7/16 Cloud: A True Hosing

[mrsgritoli]

We just returned from this cruise and I am done with Silversea for the time being.

As DuctTape has mentioned on another thread, this cruise was nearly half "chartered" by a single group. This made for a an uneven mix of passengers, inconvenience (e.g., La Terrazza fully booked for last evening of cruise solely for benefit of the charter group), and a diminished experience for all (e.g., cigar smoking in Panorama Lounge at 7:00 A.M.). Cruise Director Jimmy looked as if he was a chicken with no head, making him even more sarcastic than usual, and some of the other staff had just turned over, and their minds were elsewhere. I don't want to embarrass any staff, but the vibe ranged from "bored" to "what am I doing on this ship for the next 6 months?"

The crew were fine, as was the service.

As a previous Silversea cruiser, I would have appreciated knowing about the charter prior at the time of my booking, as I would have never booked it. Presumably, that is why Silversea elected not to tell us.

My spouse and I get one week's holiday a year, and we do either Silversea/Seabourn/Regent every year. I feel like my single vacation this year was a bitter disappointment.

The bottom line is money for all of these lines, but SS got caught with its pants on the ground.

Fool me once, shame on you...

Will go back to Seabourne next year.

[billcrooz]

We just returned from this cruise and I am done with Silversea for the time being.

As DuctTape has mentioned on another thread, this cruise was nearly half "chartered" by a single group. This made for a an uneven mix of passengers, inconvenience (e.g., La Terrazza fully booked for last evening of cruise solely for benefit of the charter group), and a diminished experience for all (e.g., cigar smoking in Panorama Lounge at 7:00 A.M.). Cruise Director Jimmy looked as if he was a chicken with no head, making him even more sarcastic than usual, and some of the other staff had just turned over, and their minds were elsewhere. I don't want to embarrass any staff, but the vibe ranged from "bored" to "what am I doing on this ship for the next 6 months?"

The crew were fine, as was the service.

As a previous Silversea cruiser, I would have appreciated knowing about the charter prior at the time of my booking, as I would have never booked it. Presumably, that is why Silversea elected not to tell us.

My spouse and I get one week's holiday a year, and we do either Silversea/Seabourn/Regent every year. I feel like my single vacation this year was a bitter disappointment.

The bottom line is money for all of these lines, but SS got caught with its pants on the ground.

Fool me once, shame on you...

Will go back to Seabourne next year.

Seabourn does the same thing !:mad:

[gillianrose]

We just returned from this cruise and I am done with Silversea for the time being.

As DuctTape has mentioned on another thread, this cruise was nearly half "chartered" by a single group. This made for a an uneven mix of passengers, inconvenience (e.g., La Terrazza fully booked for last evening of cruise solely for benefit of the charter group), and a diminished experience for all (e.g., cigar smoking in Panorama Lounge at 7:00 A.M.). Cruise Director Jimmy looked as if he was a chicken with no head, making him even more sarcastic than usual, and some of the other staff had just turned over, and their minds were elsewhere. I don't want to embarrass any staff, but the vibe ranged from "bored" to "what am I doing on this ship for the next 6 months?"

The crew were fine, as was the service.

As a previous Silversea cruiser, I would have appreciated knowing about the charter prior at the time of my booking, as I would have never booked it. Presumably, that is why Silversea elected not to tell us.

My spouse and I get one week's holiday a year, and we do either Silversea/Seabourn/Regent every year. I feel like my single vacation this year was a bitter disappointment.

The bottom line is money for all of these lines, but SS got caught with its pants on the ground.

Fool me once, shame on you...

Will go back to Seabourne next year.

Who was the group?

[mrsgritoli]

Legacy. They sell tax deferred annuities.

Don't get me wrong. They were nice enough for the most part. But 100 of them? How would you like 100 of any group on a 300 person ship? 100 lawyers? 100 politicians? 100 porn stars?

Well maybe not that last one.

You get the point. Not conducive to the overall experience you expect from a 6 star line.

[endosunshine]

I think 100 porn stars would be preferable to 100 lawyers or politicians!!:eek:

[duct tape]

I was on that segment, as noted, and the Legacy group negatively impacted everyone's experience. It is very frustrating but all the ships do it. We take our chances. As far as the crew, all I saw was long, patient suffering waiting for the group to go home! There is some new staff who need further training and I assume they will get it.

[billcrooz]

I think 100 porn stars would be preferable to 100 lawyers or politicians!!:eek:

sign me up for that one; as long as it includes Bridget the midget !:D

[Host Dan]

I was on a 3 week triple 7 day on Seabourn a few years ago. One week was dominated by a group. It really changed the "feel" of the cruise..

Host Dan

[gillianrose]

Legacy. They sell tax deferred annuities.

Don't get me wrong. They were nice enough for the most part. But 100 of them? How would you like 100 of any group on a 300 person ship? 100 lawyers? 100 politicians? 100 porn stars?

Well maybe not that last one.

You get the point. Not conducive to the overall experience you expect from a 6 star line.

Thanks. I try to research groups for cruises I plan to take, because I think these groups nearly always have a negative effect on my cruising experience.

Was anyone here actually part of the Legacy group?

[CanadianKate]

I can see how a large group would change the dynamic on the ship.

Gillianrose, how do you go about searching to see if a group has booked a certain cruise?

[Keith1010]

Sorry to hear about your disappointment with the cruise given the group.

Keith

[conchyjoe]

I think 100 porn stars would be preferable to 100 lawyers or politicians!!:eek:

When you think about it ... porn stars, politicans and lawyers ... they are all in the same business.

;-)

[chicagogal]

I can see how a large group would change the dynamic on the ship.

Gillianrose, how do you go about searching to see if a group has booked a certain cruise?

Try this: http://www.shoretrips.com/common/groups2.asp?lookup=1&prevSortField=GRPNAM&grpsrch=STDATE&sortord=DESC&gFilter=&sFilter

I'm sure it's not all encompassing but it's a start. Often you can then go to the group website and see more details there. You can sort by ship name, too, by clicking at top of that column.

[billcrooz]

Try this: http://www.shoretrips.com/common/groups2.asp?lookup=1&prevSortField=GRPNAM&grpsrch=STDATE&sortord=DESC&gFilter=&sFilter

I'm sure it's not all encompassing but it's a start. Often you can then go to the group website and see more details there. You can sort by ship name, too, by clicking at top of that column.

nice website; looks like the Whisper has a group on 11/08.......:eek:

[duct tape]

Interesting site but it doesn't tell you how many to expect!

[billcrooz]

Interesting site but it doesn't tell you how many to expect!


it has to be substantial or it wouldn't be there !:eek:

[lincslady]

A couple of years ago we were on Shadow on a longish cruise. A party came on board - only about 20 people - but they insisted each evening in the Club on making a big circle of chairs for all of them, leaving little room for others. We were told they were from 'The Captain's choice', whoever that is, and their leader ws a complete pain. Even though they were not many, they spoiled the atmosphere.

[rojaan19]

We were told they were from 'The Captain's choice', whoever that is, and their leader ws a complete pain.


I hate to admit it but Captains Choice is an " upmarket " Australian tour group !

http://www.captainschoice.com.au/cpa/htm/htm_home.asp

Goes to show that money cant buy manners.

[TLCOhio]

I hate to admit it, but Captains Choice is an "upmarket" Australian tour group! Goes to show that money cant buy manners.

I know you were focused on mainly one pushy person in an Australian group, but I wanted to speak up for the great group of folks from Australia on our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords cruise. Of our total 268 passengers, after the about half from the US, the second largest group were the 21 passengers from Australia for our Silver Cloud cruise. They were a super great, fun, interesting group of folks. We loved our conversations and interactions with them. Below is a picture with Bruce and Lyn from a suburb of Sydney, Australia.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For more details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle Silver Cloud experiences:
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923


On the eight-hour “Overland from Hellesylt to Geiranger” bus tour, we stopped at the Jostedalsbreen National Park with this Aussie couple on our cruise checking out the interesting display of various stone from all over Norway.:

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm271/tlcohio/FjordsStoneDisplay.jpg

[lincslady]

Yes, I admit that most of the group were nice - we love Australia and have Australian friends and relatives. It was essentially the fault of the group leader that they were a nuisance - he was very pushy. Am I right in thinking that the team leader for Captain's Choice is normally a medical Doctor?

[brimary]

We board the Cloud on 3rd August in London.The comments regarding yhe staff and the substantial charter are of great concern.Was the charter only one cruise?

[duct tape]

Brimary, you'll be fine. It isn't unusual for SS to stick 1/2 charters (large groups) on a 1/2 empty boat. Your cruise is fully booked! Enjoy! See you on the gangway as you go.

[wcc19]

A couple of years ago we were on Shadow on a longish cruise. A party came on board - only about 20 people - but they insisted each evening in the Club on making a big circle of chairs for all of them, leaving little room for others. We were told they were from 'The Captain's choice', whoever that is, and their leader ws a complete pain. Even though they were not many, they spoiled the atmosphere.

Don't tar all groups with the same brush. We had a large Captains Choice group on the Cloud in May. They were wonderful people. They mainly had their own shore excursions, but on board they were just a part of the passenger mix.

[ronjo]

We have been a the Whisper twice as part of incentive trips with domestic insurance companies (Transamerica and John Hancock). With both cruises the insurance company chartered the entire ship over a year in advance and bookings were not available to the general public. I find it unusual that that there was a mix of a large group with full fare paying passengers. That does not mix well. The private group usually takes over a large portion of the ship for their private functions. Thus all public facilities are not available to those that paid full price. We would be very upset not knowing in advance. Wouls our TA be able to find out for us.

[NJ Cruiserman]

Don't tar all groups with the same brush. We had a large Captains Choice group on the Cloud in May. They were wonderful people. They mainly had their own shore excursions, but on board they were just a part of the passenger mix.

Completely agree with you @wcc19. Captain's Choice had a large group on the Wind with us in June and their presence was transparent to us and unnoticed until we had dinner the third night of the cruise with Australians who were not with the group and were told of their presence. They were possibly 20% of the passengers as they had two busses for their private shore excursions.

But they are probably a group whose members like luxury travel but have no prior relationship as compared to the Legacy group or other company/employee/business group where the members have an existing relationship and want to separate themselves from the other passengers.

[TheFerret]

We had a large Captains Choice group on the Cloud in May. They were wonderful people. They mainly had their own shore excursions, but on board they were just a part of the passenger mix.

That was exactly my experience on the Cloud in '08. I only found out there was a group when I happened to chat with their leader. They were a terrific bunch of people and made no impact on the experience other than having their separate shore excursions listed on the daily newsletter.

[stines]

On a June Cloud Cruise, there were 100+ people from the Young America's Foundation. In a word: dreadful. http://www.yaf.org/ Many of the crew expressed similar feelings. They weren't obnoxious to your face, but oh the harsh rhetoric and nastyness they were spewing out in their private meetings in the theater. It was like traveling with a cult.

[mrsgritoli]

Prior to any future bookings, I will have my TA enquire as to group bookings on the ship. Of course, I don't know if SS will give an honest answer.

[wripro]

Personally, I'd rather know how many kids will be aboard.

[ging466]

Personally, I'd rather know how many kids will be aboard.

Me too!

[ridojar]

At least porn stars are honest