Terre

On 2/1/2023 at 9:06 PM, jargey3000 said:

Hi there Terre. we're looking at the Silhouette for April.

Re your cabin, can I ask which deck? area (or number)?
We're looking at Plaza Deck 3 midship...

 

Found my paperwork; we were in cabin 9280 so we must have been on deck 9, but my husband says 6.  We liked the cabin.  We had to walk a little ways to the elevators, but now too far. 

On 2/1/2023 at 9:06 PM, jargey3000 said:

Hi there Terre. we're looking at the Silhouette for April.

Re your cabin, can I ask which deck? area (or number)?
We're looking at Plaza Deck 3 midship...

 

We were on deck 6, a little way from the elevators.  Sorry I don't remember the cabin number.

On 1/24/2023 at 1:14 PM, Cruise Kay said:

Excited by this review. I will be sailing first time on Silhouette next year. I snagged a tiny solo cabin for a greatly reduced fare.

You will love Silhouette...enjoy your cruise!

20 hours ago, colingu said:

Ahh, no. It's a 7 night Celebrity  cruise to the Norwegian fjords! I've edited the original post.

😄

On 1/22/2023 at 8:20 AM, hcat said:

Excellent review! Thanks for sharing.

 

Silhouette is one of our favs over the years.

How much was Lawn Club Grill? Did you go on port nights?

Loved the idea abt the cold washcloths in a baggie...

Sorry, I don't remember the cost because we got a discount, and I don't remember which nights we went.  I know we went twice and to Murano one night.

On 1/22/2023 at 7:53 AM, Wanderlost said:

Thanks for the review. We haven’t been on the Silhouette in five years and wondered if the hammocks are still on the Lawn Club deck?

I think I saw some.

19 hours ago, dock said:

Thanks for the input@Terre. Will take that into account. No mobility issues but not sure if I’d be comfy without handrails. 

No handrails was my issue.  I leaned on my husband but it was still hard.  I need handrails.

1 hour ago, dock said:

Thanks. Lovely pictures. Was trying to decide what to do in P.Plata and your tour seems like it was a great overview of the port. 

Just to let you know, this tour is a lot of walking and a lot of steps with no handrails up to the top of the mountain.  If you have any mobility challenges it may be tough.

Ship:  Silhouette

Class:  Solstice Class

Dates:  November 21, 2022 – December 1, 2022

Ports:  Leaving out of Miami, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, Antigua, St. Kitts, St. Maarten

Captain:  Michael Sympouras

Cruise Director:  Mike Gibbons

Cabin:  #9280, Deluxe Ocean View Stateroom Veranda

 

Sorry this has taken me so long to write, but after we got home the holidays were here and we had so much to do.  Let me start off by saying that my review is in sections so you can read what you want and skip over anything you don’t want to read.  If you’ve read my previous reviews, this will not be as detailed. The comments are my personal opinions and my intention is to help others with their cruises.  Pictures at the end.

 

The Silhouette is a beautiful ship and this was our third or fourth time on it.  We really like the interior design and the size of the ship.  For this sailing we were a little more than half full, so not as crowded as it could be.  I’m afraid we’ve gotten used to sailing at half capacity or less and will not like sailing at full capacity when that happens; however, it won’t stop us from cruising.  Okay, let’s get started!

 

Boarding Day:  We flew from Charlotte to Miami the morning of the cruise. It has been quite awhile since we have flown into the Miami Airport, and it has gone through quite a few changes since then.  It was crazy, but we managed to find our way to baggage claim and out of the airport to a taxi.  Once at the port, we were able to board promptly and begin our cruise!  We went directly to our cabin, #9280, threw our carry-on on the bed and headed to the buffet for lunch. 

 

Cabin:  Our cabin was adequate with enough space, the usual amount of outlets and the bathroom was okay.  Small, but worked for us.  Our balcony was very nice and we used it some days to relax on a sea day or in port to enjoy the view.

 

Food:  Food for the most part was good, we ate in the main dining room most nights and for lunch most days.  The buffet was okay, the food was good, nothing to write home about.  We did enjoy the ice cream in the buffet, that was always good!

We ate in the Lawn Club Grill two nights and that was very good.  The red snapper was excellent if you’re not into steak.   We also had dinner in Murano one night and we both ordered lobster bisque, Murano Lobster, warm goat cheese soufflé, and Grand Marnier soufflé.  They prepare and cook your meal at your table.  The décor and ambiance, along with your meal cooked at your table, was quite romantic!

 

Entertainment:  We had some great entertainment, as always!  We had our stand-by rocker, Domenick Allen, who again was out of this world wonderful!  Comedian Derek Cameron, who was really funny; Boy Band Evolution, that was excellent, singing songs of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons as well as some other groups; a wonderful singer, Leslie McDonel; and the performances by the Celebrity singers and dancers; do  try to catch a couple of these shows, they’re magnificent!  The aerialists and acrobats are incredible and can do some amazing things! You will be awed!

 

Ports:  Our first port of call was Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.  We had booked an independent tour here called Explore the Best of Puerto Plata through our travel agency.  This tour included a drive through the city to Fort San Felipe, home to a historic Spanish fortress built in 1577, to protect the city of Puerto Plata from pirates and other enemies. Next, we made our way to Parque Independicia, which was the first park in the city.  We then made our way to the summit of Mount Isabel de Torres.  At the top, we explored beautiful gardens, saw a representation of a typical countryside house or "casa tipica", the Christ the Redeemer Statue (a smaller version of the one in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), and enjoyed the views of Puerto Plata and the Atlantic Ocean. I have to say for me, the Christ Redeemer statue was breathtaking!  The Christ Redeemer in Brazil is on my bucket list, but for now, this one will suffice.  It was surrounded by clouds and I couldn’t help but think of the Bible verse in Revelation 1:7, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds…”.  From here we took the cable car down to the city and went back to the ship.

We got started late and had to miss lunch, so take a snack with you just in case this happens on your tour.

 

San Juan was our next port and we didn’t get off here; we’ve been here several times and have walked up to the fort and did a self tour, walked around to the cemetery, and around town.

 

Frederiksted, St. Croix was our next port and we picked up a tour at the pier.  We drove around the island and saw some beautiful sights before heading back to the ship.

 

At Anigua, St. Kitts, and St. Maarten, we stayed on the ship since we have been to these islands several times.  They are all beautiful and if you haven’t been here, there are many things to see and do.

 

A Couple of Tips:  The night before our tour in Puerto Plata, I wet a couple of wash cloths, rolled them up and placed them in a baggie and placed that into our mini fridge.  I took them with us to wipe our necks and faces.  It gets very hot at these islands and it was very refreshing to have the cold damp cloth.

I think most people do this, but for newbies, I also take heavy duty magnetic hooks and clips to hang items on and clip important papers to the wall that I don’t want to get lost.  This is handy as space/storage is limited.  Also if you’re a newbie, your luggage should fit under the bed to keep them out of the way. 

I also take a U.S. adapter for the European outlet and that has been a big help, as well as the additional plug in outlets for USB ports. These can be purchased through Amazon.

Remember, take pictures of your travels, but also take some time to just watch, look around, take in those sights, and sounds around you for those mental images years later.

 

So that’s it, folks.  It was a wonderful cruise with beautiful sights and nice memories to store away in our mind’s scrapbook.

 

Pictures:

Acrobats Silhouette Nov.html

Thanksgiving Cruise

 

Ship:  Silhouette

Class:  Solstice Class

Dates:  November 21, 2022 – December 1, 2022

Ports:  Leaving out of Miami, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, Antigua, St. Kitts, St. Maarten

Captain:  Michael Sympouras

Cruise Director:  Mike Gibbons

Cabin:  #9280, Deluxe Ocean View Stateroom Veranda

 

Sorry this has taken me so long to write, but after we got home the holidays were here and we had so much to do.  Let me start off by saying that my review is in sections so you can read what you want and skip over anything you don’t want to read.  If you’ve read my previous reviews, this will not be as detailed. The comments are my personal opinions and my intention is to help others with their cruises.  Pictures at the end.

 

The Silhouette is a beautiful ship and this was our third or fourth time on it.  We really like the interior design and the size of the ship.  For this sailing we were a little more than half full, so not as crowded as it could be.  I’m afraid we’ve gotten used to sailing at half capacity or less and will not like sailing at full capacity when that happens; however, it won’t stop us from cruising.  Okay, let’s get started!

 

Boarding Day:  We flew from Charlotte to Miami the morning of the cruise. It has been quite awhile since we have flown into the Miami Airport, and it has gone through quite a few changes since then.  It was crazy, but we managed to find our way to baggage claim and out of the airport to a taxi.  Once at the port, we were able to board promptly and begin our cruise!  We went directly to our cabin, #9280, threw our carry-on on the bed and headed to the buffet for lunch. 

 

Cabin:  Our cabin was adequate with enough space, the usual amount of outlets and the bathroom was okay.  Small, but worked for us.  Our balcony was very nice and we used it some days to relax on a sea day or in port to enjoy the view.

 

Food:  Food for the most part was good, we ate in the main dining room most nights and for lunch most days.  The buffet was okay, the food was good, nothing to write home about.  We did enjoy the ice cream in the buffet, that was always good!

We ate in the Lawn Club Grill two nights and that was very good.  The red snapper was excellent if you’re not into steak.   We also had dinner in Murano one night and we both ordered lobster bisque, Murano Lobster, warm goat cheese soufflé, and Grand Marnier soufflé.  They prepare and cook your meal at your table.  The décor and ambiance, along with your meal cooked at your table, was quite romantic!

 

Entertainment:  We had some great entertainment, as always!  We had our stand-by rocker, Domenick Allen, who again was out of this world wonderful!  Comedian Derek Cameron, who was really funny; Boy Band Evolution, that was excellent, singing songs of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons as well as some other groups; a wonderful singer, Leslie McDonel; and the performances by the Celebrity singers and dancers; do  try to catch a couple of these shows, they’re magnificent!  The aerialists and acrobats are incredible and can do some amazing things! You will be awed!

 

Ports:  Our first port of call was Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.  We had booked an independent tour here called Explore the Best of Puerto Plata through our travel agency. 

This tour included a drive through the city to Fort San Felipe, home to a historic Spanish fortress built in 1577, to protect the city of Puerto Plata from pirates and other enemies. Next, we made our way to Parque Independicia, which was the first park in the city.  We then made our way to the summit of Mount Isabel de Torres.  At the top, we explored beautiful gardens, saw a representation of a typical countryside house or "casa tipica", the Christ the Redeemer Statue (a smaller version of the one in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), and enjoyed the views of Puerto Plata and the Atlantic Ocean. I have to say for me, the Christ Redeemer statue was breathtaking!  The Christ Redeemer in Brazil is on my bucket list, but for now, this one will suffice.  It was surrounded by clouds and I couldn’t help but think of the Bible verse in Revelation 1:7, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds…”.  From here we took the cable car down to the city and went back to the ship.

We got started late and had to miss lunch, so take a snack with you just in case this happens on your tour.

San Juan was our next port and we didn’t get off here; we’ve been here several times and have walked up to the fort and did a self tour, walked around to the cemetery, and around town.

Just now, margie1221 said:

The food is very good at Nachi Cocum - better than Playa Mia (right next to Mr. Sancho's) if you're considering that one...

 

Yeah that, too!  Thank you ... it's just personal preference for us.

On 9/24/2022 at 3:40 PM, kathynorth said:

We're also trying to decide where the go in Cozumel, so would like to know why you chose Nachi Cocum rather than Paradize Beach or Mr. Sanchos

For us Mr. Sancho's is too crowded and noisy.  Nachi Cocum is more laid back and quieter.  It has a very long beach so people are spread out and it doesn't feel crowded.

The time we tried Mr. Sancho's, the pool was so packed we couldn't get in it.  There was a lot of smoking that bothered my allergies.  It seems to be more for the younger crowd, at least in my opinion.

 

Paradise Beach is nice.  The last time we were there it didn't have pool, but not sure about now.  It also seemed to be more "family" and we want a more adult place.  That was many years ago. Nothing wrong with PB though.  Read reviews on all three and decide. 

If there will be several large ships in Cozumel at the same time I would make reservations at Nachi Cocum.

On 9/23/2022 at 11:08 PM, margie1221 said:

Awesome review - thanks for sharing - I really like your format!!  One quick question... you mentioned going to Nachi Cocum in Cozumel then decided to stay on the ship.  Did you forgo your $59pp or did you plan to just show up??  I thought you had to make advance reservations.  Please advise when you have a moment - thanks again.

 

We're sailing the  Infinity for the second time in November - trying the "Suite Life" for the first time 🙂

We did not make reservations.  Actually, out of all the times we've been there, we have only made reservations once.  So far we have been able to stay when we showed up.  They only take around 100 people per day though.

5 hours ago, GORDONCHICK said:

Perfect!  That's what I was hoping for - because I really don't want to be connected!

You do not need to purchase the X app.  It has things like entertainment, menus, etc. that you will need.  Download that for sure.  You get a certain amount of wifi free so no need to purchase more.

On 9/17/2022 at 10:31 PM, eroller said:

 

 

I'll add just for the sake of perspective, I personally tend to run warm and like the inside temperature cool to even cold.  I was concerned about sailing on INFINITY after reading the reviews of a/c issues.  Overall I found the temperature of the ship comfortable to even too cold in my cabin at times.  I can only speak from my experience but it seemed the a/c issues were corrected, but apparently not in every cabin based on the OP's review.  Personally I would have insisted on moving to another cabin if the a/c issue could not be resolved.  I can't sleep in a hot room and that would have ruined the cruise for me. On my cruise at least there were plenty of empty cabins as we were around a thousand less than double occupancy capacity. 

Had we not had the fan we would have asked for another room.  The fan helped a lot.

Did you book flights through X?

We had that issue on our cruise a couple of weeks ago.  We booked flights through Celebrity for the first time   I called them the week before our cruise because I couldn't get luggage tags or airline tickets.  I was told it was a group booking.  It wasn't...found out our TA booked us with a group booking for a better rate 

 

He gave me the record locator number and ticket numbers so we could check in at the airport.  A day or two before the cruise I was able to print luggage tags but only after I called the tech dept and have them unlock my booking so I could print them.

 

Never got airline tickets.  Good luck.

On 9/14/2022 at 2:52 AM, the penguins said:

We have had this happen a couple of times:

1) due to a faulty thermostat - quickly fixed by the electrician.

2) the main cause: either you or the passengers next to you having the balcony door (s) open. Not so quickly fixed as the offenders need to be found which requires someone to stand outside the cabins and listening for the "whistling" noise. The cabin Aircon systems are in groups which is why the actions of one inconsiderate passenger can affect others. 

The problem shouldn't happen with Infinite Balcony cabins or any other type where the Aircon turns off immediately you open the window.

Never leave the door open and we keep the curtain closed during the day.  It only gets hot sometime around 2:00 a.m.  Been this way on every cruise line and cabin we've booked since the early 2000s.

On 9/15/2022 at 3:16 AM, Germancruiser said:

Thank you for your answers- yes I am indeed fully vaccinated- boostered even- waiting for the 4th shot. So we seem not to need a test prior cruising.

I don't know if they have changed the requirements for testing, but we were required to show proof of a negative test.  We sailed August 27th.  Find out for sure before you show up without a test.  We have both vaccines and boosters as well.

On 9/15/2022 at 9:12 AM, cruzfiend said:

I pack my own fan and have never had it taken. I ask for an extension cord, and that hasn't been an issue either.

 

I requested one from special needs for my asthma.  It was one on a stand.  It varies from ship to ship, I never know the size we'll get.

 

Sorry...I think this was for Doug.

On 9/14/2022 at 11:37 PM, DDShawnee said:

I would like to know how the A/C was in the public areas please; MDR, Theater, Lounges. I've seen a number of complaints about some of the cabins, but not noticed any comments about the public areas. I am packing for our Infinity cruise that starts in three days, and if the whole ship is going to warm, that will alter the type of evening wear I bring, as those areas are usually kept pleasantly cool. Thank you for your thoughts.

I thought the public areas were comfortable.  I was never hot in any of the public areas.

7 hours ago, hcat said:

Enjoyable review..easy to follow and lovely photos at the end.

 

On our last Infinity cruise the cabin environment was sub par... 

A/C  cut out several times in  the cabin at inconvenient times and  in the hallway..poor air quality.    Mildew in shower and on shower curtain...awful, clorox smell.  Flooded ( sewer smell) cabins down the hall.. fans blowing all day.

 

A Great ship  which needs a full  re-do..not just cosmetic makeover.

Glad you were able to overcome the downsides!

 

Unless it's something I just can't live with, I don't complain, that's exhausting to me.  Had we not had the fan, I would have complained.  I didn't see any mildew.  I did notice a sewery odor when walking down the passage of the cabins.

10 hours ago, Germancruiser said:

Thank you so much for that wonderful review with those awesome pictures. I am boarding Infinity on October 8th. So it was especially interessting for me.

Millenium Class ships are still my favorite ships of X. So I will cruise them as long we have the chance to so as i fear they are in the twillight of her time with Celebrity!

 

Tere- did you have to show a negative test before boarding?  I am not quite sure if they still requiere it.

Thank you very much indeed!

Yes, we did have to show a negative Covid test.  I'm hoping by the time we cruise in November we won't have to.

22 minutes ago, kathynorth said:

Thank you for the nice review. We're looking forward to our upcoming cruise on Infinity, so it's nice to have a preview. Can you tell me where you took that photo with all the conch shells?

Yes, that was taken in Bimini.  There was a long, huge pile of them along the road next to what may have been a fisherman's house.  They were mingled with some trash, but there were so many and so beautiful I had to get a shot of them.

Enjoy your cruise, I know you'll love the Infinity.

16 minutes ago, Terre said:

special_needs@rccl.com.  be sure to include your booking reservation number, the ship, the daily date, cabin number, and passenger names.

Supposed to be sail date, not daily.

20 hours ago, Denny01 said:

I assume this post means the steward changed the in-room thermostat higher, which some had done during the day when we are out and about, but all we had to do is reset it where we wanted. I havent been on the Infinity for a while, but Every SR on Every Celebrity ship Ive been on has its own thermostat.

 

If a Steward did that in the evening, which makes no sense, tell the steward to leave it alone.

 

We need good cool SRs to sleep and have always been able to set our temperature nice and low. 

 

Den

No, the cabin is around 68 degrees when we go to bed and during the night sometime is when it's starts to get hot.  Been this way on every ship since the 90s that we have sailed on, no matter the line.  We figured the ships turns it up to save fuel, idk.  We keep the thermostat as low as it will go and as far as we can see, it's never changed.