strategy upon boarding

[whitley1377]

Fellow Cruise Critics,

 

 

My wife-to-be and I will be celebrating our honeymoon aboard the Shadow on the 10th of October, Rome to Monte Carlo. Having been on several cruises before this will not be my first, but my first with SilverSea and my first with a smaller more luxurious brand. From my past experiences with Princess, I know there is a distinct strategy upon boarding to make all the alt. Rest. reservations and spa appointments as they will fill at the end of the first day.

 

What should I anticipate with the Shadow. Do I need to go ahead and pick a couple of nights for Le Champagne and the new and imporved Terrace Cafe' . Is there a way to look at the weeks menus in advance to decide? Instead of just randomly picking nights. Do you suggest more than one night per 2 week cruise? Also, how will I know which nights are formal nights as I would like to to book Le Champagne for at least on of the formal nights? I have yet to receive my documents from my travel agent and I am assuming the schedule will be there.

 

Also, about the spa appointments will this need to be done first day also? Can all of these arrangements be made by in suite telephone or do I need to visit each location in person?

 

Final question, has anyone ever arranged a bridge tour and if so, who does one talk to? I am a USCG licensed Captain and I would enjoy checking out the bridge.

 

Thank you all in advance for your advise and time in answering my questions. I appologize for the multitude of questions, I just want to have all my strategy in place. Please excuse any spelling errors in the above post

[Zimmy]

I made all my spa appointments online before boarding. At the time of our cruise (last January), I believe that this service was available 60 days before boarding. It worked perfectly. Shore excursions could also be booked at this time too, but we did not do this and had no problem getting whatever we wanted. We also had no problem getting any restaurant reservations we desired - I don't know if they can be booked in advance. If I recall correctly, you log in by going to the Silverseas website and clicking on "my cruise." You need a number, I believe it is your passenger number, which you should find on your invoice/confirmation from Silverseas. Good luck.

[whitley1377]

Thank you, however, I am aware of the online bookings and I have do so for the excursions. I more interested in the resturant situation. From your post I am assuming you can make reservations the day you want to dine? Do you have to make reservations on the first day for the balance of the week?

[meow!]

As for the alternative restaurant, the situation may be different for different voyages, and it keeps changing as Silversea makes changes to this restaurant. During our Mexican Riviera cruise aboard the Shadow last December, they posted the menu of the day the night before such that you could decide whether you liked that particular set menu. Most nights, it was half empty, and they had to insert the warning that the alternative dinner would be cancelled if less than thirty people booked (capacity eighty)! Hope this helps.

[Zimmy]

I suppose it depends upon how full the ship is and the passenger demographics of your cruise, but we made reservations at Le Champagne on the day of, after looking at the menu. As for the Terrace Cafe, we did make reservations on the day of for a group of eight. At first we were placed on a waiting list, but within a couple of hours the reservation was confirmed.

[unfathomable]

As meow! says, the policy on booking alternative restaurants keeps changing, and so does demand for them. See the Terrace cafe maitre d' for reservations. Breakfast or lunch hours are a good time. He may well have a set of menus for a day or more ahead. These may go less far into the future for Le Champagne, because that is a much smaller operation and the chef has more opportunity and freedom to vary the menu to try out new ideas and use different ingredients. There may or may not be a limit on how far ahead you can book -- in an attempt to avoid people in the know (ahem!) booking all the available slots immediately after boarding.

 

The rules about bridge tours keep changing too, mainly because of security concerns, apparently imitating airline cockpit security. Watch the daily programme for scheduled bridge tours: you have to sign up at reception a few housr before, then meet on the pool deck. The cruise director escorts you to the bridge. Sometimes the cruise director conducts the tour; sometimes an officer does. The tour will always be at sea, usually late morning, and avoiding times when any real navigation is happening.

 

But for you, the top tip must be to tell the Captain that you're a USCG captain when you shake his hand at the welcome cocktail party. Obviously you can't ask for extra-special access, but he might offer...

[luvtojump]

By any chance do you have a platinum AX card? We used ours to pay for our cruise on the Shadow last September. We recieved a $300 shipboard credit, bottle of Dom Perignon and a tour of the bridge with the captain and his officers.

Just a thought. It was a great tour, lasted over an hour and had fabulous canapes and more champagne.

 

Enjoy.

[whitley1377]

My wife to be does and but I am only blessed with a Gold. So I don't know if I can get those benefits if I did not use her card to pay for the cruise. Sounds like a great deal, wonder if I can somehow arrange it. Maybe by using her Plat Amex for on oboard charges?

[luvtojump]

You can change this. Just call Silversea or your TA. They can refund the original charge and recharge on your fiance's card. It is definitely worth it. If you booked through a TA, it will take 3 phone calls on his/her part.

 

Good luck.

[simonv]

They usually have a bridge tour on a sea day and open to all passengers. You don't need to have a special credit card. The one on Shadow I've been to about a year ago was conducted by the captain himself with questions and anwers session. It was excellent. SS is small so the captain and officers are readily accessble. They understand who's paying the bill, you. You can inquire about it when you board, and if none is scheduled, I'm sure you can request a tour.

[meow!]

We also had a bridge tour aboard the Shadow with the captain and the (youthful looking) navigation officer last December. It was very nice to be able to join such an event, which is usually not available on a mass market ship.

 

We remember that in April, 2001, on our way back from a month-long land tour (by air) of Australia and New Zealand, we were invited into the cockpit of the Boeing 767 to have our picture taken (by a stewardess) with the captain and the co-pilot. That was before the 9-11 tragedy, the only and probably the last time we had such an opportunity. We dearly treasure that picture!

[Fogmalkin]

Whitley1377,

 

I am reading this thread with interest as my S/O and I are on your sailing. It is also our first time on Silversea (after 10+ RSSC) and don't know "the drill".

 

I'm still dithering about excursions. What have the two of you decided?

 

About the Platinum AMEX card bennies; as I understand it, to receive the various benefits you must simply own the Platinum card (the "real" one, not the Delta or Costco version). The cruise may be paid for with that card or ANY OTHER AMEX you have. Your travel agent can take care of that, no need to switch payment (unless you've put it on your VISA!).

[wripro]

fogmalkin,

 

i think you are mistaken, your cruise must be deposited and paid for in full on your amex platinum card in order to receive the benefits.

[Host Dan]

Wripro,

I used to believe as you do, but recently checked the fine print on Amex Platinum (question on another board) and it appears that Fogmalkin is correct.

 

Host Dan

[bldsld]

Host Dan,

 

That is interesting, as I, too, have always assumed that the entire payment was to be made on the Platinum card. And, in point of fact, I like accruing the miles for flight upgrades, so I do it anyway.

 

Denyse

[gmgrodne]

My TA has discussed with AmEx and SS. Both confirmed that must only have regular Platinum card before sailing in order to qualify for on board credit. Not necessary to pay with that card. Once you have card, must contact SS and AmEx Platinum to arrange the credit.

[wripro]

wow, thanx for the info. i stand corrected. since the platimum amex is the only amex i have ill use it anyway, and as denyse said....gotta get those FF miles.

[meow!]

When we made final payment last September for our Mexican Riviera cruise aboard the Silver Shadow last December, despite the fact that we had already paid our deposit with our "supplementary gold" AmEx card several months earlier, we were credited back our deposit, and then recharged the full amount on our CORRESPONDING "basic platinum" card (the type you pay $300 annual fee for). We were told that this process was necessary in order to get the $300 per cabin shipboard credit plus a bottle of Dom Perignon. Perhaps the rules have now changed, or perhaps someone had misunderstood something at the time, but in any case that was what actually happened.

[bigmjh]

If I may quote from Amex web site ... "One of the travelers must be a U.S. Platinum Card or Centurion member and there is a three-cabin limit per Card member, per sailing. Payment must be made with an American Express Card in the Platinum Card member's name." Apparently you do NOT have to charge the cruise to the Platinum Amex ... but it does have to be charged to an Amex card under the same name.

[meow!]

Thank you -- That may be the catch. We are one couple of male/female cats, the basic platinum card is in one cat's name while the supplementary gold card is in the other cat's name. That may be the "technical" reason for what happened to us, even though both cards belong to the same household!

[whitley1377]

FogMalkin,

 

Go to hear you will be joining us. We are both very excited.

 

As to our shore excursions thus far.

 

Gaeta we have decided to go with SS's excursion to Pompei and Napels

 

Livorno, we have decided to hire our own driver and car and go into Florence and Pisa

 

Portoverne- we are doing the Cinque Terre excursion with SS

 

Portofino - we are doing on our own

 

Corsica - with SS a half day tour

 

Tarragona - we are going on our own, book tickets on the EuroMed express train to Barcelona

 

Marseille we are doing the half day tour into Provance

 

Monte Carolo- on our own and then post cruise stay at the Negresco in Nice

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, I know that my spelling is outrageous on this reply, simply do not have time to look up correct spellings, forgive me.

 

Thank you all on looking into the Plat Amex issue. I think it just may be too much of a hassle to get us in on the deal, if she has the plat and its not attached to my gold.

[Fogmalkin]

whitley1377,

 

Your excursions sound great! You will be busy, busy! I believe we will also be on the Aix tour. I'm disappointed Silversea isn't offering Lucca (out of Livorno) on our cruise. I think we will hop a cab and do it ourselves.

 

Are you getting married just prior to the cruise or is this a belated honeymoon? Congratulations either way! We will have to get together for a (few) toast(s)!

 

Suzanne

[bldsld]

Suzanne,

 

Guess we'll be holding down the fort at Memorial Stadium for you while you are off galavanting in Europe!!! :D:D:D

 

Denyse

[Fogmalkin]

Denyse,

 

I missed seeing "The Play" because I was on a ship in the Med. Maybe while I'm busy toasting on the Shadow, the Bears will work some magic with a few lateral passes, (not that I'm opposed to forward passes, preferably completed ones!).

 

Suzanne

[bldsld]

Suzanne,

 

If you missed "The Play" while onboard ship, could you please move your cruise to November 12th when Cal plays U$C???? ;)

 

Denyse