chrism23

When I started to research this in earnest, my first check was Athens weather. It was 107 degrees when I looked. Last year Greece had temps approaching 120 degrees. Too damn hot.

Hi, This group has already saved me from doing something stupid (Greece in August, which was greatly appreciated). I turn to your collective experience to perhaps prevent me from doing something stupid again. I have a place holder in on a 4/22/25 to 5/13/ cruise on the Wind with a 5 day pre-program safari. It is an expedition sailing This was another trip I booked without really thinking. I was excited by itinerary. I have to stop doing this. My first question is whether anyone has done this cruise before.? It is brand new to me and I haven't seen it before. So any advice or input on that itinerary would be important for me. The trip starts on Accra Ghana 0n 2/22 and ends in Lisbon on 5/13. It visits Côte d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bassau, Cape Verde and a couple of Spanish Islands. In reality I haven't heard of nearly any of these places. So, fellow travelers, what the hell have I signed up for? I do prefer expedition cruises,(I do not really like the new ships-too big, even though they are gorgeous) and have been on the Wind before, last year,-a 3 week expedition cruise around Iceland and Scotland which I loved. I have nearly 200 SS sea days. I have done the minimum, checked the State Department warnings site and general media. Although this isn't idiot proof. Last year I landed in Lima, to start the Grand Cruise from there, and they were in a shooting insurrection, which confined existing pax to the ship and made getting from the hotel to the airport a little dicey. None of the countries have warnings, not going to Rwanda for example. So, if this is a new itinerary I don't expect much in the way of feedback. But if you have journeyed to these places please let me know. Thank you. cheers chris (who is not going to Greece this summer, thank God)

YESSSS!!!!!! (maybe). I was sitting in my wife's eye doctor's office yesterday reading the NYTimes and there was an article about 5 fatalities among hikers in Greece from the excessive heat. Then, Eureka, a receptionist came out and called me into the exam room where my wife was sitting. The Doc put up some scans and said that the graft over her macular hole had worked and and now covered the hole And it was time to take the silicon out from behind her eye. Surgery. Discussion ensued on timing and what with the pre-surgical physicals, his schedule, the availability of operating rooms etc, the earliest he could do this was August 1. That was to be our embarkation date from Athens. He will write a note. Flying is verboten for 4 weeks. No need to manipulate rhe process. Straight forward as hell. Surgery, no fly restrictions all wrapped up in a tidy bow. OK. If the SS screwups continue (stay off the Whisper until they fix all the problems) something has to go wrong. Keep fingers crossed. Thanks. Chris

A couple of points. First, sorry that your trip turned into a complete debacle. I agree with Ms. Jones that this cascade of problems was probably ship specific. The Hotel Director is the 2nd most powerful person on the ship. His actions, as described in your post should be cause for his firing. I remember once I had a problem with noise from the air handler in my suite. They tried to fix it but couldn't. The HD moved us to an Owner's suite. The move accomplished by butlers, flawlessly-everthing was where it was previously And this they did during dinner. A truly remarkable achievement, the kind of service that I have come to expect from SS. Just curious as the whether the 2 owner's suite were vacant for your cruise. It they were I would be much more angry than you are. I was booked on the Whisper, b to b for the first 3 weeks of August. Around Greece. The stupidity of that has been much discussed here. A a couple of weeks or so after the Whisper got out of dry dock, I began to hear rumors about air-conditioning problems. I started a thread in Tony Hanks' SS facebook page on AC issues. It seemed I opened Pandora's box. I got 61 responses, by far my record on FB, I would say they ran 60% no problem, 40% problems many of which were never rectified. This is totally unacceptable. One suite without functioning AC is not acceptable let alone nearly half. Because of the level of detail of your post, and the results of my A/C post, every officer from the Hotel Director on down should be fired, and replaced by personnel from well functioning ships. I have 200 days on SS and have had only one big problem that was immediately taken care of. (I found the owners suite just too big, a strange complaint, especially the 8 seat dining room table on the double wide veranda). The shear volume of your complaints, and the lack of solutions, SS should send you a FFC for the entirety of your cruise. Over the years there has been a lot of bitching and moaning here, but I think you win the prize for more things going wrong than anyone. It just adds fuel to all of our fears that RCCL is going to screw everything up. (I think I solved my cancellation problem, my wife is having her eye surgery on 8/1, 4 days after embarking, so I think the insurance will kick in). If not your post will seem to be a love letter by comparison.

The only issue I have had with noise on a SS ship, I forget which one but the problem will be the same, is do not select a suite beneath the swimming pool deck. The pool is not the problem. What for all of them, is, is that the crew comes out and moves all the deck furniture at exactly 6:00 AM, without fail. It is really noisy for about 10 minutes. I also try to avoid suites closest to the elevators.

Hello. I am booked on the Silver Whisper for 22 days during the month of August, sailing Greece and the Adriatic. Much has been written about this, I started a thread on the Facebook page that had over 60 responses. Its topic was the A/C on the Whisper. Responses ran about 60% no problem to 40% problems. If anyone wants to chime in here please do so. In a word some people had major problems in their suites, no A/C for the whole journey, others whose problems were fixed in 1-3 days, and the rest no problems at all. I have already acknowledged my stupidity in booking this cruise during August. Last time I checked it was 107 degrees in Athens. Now I am looking for a way out and need your help on how to handle it. I have the standard insurance policy issued by Silversea. I am also aware that their corporate policy provides only a 10% refund if I cancel 30 days in advance. Here's where it gets tricky. My wife has had 2 surgeries in the past year to close a hole in her macular. The second entailed sewing a placental graft into the hole. These 2 surgeries have not worked. She is due to see her surgeon on 6/25 and she will find out she needs another surgergy, if only to take the silicon out which was inserted to hold the graft in place. With both previous surgeries she was strictly forbidden for flying for 3 months. She is blind in that eye. Now this would seem to be rather solid ground to cancel. But given the vagaries of insurance (my wife was a senior officer at Aetna) so she really knows health insurance companies, the insurers could say that the surgery is elective and that she could waiti 30-60 days before having the operation and refuse to pay. We are talking about $50,000 here. My case is a reach. In looking at my medications I found that 8 of my regular prescriptions (I have 5 separate psychiatric meds which is, I know, way too much information) have warnings against prolonged exposure to sun and/or heat. I am reasonably sure that my psychiatrist will say I am totally insane 😀 and give me a letter. But that is probably thin, I do play golf for example. My wife has advised that one untruth or embellishment would probably result for the claim being denied. I contacted my (great) cruise consultant yesterday (the delay being I was stuck on the flooded Danube and its tributaries for the past 3 weeks) and to give him a heads up. I also proposed that the best solution to all of this is to give us a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for the full amount which would be fine by us. I wanted to get that thought in his mind. No cash changes hands, no immediate loss, a good way out for all concerned. Now the magic question. Have any of you been caught in this type of situation before. If so how did it get resolved? I know this is a complicated question and I profusely thank anyone who tries to help me out. .very sincerely Chris M

I don't but my wife snores like a freight train. (she doesn't read these)😀😀

I am intensely following this thread and others related to the Whisper. I am booked on it for a BtoB for most of the month of August. I am in suite 823 and see no reason to get on them to change suites. The move of the Casino and the Connoiseur Corner had me worried but they have been put in the aft section of the ship and are no problem. Could have been because I absolutely loathe cigar smoke and I was worried the very late night casino action would create audible noise. So I am good on both counts. I am absolutely dumb struck by the number of complaints registered here about food, caviar and so much more. I regard myself as a SS veteran, upcoming will be my 10th cruise with nearly 200 days. My last cruise was January 2023 the South American Grand Tour on the Moon. The Moon was the most gorgeous ship I have been on. The restaurants, especially Alantide which was always called the MDR were superb, the best food I have had on SS. Having a 'chop' house menu every night was an inspired idea. I share a couple of complaints. I do not eat at La Dame anymore, I usually did so on Formal Nights, I like to dress up, but no more. The same dishes in La Dame seem to appear on the MDR menu within a day or two. The difference is that the portions in La Dame are larger, a good example is if you order rack of lamb in La Dame you get 3 chops, in the MDR you get 2. I do not understand why so many cruisers are quick to downgrade SS from luxury to premium. These are the same ships, so far with the same level of service, maybe I am in for a rude awakening, but with SS, and the reason I keep returning is "if it ain't broke don't fix it". They have been nearly perfect and seamless every cruise. Also I have voiced my concern over the increased capacity of the new ships, The Moon with 500ish pax felt just about right, the new ships that are 700+ seem too big, although I have yet to sail one. With them I envision problems with excursions, lines at restaurants, and a whole host of other issues which may put me off SS which would be a shame. Maybe I will be surprised but right now it seems to be a major tactical mistake. Selfishly I feel at home with SS and do not want to migrate to one of the few "luxury" cruise lines remaining, namely Seabourn and Regent.

I don't use a travel agent (10) cruises. I use the SS cruise consultant. To me, the absolute key to sailing SS is to get one of their top notch CC's. I have had 2 and they have been absolutely incredible. He handles all the problems created by SS air which is a given. There are always problems with the initial flights their air department gives you e.g. Dublin to Boston via Frankfurt.a couple off trips ago. My CC knows I only fly business class direct if possible, and he saw this and had it fixed before I called to throw a fit. He also throws in a free night in a hotel, transfers, everything. He takes really good care of us. He makes traveling SS seamless. He is so good he will probably get promoted soon, and I will have to break in his replacement. Now for the tricky part. SS is now using RCL's air department The first time this happened I caught a trainee and her manager was standing right over her shoulder. I caught some of the dialogue. When I am booking air I always have the flight schedule from Expedia or the like in front of me. You will notice that the same flights are scheduled under different airlines, So I go down the list, this was Virgin first (no) Air France (no) then Delta (bingo yes). This depends entirely on whether SS has a relationship with the carrier. My CC would have done this for me but I wanted to see how the new system worked out. The short answer is you have to know how to play them. My CC will also offer sage advice on pre and post cruise options. Makes sure the timing works on any transfer. He solves problems, I can't image an independent travel agent having the intimate knowledge of how SS does things. Now here is the real problem. SS is experiencing some turnover because RCL is unfortunately RCL. There is no way, if you haven't sailed with them before, to know who you get as your CC. . For me this level of service is why I stay with SS. I tried booking a Seabourn cruise, and got an idiot who only quoted the retail price. Nothing about room selection, shipboard credits (always ask for more). I hung up the phone. Then I tried the travel agency they use Avoya, which is based in Houston I think, More of the same, a rote recitation of list costs. I hung up on them too. I'm sorry I won't name the CC I use, he's already to busy, Yes I am selfish and I dearly hope he doesn't get caught up with all the stupid stuff RCL seems intent on doing. RCL may handle the rack rate on a 7 day Caribbean cruise Miami to Miami. But I don't see them capable of handling a 90 day Grand voyage. .

These comments are reinforcing my fears about SS moving up to bigger ships. You could see this coming. The largest ship I have been on has been the Muse @500+. I haven't been on the Ray or Nova, the new ships that are 700+. I have 2 cruises booked on the Whisper and Wind. Perhaps this deserves a separate thread. I feel the Muse is about as big as SS can handle. I always do dinner at 7:00 PM. I have never had to wait, I didn't always get a table for 2 by the window but always went right in. If I had to wait to get into Atlantide or The Restaurant as the MDR was always called at 7:00 PM I would throw a fit. That is a deal breaker for the whole SS experience. The other issue that is going to be a problem, I think, on the larger ships are excursions. On the Muse there were a couple that had 3 buses going to the same place at the same time. This is simply too many people for any excursion. It's interesting that many of the fears expressed by SS regulars are coming to pass. Unfortunately I do not trust RCL to correct these mistakes, they are only going to make it worse. I will give one of the new ships a chance, expecting the worst. Notice that the 2 cruises I have booked on the Wind and Whisper. I also do expeditions, these on the older, smaller ships. It will be 2027 when I book the next cruise which will be on one of the behemoths.. Hopefully their issues will be sorted by then.

I have noticed no real difference in the level of service after 10 cruises, the last 3 being back to back. I think I have about 200 days. (Don't underestimate free laundry after 100 days. Even my underwear came back folded separated by sheets of tissue paper). I don't like caviar which to me tastes like salt. Lobster I won't miss because I Ilve in New England and there is a lobster glut. The comments above about costs is pertinent. For us to go into New York City for a weekend (1 night), a show and dinner costs about $3000- $1000 for a hotel, last time we stayed at the Lagham, another $1000 for show tickets, dinner for near $1000 -we did eat at 11 Madison Park, which used to be the best restaurant in the world until they went to their vegan menu, but we had the wine pairings, (Replacing 11 Mad Park as the best restaurant in NYC and perhaps the world is also about is Le Bernadin-go before someone screws that up too) for its $1000 (for 2)-tasting menu with wine, tip and taxes, So $1600ish per night on SS doesn' really phase me. We looked at going South to an Island this winter and the prices were even more stratospheric. The Ritz Carlton Dorado Beach is $1895 per night with nothing, add food, a $350 round of golf, tips and taxes you are looking at $3000 a night. And add Business Class air to that. I won't even mention Paris which can make NYC look cheap. I know I will get push back on being entitled etc. but I am and don't apologize for it. I am guessing the average net worth of a Silversea passenger on a longish cruise is north of $5 million. (they do need to keep their market in mind) We can afford to pay high prices and there will be a mass exodus if they start getting cheap and cutting corners. I fear that Ms. Muckermann might have read the tea leaves and jumped ship tp Crystal before RCL manages to screw up SS. I have had the seamless service that I look for to Silversea for, transfers, hotels etc. for all of my voyages without them messing it up. So I am staying with SS until, or if, they stop getting it right, which I obviously hope does not happen. I don't want to go through am audition process of Regent, Seabourn, and the rest of the higher end cruise lines, especially since if go through all the trouble of taking a cruise I want to be at sea around 30 days, so I am always doing B to B's which I highly recommend.

sorry, I get carried away. It is a lot of fun.

Ms. Jones is spot on when she says it's a blood sport. One year I went so far as to try and recruit my team here in advance. I have found there are a few keys in putting together a team, you need an Aussie, a Brit, and an American. You also need someone that knows show tunes and someone young enough to know music post 2000. It also helps if someone knows opera. The most essential knowledge is Geography. They used always to ask questions about 'groups of" i.e a group of crows is a murder and phobias. Two members of my recruited team actually printed out pages of both to study in advance . I hope they have stopped those damn questions, they had noon on the last cruise. I think we won about 70% of the games. It also helps to find a polymath, I had one on my last cruise, the grand South American cruise. He got everything I didn't get, we went 20 for 20 4 or 5 times. We won 10 of 11 and only lost one game because there were 2 questions on cricket. For what it's worth, after 10 cruises, I have concluded that Ms. Jones is the best trivia player among SS regulars, except for the polymath, if I see him again, I didn't not get his name.I am going to handcuff him to our table.

The article below was prominently printed yesterday in the New York Post. It says that 31.people are ill with a virus that is causing diarrhea and have been quarantined on the Nova. Not being an MD I am reluctant to guess the cause. At first glance it looks like a classic Norovirus but the article does not mention vomiting which is usually part of a Norovirus-which is spread primarily by touch or contact with objects, these are called, fomites, There is no need to say that SS should be implementing strict had washing protocols which it had partly in place during early COVID, when you couldn't enter a restaurant without getting spritzed. (and wash your hands as much as possible). Good luck. https://nypost.com/2024/04/16/us-news/nearly-30-silverseas-cruise-passengers-fall-ill-with-diarrhea-at-sea/

An article appeared yesterday- https://crystalcruises.com/story/meet-the-crew:-introducing-vicki-van-tassel,-crystal's-new-cruise-director?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=CTA_image&utm_campaign=Vicki_15Apr24_PRUS a long interview, with Vikki saying she has become Cruise Director for Crystal-I think not for one particular ship but for the whole fleet-all the ships Crystal has left of which I have no idea, the only one I can name is the Symphony. For me, she was a great, the best Cruise Director in the SS fleet, I have no idea what the story is with Crystal. With Manfredi Lebebrvre now running Crystal it seems like some cherry picking has begun. Has anyone been on Crystal since the sale. What I had understood was that its ships are worn, its cabin's too small, and definitely not a 5* experience. I haven't looked at their web site, ships where they are sailing. Should I. I imagine Manfredi is spending some of the cash he got from the sale of SS to invest in Crystal. Oh PS. I haven't seen her in a couple of years, she is a blond now looking quite attractive .

Damn this does not bode well. Ms. Muckermann really cared and it showed, She is the only CEO I have encountered who personally returned an email and took action. She interacted with many clients. She understood us. I fear the worst. ( I am also of the opinion that the new ships are too large but that's off topic, sor,t of I am recently off the Moon which, for me is nearly perfect. It is a gorgeous ship) After our first SS cruise, which was near perfect we said from now on, " if it ain't broke don't fix it". Around 10 cruises and 200 days in, there have been a couple of minor bumps but no big deal, they have been near perfect. In 12 years we've had two cruise consultants who have been really helpful and the importance of which can't be underestimated, Yes, the food goes a little up or a little down, it's nothing to get exercised about. The logistics of embarkations and transfers etc were handled smoothly, We will be 30 days on the Whisper this summer, it is being retrofitted and about to be in dry dock, I wonder if its future is a larger expedition ship? Anyhow, I read somewhere awhile ago that Silversea had the highest return rate of any cruise line. I am sure, absolutely sure, that changes will be made that will anger a lot of people, probably me too, which has me angry already. On board posts are really going to be interesting the next few months. Cheers.

I too am a bourbon drinker with 10 cruises in. Sorry, their bourbon selection is weak. Think Jim Beam etc. And Jack Daniels is not a bourbon, it's a whisky,. You might mention this issue to your CC who might pass it up the line and you'll have a bottle of the Macallan waiting in your room. SS used to do stuff like that. Oh, if you are still filling out forms and come upon a "special request" section, mention it, You never know.

Thanks. I think I have a problem. There was also a print letter saying they had to switch one of the ports. So I am shut out for the excursion pages too. Guess I wait for a live human tomorrow to solve the problem. Glitches like this are is unlike them.

Hi, hopefully this is just a quickie. I have been working on an August booking on the My Bookings page (there are 7 previous. Just about done. And the page for the August trip has disappeared, gone poof!, Has this, or is, happening to anyone else.? I know this is stupid but I am stumped. TIA

Hi. I was. on the Cloud on an 15 day expedition cruise last year. They do not provide walking poles. We did about 10 excursions that required some hiking. There were two or three where I wished I had poles-wet rocks down hill. Their degree of difficulty icons aren't always accurate-depends on conditions. Ask the expedition staff what they think before taking a 3 mile hike So If you have any doubts or feel you need poles buy some, Carbon fiber walking poles weigh ounces and pack small. They are a good investment especially if you go the Galapagos.

My. I seemed to it a nerve here. A few retorts. The incident with the pool chairs was on the Muse. It was loud and lasted about 10 minutes at promptly 6:00 AM every morning. When I say loud think of a light plane hitting the ship. It got you up. Some neighbors complained, in passing I blamed myself for not looking at the deck plans more closely . I think this heads up is worth it to many pax. Being next to elevators is also a problem for me. I stand by that comment too. I think many people find elevators and resulting conversation sometimes bothersome outside their door at 2 in the morning. As to a cabin location where I don't think you have ever been caught on deck 9 in a North Atlantic Storm. Not even scopolmine patches helped me. We were nearly bouncing off the ceiling. The passengers on Deck 6 in the middle of the ship probably had a much better time and maybe even ate dinner, I could go on with my comments but I won't, I have got many but you get the drift. I may snob and really don't care. At home I have tried to construct an environment that is calm, quiet, and serene as possible. I don't see why I shouldn't try to do the same on board. BTW. One cruise I got bumped to an owner's suite because of A/C problems. It is waaaay too big, the person in the other one had a cocktail party for 64 the day we got switch. It was eerie having so much space.

I am not sure I understand this thread at all I fear I sound elitist. I have 10 cruises and have 159 days, so we are not any sort of VIPS. After our second cruise, I select the suite I want when I book the cruise, may up to a year in advance, and this for simple verandas not the real pricey stuff. I have learned a lot of obscure lessons, such as , 'don't book a cabin on the deck below the swimming pool. The dutiful crew starts moving deck chairs at 6:00 QM sharp an it is LOUD. And the obvious, stay away from elevators and other busy traffic areas.I have a great CC ( he owes me a phone call so the 'great" is in peril) and he knows my particulars-mid ship, medium deck-never the top decks which will rock and roll more. So when we talk, I am usually able to get the suite I want or within a door I don't know if is the difference maker here but I book about a year in advance. But I always book back to backs and sometimes it's tricky getting the same cabin twice in a row With all my advice I just got stuck with suite 826 on the Whisper for 30 days. Too high. If on board could you take a peek and see if there are any red flags. Thanks. Cheers

Hi. I am venturing far a field, I apologize but need some help. I am a regular poster here, a Silversea life , with 10 cruises and about 150 days in, I rely a lot on this forum for information. There are quite a few people here that really know what they are talking about. I have a River Cruise scheduled with Tauck-Budapest to Amsterdam on June 14th. I can't find a Tauck site on Cruise Critic I have had 2 trips with Tauck a cruise to Cuba on the Ponant-their original ship, a gorgeous art deco sailing ship, which you wouldn't get me on again if you paid me. And a land trip to the Canyons. Can any body tell me anything I need to know about doing a river cruise with them? If not could someone point me in the right direction. TiA chris

We got over the 100 day threshold on our last cruise hence Free Laundry. It is so worth it. My underwear even came back folded with tissue between pairs. I think every ship has a do it yourself washer/dryer. You can locate them by looking at the ships deck plan. A tip, we reached the 100 day level while on the South American Grand voyage. The gave us the 100 day perk, even though we didn't hit 100 days until a couple of a weeks into the cruise.

Now you have me worried I am on the Whisper for about 30 days in the summer. I was looking forward to a really buffed up ship. Sounds like they may go modest if it's on the block. On the other hand they may go higher end because this spring redo may have to last 7 years to 2030. We'll see. I am going to miss the smaller ships.