Silver Shadow vs. Silver Spirit

We recently returned from a 14 day Caribbean voyage on Silver Shadow (20 Mar-3 Apr). We have almost 100 days on Silversea, but all on the Silver Spirit. After reading reviews and threads on these boards, we were under the impression that the Shadow was more a tramp steamer than a luxury cruise ship - well, nothing could be further from the truth.

Shadow is clean and well maintained. It is after all, a 15 year old ship. It is very much like the Spirit in some ways, with the same carpeting and furnishings, but is also different; not really better, just different.

To start, many of the crew we know from Spirit are now on Shadow. For example, Paolo is Hotel Manager, Ursula is F & B Manager, Garreth is Bar Manager, Jorge is MD, and Philip was "shopping expert". Plus, we knew quite a few bar and wait staff also.

A comparison of some areas of the two ships (we know not everyone will agree with our views):

Suites - As usual, we had a mid-ship veranda suite. Shadow's felt roomier since it is not long and narrow as on Spirit. The walk-in closet also is larger on Shadow. However, we liked the bathroom on Spirit better because of the larger shower with the rainfall shower head, even though we hate the sink/facet setup.

Theater - Hands down, much better on Shadow. It is a real theater with tiered seating. We even went to a few shows, something we never did on Spirit. Shadow had a fantastic magician on board who did three shows - we went to all three. Silversea should have more of this type of entertainment instead of the usual shows of singing by Broadway want-to-be's to canned music.

Gym - Same size on both ships with the same amount of equipment. Each has four treadmills, which is all we care about. Most days we were the only ones in the gym.

Pool Grill/Hot Rocks - Better on Spirit. On Shadow, you eat on the same deck as the pool. On Spirit, you eat a deck above looking down on the pool. Also, Spirit has live entertainment while you eat; it makes the whole atmosphere. Shadow does not.

To Be Continued ......

Guest Mix - The same on both ships. This voyage on Shadow had 342 guests including 3 children who were rarely seen. Most guests were well traveled and interesting conversationalists. We met many people we enjoyed spending time with and we hope to sail with them again. This is one of the main reasons we sail on Silversea.

Pool Area - Shadow has more tables than Spirit and less loungers. The pool area also feels more crowded, which makes sense as this is a smaller ship. There is also more shaded areas for loungers on Spirit. One thing we do not like on Shadow is the tacky fake grass covering on decks 9 and 10. What happened to teak?

Art - Shadow's walls in public areas are covered with "art", most of it for sale with a price tag attached. Spirit's walls are mostly bare as we remember. We prefer the stark look of Spirit.

Observation Bar/Lounge - On Shadow, it is just a lounge with coffee and tea. On Spirit, it is a real bar with alcohol and a bartender in the evening - but no rest rooms.

To Be Continued ...

Lovin' this thread. Please keep it coming. Specifically, did you feel that the larger Spirit provided a more smooth sailing? Did the Spirit ever feel crowded compared to the Shadow?

Lovin' this thread. Please keep it coming. Specifically, did you feel that the larger Spirit provided a more smooth sailing? Did the Spirit ever feel crowded compared to the Shadow?

No, we were in the Caribbean with calm seas for the whole cruise, so it's hard to compare seaworthiness.

And neither Spirit nor Shadow ever felt crowded to us. We never waited for an elevator on either, tenders rarely had more than a couple of dozen people in them, and the bars only fill up right before dinner for a short period.

Casino - Spirit's is of course larger and feels more like a casino. On Shadow, the casino feels like someone set up some a few tables and slot machines in their basement. However, the casino bar on Shadow is much better than on Spirit. On Spirit, it is four stools on the casino floor and does not open until 9:30 pm. But on Shadow, it has ten seats in a separate room and opens at 6:30 for pre-dinner cocktails - a nice alternative to The Bar.

Panorama Bar - We like this space on Shadow better, mainly because of the large dance floor and bar with stools. Spirit has no stools at the bar and little atmosphere. However, and this is a big However, Spirit has the aft outdoor portion of the lounge with shaded group seating and regular bar service - one of our favorite places on the ship. Shadow has a few seats with little shade.

Le Champagne - Never have dined here, but the space is much nicer on Spirit.

La Terrazza - This is the hardest comparison for us to figure out, so we'll just call it a tie. We like both dining rooms although the buffet areas are slightly different. On Shadow though, it just did not seem like anyone was ever in charge, especially during dinner. We are dinner there twice, and the service was very slow - not the fault of the servers, but the kitchen. They have two dinner menus that they rotate every five days, but nothing we ate stood out as memorable. For dinner, they claim they are fully booked, but the room is less than a third full. They seat everyone around the windows (and outside) and no one in the center of the room, even during breakfast and lunch. On Spirit it was a well managed machine, especially during dinner. We heard that Donato is moving from the Spirit to the Shadow this month, so we believe things will improve.

The Restaurant - We like the rooms on both ships. Of course, it is larger on Spirit, but a little fancier on Shadow. Service was great as it usually is for tables for two, and the food good. We wish there were more selections on the menu though. Usually only four selections for dinner plus the always available items on the left side of the menu. There is always a "chef's special" option, and as on Spirit, one night it was Spaghetti & Meatballs - not our idea of something special on a luxury ship. Wines were good at all meals, but don't go by us as all wines taste good to us.

Boutiques - Did not step foot in them.

Connoisseur's Corner - Larger with better seating on Spirit. But Shadow's has windows!

The Bar - The physical bar is larger on Shadow with more stools and the room does not feel like it is part of the lobby as it does on Spirit. Furniture is the same and we enjoy both spaces.

In summary, we would recommend both ships and would not hesitate to sail on either. Talking with others on board, it seems those who sailed on Spirit first liked that ship better, mainly because of the greater variety in dining options. But those who sailed on Shadow/Whisper first and later on Spirit, did not like Spirit at all. Us, we're not picky.

Thank you nfcu for the excellent side by side comparison of the two ships! Very well thought out and well presented!

Lovin' this thread. Please keep it coming. Specifically, did you feel that the larger Spirit provided a more smooth sailing? Did the Spirit ever feel crowded compared to the Shadow?

We went through category 2 hurricanes on the Spirit (maiden crossing 2010) and the Shadow's twin, the Whisper (last fall). Both handled the seas very well. But the newer Spirit is the more stable. CC friend Doug Burns, who has the qualifications to be an authority on such things, has described the Spirit as the most stable ship on the seas.

Pool Area - Shadow has more tables than Spirit and less loungers. The pool area also feels more crowded, which makes sense as this is a smaller ship. There is also more shaded areas for loungers on Spirit. One thing we do not like on Shadow is the tacky fake grass covering on decks 9 and 10. What happened to teak?

 

Art - Shadow's walls in public areas are covered with "art", most of it for sale with a price tag attached. Spirit's walls are mostly bare as we remember. We prefer the stark look of Spirit.

Agree with you comment on the pool deck, however the Spirit carries an extra 160 guests and the pool deck is not 40% larger. Even with a guest level of 440-450 it is really crowded on a hot day. One thing that I really did not like was the spread of sun loungers and sun worshipers to the back of the Panorama deck.

On the Art front I was given to believe that there is now art on the Spirit too.

And the 'tacky grass' is much kinder on the feet of walkers and joggers than teak!

Yes, there is art for sale, hanging in the public areas.

I would sail either the Shadow or the Spirit, basing my choice on itinerary. I do like the Shadow Veranda suites better. They are wider, which gives more room at the foot of the bed. Also, the bathroom has double sinks, which is nice.

Deck 10 is faux teak. It is a sheet of some synthetic material made to look like teak. I prefer the faux teak since the astroturf can hold water longer after being washed or a storm.

Another safety feature of the "fake grass" is that is does not tend to be slippery when wet like teak can be.

But the fake grass on Shadow is really showing its age with exposed and buckled seams and small holes. Was the grass always there for the past 15 years or is there something like faux teak underneath?

But the fake grass on Shadow is really showing its age with exposed and buckled seams and small holes. Was the grass always there for the past 15 years or is there something like faux teak underneath?

I believe that the astroturf is affixed directly to the metal deck. I don't believe there was ever faux teak on the Shadow, but there may have been real teak at some point.

We are currently on the Spirit having had our previous 2 cruises on the Whisper and Shadow.

Plus points for Spirit:

Stars supper club.

Larger outdoor areas.

Prefer Spirit Humidor.

Better Vista cabin positions (not as far forward)

? slightly smoother, quieter progress.

For Shadow.

More homely public areas.

Terraza brighter.

And that's about it. We've decided we like each equally. Not much help!