Silver Shadow reviews

We are booked on the Silver Shadow for an Alaskan cruise in August. I have (maybe foolishly) continued to read the reviews for the ship. Each review is brutal. I realize that complainers are statistically more likely to post than those who are happy, but I have begun to question our choice. This morning I have even given thought to canceling the trip and paying the penalty.

I have been on HAL, NCL and Carnival. This trip was supposed to be one of pure luxury, "no worries" and no stressing. I have always considered the anticipation of a trip as being half the fun, but these pre-cruise months are tuning into dread.

Are there any positive comments to be said? Or do I just restrict myself in the reading of CC and go back to enjoying the anticipation?

We have sailed on the Shadow many times. We will board again in a few weeks and again in January to escape the winter. If you realize that nothing is perfect, you will enjoy yourself. If you approach the trip with a prepared list (from CC boards) of deficiencies to pursue, you will not enjoy yourself. The crew is the best @sea and they will do everything they can to ensure your comfort. Put a smile on your face and in your heart and go for it!

We're booked on Shadow during September and have been reading the dreadful reviews this week. I'll stay with it for logistical reasons and adjust expectations. I've done about seven Alaskan cruises on SS....four in one year, so a bit familiar with the product.

My advice to you would be to follow your gut and accept the loss. Get on a ship that you can be happy about before boarding. There is way too much money involved to risk 7+ inferior days on a ship that second string management can do nothing about.

doxrok

Your alarm is perfectly understandable ( he says in soothing irritating tones :D ) and I have the following observations to suggest a way through for you to help you decide the solution that might be right for you. Do not be urged on by other people's enthusiasm for the product or tales of woe. Do some more work.

Firstly all comments are both too few in number to be representative of all customers and are completely self-selecting to represent nothing statisticaly that can help you. They do not represent all customers. In particular adverse comments on reviews are likey to edge ahead on the self-selection scale. When peopel are upset they are more likely to say so. So things will possibly always seem worst than they really are. On the other side of the argument is that cheerleaders often simply repeat over and over what is wonderful.

My suggestion is that before you do any further reading you make a very clear list (in order of importance) what are the most important elements of your cruise. But seperate out those elments that are objective and those that are subjective ie those that are what they are and those that are a matter of opinion.

So if for example your first is "ship size" then no adverse or positive comment is going to change that because it is purely objective. The size is what it is. It is either perfect for you or not. Other people's view about size may influence your choice but will not change it's size.

When you get to more subjective issues first of all, try to rationalise what it is that really is important and is going to bug you. But make this list before you read everything again. Then re-read all the reviews and pick out those things that seem believable and plausible and make a note on your physical or mental spreadsheet.

One last thing. Ignore every review that says everything was awful and equally ignore every review that says everything was perfect. Read all the others. Also ignore generalisations and give more wheight to detailed specifics.

This doesn't answer your question purposefully, because no one can except you following a throughtful un-emotive and clinical process, but does it offer you a way of possibly finding a solution that answers it for yourself?

Good luck.:)

duct tape's post hit while mine was being typed. She might be SS's biggest cheerleader on here. I would follow her advice.....and mine if you do not want to make the adjustments she suggests. If a smiling crew is enough to make you happy, have fun.

I don't consider myself a SS cheerleader, just a glass half full type. I would say the same thing about any line if the opportunity presented itself and that is the ship you wanted to board. Form your own opinion and then make future decisions. Enjoy!

The last thing anyone would call me is a Pollyanna or cheerleader, but I have to say, I thought the Silver Shadow was great based upon our May 15-22 sailing. The staff is superb - so nice and friendly. I loved how so many staff members would learn that we liked a certain something and thereafter go out of there way to do special things. I was perfectly happy with our cabin: it was in very good shape and so comfortable. We also were happy with the food for the most part (especially with the options for vegetarians). I didn't have anything I would call less than decent or good, and much of the time it was very good. We had several delicious meals at La Terraza. We found that the ship always felt so uncrowded; no crowd annoyance when viewing glaciers and wildlife and very easy to find a peaceful spot. We had a great Alaska trip - as good or better than the four we have taken before on other lines (I think much better, husband thinks similar/as good to one of the others). I don't know, maybe my standards are low, but I don't understand the negativity about the ship and its service (as opposed to any issues people might have with ports, excursions, etc.).

We are booked on the Silver Shadow for an Alaskan cruise in August. I have (maybe foolishly) continued to read the reviews for the ship. Each review is brutal. I realize that complainers are statistically more likely to post than those who are happy, but I have begun to question our choice. This morning I have even given thought to canceling the trip and paying the penalty.

I have been on HAL, NCL and Carnival. This trip was supposed to be one of pure luxury, "no worries" and no stressing. I have always considered the anticipation of a trip as being half the fun, but these pre-cruise months are tuning into dread.

Are there any positive comments to be said? Or do I just restrict myself in the reading of CC and go back to enjoying the anticipation?

We sailed the Shadow in Alaska a few years ago. It was a terrific cruise and experience. I would not worry about it and it will be a much more luxurious experience to the cruise lines you mentioned.

Remember a few things when you read reviews. As you correctly noted often people with complaints do have a tendency to write reviews about unpleasant experiences than those who had a great time. Just as those who don't care for a product are more likely to tell others about that rather than to tell them about something they liked.

No one can predict what your experience will be like but if it is like ours was I think you will be very pleased.

I would stay the course on this and after you sail let us know what you thought.

Keith

This is the second thread started by the OP., and he / she didn't return to the first one.

As there has been several contributions on this one, hopefully he/she will return and participate.

:)

Thanks for all the replies - many more than I expected in just a day. Because this will be our first luxury cruise, we are not in the position to compare it to a better quality experience of our own.

If the ship turns out to be "seedy", the company can be ashamed of allowing, what I believe to be, a growing luxury market slip through their fingers. I believe we are the beginning of a wave of aging couples who have saved and retired with the funds to enjoy the luxuries. We will never return to the raucous party boats or family-jammed lines.

We'll proceed with our booking, continue to anticipate the trip and will probably keep our expectations a little lower to allow us to be pleasantly surprised.

UKCruiseJeff, your point of choosing what is important for the trip was most helpful. Ship size and staff service were two main points for us. Neither of these were negatives, no matter how harsh the criticism.

As the Alaskan cruise season kicks into high gear, I'm sure we'll see a few more reviews and will be able gather more pros and cons. And really, an Alaskan trip is all about what's outside the ship/cabin and that is spectacular.

Think your approach to this is spot on. A combination of realistic and perhaps lowering expectations is more likely to cause "delight". Not allowing anything to get in the way of enjoying yourselves is key.

:)

Think your approach to this is spot on. A combination of realistic and perhaps lowering expectations is more likely to cause "delight". Not allowing anything to get in the way of enjoying yourselves is key.

 

:)

Jeff, you always provide great posts, but why should anyone lower their expectations on a so called 6 star cruise? It should be a totally thrilling experience to say the least. Oh, thanks for the executive office email.

Jeff, you always provide great posts, but why should anyone lower their expectations on a so called 6 star cruise? It should be a totally thrilling experience to say the least. Oh, thanks for the executive office email.

No probs!

Of course they shouldn't have to lower their expectations, but it represents a choice of either risking being unexpectedly delighted or unexpectedly disappointed. :)

DoxRok: you are coming from non-luxury lines. I believe you will be thrilled, just as I was when I first came to SS.

I travel extensively, often in business class, but I stay at mid-range apartment hotels and my home-life is solidly middle-class.

Many SS pax fly first class (and having flown first class once, I can state there is a world of difference between Lufthansa first and Air Canada's Executive First - which is really a business class product.) They stay at high-end hotels, and dine in Michelin starred restaurants. One person I met had her first trip to a Subway restaurant just before our cruise and couldn't believe the poor quality of this junk, fast, food. Sigh, that's where I eat when I'm eating 'healthy' but this person had never been to a KFC or McDonalds so didn't understand fast food at all.

I remember one heated debate about Mercedes Vs BMW at dinner one night (we only own one car, a Prius.) For someone coming from that background, less than the latest style interior design, and dings in woodwork may be off-putting.

But for me, the service is amazing. The ship is lovely and clean. The food is excellent (in small doses, after a few weeks I get tired of it) and the passengers, for the most part, are incredibly interesting. So different from mainstream cruisers.

I'd stick with the reservation and have a wonderful time.

Enjoy not having to worry about who will pick up the tab if you invite someone to meet you in the bar. Enjoy your fresh towel service multiple times a day. Enjoy the food options and the pampering. For us, we are transported into another world to play at dress-up and dining for a few weeks while touring the world in style. There may be better lines out there but, when I consider price, service and itinerary, there's no better choice for us.

DoxRok: you are coming from non-luxury lines. I believe you will be thrilled, just as I was when I first came to SS.

 

I travel extensively, often in business class, but I stay at mid-range apartment hotels and my home-life is solidly middle-class.

 

Many SS pax fly first class (and having flown first class once, I can state there is a world of difference between Lufthansa first and Air Canada's Executive First - which is really a business class product.) They stay at high-end hotels, and dine in Michelin starred restaurants. One person I met had her first trip to a Subway restaurant just before our cruise and couldn't believe the poor quality of this junk, fast, food. Sigh, that's where I eat when I'm eating 'healthy' but this person had never been to a KFC or McDonalds so didn't understand fast food at all.

 

I remember one heated debate about Mercedes Vs BMW at dinner one night (we only own one car, a Prius.) For someone coming from that background, less than the latest style interior design, and dings in woodwork may be off-putting.

 

But for me, the service is amazing. The ship is lovely and clean. The food is excellent (in small doses, after a few weeks I get tired of it) and the passengers, for the most part, are incredibly interesting. So different from mainstream cruisers.

 

I'd stick with the reservation and have a wonderful time.

 

Enjoy not having to worry about who will pick up the tab if you invite someone to meet you in the bar. Enjoy your fresh towel service multiple times a day. Enjoy the food options and the pampering. For us, we are transported into another world to play at dress-up and dining for a few weeks while touring the world in style. There may be better lines out there but, when I consider price, service and itinerary, there's no better choice for us.

Totally agree Kate -- you hit all the important points -- nothing is perfect, evidently not even Mercedes or BMW....

Totally agree Kate -- you hit all the important points -- nothing is perfect, evidently not even Mercedes or BMW....

Ditto, fully agree with both posts. It is all about one's perspective and expectations. Other than a few stained carpets, I did not notice anything that caused me concern or tarnished my experience. But then, I don't go looking for trouble and, perhaps, allowed my continual joy about Alaska's beauty and majesty to let me experience my trip as if I were wearing rose-colored glasses throughout.

Our last cruise was a first on Crystal Symphony and we were delighted with most things especially the service, food and our fellow passengers. We fancy a cruise through the Panama Canal on the Silver Shadow next April and have read more negative comments than I would have expected. We want to go ahead and would be more confident if any of you have any more recent positive experiences to report.

Also the cruise (3058) has a bridge theme and we hope we wouldn't feel out of place as non card players!

I hope as a forum novice I've posted this in the right place but apologies if not.

Best wishes

Tom

Our last cruise was a first on Crystal Symphony and we were delighted with most things especially the service, food and our fellow passengers. We fancy a cruise through the Panama Canal on the Silver Shadow next April and have read more negative comments than I would have expected. We want to go ahead and would be more confident if any of you have any more recent positive experiences to report.

Also the cruise (3058) has a bridge theme and we hope we wouldn't feel out of place as non card players!

I hope as a forum novice I've posted this in the right place but apologies if not.

Best wishes

Tom

Tom, don't worry about bridge. A lot of other guests will feel the same. They have beginner classes most sea days, just show-up for the first one and learn a new game... It's a little harder than you may think, so plan on devoting some time to figure out, how strategy plays into it.

Tom, don't worry about bridge. A lot of other guests will feel the same. They have beginner classes most sea days, just show-up for the first one and learn a new game... It's a little harder than you may think, so plan on devoting some time to figure out, how strategy plays into it.

Or not. Bridge is not mandatory and there are relatively few players out of the entire passenger list. Avid bridge players welcome "bridge cruises" but there are lots of other activities to whet your interest.

We have and are spending a lot of time on the Shadow this year and next. Nothing is perfect! What's not to like? Enjoy and form your own opinion.

Tom

The bridge symbol just means there will be certified bridge instructors. If you have never played before, a cruise is a great time to stick your toe in the water and learn the very basics of the game. If you don't you won't recognize any differences from a cruise without bridge.

Thanks for all your prompt responses.

We've still to make a final decision but we are reassured that we don't have to be bridge "nuts" to enjoy the cruise - no. 3508 as I managed to put wrong number in my original post!

I sailed on the Shadow last August (Alaska). This was my first "smaller ship" experience and I absolutely LOVED it!!

Mind you, I'm not quite as picky as some...but I love to have fun and that's what I got. FUN.....GREAT staff and service!:D

Has anyone dined in this specialty restaurant? It says $40 reservation charge. Is there a charge for anything additional, like wine. Since you get wine with meals in the other restaurants, you would think you also get wine with this restaurant. Just want a confirmation that is the case before making a reservation. Any information will be appreciated.

You do get wine now. Once upon a time there was a $200 charge pp for Le Champagne and they poured special wines. Then they changed the policy to where you had to buy wine off the premium list. Now they've changed again to including the same wine as the main restaurant.