Silversea's new revamped boutiques

Want to find a quiet spot on a SS ship where you can relax for hours on sea days? Then go to one of the new and "upgraded"(?) boutique venues!

Based on our recent cruise on the Wind these were always deserted, to the point where the staff loitered in the corridor outside, utterly bored in the vain hope of luring in gullible punters! With t-shirts from China priced at $75, the products are not value for money. I am sure that the majority of SS passengers do not come on a cruise to buy Armani clothing - they would do so before embarking!

Should you require the small household/medical items, like headache tablets, plasters etc, don't forget to bring them - some of the items are locked away and available on request, but no where as many products as previously.

Master Echo

$1,000 bags and $45,000 watches!

Even the onboard cobbler does more business.

Thanks for your comments - let's hope Silversea kick them into touch!

Kindest regards

Master Echo

I wonder how much of those $1000 bags and $45000 watches goes to the owner's wife's charity?

Last day of my recent cruise I saw lots of the crew in the boutiques. Citizen watches were on sale at a heavy discount. So with a crew discount plus the additional discount, the watches seemed to be moving.

I doubt there were any 45 k watches on sale.

True the boutiques are fairly empty for the most part...but aren't they leased space to the LVH group?

The other really quiet place on this segment is the casino, from Cape town to Barbados only 2 people ever went in to gamble, and not every day. Now we have 5.

The contract, I heard, is only 2 years. Good gig for the sales staff.

I'm not sure it is a good gig. There is nothing more boring than having to go and sit and do nothing. Or worse, make busy work.

Just disembarked the Spirit on Saturday. Boutiques quiet. They had a fashion show of their merchandise in the Panorama Lounge which was lovely, but not a single price was quoted. I doubt if it did much to improve sales.

I'd be curious to know if they sell anything. Other than duty free perfume we have not seen anyone even browsing to any serious degree. Do they really think the savvy SS traveller will be seduced by overpriced baubles?

Just disembarked the Spirit on Saturday. Boutiques quiet. They had a fashion show of their merchandise in the Panorama Lounge which was lovely, but not a single price was quoted. I doubt if it did much to improve sales.

These fashion shows were going on long before the new concessionaire joined Silversea. I found them really inappropriate as they interrupted conversation during afternoon tea. People come for tea, not for a sales presentation. But the boutique has a captive audience for the sales presentation. This practice seems to have been an early manifestation of growing commercialism on the line -- selling art, sales/diamond consultants, the cobbler, specials on products from the spa promoted with PA announcements, etc.

Do they really think the savvy SS traveller will be seduced by overpriced baubles?

The savvy SS traveler has left the boat.

I can see how a regular tea sipper would be annoyed with the show, but it was a fun event for some. Especially the models (for an hour).

The savvy SS traveler has left the boat.

 

I can see how a regular tea sipper would be annoyed with the show, but it was a fun event for some. Especially the models (for an hour).

And where does the savvy traveler go?????

Whilst making reservations today on the MySilversea website, I noticed a questionnaire that tries to measure the luxury goods passengers would like to see Silversea carry on board in the boutiques. For those interested in providing your feedback, you can find it within the "My Bookings" section of My.Silversea.com. it contains seven questions.

Whilst making reservations today on the ...MySilversea website, I noticed a questionnaire...it contains seven questions...

It needs an eighth:

8. Are the new boutiques a waste of space?

What a daft questionnaire - it assumes all you want is expensive brand name goods, it just seems to want to know which brands to carry. I answered 'I don't waste my money on brand name items' at the bottom of most questions.

What a daft questionnaire - it assumes all you want is expensive brand name goods, it just seems to want to know which brands to carry. I answered 'I don't waste my money on brand name items' at the bottom of most questions.

So did I.

The brand names I plan to enter are Snickers, Pringles and M&Ms!

Oh please do wripro! :) That gave me the giggles!

It needs an eighth:

 

8. Are the new boutiques a waste of space?

Hi TTS....hope you and Mrs Sunset are well.

I actually quite liked the main boutique on the Spirit but didn't much care for the jewellery store which l did think a waste of space. Whist I wouldn't like to see a load of tack, it would be nice to have more interesting stuff to browse through...particularly on those long sea days! ;)

S:)

Silverseanew revamped boutiques

What SS needs is the logo items returned to the ship boutiques.

Shirts, collared and tee, tote bags, crystal star ornaments, etc.

All the things we have from the first few years, still have and are asked 'where can I get that'. They continue to fix things that are not broken.

Although most discerning SS guests dislike the new boutiques and their extremely expensive 'stuff', it is interesting to note that on the last leg of the world cruise on the Whisper they hit their sales targets. This may have been down to cruise credit being used up. But the salesgirl I talked to also hit her targets on the crossing to Southampton and was expecting to really make money on the shorter Baltic cruises.

I agree with all your comments - lets hope this company bites the dust, sooner rather than later!!

However, I was sorry that Stern is no longer on SS. Apparently I was told that everyone has already bought everything they want from this company!! I wish I had.

Kindest regards

Master Echo

Master echo, the company who is in charge or renting from Silversea is the prestigious LVMH group. Many if not all of their brands are in the boutiques.

I don't think LVMH is going anywhere soon, but they may decide they have underestimated the clientele aboard the Silversea line.

I saw more crew in the boutiques than pax on the last cruise, as there was a huge sale on citizen watches.

The crew got their discount on top of another very large discount.

I admit, I did look in the boutiques for items to purchase, since we had a large onboard credit to use up...

H Stern has always been known for the quality of their colored stones. The supply is diminishing, ergo...not much interest.