Recent Cloud Voyage

I have been mostly lurking and benefiiting from all of your discussions. I just completed an online survey for Silversea and thought it worth sharing a slighty edited version of my summary, while not a review I think it sums up the experience.

Our recent trip was on the Cloud Rome-Barcelona)and I am delighted that it is going into dry dock, no real problems but refreshing is needed. The ship did seem crowded and in the restaurant and la terraza the staff seemed stressed and over worked. We had a great butler and the main bar bartender and the pool bar bartender were excellent. The food at the pool bar is unacceptable! Enjoyed dinner in the restaurant and in le champagne where the staff, particularly the maitre d' is excellent. Our prevous cruise had been on the Whisper, following drydock, the Whisper is all round a more comfortable ship particularly in its spacious public areas. There is obivous nickel and diming going on, no bottle of champagne waiting for us, we were offered a bottle of processco instead and our otherwise great butler suggested black label as our room scotch, he did agree to upgrade. On our previous cruise Aberlour was included in the main bar where now you are restricted to glenfiddich and glenmorangie (Aberour is $12), both reasaonable but... Embarkation and disembarkation were effortless, staff was friendly and helpful and I would not hesitate to travel with Silversea again. The reality is that this is a very comfortable cruise line suited for middle aged and up travellers not looking for huge ships and thousands of entertainiment possibilities. That being said I do not feel that it is currently delivering a five star experience. This is still a great line but deliviering at 85% instead of the the 105% percent that the reputation suggests that you should expect.

Thanks for your candid review. We are embarking on our first Silver Sea Cruise on the Cloud on Sunday! We will keep an open mind as we are aware this ship is scheduled for drydock refurbishment later this year. We are looking forward to the Silver Sea experience.

We just returned from 3 weeks on the Cloud and had a wonderful experience. While I agree with the previous poster that the food at the pool bar is not as good as it should be, I am hopeful that following the dry dock, the installation of a real galley to serve the pool deck, and the addition of Hot Rocks, the pool deck dining will be up to the standard on the other SS ships.

We were pleasantly surprised at how good the interior of the ship looked given some of the negative comments on cc.com. The carpets were clean, albeit in need of restretching, and the furniture was in good shape (at least as good as in my home). There were some mechanical problems especially with plumbing during our trip which caused some people to have a less than pleasant experience. However, she ship was full, SS could not move passengers easily. I believe they did the best they could under the circumstances.

We all have likes and dislikes based on our individual preferences for the type of cruise experience we want to have. For our money (and this was a very inexpensive cruise), we feel that SS delivered as good a product as possible given the ship's need for dry dock and the full passenger complement.

The only negative I could say was that due to the attractive pricing of the three cruises, a different passenger demographic was on board.

We just returned from 3 weeks on the Cloud and had a wonderful experience. While I agree with the previous poster that the food at the pool bar is not as good as it should be, I am hopeful that following the dry dock, the installation of a real galley to serve the pool deck, and the addition of Hot Rocks, the pool deck dining will be up to the standard on the other SS ships.

 

We were pleasantly surprised at how good the interior of the ship looked given some of the negative comments on cc.com. The carpets were clean, albeit in need of restretching, and the furniture was in good shape (at least as good as in my home). There were some mechanical problems especially with plumbing during our trip which caused some people to have a less than pleasant experience. However, she ship was full, SS could not move passengers easily. I believe they did the best they could under the circumstances.

 

We all have likes and dislikes based on our individual preferences for the type of cruise experience we want to have. For our money (and this was a very inexpensive cruise), we feel that SS delivered as good a product as possible given the ship's need for dry dock and the full passenger complement.

 

The only negative I could say was that due to the attractive pricing of the three cruises, a different passenger demographic was on board.

Although we were on the Shadow I will agree with the OP, this was not a special experience. Our cruise was very expensive and have to wonder what you are referring to by the comment

"different demographics " with reference to the passengers. Is this the Silversea attitude. I thought I was totally mislead in what luxury is and they have scaled down on food, service, etc. luxury should include getting your sheets changed everyday not every 3 or 4.

To DMCruiser and others booked on forthcoming cruises, please be assured that despite my complaints which in the scheme of things are minor you will have a great time. We greatly enjoyed the cruise, were unaware of a "different demographic" than our previous SS voyage and received good service. Nothing is perfect but with some effort Silversea could come close. Have a fabulous holiday.

Although we were on the Shadow I will agree with the OP, this was not a special experience. Our cruise was very expensive and have to wonder what you are referring to by the comment

"different demographics " with reference to the passengers. Is this the Silversea attitude. I thought I was totally mislead in what luxury is and they have scaled down on food, service, etc. luxury should include getting your sheets changed everyday not every 3 or 4.

No "attitude" intended! The passengers were generally younger and much more casually attired than on other SS cruises we've taken (jeans in the MDR on formal night!). We don't usually take 7 day cruises, so possibly this is normal for shorter cruises. However, I was disappointed to see that a few passengers drank far in excess of their ability to behave appropriately.

No "attitude" intended! The passengers were generally younger and much more casually attired than on other SS cruises we've taken (jeans in the MDR on formal night!). We don't usually take 7 day cruises, so possibly this is normal for shorter cruises. However, I was disappointed to see that a few passengers drank far in excess of their ability to behave appropriately.

Well, younger is good. However I really do not care how much people drink, it is their business.........oh we also didn't get the bottle of champage.

Victoria/Emtbsam, absolutely concur with your observation on seven day voyages--we had precisely the same observation last month on a seven day Athens to Istanbul voyage on Regent's voyager--shorts in the main dining room, flip flops after 6 pm in the Observation lounge. Within 24 hours of arriving home, as you probably remember, we canceled our seven day Spirit voyage Rome to Barcelona prior to our fall 2013 Spirit crossing.

No "attitude" intended! The passengers were generally younger and much more casually attired than on other SS cruises we've taken (jeans in the MDR on formal night!). We don't usually take 7 day cruises, so possibly this is normal for shorter cruises. However, I was disappointed to see that a few passengers drank far in excess of their ability to behave appropriately.

I'm shocked (jeans in MDR on formal night!) -- should not have been allowed. I've seen men turned away from MDR just to get a jacket for informal nights.

The dress code should be enforced at all times -- if not by the maitre d' I would have asked for the hotel director or captain. I'm not kidding !!! Relaxation of standards will result in decline of the Silversea brand and defection of long time loyal guests - me.

I hope this was just an anomaly on this short segment.

I so agree with you, Emtbsam and Col. Wes, and hope that Silversea is reading these comments. We no longer take the short 7-day cruises either, even though we used to book back-to-back 7-day cruises just to have the longer Silversea experience we craved; today I'm afraid it might mean twice the disappointment, in some ways.

Dusababy, thank you for articulating how action from management would have (and should have) remedied the dress code situation. Some high-end lines don't require strict standards of attire, which is fine, but Silversea passengers know that a dress code is still part of this line's lifestyle. It's one thing to dress within "the spirit of the law," but jeans in the MDR on formal night is pretty flagrant. What a shame that the staff chose not to enforce it. What message does that send to the others?

Silversea really does try to maintain exceptional service and standards, even in the face of this tough economy. There's a lot they're doing right. But filling cabins is the bottom line, and I'm beginning to fear they could reach a point of no return, when a newer crowd ends up re-defining the line and long-loyal passengers defect to other ships, along with their bulging wallets and abundant time for leisure.

We are not retired yet, and do have to choose where we spend our vacation dollars, so I am reading this thread with some trepidation. We are also booked on our third SS cruise which is leaving in just about 2 weeks.

I know that the ship is older, but I can overlook cosmetic issues. I would miss the welcome bottle of champagne, but I am not too shy to ask for one. A flooded bathroom, however, would put a crimp in my mood, even with a fully stocked cabin fridge.

We like to dress up, and while I do realize that others do not like to dress for dinner, there are other options. Unless the traveler cannot read, it should be clear that there is a dress 'code' that is suggested for each night in the MDR. Certainly, one cannot sneak in and seat oneself. The maitre d' could have firmly suggested that the jeans wearer might want to change as the evening was semi formal or formal and jeans were not acceptable. (Is it possible that this was someone whose luggage had been lost or delayed? We met a gentlemen who had this happen, and he had to supplement what was in his carry on from the shops until his luggage finally reached him.)

I am expecting that we will have a wonderful cruise. I can deal with passengers wearing jeans and a few who can't hold their Grey Goose, but I will be disappointed if the overall quality of what SS has been offering is diminished. And I could not get over a flooded bathroom! (recurring nightmare!)

Well, younger is good. However I really do not care how much people drink, it is their business.........oh we also didn't get the bottle of champage.

Merriem,

Why didn't you ask for a bottle of champagne? I've never been denied multiple bottles of differing varieties during our cruises.

Something has to give when prices are being constantly reduced. The price of our cruise was reduced an additional $3500 after we had booked it. We initially booked the cruise because we like the itinerary. I make no bones about the fact that I prefer Seabourn, however Silverseas includes a sizeable shipboard credit and their prices are more competitive than others in their class. I did find that dinners on SS were generally excellent. Breakfast and lunch buffets were repetitious.so we eat in the dining room at times. As our cruise is port intensive and we like to try the local cuisine this is not that much of a problem. I wish that they learn how to make a decent pancake though.

There are members of the crew that are superior. Myra, the bartender on the Cloud is a name that comes to mind. Even though the crew is efficient they do lack the refinement of Seabourn.

I look forward to meeting the passengers whom I always find to be highly educated and extremely interesting. Frankly, we never finish the champagne so, giving us a full bottle is truly a waste.

7-day cruises on any 'up-market' ship in the Med. are not a particularly good idea, whether they be Regent, Seabourn or Silversea. The cruise lines are competing in a fierce market and standards are slipping (that includes the passengers, unfortunately). In the school holidays (that means, in Europe, second week of July to first week of September) these 7-day short hops are full of kids, on ships not geared for catering for children. Avoid. And if you do a back-to-back to make a 14-day cruise expect double-trouble!!!

I agree with all that has been said here regarding dress code. On a recent 11 day trip Istanbul to Athens we were "shocked" to see a couple in their dressing gowns eating at Hot Rocks. I know this is a casual dining venue but we did feel that this was taking the dress code a bit far and did actually complain. On the upside a bottle of champagne was provided in our suite on arrival and our butler ensured that there was always a fresh bottle in our fridge. We have only done one seven day cruise with Silversea in the Med and that was in late June on Whisper and we said after that cruise that we would never do a seven day cruise again. We did the crossing on Spirit last October and the majority of guests were Venetian Society members. Many of the crew told us that they breathe a sigh of relief when the seven day Med cruises are over and how nice it was to have so many "regulars" on board.

Yes, Cotto22, it is a fearsome possiblilty that the passenger in jeans in the MDR had lost his luggage. In which case, if I were the maitre d', I would have made it a point to seat him ... at the captain's table!

Yes, on our shadow cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong there was a very large group with a well know last name, and lots of young adults. What a shame. Those kids were dressed in very short shorts, additionally another fat wallet was running around in his robe on deck when we arrived in Saigon, another one you snobs would have removed.

Yes, on our shadow cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong there was a very large group with a well know last name, and lots of young adults. What a shame. Those kids were dressed in very short shorts, additionally another fat wallet was running around in his robe on deck when we arrived in Saigon, another one you snobs would have removed.

Oh Merriem - why did you have to say that? :(

Plus, she is so perfectly wrong. That group of young people were very well behaved and always properly dressed when within my field of vision

Agree with the food comments, but changing the bed linens every day.....good luck anywhere.

The first time I sailed on the Cloud in June 1994 when she was barely two months old I had returned one day from a shore excursion and wanted to get a diet coke before showering and changing for dinner. I stopped in to the Bar at 6:01PM and was immediately told I had to leave because the formal dress code starts at 6. I guess those days are over.

Yes, Cotto22, it is a fearsome possiblilty that the passenger in jeans in the MDR had lost his luggage. In which case, if I were the maitre d', I would have made it a point to seat him ... at the captain's table!

It is true that one of the couples had not yet received their luggage. Once they did their luggage arrived, they made their own formal night - the gentleman in a kilt and the lady in a lovely gown.

However, several other couples seemed to have brought nothing but jeans and shorts. On formal evening, one man wore a windbreaker with his jeans since jackets were required in the MDR.

Call me a snob if you will, but the dress code on SS is well advertised in advance of the cruise. IMHO, if you don't want to dress appropriately, there are other less formal cruise lines among which to choose.

Well, younger is good. However I really do not care how much people drink, it is their business.........oh we also didn't get the bottle of champage.

I do care if someone's loud, drunken behavior in Le Champagne spoils the serenity of my evening.

It is true that one of the couples had not yet received their luggage. Once they did their luggage arrived, they made their own formal night - the gentleman in a kilt and the lady in a lovely gown.

 

However, several other couples seemed to have brought nothing but jeans and shorts. On formal evening, one man wore a windbreaker with his jeans since jackets were required in the MDR.

 

Call me a snob if you will, but the dress code on SS is well advertised in advance of the cruise. IMHO, if you don't want to dress appropriately, there are other less formal cruise lines among which to choose.

I do not own an evening gown, but have a wardrobe of lovely clothing and we saw no one that was not dressed properly. I found the old silversea cruisers were not dressed up that much, nice but comfortable. Now there were a couple of large men that would stand up in from of the observation lounge with their shirts off, fat bellies exposed, and that was offensive to me...just the the older man in his bathrobe. Now it was a long flight to Singapore even in business class, and I did not see a tux as I think most people do not want to drag all that formal stuff along. IMHO. Oh there was a lady with 500 days and she had on a simple dress.

I hardly think a windbreaker meets the definition of a "jacket" for formal or semi formal evening dress! We were aboard last summer and had no complaints about our fellow passengers at all. We sail in two weeks, so it should be interesting to see if anything has changed.

And, luckily for us, it will probably be too chilly for those large bellied men to remove their shirts in public areas.

We were on the Cloud April 17 - 24 and were with a group of 5 in the mid to early 40's and one 53 year old. We did abide by the dress code (my partner and I, in addition to our suits, packed the tuxes). We had a great time!

I think I mentioned something to our Butler about the Champagne - and later found it in our refrigerator. If you want Champagne, just ask.