Random thoughts silver Dawn first ss cruise

[Lonedaddy]

So far all is well very nice day.  Embarkation smooth and fast, staff wonderful and attentive.  Ship is beautiful not as glitzy as regent explorer and splendor but very elegant.  Love the sculptures throughout.  Staff has been excellent, Dinner in Alantide was superb.  Ribeye was done well and decent.  They change one page daily and the other dishes every three days contrary to what I’ve see posted.  Only mix up was they were slow bringing my port with dessert but they brought two one tawny and one ruby.  I obliged and drank both.  First day was casual.  Internet is decent, Better than regent.  
 

Room is nice used to getting ph on explorer and splendor but not really a similar option on SS until the new ship comes out.  All good so far no complaints other than some heaters out but maybe they will replace over the next few days.  
 

more to come ….

[admranger]

How big was the bed?  They list it as a "queen" but I am trying to determine if it is an American sized queen bet (60x80 inches) or a European sized queen bed (66x80 inches).

 

 

[Gourmet Gal]

2 hours ago, Lonedaddy said:

So far all is well very nice day.  Embarkation smooth and fast, staff wonderful and attentive.  Ship is beautiful not as glitzy as regent explorer and splendor but very elegant.  Love the sculptures throughout.  Staff has been excellent, Dinner in Alantide was superb.  Ribeye was done well and decent.  They change one page daily and the other dishes every three days contrary to what I’ve see posted.  Only mix up was they were slow bringing my port with dessert but they brought two one tawny and one ruby.  I obliged and drank both.  First day was casual.  Internet is decent, Better than regent.  
 

Room is nice used to getting ph on explorer and splendor but not really a similar option on SS until the new ship comes out.  All good so far no complaints other than some heaters out but maybe they will replace over the next few days.  
 

more to come ….

So which suite are you in?  What is the itinerary?

[Lonedaddy]

9 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

So which suite are you in?  What is the itinerary?

Veranda suite deck 9.  Southampton to norway Sweden and Denmark ends in Copenhagen 14 days.

[Lonedaddy]

10 hours ago, admranger said:

How big was the bed?  They list it as a "queen" but I am trying to determine if it is an American sized queen bet (60x80 inches) or a European sized queen bed (66x80 inches).

 

 

Lacking a tape measure I used phone as well as a sheet of paper and it looks to be 66” wide

[admranger]

6 hours ago, Lonedaddy said:

Lacking a tape measure I used phone as well as a sheet of paper and it looks to be 66” wide

Thank you!

[Mayflower1]

Good Morning Lonedaddy - Having just disembarked Silver Dawn at Southampton ( See Review on another Page ) I wish you a wonderful Cruise to Copenhagen.

I will be most interested to hear how you Cruise progresses if you get the time.

Have Fun.

[Lonedaddy]

It is the morning of our second sea day.  Formal night last night and the enforcement was a bit lax imhop.  Several folks in a sport coat and slacks looked nice but not formal.  Seems like a lot of informal nights on the agenda, i have my dinner (tux) jacket and sport coat so I will make do. Would be nice if they didn’t require a jacket all those nights and had a few more country club casual.  We ate Atlantide again last night DW really like the tartar with caviar.  It was a little chilly for the grill and nothing at SALT caught her eye.  La terrazza tonight as she also likes pasta.  It would be nice if they offered a pasta dish or two each night at atlantide.  I had the lobster tail and the waiter suggested two but I had shrimp with it.  Both were prepared perfectly.   I do like the wide variety of dessert choices including the frozen yoghurt as it is lighter after a big meal.  We plan to try Kaizeki for lunch today.

 Guest speakers and activities are sufficient for us (DW happy just reading ). As far as the room the shower is a bit tight but DW loves the bath and the provided bath salt especially given the cool North Sea weather.  Water is hot but fluctuates a bit in the shower but the pressure is good.  Had to remind butler to refill the ice and replace my diet cokes.  More impressed with the butler on regent so far but it is early so we will see how he progresses.  They did have my wife’s requested redbulls on board when we arrived.

 

Staff continues to impress with quality service and attitude.

 

Guitar player is good and I like that they have some pre dinner entertainment as regent doesn’t but they also start dinner earlier on regent. The band is ok not on same level as regent band.  The 945 mind the gap show was just too late for us.  The theater is not as impressive as splendor or explorer.

 

Interest to see how the shore excursions on ss will compare. 
 

For now another sea day, it is sunny but still cool.  Overall very enjoyable and at this point there isn’t anything that would stop us from another SS cruise and I think it would depend more on the itinerary but still have more days and experiences.
 

 

 

[admranger]

My DW was wondering what the ladies were wearing for formal night. Cocktail dresses or evening gowns?

[Lois R]

2 minutes ago, admranger said:

My DW was wondering what the ladies were wearing for formal night. Cocktail dresses or evening gowns?

Hi, she can wear either one, I promise. She could even wear dressy slacks with a nice top. I am not on this particular cruise but I can say from sailing on SS, all 3 options on formal night would be acceptable.

[admranger]

12 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Hi, she can wear either one, I promise. She could even wear dressy slacks with a nice top. I am not on this particular cruise but I can say from sailing on SS, all 3 options on formal night would be acceptable.

Thank you!

[Lonedaddy]

29 minutes ago, admranger said:

My DW was wondering what the ladies were wearing for formal night. Cocktail dresses or evening gowns?

A mix and stuff below that.  But I’m not sure if I’m sophisticated enough to tell the difference. My dw said either would be fine 

[drron29]

1 hour ago, admranger said:

My DW was wondering what the ladies were wearing for formal night. Cocktail dresses or evening gowns?

You see very few evening gowns on formal nights now. In fact on our recent Moon cruise just as many women as gents dressed down on formal nights.

[Lonedaddy]

Even on informal nights I’ve seen about 20% of men without jackets.  Either ss needs to enforce or change.

[Observer]

21 minutes ago, Lonedaddy said:

Even on informal nights I’ve seen about 20% of men without jackets.  Either ss needs to enforce or change.

 

Perhaps they were eating at Hot Rocks, which is always casual.  If they were dining at La Terrazza on informal nights, no jacket is required. The dress code in that outlet is always one step below the announced dress code. So, on formal night informal is acceptable in La Terrazza.  And casual is acceptable on informal nights.

[drron29]

1 hour ago, Observer said:

 

Perhaps they were eating at Hot Rocks, which is always casual.  If they were dining at La Terrazza on informal nights, no jacket is required. The dress code in that outlet is always one step below the announced dress code. So, on formal night informal is acceptable in La Terrazza.  And casual is acceptable on informal nights.

Though on our recent cruise the 20% of gents without jackets was common in Atlantide and SALT. Enforcement was tried but often they just gave up. Was terrible to hear the abuse handed out to the Maitre'D in Atlantide when she tried to enforce the jacket rule.

[canderson]

54 minutes ago, drron29 said:

Though on our recent cruise the 20% of gents without jackets was common in Atlantide and SALT. Enforcement was tried but often they just gave up. Was terrible to hear the abuse handed out to the Maitre'D in Atlantide when she tried to enforce the jacket rule.

That's when a quick call to the Hotel Manager would be in order.

[Lonedaddy]

7 hours ago, Observer said:

 

Perhaps they were eating at Hot Rocks, which is always casual.  If they were dining at La Terrazza on informal nights, no jacket is required. The dress code in that outlet is always one step below the announced dress code. So, on formal night informal is acceptable in La Terrazza.  And casual is acceptable on informal nights.

The restaurant guide for La Terrazza said informal whereas the grill said casual last night when the ship was informal.  
We ate in atlantide on formal night and that is where I saw sport coats vs suits and dinner jackets/tux.

[Port Power]

On 6/3/2023 at 5:34 AM, drron29 said:

You see very few evening gowns on formal nights now. In fact on our recent Moon cruise just as many women as gents dressed down on formal nights.

Formal wear is seldom worn in home life these days: the odd charity ball or political event. Tuxes are seen more often, but ladies wear cocktail dresses rather than ball gowns or floor length dresses.  I look forward to wearing cocktail dresses on cruises.

[canderson]

2 hours ago, Port Power said:

Formal wear is seldom worn in home life these days: the odd charity ball or political event.

And for a couple of recent years, there weren't even any of those as a reason to get dressed up.  The only up side from COVID-19 is that we saved a ton of money on tailoring and dry cleaning bills. 

[Lonedaddy]

Ate at hot rocks yesterday  they did seal it off and had heaters on but still chilly.  Filet was very good and has artic char which was also excellent .  Nice to go causal after a busy day in Bergen. Note internet and live tv will it work in port at least on this cruise.  It was sunny and nice in Bergen a rare occurrence I hear.  Geiranger was sunny and beautiful(I got a slight sunburn and I live in Belize most of the year!). Both shore excursions we solid about the same a regent but shorter, but it was nice because we could walk around on our own for a bit.  Had dinner at kaizeki (sp?) which was excellent but I’m not sure I would spend 40 bucks again for it.  We had lunch there on a sea day and the sushi and shashimi were also top notch.   We past the 7 sisters and the suitor waterfalls out of Geiranger and they played nessun dorma over the ships speakers.  I thought that was a great touch kudos to the captian/ cruise director.  I did watch the opera show the other night entertainers are good but the theater and show itself are ok.  So far i would say SS +1 on food, entertainment -1, ship quality even, staff even, butler service -1,shore ex quality even, shore ex variety -1, internet and tv system +2.  Laundry/pressing inclusion -2.  Some trade offs but I do like the change of pace so at this point I would sail on either depending on itinerary ship and price.

[canderson]

@Lonedaddy

The -2 on laundry and pressing because... ??

 

We will be leaning heavily upon that on Dawn in November, so any caveats you can supply are welcome.

[Lonedaddy]

12 minutes ago, canderson said:

@Lonedaddy

The -2 on laundry and pressing because... ??

 

We will be leaning heavily upon that on Dawn in November, so any caveats you can supply are welcome.

It is complimentary on regent 

[canderson]

15 minutes ago, Lonedaddy said:

It is complimentary on regent 

Ah, so the "Laundry/pressing inclusion -2" was commentary on not having it included with your cabin class on SS vs. Regent, not the quality of the laundry/pressing service?

 

[docmark]

Ate at hot rocks yesterday  they did seal it off and had heaters on but still chilly.  Filet was very good and has artic char which was also excellent .  Nice to go causal after a busy day in Bergen. Note internet and live tv will it work in port at least on this cruise.  It was sunny and nice in Bergen a rare occurrence I hear.  Geiranger was sunny and beautiful(I got a slight sunburn and I live in Belize most of the year!). Both shore excursions we solid about the same a regent but shorter, but it was nice because we could walk around on our own for a bit.  Had dinner at kaizeki (sp?) which was excellent but I’m not sure I would spend 40 bucks again for it.  We had lunch there on a sea day and the sushi and shashimi were also top notch.   We past the 7 sisters and the suitor waterfalls out of Geiranger and they played nessun dorma over the ships speakers.  I thought that was a great touch kudos to the captian/ cruise director.  I did watch the opera show the other night entertainers are good but the theater and show itself are ok.  So far i would say SS +1 on food, entertainment -1, ship quality even, staff even, butler service -1,shore ex quality even, shore ex variety -1, internet and tv system +2.  Laundry/pressing inclusion -2.  Some trade offs but I do like the change of pace so at this point I would sail on either depending on itinerary ship and price.

 

----Appreciate your ratings

Will you comment on your cabin, what floor and any motion or noise problem, if so would you recommend different floor, or position (mid,e.g.). Planning to be on Dawn in august, and like you will get Veranda suite. This will be our first Silversea cruise and will miss free laundry !!(our last 3 cruises on Regent newer ships). How does your shower compare with Regent's?

 

Thanks