Hello from the Cloud

[Wellseasoned]

Hello from the Cloud! *Boarded yesterday at Tower Bridge, warm, sunny day in London. *Lovely sail away under the bridge. * Some rain in the evening and overnight. *Today is a sea day, formal. *It is cool with sun and clouds, sailing to Aberdeen.

The Captain is Mino Pontillo. *Cruise Director is the wonderful Judie Abbott. *Restaurant Manager is Antonio Mendes, also outstanding in our previous experience. *The Executive Chef is Guillermo Muro. *Hotel Director is Gianni Dotti. *

On the online guest info form months ago I made my usual *and usually unsuccessful request for Macallan single malt. *We also requested Fior di Latte white chocolate grappa, which we have recently enjoyed on the Spirit and in the Whisper Grappa bar but have been unable to find in the U.S. * Both were in our suite when we boarded! *Also present were the house champagne, Heidsieck Monopole, a bottle of Domaine Carneros sparkling wine for reasons unknown, and the Dom Perignon vintage 2002, courtesy of AMEX.*

Cheers!

[dougburns]

Dieter; Sounds like you're off to a good start. Hope you have a great cruise. Too bad you missed Emmy in London; she was looking forward to a get together. Hope you post often!

[duct tape]

Please give my best regards to Mino, Judie and Gianni. Ask Mino to heat the pool. We debarked in early June. I love the Cloud.

[Emtbsam]

So glad to hear that your cruise is off to a great start. We are cruising vicariously through you and Debbie.

[crusinbanjo]

Glad you are off to a good start on one of my favorite ships. Mrs Banjo & I will be sailing on her again in September! Can't wait!

[Silver Spectre]

Hi Wellseasoned,

Met some of your fellow guests whilst having lunch at La Terraza yesterday, seem like a really nice bunch.

Have a great cruise.

Shame there is still no New Zealand Sav Blanc onboard.

[jpalbny]

Hello from the Cloud! *Boarded yesterday at Tower Bridge, warm, sunny day in London. *Lovely sail away under the bridge. * Some rain in the evening and overnight. *Today is a sea day, formal. *It is cool with sun and clouds, sailing to Aberdeen.

The Captain is Mino Pontillo. *Cruise Director is the wonderful Judie Abbott. *Restaurant Manager is Antonio Mendes, also outstanding in our previous experience. *The Executive Chef is Guillermo Muro. *Hotel Director is Gianni Dotti. *

On the online guest info form months ago I made my usual *and usually unsuccessful request for Macallan single malt. *We also requested Fior di Latte white chocolate grappa, which we have recently enjoyed on the Spirit and in the Whisper Grappa bar but have been unable to find in the U.S. * Both were in our suite when we boarded! *Also present were the house champagne, Heidsieck Monopole, a bottle of Domaine Carneros sparkling wine for reasons unknown, and the Dom Perignon vintage 2002, courtesy of AMEX.*

Cheers!

Your description of the refrigerator is making me thirsty!

Gianni was a wonderful hotel director; we loved him on the Cloud last fall. Love the sailaway under Tower Bridge - was it at night, or during the day?

Hope you have a great cruise...

[Ravenscroft]

It all sounds wonderful so far!
So the Heidsieck Monopole - did SS finally replace the Drappier as the house Champagne? If so, I imagine that will make a lot of CC'ers very happy! (I liked the Drappier. Shh don't tell anyone!)

[Colonel(Ret.)Wes]

Hi Wellseasoned/Dieter & Debbie, thanks for the Cloud seamail. Sounds wonderful. Dieter, am sure the Cloud Food & Beverage staff also provided your fav daytime libation--Shirley Temple :)

[Wellseasoned]

The weather has continued to be good. *Captain *Pontillo claims that he and the Cloud bring good weather. * Yesterday was lovely. *Debbie toured a castle with great gardens. *I toured a single malt distillery (that's not your favorite drink, malted milk, Wes.). * The crew is great, as always, some familiar, some new. *A number of friends from previous cruises happen to be aboard. *

One strange first for us on this cruise. *They are no longer automatically providing the next day's lunch and dinner menus with the evening Chronicle. *You have to request it from your butler if you want it. *Are they trying to save paper? *

Dress code seems to be followed. *I noticed no obvious violations on the formal and informal nights so far. * There are a number of teenagers aboard, and they seem perfectly well-behaved and pleasant. *

Although the Cloud is the oldest and smallest, there is something about it that is so comfortable and inviting. *Everyone seems to be happy.

The show performers have only been aboard a couple of weeks, but the first production we saw was better than any we've seen aboard in the last couple of years. *And, happily for me, there is a magician aboard. *Three different, interesting lecturers so far. *All in all, great cruise so far.

Dieter

[meow!]

Are you the folks going to Iceland? What is the sea like? Thank you.

[Wellseasoned]

Meow, the sailing has been smooth so far, no rough seas. *Today is a sea day. *Then we visit three ports in Iceland.

Yesterday, in Torshavn, Faroe Islands, there was fog and some light rain. *Today it is dry but cold, now 42 F at 3 P.M. *The weather forecast for Iceland is good. *

So far the food has been exceptionally good, better than on our last couple of cruises. *Service is outstanding. *And our group keeps winning at trivia!

Duct Tape, please e-mail me so I know who to tell Judie et.al says hello.

Dieter

Wellseasoned1@gmail.com

[duct tape]

Thanx for that but they know me as duct tape also. You just have to ask Mino to heat the pool for me! Have a great trip and keep up the posting.

[CASHIPman]

Duct Tape, please e-mail me so I know who to tell Judie et.al says hello.

Dieter

Isn't it well known that Duct Tape is, in fact the granddaughter of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia? Duct Tape, was that a secret? :D

[palamoh]

So glad to hear that you and the lovely Debbie are well on your way. Why don't you save that Dom (P) and bring it w/you to Phoenix in Sept, so Wes and I can enjoy it with you. Wes said he will provide the Shirley Temple's.

:rolleyes:

[Colonel(Ret.)Wes]

+1, strongly concur Mitch

[LOVE@CRUISE]

Speaking of duct tapes, when is the grand duchess due back on the Cloud? We want to do the Briitish Isles again.....Jimmy will be there! We could have a reunion?:eek:

[meow!]

Meow, the sailing has been smooth so far, no rough seas. *Today is a sea day. *Then we visit three ports in Iceland.

Yesterday, in Torshavn, Faroe Islands, there was fog and some light rain. *Today it is dry but cold, now 42 F at 3 P.M. *The weather forecast for Iceland is good. *
Thank you kindly. Presumably, in five weeks time we will go to Copenhagen, then board Azamara Journey to go to the Norwegian coast, then Iceland, finish at Dublin, and we will pass through Montreal on our flight back home. We just hope the seas will be calm, we worry about 10+ ft. swell .. meow!

[meow!]

Isn't it well known that Duct Tape is, in fact the granddaughter of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia? Duct Tape, was that a secret? :DJust curious, is this a joke or a question?

[Wellseasoned]

beautiful night, broad daylight at midnight.

Sorry, duct tape, but I don't do cloak and dagger.

[dusababy]

Dieter I am really enjoying your concise, but informative, posts.

Keep 'em coming.....I'm traveling vicariously.....;)

[duct tape]

CASHIPman, you have blown my cover!!!! Dieter, do not let him deter you. Thanx.

[SusanNJ]

Leaving on the Cloud August 16th. Glad to hear you are having a great time.

[Colonel(Ret.)Wes]

Dieter, how is your visit to Iceland going? Thx

[meow!]

Dieter, how is your visit to Iceland going? Thx

Good question, we are going to Iceland next month aboard the Azamara Journey!

[Alipius]

For us, the real joy of a cruise is the evening meal: the expectation of meeting people from Elsewhere: of all ages, backgrounds and points of view. Maitre'd: “Would Sir and Madam like to join a table?” Yes of course. And, until the Cloud this June/July, it rarely let us down. Until now, when it did: Big Time. After two episodes at the hands of this maitre'd, Sir and Madam walked straight past to a table for two, every night; and we were, unfortunately, not the only ones. We could see others at Tables for Two around us: who we knew would have made just dandy company, and can only assume (as we had never seen it in such numbers before) they had made the same decision as us.


The Captain: much is made in the Chronicle of his capacity to park a Ship. And, true, like all the others, and in line with the build-up, he didn't bang the wharf about too much. But, the Cloud is a passenger Liner and you sort of expect to “see” the Captain (ala Seabourn) and, I suppose if you go to that staid Venetian Society do or the staider Captain's Cocktail do (timed for when you're getting dressed for dinner) you might do - as you go in. For my part, I clocked him for the first time and last time on the 8th day: going past on the stairs: and said Hello because I thought it was Mario. But, then, on the final night, you couldn't miss him: came in with a whole lot of Italians (and there's no bother there) and sat in the middle of the Restaurant, without a how-do-you-do to anyone else. The joy-de-vie often filters down in a Ship. It didn't.


The new Champagne: the cheapness shows.


Seabourn: here I come!

[wripro]

Perhaps you could have tried to meet some of these other couples at those tables for two and invited them to dinner. Sort of making up your own table. That's the beauty of open seating.

[Wellseasoned]

Iceland was great! *The first stop was Akureyri, on a nice northern fiord. *Beautiful sunny weather, great excursion to lovely countryside, lakes, Craters, lava formations, smelly boiling mud pits, steam vents, great waterfall,etc. *Then Isafjordur, on a northwest beautiful fiord. *Then Reykjavik, where we did a terrific 9 hour excursion to geysers, craters, waterfalls, woolen sweaters, glacier, the beautiful site of the first Iceland parliament 1000 odd years ago, an Icelandic horse show, etc. *Learned a lot of history and geology, but still can't pronounce the unpronounceable words.

Internet access was largely absent in Iceland because we were so far north and docked in narrow fiords, so the satellites were too low in the sky for good connections. *The I.T. Person also told me that the I-Pad 2, which I am using, has more problems with onboard connections than it's predecessor. *

Mary Ann, you will be pleased to know that the dress code has been followed, no problems that I've noticed. *

Alipius, *as on your cruise the Captain has been invisible except for the welcome and Venetian receptions. *The only visible male senior officer has been the Hotel Director, Gianni, who is very personable and involved with the passengers. *This has varied considerably on our recent cruises, with some Captains very present *and some not at all. **
I didn't quite understand what your recent dining problem was. *We often ask to be seated at a large table which we either start or join and never had a problem. *Also no problem if dining with friends or alone. *Our experience with our current maitre'd s has been excellent.*

Earlier I mentioned that they no longer supply the next day's menus with the evening Chronicle. *I'm told that this was an order from corporate a couple of weeks ago to save printing costs. *Seems penny wise and pound foolish to me. *At present they will include the menus if you ask your butler.

Today we are at sea with some swells but not bad, sunny and temperature in upper 50's. *Should be south of the 24 hour daylight soon. *

Tonight they are doing an entertainment show performed by crew members. *I know that this is done on some other lines, but I've never seen it on Silversea. Should be fun.

Dieter

[dusababy]

Thanks for that very encouraging report Dieter -- hope adherence continues through September when I board in Southampton. It's been my experience respect for the dress code is more universal in European and/or northern itineraries, as opposed to Caribbean or tropics. It really is important to me -- how often do we get a chance to clean up nicely......;)

[brimary]

Thanx for that but they know me as duct tape also. You just have to ask Mino to heat the pool for me! Have a great trip and keep up the posting.
We will tell Mino next Wednesday because we like it warm.Sorry we miss you this time. xx

[duct tape]

Give him my best and ask to see pix of the new son!

[Ravenscroft]

[quote=Wellseasoned;29786233
Earlier I mentioned that they no longer supply the next day's menus with the evening Chronicle. *I'm told that this was an order from corporate a couple of weeks ago to save printing costs. *Seems penny wise and pound foolish to me. *At present they will include the menus if you ask your butler.

[/quote]

Personally I'm completely unimpressed with that. It would make sense that the decision was taken recently because on our cruise at the end of May we did get the menus with the Chronicle. It was all part of the fun of the cruise for us. Having the menu the evening before helped me (us) to plan ahead. Thanks for the heads up about asking the butler. I do hope they dont make it a blanket policy to not have a menu available at all in future. :(

[Bon.Vivant]

For us, the real joy of a cruise is the evening meal: the expectation of meeting people from Elsewhere: of all ages, backgrounds and points of view. Maitre'd: “Would Sir and Madam like to join a table?” Yes of course. And, until the Cloud this June/July, it rarely let us down. Until now, when it did: Big Time. After two episodes at the hands of this maitre'd, Sir and Madam walked straight past to a table for two, every night; and we were, unfortunately, not the only ones. We could see others at Tables for Two around us: who we knew would have made just dandy company, and can only assume (as we had never seen it in such numbers before) they had made the same decision as us.


The Captain: much is made in the Chronicle of his capacity to park a Ship. And, true, like all the others, and in line with the build-up, he didn't bang the wharf about too much. But, the Cloud is a passenger Liner and you sort of expect to “see” the Captain (ala Seabourn) and, I suppose if you go to that staid Venetian Society do or the staider Captain's Cocktail do (timed for when you're getting dressed for dinner) you might do - as you go in. For my part, I clocked him for the first time and last time on the 8th day: going past on the stairs: and said Hello because I thought it was Mario. But, then, on the final night, you couldn't miss him: came in with a whole lot of Italians (and there's no bother there) and sat in the middle of the Restaurant, without a how-do-you-do to anyone else. The joy-de-vie often filters down in a Ship. It didn't.


The new Champagne: the cheapness shows.


Seabourn: here I come!


Your comments about the lack of social interaction with passengers by senior officers and staff, and the sense that a certain "joie de vivre" is missing onboard struck a sympathetic chord with me. I’ve been on 10 SS cruises since 2005 and have always been very happy with the service, the food, the accommodations, and the ships themselves. However, I have really noticed a change in the last 3-4 cruises with respect to the lack of presence of captains/officers/staff – and the effect this has on the atmosphere onboard. On the last cruise (Cloud), even the CD wasn’t out and about mingling with passengers in the evenings. The captain only came out for the functions he was required to attend. The HD, I don’t think ever left his office. Even the international hostesses didn’t mingle. We did express our thoughts about this to the CD one night in the Bar, as he perfunctorily stopped at our table on his way to sit with another staff person. His response was: "Why don’t you go on Princess". How nice – I guess that says a lot about how passengers were regarded by the senior staff on this cruise. Perhaps we were just unlucky and hit several cruises in a row where the senior staff was just not interested in mixing with passengers, or maybe this is a trend, a change of attitude on SS. We always meet wonderful and fun passengers, some who have become good friends. But what also makes cruising special is the opportunity to socialize with staff too. It’s nice when you get the sense that they’re interested in their passengers and want them to have an enjoyable time. It makes a big difference to the whole ambiance and the onboard experience -- at least IMHO, perhaps not everyone’s.

[duct tape]

Wow. Sent to Ft. Lauderdale.

[Bon.Vivant]

Wow. Sent to Ft. Lauderdale.


Thanks, duct tape. I should have done this myself a few months back. Hmmm....a CD who comes to the Bar to sit all night with a female staff in the corner, doesn't socialize with passengers, and responds in that way to a passenger who complains that staff aren't around interacting with the customers.

[cotto22]

If this is the attitude of Silversea's onboard executive staff, then I would say that filling its ships with passenger is not its most pressing problem. The duties of the ship's crew have always included public relations, schmoozing if you will, with passengers. On both Regent and Seabourn we were seated with ship personnel on many occasions. On our 2009 SS cruise, not once. It certainly was not a deal breaker, but it was a much different atmosphere.

Bon Vivant's comments sound as if the atmosphere has changed even more. If crew can socialize amongst themselves in the lounges, then they can certainly mingle. And the comment about Princess? Wow. I don't know how I would have reacted if someone had said that to me.

[Ravenscroft]

I must say, our cruise on Spirit in May was similar to Bon Vivant's experience.

It was my first cruise so I guess I didn't know any better, but I was very surprised to not see more of those members of staff. We never saw the HD at all during the cruise. I've read another post here by someone on the same cruise who said the same thing. We didn't see the CD either except when passing by the organised pool deck events. Uniformed officers were rarely seen, there was certainly no mingling. As I said, I don't know any different, so it's interesting to read the comments of those of you who are experienced cruisers.
Our next cruise is a 17 day one, with quite a few sea days. I will be interested to see how it compares, as the Med cruise had no sea days at all.

[rosepark]

Getting back to the Cloud, if I may and a v important question for Judie-a CD who is always out and about, in my experience. Is she still going to be on board in mid-October and if so, does she need a new supply of quiz/trivial questions books? I would be more then willing to bring some out - having mugged up on the answers first, of course. All's fair in love and Silversea points after all.

[Ravenscroft]

Getting back to the Cloud,.


I apologise as you point out that my previous post is off topic to Cloud specific topics . However, I was merely drawing comparison to Bon Vivant's experience on the Cloud, and as I was discussing my experience on another ship in the SS fleet, it is a relevant discussion to SS overall if this is the way things will be in the future, and therefore relevant to all of us who are booked on a future SS cruise. It may not be of any importance to some, or even many, but it is apparently not the way that things have been done in the past.

[rosepark]

Ravenscroft, it is always useful to hear of others' perceptions and experiences and, hopefully, your comments here will be referred to, and addressed by, the powers that be.

[wripro]

SS has, imo, in Fernando and Judie Abbott, two of the best CDs in the business. However, apart from them, in all my SS sailings since June of 1994, I have never seen the officers mingle with passengers. They usually stay aloof and apart. So I just don't expect that on a SS cruise.

[Herman The Cat]

SS has, imo, in Fernando and Judie Abbott, two of the best CDs in the business. However, apart from them, in all my SS sailings since June of 1994, I have never seen the officers mingle with passengers. They usually stay aloof and apart. So I just don't expect that on a SS cruise.

Me either...except for the Spirit this past December with Captain Corsaro and his crew. The officers were actually sociable and it really changed the entire experience. But then we had the wonderful dougburns with us so I suspect it may have been that way because of him! :)

[Emtbsam]

Your comments about the lack of social interaction with passengers by senior officers and staff, and the sense that a certain "joie de vivre" is missing onboard struck a sympathetic chord with me. I’ve been on 10 SS cruises since 2005 and have always been very happy with the service, the food, the accommodations, and the ships themselves. However, I have really noticed a change in the last 3-4 cruises with respect to the lack of presence of captains/officers/staff – and the effect this has on the atmosphere onboard. On the last cruise (Cloud), even the CD wasn’t out and about mingling with passengers in the evenings. The captain only came out for the functions he was required to attend. The HD, I don’t think ever left his office. Even the international hostesses didn’t mingle. We did express our thoughts about this to the CD one night in the Bar, as he perfunctorily stopped at our table on his way to sit with another staff person. His response was: "Why don’t you go on Princess". How nice – I guess that says a lot about how passengers were regarded by the senior staff on this cruise. Perhaps we were just unlucky and hit several cruises in a row where the senior staff was just not interested in mixing with passengers, or maybe this is a trend, a change of attitude on SS. We always meet wonderful and fun passengers, some who have become good friends. But what also makes cruising special is the opportunity to socialize with staff too. It’s nice when you get the sense that they’re interested in their passengers and want them to have an enjoyable time. It makes a big difference to the whole ambiance and the onboard experience -- at least IMHO, perhaps not everyone’s.
Would you be willing to share the name of that CD?

[Bon.Vivant]

Would you be willing to share the name of that CD?



Hello Emtbsam: I don’t want to single out specific individuals for criticism on a forum like this, or start a debate about whether a certain staff person is good or not – I’m sure there are passengers that have had good experiences with this CD. My post was not intended as a critique of an individual, but of a general ‘modus operandi’ onboard with regards to passenger/senior staff interaction – I described that incident as an one example (the most memorable) of what led to my point of view. I’ll happily name people I want to praise, but naming individuals for criticism is probably best done through one-to-one communication with head office.

[drron29]

Well I must say our experiences on our 2 SS cruises and the senior officers are different to what is being reported here.The Silver Explorer last year was fantastic in that respect when we cruised Svalbard in august.It was a complete contrast to our January cruise on the Orion to Antarctica where only Captain Mike was always out and about.
Also on the Shadow in May we had several meals with the ship's officers.The cruise director was David Lawton and he did the job very well.

[meow!]

Any follow up report on Iceland in the last few days? The sea, the weather, what we should know since we are going on Copenhagen - Norwegian coast - Iceland - Dublin next month on Azamara Journey? Thank you.

[oregon50]

For us, the real joy of a cruise is the evening meal: the expectation of meeting people from Elsewhere: of all ages, backgrounds and points of view. Maitre'd: “Would Sir and Madam like to join a table?” Yes of course. And, until the Cloud this June/July, it rarely let us down. Until now, when it did: Big Time. After two episodes at the hands of this maitre'd, Sir and Madam walked straight past to a table for two, every night; and we were, unfortunately, not the only ones. We could see others at Tables for Two around us: who we knew would have made just dandy company, and can only assume (as we had never seen it in such numbers before) they had made the same decision as us.


The Captain: much is made in the Chronicle of his capacity to park a Ship. And, true, like all the others, and in line with the build-up, he didn't bang the wharf about too much. But, the Cloud is a passenger Liner and you sort of expect to “see” the Captain (ala Seabourn) and, I suppose if you go to that staid Venetian Society do or the staider Captain's Cocktail do (timed for when you're getting dressed for dinner) you might do - as you go in. For my part, I clocked him for the first time and last time on the 8th day: going past on the stairs: and said Hello because I thought it was Mario. But, then, on the final night, you couldn't miss him: came in with a whole lot of Italians (and there's no bother there) and sat in the middle of the Restaurant, without a how-do-you-do to anyone else. The joy-de-vie often filters down in a Ship. It didn't.


The new Champagne: the cheapness shows.


Seabourn: here I come!

Any particular reason for choosing this thread for posting such dribble? It's a legit topic, but why hijack this particular thread? Perhaps our wonderful host can put this and subsequent posts on a seperate track.

That would include my own dribble on the subject. It's fairly recent that the HD's office was placed in the lobby and the person became more visible. For years, the office was located near the card room and pretty much out of sight. I've met two gregarious HDs on SS and one made a very swift (mid contract) move to SB. The other is Italian and probably unable to switch.

Re: While the "sail with Princess" remark might seem rude, I doubt it was made without previous observation.

I think SS allows its captains and hotel directors to socialize as their personalities warrant. SB operates different model. If you want to yak with either, sail Seabourn seems the proper choice.

[cotto22]

Oregon, perhaps I am misinterpreting the tone of your post, and if so, I apologize. But it is my impression that the purpose of these boards was congenial information and opinion sharing, much as one would do in person. And I doubt as if you would call something someone said 'dribble' if you were looking at them face to face. Such is the anonymity of the internet, I suppose.

Threads sometimes take turns, as this one did, but the title is "Hello from the Cloud", which would allow discussion of all sort about this ship. And if some cruisers are disappointed that there is not more mingling of cruise staff with guests, I think that is a legitimate concern. Suggesting that they cruise elsewhere is neither helpful nor empathetic.
JMHO.

[Older Party]

Oregon, perhaps I am misinterpreting the tone of your post, and if so, I apologize. But it is my impression that the purpose of these boards was congenial information and opinion sharing, much as one would do in person. And I doubt as if you would call something someone said 'dribble' if you were looking at them face to face. Such is the anonymity of the internet, I suppose.

Threads sometimes take turns, as this one did, but the title is "Hello from the Cloud", which would allow discussion of all sort about this ship. And if some cruisers are disappointed that there is not more mingling of cruise staff with guests, I think that is a legitimate concern. Suggesting that they cruise elsewhere is neither helpful nor empathetic.
JMHO.

I don't post here very often, but I did experience the Cloud last February. I LOVED my voyage so reading the negative comments was quite a surprise to me. But that said, human beings are all different, with our likes and dislikes reflecting our experiences along our separate journeys. I must say though, on the Silversea board, most everyone is very polite, even when arguing with each other. The comment above is a perfect example. After my two cruises with RCI, I started posting on their boards but the rudeness of the posts turned me off tremendously, especially when they would resort to name calling in effort to be "right". I like that the disagreements here retain a civil tone. I think it defines the demographic that sails on Silversea, which is a big reason why I loved my experience sailing Silversea.

[oregon50]

My apologies for sounding a bit harsh. Diplomatic and writing skills have never been a pursuit of mine. I stated that discussing officer mingling is a legit topic and also referred to my own words as dribble. The topic deserves its own thread where it can be discussed openly without diverting the intentions of the OP.

[brimary]

Well I must say our experiences on our 2 SS cruises and the senior officers are different to what is being reported here.The Silver Explorer last year was fantastic in that respect when we cruised Svalbard in august.It was a complete contrast to our January cruise on the Orion to Antarctica where only Captain Mike was always out and about.
Also on the Shadow in May we had several meals with the ship's officers.The cruise director was David Lawton and he did the job very well.
Our experience on cruises on all of Silversea fleet apart from the Spirit every year since 1997 has been of excellent product,staff and service well managed by a first class team of officers and Captains.Some Captains are more visible than others but thats life we are all different.We are looking forward to joining the Cloud on wednesday for 6 weeks and hope to find it as good as ever.If a CD had told me to go on Princess for whatever reason I would h.ave reported the matter to Silversea Head Office Are there any more reports on the current Cloud voyage which was the purpose of this thread?

[cotto22]

My husband and I do not cruise just to mix and mingle with the cruise staff. That being said, I think that schmoozing is part of their job description and their visibility is an important part of the cruise experience. Like Brimary, we will be also be joining the Cloud on Wednesday (although sadly just for 10 days), and I would like to feel welcome on board by the Captain and his staff, who are the hosts and hostesses, if you will, of the ship.

After looking at some weather forecasts, it might appear that my more pressing concerns for the cruise might be rain.(:

[billcrooz]

My apologies for sounding a bit harsh. Diplomatic and writing skills have never been a pursuit of mine. I stated that discussing officer mingling is a legit topic and also referred to my own words as dribble. The topic deserves its own thread where it can be discussed openly without diverting the intentions of the OP.

Oregon 50 your next positive post will be your first! Get a life

[RWCrane]

Noticed in your post you requested a specific brand of scotch on the online form. Can you tell me where on the information form to request what I'd like in our cabin? Thanks

[meow!]

After looking at some weather forecasts, it might appear that my more pressing concerns for the cruise might be rain.(:Or is it the waves and swell? By the way, are taxis easy to get in Iceland ports? Do they come to the ship or do we have to call them somehow? We will be there next month aboard the Azamara Journey.

[dougburns]

There is an area at the end of the pax info form where you can add anything they may have forgotten. Also, you won't have any trouble just waiting till you board. Ask your butler for what you want and it will be there before bed time.

[jpalbny]

Or is it the waves and swell? By the way, are taxis easy to get in Iceland ports? Do they come to the ship or do we have to call them somehow? We will be there next month aboard the Azamara Journey.

I remember them being at the pier in Reyjavik - not too many, though. There's a helpful information center at the pier who I'm sure would call one for you if you ask (and everyone we ever met in Iceland spoke perfect English).

Don't know your itinerary and where else you go - we have been to Akureyri, where I don't remember taxis but they also have an info center who would call one for you. If you go to Seydisfjordur - you don't need one... Haven't been to any other Icelandic ports.

[meow!]

Thank you kindly for your reassuring reply. You have been so helpful. Our itinerary will be:

Copenhagen (Embark) - Bergen (Docked) - Geiranger (Tendered) - Lerwick/Shetland (Docked) - Akureyri (Docked) - Reykjavik (Docked, Overnight) - Torshavn (Docked) - Dublin (Debark)

[CASHIPman]

SS has, imo, in Fernando and Judie Abbott, two of the best CDs in the business. However, apart from them, in all my SS sailings since June of 1994, I have never seen the officers mingle with passengers. They usually stay aloof and apart. So I just don't expect that on a SS cruise.

I agree...Judie and Fernando are top-notch. I know we all have our expectations and likes/dislikes. Mine are that I don't necessarily need to see or converse with the crew. There are a couple hundred fellow passengers I can converse with. Heck, we usually politely decline dinner with crew when offered.

[wripro]

I agree wholeheartedly, CASHIPman. There are those who do like to mingle with officers.

[meow!]

Hello from the Cloud! *Boarded yesterday at Tower Bridge, warm, sunny day in London. *Lovely sail away under the bridge. * Would you believe it, a similar itinerary of the Cloud next year, voyages 1219 A+B at 9+9=18 days has now been fully booked, with only waiting list? Likely, many of the bookings will be cancelled closer to the embarkation date? This 18 days combo will cost some $13,000 per person, our upcoming similar though abridged 12 days itinerary next month on Azamara Journey costs only $4,500. Well it is a different cruise line and two-thirds the length, but more affordable at one-third the price .. meow!

[Scotspea]

I completely agree with the previous two posters. I have watched with growing amusement the concern shown by many regarding various crew members and whether they are still on this or that ship. Personally I couldn't care less who drives, maintains (much more important), tends the bar or serves the food as long as they do it properly whilst smiling. I tend to think 'insecurity rules OK' when I read some of the posts!

[Stumblefoot]

Would you believe it, a similar itinerary of the Cloud next year, voyages 1219 A+B at 9+9=18 days has now been fully booked, with only waiting list? Seems hard to believe.

[jpalbny]

Would you believe it, a similar itinerary of the Cloud next year, voyages 1219 A+B at 9+9=18 days has now been fully booked, with only waiting list? Likely, many of the bookings will be cancelled closer to the embarkation date? This 18 days combo will cost some $13,000 per person, our upcoming similar though abridged 12 days itinerary next month on Azamara Journey costs only $4,500. Well it is a different cruise line and two-thirds the length, but more affordable at one-third the price .. meow!

I believe it. Iceland is a great cruise destination, and those itineraries look great. We would do them if we had the time, even though we've been on 4 cruise stops to Iceland already, plus we went back for a longer land-based stay this January. Have not come close to seeing enough of it!

[ging466]

I completely agree with the previous two posters. I have watched with growing amusement the concern shown by many regarding various crew members and whether they are still on this or that ship. Personally I couldn't care less who drives, maintains (much more important), tends the bar or serves the food as long as they do it properly whilst smiling. I tend to think 'insecurity rules OK' when I read some of the posts!

Yep I agree too.

Actually I had a boring dinner with a Staff Captain on the Spirit during my cruise last year and that has really put me off dining with crew.

I prefer mingling with the passengers, especially the ones I've met through Cruise Critic :D

Cheers
Jennifer

[palamoh]

Dieter what happen to you Blogs, your comments were so interesting? Seems like somewhere along the way people got more concerned w/the Ships Officers (starting w/Oregon), than with your informative updates Why can't people start their own blogs with their own concerns instead of hijacking your original intents?:confused:

[Wellseasoned]

Dieter what happen to you Blogs, your comments were so interesting? Seems like somewhere along the way people got more concerned w/the Ships Officers (starting w/Oregon), than with your informative updates Why can't people start their own blogs with their own concerns instead of hijacking your original intents?:confused:
Mitch, we are alive and well! Just returned from that terrific cruise on the Cloud. Internet connections were less than reliable, so my communications were delayed. Still not quite adjusted to spending 15 days at 50's to occasional low 70's and returning to 101 yesterday and 102 today!.

The Cloud was excellent. Great and personable HD in Gianni Dotti, and it showed in superb service and organization. The Cloud will be getting a big upgrade at the dry dock next spring. Was told that they will eliminate the shower over tub bathrooms by eliminating the tub and building a nice shower. I know that this will upset some, but we don't use the tub, so it's fine by us.

The chef, Guillermo Muro, is very passionate and enthusiastic about the food, and it showed. Better food than on our last few cruises. Maitre 'd Antonio Mendes and Terrazza maitre 'd Jose Silva had something to do with that as well, as on previous cruises.

Judie Abbott is again a superb CD, still sings like the premier singer she was for years on Cunard, and hasn't lost a step. Hope she's still on the 2012 Amazon cruise.

I saw more of the Captain after my last post, so I probably hadn't been in the right place at the right time earlier.

This itinerary was terrific. Daytime sailaway under Tower Bridge was great. Weather generally very good, seas never too rough to cause discomfort. Never had to wear the heavy clothes. Iceland was wonderful, and we had speakers aboard who were very good on the history, geology, etc. of all the ports. We took lots of ship's tours, and they were really excellent, with outstanding guides, lack of crowding on buses, and good times had by all. I managed to visit two single malt distilleries (a thing of mine), and bought bottles of some which are not sold in the U.S. And, we both kissed the Blarney Stone, so try to shut me up now!

The internet was frustrating, partially due to low satellite angle when far north and old Cloud equipment. But the main problem seems to be the slow and erratic login procedure on the passenger network, as opposed to the direct server connection the crew network has. I did demonstrate this to the IT officer, who was surprised and said they'd report it to their vendor. We'll see. And be careful. Because people sometimes don't sign off properly, they now automatically disconnect your internet connection if there is no activity for three minutes, so move the mouse or click something if you are just reading mail.

Meow, Iceland is fantastic, but take the ship's tours. Be prepared for the 24 hour daylight. The only other ship present in any of our ports was a German Aida ship in two of the Iceland ports, didn't even sense that they were there.

Just a comment on some recent posts. We're all different, but for us the crew IS very important. One of our major joys is meeting the crew members, learning about them, greeting those we've sailed with before. Frankly, we find them to be more interesting and more of a joy than some of the passengers. And dining with the CD, HD, and others is usually a treat.

Enough for now. Met two other CC'ers, NJ Belle and Daddyo, who seemed happy as well.

Dieter

[CASHIPman]

Enough for now. Met two other CC'ers, NJ Belle and Daddyo, who seemed happy as well.

Dieter

NJ Belle and family are lovely, aren't they?

[meow!]

The Cloud will be getting a big upgrade at the dry dock next spring. Was told that they will eliminate the shower over tub bathrooms by eliminating the tub and building a nice shower. I know that this will upset some, but we don't use the tub, so it's fine by us. We only use showers in hotels and ships (unless they are brand new). In showers, water runs down, and is therefore more sanitory than lying where others had been. So to us, a tub is not necessary.

However, there are people who consider a tub a mark of "luxury class" and deleting it might be considered a step down. Perhaps we can suggest replacing the existing tub-shower (difficult to get in and out of) with "walk-in tub-shower", e.g. http://www.faucetdirect.com/meditub-2747senr-sc-47-x-27-walk-in-shower-and-soaking-tub-with-15-ada-compliant-left-side-seat-and-right-swing-door-from-the/p1576747?source=ntg_1576747&baid=723225554 With this kind of equipment, it will not take more space than presently available, there will be no problem getting in and out of, and can be used just like an ordinary shower.

Add an overhead "rain forest" shower head, then Silversea can claim the most technologically advanced bathroom, given the avialable space. It does cost a good deal, but as once in a decade addition, it may not come to much per diem (it adds $1.34 per diem over ten years).

Meow, Iceland is fantastic, but take the ship's tours. Be prepared for the 24 hour daylight. The only other ship present in any of our ports was a German Aida ship in two of the Iceland ports, didn't even sense that they were there.Thank you kindly for your informative reply. On the website suggested by others on this board before http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast_and_sea/shipping_forecast/ we see that the sea is rather rough now. We hope it will be calm when we are there. We are worried about the stretch of water between the Norwegian coast and Iceland, which can have 20 feet waves (we would rather avoid 10+ feet) .. meow!

[Colonel(Ret.)Wes]

Hi Dieter, thanks for the very nice Cloud wrap up...very glad to hear Debbie and you had a terrific cruise. If I recall correctly, Antonio was the M'd for our Spirit maiden crossing--and was also exceptional. We look fwd to seeing both of you in a few months.

[Nigella]

Thanks for the update, and it all sounds very posiitive for the Cloud, which is very good to hear. The shower/tub issue is sure to cause some debate - the tub is a lovely feature to have but for me if I had to make a choice, I'd go with a good walk in shower.

You were very lucky indeed with the weather and seas. Last weekend in particular we mostly had dreadful weather here (England) - it was like the weather we expect in October or November. Very windy, temperatures in the low 50's, and constant rain for three days. It seems that generally when the weather is inclement around the British Isles, it often extends up to Iceland too.

meow, that link you quote is the official meteorological news for shipping around these shores, it doesn't get more accurate than that, although of course advance forecasts can sometimes get it wrong. I love some of the names given to the shipping areas!

[dougburns]

Dieter; Thanks for your posts. Sounds like you and Debbie had a wonderful time. Lynn would not like doing away with the bathtub; that's her haven before bed time. Was hoping Antonio would be aboard Spirit for our cruise in Oct/Nov, but I guess that won't happen. Made our final payment yesterday for the cruise, so we're getting close. Look forward to seeing you both in Sep.

[NJBelle]

Hi all, as noted above, NJBelle and family were present and accounted for and we definitely enjoyed this cruise. Thanks to Wellseasoned (great to meet you and Debbie - as well as Poolcat and DaddyO) for sharing information about the cruise with everyone. I concur with most of the observations and will post some observations of my own one of these days when I get all the home fires tended to. Absolutely a great cruise from our perspective.

Thanks for the nice shout-out from Craig....

Sigh - in addition to having to get used to no one bringing me my breakfast or offering me champagne at lunch, I am wishing I were back in Iceland with those nice cool days - it got to 105 here in New Jersey yesterday!

[rojaan19]

The Cloud will be getting a big upgrade at the dry dock next spring. Was told that they will eliminate the shower over tub bathrooms by eliminating the tub and building a nice shower. I know that this will upset some, but we don't use the tub, so it's fine by us.
Dieter


We will be on the Cloud in November 2012 so I am glad it is getting a big upgrade, but I am worried about this bathroom renovation. Does this mean all suites are going to just showers ?? I happen to be one who loves a hot soak in the tub. :)

[duct tape]

Well, you will not be soaking here. They will probably keep the tubs in the larger suites.

[meow!]

meow, that link you quote is the official meteorological news for shipping around these shores, it doesn't get more accurate than that, although of course advance forecasts can sometimes get it wrong. I love some of the names given to the shipping areas!

Let us hope August will be better .. meoow!

[wripro]

I'm so glad Judie is singing again. For a long time she wouldn't.

[dusababy]

I'm so glad Judie is singing again. For a long time she wouldn't.

Dieter -- I too greatly enjoyed your recent posts -- glad you had a great time.
Do you have any idea if Judie will still be on board in September? Would love to see her again.
Mary Ann

[duct tape]

She goes on vacation at the end of July, so she should be back the end of Sept/beginning of Oct.

[dusababy]

She goes on vacation at the end of July, so she should be back the end of Sept/beginning of Oct.


DRAT ! I'll miss her then -- I board early September.

Thanks for the heads up ......:(