Mexican Riviera December 14-21 Part IV

continued from Part III ...

DISEMBARKATION

Our disembarkation process was held up by a few passengers who did not have their customs forms in order or did not present themselves to the U.S. immigration officers who boarded the ship as required by law. We didn't know exactly what happened, all we heard was that they were looking for the few passengers unaccounted for, and this dragged on until close to 10:30 a.m., when we were finally all allowed to land. We left the ship and walked to a couple of "tents" set up close by, where we got our luggage, then walked about one block's distance to the taxi stand, where folks lined up for taxis. A $12 taxi ride got us back to San Diego airport. Since our flight wouldn't leave until after noon, we were not rushed, but those who had flights before noon were obviously worried.

DISCUSSION

Since we have been on Silversea only once, our experience was just a sample of one. However, we have been reading extensively from various sources on the internet over the years, so we are quite well informed on account of such published material.

Generally speaking, there are four main boutique cruise lines on the market: Silversea (with four ships and a total of some 1300 berths), Seabourn (with three ships and 600 berths), Crystal (now with three ships and some 3000 berths) and RSSC (with several different types of ships and upwards of 2000 berths). So there are a total of some 7000 berths out there all year round to be filled, and competition in this (luxury) segment of the market (as evidenced by hefty discounts of up to 59% on Seabourn, for example) is particularly keen. (Unlike some mass market ships which inflate the "brochure list price" just to give perpetual deep discounts, the luxury lines used to have rather smaller discounts just a few years ago.)

The Silver Shadow and Whisper were built right around the turn of the millennium, at the peak of the economic cycle. They were purposefully designed and custom built (and not adapted from some existing hull) to be very comfortable and rather exclusive "small" (in passenger numbers) cruise ships, with the space and amenities to satiate the well heeled. Even today, these ships still show that sophisticated ambience of their original design -- the strengths of these ships remain in the "hard ware".

The world has changed substantially in the last few years. The US$ has dropped precipitously against other currencies, but the cruise lines still have to rely on Americans for the majority of their customers, at least for the foreseeable future. Businesses can accept smaller profits or even some losses to get over short periods of hard times, but businessmen won't operate just to lose money indefinitely. Somehow, revenues must cover or exceed expenditures. If you want to keep things exclusive and expensive, and fewer people are able or willing to afford it, then you have to dry dock some ships and lay off some staff. On the other hand, if you want to keep all ships and employees going, you have to broaden your clientele somewhat by offering deeper discounts, find cheaper staff and suppliers, cut some corners (it is the "soft ware" that bears the brunt) and even (in more "genteel" ways) find new revenue by opening art "gallery sales" (instead of art auctions) and have a "by appointments" (rather than walk around and catch passengers) ship photographer (which started with our voyage). We should not blame management for doing what is necessary, but they also have to be sensitive to the feelings of those affluent frequent past cruisers of this as well as the competitor lines, who remember, still demand, and are willing to pay for what they were used to in the "good old days". So some kind of "optimized balance" needs to be attained somehow.

Given the above, the main emphasis has to be how to satisfy customers without incurring additional expenditures. This includes how to plan more attractive itineraries to suit both short and long cruisers, how to plan and co-ordinate with port authorities to have smoother dis/embarkations, how to plan dis/embarkation schedules such that the staff will have sufficient "turn around" times while passengers can have "one stop full service" and need to get through processing only once. Also, how do you satiate the passengers' palates, satisfying different tastes without increasing the existing budget. How do you motivate and use the staff to the best of their abilities and get them to "multi-task" if necessary.

SUGGESTIONS

Being realistic, we will only make suggestions that can reasonably be carried out, if enough people agree with it and if the cruise line is willing:

1. Send a questionnaire to Venetian Society members and ask them which ports / geographic area they would like to visit in the next year or two, and dispatch ships / plan voyages in consideration. Plan itineraries in such a way that while voyages may be short (say one week), no port of call is repeated in any three consecutive weeks (for easy back to back combinations, or alternatively have two to three week long voyages subdivided into sections A, B and C, as have been done before). This should satisfy both short (young executives/professionals) and long (the wealthy retired) cruisers. Oceania, for example, is doing very well with longer voyages, people with the time often don't want to cross an ocean, suffer jet lag and come back in one week.

2. Plan and co-ordinate dis/embarkation more thoroughly, especially when the time schedule involved is unusual. Have a sufficient number of check in wickets and do all that is required (including identity photo) simultaneously. Passengers are usually particularly tired after travelling to the ship, and wary when they leave the ship and have to travel home. When you are weak and worried, whatever help will be well appreciated and whatever frustrations will be particularly agonizing.

3. Include a questionnaire with the final documents to ask passengers what do they like to eat (steak, lamb, lobster, crab, carviar, foie gras, whatever within reason) and drink (which wines, juices, beverages) and plan the menu of that voyage accordingly. This should be on a voyage by voyage basis, as the time of year, weather, location and passenger mix may affect the results. Increase the variety of food availabe at the poolside grill, and make the kitchen more receptive to off-menu orders on the spot (within reason, of course). The ability to get what one wants when one wants it goes a long way in pleasing and therefore keeping customers. The idea is to provide flexibility and a good match without incurring extra costs.

4. Understand the abilities and personalities of the individual staff members, and assign them to more efficient tasks. For example, those serving drinks around the pool were doing very well. Besides, assign more staff to positions that are needed by the passengers, including the library/internet room, to make sure it is running well through the day, and to offer help to passengers who need it. Also there should be at least a couple of attendants at the "front desk" all the time (not just some hours of the day), able to answer the phone, act as receptionist, concierge, information clerk and tour advisor all in one. In this day and age of "multi-tasking", such employees should be able to do all of the above, and not tell passengers "please come back in three hours when so and so will be here for an hour!" The existing staff members were courteous and gentle, they just need to be available more often and be more versatile.

CONCLUSION

Finally, in all fairness, we have to state that we were happy and satisfied with this voyage on the whole ourselves. In fact, overall, it has been far better than all our cruises on the mass market lines. If there is a voyage at a similar price with a good itinerary close by some years down the road, we will be delighted to try again. We are mentioning the above not just for ourselves, but summing up the feelings of other posters and fellow passengers we have talked with as well. Since Silversea is supposed to be an "ultra-luxe" cruise line (though at special "silver sailing" discount, the price is not that high per se), still, many passengers expect a lot more from a boutique ship.

Thank you all for taking the time to read our long winded account. Your replies to all four sections of this report are cordially appreciated.

meow,

thank you for your detailed analysis of your silversea cruise. actually your summary sounds more like a good business plan for a new cruise line. I have been a loyal silversea cruiser for ten years, my first one being in 1994 when the line was barely 2 or 3 months old. back then they even included travel insurance in the price of the ticket. but, as you say, things have changed drastically in the past decade, especially since 911, and every business has a right to make a profit. taking that into consideration i have found that silversea is doing an excellent job of maintaining its quality even if some amenities have been changed or cut. i spent 24 days on the whisper this year and loved every minute. yes, the bars of bulgari soap were smaller than in the past but this is not the reason i go on a cruise. in fact, i go to escape the day to day concerns and not worry about small changes. the overall experience is still the best out there in the cruise market (along with seabourn which i have also sailed.) I have stayed at some top notch hotels and been disappointed once or twice, but im willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and try again.(the embarkation problem in san diego is an example.) now, if it becomes a bad habit Ill change in a second, but i try to take a positive attitude and usually i walk away very happy. a cruise on silversea is a wonderful experience and i feel lucky to be able to experience it.

Bravo Meow, bravo and well done!

This review has got to be the best, and most detailed, I have ever read! I am currently struggling to write a review of another cruise line -- perhaps I should just send you my notes and ask you to compose it!

I particularly enjoyed your final comments on how to improve the luxury cruise product -- hit the mark.

Thanks for taking your time to write up your experience and thoughts.

Thank you all for your very kind comments. We really appreciate them!

Hi Meow-

As many have already said, thank you for a well thought out report on your criuse. We will be on the same trip leaving Jan. 5th from San Diego ( one week) and I will be happy to add my 'report' when we return.

We have chosen early embarkation from the onset, in the hopes of having a quicker/easier board, especially for my Mom. We have a guest coming for lunch ( easily & quickly accommodated by SS Special Serivces dept.) flowers delivered to the ship, etc., so we will have some previously undiscussed areas of service to include.

I am really looking forward to this trip and hope that all goes swimmingly. :D

Will post when we return---- Happy and Healthy New Year to All-

Davygirl

meow - why not send your summary to Silversea and see what they have to say. They can only improve if they know where you want them to improve...

goodshape--we were on the Dec 14th cruise-- had early embarkation--it worked great--we boarded at 10:30 sharp. We even had the beautiful Christine( one of the dancers) escort us on board-- that started the trip off well! We had lunch, and a chance to wander around the ship. We were booked in Grand Suite 801--it was ready when we boarded--and it was beautiful. Debarkation was slow, but we had a 3:00 flight, so the delay didn't hurt us. We noticed that most people waited in a crowded area near the exit. We waited in the lounge on deck 8--it was not crowded and comfortable. We didn't experience most of the problem other guests seemed to have had. My biggest gripe was trying to get a drink in the bar before dinner--one waitress--solved it by picking up my drinks at the bar--they had two sharp bartenders, who seemed to be well ahead of the waitress. We enjoyed the cruise, and I think the early embarkation had a lot to do with it! Have a good trip, and I hope you catch Christine!

Thank you for taking the time to write such a wonderful, detailed review! I'm considering Silversea for Christmas/New Years 2005 and found your comments helpful!

Claudia