Silver Shadow Dec 14,2004 part 2

Just to update - my friends merely put soaps in a drawer when they were replenished. They brought their own special shampoo and soaps. They didn't ask for more nor did they walk around stealing from the carts. It was a major over reaction on the part of the hotel manager. At any rate there were some things on the cruise that were outstanding. The Captain was the most friendly I have ever encountered and had a great sense of humor. Also, Colin the cruise director was just great. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the entertainment and the friendliness of the crew. The suites were roomy and we appreciated the added amenities like binoculars. After reflecting on the whole experience, I'm sure I will travel with Silversea again however I doubt if my friends ever will.:rolleyes:

Just to update - my friends merely put soaps in a drawer when they were replenished. They brought their own special shampoo and soaps. They didn't ask for more nor did they walk around stealing from the carts. It was a major over reaction on the part of the hotel manager. At any rate there were some things on the cruise that were outstanding. The Captain was the most friendly I have ever encountered and had a great sense of humor. Also, Colin the cruise director was just great. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the entertainment and the friendliness of the crew. The suites were roomy and we appreciated the added amenities like binoculars. After reflecting on the whole experience, I'm sure I will travel with Silversea again however I doubt if my friends ever will.:rolleyes:

Hi there...

Just so I'm clear...

1. The maid left toiletries

2. The guests put them in a drawer

3. The maid left more toiletries as the voyage progressed

4. The maid (who's been leaving the toiletries) then reports the guests to the hotel manager, (after all..who else would know the consumption level of the toiletries?)

5. The hotel manager blows a gasket.

If I have the above sequence correctly, then why would the maid leave more toiletries if she thought the consumption level excessive? When we travelled on the Shadow, the toiletries weren't replaced with any notable frequency. (JUL04).

Something somewhere is amiss...either the guests have left something out, or the maid spun a different story to the hotel manager.

Very odd all around!

i agree. i just cant imagine the hotel manager blowing a gasket like that over a few bars of soap. can u imagine how many bars of soap it would take to amass a bill of over $300? if it happened as described theres no excuse for the hotel managers behavior. but you know the old cliche....there are always three sides to every story: your side, my side and the truth!!!!!

Just to update - my friends merely put soaps in a drawer when they were replenished. They brought their own special shampoo and soaps. They didn't ask for more nor did they walk around stealing from the carts.

They MERELY KEPT putting the soaps in their drawer after they were replenished?! Couldn't they stop?!

Hi there...

Just so I'm clear...

1. The maid left toiletries

2. The guests put them in a drawer

3. The maid left more toiletries as the voyage progressed

4. The maid (who's been leaving the toiletries) then reports the guests to the hotel manager, (after all..who else would know the consumption level of the toiletries?)

5. The hotel manager blows a gasket.

 

If I have the above sequence correctly, then why would the maid leave more toiletries if she thought the consumption level excessive? When we travelled on the Shadow, the toiletries weren't replaced with any notable frequency. (JUL04).

 

Something somewhere is amiss...either the guests have left something out, or the maid spun a different story to the hotel manager.

 

Very odd all around!

You are correct - the passengers behaviour was bizzared and I'm puzzled.

Why did the guests keep putting the toiletries in the drawer? Was this twice a day after each replenishment? Am I going barmy - doesn't evrey decently brought up person recognise that this is appalling behaviour and tantamount to theft.

then why would the maid leave more toiletries if she thought the consumption level excessive?

I would have thought the answer to the question obvious. The stewardess merely followed her standing instructions (ie replace as required) but report it through her line to sort out. She did the right thing. Unless you think she should have searched the drawers and/or cases for them and put them back where they should have been? To then bleat on these boards "I have a friend that ....." and seek sympathy saying the theft was for charity is beyond the pale.

So far as management blowing gaskets is concerned, we do not know what he said first and what reply he received, and do not know whether any gaskets were blown. Perhaps as has previously been suggested SS management would prefer it if the customer didn't come back? If they were my guests I wouldn't want them back and wouldn't want my other guest to have to mix with people that behave in that way. What else did they do?!

i agree. i just cant imagine the hotel manager blowing a gasket like that over a few bars of soap. can u imagine how many bars of soap it would take to amass a bill of over $300? if it happened as described theres no excuse for the hotel managers behavior. but you know the old cliche....there are always three sides to every story: your side, my side and the truth!!!!!

Exactly.

I also don't think there is anything here to point that the Cabin Maid has even said anything.

I know that most of hotel room service trolleys are loaded and checked by a housekeeping supervisor before the cleaning shift comes on. All trolleys have a set amount of stock, sheets, towles and consumerbles. If a particular trolly shows a heavy need for replenishment on an ongoing basis, that would trigger a warning to housekeeping management, that there would be either pilfering by staff or special favors by staff to clients.

The maid may have never "spilt the beans" until questioned under presure.

It reminds me of the story's l have read where some guests strip a whole hotel room of everything from pillows, toilet rolls to vases and ashtrays, coasters to all the consumerbles, cutlery and china from room service as well as glassware.

Whilst this seems to be a little milder than the above statement, it still sounds like the same sort of thing to me.

I do think that we all take "a" token soap or shampoo or even the sewing kit and the host accommodation works this into their room charge.

But there is a difference when a guest "takes more than what they would reasonably use for the course of their stay"

People with a "its mine cause l paid for it" attitude always stand out as not very savy travellers and are often having to explain themselves out of embarrasing situations.

It reminds me of some people at the buffet who load their plate so high that they leave half on the plate at the end of their meal Because " Its mine & l paid for it"

That is one of the main reasons why l have chosen to cruise with Silversea. I have assumed that the majority of my fellow travellers are seasoned people that travel for culture and enlightenment in a comfortable all inclusive environment.

The "get what you can" perspective is a bit more like the Carnival Line to me.

Please note l did not say "Carnival Corp"

Cheers...............

Jaffa,

I wish I was as articulated as you. You said it all.

On a seperate earlier thread you might recall we even had on our last night our luggage straps stolen off our luggage by another passenger who thought what was ours was theirs. If it ain't screwed down "it's mine" attitude and they get all pompous when you don't side with them. Hope they cruise somewhere else next year - but by the sound of it SS's strategy of threateneing to charge them for the abuse paid off. They're off!

uk1

This is what happens when cruise lines such as Silverseas, Seaborn and Radisson discount cruises to sell them out and the cruise price becomes attractive to those that would normally not cruise on such a line.......

As far as the cost of a few bars of soap goes------Did anyone see the cost of the giftbox of Bvlgari items in the gift shop? If I remember correctly it was about $150 and the sizes of the soaps and lotions etc. were about the same size as what we were furnished with in the room. It did have an item or two that's not in the room, perhaps a loofah and something else. The point is that it wouldn't take too many soaps and shampoos to add up to over $300 worth real fast. I wholeheartedly agree that they are there in the suite for your use and consumption while you are their guest. While collecting these things for charity is nice it certainly isn't Silversea's obligation to furnish the homeless with highend toiletries. My opinion is if they brought their own items then they should have left the Blvgari items out that they weren't using till the last day of the trip where they wouldn't have been constantly resupplied. Then they could pack them in their luggage and do with as they please. I'm sure there would have been no issues with the management for that.

This statement gave me a good laugh,

"I have assumed that the majority of my fellow travellers are seasoned people that travel for culture and enlightenment in a comfortable all inclusive environment."

It has been my experience in life that one's ability to afford a particular activity in no way imparts on them either taste. courtesy, or class. ;)

UK1

What worries me most about this thread is that it puts "at risk" the security of Silversea remaining all inclusive.

How long do you think they would let that sort of behavior go on across all ships before it would become nessasary to either put their prices up to the point of rendering their business unecconomical or (my biggest fear) starting to cut back on the "all inclusive" aspect of cruising with Silversea.

Whilst l applaud Silversea's moves to offer the occasional deep discount cruise under their "Silver Savings Program" l do worry that they don't let it go to wide to deep on the majority of their calender due to my above concerns.

Personally l could have taken 3 or 4 cruises over the past 2 years in suites on mainstream lines, but l elected not to. I saved and planned to do "something Special"

I wanted to sacrifice so as to have an amazing experience. I am by no means a wealthy person, but am doing ok for myself.

So to make my dream trip come to reality l had to be patient, save and plan with lots of forethought.

To me that is what Silversea is. It is not a class cruise for the rich,(although l am sure they sail Silversea from time to time) It is their "something special" experience which is where thier reputation and award winning staus comes from. It could be seen along the same lines as the best table in the best resteraunt or a stay at the best hotel. We don't do it everyday, but when we want that something special!!

For an average joe blow a Silversea Cruise is a "life event" type of holiday ( a bit like flying the concord) and l hope it stays that way.

If you bring that something special down to only something good by pricing, or changing your philosophy of inclusivness.

Then the type of traveler who par-takes, changes the dynamics of the core product forever.

To me that would be very sad for Silversea, and a great loss to the cruise industry in general.

I work very hard for my "something special"

& would be very concerned if other people's greed, risked or took that away from me.

Cheers,

Colin...............................................................

Colin,

Well said.

In my neck of the woods, when you want to contribute to charity you pay out of your own pocket and not steal from other people and tell everyone else how nasty the person was that you stole from for objecting. You only need to see the naive grasp of business economics stated in the previous thread (restarted who knows why) when the person concerned felt that these items were somehow or other miraculously absorbed by the owners or were somehow free - but were not paid for by “customers” ie the rest of us. A stupid sort of Robin Hood idea.

In difficult times I have no doubt at all that the “missing soap trick” – twice a day – at Bulgari or similar prices will more than wipe an entire per person profit out for the line. Definitely at 50% off rates it could be a loss. And why should that behaviour be seen by some as being acceptable or an accepted “part of the game”. It isn’t.

In the end for a whole series of variable reasons, it is the product, it’s price and the potential reaction of the company that will make the rest of us pay for someone elses selfish behaviour and like you I don’t want it. That's I guess why I've been grotesquely vociferous - but I'll try and shut up now.

Colin,

Right on!

>>This is what happens when cruise lines such as Silverseas, Seaborn and Radisson discount cruises to sell them out and the cruise price becomes attractive to those that would normally not cruise on such a line.......<<

I don't think that has anything to do with it. Greed happens at all economic levels. (The Enron scandal and Winona Ryder's shoplifting episode are proof of that.)

............ By Gad ....... you're right! And now the great Whisper Soap Scandal! Where will it end. Today the soap. Next it'll be the towels.

i have traveled on silversea several times and met people from every economic level. some of the nicest people have not been wealthy, some of the wealthiest people have not been nice. some of the most sophisticated people have not been wealthy. some of the least sophisticated were. some of the most appreciative have been wealthy, some of the least were not. in other words, you cant judge a person's behavior or his attitude by his bank account. i certainly dont want anyone to judge me by mine.

Exactly. You should only judge people by whether they steal the soap or not.

Exactly. You should only judge people by whether they steal the soap or not.

Maybe Silversea will decide to end the controversy by installing liquid soap dispensers and hoping that no passengers bring empty jugs. :-)

I hope it doesn't come to that.

Just remember "It is far too Vulgar to steal the Bulgar".

I hope it doesn't come to that.

 

Just remember "It is far too Vulgar to steal the Bulgar".

particularly when at sea in Calgary...

Is this why, urgently and surreptitiously,

the passenger vulgarly stole the pungently

whole drawerfull of Bulgari?

I'll work on "whole drawfull" - that could use some work. I thought of "plummy potfull" but it doesn't seem to make sense.......

The passenger did no harma

to the Acqua di Parma,

but acted so vulgarly

by hoarding the Bulgari,

that Captain G. Arma

may mess with his karma.

There once was a passenger named Moore

Who hoarded Bulgari soap in a drawer.

When the deed was found out

Said the guest (with a pout)

"I was givin' it all to the pore."

goeurope, that was excellent and so witty. I was told today that they have switched from Bulgari to another Italian brand. Don't remember the 3 word name.

What! No bulgari????

I will never sail SS again. Oops, come to think of it I haven't sailed them yet. :rolleyes:

I was told today that they have switched from Bulgari to another Italian brand. Don't remember the 3 word name.

I believe it's Acqua di Parma:

http://www.acquadiparma.it

You are peerless in the drivel sweepstakes! I salute you.......I love the "pore" durant - so clever, you witty man you. And Seas, the "harma with de parma" - what a talented lady!

Admiringly yours,

Glenda