EdAway Posted May 23, 2005 #1 Share Posted May 23, 2005 Would be interested in hearing from anyone booked on the "Classic Crossing" leaving Southhampton 29 August. Will be our first Silversea cruise. We are "graduating" from Crystal and Celebrity. Any comments from those who have sailed Silversea, Crystal, and Celebrity? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltsally Posted May 24, 2005 #2 Share Posted May 24, 2005 Afraid we're not "graduates," of any other ship - just complete and total newbies. But this is the first time any one else on that 29August crossing has surfaced, so I just wanted to say 'Ahoy!' :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdAway Posted May 24, 2005 Author #3 Share Posted May 24, 2005 Thanks for the reply...hope we're not the only ones braving the North Atlantic on a 25 ton ship!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasurg Posted May 24, 2005 #4 Share Posted May 24, 2005 My wife and I are also on this cruise. This will be our third North Atlantic cruise with SS. The weather will be cool, and sometimes a bit rough--but it has been a most enjoyable cruise. We love the sea days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltsally Posted May 25, 2005 #5 Share Posted May 25, 2005 KAsurg - Yes, the at-sea days look most appealing to us, whatever the weather. We had never been beguiled by any other 'cruise - as such,' but I've always wanted to do a 'crossing,' (spouse did a couple, as a mere tot). So we are really looking forward to it. And glad to find, at last, that we weren't be solo passengers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdAway Posted May 25, 2005 Author #6 Share Posted May 25, 2005 KAsurg: Have your previous SS crossings been with a full capacity ship? What does SS do by way of activities etc. on the sea days?? Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBfromDC Posted May 25, 2005 #7 Share Posted May 25, 2005 Hi EdAway, Haven't been on Celebrity, but have been on both Crystal and Silversea several times each. It's hard to compare as you're comparing a large ship experience to a small ship experience. Here's my 2-cents: Food - better on Silversea; service - better on Silversea; suites - better on Silversea; entertainment - better on Crystal; fitness facilities - better on Crystal; traditional cruise type activities - more on Crystal; value - depends on whether or not you like the bubbly and other spirits. We're not heavy drinkers, but the all-inclusive nature of Silversea turns out to be a better deal for us when we factored in what we were paying per diem on Crystal. I hope you enjoy your crossing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdAway Posted May 25, 2005 Author #8 Share Posted May 25, 2005 Thanks - good info. The larger suites will be nice because we thought cabins (not suites) on Crystal were small and really not substantially better than on Celebrity. Also we found food on Celebrity (Galaxy and Infinity) to be as good as Crystal (Crystal Harmony last year). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Pearl Posted May 25, 2005 #9 Share Posted May 25, 2005 Thanks - good info. The larger suites will be nice because we thought cabins (not suites) on Crystal were small and really not substantially better than on Celebrity. Also we found food on Celebrity (Galaxy and Infinity) to be as good as Crystal (Crystal Harmony last year). Interesting that you say that. A friend of mine who has cruised extensively for the past 20 years told me that he was disappointed by his Crystal cruise. He said that as far as he was concerned, the food was at least as good, if not better, on Celebrity. --Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meow! Posted May 25, 2005 #10 Share Posted May 25, 2005 While we have not been on Crystal, we have been on Celebrity several times, in both the regular balconied cabin (category 2) and the "sky suite" (same interior as category 1 but with a much larger balcony) on the Mercury, for example. The basic vista/verandah suites interior on the Shadow/Whisper is better and larger than the minisuite (category 1 or sky suite) on the Mercury. It is very nice, and a full description has been given in our previous thread "Mexican Riviera December 14-21 Part II by meow!" earlier in this very Silversea column (end of December last year). Comments on the food and the service were given in other Parts under that same topic. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdAway Posted June 14, 2005 Author #11 Share Posted June 14, 2005 My wife and I are also on this cruise. This will be our third North Atlanticcruise with SS. The weather will be cool, and sometimes a bit rough--but it has been a most enjoyable cruise. We love the sea days. Any hints you can give us regarding this cruise will be appreciated. We have booked the Silversea Fly/Hotel package. We have never done a "crossing." Our last cruise was Crystal last fall in Caribbean. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cporter Posted June 15, 2005 #12 Share Posted June 15, 2005 My husband I are also on the August 29th crossing. It will be our second SS but our first transatlantic crossing. I would love to have tips on what to pack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cporter Posted June 15, 2005 #13 Share Posted June 15, 2005 We are also doing to pre-cruise in London. It will be my first time actually getting out of the airport?!? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltsally Posted June 21, 2005 #14 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Well! Looks like there now are at least four of us (plus companions) who will be making the Crossing! We've been looking forward to this since last September; I can't believe it's now less than three months away. :eek: We are getting into London the evening of 8/24; have made our arrangements independently. Will any of you doing the pre-cruise have more than the "day-before" in London? EdAway and cporter: Whereabouts (in general terms) are you from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cporter Posted June 21, 2005 #15 Share Posted June 21, 2005 We are meeting friends and spending four days before. Looks like we will meet on the "transportation" from the hotel! My husband and I are from South Texas. I am very worried about the temperature. Cold is not our thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasurg Posted June 22, 2005 #16 Share Posted June 22, 2005 We are arriving on the 26. We also did the hotel/air SS package. Will see a few shows, relax, and get our bearings as we are flying from southern CA. For us the cool weather will be a treat as we now have 100+ temp. Edaway--our past cruises have ranged from 40 to 80 % capacity. Activities--trivia, golf putting, afternoon lectures, martini/mix drinks "seminars" (actually very good), cooking-meal classes, games--Liar, liar, coffee classes, wine classes, weather permitting, outside barbeque, bridge tours, movies, etc. All pretty laid back--and for us, we actually had a lot of fun. The weather and temp should be pretty reasonable--prob. high 50's to low 70's at the ports and 50's at sea. Last year the crossing was later (end sept-beginning oct). We had much cooler (colder) temps, sea was very rough--we got the tail end of the hurricanes from Fl. Some of the formal nights were re scheduled. Activites and dining remained as usual. It was rock and roll--an interesting and fun experience. Orkney Islands was cancelled, we stayed an extra night in the Fahroe Islands. Atlantic was rough at times--but by no means dangerous. It was beautiful to see the power of the ocean and waves. We saw for the first time the NOrthern lights which were magnificent. I believe that you will have a wonderful cruise on Silversea. See you all on the bus! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasurg Posted June 22, 2005 #17 Share Posted June 22, 2005 By the way, for those of you staying at the Silversea hotel- Mayfair Westbury,it is is a nice hotel. The location is great on Bond Street--good shopping (albeit very expensive), tube not far away, and very very quiet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdAway Posted June 22, 2005 Author #18 Share Posted June 22, 2005 By the way, for those of you staying at the Silversea hotel- Mayfair Westbury,it is is a nice hotel. The location is great on Bond Street--goodshopping (albeit very expensive), tube not far away, and very very quiet. Kasurg: Thanks for the "Crossing" details. Nice to know what to expect. We arrive early morning on the 28th. Silversea must have more than one hotel - they have us in the Renaissance Chancery Court In reply to a previous question - we are from Northern Virginia and flying out of Dulles on BA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meow! Posted June 22, 2005 #19 Share Posted June 22, 2005 If you happen to stay at Bond Street, that is where the high-end boutique stores are at (other than Knightsbridge). Take a look at Lawrence Graff, they may not let you in without prior appointment (even for the majority of Silversea cruisers), but its window display is like a "mini museum of natural history" (in geological creation of the most expensive rocks). While one cannot own them, looking is free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltsally Posted June 23, 2005 #20 Share Posted June 23, 2005 My goodness, what a nice geographic spread we represent! cporter: I like Texas. We've had some good family times at Padre Island and San Antonio. As for that weather range - just think "layers" and you should be fine. It does seem like a bit of a puzzle though since it's possible, I suppose, to still encounter some heat in London (and ever more likely in Boston). I've also decided to try to find space to squirrel in at least one turtleneck for chilly at-sea days. kasurg: Enjoyed your description of past weather and activities - sounds like just about what I was hoping for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted June 23, 2005 #21 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Kasurg: We arrive early morning on the 28th. Silversea must have more than one hotel - they have us in the Renaissance Chancery Court In reply to a previous question - we are from Northern Virginia and flying out of Dulles on BA. We stayed at the Chancery Court last year ..it is a wonderful hotel you can walk to the British Museum and to the river. There is a nice Italien restarant across the road...good food and good prices. Enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltsally Posted June 24, 2005 #22 Share Posted June 24, 2005 kasurg: In your previous SS crossings, did you make any of the stops that are scheduled on this one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasurg Posted June 25, 2005 #23 Share Posted June 25, 2005 Previous cruisees were more northernly, i.e. Fahroe Islands, Orkney, Iceland, etc. but they all stopped at St John"s, Halifax--which were of so-so interest to us. Probablely of most interest would be Peggy's Cove and Cabot Hill. First time cruise stop for us at Falmouth. Been to Cork and Waterford. Of course--you must see waterford crystal factory if you have not been there before. Prepare to buy and they ship home for you. Do not know if we will do that one again--we may do the countryside-pub tour for a few hours only. Same for Cork. SS usually has a complimentary tour on the boston stop--the jfk musuem which is very interesting and brings back alot of memories. They also have a shuttle that brings about a block from Faneuil Hall / Quincy Market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bldsld Posted June 25, 2005 #24 Share Posted June 25, 2005 In St. John's, Newfoundland, my husband and I made an unplanned stop to the Supreme Court in St. John's, dressed in Jean's and tennis shoes. As I am an attorney in SF, I thought it would be interesting to visit the courts. The staff, and the judges, couldn't have been nicer---far more so than the folks at home! They spent hours with us, (despite our casual attire ;)) and then all waved farewell from the courthouse windows, as we were at sailaway. What an experience! It's these little, unexpected adventures that make travel interesting, so our view of St. John's is of a fantastic experience with kind and interesting people whom we would never have had an opportunity to meet, particularly under such warm and welcoming circumstances, at home. Not a metal detector in sight anywhere! How refreshing and civilized, the concept of trust!!! Denyse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdAway Posted June 26, 2005 Author #25 Share Posted June 26, 2005 We stayed at the Chancery Court last year ..it is a wonderful hotel you can walk to the British Museum and to the river. There is a nice Italien restarant across the road...good food and good prices. Enjoy Great info - we'll check out that restaurant our first night in London! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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