Why is Silk Den So Underused?

[sail7seas]

Curious.....

 

How big is your group that they would agree to close Silk Den to others for you to have a private cocktail party?

[barante]

Do they have hookah-smoking parties at the Den? I wondered about that when I saw all those divans that fairly invited such activity or kamasutrana?

The Silk Den is particularly empty in mornings and afternoons. A wonderful place to just sit, watch the ocean and relax. Best of all, there is no pressure to buy any drinks. In fact, when I was there recently there were times when you did not see the barman for quite a while. I was the only patron and he knew I didn't drink.

[lovetocruise2020]

Curious.....

 

How big is your group that they would agree to close Silk Den to others for you to have a private cocktail party?

 

 

Anywhere from 20-60 guests. It was 58, but the cruise was chartered, and alot are now not too happy rebooking. Alot of first timers.

 

Any lounge can be booked if you meet minimum capacity.

 

My thoughts is Silk Den in the middle of the day, is always empty, they would be happy to have the visitors. Think it was $24 person?

[sapper1]

I know it is there and it is lovely but it is so out of the way that I don't think about it. We like to have our pre dinner drinks in the Ocean Bar where we can watch the "parade" going by. We just like to have people around. The Tamarind is lonely.

Too late to edit so this is a new post to change my statement that the Tamarind is lonely to say the Silk Den is lonely.:o

[Cruiz'nBaers]

We have been on the Eurodam twice and been to the Silk Den twice. Each cruise, the SD was empty except for us and the couple we were traveling with (the first time). I look for it to change into something else, possibly expanded dining in Tamarind, HAL will not let it sit there w/o generating revenue. It's a shame, as it is a lovely place.

[sail7seas]

Anywhere from 20-60 guests. It was 58, but the cruise was chartered, and alot are now not too happy rebooking. Alot of first timers.

 

Any lounge can be booked if you meet minimum capacity.

 

My thoughts is Silk Den in the middle of the day, is always empty, they would be happy to have the visitors. Think it was $24 person?

 

Thanks.

Yes, at $24 pp they'd be happy to reserve Silk Den for your group inn the middle of the day. It's particularly quiet then.

[Harry1954]

We are always late Traditional Dining (8 P.M.) and never have happy hour offers. We go for our pre-dinner drink at about 7:15. We found Pinnacle Bar and Silk Den quiet every time we went. Ocean Bar had horrible music we avoided but Explorer's Lounge was nice. There were a few more people at Explorer's than Pinnacle Bar but I'm starting to really believe people are carting their own liquor and are drinking in their cabins or carrying around glasses they poured themselves or are not drinking.

They might be .. however, we traditionally are early diners and strive to have cocktail before dinner. ON the last 6-7 cruises we noticed that a) there is no band playing between 5-5:45 ... b) the bars are dead c) and getting drinks sometimes is a chore - I have to go to the bar to ask for service. While this frustrates us, it seems to have become HAL policy for early diners. Late seating is not a problem .. we have after dinner drinks often as well .. and we have no trouble finding a bar with entertainment then.

 

harry

 

ps: we were on Eurodam a couple weeks ago .. never saw/heard of Silk Bar .. lol

[jtl513]

ps: we were on Eurodam a couple weeks ago .. never saw/heard of Silk Bar .. lol

Does that mean you never tried the Tamarind next door? :eek:

[CinWin]

We disembarked from the Nieuw Amsterdam on Sunday, December 4th. We wanted to have a drink at the Silk Den one afternoon, but there was no bartender there. On the evening we had dinner in the Tamarind, we were able to have a relaxing pre-dinner drink in the lounge, but were the only people there. It is a lovely place no one seems to know about unless they go up to the 11th deck to see what the Tamarind looks like. We would miss the Silk Den if they took it away. :(

Cindy

[ANSalberg]

I would miss it a lot as well. The fact that it ISN'T crowded is a plus for us and I often took a book up there of a morning -where it was pleasantly quiet!

[SabreSailor]

I agree with most of you that the Silk Den is out of the way - with the exception of the Crows Nest,I think it's the only bar that's not on a main thoroughfare.

 

We went twice on the NA in October and also found it empty. We also found the areas with the sofas somewhat intimidating - as though we didn't want to get "caught" having a drink in there!:)

 

Also, unlike most of the other bars, there is no entertainment there - it's great for folks like us who just want to have a quiet drink and enjoy the view, but I suspect we are not like the typical HAL cruiser, especially in the Caribbean....

[Harry1954]

Does that mean you never tried the Tamarind next door? :eek:

Nope .. our daughter/grandson did not want to go

harry

[GeriatricNurse]

We have sailed Eurodam five cruises and now two weeks on Nieuw Amsterdam. We think Silk Den a beautiful bar on both ships and unlike any others on the ships.

 

Yet so many times, the place is deadly quiet. Time and again, we were among only 6-10 people there.

 

We also noticed that Eurodam has at least six more seats at the bar than Nieuw Amsterdam and can't figure out why they left one side of the bar with no stools?

 

We can't figure out why almost no one goes there..... any have a thought about it?

Well, Judy, I wouldn't be too concerned! ;) Perhaps people are enjoying a pre dinner drink at one of the many other bars onboard (or even in their staterooms)! :D

[GeriatricNurse]

We are always late Traditional Dining (8 P.M.) and never have happy hour offers. We go for our pre-dinner drink at about 7:15. We found Pinnacle Bar and Silk Den quiet every time we went. Ocean Bar had horrible music we avoided but Explorer's Lounge was nice. There were a few more people at Explorer's than Pinnacle Bar but I'm starting to really believe people are carting their own liquor and are drinking in their cabins or carrying around glasses they poured themselves or are not drinking.

 

My belief too! ;)

[sail7seas]

changed my mind.

[mountainmare]

It could be that with more people using open seating the traditional "cocktail hour" is replaced by happy hour (I think they are staggered to a couple of places on the ship). Since the Silk Den does not have a happy hour and is out of the way people have little reason to use it.

If you have open seating and can eat when you want you probably will be less likely to kill time in an out of the way bar spending money drinking in a place with no entertainment.

[sail7seas]

It could be that with more people using open seating the traditional "cocktail hour" is replaced by happy hour (I think they are staggered to a couple of places on the ship). Since the Silk Den does not have a happy hour and is out of the way people have little reason to use it.

If you have open seating and can eat when you want you probably will be less likely to kill time in an out of the way bar spending money drinking in a place with no entertainment.

 

Twenty-five percent of the guests have Main Upper Traditional Dining at 8 P.M.

 

To go to happy hour at 4:30 or 5:00 isn't likely. If we wanted to be out and about and starting our evening that early, we wouldn't request late seating.

 

We normally go to a lounge for our pre dinner cocktail around 7:15 or so.

[mountainmare]

But on one of the recent postings there were happy hours at different times. 4-5 in one bar, 6-7 in another and 7-8 in another. It probably differs on each ship, but I know there have always been later happy hours on our cruises.

If 25% of the guests have late seating (on our recent cruises it has been less than that because late seating is pretty empty), and on some sailings the shows are early sometimes, and the strings are in the Explorers lounge it is not surprising that at 7:15 the Silk Den would be empty.

You originally asked why is it underused. At that time of the evening a bar with no entertainment and out of the way has little appeal for many. For others (like me) a very quiet location is nice, but then I would have to leave my balcony which is quiet and has diet pepsi.

[mountainmare]

I knew I read the hours somewhere

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1504607&highlight=happy+hour

 

So...it is not surprising that the Silk Den in underused. I think the original idea was that it would be a pre-dinner gathering place for Tam...whatever that diningroom is called to give a total Asian fusian experience for the evening.

[HALrunner]

On the NA, which deck is it on? I skimmed the deck plans and didn't even see it! Maybe that is why it is underused;)

[GeriatricNurse]

On the NA, which deck is it on? I skimmed the deck plans and didn't even see it! Maybe that is why it is underused;)

 

It is on the "Observation Deck", which I easily found by skimming the deck plans on the HAL website! ;)

[HALrunner]

It is on the "Observation Deck", which I easily found by skimming the deck plans on the HAL website! ;)

 

Thanks....I guess I didn't scroll down to the aft section of the deck plan for deck 11. Looks lovely!

[sail7seas]

It's a beautiful setting but I can't imagine HAL will have that space remain being used so little. We don't have the numbers, of course, but if it doesn't generate revenue, it isn't likely they can leave an unused space.

 

[protocrone]

On the Eurodam last month, we were the only one's numerous times in the Silk Den. Sometimes bartender was there, most times not. We felt like the sultan and his wives lounging on those great settees. And the option of a hooka party did come up a time or two.

 

Good memories are made in those quiet times.

[sail7seas]

When there was a bartender there, was it Pancho?

He was there for some of our Eurodam cruises and we really enjoyed him.