pasca

Thank you, Dawntrdr, for that explanation. I would never have found that information on my own, much appreciated.  I will share that information with our travel companions and perhaps "jump ship" to a different cruise.  I believe the Muse has a similar itinerary, or perhaps Seabourn has something to suit.

Zqtchase, I'm glad you are enjoying your trip!

Very intriguing...I've scrolled through the forum for the last few months and did not find the post you were referring to, Stumblefoot.  However, the Silversea website shows the Whisper fully scheduled through early 2025. 

The last dozen or so reviews are largely negative.  So, yes, worrying.

"It looks like Whisper is sort of the "Stepchild" of the SS line.  It's sister ship was renovated, and the Arts Cafe added (the Arts Cafe is a HUGE addition) along with updating.   Whisper needs it. "

We have plans to cruise on the Whisper in 1/24.  Getting concerned.  Does anyone know if the ship is planned for retirement and they are just trying to squeeze in more cruises?  Or if it is scheduled for "Musification'-- and if so, when?

I've been looking through reviews of the Silver Whisper with some anxiety.  Some, like your review, talk about poor food and service.  Others go into great detail about a dated, run down ship showing signs of wear and tear.

We are strongly considering a long (for us) cruise on the Whisper for January of 2024, along with family members who have already booked that cruise.  These reviews are giving me pause. 

Does anyone know if this ship is planned for retirement and is therefore being neglected? Or is a full refurbishment--a Musification-- in the plans?  The cruise to NZ and Australia sounds great on paper-- and we'd love to spend time with family-- but we don't want to waste money on a poor trip.

I'd love advice on this.  Thanks!

Thanks Terry, for your feedback on the exact cruise we are planning!  My husband will be glad to pack just a sportcoat and slacks!  With a tie, this was okay even on formal nights? If so, he can leave the suit at home this time, and maybe we can get by with a 21" carry on bag each.  It is annoying to have to check a bag for a 7 day trip.

Thanks, everyone.  This has given me a clearer idea of what is appropriate to wear throughout the day. (It's been a while since I was on board and I just couldn't remember, if I ever noticed in the first place, what people were wearing during the day.)

Now I can convey this to son and partner and see if this is a vacation they will truly enjoy.

Kimanjo, I love that idea!  We will definitely look into buying some of those Marmot Arch pants.  My son has been to Iceland, and my husband and I took an amazing trip/cruise in Tierra del Fuego (Tierra Patagonia + Australis cruise, couldn't recommend more highly), so we probably already own some appropriate clothing.  Much of it looks WAY more casual than jeans, though...sounds like it would be fine anyway during the day.

The evening dress code, while not my cup of tea, isn't that hard to manage. I guess I'd rather have to dress up a bit than see some of the awful clothes we've seen lately in the best, most elegant resort restaurants in Southern California.  Ripped up jeans, short shorts, flip flops, T shirts showing ample belly...I could go on.  But I do like a nice pair of dark jeans worn with a collared shirt.

I just looked at those pants.  They look great-- almost nice enough for the dining room on casual nights.

Thank you, everybody!  I appreciate your experience and your help. 

Before 6 pm is the big issue-- being able to have breakfast, lunch, relax on board, etc in nice jeans and t-shirts.  Dinner and after 6, not really a problem to change into a pair of slacks and collared shirt.  I doubt any of us will partake of "formal night"-- we like La Terrazza a lot, and less to pack.  So a pair of slacks, sport coat and a couple of collared shirts should do the very casual 30 something son just fine.  His family may be having room service many evenings anyway, as his child may be exhausted by 7 pm after a long day of excursions.

Observer, my Travel Agent sent me a doc from Silversea with their rather quaint dress guidelines...trousersuits for ladies, anyone? It only specified evening attire (no jeans), but didn't really address daytime attire.

I've been enjoying travelling with you...vicariously, that is, Lois!

Glad to hear your observations re the Carribean. Did you notice if the shorts were okay at lunch and breakfast too?  And did you notice if Tshirts were okay (nicer ones, that is)?

Looking forward  to hear about your trip to Alaska!  Unfortunately, by then we will need to have submitted our non-refundable deposit...which adds up with a party of 5.  Which is why I want to make sure everyone is REALLY onboard with Silversea. 

Hello,

We have planned, but not yet booked, a Silversea cruise to Alaska on the Muse in 2023; this time, a family trip including a 30-something son and his young family.  We are Californians for whom "5 Star resort wear" typically includes nice jeans (new, no holes) or nice shorts.  For my husband and myself, conforming to a more traditional casual attire, per the Silversea published guidelines, was a small price to pay to enjoy the delights of a Silversea cruise-- though frankly not a feature we enjoyed.  

The published guidelines for Casual wear state "no jeans" and shorts are not mentioned.  On a phone call, a company rep said that jeans and shorts are indeed permitted onboard.  So I'm confused.

For those of you who have been on the more casual itineraries (Alaska specifically), and noticed what people were wearing, can you tell me if jeans and shorts were indeed seen onboard, and in some restaurant areas at breakfast and lunch?  My son and family would probably want to wear jeans or other outdoor wear for hikes and other active activities-- and the logistics of changing between breakfast/lunch and an active activity seem somewhat challenging. Changing for the evening into nicer attire would not present a problem--or they could do room service or the pizza place.

I'm asking for your observations on this matter, as we need to make a deposit shortly, and I need to make sure my son and his significant other are really onboard with the requirements, and would enjoy such a cruise.  If not, we will plan a different family vacation-- though probably not a cruise, as my husband will only go on the luxury lines, with a small ship.

I know that there are strongly held opinions on the Silversea dress code among frequent contributers here, and many debates on these pages.  I hope not to start another one.  I just want to know, from those who have paid attention to attire on this itinerary,  if jeans and shorts are fairly common on board during the day.

Thanks!

And thank you FauxNom for the link to much more information. Booking tomorrow! So exciting to be planning travel again, especially this amazing cruise.

I got the email despite having only two previous cruises. But lots of Silversea emails end up in my spam folder— it’s pretty random— and I am guessing this happens with everyone.

Since we are on the topic of rules and courtesy, can I ask a question about my pet peeve? There seems to be a relatively recent “custom” of grabbing and keeping unreserved, choice spots (from seats at a graduation, to loungers at a resort pool) by placing  an item on the desired spot and then leaving, often for hours.  Is this common on Silversea cruises?  And if all the pool loungers have been grabbed in this way (by folks who seem absent from the pool area), is it a felony to remove the item and use the lounger?

I got the email despite having only two previous cruises. But lots of Silversea emails end up in my spam folder— it’s pretty random— and I am guessing this happens with everyone.

Thanks, Unibok, very helpful! The smaller ship also means that the port for Bangkok is a short drive into the city, rather than 2-3 hours away. We are getting excited about this itinerary,whether this Venetian Society sailing or the one a few weeks earlier.

Thanks everyone for that information.  We’ve only had two cruises with Silversea — I was hoping it would include some special onshore events. The date actually isn’t great as it includes Thanksgiving, and there is an earlier cruise with the same itinerary. I think we will consider that one instead.

I love this itinerary, especially as it is on a small ship (Shadow, I think) and can dock closer to Bangkok.

Anyone done this or similar itineraries? Would love your opinions and advice. I’m a relative newbie to cruises and have never been to Asia.

I recently got an email about the two 2022 Venetian Society cruises. The one to Southeast Asia looks very appealing. Has anyone been on a Venetian Society sailing, and know what the benefits are? Are there special shore events that provide added value?

 Thanks for any information.

Thanks RallyDave, that's helpful.

Apologize in advance for barging into this conversation...

I've been lurking on the Seabourn forum, trying to decide if Seabourn might be a good fit for our next cruise (have been on Silversea).  I have a couple of questions on this thread:

1.  Do independent travel agencies obtain better rates for you than booking directly with Seabourn?

2.  What is OB, a cabin category? : "In addition, the OB is now $2999 pp. "  

Thanks much.
 

Thank you, well seasoned.

Terry, thanks for telling us exactly what you'll be bringing on that cruise.  Good to have your experience and wisdom as someone with many SS cruises.  This will just be our second, and we are taking the same cruise on a different date. Given that we need to bring so much cold-weather gear on this trip, and that we are doing an independent land tour in the week before our cruise, it is VERY good to know that my husband won't need to bring a suit!  Just a nice blazer or sportcoat and a few ties.  An a few cocktail length dresses for me that will be suitable on both formal and informal nights.  (And for the formal-optional night, I believe we are going to La Terraza or Blue Note.)

We are casual native southern Californians, and although we are in our Medicare years, we have little personal experience with very dressy expectations, outside of business occasions and the rare black tie wedding. An attractive short sleeve sport shirt is sufficient to be appropriate for the nicest LA area restaurants we can think of...though my husband often will wear a sport coat and a tieless shirt.  So we do appreciate your advice.

Thanks!  I assumed there would be a place on My Silversea Preferences, based on what our butler said.  It was no problem last time ... he asked our preferences and had most of them there within a few hours.  In fact, he amazed us:  My husband asked if the ship stocked his favorite soda, Diet Dr. Pepper.  It did not.  Fine, don't worry about it, Diet Coke will do.   But our butler passed on the request, and someone, somehow, located Diet Dr. Pepper somewhere in Thessaloniki and delivered it to our minibar.  Way beyond the call of duty, but awfully nice.

Thanks, everyone.  Looking more carefully at the excursion descriptions, they do spell out when part of the excursion (ferry, for example) will not be exclusive to Silversea clients.  Hopefully this suggests that all OTHER parts of the excursion will be for Silversea passengers only.  

On our only previous Silversea cruise, our butler was a bit surprised that we hadn't pre-ordered our favorite drinks to be stocked in the minibar.  This time, we want to make sure our minibar is stocked with a few of our favorites.  I'm not seeing anyplace on My Silversea to indicate these preferences.  A phone rep at Silversea had no idea.  Can you Silversea experts fill me in on how to do this?  Thanks so much!

Hello to all you Silversea experts--

We will be joining family members on a 7 day Alaska cruise on the Muse this August.  Our only previous Silversea cruise was a couple of years ago on the Wind in the eastern Med.  On that cruise, which mostly went to ports off the beaten track, all the ship excursions were for Silversea passengers only.  And in all but one port, the Wind was the only cruise ship. This Alaska itinerary will be to the major ports (excepting Sitka) and there will be many thousands of other cruise passengers in the ports, mostly from huge mass-market ships.  I'm a bit concerned about the excursions that are listed, and that the excursions we have chosen may be shared with mass-market ships.  

It's not the other passengers that concern me-- it is the nature of the excursions.  We don't want to be treated like part of a herd, in a huge group, with time-wasting stops for "special shopping opportunities" etc.  Right now, we are booked for river-rafting in Juneau (Mendenhall Glacier Float Trip) and Inside Passage Sea Kayaking in Haines (Skagway).    I've asked Silversea about the excursions, and they were vague about the details (numbers, etc).  The helicopter and float plane outings would be smaller groups, but we don't like small aircraft.

Do any of you have experience with the outings on the 7 day Alaska cruises?  Do you have any recommendations on excursions-- and how to enjoy the ports while sharing them with 1000s of others?

Thanks for any advice.