Silver Spirit marketing?

[Nigella]

Hello everyone. I'm new to SS - actually a first time cruiser.
I wish I'd found these boards prior to making our booking though..

We are booked on a 7 day Mediterranean cruise on Spirit, in May.
I have been reading all the threads and learned that there were a lot of problems last summer with children on board on this type of itinerary.

I realise it's too early to get any reports from this year, but I was wondering if SS are still marketing the Spirit to families, as apparently happened in 2010. Has anyone noticed this? I see no reference on the website to families or the cruise being kid friendly.

I am not a child hater, but I do believe that rowdy children ruin the ambience of elegance...I've seen it in some of the world's finest hotels and I'm very disappointed to learn that this may be the case for our first voyage on Silversea.
I am afraid that my expectations are not going to be met. :(


Also, different topic.
I am able to login to My Voyage on the SS website, but I am unable to find the Bon Voyage Gifts section. Has it been removed or am I just not seeing it? Would anyone be able to help me to navigate to it?

Thank you!

[Colonel(Ret.)Wes]

Nigella, Welcome to Cruise Critic and the Silversea board. Pls see bon voyage gift link below: You find the link at the bottom of the first page on the website, listed with such items as contact us, new to cruising, media center, et al.

http://www.silversea.com/bon-voyage-gift/

[Nigella]

Nigella, Welcome to Cruise Critic and the Silversea board. Pls see bon voyage gift link below: You find the link at the bottom of the first page on the website, listed with such items as contact us, new to cruising, media center, et al.

http://www.silversea.com/bon-voyage-gift/

Thank you so much, Colonel Wes. I was looking in the My Voyage area, no wonder I was unable to find the link.

I'd like to say thank you for the welcome, and also how much I've enjoyed reading your posts on the board. I find them informative and balanced.

Now to look at some of the Spa treats on the Gifts list! Interesting to see one of my favourite Chablis on there, and at a very reasonable price compared to how much it costs in land restaurants.

[billcrooz]

Hello everyone. I'm new to SS - actually a first time cruiser.
I wish I'd found these boards prior to making our booking though..

We are booked on a 7 day Mediterranean cruise on Spirit, in May.
I have been reading all the threads and learned that there were a lot of problems last summer with children on board on this type of itinerary.

I realise it's too early to get any reports from this year, but I was wondering if SS are still marketing the Spirit to families, as apparently happened in 2010. Has anyone noticed this? I see no reference on the website to families or the cruise being kid friendly.

I am not a child hater, but I do believe that rowdy children ruin the ambience of elegance...I've seen it in some of the world's finest hotels and I'm very disappointed to learn that this may be the case for our first voyage on Silversea.
I am afraid that my expectations are not going to be met. :(


Also, different topic.
I am able to login to My Voyage on the SS website, but I am unable to find the Bon Voyage Gifts section. Has it been removed or am I just not seeing it? Would anyone be able to help me to navigate to it?

Thank you!
anytime you see 7 day voyages you will for the most part the chance of children on board increases dramatically ;stick with longer voyages if this is important to you

[wripro]

Especially in the summer months. Once the kids are back in school it's less likely you'll find them onboard.

[Colonel(Ret.)Wes]

Nigella, thank you for your very kind comments..one trick with bon voyage, if you enjoy exeptional cuisine paired with very fine wine (opus one, Phelps Insignia, Dom) is; you can give the specialty restaurant Le Champagne degustation menu and wine pairing, normally $200pp on board, as a gift to your self via bon voyage ahead of time saving
$100 or $150pp. Having eaten at Le Champagne multiple times aboard the Whisper, Shadow and Spirit, one full degustation menu/wine pairing is worth a try. Thereafter, we order the $30pp and order a nice bottle of red, bottle of white to accompany the degustation menu.

[Travelcat2]

The fact that your cruise is in May lessens the chance of an too many children. We agree that children running around on board ruins the ambiance. I would not hesitate to book a cruise in May.

Come to think of it, we are on the Whisper this coming May and do not expect to see children on board (except perhaps a baby or two that is hopefully kept in the background:)

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

Well I can't comment on specifically on Silversea, but the 7 night Summer cruise I did on the Seabourn Odyssey (quite the same boat as Silversea- pun unintended) did not have 'children' aboard per-say. They did, however, have a lot of teenagers onboard, however all of them were sophisticated and amiably well behaved except two which were horrendous- they single-handedly disturbed nearly everyone during the cruise, shouting across corridors at night, swearing loudly, attempting to kiss female crew, etc. I met their father on one night, and he too, was quite ill-manered. I am not trying to be Mr. Righteous here, we all have our moments, but nonetheless sometimes you can easily tell people who are ill-mannered to the extreme.

However, this was a one off, and also during July. Would I book a Summer one-weeker again ? Yes, for sure, why not ? The disruption was minimal.

Plus, most students will be doing their GCSE's and A-levels during the month of May. The younger ones will still have at least a month to go in school (UK System, not sure about the people across the pond). Nonetheless, I doubt this will disrupt your cruise so no need to lower any expectations !


Happy voyaging :)

[bobndee]

We did a 7 day Mediterranean cruise in May of last year on the Cloud. There was only one child on board and his behavior was exemplary. He was traveling with his grandparents so I made a point of praising him to his grandfather. When a child misbehaves on a cruise, blame the adults, not the child.

[Nigella]

Thank you all very much for your responses.

It would appear that SS is not (yet) marketing the Spirit in quite the same way as it did in 2010.
I don't have any problem with well behaved children, and I wholeheartedly agree that it is not the fault of the children when they are misbehaving. Parents must take control of any rowdy or inappropriate behaviour.

I am generally very excited about this cruse. It will be my first, and what an introduction to cruising!

Thank you Col Wes for the tip about booking Le Champagne as a Bon Voyage Gift with the discount. I do enjoy wine, but claim no knowledge of it. My travel companion is something of a wine connoiseur and I know that he will very much appreciate the Dégustation menu.

Now, time to stop worrying about children and instead start to plan my gowns and cocktail dresses, assuming there will be one (maybe two) formal evenings!