Spirit, Barcelona to Athens, bits & pieces

[zqtchas]

After lots of cold and rough seas, we have finally been granted warmer weather and sunshine.

Unfortunely we are not docked where we have before by the close in area next to the hotel.

There is a 3 Euro dock shuttle that makes the loop. There is a copter pad nearby that Stumblefoot

can use to go to the “W”.

Don’t know why CC photos always go sideways!!?

Edited April 7, 2022 by zqtchas

[zqtchas]

Oops. Stumble like the Ritz.

The in transit pax didn’t have a reception because there were too many (@130).

Plus there was no open space partly because the T/A s were having one also.

New group of @40 on now but was advised they are not as loud as the last group.

There are @ 480 pax now.

 

[zqtchas]

I’m guessing SS don’t want much end of trip surveys. They have moved it to 

phones by QR codes. Still missing a blouse lost in last voyage laundry. Recovery 

hopes are dim!  Out of raisin bran and now special K cereal. 
One bright spot, Antonio has returned as restaurant manager. Missing a CD last 2 days. Also had to go to tour desk to get our 

tickets since they weren’t put in our cabin as usual. Then found 

out a much anticipated tour was canceled, apparently due to excessive rain.

 

Edited April 8, 2022 by zqtchas

[Silver Spectre]

Looks more and more that JJ had a lucky escape.

[brimary]

Sad to read of so many occurrences on board SS ships that are not up to the old fashioned luxury conditions we were lucky enough to enjoy on an annual basis from the 90s to pre Pandemic.Thanks to those reporting as it helps in assessing a return to SS date for us which sadly at the moment looks a distance away.

[dawntrdr]

Having just left this Spirit cruise in Barcelona, I've concluded that if I want to avoid convention and charter groups,   I must avoid seven day voyages, except on the newest and most popular ships.  It only makes sense that if a cruise is going to be offered as a reward, or as a group event that is affordable to the maximum amount of people who may have jobs to get back to, it's going to be for the shortest reasonable period, and on ships that are  otherwise likely to be less full. 

[zqtchas]

Tonight was formal ( @ 50 % ) lots of no ties.

Tomorrow CD Roy Perez appears.

6:30 is a FB M & G. No CC.    
Spring break, quite a few teens & young uns.

[ronrick1943]

2 hours ago, zqtchas said:

Tonight was formal ( @ 50 % ) lots of no ties.

Tomorrow CD Roy Perez appears.

6:30 is a FB M & G. No CC.    
Spring break, quite a few teens & young uns.

So are you saying Silversea isn’t enforcing the dress code?  50% is pretty high for non compliance.

[zqtchas]

14 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

So are you saying Silversea isn’t enforcing the dress code?  50% is pretty high for non compliance.

50% in tux, almost the rest in jacket & no tie.

good news/Bad news, we just got the last bottle of Tiki for the next 4 days at lunch today. 

[Observer]

1 hour ago, zqtchas said:

50% in tux, almost the rest in jacket & no tie.

 

 

This would be entirely appropriate and unsurprising in LaTerrazza.  The dress code in that restaurant is always one step below the dress code for other restaurants. So it is entirely appropriate to dress informal (jacket no tie) in LaTerrazza on formal nights.

[ronrick1943]

2 hours ago, Observer said:

 

This would be entirely appropriate and unsurprising in LaTerrazza.  The dress code in that restaurant is always one step below the dress code for other restaurants. So it is entirely appropriate to dress informal (jacket no tie) in LaTerrazza on formal nights.

I guess I’m a little mixed up—I thought on formal nights you had to wear a tux or dark suited and tie any place on the ship that evening, except the Grill………Am I wrong in thinking that?

[Observer]

LaTerrazza is an exception.  The dress code there is always one step below the dress code on the rest of the ship. So, on informal nights one can wear casual clothing there.  On the very rare occasion that I have been asked in Panorama or elsewhere why I am not wearing a tie on formal night, I explain that I was dining or am about to dine in LaTerrazza.  The crew instantly understands this and there is no issue.

[cruiseej]

Directly from the Silversea website:

 

On formal nights, guests may dine in La Terrazza and choose to dress informal; dresses or pantsuits for ladies, jackets for gentlemen (tie optional). This option also applies to Seishin and Stars on board Silver Spirit. Dining at The Grill is optional casual all nights. Following dinner, all guests are free to take advantage of any or all public spaces, however, jacket is required.

[Stumblefoot]

13 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

Am I wrong in thinking that?

Yes, you are wrong.

[zqtchas]

Wish I had brought more long sleeve shirts and another sweater.

The seas have been choppy at night and it has been frequently windy.

There are signs of staff shortages. New staff boarding are still being quarantined.

Quite a few noisey people on this 7 day leg and the noise carries across the room in the large open areas. This ship is the least favorite out of the whole SS fleet. But it still has the same super staffers.

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by zqtchas

[imcpa]

This ship is the least favorite out of the whole SS fleet.

 

Can you say why?  I have not been on the Spirit since it was stretched.

[Unibok]

22 minutes ago, imcpa said:

This ship is the least favorite out of the whole SS fleet.

 

Can you say why?  I have not been on the Spirit since it was stretched.

 

From a #s stance, Spirit has the most pax (capacity 608), and yet she is the same size as the others ... so there's a slightly less beneficial space:pax ratio.

 

From an age stance, 2/3 of Spirit is older than the Muse and at the same time is an older/younger sister to her. There aren't many benefits to being older, and the one benefit of Spirit being "younger" than the Muse is a larger Arts Cafe.

 

From a dining stance, Kaisecki (available in the other Muse-class ships) is better than Seishin in my opinion. Yes, they are different (I wondered!).

 

From a strategic "I like to book GTYs stance," the capacity difference is all Vista Suites: Muse et al have very few Vistas and nearly all balconies, while Spirit retains a similar amount to her (previous) sisters Whisper and Shadow. A Vista GTY is too big a gamble for me on the Spirit, and one I'm not willing to make.

 

All of that said, an average day on the Spirit is still far far better than a good day at home 🙂  Although she is also my least favorite, I'll happily sail her again when the timing and itinerary are right.

[zqtchas]

Much depends on the talent on board and timely provisions.

And they should coincide for best results.

It doesn’t help when top talent is siphoned from all over to one central event.

 

It’s sort of like the supply line not keeping up with the advance troop movements.

Edited April 11, 2022 by zqtchas

[dawntrdr]

I would add that the fitness center on the Spirit is cramped, separated into two unconnected small rooms and has little view.  

[Clodia]

18 minutes ago, dawntrdr said:

I would add that the fitness center on the Spirit is cramped, separated into two unconnected small rooms and has little view.  

I would agree that the fitness centre on the Spirit is inferior to those on Shadow or Whisper for this reason. But it was still adequate for the small numbers of pax using it.

[sherylc]

Do these dress codes apply to expedition ships? (we are doing Antarctica over Christmas and weren't planning to dress up much)

[Stumblefoot]

5 hours ago, sherylc said:

Do these dress codes apply to expedition ships? (we are doing Antarctica over Christmas and weren't planning to dress up much)

Tell us more, please.  What are you referring to, on what ship, and how would you like to dress?

[ronrick1943]

On 4/9/2022 at 10:59 PM, Stumblefoot said:

Yes, you are wrong.

OK, but why do all the post state that on formal nights you must be dressed that way around the ship (casino, theater, etc).

[sherylc]

2 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Tell us more, please.  What are you referring to, on what ship, and how would you like to dress?

Silver Cloud Antarctica and South Georgia Islands -- I thought I heard people don't typically dress up on these type of cruises.

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, sherylc said:

Silver Cloud Antarctica and South Georgia Islands -- I thought I heard people don't typically dress up on these type of cruises.

In general, you are correct. Causal dress indeed is the rule for most, with the only exception being the Captain’s dinner when some choose to dress informally.