Jump to content

Just off the Spirit ... A few thoughts ...


flydc
 Share

Recommended Posts

Just off a 10 day Nordic Highlights cruise on the Spirit (Copenhagen to Stockholm via Denmark/Finland/Sweden).

 

We were last on the Spirit three years ago (or thereabouts). In short, the upgrades to the ship were awesome. They did a really nice job with the facilities. The public areas look great. The cabins are beautiful. (Cabin bathrooms are the same ...) We also found the staff to be friendlier than the past. We've always been happy with Silversea service, but this time found them to be more personal and conversational.

 

While there have been lots of reviews of the updated/upgraded restaurants and food ... here's my thoughts.

 

Not a big fan of the changes. The fact that they don't change the main restaurant (Atlantide) menu daily is a big disappointment. Limits choices. I think they think that since they have added restaurants they don't need the variety.

 

Indochine was enjoyable. The lobster and shaken beef entrees were our favorites. Side of noodles pretty good too. For dessert, the creme brûlée was amazing - and we are very snobby about creme brûlée.

 

La Terrazza was as good as always. Duck ragout continues to be a favorite. They don't change the menu every 7 days as they have in the past.

 

Grill is the grill. No changes. Still our least favorite.

 

La Dame is the new specialty restaurant .... Couldn't get it ... booked full each night.

 

Seishin was also popular. Went for lunch one day and it was just ok. Guess they likely have better options at dinner - but to pay $40 for that would be a likely disappointment.

 

The best addition was the pizza on deck 10. Spana-Something. Really, really good pizza. Thin crust, fresh ingredients. Great service. A nice addition for either lunch or afternoon snack. Had dinner there one night after a long tour. They only offer pizza and a calzone - and ice cream. Would be nice if they could add a salad - but to be fair, they would get you one from the grill or room service if you requested it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for sharing your experience! We’d like to get back on the Spirit someday to see the changes.

 

Glad to hear Seishen was only $40 for dinner. It was $60 on the Muse last November and this June. We never dined there at night because of the reviews and cost.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We were on the same cruise and it was interesting to see the changes to the Spirit as she was the first SS ship we sailed on. Still cannot beleive the weather on this itinerary (which we loved) and also the lack of mosquitos having packed everything we coluld to avoid getting bitten by them (we have Swedish and Finnish friends who had warned us about them). Hopefully the places we visited have had some rain now, they certainly needed it.

 

With regards to your review, La Dame is actually not a new speciality restaurant, it is a renamed La Champagne and from what we could see the menu has stayed pretty much the same since we started saiing with SS in May 2012. We no longer eat here as have had some bad meals (lamb that couldnt be cut and the lobster in a pea soup in May on the Muse which had replaces the lobster thermadore I think).

 

The menu on the grill, both and lunch and dinner, has been expanded from previous sailings and now reflects that of the Muse, more choices and at lunch along with a daily fish special there is also a spit roast special. There evening menu has been expanded to mirror that of the Muse and also now inludes a Butchers Special which offers items not elsewhere on the menu.

 

It was also nice to see to have a some buffet lunches offerings on this cruise on the pool deck.

 

Seishin on the spirit is not the same as Kaseiki on the Muse. Seishin does not offer the teppanyaki in the evening that Kaseiki offers in the evening (they couldnt retro fit the extractors apparently). The lunch and dinner menus are different offerings and having eaten in both in the last 4 months we personally feel they were worth the additional cost.

 

You also forgot to mention the Arts Cafe, where the range of lighter alternatives has been expanded over that on the Muse. Great to get a healthy start to the day with a yogurt and granola pot (at least you can start off the day feeling that you are eating well before it all going downhill).

 

In our opinion Breakfast/Lunch at La Terrazza has taken a turn for the worse and is a shambles. The area where items are servied seems to be smaller and gone were the central serving areas where fruits, meats etc used to be and now everybody lines up to get to get items from the serving positions. The queue was always snaking into the resteraunt and after the first day having breakfast there we quickly learnt to order items from our waiter

(omelettes, toast etc.). In the evening as it is table service it is back to its normal high standard.

 

Agree with the offering in Spaccanapoli, lovely pizza but no sides at all offered. Pizza can be ordered if you are on the pool grill so is another option for lunch there.

 

And finally the ice cream station located next to Spaccanapoli on deck 10 is well worth a visit if you like ice cream or sorbets.

 

We have mixed feelings on the refurbishment, the new lighter wood down the hallways reminded us of the stick on false bricks that used to be put on houes here in the UK and although making the corridors lighter as soon as you went to the forward elevators you were back to the dark wood again. We also thought the 'beach' area (SS terminology not ours) where they have expanded the pool section but not the pool iteself would be great if you had a toddler who wanted to spalsh about in water but couldnt see the attraction for the normal demographic SS attracts.

 

We are booked on the Whisper for her first cruise after her dry dock it will be interesting to see if they has Musified her as well. Fingers crossed it all goes well with the dry dock and we have a trouble free sailing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I continue to find it abhorrent that Silversea is the only luxury line that charges these outrageous fees to dine in their specialty restaurants. Every other luxury line include at least two meals if not all meals in alternative restaurants.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We looked for Frederick too while on our cruise in June. Someone said he is currently on The Muse. ☹

 

 

Thanks for the updates on the Spirit.

We board in 28 days.

I am looking forward to it!

Did anyone see Frederick the bar tender?

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I continue to find it abhorrent that Silversea is the only luxury line that charges these outrageous fees to dine in their specialty restaurants. Every other luxury line include at least two meals if not all meals in alternative restaurants.

 

I think the fees are designed to control demand in the "speciality restaurants." They are simply not large enough to accommodate everyone on a seven or perhaps even ten night cruise. There are of course several "alternative restaurants" (depending on the ship) to which there is unlimited access without charge. Silversea is not unique in charging for speciality dining. Crystal, for example, assesses a charge for the Vintage Room restaurant.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the fees are designed to control demand in the "speciality restaurants." They are simply not large enough to accommodate everyone on a seven or perhaps even ten night cruise. There are of course several "alternative restaurants" (depending on the ship) to which there is unlimited access without charge. Silversea is not unique in charging for speciality dining. Crystal, for example, assesses a charge for the Vintage Room restaurant.

 

We would love to try SS and keep hoping that they will go to all inclusive and get rid of extra charges for their dining rooms. When they do we will book.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the fees are designed to control demand in the "speciality restaurants." They are simply not large enough to accommodate everyone on a seven or perhaps even ten night cruise. There are of course several "alternative restaurants" (depending on the ship) to which there is unlimited access without charge. Silversea is not unique in charging for speciality dining. Crystal, for example, assesses a charge for the Vintage Room restaurant.

 

This is exactly correct. The fees are not to make money but to control capacity in these limited seating restaurants. Notice that La Terrazo or the Grill do not have a fee for this very reason.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have no problem with this policy in fact I like it better than lines that use your type of room to determine access. If they included these I guess the cruise price would change and because of the size of the restaurant some would feel they are paying for something they can't get. In this case they just can't please everyone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is exactly correct. The fees are not to make money but to control capacity in these limited seating restaurants. Notice that La Terrazo or the Grill do not have a fee for this very reason.

 

 

In that case they are clearly not charging enough because it has failed to reduce demand to meet the available capacity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the fees are designed to control demand in the "speciality restaurants." They are simply not large enough to accommodate everyone on a seven or perhaps even ten night cruise. There are of course several "alternative restaurants" (depending on the ship) to which there is unlimited access without charge. Silversea is not unique in charging for speciality dining. Crystal, for example, assesses a charge for the Vintage Room restaurant.

Why is there more demand for specialty restaurants on SS than others lines? Seabourn doesn't charge for the TK Grill or Earth and Fire. Regent doesn't charge for its restaurants etc. Even Oceania doesn't charge and they all manager to accommodate all their passengers who are just as eager to dine at the specialty restaurants as those on SS. If space is the issue SS should have built larger spaces to accommodate their guests. And they shouldn't keep raising the prices either.

 

As for the Vintage Room on Crystal that is not a restaurant. It's a private dinner for twelve people who book the room in advance. And for their money they are served far superior wines to accompany the special menus created with the chef.

 

Silversea offers the same menus in their specialty restaurants day in, day out, week in week out cruise in, cruise out. Why? Because it saves on the cost of having to purchase lots of different ingredients.

 

Sorry, but a luxury line has no business charging for these meals. But then a luxury line should not arbitrarily add $1 a day pp to your account without telling you to support the owner's wife's charity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Henry you are absolutely correct. The Vintage Room on Crystal Vessels is not in any means a restaurant. It is indeed a private dinner. It is meant for small groups as you note who have the room for the entire evening.

 

Keith

 

What is your definition of a restaurant? Of private?

 

How is it that the Vintage Room "is not in any means a restaurant"?

 

I understand that on some evenings The Vintage Room is booked by a group of guests and is thus private for a group of friends. On many other evenings, however, it is open to any guest who signs up for an additional fee.

 

I have dined in both The Vintage Room and La Dame (and its nominal predecessor) and I think they offer similar experiences, though there are more choices in dishes at La Dame. However, I prefer La Dame where one can sit at separate tables and is not required to sit at a large long table, often with strangers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But then a luxury line should not arbitrarily add $1 a day pp to your account without telling you to support the owner's wife's charity.

 

I agree that the charity charge is unfortunate. However, it is simply not the case that guests are not informed. Notices of the charge and information about the charity are provided in every suite on every cruise, and guests are encouraged to visit Reception to have the charge removed if they like. I make that visit!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What is your definition of a restaurant? Of private?

 

How is it that the Vintage Room "is not in any means a restaurant"?

 

I understand that on some evenings The Vintage Room is booked by a group of guests and is thus private for a group of friends. On many other evenings, however, it is open to any guest who signs up for an additional fee.

 

I have dined in both The Vintage Room and La Dame (and its nominal predecessor) and I think they offer similar experiences, though there are more choices in dishes at La Dame. However, I prefer La Dame where one can sit at separate tables and is not required to sit at a large long table, often with strangers.

 

It is totally different.

 

It is not a dining room. It is always a group whether people sign up to be joined as a group, arrange an exclusive vintage room or a couple times a year a featured chef.

 

I am very familiar with La Dame and its predecessor and it is totally different with several tables, choice of cuisine, food and wine served at different times.

 

Vintage Room is one table, serving 10 to 14 people at once, not billed as a specialty restaurant or a restaurant.

 

Keith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that the charity charge is unfortunate. However, it is simply not the case that guests are not informed. Notices of the charge and information about the charity are provided in every suite on every cruise, and guests are encouraged to visit Reception to have the charge removed if they like. I make that visit!

 

 

And what if you don't happen to read the notice?

What the notice SHOULD say is that IF YOU WANT you can choose to allow the charge by notifying SS, not the other way around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have read about La Reserve on Oceania's Riviera and Marina. Similar concept?

Keith can answer this far better than I but La Reserve on Oceania is an ongoing offering which any passenger can reserve in advance. There are several menus from which to choose. And it is a very nice product. The Vintage Room on Crystal is more like a charter yacht. You have to book in advance and it is limited to the people who have booked it or been invited by he/she who did book it. No other passengers can attend. That is why it is not a restaurant.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Henry is correct about the Vintage Room. You can either reserve it for an entire group (exclusive Vintage Room and have from one person to the number that can fit in the room 10 to 12 depending on ship), or sign up to attend a celebrity chef event (a few times each year) or sign up for a Vintage Room where you are randomly grouped with others and that is not held every night just a couple of times per cruise. It is not a restaurant.

 

 

I am not a supporter of the way the charity charge is done. Even in the best of circumstances it is awkward. I think that if Silversea wants to make a donation to the charity they should do it on their own based on taking an amount out of their profits. I suspect most companies make charitable donations and do just that.

 

 

Keith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

am not a supporter of the way the charity charge is done. Even in the best of circumstances it is awkward. I think that if Silversea wants to make a donation to the charity they should do it on their own based on taking an amount out of their profits. I suspect most companies make charitable donations and do just that.

 

 

Keith

 

I dislike it too and believe it’s wrong. I Donate plenty to Charity myself but Charity of my own choice usually. The thought of requesting for it to be removed mortifies means I think it’s unfair.

 

I Wonder if SS match the donations from their guests?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...