FauxNom

Happy anniversary to you two! I'm (as always) really enjoying the pix and descriptions, so thank you.

The menu always starts with a sort of "chef's recommendation" theme menu with a cute name. I don't think it's meant quite as literally as you might suppose. 😉 You can choose all or some of those courses combined with others from the rest of the menu (or off menu if you ask in advance).

You can have a preview main menu delivered to your suite the day before--helpful for people with diet restrictions. On the Explorer recently, a friend with Celiac was able to request modifications, such as "please make the crab cakes without bread crumbs". They also post all menus on the TV the day of.

You sound most interested in the classic ship experience, but you might want to consider an expedition cruise if you like more enrichment and outdoor activities. The clientele skews younger on these small ships, so you would be among a higher percentage of age-peers. As for investment, consider a repositioning cruise; these itineraries can be quite interesting while also less expensive relative to super popular destinations. That's how I tried my first Silversea cruise, and I was hooked. Now I tend to have 2 or 3 future cruises booked at any given time! While my travel is itinerary-focused, I do love the crew's attitudes. To a person, they always work hard to make sure the passengers have a great experience.

I loved being on the Explorer! One hundred pax is the key; I think you meet more people and it's a very friendly atmosphere. Many people gladly share a table so people aren't stuck in silos. The crew is terrific and the expedition program is both fun and educational. I was so sad to leave the ship yesterday. 😞

FOMO alert! If I hadn't been on the Explorer in Australia I would have booked this in a hot minute. My grandmother came from a village near Vaasa so that area holds great interest. Let me know if you see Oravais, and have a great time!

Thanks @jpalbny! It's been fun getting back on the Explorer. I'm really enjoying your commentary @highplanesdrifters--especially now that we know each other! I'm also having fun playing trivia with @Port Power and her son. We actually won today, no thanks to me 😉

I wanted to tell the chef he could have looked at the Chipotle menu for inspiration. Apparently the meal planner didn't know Mexican food involves vegetables 🙂. Enjoy Cinco de Mayo!

For me, the food has gotten better the more I've cruised Silversea. That's because I know it's okay to have high expectations and send back what isn't making me happy. E.g. I was served a virtually raw hamburger my first day on the Shadow this winter; once I sent it back, a good one magically appeared. If the kitchen isn't getting your omelette order right several days in a row, the restaurant supervisor will want to know, so don't be shy. The only unavoidably bad food on my recent cruise was on Mexican theme night. Worst food I've ever had onboard, served family style so you couldn't change you mind and order something new. Live and learn!

Got it (I was confused because the quote talked about expeditions). For informal nights, a blazer would be perfectly in place. There's a pretty big range on those nights. Have fun!

Is this an expedition cruise? If so, you don't necessarily need a jacket, though many men will wear one on the informal night. If you're on a classic ship, I'd venture to guess that you would feel right at home in a suit rather than a dinner jacket or tux on formal night.

This is lots of fun to follow, especially as I will be joining the Explorer in Cairns! Thanks for the reports.

Lots of screenings on the Shadow when I sailed for 5 weeks recently. Many of them corresponded to a guest lecturer who was a character actor in many films, so these tended to be older movies rather than current blockbusters. I heard the popcorn was good.

Recently on the Shadow and there were a few small scooters and walkers in the hallway on my deck, but they weren't a problem because the doorways are recessed enough that it creates an out-of-the-way space for parking. This wouldn't work for one of the large models that took the place of an electric wheelchair for one patient. She traveled with an attendant and they managed everything nicely, always booking private tours instead of taking the bus excursions. I think it's manageable @bobolz I've seen many people use a walker that has a flip down seat to allow rest when needed. Maybe that's worth trying out before the cruise.

How about another variation... I received a final electronic ticket yesterday for a Feb. 11 voyage out of Manilla. It said no testing would be required. Today a new one arrived, with no direction to reread the fine print, which happens to say this: Fully Vaccinated Guests Embarkation Testing Requirements Guests embarking on a Silversea vessel who are fully vaccinated or up-to-date must hold proof of a valid PCR negative test result performed within 48 hours of embarkation OR a valid Antigen test result performed within 24 hours of embarkation. • IMPORTANT – a healthcare professional must administer the COVID-19 test in a healthcare facility. • The Certificate must contain the guest’s name (as shown on the cruise ticket), as well as the date of test, and result. You must provide digital or printed proof upon embarkation. So should I assume that "in a healthcare facility" rules out the video monitored antigen tests? What a pain! I was planning to test myself before leaving anyway, but this timeframe is really restrictive.

I'm sorry you've run into this anxious situation! I'd suggest you get a PCR test within the next 5 days (on day 5 if you are confident in the math). Antigen tests aren't foolproof, and it would be good to find out you status while you could still get the certificate of recovery. Good luck!

The booking document for my next cruise (on the Shadow) says Silversea handles the required VISA for Vietnam and charges it to your shipboard account. This is for US citizens and a few others, so it will depend on your citizenship.

I'm a little concerned this new proposal will dilute the value of our hard-earned Venetian days--kind of like airline points. Expanding the pool of rewards inevitably leads to price inflation. So I said that on my survey. Also said I have no interest in reciprocity because it's highly unlikely I'll book on the other lines.

@Lonedaddy Did you book through an agent or a Silversea consultant. Sounds like your person is really trying to make you happy!

Interesting comments from those who say fares on cruises they booked went up in price under the "new and improved" p2p. I would love to know if any of the fares actually improved. The ones I've been watching (mainly on expedition ships) stayed the same but with the new so-called promotional terms.

Thanks for taking the time to supply all this detail. I'm booked on the Endeavour next August (in the Arctic) so I'm hanging on every word! I do hope they improve the food situation. I'm curious about the Italian restaurant. It looks very small compared to the size on the other expedition ships. Those larger places tend to get the most business at breakfast and lunch because they include buffets. Is the Endeavour's Italian venue a la carte only? Where did you normally eat breakfast? I'm glad they had an experienced and organized expedition team on board. That makes a huge difference.

So sorry your high elevation hike was so badly derailed @kimanjo

and....? @kimanjo Thanks for posting about this product. I think I'm going to try it on my next trip. @spinnaker2 @SLSD It's quite new, sold OTC/online. At least one study shows it's effective at quickly clearing the viral load after a positive covid test. The link posted above will get you to the study, I believe. It's too new to have been tested as a preventative, but the idea makes sense to me. It prevents the virus from attaching to your nasal membrane.

When I hit the mark mid-cruise on the Wind, my butler was confused about my request but he asked his supervisor. He said I qualified for free laundry after that point. I believe he checked with the cruise consultant, who then apparently updated my Venetian account. I was surprised to get a rather large bill for laundry! The reception desk stood firm for awhile, saying they confirmed with the cruise consultant that I did not qualify. I was asked to show them my Venetian statement, and then they re-checked with the consultant and removed the charge. In short, my experience was different from most I saw recounted on this forum, but it was eventually resolved.

FWIW, that online quote thingy often gives me different prices from what a real life consultant would. I tried a booking from the US site and the D2D without flights was $6500 USD more than P2P. That's pretty consistent with your quote after currency conversion. The big difference between the two options is the cancellation penalty. You wouldn't get a Venetian discount and you shouldn't get the private transfer with P2P; the online booker doesn't realize this. In sum P2P would be a bargain if you can self-insure. That's a pretty big difference.