Seafairer

I'm so glad you had such a wonderful experience, Lois, and shared it with us! It's always heartening to hear that someone really enjoys their voyage.

To answer your question about the buffets...

I sailed on about 15 cruises on the Wind, Cloud and Whisper, never the Spirit, and as I mentioned, my last was in the autumn of 2011. So certainly, a lot can happen in the interim! But in my experience, Silversea's breakfast and lunch buffets were on the routine side, much of it the same from one day to the next. If things have changed, I happily bow to the culinary impressions of more recent passengers.

When I first sailed with Crystal in 2013, I was amazed at the truly bountiful buffets, lots of new choices every day, along with items that were always on offer. Everything was really fresh, appetizing, nothing looked tired or soggy. As we might expect of a slightly larger ship, there was considerably more choice, and the dinner menus were more expansive as well. I've been mightily impressed with the choice, quality and preparation of the food on Crystal. Very consistent, too. It's a real strong point!

We sailed solely on Silversea from 2000-2011, then decided to try Crystal. I agree with the previous comments and would like to add that, while Crystal's ships are bigger and carry more passengers, they're a far cry from mega ships. Crystal's public space is so well laid out that I felt just the same as being on Silversea. Certainly no crowding. Easy to find your way around. And, as on Silversea, you quickly begin to recognize your fellow travelers and it's easy to strike up a conversation.

I always found service on Silversea to be top-notch. But Crystal has something a little extra and, yes, the staff really does learn your name.

Crystal's pools are longer (about 50 ft.), better for doing laps. Having more venues to choose from is a very nice plus, whether for dining or nighttime dancing and entertainment. I'm not a foodie, but I began to find the meals in Silversea's Restaurant very uneven for a luxury line; I was, however, consistently delighted by the excellent meals in the Crystal Dining Room. And their willingness to prepare off-menu requests (with notice, of course). Similarly, Crystal's breakfast and lunch buffets offered more choices and, I do believe, higher quality.

On the standard staterooms: yes, Crystal's are smaller, maybe 2 feet shorter?? They don't have Silversea's wonderful walk-in closet (sigh..) but they're beautifully designed with tons of storage. The quiet, wraparound Promenade is a delight, especially if you're on the same deck and can just amble outside.

And, finally, a huge plug for Crystal's activities and enrichment programs on sea days. For me, those sea days are the icing on the cake - the real secret of experiencing a fabulous voyage!

DEFINITELY book your cruises with a travel agent! Yes, you may receive various credits and goodies, but their professional value goes way beyond that. Matching you with the ideal cruise line or stateroom category.. handling specialized pre-cruise requests.. arranging custom tours or car service.. or as Terry mentioned, acting as your tireless advocate if something goes wrong. Most passengers sail along without a problem, and many of us are perfectly capable of selecting our own itineraries and suites, but an individual passenger has little recourse if something goes truly wrong -- I had this happen once (not on Silversea) and our agent worked a miracle.

To locate the agent that's right for you, you can certainly ask around, but also check out the cruise line websites, which often supply lists of agencies they do a lot of work with. These days, with email and overnight delivery, you don't have to limit yourself to a local agency.

I suggest calling several agents and ask to make an appointment to discuss your needs. (And it's best to do this by phone, not email, so you can really gauge their interest and listen to each other.) Be prepared to discuss your budget.. past travels, cruises, hotels.. what you liked.. what you didn't like.. what you're looking for in ambience, food, activities, comfort, whatever is important to you. The agent will probably want a little time to pull some ideas together. Then see who you felt most comfortable talking to, and who really "gets" what you're looking for.

I realize you're already on the verge of booking, but you can still use this information to target an agent that's right for you. Like any professional -- lawyer, doctor, real estate agent -- a good travel agent will ease your way in ways you might not anticipate.

Good luck!

Descartes1, I believe cruise lines only use the term "charter" to describe a full-ship buyout, as opposed to selling large blocks of suites to groups. I agree that having a large group on a small ship might affect the ambience (and it might not). In the past, I was sometimes able to get this kind of info from Silversea's phone reps or our travel agent. Doesn't hurt to ask!

So glad your voyage resurfaced. I hope you can all go into full "anticipation mode" in the months ahead.

I'm terribly sorry about this situation, Descartes1. It's understandable that after all you did to make the logistics, planning and expenses work for 3 couples, you now find yourselves uncertain about the trip working out at all.

Multi-week charters can be for a big corporate event, to house athletes at the Olympics, or house government officials in a secure setting for international summits. They don't affect us if they're already built into the schedule when it's first announced. Of course, it's a different matter when a line negotiates a charter later on, when passengers are already booked. Especially when passengers, like you, had to do back-flips to make it work!

I don't know whether you booked through a travel agent but if you did, he or she will have an inside track and may be able to get your information more quickly - and maybe even secure "Satisfaction Plus" in the event that the cruise really is cancelled.

But I hope your voyage goes ahead as scheduled, so you can all finally sit back and anticipate it!

Wow, today's story that Brian Lochte and a few fellow swimmers were robbed on the street by thieves dressed as police really made this thread hit home!

About 10 years ago, we arrived at the cruise terminal at noon to board a NYC-Barbados voyage on the Wind. It was late October, the tail end of hurricane season. Much to our amazement, the dock was empty. The ship, which was scheduled to dock by 8am, didn't arrive until mid-afternoon, due to extremely heavy winds from a tropical storm.

An entire shipload of passengers missed their flights. We dined with a staff member several days later and were impressed to learn that Silversea spent a tremendous amount of time and money to reschedule everyone's missed flights, expedite baggage handling, and provide transportation to the airports.

They didn't have to do that. It was a weather delay and obviously out of their control. But they felt it was important to extend themselves in any way possible to show, "This is how a luxury line operates." They stepped up to the plate.

Chartering their ship, even on short notice, is not an unforeseen, unavoidable event. How disappointing that they chose not to step up to the plate this time.

I'm so sorry this happened cc2016 (and others who were affected). You're wise to plan to book your next cruise through a travel agent instead of direct with the line.

Things of this magnitude don't happen often, but they can happen. Further, cruise lines are protected by the terms in the cruise contract and an individual passenger has little or no recourse. But a good travel agent [who probably does a lot of business with the line] has a strong chance of getting the company to bend the rules and provide real satisfaction.

Let's hope you hear back from Silversea soon. And with good news.

Also bear in mind that if a number of suites are occupied by solo travelers, a sailing will still be "full" while having fewer than the maximum capacity.

If you're curious to know how many will be onboard, you could ask your travel agent to check with the Silversea rep.

Although I haven't traveled solo, my husband and I were always impressed with how easy it is to engage with other passengers on Silversea.

Just sitting by the pool, people will give you a smile and a nice greeting. Very easy to strike up a conversation ("this is my first time on Silversea".. I'm looking forward to [port], have you been there before?"). And don't be surprised if they suggest meeting up for lunch or dinner. It's like that on Silversea.

Catlover54 mentioned the communal tables, and they're a terrific way to get to know other passengers. At dinner in the Restaurant, the Maitre d' will always ask if you'd like to join a table with others (they do this for couples, too), so you can be part of a table of 4-6. This also happens in La Terrazza at breakfast and lunch.

And, of course, one of the nice things about being on a small ship is that you'll see the same people throughout the voyage, so you'll quickly feel you have your own circle of friends. I wouldn't hesitate!

We once left a very expensive camera lens in a drawer on a Crystal sailing. When we reported it the lens was found and shipped to us at no cost. I am shocked that SS would charge you.

We had the same experience on Crystal last year. Only it was a cheap travel clock with sentimental value. Not only did they not charge us, they mailed it via overnight delivery!

The included excursions is a main reason I will never sail Regent. If this becomes the de facto policy on Silversea I will cross them off my list too. Let's hope it's a failed experiment.

We feel the same way about Regent and it's one reason we've never considered sailing with them. We're selective about our tours and don't do them in every port. I agree that a 2-tier fare would be ideal (with and without tours) but it would too clearly expose the upcharge that's involved.

I have to think that the "free excursions" angle is directed at the important segment of new (or newish) cruisers, people who may not be aware of the norm, the higher fare implications and who simply chalk it up as another big plus. Of course, I realize that it IS a plus for a lot of people, which is all to the good. But it reminds me of Oceania's constant "50% Off!" offers that lure many into thinking they're getting a special deal.

And on the Regent board, there's been discontent with the quality of some tours, large group size and more crowded buses. So caveat emptor, and all that.

IMHO, it sounds like a win-win... but not necessarily for the passenger.

Hooray! So glad you're feeling that you made a good decision.

Glad this post helped put things back into perspective for you, Mylisa.

For those who are newer to cruising, here's another point: what seems to make sense for a land trip often bears no resemblance to what we have to consider at sea. If you're booked for a week at a hotel and have an emergency a few days beforehand, you can usually just cancel the reservation. Not so on a cruise - it's fully prepaid months ahead of time and governed by a Terms and Conditions contract. It's not realistic to assume that a cruise line will 'understand' an emergency and issue a credit simply because we chose not to purchase insurance.

I agree with the comments stressing that unexpected things can and do happen, regardless of age or fitness. I also agree that most people will be totally fine, have a fabulous time and won't need to use the insurance. But you always want to ask (1) am I comfortable with losing the full cost of the cruise if I have to cancel? (2) am I comfortable relying on the availability, quality and cost of medical care in the various locales if I need serious treatment?

Good for you that you've made your decision. One less thing to worry about!

I've had a couple of extremely minor mixups about onboard credits and Silversea simply contacted my agent to clear it up. Did they offer to do this, or did you request them to, when the mixup first became obvious? I feel so sorry that you were in a position where you had to fend for yourself.

I'm a huge fan of travel agents. In "real life" and here on CruiseCritic, I always recommend that people book their cruises through an agent, rather than direct with a cruise line. This is a good example of how an agent could cut through the red tape and ease an otherwise difficult situation.

RachelG and Silver Spectre, this has been my observation too, on both Crystal and many years on Silversea. I give those who are able to travel despite reliance on a wheelchair or cane an enormous amount of credit.

The confusing part of this is that Louvre's complaint said that she approached Guest Relations "to help us obtain a wheelchair when needed." The way it was written sounds like a spontaneous request for occasional use, not that one had already been rented for the full voyage, which of course is an entirely different matter.

Similarly, it wasn't clear that she only needed assistance getting on and off the ship. When she wrote that "my husband is handicapped, too, and he cannot push me" and "Not one person was assigned to help the handicapped or those with limited mobility," I, too, read it as a need and expectation for general, ongoing assistance onboard.

As we now know, thanks to Expeditiontravr317's explanation, the wheelchair was arranged for and rented ahead of time, and the need for personal assistance was more limited. I hope Louvre understands that we responded to what she appeared to be saying and that she bears us no further ill will.

Thank you for providing the additional background on this situation, ExpeditionTravr317. It sounds as if there was a real disconnect somewhere between what your clients experienced and the arrangements you in fact made - including taking the step to confirm that their wheelchair was actually onboard and ready for them to use. If Silversea agreed to all of your clients' needs, including special assistance for tours, do you have any idea what happened? Why the wheelchair wasn't provided upon boarding? Have they provided any explanation???

Thank you again for letting us all know of the previous arrangements you made on your clients' behalf.

I must say, I completely agree with Cruisr, Nigella and Terry. I'm so sorry for your disappointment, but this sounds like a huge oversight on the travel agent's part, and he or she owes you an explanation.

Knowing your and your husband's physical needs and limitations, the TA should have checked this out very carefully and in detail before you booked, gotten a written response from Silversea, and clearly communicated the situation to you, so you could make an appropriate choice. If all of this wasn't done, it might be a good time to have an honest conversation with your TA.

As to Silversea's lack of personal assistance, I'm sure that liability is a factor. I know from having wheeled my mother around that it sometimes takes a certain amount of strength and experience, that a person can fall out of the chair, and certainly that pushing a chair on rough pavements on shore, not to mention rocky seas, is dangerous. It's not a simple matter of just helping out - Silversea can't take the chance of being responsible for an accident. And as already mentioned, their wheelchairs are indeed for emergencies and not for general use.

I'm not in the travel business and I don't work for Silversea either, but given your needs, how thoroughly did your travel agent check this out?

Findacruise, you might also want to post your question as a separate thread to get the widest possible response.

Since Crystal has been mentioned, I'll add a few of our own impressions.

We sailed on Silversea for 12 years, only on Silversea. We became a little unhappy with the way some things were changing and decided to try Crystal in 2013. It was a tough, wrenching decision. But we loved Crystal.

I realize a bigger ship isn't for everyone, but would like to mention a couple of points. While many of their voyages sell out, it doesn't necessarily mean that the ship is filled to capacity with 900+ people. This is because Crystal has some of the industry's most attractive pricing for solo passengers. So a "full ship" might easily mean that all of the staterooms are filled, but with only 700, 800 passengers on board. More than the Spirit, but nowhere near mega ship crowds. And we thought that while Symphony and Serenity are bigger than Silversea, they still have that same feeling of intimacy.

Opening dining is critical for many people, and it's always a hot topic on the Crystal boards. But Crystal just announced that they'll launch a new ship in 2018, and it will feature true open dining (as on Silversea).

And as Juli2020 points out, their 20-year old ships are in pristine condition. Each ship goes into dry dock every 2 years to ensure that it never looks tired, worn, or outdated.

I realize that we all have our own needs and expectations, and that what works for one person simply isn't a good fit for someone else. But, in case it helps you, here is some more detail in this link to my Member Review of our first Crystal cruise, on the Symphony in Nov. 2013:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=245230

Thank you for your thoughtful analysis, Jeff.

As to a name, anyone for Elizabeth Catherine Victoria?

Jeff, I certainly feel as you do. Given the fairly strict limits of his official role, Charles has done what he can to make a difference and deserves a great deal of respect for his commitment to his country and its fine traditions. While he could have gone in an entirely different, and easier, direction, like Edward VII or Edward VIII, he has chosen to pursue a life of duty and usefulness. He will make a fine King.

(I should mention that, when anyone asks if I'm a Republican or Democrat, my reply is always, "Neither. I'm a Monarchist.")

Long live the Queen, y'all.

So sorry to hear about the outbreak, Duct Tape. I'm sure Silversea did an excellent job of handling it.

The Smithsonian Channel broadcast one of their "cruise ship" programs recently (not SS) and it showed the crew's regular drill to manage an outbreak of a highly contagious illness. Complete with bio hazard suits and yellow police tape across the door! Not sure if Silversea went that far, but I'm sure they did everything possible to attend to the sick passengers.

What happy news! Congratulations to the wonderful young couple, and best wishes for the little princess' long and happy life.

A toast is in order!

Thank you for the CruiseLaw summary, SkiWave. Interestingly, just below the Silversea story is a CBS report that a gastrointestinal virus hit 60 passengers and 11 crew members on a HAL Maasandam cruise that ended yesterday. In addition to their great physical discomfort, imagine their frustration at being quarantined in their cabins for at least 2 days. Methinks this would not sit very well with Silversea passengers, paying an average of $700pp a day!

The extent of detail the CDC pursues in our interest is mightily impressive. And while we can't expect perfection from every person, at every minute, these widespread findings are just too disturbing. Again. They point to negligence and lack of strong leadership, whether it originates at the home office or with a series of Hotel Directors. Someone didn't come through with the fix the company promised when this happened 2 years ago.

I've always been a little sympathetic to the cruise industry when the media blankets us with reports of gastrointestinal illness striking passengers on a ship. After all, it can happen anywhere, right? It's not necessarily the ship's fault. Ships just happen to house the same population within contained spaces for days on end. And, yes, poor passenger hygiene spreads all kinds of bacterial matter. But it's another situation entirely if a ship knowingly maintains and attempts to hide substandard practices. Some of the infractions might seem minor to us, but they can lead to real health issues for passengers and crew. And it appears from the 2015 and 2013 reports that Silversea has not embraced their own, corporate, responsibility to provide the utmost in cleanliness and safety, and to achieve their regulatory goals with honesty. This is a grievous fault, and a breach of trust with its clients and staff.

I sincerely hope that Silversea will not simply recycle the press release they issued 2 years ago, filled as it was with regret and promises.