Muse: YUL to FLL 2017-9-28 to 10-12

Not really (would I agree). He never appeared to be rushed and always spent time talking with us at great length, and would bring us special items in evening that we didn't even ask for such as fresh ginger tea. Perhaps he had fewer guests to attend to on Deck 11.

That is likely so, on deck 11, you are esteemed silver guests to be pampered. If as on other decks the butler is responsible for only one side of the corridor aisle, then there are only seven suites.

I attended a wedding yesterday where several guests were chatting about their recent sailings on Seabourn, Oceania, Silversea, and Azamara Club. People seemed universally impressed by Seabourn, but I doubt I'll find myself on their ships with their 75%-100% single supplement.

 

Oceania and Azamara Club did seem intriguing options, but I just don't know if I'd want to sail on a Azamara Club rebranded ship when I can easily stay with Silversea on purpose-built ships. As for Oceania, their pricing matrix is maddening and even looking a year in advance, several categories were marked WAITLIST or CLOSED. So why advertise "Fares from $XXXX" only to have the customer click on the sailing and find out the cheapest room is actually twice that amount?

To start with, we are one couple of cats, so single supplements will not apply to us.

Of the four lines you mentioned, Seabourn is the only one we have not been on. We hope some years down the road, we will have a chance to try Seabourn.

Azamara was nice, easy going and casual, even more so than Oceania. The R ships were relatively old and refurbished, but very well kept and polished. The food (especially the specialty restaurants) was good. We were happy with it, except for our cabin attendant, who had this attitude, reluctant to "serve" passengers. We did not report on him, because we wanted to keep our anonymity.

From what we had seen on the web, Oceania often had the lowest subcategory of a given category "sold out", e.g. A4 of the A s, PH3 of the PHs. Closer to sailing date, they could start selling A guarantee or PH guarantee. The difference in price between subcategories would be no more than 10%. In any case, every one has his/her own preferences, and such preferences can change in time. It is variety which makes things interesting!

.

Regarding the question of butlers.

Butlers hours are 06.00-12.00 and 16.00 -22.00. Outside these hours in suite food and beverage requests are fulfilled by duty staff in the galley. Butlers generally have around 14 suites but the number varies depending on the ship's load factor ( whether full or not) and also whether some of the suites are the very large ones - i.e Grand, Owners Suite. Many of them also service more than one deck.

We have always found them to be fantastic, almost without exception, nothing is too much trouble. They are of course all trained at the International Butler Academy.

Kindest regards

Master Echo

Our butler delivered room service every time on our 28 day cruise on the Silver Muse ( day or night).

Regarding the question of butlers.

 

Butlers hours are 06.00-12.00 and 16.00 -22.00. Outside these hours in suite food and beverage requests are fulfilled by duty staff in the galley. Butlers generally have around 14 suites but the number varies depending on the ship's load factor ( whether full or not) and also whether some of the suites are the very large ones - i.e Grand, Owners Suite. Many of them also service more than one deck.

 

We have always found them to be fantastic, almost without exception, nothing is too much trouble. They are of course all trained at the International Butler Academy.

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

Thank you both for your replies on the question of butlers.

Regarding the question of butlers.

 

Butlers hours are 06.00-12.00 and 16.00 -22.00. Outside these hours in suite food and beverage requests are fulfilled by duty staff in the galley. Butlers generally have around 14 suites but the number varies depending on the ship's load factor ( whether full or not) and also whether some of the suites are the very large ones - i.e Grand, Owners Suite. Many of them also service more than one deck.

 

We have always found them to be fantastic, almost without exception, nothing is too much trouble. They are of course all trained at the International Butler Academy.

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

That's a relief, I would feel guilty ordering room service past 10 if it made the butler get up dressed and the like, just to bring it to me.

Also great review so far, very informative.

meow,

Thank you for taking the time for your comprehensive review.

We are contemplating cruising on the Muse in 2019 in Alaska.

I was surprised to read that you had to pay extra in two of the specialty restaurants. Did I get that right?

If so, which ones are at extra cost and how much?

TIA

That's a relief, I would feel guilty ordering room service past 10 if it made the butler get up dressed and the like, just to bring it to me.

 

Also great review so far, very informative.

Thank you kindly for your compliment.

meow,

Thank you for taking the time for your comprehensive review.

We are contemplating cruising on the Muse in 2019 in Alaska.

I was surprised to read that you had to pay extra in two of the specialty restaurants. Did I get that right?

If so, which ones are at extra cost and how much?

TIA

So happy to hear from Paulchili again. Remember our numerous posting exchanges in the yesteryears!

I talked against Oceania's high fares (despite being a good product) then. Now Silversea fares seem too high. I cautioned Oceania's building a second ship then, now I caution building the Moon. I believe I have been fair and consistent, but as you can read https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2559869 those Oceania diehards are giving me a hard time.

The French restaurant, La Dame and the Japanese restaurant, Kaiseki, both small restaurants on deck 4 are the ones that charge $60 per person. All the others have no upcharge. Hope this helps.

.

So happy to hear from Paulchili again. Remember our numerous posting exchanges in the yesteryears!

 

I talked against Oceania's high fares (despite being a good product) then. Now Silversea fares seem too high. I cautioned Oceania's building a second ship then, now I caution building the Moon. I believe I have been fair and consistent, but as you can read https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2559869 those Oceania diehards are giving me a hard time.

 

The French restaurant, La Dame and the Japanese restaurant, Kaiseki, both small restaurants on deck 4 are the ones that charge $60 per person. All the others have no upcharge. Hope this helps.

 

.

Thank you for clearing that up.

I do find it surprising that Silversea, being a luxury and almost all inclusive cruise line, finds it necessary to charge for not one but two of its specialty restaurants, considering the fares they charge.

Oceania's Riviera & Marina with four specialties each, lower fares and comparable or even arguably better food, do not charge extra for specialty restaurants.

That alone would not stop us from cruising on the Muse but neither does it make us happy.

I am more disappointed about the reports of other aspects on Muse so far - perhaps it's just "growing pains".

Time will tell. :)

That alone would not stop us from cruising on the Muse but neither does it make us happy.

I am more disappointed about the reports of other aspects on Muse so far - perhaps it's just "growing pains".

Time will tell. :)

We are delighted that you will try out the Muse, hopefully after which you will write your report, including a comparison with Oceania:D

As a new ship, the Muse is constantly changing, especially the software. The Indochine and Atlantide will likely combine into one main restaurant, so we heard.

When you do go on the Muse, please pay attention to the granite, the marble, the quality of the hardware .. you may dream of getting lost in an Italian quarry:D!

.

We are delighted that you will try out the Muse, hopefully after which you will write your report, including a comparison with Oceania:D

 

As a new ship, the Muse is constantly changing, especially the software. The Indochine and Atlantide will likely combine into one main restaurant, so we heard.

 

When you do go on the Muse, please pay attention to the granite, the marble, the quality of the hardware .. you may dream of getting lost in an Italian quarry:D!

 

.

Thank you.

We are strongly leaning towards experiencing the Muse and I will follow all posting related to her.

We've had some wonderful cruises and met some very nice people on the Cloud & Wind. The Spirit was nice but not as special as the other two.

Happy trails :)

Thank you for clearing that up.

 

I do find it surprising that Silversea, being a luxury and almost all inclusive cruise line, finds it necessary to charge for not one but two of its specialty restaurants, considering the fares they charge.

 

Oceania's Riviera & Marina with four specialties each, lower fares and comparable or even arguably better food, do not charge extra for specialty restaurants.

 

That alone would not stop us from cruising on the Muse but neither does it make us happy.

 

I am more disappointed about the reports of other aspects on Muse so far - perhaps it's just "growing pains".

 

Time will tell. :)

Apparently the charge for Keiseki is because of the Wagyu beef that is used in the Tappanyaki bar, although in our experience it was not as fine as expected, and the charge is too high. As far as La Dame is concerned, the meal is no better than La Champagne on the other ships (at $40) as the $60 charge is purely an overpriced mechanism to filter out the number of people who may wish to dine there.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Thank you.

We are strongly leaning towards experiencing the Muse and I will follow all posting related to her.

We've had some wonderful cruises and met some very nice people on the Cloud & Wind. The Spirit was nice but not as special as the other two.

Happy trails :)

We had not been on the Cloud or Wind. We had been on the Shadow twice and we loved the Shadow. The Spirit was not as nice, especially that dysfunctional theatre. The Muse was better than the Spirit. We did not find much use for the racks on the wall of the Spirit's cabin. The TV remote controls of the Muse also worked better than the Spirit's.

.After adding a section to the Spirit, its exterior dimension will be identical to the Muse. Yet it will have ten more standard cabins than the Muse. That means the public areas of the Spirit (at the stern) will be the same as at present, no improvement in theatre or lounge space.

.

That's a relief, I would feel guilty ordering room service past 10 if it made the butler get up dressed and the like, just to bring it to me.

I couldn't agree more. If I had a room service order at midnight, and my regular butler showed up to bring it, the guilt I would feel would keep me from ordering that late ever again. And I have to say, a 5am coffee order because I'm fully up and about is not unusual. Which is why I wish every single cruise line had a nespresso machine in every room.