Tothesunset

It's a dangerous thread to start if you are expecting impartial advice!

 

I was replying to the previous two msgs when yours came it.

 

That I realise but it is a risk I have to take if I want to spread my area of investigations. You see - RSSC is already a new one to me.

 

I need to read about it.

 

Tony

We have 2 sets of American friends who are Regent fans - we met each set on a Silversea cruise! They preferred the more US-oriented nature of RSSC but conceded that SS was more intimate.

I know it's trite to say so but one's experience is so subjective that the only way to decide which line fits best is to try.

We even know people - but please don't tell anyone - who love the large 2000+ ships of the likes of Celebrity, Cunard etc. Such lines illustrate the similarities of the small luxury lines by demonstrating quite how impossibly awful the big ships must be!

It's a dangerous thread to start if you are expecting impartial advice!

There are cheerleaders for each of the three ''big ones'' - Seabourn, Silversea and RSSC - as well as alternatives such a Azamara, Crystal etc.

I think you would find Silversea the closest to Seabourn, which doesn't, of course, lessen the merits of other lines. We prefer SS but have only tried Seabourn once (Seabourn Spirit, Caribbean) where we had awkward service, awful coffee, no humidor and found their buffet breakfast area comically small, hot and overcrowded. Otherwise if you took the identifying insignia off the ship and crew you'd be hard pushed to tell them apart.

Said well.

 

Enjoy your crossing.

Oh, we shall. Particularly the formal nights.;)

I want all people to cook. Particularly men. :)

Wouldn't that be cannibalism?

I apologise on that man’s behaviour…we are not all like that.

Boorishness is not restricted to any particular nationality.

Seems to me, and maybe I'm being a bit simple here, but if one goes on a cruise that asks for a certain level of dress code respect then the onus lies on the customer to select another line if they have such an antipathy to the dress code. Mind you, some people are such egoistic attention-seekers that they will use such occasions to have their little self-indulgent tantrums.

The formal dress code applies maybe once a week-ish. How hard is it to either conform or to use one of the many non-formal areas on these nights? It's only a problem if one chooses to make it so.

There certainly appears to be a lack of standardisation amongst the butlers. Of the four butlers we've had one was, let's be charitable, in need of further training but the others were really excellent and quickly came to understand our needs and, more importantly, when we preferred to be left alone.

I suspect that, of all the staff, the butlers are most likely to be subject to a wide range of unstated expectations. Just consider the varied customers they deal with: different backgrounds, nationalities and characters - how likely is it that a butler will, as if by instinct, guess the needs of each? The only way to overcome perceived deficiencies in the butler's attentions is to state clearly and unequivocally what is expected. Otherwise the butler is working largely on guesswork.

Since when were disheartened and offended synonyms?

It's almost as if the government have said ''We don't really want tourists here. What can we do to put them off so they go and spend their Euros/Pounds/Dollars somewhere else?''.

Clearly, having a lingua franca for the crew is essential. I just don't see why that precludes their talking to each other in any other language at times when they are not directly addressing customers. Having said that, if the ships' rules state that they must only speak English in public areas - no matter how daft that rule strikes me - then I am surprised that it is not enforced.

Please excuse the interruption...but I have been following/lurking on Terry's lovely blog and thinking about booking a cruise on Silversea as a result of this. Not sure about the Amazon as I don't like the thought of all the jungle bugs, but the Caribbean is looking good so far as l like the warm weather when it is very cold at home. Only tried a quick party cruise on a Fred Olsen boat so far, but all this looks really nice so hope l can persuade my better half to book something. Not really sure about all the rich food can't eat like I used to when l was younger. Any advice welcome.

 

Thanks

Our experience is that there are no more bugs on the Amazon than on the Caribbean islands.

At the risk of appearing a leftie pinko-liberal - I cannot see any reason why staff cannot speak to each other in whatever language takes their fancy as long as they use English to English-speaking passengers. And that their conversational volume is restrained.

In addition, we have just returned from that cruise in December. I wrote a daily blog (not anywhere near as good as terrys) which now appears in the cruise reviews under the Silver Whisper.

 

If you have 10 minutes spare you may want to read through it, I did put some tips and guides on there, sorry no photos.

Fudge is being modest. Both his and Terry's blogs will really give you a flavour of the Amazon and of the rather splendid way Silversea gets you there.

Terry's blog:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Fudge's blog (We were on this cruise, too):

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2131745

Hi Mayflower,I understand from our T/A that our 2016 cruise is sandwiched between two Daily MAIL charters so hopefully we are on the peaceful cruise.Look forward to seeing you again.

Daily Mail charters? That should be fun. At least the passengers will have lots of foreigners to blame for everything although I understand that cruise ships give you cancer and aren't filled with fruity celebrities disporting in bikinis. Anyway, at least they can be comforted by the wettest/driest/hottest/coldest/windiest weather since records began because of all these Eastern Europeanscoming here and taking all our good weather.

Really enjoyed your blog Terry. Takes us back to our Amazon journey in December. Also good to see such a positive attitude coming through your postings. SS really do make these trips special.

Tothesunset,

 

Thank you for your informative reply. It is the same company you have previously used.

 

I have considered looking at booking the Orient Express/pre cruise hotel independently but I think the timings/transfers would be difficult to get to the ship on time for the cruise.

 

I have mailed the said company and look forward to their reply.

If you decide to use them make sure that they take a note of your Venetian Society numbers as you will get the 5% discount if it is a VS cruise but you need to ask. In fact, I've just checked and it's not a VS sailing. But for future ref you would get the 5% (10% for 100+ days sailed) off the cruise element alone (and the 5% on board saving if you had done such a thing).

Seems quite dear to me. The cruise is £1950 in a Vista or £2450 for a veranda and they want £4099 for the package or another £1k for veranda and the London hotel. That means they are charging 2.15 grand for the transfers, Orient Express and flight home if you take a Vista or £2.65K if you select a veranda (which makes that free hotel quite expensive!). Each!

And, yes, I am a typically tight Ulsterman!

Some of you on this forum may know a popular TA in the UK who offer pre/post hotels as part of a cruise package. In May 2016 this company are offering a pre cruise hotel stay in London, travel to Venice on the Orient Express joining the Silver Cloud for 7 days and a flight back to the UK.

 

Do Silversea offer these combined deals? I have searched their website but it would appear not.

 

If there are other companies that offer this kind of deal I would be interested,

 

Thanks for any information.

I think we use the TA to which you refer and advise that they are not always cheaper than doing it yourself although they will honour VS discounts. Mostly, though, you would be hard pushed to get anywhere near matching their package prices.

Silversea do seem to be missing a trick here. I would have thought the package you are looking at would be very interesting to US cruisers yet, afaik, SS do not offer a combination deal such as you describe, just their limited range of pre- and post-cruise hotels and the occasional few days package.

Looks like an fantastic trip, btw.

All u ever wanted to know about the SS new included excursions is here in an interview with Kristian C. Anderson.

 

http://www.fromthedeckchair.com/2015/02/09/silverseas-inclusive-mediterranean/

 

"Our guests – our Venetian Society guests – were asking for it. And when our Venetian members speak and voice their feelings and their views, it’s our responsibility to listen. After pretty significant feedback, we also modeled the proposition to potential guests and in both segments [prospective and past Silversea guests], it was a resounding “Yes!” to the question of exploring this new program."

 

Oh really??

 

Cheers

Jennifer

Ah. So everyone on here is wrong, then. What an unrepresentative sample we must be!

Hi Terry, Enjoying your posts. especially the pictures. Would you knidly consider posting a photo tour of the Cloud on one of your seas days when you have some time? It would be nice for those of us who have not sailed on the smaller SS ships to have a full tour! Thanks

Seconded.

When reading threads such as this we begin to feel a bit marginalised in that we prefer the Spirit to the Whisper/Shadow! Now, I couldn't list or rationalise the reasons - it's just a feeling. However, having said that, if anyone wants to treat us to a voyage on any of the SS ships we would gladly accept.

Tothesunset, that sounds great. In theory, that should be true and the advertisements certainly imply it is (not just Silversea, but Regent, Seabourn and Crystal as well), but my experience is sometimes it just doesn't happen.

 

I would like to hear your opinion on whether I would be frowned upon. I would hope it can happen quick and easy, but I don't want to create a hassle or appear to be rude, low-class or demanding.

I see no reason why you should be frowned upon. If you prefer your champagne in an ice bucket and to pour it yourself that, in my opinion, is entirely your business. And if Silversea seek, as they do, to cater to the individual's requirements I really don't see that there should be a problem acceding to your very simple request.

As for appearing rude, low-class or demanding I would say a. Not rude at all, b. if drinking chilled champagne with dinner is low-class then I'm all for that, c. You should be demanding as long as those demands are not totally outrageous.

Really looking forward to your reports and especially the photos. We did the same intinerary on the Whisper in Nov/Dec. It was wonderful.

Thanks to all of you for the responses.

 

The ice bucket is not that big of a deal. When we have stayed at other all-inclusives since 2010 it has happened for us and I liked it. I actually prefer pouring my own, although I assume it is not considered as high class, and it makes it easier on the staff.

 

It's Silversea. If you want an ice bucket and to pour your own just tell the Maitre d' and it should happen. It's up to the staff to meet your wishes, not you to meet theirs!

Don't like the idea. Don't like the idea at all. We tend to do our own thing and rarely use the SS excursions so would effectively be subsidising the excursions for others.

I can understand why they might choose to offer inclusive tours but if it takes the prices substantially higher then they may well lose customers to RSSC and SB rather than attract them.

I have no problem, however, with inclusive wifi as long as the additional levy on the fare is low.

Thing is...if the OP had posted their question on the Silversea forum the replies would almost certainly reflect the views here except that the slant would be towards Silversea.

Clearly, since both lines sail with good occupancy, there are fans of each; even fans of both. For each person that admires a feature of one line someone else, will have a counter-argument in favour of the other.

Their are even one or two who, like the teenagers whose favourite pop group you disparage, will come over all in a huff if you disagree with them!

Really, the only sensible answer to the OP is to take all positive and negative comments with a pinch of salt and try for yourself

On Fridays I will change my name to Concepta dress up as a woman and make fish and chips.

As usual?