Live from Silver Muse 6/30/22 Seward to Vancouver

[gcornell]

Example of the Kids Club schedule. Mostly geared towards very young children but today they have tshirt and pizza making which is helpful on a sea day. 

[Mr Luxury]

How many small people are on the ship at present 

[gcornell]

Less than 350.  I’m told the next few sailings will have over 500. 

[pavementends]

1 hour ago, gcornell said:

Example of the Kids Club schedule. Mostly geared towards very young children but today they have tshirt and pizza making which is helpful on a sea day. 

 

Interesting. I was on the Shadow for the same itinerary. There were very few children around and as far as I know there were no special arrangements for them (but not being a kid, I wouldn't know).

 

Picked the Shadow as there are fewer passengers and the price was  a bit lower. I know there were about a half dozen Covid cases on board as I saw the meal delivery. No idea whether they were passengers or crew.

 

We masked in indoor public areas and did not use elevators. We were in the minority but not alone. Back for several days now so it looks like we dodged the bullets.

[Lirio]

What is the minimum age to drink alcohol within SS ships?

 

Considering that SS is an all-inclusive cruise, what´s the price difference for those that do not drink, I mean for kids and teenagers?

 

[Stickman1990]

14 minutes ago, Lirio said:

Considering that SS is an all-inclusive cruise, what´s the price difference for those that do not drink, I mean for kids and teenagers?

Exactly the same price difference as for those who choose not to use the gym - zero

[Gadgetguy333]

From the FAQ:

What is the minimum age to consume alcohol on the ship ?

The minimum age to consume alcohol on Silversea ships on sailings originating in North America is twenty-one (21).

The minimum age to consume alcohol on Silversea ships on sailings from South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand is eighteen (18).

[Gadgetguy333]

gcornell:   Thanks again for all the posts, I hope your trip was good.

 

My parents, wife and I will be on the July 28th sailing, looking forward to it.  We have never been to Alaska, my parents have been a couple times on Crystal (and a bunch of others as well).

My wife and I have never been on a real ocean cruise, just a Viking river cruise in France and a few days on the Hurtigruten coastal steamer in Norway.

 

We appreciate all the information, it helps us consciencious over planners.

[gcornell]

@gadgetguy33.  Glad to help.  I like to know all the little details (ie Laundry, gym equipment) prior to my trips.  Have a a great time. 
 

Regarding discounts for non drinkers.  Nada. Since we have 2 cabins the kids pay the full rate too. 
 

I will try to get that answer on the gin bottle later today. 

[gcornell]

I always hate this part of the trip. ☹️  Disembarkation procedures.  But have the Med booked for next year and a deposit for Iceland when schedule is released later this month. 

[gcornell]

Just ran into the wife of a family that got Covid (most likely on the 7 hour bus ride on the Denali Pre where a couple tested positive before boarding).  There are 6 of about 350 with Covid.  She said SS was going above and beyond and already booked a trip using their credits for next year. 
 

I think I mentioned earlier that the Denali add on was good but would never do it again. Way too much time on a bus. 

[pavementends]

1 hour ago, gcornell said:

I always hate this part of the trip. ☹️  Disembarkation procedures.  But have the Med booked for next year and a deposit for Iceland when schedule is released later this month. 

 

[gcornell]

@Stickman1990  That bottle is Berkeley Square

[Mr Luxury]

17 hours ago, gcornell said:

Less than 350.  I’m told the next few sailings will have over 500. 

Sorry I meant children 

[Lirio]

On 7/5/2022 at 1:46 PM, gcornell said:

Ketchikan.  First cloudy day of the trip. About 4-5 ships in port.  Heading out to do the Sport Fishing ($209pp) while wife and daughter do the lumberjack show (included excursion). 

How was the lumberjack show?

[cruisr]

Not the OP but having seen it once it was awful.  Loud and too over the top touristy.  I woild give it a hard pass.

[gcornell]

As per my wife and daughter, it was definitely a carnival type atmosphere but they said they enjoyed it more than expected.  She said it was very entertaining. However, it was tight seating. 

[gcornell]

Another tip.  We got off the boat at 9:15am and took a 5 min Uber to a bike rental shop near Stanley Park. Rented bikes for a few hours and did the park loop which was great.
 

Since we arranged our own flights our airport transfer was not included and SS wanted $40pp or $160 for 4 of us.  Grabbed an Uber for $28 for all 4 of us.  I don’t mind spending $ but I despise getting ripped off.  

[econprofessor]

Thank you so much for all the great information!  We are on the Muse in August, B2B.  Since this is our first time on Silversea, this info was golden.

 

 

[Jimmycruiser]

We are also on the Muse b2b August 18 to Sept. 1 so appreciate your review.

Edited July 9, 2022 by Jimmycruiser

[pavementends]

On 7/7/2022 at 1:52 PM, gcornell said:

As per my wife and daughter, it was definitely a carnival type atmosphere but they said they enjoyed it more than expected.  She said it was very entertaining. However, it was tight seating. 

 

In Ketchikan Rainforest Wildlife Sanctuary was the best ot the entire trip.

 

(At least for me a Lumberjack show didn't even make the first cut).

[Catlover54]

On 7/6/2022 at 3:45 PM, gcornell said:

Just ran into the wife of a family that got Covid (most likely on the 7 hour bus ride on the Denali Pre where a couple tested positive before boarding).  There are 6 of about 350 with Covid.  She said SS was going above and beyond and already booked a trip using their credits for next year. 
 

I think I mentioned earlier that the Denali add on was good but would never do it again. Way too much time on a bus. 

 

If masks were still required on the excursion buses (likely), and the family wore them (also likely) , sadly it appears the masking did not prevent the family from still getting Covid from the infected couple, and thus getting quarantined. 

 

Soap box: Since Covid, I have noticed that on cruise ship excursions (5 different lines, 4/5 of them luxury), though much lip service was paid by all  to masking masking masking on excursions, the most important Covid infection prevention rule (for pax presumptively already vaxxed, and arguably more effective and important than weak masking)  -- namely distancing of 6 or more feet from strangers -- was  often not emphasized (or at least not emphasized as much as I thought it should have been).  Lines also save money on excursions by stuffing more people into small numbers of buses, instead of having more buses which would allow more distancing.  It would increase costs to the lines, and thus the pax, and lines are still struggling financially.  Catch 22.

 

We all still roll the dice on getting quarantined for Covid when we travel post-pandemic .  Even if we do not get very sick, getting quarantined changes the experience.

I'm still waiting to turn positive (have had other infections traveling, but not Covid).  I just hope when it happens (likely, given my travels) , I will either be at home, or in a country with a nice hotel 🙂

 

Nice review, and you have a lovely family!  Thank you for taking some of your vacation time to post.

 

 

 

[saminina]

34 passengers on bus today.. One badly coughing person.  The only excursion ever taken and am regretting every damn minute of it.    Just hope the regret does not reappear next week.

[Catlover54]

1 hour ago, saminina said:

34 passengers on bus today.. One badly coughing person.  The only excursion ever taken and am regretting every damn minute of it.    Just hope the regret does not reappear next week.

My guess is the one coughing was not the one with Covid (lots of things make people cough that aren't Covid, even today).

But yes, 34 pax on 1 bus means the intent was NOT to have appropriate distancing and to hang all their Covid prevention hats on the masking.

[saminina]

Pre Covid, Covid peak, post Covid.....I do not want people coughing near me.  And I do not want strangers sitting 2 inches away from me while eating.     Lesson learned, it will not happen again.