JusttheTwoofUs

late2cruisin, thank you for the information. Would it be possible for us to go off-line (e-mail) so I can "pick your brain" a little bit more? My e-mail is "waphylz (at) cox(dot)net" Substitute for parentheses. Thanks. Phyllis

Hi, my husband and I are considering an Alaska cruise next May for our 50th anniversary. It will be the first time on Silversea (Silver Nova). We are long-time Crystal cruisers (since our 25th anniversary), but they have no cruises in our time frame that we are interested in. We have (through our TA) been trying to get some answers from Silversea, but so far we have been unsuccessful. I am hoping this board can help. I have been going through the Silversea website, but can't seem to find the answers. First, we have been trying to confirm if spa facilities (sauna, steam room, showers) are available for use at no extra charge and without needing an appointment. We are not talking about spa services, like massages, just the actual facilities themselves. Second, if we were to book the cruise, at what point can we book excursions (after booking, after final payment, some number of days before embarking)? When do you pay for any excursions that are not included in the cruise fare (when you make the excursion booking, before embarkation, or is it just added to your on board bill)? Third, when can we book for the specialty dining? I understand several (LaDame, etc.) are extra cost and sometimes difficult to get a booking in. How much is the upcharge? I think some other restaurants do not have an upcharge but must be reserved. If so, which ones, and when can they be reserved? Thanks for any help you can give me on this or hints on other features of Silversea (and Silver Nova in particular) that might be helpful to us. After 25 years on Crystal, and almost as many cruises, we're a little nervous about a new line and new ship. Phyllis

(Asking for a Friend) Hi, could someone who is currently on Symphony or has experience with the spa answer these questions for me? In the men's spa, how many showers are there, and do the showers have a ledge, cut-out, or rack in them for placing shampoo and body wash bottles? The reason I am asking is when we were on Serenity last September, the showers had no place to put the bottles other than on the floor of the shower. My husband mentioned this to the spa staff, and they said they knew this was a problem and were going to be fixing it on both Serenity and Symphony. Now we are booked for July on Symphony and wanted to know if this work had been done. Phyllis

Hi, I am looking at a B2B Alaska cruise May 2025 on Silver Nova (it would be first time w/Silversea). There are limited cabins available and most of them are right next to the elevator, or next to a large whited-out area of Decks 6 - 9. Does anyone have experience with being near the elevator (noise, traffic), and could you explain what the large blocks of white on the deck plans are? Thanks. Phyllis

The Librarian is the contact point for magic show tickets. We usually go to the Library the 1st day to get ours. It's a wonderful show if you enjoy magic! Phyllis

I asked Crystal about the Bordeaux docking for the 7/18 - 7/30 Symphony cruise and the address is: QUAI LOUIS XVIII, 33000, Bordeaux, France. Looking at a map, it appears to be the one right in the center of town. Phyllis

Will Crystal provide transfers to Heathrow from Dover (July cruise)? Anyone have experience with when they would arrive at Heathrow? We are looking at 2 flights, one at 2:10 pm and one at 2:50 pm (2nd choice). Is this still too early? Phyllis

Has anyone tried the Crystal-planned excursions. Apparently you pay a non-refundable $100 and Crystal will plan a private excursion for you. I'm sure it's not inexpensive, but was wondering if they are worth the extra $. I am thinking about this for our cruise this summer, and am just concerned that the cost might be prohibitive. Can you give them a $ range to stay within? Phyllis

We were on Serenity in September (Quebec to NYC). Very few men were in formalwear. My husband wore a sport coat and tie, and felt very much in place with the rest of the men in the dining room. Phyllis

Harmony 2000 (Alaska) and 2003 (Caribbean from New Orleans). Phyllis

I remember a long time ago my parents returned from a Transatlantic Cruise and he walked off the ship in his tuxedo. Apparently (although he never really explained it), he had packed all of his clothes except what he was wearing the night before. Phyllis

We were on a family cruise (not Crystal), and I mistakenly forgot to pack my husband's dress shoes (left on a shelf in his closet). Thankfully, one of my nephews was also on the cruise and had a pair of black sneakers which fit my DH. No one other than family members (of course!) called attention to his footwear. Phyllis

7034 should be a little quieter, although closer to elevators. 7024 is above the Galaxy Lounge which would probably mean more noise. Never had a problem being near the elevators. Phyllis

I don't remember the brand of hairdryer, but it was sufficient to dry my hair quickly. I have shorter hair (to top of neck). I always wear a light sweater during the day. However, even though we were in Canada and New England area, I was not particularly cold, and probably would have been OK without the sweater. I actually like the sweater for the pockets! Phyllis

Do you mean the Century Lounge?