Silhouette: March 16-23 2014 Trip Review/Report

[BobbyD]

I have gained so much information on Cruise Critic, I thought I would help others out and giving some impressions on our wonderful Celebrity Silhouette cruise on March 16-23 2014. This might take a few days, so be patient! I will break up the report/review by topics. If you're looking for food porn, there isn't any but you can find that on multiple threads. I am just going to try to give you an honest review of our cruise, the good and the not as good. Please keep in mind that the "not as good" is minor and we had a wonderful, wonderful cruise on a beautiful ship!

 

 

First, a little background information. My wife and I are from Connecticut. She is 52 and I am 54 and we are both educators. This is my 12th cruise and my wife’s 14th, so we are not quite rookies yet still are very excited to cruise! Our two children are on their own and out of the house so this was going to be just the two of us. Our Allure cruise this summer will be a family cruise. This was supposed to be some R & R on our spring break. Our go-to cruise line is Royal Caribbean but we have cruised on Carnival and enjoy that as well. This was our first cruise on Celebrity and I was a bit nervous about whether it would fit our needs. Ok, maybe not that nervous but I did have some anxiety being a new product. More on that later.

 

Pre-Cruise:

We booked this cruise last summer and took advantage of the beverage package promotion. We have never had a beverage package before and were looking forward to being adventurous with our beverage selections! My sister and her husband have cruised with us and asked if they could join us and we were more than willing. They timed it perfect as they also were able to get the beverage package. We made plans to fly down to Tampa on Friday, rent a car and go visit MIL for a couple of days. As most of you know the weather up north (and most everywhere) has been brutal all winter so we were so excited to get some warmth. We had a great two days with MIL but were so excited on Sunday morning when we got up at 5:00 am and made the drive to Fort Lauderdale, leaving around 5:30am. Our plan was to drop the car off at the airport and meet my sister and brother-in-law at the airport and then all take a taxi to the port. The timing was perfect as we drove into the airport as their plane was landing, right around 9:15 or so. It was just under a 4 hour drive from Tampa to Fort Lauderdale. We dropped the rental car off at Terminal 1 and then made the short walk with our luggage to Terminal 3 where our companions were flying in on Jet Blue from Boston. From there we all hopped in a cab (minivan) for the short ride to the pier. To say that we were excited was an understatement!! The cab ride was around $22 for the fare and tip. Not too bad.

 

Next: Embarkation

Edited March 26, 2014 by BobbyD

[Colorado Buffalo]

so far so good- looking forward to the rest as we sail on the Silly April 6th :D

[lovestx]

Thanks for taking the time to write a review. We are sailing the Silhouette in June so I am eager to learn more :)

[cruisinskier]

Looking forward to the rest of your review....great start! We are onboard in December! Keep it coming!

[cruisehome]

me too

[BobbyD]

Embarkation:

We arrived at the port by taxi at 10:30. The porter took our bags and we tipped him, as we always do. Everyone was beginning to lineup with a separate line for suites and CC Elite cruisers. We took our place in the other line with the common-folk! Ha! Within about 10 minutes it began to move and from the time we began moving, we were on board within 45 minutes. Quick and easy and hassle free. After getting our seapass cards, we had to sit in a holding area for about 10 minutes but it really was very quick. We were on board by 11:15. Once on board we were greeted with smiles and with a glass of champagne or a mimosa. Nice touch that doesn’t happen on any other line that I have cruised on! With our cabins not being ready until later (1:30?), we headed up to the Ocean View café for lunch. We were there right as it opened, at 11:30. It was great. Food was hot and plentiful. We easily found a seat and enjoyed our first drink with the Premium Package. I do have to comment on the fried chicken that I thought was very good but that was the only day that it appeared. I was disappointed later in the week because I enjoyed it so much! After lunch, we grabbed our carry-ons and explored the beautiful ship. We ended up at the Sunset bar for a cold beverage (or 2) until our rooms were ready.

 

Next: Cabin

[BobbyD]

Cabins:

Our cabin was 7270 and my sister had 7272. It was a 2A cabin, located on the hump. It is considered an aft cabin but it seemed more midships to me. Either way, I enjoyed the location. Right near the elevators and the Hideaway. I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the Hideaway for reading on a couple of occasions, but really enjoyed the coffee service that they have set up. Coffee is served from 7:00am to 8:30pm. It was a nice little perk of the area that I did not know about. The cabin was an easy walk to anywhere on the ship and I enjoyed the location.

 

The cabin itself was a typical balcony cabin. I found that it seemed the same size as most other balcony cabins I have been in. It was clean and the AC worked very well. I carry a thermometer with me that is magnetic and goes on the wall. It read 66oF all week! I like it cool, obviously! Our bed was near the balcony and the bed in my sister’s room was near the bathroom and her couch was near the balcony. The couch was plenty big. There are only one row of outlets on the vanity but we brought a travel strip that worked well with keeping our electronics charged. Others have commented on cruise critic that they found that there wasn’t much storage space. In the vanity there are three drawers. Of course my wife took two and I took one. No surprise there! There also is the minibar and the safe (combo). Where there is extra storage is above the bed with two long cabinets which can really hold quite a bit. So, overall, we found the storage sufficient for the two of us.

 

The balcony was very nice and standard. The chairs (2) were very comfortable and roomy and there was a small round table as well. We asked our steward if we could have the balcony divider open and he did it immediately the first day. It was nice to chat with our family during the week! We are very low maintenance and all I ask the steward for is ice in the ice bucket. Jack, our steward, kept our ice bucket filled the entire week!

 

The bathrooms on the Silhouette are very nice and I felt were bigger than other bathrooms. The shower had the clear plexiglass doors (rather than a shower curtain), similar to the Royal ships and that was nice. Carnival has a shower curtain and I’d much rather the rounded doors. There was plenty of storage in the bathroom, more than enough actually.

 

The TV was a flat screen and the interactive features were very nice. The channels were mostly news (CNN, CNBC, ESPN, etc.) and good to switch on while getting ready for dinner. It was nice to be able to check our bill on the TV!

 

Our hallway was quiet as were the cabins above and below us! A great location and a great cabin!

 

Next: Entertainment

[BobbyD]

Entertainment:

My biggest concern about this cruise was whether there would be enough to do. Having been on Royal and Carnival many times, both who have a lot of entertainment options, I was a bit worried. I would have to say that the nightly entertainment was plentiful and varied. The theater productions were excellent, with the singers and especially the dancers, very talented. Christina Bianco, a singer and impressionist was great and there was a ventriloquist and magician for the other two nights. Overall, the showroom entertainments was outstanding.

 

I attended four Beyond the Podium sessions with Bob McElwee, a former NFL ref. Quite informative and interesting. I also attended a Select and Elite event of Behind the Scenes of the theater and a Galley tour, both of which were good.

 

There were three groups which played throughout the ship. Le Mandragole Trio were three women who played mostly in the Ensemble Lounge. They were a group that grew on us each time we saw them. The house band, The Smart Casuals, were excellent and played good dance music, and there was another single guitarist that I cannot remember his name because we didn’t see him all that much. But, what little I saw was good.

 

I do wish that there was a little more lively music at night, perhaps a piano bar or a sing-a-long guitarist taking requests. That would add perfection to an otherwise excellent entertainment lineup.

 

Bars/Drink package:

We upgraded prior to the cruise to the Premium beverage package. Great decision and we thoroughly enjoyed the options. We are not really martini drinkers but hit the Martini bar one night for a pre-dinner cocktail and it was nice. We went to the Molecular Bar twice and enjoyed their concoctions. Mostly we went to the Ensemble Lounge to listen to music and to enjoy some cocktails. I felt that bar service was where Celebrity felt short. It was often difficult, if not impossible to find servers to help us out. This happened at the pool as well. Celebrity makes a point of saying that with a staff of 1250, over 650 are food and beverage. We felt that the number of servers and the frequency that they stopped by our table was far below what we were used to in previous cruises on other lines. Trust me, we did not die of thirst, but it would have been nice to sit in a lounge and be waited on rather than have to go to the bar and get your drink and schlep them back to the tables. We felt the same lack of attention in the pool area as well. We have never seen such a scarcity of servers before. I don’t think it had anything to do with the beverage packages, but just a lack of crew at those stations.

[BobbyD]

Food:

Excellent on a consistent basis! Now, in full disclosure we are not picky and we tend to think that the food on all cruise lines is very good. But, we felt that overall the food was as good, if not better, than any other cruise we have been on.

 

Oceanview: Great flow, plenty of seats, lots of options. Food was always hot and well presented. Breakfast had the usual options with Eggs benedict (3 kinds) each morning. Omelet and egg station and great pre-made waffles. Not sure what was in the waffles but they were extra good. They lived up to expectations based on prior Cruise Critic reviews! Lunch was also very good and loved the pasta station. Pizza was popular (right next to the pasta) and because of this they ran out quite often, although it was just a matter of minutes before they had more served. Desserts were yummy and the ice cream bar was very good with different flavor options each day. Overall, a grade of A with the buffet!

 

MDR: We ate every dinner in the main dining room. Food was (usually) hot and plentiful. Dishes that were a big hit included the duck a l’orange (best I’ve had), escargot nightly, the every day strip steak (excellent), lobster tail (mine was huge), lamb chops, lamb shank (prepared differently but great just the same), all desserts (except for the lava cake, which was good but the size of a quarter), pork chop (served the first night), french onion soup, beef wellington. I know I am forgetting other great dishes, but we had so many!

 

I know many people are coffee fanatics. Personally, I love any coffee. I thought the standard coffee on board was perfectly fine (but I like diner coffee, so maybe not a good judge!). If you are looking for a Starbucks type of coffee, then you might have issues.

 

Mast Grille: Tried it twice. Not as good as Guys Burgers on Carnival but still pretty good for grilled, well-done burgers. Choice of condiments and they also have hot dogs as well. Usually a line and usually fairly slow moving.

We did not try room service nor did we eat in the MDR for breakfast or lunch. We also did not do the Oceanview for dinner although we did have a snack of sushi one night at 5:00. Not too bad for buffet sushi.

 

Regarding the Brunch that they have served on sea days (so I am told). At the galley tour, the head of food and beverage said that it has been discontinued to the tremendous time and energy that it took to prepare, compared to the enthusiasm (or lack thereof) for it, as well as waste and health and safety concerns about the food. I assume he meant fleet wide but it could have been just for the Silhouette.

 

Again, the food was wonderful. You will not go hungry and you will enjoy the various options on board!

Any questions about the food, let me know.

[Desert Reader]

I attended four Beyond the Podium sessions with Bob McElwee, a former NFL ref. Quite informative and interesting.

 

I'm loving the review! Thank you so much! We're heading out on the Silhouette Sunday!

 

My partner is a local ref and loves the NFL. Do you know if Bob's talks were a one-time thing or is he scheduled for a few weeks at least? I hadn't heard mention of anything like this before, so it would be a great surprise!

[jerseygirl3]

Food:

Excellent on a consistent basis! Now, in full disclosure we are not picky and we tend to think that the food on all cruise lines is very good. But, we felt that overall the food was as good, if not better, than any other cruise we have been on.

 

Oceanview: Great flow, plenty of seats, lots of options. Food was always hot and well presented. Breakfast had the usual options with Eggs benedict (3 kinds) each morning. Omelet and egg station and great pre-made waffles. Not sure what was in the waffles but they were extra good. They lived up to expectations based on prior Cruise Critic reviews! Lunch was also very good and loved the pasta station. Pizza was popular (right next to the pasta) and because of this they ran out quite often, although it was just a matter of minutes before they had more served. Desserts were yummy and the ice cream bar was very good with different flavor options each day. Overall, a grade of A with the buffet!

 

MDR: We ate every dinner in the main dining room. Food was (usually) hot and plentiful. Dishes that were a big hit included the duck a l’orange (best I’ve had), escargot nightly, the every day strip steak (excellent), lobster tail (mine was huge), lamb chops, lamb shank (prepared differently but great just the same), all desserts (except for the lava cake, which was good but the size of a quarter), pork chop (served the first night), french onion soup, beef wellington. I know I am forgetting other great dishes, but we had so many!

 

I know many people are coffee fanatics. Personally, I love any coffee. I thought the standard coffee on board was perfectly fine (but I like diner coffee, so maybe not a good judge!). If you are looking for a Starbucks type of coffee, then you might have issues.

 

Mast Grille: Tried it twice. Not as good as Guys Burgers on Carnival but still pretty good for grilled, well-done burgers. Choice of condiments and they also have hot dogs as well. Usually a line and usually fairly slow moving.

We did not try room service nor did we eat in the MDR for breakfast or lunch. We also did not do the Oceanview for dinner although we did have a snack of sushi one night at 5:00. Not too bad for buffet sushi.

 

Regarding the Brunch that they have served on sea days (so I am told). At the galley tour, the head of food and beverage said that it has been discontinued to the tremendous time and energy that it took to prepare, compared to the enthusiasm (or lack thereof) for it, as well as waste and health and safety concerns about the food. I assume he meant fleet wide but it could have been just for the Silhouette.

 

Again, the food was wonderful. You will not go hungry and you will enjoy the various options on board!

Any questions about the food, let me know.

 

 

Celebrity is our cruise line of choice. We were on Silhouette last year, Equinox last month and will be on the Silhouette TA this Fall. We've also been on Century, infinity, eclipse and constellation. All we're excellent.

 

Btw did u realize u could have gotten really great coffee at Cafe e bacio using ur beverage card. Their coffee is fabulous.

 

 

We

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[BobbyD]

 

Btw did u realize u could have gotten really great coffee at Cafe e bacio using ur beverage card. Their coffee is fabulous.

 

 

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

I should have mentioned that as well. We did enjoy some coffee and treats there on a couple of occasions. Their ice tea is very good as well. Pomegranate blueberry!

[BobbyD]

I'm loving the review! Thank you so much! We're heading out on the Silhouette Sunday!

 

My partner is a local ref and loves the NFL. Do you know if Bob's talks were a one-time thing or is he scheduled for a few weeks at least? I hadn't heard mention of anything like this before, so it would be a great surprise!

 

Others who are more experienced with Celebrity can probably chime in but there is an educational component to the cruises with the Beyond the Podium program. We were lucky to have him on board as it was very interesting and fun. Each session was a different focus. What a life, going on various cruises for free, getting paid to tell stories! I need that gig!

[figs4me]

I've enjoyed your review. It is hits most of the key points, is unbiased and comes from the view of an experienced cruiser. Well done! I will try to remember to get the fried chicken on day one, participate in the educational opportunities (on sea days), order multiple lava cakes, and seek out the different musical groups on board.

[BobbyD]

Service: To be perfectly honest, there were a couple of areas where we felt Celebrity fell short compared to prior cruises. I have previously mentioned the lack of servers in the lounges and pool. On our past cruises, there were always guys (and women) walking around the pool area spinning trays and trying to sell you drinks. On some ships, it has been a bit too much. We longed for that excess this cruise! In full disclosure, we did not sit by the pool but rather up on the second deck overlooking the pool. But, we have sat in similar areas on other ships and never had a problem. At one point, my wife asked the Pool Butler if he could flag down a server. He said he would but nobody ever came back or walked by. We felt the lounges were similar. If you wanted a drink in a reasonable amount of time, you had to go to the bar and get it. The end of the world? Of course not, but if we are sitting in a lounge, we assumed we would have more timely bar service. Once, in the Ensemble Lounge, we sat there for a while and no server. So, my BIL and I took the orders and went to the bar to get the drinks. The bar tender told us (nicely) to go sit down and someone would be right with us. Really? I have read that the Ensemble Lounge (very similar to the Schooner Bar on Royal ships) services the specialty restaurants. Wonderful, but don’t you think that Celebrity would boost the servers in that location to accommodate the crowds who come to listen to the wonderful music in that area. Was it horrible? No, not at all, just a bit surprised that this area of service was weaker than virtually every other cruise we had been on. My sister and BIL have only been on two cruises prior to this and they noticed as well.

 

Dining room: I am a positive person. I find the good in everything. But, if I am being honest I do have to say that our waiter/assistant waiter team was the weakest that we have experienced in our cruising. I have to put the blame on our assistant waiter. He was a younger man from India (Shine) and quite nice. He was just so inconsistent night to night and throughout the meal that I asked our waiter if our assist. Waiter was new. Come to find out, he has already been on 5-6 ships, so he has been around for a few years, at least. Our waiter did tell us (and I knew this) that their ratings determined how many diners they had and the location of the table. We were on Deck 3 kind of in the corner. Not a great location but I did email Celebrity ahead and I told them that it was more important to have a table of 4 rather than location. So for us, the location was fine, but it obviously was not the preferred spot for the waiters. We felt that our waiter (Roy from Jamaica) had to do some of Shine’s job so it seemed to take Roy off his game a bit. It’s not that it was horrible but just inconsistent and as I have stated before, not what we have been accustomed to on Royal or Carnival. As a matter of fact, our waiters on the Carnival Glory last March were the best combo that we have ever had. Celebrity boasts about their dining room service but in this situation, it fell short of expectations. Obviously it is an isolated case but was a bit frustrating because at times it was great but other times it was not. Some specific examples: Forgetting to bring bread until our main course was delivered (and absent so we couldn’t even flag him down), my wife had to specifically ask for ice tea each dinner. Shine never really caught on that she wanted ice tea each dinner. Again, horrible? No, but in the past she’d show up and an ice tea was waiting. Twice we received our coffee after we were finished with dessert. We fixed that by asking for tea/coffee as they were clearing the dinner plates before ordering dessert. Little things of course, but not what we had expected.

 

Sorry, I have ranted a bit too long and probably sounded more upset than we were. It was just a bit off based on prior experiences.

 

On the other hand, crew was friendly, friendly, friendly! Always saying hello, consistently giving the impression that this was the first time they had done this and were excited to have us on board. When we passed crew in the halls or in public places, they always acknowledged us with a hello sir or similar. Very nice. If I were to grade the service, I would grade the dining room service as a B (good, just not excellent), lounge service as a B-, and every other aspect of service, an A.

 

I forgot to mention our steward, Jack. I am not one who cares that I do not see our steward all week. Other than the first day, we did not see him. But, he was excellent and did his job well. Kept our cabin neat and tidy, filled our ice bucket, took care of any other needs we had through notes. He made it clear on the first day how to find him if necessary and that was fine with us. We are typically pretty low maintenance. Also, we had chocolates on our pillow and 2 (I think) towel animals.

[BobbyD]

Misc. and some random musings:

 

The Captain (Captain Avradopolous I believe) was more a part of the cruise than any other captain I have ever cruised with. Not only was he George Clooney handsome (have to agree with my wife!) but he was funny and entertaining. He participated in Liars Club in the showroom and was outstanding. His Ask the Captain session was also excellent. Rave reviews for his leadership and personality. He has been on the Silhouette for two years and told us he has signed on for two more years on that ship. I never thought a captain mattered but he certainly made a difference in our cruise. To be a captain at 40ish, he must be a bright star in the company!

 

The cruise director, Damian, was fine. Did some introductions, saw him a couple of times around the ship, was pretty witty in Liars Club. Overall, a nice job.

 

Towels/Beach chairs: What a pleasure not to have to sign out towels and fret over where they were to avoid getting charged. Each chair had a towel on it in the morning and there were plenty of bins with fresh towels all day. Great idea! Why can’t the other cruise lines (at least Royal and Carnival) follow suit?

 

As far as chair hogs, I noticed some, but we didn’t really have any problem getting chairs. I did notice one of the officers leaving notes on people’s towels! Shame, Shame! On sea days it was certainly busy around the pool, but if you walked around you could find some. There always seemed to be plenty in the solarium as well.

 

The ship: Beautiful. There are pictures all over this site so you can check them out yourself. Clean, well-kept, everything we had hoped for. Big enough to feel spacious but small enough to be able to get around the ship easily and quickly. For those of you who might have sailed on Royal’s Radiance class of ships, the claim is that class of ships feel like you are on the sea because of the windows and the view. On the other end, people claim that the Allure/Oasis does not give you the sense that you are on the sea, but in a hotel/resort. I have to admit that the Silhouette is more the latter than the former. Just an observation, but it feels more like a hotel than a ship at sea (aside from the gentle rocking). Perhaps the lack of a promenade deck might lend to that, not sure. It doesn’t matter to me as we are going on the Allure this summer, but I overheard people commenting that they loved the ship (as we did) but would have enjoyed more of a ship feel rather than a hotel. Just saying.

 

Fellow cruisers: Polite, respectful, fun-loving. Never saw overt rudeness or craziness (ok, maybe one lady who was upset her omelet took too long). People polite getting in and out of elevators. Not a lot of kids or teens on this cruise. I would have thought there would have been more with spring break. I would say the average age was 40’s. People there to have fun, relax and enjoy the wonderful ship, food and service!

 

 

Overall, a great cruise and a beautiful ship. Would we sail Celebrity again? Yes we will, but I would still say that Royal is our go-to cruise line. But, for the right price and itinerary I wouldn’t hesitate. As a matter of fact, we are going to go to the Med for our 30th in 2016. We booked a Med cruise on the Equinox while on board this cruise for summer 2015 to get the onboard benefits and will just transfer it when the time comes. A great deal (not so much on the cruise but on the benefits). Beverage package for 13 days will come in handy!

 

This educator would rate this cruise an A-!!!!

 

Questions welcome. I will try to post some pictures but no promises here!

[CThuskies]

Excellent review. I'm also from CT and was on the same sailing. Exact same observations here. Everything was up to standards with the exception of bar service. I was with a group of 10 and all of us had issues with getting drinks at the pool bars. Wait times were unreasonable. Other bars we had issues with were Qsar and Sky Lounge. Wait times were okay however language barriers and lack of expirience were a big issue. Everyone in the group upgraded from classic to premium and found that many of bars were out of stock of premium items. Most of us left various venues around the ship to obtain drinks at the casino bar which provided good and consistent service only to bring back to wherever the rest of the group was. One of my friends sat down with the bar manager to discuss his observations midway through the cruise. Overall good trip and will cruise X again in the future.

Edited March 30, 2014 by CThuskies

[gelo7]

Excellent review.

[BobbyD]

Thanks everyone for reading. I hope that some tidbit mentioned helps someone in the future! Bon Voyage!

[lovevacadays]

Great review! I have a friend sailing Celebrity next week. In addition, I am doing some research on cruises for my cousins who have never cruised. I'm a Princess cruiser but also looking at other options.

[jerseygirl3]

Great review! I have a friend sailing Celebrity next week. In addition, I am doing some research on cruises for my cousins who have never cruised. I'm a Princess cruiser but also looking at other options.

 

 

Very nice review. I do have one comment. You mention you did an onboard booking for Summer 2015 that you intend to transfer to Summer 2016. That is perfectly fine to do, however, if the free beverage package is not offered for 2016 sailings you won't be able to keep that perk.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[tbmrt]

Food:

Excellent on a consistent basis! Now, in full disclosure we are not picky and we tend to think that the food on all cruise lines is very good. But, we felt that overall the food was as good, if not better, than any other cruise we have been on.

 

Oceanview: Great flow, plenty of seats, lots of options. Food was always hot and well presented. Breakfast had the usual options with Eggs benedict (3 kinds) each morning. Omelet and egg station and great pre-made waffles. Not sure what was in the waffles but they were extra good. They lived up to expectations based on prior Cruise Critic reviews! Lunch was also very good and loved the pasta station. Pizza was popular (right next to the pasta) and because of this they ran out quite often, although it was just a matter of minutes before they had more served. Desserts were yummy and the ice cream bar was very good with different flavor options each day. Overall, a grade of A with the buffet!

 

MDR: We ate every dinner in the main dining room. Food was (usually) hot and plentiful. Dishes that were a big hit included the duck a l’orange (best I’ve had), escargot nightly, the every day strip steak (excellent), lobster tail (mine was huge), lamb chops, lamb shank (prepared differently but great just the same), all desserts (except for the lava cake, which was good but the size of a quarter), pork chop (served the first night), french onion soup, beef wellington. I know I am forgetting other great dishes, but we had so many!

 

I know many people are coffee fanatics. Personally, I love any coffee. I thought the standard coffee on board was perfectly fine (but I like diner coffee, so maybe not a good judge!). If you are looking for a Starbucks type of coffee, then you might have issues.

 

Mast Grille: Tried it twice. Not as good as Guys Burgers on Carnival but still pretty good for grilled, well-done burgers. Choice of condiments and they also have hot dogs as well. Usually a line and usually fairly slow moving.

We did not try room service nor did we eat in the MDR for breakfast or lunch. We also did not do the Oceanview for dinner although we did have a snack of sushi one night at 5:00. Not too bad for buffet sushi.

 

Regarding the Brunch that they have served on sea days (so I am told). At the galley tour, the head of food and beverage said that it has been discontinued to the tremendous time and energy that it took to prepare, compared to the enthusiasm (or lack thereof) for it, as well as waste and health and safety concerns about the food. I assume he meant fleet wide but it could have been just for the Silhouette.

 

Again, the food was wonderful. You will not go hungry and you will enjoy the various options on board!

Any questions about the food, let me know.

 

We like to avoid the buffet on embarkation day and enjoy having our first (drink) at the pool bar if weather is warm enough.

 

Is food (sometimes grilled burgers, etc) available embarkation day?

[tbmrt]

Misc. and some random musings:

 

The Captain (Captain Avradopolous I believe) was more a part of the cruise than any other captain I have ever cruised with. Not only was he George Clooney handsome (have to agree with my wife!) but he was funny and entertaining. He participated in Liars Club in the showroom and was outstanding. His Ask the Captain session was also excellent. Rave reviews for his leadership and personality. He has been on the Silhouette for two years and told us he has signed on for two more years on that ship. I never thought a captain mattered but he certainly made a difference in our cruise. To be a captain at 40ish, he must be a bright star in the company!

 

The cruise director, Damian, was fine. Did some introductions, saw him a couple of times around the ship, was pretty witty in Liars Club. Overall, a nice job.

 

Towels/Beach chairs: What a pleasure not to have to sign out towels and fret over where they were to avoid getting charged. Each chair had a towel on it in the morning and there were plenty of bins with fresh towels all day. Great idea! Why can’t the other cruise lines (at least Royal and Carnival) follow suit?

 

As far as chair hogs, I noticed some, but we didn’t really have any problem getting chairs. I did notice one of the officers leaving notes on people’s towels! Shame, Shame! On sea days it was certainly busy around the pool, but if you walked around you could find some. There always seemed to be plenty in the solarium as well.

 

The ship: Beautiful. There are pictures all over this site so you can check them out yourself. Clean, well-kept, everything we had hoped for. Big enough to feel spacious but small enough to be able to get around the ship easily and quickly. For those of you who might have sailed on Royal’s Radiance class of ships, the claim is that class of ships feel like you are on the sea because of the windows and the view. On the other end, people claim that the Allure/Oasis does not give you the sense that you are on the sea, but in a hotel/resort. I have to admit that the Silhouette is more the latter than the former. Just an observation, but it feels more like a hotel than a ship at sea (aside from the gentle rocking). Perhaps the lack of a promenade deck might lend to that, not sure. It doesn’t matter to me as we are going on the Allure this summer, but I overheard people commenting that they loved the ship (as we did) but would have enjoyed more of a ship feel rather than a hotel. Just saying.

 

Fellow cruisers: Polite, respectful, fun-loving. Never saw overt rudeness or craziness (ok, maybe one lady who was upset her omelet took too long). People polite getting in and out of elevators. Not a lot of kids or teens on this cruise. I would have thought there would have been more with spring break. I would say the average age was 40’s. People there to have fun, relax and enjoy the wonderful ship, food and service!

 

 

Overall, a great cruise and a beautiful ship. Would we sail Celebrity again? Yes we will, but I would still say that Royal is our go-to cruise line. But, for the right price and itinerary I wouldn’t hesitate. As a matter of fact, we are going to go to the Med for our 30th in 2016. We booked a Med cruise on the Equinox while on board this cruise for summer 2015 to get the onboard benefits and will just transfer it when the time comes. A great deal (not so much on the cruise but on the benefits). Beverage package for 13 days will come in handy!

 

This educator would rate this cruise an A-!!!!

 

Questions welcome. I will try to post some pictures but no promises here!

 

Thanks for this info!

[villauk]

Looking forward to seeing George C in less than two weeks :D :p. Thanks for your honest review. Let's hope the Bar Manager took heed to the comments mentioned from other pax ;).

[MaisonRose]

Excellent review. I'm also from CT and was on the same sailing. Exact same observations here. Everything was up to standards with the exception of bar service. I was with a group of 10 and all of us had issues with getting drinks at the pool bars. Wait times were unreasonable. Other bars we had issues with were Qsar and Sky Lounge. Wait times were okay however language barriers and lack of expirience were a big issue. Everyone in the group upgraded from classic to premium and found that many of bars were out of stock of premium items. Most of us left various venues around the ship to obtain drinks at the casino bar which provided good and consistent service only to bring back to wherever the rest of the group was. One of my friends sat down with the bar manager to discuss his observations midway through the cruise. Overall good trip and will cruise X again in the future.

 

Could it be possible that the slow drinks service is to thin out the number of drinks given?

It seems that if lots of cuisers have premium or regular packages, there is no incentive for Celebrity to pour them out quickly. I wonder if the percentage of drinks package holders on the ship affects the service staff distribution.

 

SO if the drinks are "free" why would you want to rush people? Just wondering..