mrscrab

Does anyone know if Terrace Suites still have the CD players. Took CDs last cruise on the Spirit only to find there wasn't one in the suite.

Yes they did last time we were there. They stopped in the huge square, the buildings were all beautiful. Hope it doesn't rain for you as there didn't appear to be anywhere to shelter.

The bush fires are dreadful on the island and Funchal being a port SS uses before or after the Trans Atlantic will be known to many passengers. Thinking of the island people and the worry they are experiencing. Hope they can manage to put the fires out quickly. A problem known to all Australians.

We had to leave the ship in Cadiz, Spain. My husband was admitted to hospital with heart failure - most unexpected and a condition which surprised us both. The insurance covered everything and even the lost days of cruising to Barbados. Better to be safe than sorry.

I did the Shadow from Hong Kong to Singapore at the end of November.

It was my first time on board following the passing of my husband. The solo travellers met every night at 7pm for a drink in the lounge, not everyone turned up but thats the beauty of SS.

I felt throughout the cruise I was welcomed at any activity and through the Solo Travellers group met some very interesting people.

So much so that I will be joining the Spirit for the T/A in April.

Was on the Shadow late November and found nothing to report regarding a refit etc etc.

I am beginning to think that some passengers "nit pick" and actually go on board looking for negatives and then don't enjoy what they have gone on SS for and in the end come on these boards to report their complaints to the world.

For the CC members who followed my plight after my husband passed away in August last year - the travel insurance paid out for the both of us the Rest Assured amount we had paid. Travel insurance paid out for my late husbands cruise fare but SS kept my payment for 12 months for me to use the fare on another cruise. This means the SS cruise from FLL to Barcelona is only costing me a small amount due to this credit.

I have to get from Miami Airport to FLL so am looking for transport the day prior to the cruise. Any suggestions from CC members??

Thanks from sunny Western Australia.

A very good perk but be very selective of what you send. The hot driers can ruin elasticated items of underwear and also fragile ladies items.

You didn't read the small print that the Master has the right at any time - could be security,

could be a mechanic problem or even the weather conditions. Plus once in my sailings with SS had to arrive into an unlisted port due to a very sick passenger.

Just accept the terms and conditions as we must.

Today the travel insurance paid out for my husband but not me. Emirates have returned both airfares and I am a bit stuck with SS with the credit they are holding in my name. Just looking at what is sailing early next year in my neck of the woods.

To test how I travel on my own I have booked the Shadow from Hong Kong to Singapore November 22. Short haul from Perth and back on Singapore Airlines. I have said to SS if anyone deserves an upgrade it should be me after not refunding my late husbands fare.

A big thankyou to all those members who helped me in my darkest of days, I keep saying to myself "life goes on"

To those members, like me, who are waiting for details from the Travel Insurance people re my husbands unexpected death and a claim. I have been advised that it will be dealt with "SOON" hopefully tomorrow in Western Australia. Will report as soon as I hear.

Today our GP filled out all the forms to claim from the C/C insurance so will have everything in the mail by tomorrow.

I am well aware to those who have mentioned it that I can't double dip and use the rest assured programme as well as the C/C.

I will keep people informed as to what happens.

I wonder how often SS keep monies in cases such as mine.

Thankyou everyone, people are helpful in times such as this.

Thankyou Jeff, need all the advice I can get. I just feel so dissapointed with SS, we have been so loyal to them. Will set AMEX in place after visiting our GP - he is quite stunned at my husbands passing and the cause of death was not pre existing. Hopefully Amex will payout for both of us, I'm certainly not in a fit state to travel the world on my own. Such a sad time and we had planned this cruise for my 70th birthday.

Best Regards. Mrs Crab

Insurance built into the AMEX we used for the deposit and final payment. BUT amid all this I question what SS do with the monies they are holding in my husbands name.

My husband and I ( no I'm not the Queen) paid the 9% extra for Silversea's Rest Assured Programme for a November 13 transatlantic. We thought everything was fine BUT unknown to me or doctors my husband died very suddenly on August 24th. The cause of death had nothing to do with his previous complaints and was totally new to doctors etc etc.

Silversea has now advised that only my part of the programme will be credited to my future cruises. They say my husbands credit is non transferable and this allows Silversea to keep his paid for share of the cruise.

I ask where is the justice in this??? We have sailed over 100 days with Silversea and have been very happy up till now to advise other interested parties to cruise with them.

Apart from loosing my husband the dealings with Silversea has been more than upsetting.

We had to visit a specialist in travel medicine to get our certificates that says due to health reasons we were denied the innoculation. We travelled to the Seychelles that required the needle and were allowed into the islands no questions asked.

We chose a visit to the Sultans Golf Club, his Polo Grounds and were taken to view the stables, afternoon tea followed. The wealth was amazing and even the carpets were finished with gold woven into them. This is a leader that spends money on the residents of Brunei and it was good to see happy and smiling faces when we were dropped off at a small shopping center. A total Islamic state where the residents live in peace and they don't have to pay income tax and schools and medical facilities come free.

The whole tour was well organised and apart from the golf carts everything was airconditioned.

A day we will never forget.

My husband suffered twice, once on Silversea and once on Seabourn. Both occasions we were mid Atlantic so the food from the galley wasn't quite right. The passenger next door also had the problem. The doctor had them "confined to barracks" for 24 hours. When the doctors a/c arrived we refused to pay as it was the shipping line that caused it.

They will not allow you to use your OBC towards a donation to the Crew Welfare Fund. We didn't know this and thought we had donated $500 to the Fund. On our final statement we saw that the $500 was a charge against our Amex card. Just be aware!!

I have a different opinion regarding this. If boarding time is stated for 2pm we always arrive at 2pm. Do you go 2 hours early for other appointments ie. to the doctors, a favourite restaurant, the hairdresser or the beauty salon ? probably not so why do it and put extra pressure on the crew, change over day is the busiest time for them - why not have some respect.

Earlier on this thread there was mention of the $400 voucher. From our experience this cannot be given to the crew fund. The $400 appeared on our credit card a/c and we had really wanted this money to go to the crew. Husband wasn't happy and neither was I.

The S/S cruise was the only part of my several visits to Brunei - the airline Royal Brunei had flights to the UK via Brunei from Perth Western Australia. I had many overnight stops and only saw happy people who certainly enjoyed the life style. The Islamic "being" meant that most of the people kept to their religion . I cannot think how life would change as they appeared to be living the "perfect" lifestyle according to the Koran.

I agree with several on this board - WE TRAVEL to see parts of this wonderful world and I wouldn't let a call into Brunei affect my cruise. If you are so upset by this probable 8 hour visit - look at another cruise or stay on board.

I add a comment that people overseas may not know that HRH Prince Charles is a close friend of the Sultan of Brunei. So would the "Palace" with all the information they hold allow this friendship to happen. Protocol is of the essence.

We were on a S/S cruise of the South China Sea which called into Brunei - it was one of the most wonderful tours we had ever been on. At the invitation of the Sultan we were taken first of all to his magnificent golf club. Everyone was given a golf buggy to drive around the course - the gardens and fountains within the course were spectacular then we were given access to the club house. Everything was palatial and walls and furniture had real gold everywhere.

Next we were taken to the POLO Club and we were given food and drink (no alcohol) and this building even had real gold woven in the carpet. The polo horses stables were certainly 5 star. On the way back to the ship we were taken to a very very upmarket hotel for a look around. Again everything was fantastic but no bar!

The Sultan of Brunei is much loved by the residents. They pay no income tax, free hospitals and education and many drive around in late model Mercedes or the like.

The shopping wasn't very good, they cater mainly for the locals who seem very happy with their lot. Yes a lovely port of call and the whole of the island Islamic but no sign of tension whatsoever

To the CC members we met, who probably think we were anti social, it was great to meet you at the gatherings. We were very unfortunate that Cliff my husband became very ill so we had room service until we got to Cadiz. The ships doctor asked for help via the ships agent and my husband was in a Cadiz private hospital within hours. I had to return to the ship for our suitcases which our Butler had packed beautifully. Silversea were wonderful and I cannot offer anything but praise.

The problems now with the travel insurance company can only be described as grim. At least after 3 long flights we arrived home and feel that help is everywhere. Alone in Spain is not the place to be.

Hope the CC people we met enjoyed themselves and have booked another cruise.

FORGOT on another thought.... We met a food and beverage consultant on board, an independent advisor to make sure every ship owned by Silversea met 100% of regulations needed for food safety. I wouldn't have minded his job -- he had 6 voyages booked which he just said it was a working "cruise" This was order because of the trouble on the Shadow earlier this year.

Just take your own bottle of whatever and they will serve it to you. Try a stopover, it breaks the journey and you will find the whole place facinating. No booze because it is probably the strictest Muslim country in the world. You will feel SAFE, the shopping for us Aussies so cheap - a pair of leather Bally shoes for $AUD60, we would pay $AUD500 for the same shoe. Go there do it - a total new experience of the world! We were there on SS and had a tour of the Sultans Golf Club, Polo Club and his country club where the carpets were woven with gold. My husband kept rubbing his shoes into the carpets as he thought he could have picked up a bit of gold - probably where the words GOLD DIGGER came from. One of lifes memories. DO IT!!