi Wes,

 

Looking forward seeing you on the Spirit. Does anyone have a idea about the crew? Will they all be new ones or will there be crew from the other

ships?

 

Regards,

 

Maria

[WesW]

Maria, also look forward to meeting you on the Spirit as well...have asked

SS yesterday about booking rate (Swindy's ? above) on the Spirit along with

is the Spirit going to have a "lobby bar" as reported in this 2008 press release:

 

And Silver Spirit will feature many of the same lounges found on the line’s existing ships, including an Observation Lounge, Panorama Lounge, Show Lounge, Humidor and Pool Bar, plus a new Lobby Bar styled along the lines of a European hotel, featuring Italian coffees, champagne, wine and spirits.

 

Looking at the SS site and viewing the Spirit's deck plans there is no mention of a Lobby Bar in the plans.

 

Will also ask about the Spirit's crew per your note.

 

Wes

[Wellseasoned]

I don't know about the rest of the crew, but I have been told that the captain for those inaugural voyages on the Spirit will be Captain Corsaro.

[WesW]

SS info provided this answer ref. lobby bar and initial Spirit booking demand:

 

Thank you for your e-mail!

Yes there will be a lobby bar on deck 6. We had a tremendous response from our Venetian Society members during the first week of bookings on the Silver Spirit. Now all sales are open for all our ships for all cruises 2009 and 2010.

 

 

Best Regards

Information Desk at Silversea

 

Believe the Lobby Bar on deck six will be a very poplular spot...Regent's Voyager

has a Coffee Bar (u can get capuccion's, expresso's, fruit, etc) that is hugely popular--great spot to grab first cup of joe in a.m. or get a cup before an enrichment lecture...or treat your bride...and bring her coffee in bed..

 

r/wes

[DebbieH103]

Coffee bar on Voyager is a table and chair setting with the central area being something like a salad bar except with non-salad items in it. I think this lobby bar will be more fun and festive, I hope and something I look forward to.

 

These rates on Spirit do look attractive, and they have a lot of low single supplements and the first low verandah supplements I've seen anytime recently. Our December Whisper sure is looking expensive now, but hubby works at HP and has mandatory vacation over Christmas/New Year's. We have till June when we have to pay in full on December to see if we want to move anything around.

[meow!]

Our December Whisper sure is looking expensive now ... We have till June when we have to pay in full on December to see if we want to move anything around.

Isn't full payment due three instead of six months prior to embarkation? Or are you on special advance prepayment discount?

[DebbieH103]

Yes, I am talking about the APB

[Captain Rhone]

Hi, I just found this photo, taken a couple of weeks ago of the Silver Spirit under construction for those of you wanting to see it so far...

 

http://www.shipfriends.gr/forum/photoplog/index.php?n=4176

[WesW]

Captain, great find...she is coming along...believe I see our balcony :)...thanks r/wes

[meow!]

Thank you kindly for the photograph. By the way, the Fincantieri shipyard is also building the two Oceania newbuilds. They must have been lucky to get these orders. With the economic tsunami, who knows when will they ever get another order, so they should savour them while they last!

[meow!]

P.S. We saw the Fincantieri shipyard from the hill in October last year, when our ship, the Oceania Nautica docked in Ancona, Italy on our Eastern Mediterranean voyage. Theoretically, we could have seen all three ships but couldn't make out which is what .. meow!

[Wellseasoned]

Captain Rhone, thanks very much for the photo. We're looking forward to next January! This makes it much more "real", and it looks like she should be ready on time!

[gnld]

We had our TA book the Spirit's maiden t/a last week. Took a mid-ship verandah as my wife doesn't like how the front of the ship tends to bounce around more. Great pricing for Silversea, and on a brand new ship! Doing a "back to back" with a Uniworld river cruise r/t Paris for New Years just before boarding the Spirit in Lisbon. First time on Silversea, but have been on Crystal and Regent several times each. Will be doing a "comparison".

 

Gary & Carol

[conchyjoe]

Hello Goldens4,

I just returned from 9 glorious days aboard the Silver Shadow. A wonderful vacation once again. Just reached my 109 days with Silverseas. The crew were wonderful. It's the crew that brings me back to the ship again and again. Really enjoyed chatting with the wait staff, they made this voyage a memorable one. Oliver in the bar on 5 was amazing! Bearly made it down the hall towards the bar and my Grey Goose/Tonic was waiting for me on the bar. Great service throughout the cruise.

 

Can't wait for my next voyage. Just have to decide where to?

 

Merry Christmas to all.

 

ScottToronto.

 

I have no idea how he does it either (he claims it's easy) but after two visits to the Bar on 5 he had our main AND alternative cocktail; pre-dinner and post-dinner drinks order completely nailed.

 

I would agree, the wait and cabin staff on Shadow, make the cruise perfect.

[WesW]

Received the new, "Introducing Silver Spirit" brochure in today's mail.

 

Very attractive brochure with pictures of the Spirit's, veranda suite, silver suite, reception lobby, Supper Club, running track, Spa, and Panormama Lounge. Plus two full pages of deck plans. The brochure also has the inaugural season's sailings listed but not cruise fare prices.

 

r/wes

[meow!]

Does the brochure show anything more than the website?

 

http://www.silversea.com/silverspirit.aspx?id=1346&page_id=silverspirit

[WesW]

The Spirit brochure is very similar to the SS website content, however there are

some differences. The pictures of the veranda and Silver suites are crisper and show

more detail (e.g.fabrics, paintings, carpeting). Also, for each Spritit sailing beyond the grand inaugural sailing (7 May) Free air is indicated in a silver shaded box over each sailing (e.g. May 8, May 20, up to the Oct 16 Sailing). Further, at the bottom of each Spirit sailing itinerary is an italic statement, "Silver Shore Concierge recommends...e.g. on

the Oct 2, 2010 sailing, the Silver Shore Concierge recommends from Portovenere, visit Cinque Terre, or the "five lands" a national park and UNESCO world heritage site comprised of terraced hillsides and dry-stone walls that slope dramatically towards the sea far below."

 

Having the brochure in your hands seems to make the ship's build one step closer to reality...the Spirit Deck Plans cover two pages and are very easy to read.

[meow!]

Thank you kindly for your informative reply!

[Wellseasoned]

Just my luck. Off on a month-long road trip, so I won't be able to see the brochure for a while. I'm looking forward to it, and it should indeed make the new Spirit seem more real. Hope to meet you, Colonel Wes, on the January crossing!

[swindy]

Well Seasoned welcome on board the Spirit Maiden TA...considering the b2b u got a great deal on you total per diem..wish I could get my bride to take the time (she still works, even after retiring in 2000) (I have the time as I retired 1 Jan)...yes, let's agree on a meeting place on 3 Jan sailaway...maybe deck 10 as we look at Lisbon recede in the distance?..thanks for the update on the bathroom. We have already confirmed our hotel in Lisbon for 2 Jan and made arrangments for early embarkation...now we just have

360 days to go...WS, have u looked at the Spirit images on the ss homepage..the Spirit is a gorgeous ship!! r/wes

 

ColonelWes,

 

Can I ask which hotel you have booked in Lisbon?

Also, have you had your early embarkation in Lisbon confirmed please?

Thanks

[WesW]

Welll Seasoned; you will enjoy the new Spirit brochure...look forward to meeting you too

 

Swindy, based on the recommendation of one of the most prolific CC Seabourn posters

and cruisers (Martita B who does annual TA's from Funchal or Lisbon)..we booked two nights at the American Diamond...pls see her comment below. Also, based on the recommendation of another experienced cruiser (wripro) we have booked a private tour with a super tour guide (Jorge). Also, we are

trying a wonderful small restaurant in Lisbon, "Oliver's" that Henry (wripro) raves about. Finally, when early embark is available, our TA will book us....best, Wes

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

You might check out The American Diamond Hotel in Lisbon. The hotel is very nice, comfortable and inexpensive ~~and location is the best!!

The Four Seasons and The Lapa Palace are exceptional hotels but are very expensive.

 

Safe travels!

Martita B.

[swindy]

ColonelWes

 

Thanks veru much for the info. Much appreciated.