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mklions
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My wife and I are contemplating sailing on the Silver Cloud ( our first cruise with Silversea)

 

We really like the South AFrica itinerary that the Cloud is sailing next Jan/ Feb

 

Our concern is the very bad reviews ( only 49% liked it) it has been given from fellow cruise critic members.

 

We have recently sailed on Oceania Sirena and enjoyed the step up in quality from the mass market lines, and our early thoughts would be that Silversea would be on par with Ocieania but after reading the reviews we are now not so sure.

Thanks.

Millions..

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I went on the Cloud last year, sailing from Accra to Cape Town. I went solely because of the itinerary, not for the ship. It was my first Silversea cruise and I must say was rather disappointed with the level of luxury aboard - it was all a bit boring/bland and with signs of wear and tear in various parts of the ship. Our cabin was OK, nothing special, but a very practical, user-friendly space. Service levels were extremely high throughout the ship, though I could have done without the whole pretentious butler thing. Food is a highly personal area - I found it of variable quality but never of the standard you might get in a serious restaurant. We were bothered by smokers in the outdoor dining areas. We never used the casino or saw a show. We tend to go on the smaller and more expensive expedition cruise ships so this was quite a big ship for us. We thought the overall experience good value for money.

Edited by Fletcher
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My wife and I are contemplating sailing on the Silver Cloud ( our first cruise with Silversea) We really like the South AFrica itinerary that the Cloud is sailing next Jan/ Feb. Our concern is the very bad reviews ( only 49% liked it) it has been given from fellow cruise critic members. We have recently sailed on Oceania Sirena and enjoyed the step up in quality from the mass market lines, and our early thoughts would be that Silversea would be on par with Ocieania but after reading the reviews we are now not so sure. Thanks. Millions..

 

Appreciate your good, legitimate questions. As detailed below, we first sailed on the Silver Cloud six years ago and "things" worked super well during this 15-day Norway "adventure". But, as we were preparing for a 26-day Silver Cloud back-to-back combination over 26 days early last year doing the Amazon River and ten Caribbean islands, we had read some of those negative reviews. How did our actual experience work out 18 months ago? Very well. Very different from some of the reviews and comments that some had posted. Was everything perfect? No. Life always has little "bumps" on the road. But, overall, we were very pleased with the food, staff, service, entertainment, speakers, etc. The Silver Cloud is not the newest, most flashy ship with all of the "bells and whistles" that some newer ship might have. But, being on a comfortable "old shoe" that fits and works well has its plusses to consider.

 

For South Africa, glad that you found an interesting itinerary. Are you considering the Cape Town round-trip that goes to Mozambique and back over ten days? That is what we did earlier this year. See the link and live/blog below for complete details, lots of visuals, etc. Lots of "photographic evidence" as to what we did, liked, what was offered on the ship, etc.

 

Part of the honest reality is that the number of Silversea sailers who take the time to post on Cruise Critic is rather limited. And busy people who enjoyed their experiences do always post their reviews. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but what is posted here with reviews is not always a full, representative sampling.

 

Tell us more about your specific questions and concerns. Happy to share more, answer any added information/background questions.

 

Would this be your first time in South Africa? How many days would you spend in Cape Town either before or after your cruise? Cape Town is wonderful and merits enough time there to explore its many fine options.

 

Fletcher makes a valid point that Fletcher that ship food is "never of the standard you might get in a serious restaurant". That is true with most cruise ships. We have sailed with not just Silversea, but also on cruises with Crystal and Seabourn. The chefs on ships have some limits and challenges with their facilities and fresh food supplies/options that are different from how some land-based dining places do business.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Lots of interesting and dramatic pictures can be seen from my latest live/blog at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Now at 17,624 views for this reporting and visual sharing that includes Cape Town, all along the South Africa coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta area.

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out, including much on the Silver Cloud, ship food and entertainment, etc., at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 40,595 views for these postings.

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 201,140 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

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We sailed on the Cloud from Cape Town to Mombassa in Jan 2016. The trip was very enjoyable. The Cloud was comfortable, well-maintained and intimate. Service was outstanding. Food was good overall. Hope you have a similar experience.

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Fletcher, Terry, rumba2015; thanks for your recent Cloud experience based assessments. Terry your post was exceptionally well balanced.

 

Mklions; Ida and I last sailed the Cloud in July 2013 (London to London for 18 days) and besides being our fav itinerary of near two dozen cruises; the service & cuisine on the Cloud were excellent. I sailed as a solo on the Cloud again in the spring of 2014 (Ida was supervising our kitchen remodel) and again service & cuisine was very good. On the other hand, (as many SS posters already know, in our view) the Cloud fitness facility is not up to Silversea standards. We look forward to sailing on the Cloud's sister ship (Silver Wind in November). We like the intimate size (296 pax), making it easy to get to know fellow pax and especially the hard working/team oriented crew. Also, we like during the 2013 Cloud drydock, SS relocated the fitness facility on deck 9 and in the old location of the fitness facility built an Observation Lounge on the front of the Wind's deck 9.

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Thank you for all the coments replying to my post.

 

Terry from Ohio your blog was fantastic with absolutely amazing photos, you should get a job at the South African tourist board.

 

Our TA has offered us either a two cabin upgrade or a 1500 dollar OBC.

 

I think the cabin upgrade should be a better option?, as Silversea,s all inclusive package covers most of the ships costs, does it not?

 

Are any of the ships excursions included?

 

Planning also to stay in Cape Town for three days prior to the 10 day cruise.

 

Also wehave options on when to go as the Cloud does this 10 day cruise from Jan to March. With the costs the same whenever you go.

 

Which will be the best Month weather wise?

 

Thanks again.

Millions

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Our TA has offered us either a two cabin upgrade or a 1500 dollar OBC.

 

I think the cabin upgrade should be a better option?, as Silversea,s all inclusive package covers most of the ships costs, does it not?

 

Are any of the ships excursions included?

 

Shore excursions are generally not included in Silversea fares. Thus, if you want to do a number of excursions and money is a consideration, you might want the OBC. If the upgrade is merely from one verandah location to another (and not from Vista to Veranda) it may not make that much of a difference in your cruise experience.

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Fletcher, Terry, rumba2015; thanks for your recent Cloud experience based assessments. Terry your post was exceptionally well balanced.

 

Terry from Ohio your blog was fantastic with absolutely amazing photos, you should get a job at the South African tourist board. Our TA has offered us either a two cabin upgrade or a 1500 dollar OBC. I think the cabin upgrade should be a better option?, as Silversea,s all inclusive package covers most of the ships costs, does it not? Are any of the ships excursions included? Planning also to stay in Cape Town for three days prior to the 10 day cruise. Also we have options on when to go as the Cloud does this 10 day cruise from Jan to March. Which will be the best Month weather wise? Millions

 

Observer: Shore excursions are generally not included in Silversea fares. Thus' date=' if you want to do a number of excursions and money is a consideration, you might want the OBC. If the upgrade is merely from one verandah location to another (and not from Vista to Veranda) it may not make that much of a difference in your cruise experience. [/quote']

 

Appreciate Wes' very nice and kind comments about the "balance" with my reporting. Great to hear! It's been fun documenting and sharing these live/blogs. Agree with the follow-up by Observer as to how excursions are not included and that the two-level upgrade is best when you pay for a Vista cabin and are moving up, UP to a mid-ship balcony. That's what we got in early 2014 when doing the Amazon/Caribbean adventure.

 

On South Africa weather, we were there in late January and early February. Things were fairly dry and worked near perfect for us to fit our interests/needs. Look at the two charts below. The weather is about the same for each of those three months. Good that you will have three days in Cape Town. We had five days in that great area and it was so very nice to have the additional time to see so much there and nearby. Plus, to recover from the long flights and time-zone changes. From the UK, your time-zone changes, however, should be more manageable.

 

On Silversea's South Africa excursion options, as I noted, bluntly, their cruise ship options being offered were not always the best. Kind of disappointing in many ports as to what they offered . . . or didn't!! I know why but will not get into too much detail here. Silversea and other cruise lines have various providers handling these "details" and the quality/pricing/variety will different. Depends on the country and their local suppliers. We were sure glad we set-up and did mostly private, more personal tours that better fit our interests and gave us more time efficiency to maximize the "adventures" in that amazing country. Much depends on what you seek to do, see and enjoy.

 

Keep rolling with the great questions and sharing!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 150,242 views for this posting.

 

 

Below are two different charts for the yearly periods 2000-2012 on Cape Town's historic monthly temperature and rain levels. It seems, based on these charts and our early 2016 experiences, that the Jan-March time periods have some good advantages to consider, especially as we were escaping the cold of the northern hemisphere. This data is from http://www.us.worldweatheronline.com.:

 

July2016Pis8%201_zpsqr58uzzy.jpg

 

 

July2016Pis7%201_zpscgvwksb2.jpg

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If I were to recc a place to stay in Cape Town it always be the The Cape Grace but they also charge the $ to match

 

As far as cruising in Africa

 

 

It is much like Australia and not best done by cruise ship, so if your objective is to see Africa then you went with the wrong boat. The ship follows the garden route for the most part so this is a suitable drive option.

 

If you want a tasting of Africa and a bit more then the cruise and a pre or post safari should be the objective

 

This time we are at the Table Bay mostly Becuase they are not charging an arm and a leg for a single room and also due to convenience of embarkation and debarkation. The taj is a great hotel in a convenient spot

 

My stay in August was suppose to be miserable fro 4 days but the weather was perfect. weather or not the whether is good is a lottery ;)

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It may depend on your expectations and your point of view. You may want to look at my fairly recent post entitled "Seabourn cruiser tries Silversea." I was recently on the Cloud and was disappointed. The two biggest problems were the food and the air conditioning, both of which in my mind were inadequate, enough so that they definitely detracted from my cruise. However, that being said, I still enjoyed the cruise.

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Following our TA s advice we stayed in the Victoria and Alfred Hotel on the waterfront. More a boutique hotel but very pleasant. Enjoyed Cape Town and drove half the Garden Route to Plettenburg Bay and also visited the wine lands. However after our visit we decided never to return as we were uncomfortable with some aspects.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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My wife and I are contemplating sailing on the Silver Cloud ( our first cruise with Silversea)

 

We really like the South AFrica itinerary that the Cloud is sailing next Jan/ Feb

 

Our concern is the very bad reviews ( only 49% liked it) it has been given from fellow cruise critic members.

 

We have recently sailed on Oceania Sirena and enjoyed the step up in quality from the mass market lines, and our early thoughts would be that Silversea would be on par with Ocieania but after reading the reviews we are now not so sure.

Thanks.

Millions..

 

Hello mklions

 

I hope I can provide a little bit of insight from a fellow UK traveller, particularly as your evolving cruise experiences appear to be remarkably similar to those of Mrs Machotspur and I.

We are in our late fifties. Having undertaken a few mainstream cruises some years back, with the likes of P&O, Princess etc we felt we had outgrown them, particularly as we became ‘empty nesters’.

 

10 years ago we decided to take a Black Sea cruise on Oceania Nautica. We really enjoyed it, particularly the size of ship, the ‘country casual’ style and the excellent food – far superior to anything we had experienced on the mainstream lines.

We would have continued cruising with Oceania however they were easily filling their ships in those days and when we came to look for our next cruise we found that prices had increased significantly. Hence we looked around and decided to give Silversea a go in 2007.

 

We have taken 7 cruises on 6 Silversea ships, two of which have been on expedition ships. We have another booked on Silversea Explorer to Antarctica, Falklands & South Georgia.

 

One would think by reading this account so far we have become Silversea junkies – well not so I'm afraid – we are actually reluctant Silversea customers !

 

Why so ?

 

Well we do like a lot about Silversea, specifically –

 

- Itineraries are very important to us – Silversea generally have more variety than others

 

- We have exhausted most of the usual cruise itineraries we want to do and almost exclusively focus on the expedition trips these days. Silversea cover more interesting areas, with a degree of comfort, at a high, but reasonable price.

 

- We find service to be pretty good, but no better or worse than the peer group such as Seabourn.

 

- The (almost) all inclusive nature of the cruise experience. Irrespective of the financial aspects of this, the difference this makes to a relaxed cruise experience is immense. No signing awful bits of paper. Not having to remember the guy who bought you a drink last night so you can reciprocate. This is the single thing that having experienced it would stop me returning to Oceania.

 

- The size of the ships are perfect for us, although our least preferred are Wind/Cloud – the smallest.

 

So – for me to make the ‘reluctant customers’ statement there must be some ‘don’t likes’. Well here goes ……

 

- The food ! Yes – of course it's subjective, views are influenced by an individual's tastes, experiences, lifestyle etc. There isn’t a right opinion, because the only one that matters is your own. I do of course respect fellow posters that are fully satisfied with the catering. We are frequently disappointed by food we are served on Silversea and this is one of the primary reasons we are more selective with our bookings these days. I know it was a while back now and my ageing memory may be playing tricks but I found the food on our single Oceania trip to be superior to most of what I have experienced on Silversea.

 

- The wine ! Linked to the food comments of course, with the same caveats but don't go on to Silversea (or any of the inclusive companies) expecting anything more than what can be seen on the special offer end at Tesco in Bletchley for £5.99. There is nothing wrong with the wine – we, like much of the population regularly drink (too much of) it, at home throughout the week. But when I drink it at home I am not expecting a luxury experience.

 

- The condition of the ships. When we took our first cruise on Silver Wind we were genuinely shocked as to the condition of the ship, particularly the cabins, bathrooms etc. Having come from a smart, albeit chintzy Oceania ship the Silver Wind was very poor indeed – IMHO – by comparison. Since then we have had some good and not so good – but I do believe- very subjectively - that the refurb cycle may be a bit less frequent than some other companies.

 

So – that’s the summary, which I hope has some balance about it. As you can see we still aim to cruise with Silversea, just nowhere near as frequently as we would have thought a few years ago.

 

I guess that the various elements of a cruise are of varying importance to each of us. Food may really matter to me ,whereas entertainment, for example, may be of greater importance to another.

 

My advice to you, if I may humbly suggest – is give them a try, but manage your expectations. Don’t expect everything to be like it is on the marketing blurb !

 

I hope this is of some constructive use and I haven’t gone on too much !

 

Kind regards

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It may depend on your expectations and your point of view. The two biggest problems were the food and the air conditioning, both of which in my mind were inadequate, enough so that they definitely detracted from my cruise. However, that being said, I still enjoyed the cruise.

 

 

I second that... The Hotel manager was telling me I was the only one complaining about AC. If you turn it all the way down it would only get to 21.5 degrees Celsius and no lower. Executive chef from Mexico was way off his game.

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If I were to recc a place to stay in Cape Town it always be the The Cape Grace but they also charge the $ to match

 

This time we are at the Table Bay mostly Becuase they are not charging an arm and a leg for a single room and also due to convenience of embarkation and debarkation. The taj is a great hotel in a convenient spot

 

Two years ago we would have agreed with you about the Cape Grace, but after our stay last year when the service was average, and two visits to eat and drink there over the New Year period this year, when the service was truely awful and the attitude of most of the staff very poor, I no longer think it is worth what they charge. The Table Bay is much more reasonable and generally seemed to employ sufficiennt staff without bad attitude issues.

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Two years ago we would have agreed with you about the Cape Grace, but after our stay last year when the service was average, and two visits to eat and drink there over the New Year period this year, when the service was truely awful and the attitude of most of the staff very poor, I no longer think it is worth what they charge. The Table Bay is much more reasonable and generally seemed to employ sufficiennt staff without bad attitude issues.

 

 

Wow... my last stay was late August "15 and the service was amazing and surpassed many places in Asia I have stayed ( I wasn't fussed on one of the concierge)

I am really picky and $ aren't the criteria I choose by :)

 

The hotel was fairly empty so I do wonder if this was a contributing factor?

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I checked out the Cape Grace during my stay and didn't care for it at all - dark, gloomy, stuffy, like a London club, but I'm sure service levels are high. Not sure many of the rooms will have a great view of Table Mountain.

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- The wine ! Linked to the food comments of course, with the same caveats but don't go on to Silversea (or any of the inclusive companies) expecting anything more than what can be seen on the special offer end at Tesco in Bletchley for £5.99. There is nothing wrong with the wine – we, like much of the population regularly drink (too much of) it, at home throughout the week. But when I drink it at home I am not expecting a luxury experience.

 

But the wine provides interesting entertainment. Much fun watching people sniffing and swirling before approving the content of a $7.00 bottle of wine.

 

Very spot on review of SS. Thanks!

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Wow... my last stay was late August "15 and the service was amazing and surpassed many places in Asia I have stayed ( I wasn't fussed on one of the concierge)

I am really picky and $ aren't the criteria I choose by :)

 

The hotel was fairly empty so I do wonder if this was a contributing factor?

 

I have stayed at the Cape Grace four times and am returning November. Each stay has been extremely memorable from every point of view and I expect the upcoming one to be the same. Fingers crossed!

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This was one view from my room. I was focussing on getting Signal Hill when the cannon went.

 

My apology as I don't have the great view of Table Mountain from my on this computer.

 

Yes the furnishings were club style, with a distinctly african theme. It was bright and airy both in my room and the downstairs bar was a happening place. Believe me, living in a house in Aus with almost all glass across the entire living area of the house to look at a view, I especially notice when things are gloomy....

12004757_1125739804104640_5992999592870565539_n.jpg.863c1721363a9355a98bb909e863b076.jpg

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This was one view from my room. I was focussing on getting Signal Hill when the cannon went. My apology as I don't have the great view of Table Mountain from my on this computer.

 

Fletcher: I checked out the Cape Grace during my stay and didn't care for it at all - dark' date=' gloomy, stuffy, like a London club, but I'm sure service levels are high. [b']Not sure many of the rooms will have a great view of Table Mountain[/b].

 

wripro: I have stayed at the Cape Grace four times and am returning November. Each stay has been extremely memorable from every point of view and I expect the upcoming one to be the same. Fingers crossed!

 

Fletcher: xxx

 

Appreciate this interesting "debate" about the pro/con factors for the Cape Grace Hotel. I have never stayed there' date=' nor visited their lobby, etc. Loved Fletcher's cute "XXX" follow-up to wripro's comment about have "fingers crossed" for continued success at this hotel.

 

In the pictures/graphics I am sharing below, you can see that the Cape Grace and its prime location, plus some other nearby options. Clearly, each person needs to determine which type of hotel, its specific location, its pricing/value, etc., work best for your personal interests and needs.

 

For MrsWaldo, these pictures give a better idea of the positioning and relationships between key Cape Town highlights such as Table Mountain, Signal Hill, the Lion's Head, Cape Town Stadium, the V&A Waterfront, etc.

 

These posts are little off from the original posting about the Silver Cloud, but it is fun kicking around these past experiences, ideas, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio[/font']

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 214,876 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

From a couple of my pictures that I took during my "helicopter adventure tour", here are some visuals that offer a better sense for the specific locations of three key hotels in the V&A Waterfront area, plus also showing the Cape Royale where we stayed. These two aerial visuals give you a better sense for the positioning of Table Mountain, Cape Town's Central Business District, Signal Hill, the Lion's Head, Cape Town Stadium, the V&A Waterfront, etc. The third picture, not from the helicopter, gives a better idea as to how at the Cape Grace Hotel, you are mostly going to have either nice views of Table Mountain or the V&A Waterfront activities/structures, etc., depending on the side of the building for your room.:

 

Screen%20Shot%202016-07-26%20at%208.08.10%20PM_zps1jzghslq.png

 

 

Screen%20Shot%202016-07-26%20at%208.09.42%20PM_zps3skjmmuz.png

 

 

Screen%20Shot%202016-07-26%20at%208.10.21%20PM_zpsv0qza7jh.png

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Well balanced review Machotspur.

 

Very spot on review of SS. Thanks!

 

Thanks folks for your kind comments, particularly as less than positive comments are not always welcome here.

 

For this reason I don't post often but when I do I try to give some careful thought as to what I am saying, particularly when someone is genuinely seeking some help.

The OP hasn't commented yet so i'm not sure if I have achieved this.

 

But the wine provides interesting entertainment. Much fun watching people sniffing and swirling before approving the content of a $7.00 bottle of wine.

 

You spotted me ! .. and i thought I was being so sophisticated ;)

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Terry,

 

I'm not a Cape Town virgin.

 

I just didn't have any pics on the comp that I wanted put into a public forum as they are mine

 

For anyone one else as Terry said , you can see one whole side of Cape Grace does indeed look at Table Mountain.. Personally I'm not a huge fan of paying for a view unless of course all you intend to do is sit in the room.. In my case I picked the hotel for location as a s single female...

 

As I left the house this morning it was mentioned to me that someone thought they may have had energy save movement activated lights in the hallways and hence if you looked down the corridor from the lobby inside would indeed appear to be dark and gloomy.

Edited by MrsWaldo
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