shipsmail

Sorry to read here all these negative stories about food etc.

At least here on the ENDEAVOUR everything is perfectly right with Silversea service. Very good food, very good service. Maybe the choices of food are a little more limited compared to earlier cruises. I am really enjoying the Silversea experience as I knew it from many years.

7 hours ago, PAllinson said:

The ship and crew are wonderful, food was great, We had some weather issues on our cruise that were handeled well by the staff. Gym and Spa are excelent. We are scheduled to sail on the Dawn next month.

Thank you for the info. When and where was it?

While there is a lot of posts about poor service on Silversea, I look forward to my expedition cruise on the Endeavour. Can anybody tell about experiences recently of this ship? Maybe from the current cruise in Scotland?

We were onboard the MUSE in September last year and were impressed by the service again after having spent more than 500 nights on Silversea. We look forward to the SILVER ENDEAVOUR later this month and hope the standards are still high. There has always been differences between the ships and the current staff, be it better or worse.

I am more concerned about the increase in the rates lately. 

We have booked a cruise on the S. Endeavor mid April. But we still cannot see, what hotel is included pre-cruise?

Any experiences, what Hotel Silversea is using?

Would you expect wet landings during the Scotland/Englang expedition tours? Boots needed?Is there a parka provided by Silversea?

We were onboard the WIND in MAY this year and it was really nice. No complaints. Of course the ship isn‘t new at all, but in very good shape.

We got the luggage tags from the Silversea stand in the hotel. We preordered a taxi (van) for €90 to get to the pier. That was very convenient and we arrived at the same time like the first Silversea coach.

On 9/7/2023 at 10:13 AM, shipsmail said:

I have used them also many times, but not with Silversea. It was always successful except when we waited in Vancouver airport for their driver and he never showed up. We got an extra voucher for that.

This time we also received a voucher of 25$ for our next ride, but I do not think it is sufficient as an apology. Silversea told me they will refund, but I do not know yet how much.

Now Silversea made a refund to my CC for that last minute cancelation: it is € 77. If I had booked Blacklane myself (without Silversea), they would have charged for the van € 180.

Very disappointing, as on short notice it was not possible to get an adequate replacement. What are your experiences with a refund for a single canceled ride?

15 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

We use Blacklane all the time during travel and never have had a problem.  But we always book ourself never using SS transfer.

I have used them also many times, but not with Silversea. It was always successful except when we waited in Vancouver airport for their driver and he never showed up. We got an extra voucher for that.

This time we also received a voucher of 25$ for our next ride, but I do not think it is sufficient as an apology. Silversea told me they will refund, but I do not know yet how much.

What a mess with Blacklane. Booking was easy. But Blacklane canceled the ride just a few hours before the planned departure, because they couldn‘t find a driver. Not easy to reorganize our transfer from home to the airport. This is just the opposite of seamless travel.

We have booked our hotel in CPH before our cruise by ourselves and by coincidence it seems to be the same hotel Silversea is using. Do you think we can use their transfer to the ship? Any experience with that?

Meanwhile I have asked Silversea directly and the answer was, that boarding before 2 p.m. is no longer possible.

We have received a mail before the cruise, when the waitlisted excursion was confirmed.

Our last cruise was in 2020 pre-pandemic, but we will be back in April to the Wind starting in Lisbon. We are four people. One of them cannot be vaccinated due an health issue, the others are fully vaccinated. I know for a cruise to European ports non vaccinated people can proof a negative test result. Has anyone experiences how the boarding and control of this tests happens recently?

Another question is a little off topic. In the past we could board at noon and enjoy lunch on the day of departure. We have booked the cruise incl. hotel and the transfer to the ship at 2 p.m. leaving the hotel. But can I organize our transfer on our own and then board at noon as we always did pre-pandemic?

all cruises of the CLOUD until November are canceled. We were booked on Tromso to Reyjavik. We will change to a booking in April next year.

we did both Seabourn and Silversea in Antarctica and loved both. But we would prefer the WIND/CLOUD because it is a smaller ship.

The Cloud is an expedition ship and that makes a big difference. Zodiac excursions included.

Yes, unprecedented times need exceptions!

While our cruise end of August on the WIND from Reykjavik to Reykjavik is still visible on the SILVERSEA website, we were just told that the cruise is cancelled.

Silversea just sent me a large poster with a Antarctica photograph by him.

On 10/31/2020 at 5:52 PM, shipsmail said:

My Melbourne to Auckland cruise in Dec. was canceled. For rebooking to certain cruises (they had a list of about 15 cruises or so) incl. the same route next year I was offered 15% off. FCC offered is 10% plus.  I did not receive yet the final offer compared to the cruise originally booked. Let‘s see if 15% plus 10% is combinable.

Just received the offer from Silversea/my TA: as expected it is either 15% or 10%. When using the 15% (which was limited to end of Oct.) the fare for the same cruise next year would be 3500€ more expensive after deducting our VS and early payment rebate for two people in the Deluxe Verandah and it has to be paid in full now. This is an increase in pricing by about 25%! For me this is a very bad policy of Silversea for rebooking loyal customers. Well, we have spent nearly 500 days on Silversea, but are now looking to alternatives and have already booked one cruise elsewhere in the luxury segment.

My Melbourne to Auckland cruise in Dec. was canceled. For rebooking to certain cruises (they had a list of about 15 cruises or so) incl. the same route next year I was offered 15% off. FCC offered is 10% plus.  I did not receive yet the final offer compared to the cruise originally booked. Let‘s see if 15% plus 10% is combinable.

On 7/30/2020 at 3:31 AM, nowornever said:

Hi Shipsmail.  I read your e-mail with interest because of the Greece re-opening "headline."  That's great news & I'm so happy that Greece is recovering - at least until they start letting in throngs of tourists.  

I assume that you have done your homework & know that the Hurtigruten is not in anyway shape or form comparable to Silversea.  We were on the Midnatsol maybe 10 years ago from Bergen to Kirkernes (sp?) & we enjoyed it very much but expectations should be managed.  We booked a small suite (the normal cabins are miniscule) which was lovely so I hope you have gone that route.  Many stops are made in the middle of the night where they load & unload cargo & people.  There are backpackers sleeping all over but not in the cabin corridors, & it's just really not a cruise ship in the Silversea sense of the word.  EVERYTHING is chargeable other than basic meals....even water & I understand that now you need to buy a drink package to even get that.  That being said, we did meet some very nice folks who were also looking for more of an adventure.  If you are going north, be sure your cruise stops at the North Cape during daylight hours & that you book the excursion that takes you to the monument.  We saw the Midnatsol in South America a couple of years ago  & I assume it had been to Antarctica.  It bought back nice memories.  I'll really look forward to your report after your cruise.

 

Hi Nowornever, you are right Hurtigruten is not even close to Silversea service and comfort wise. But the cruise we booked is an expedition cruise along the Norwegian coast with only about 12 stops within 15 days. The highest cabin category is much smaller than a verandah on Silversea. And this so called Grand Suite on Hurtigruten is more expensive than verandah on Silversea. They are flying the Norwegian flag and have local crews.

Apparently the cruises of Hapag Lloyd, Aida and Mein Schiff from Germany are a great success. Just added another 14 new cruises by Hapag Lloyd only. 

Still wish that Silversea is coming back at least in Europe.

....from August. Why can’t Silversea apparently not offer different cruises in only Greece instead of waiting for the end of the crisis. I guess many Europeans would like  to sail with them. Also other cruise lines are offering now cruises for European guests only like Hurtigruten, Mein Schiff and Aida (a Carnival subsidiary). Greece has the lowest COVID infections in Europe and many flight are available to Greece. Although I am a loyal Silversea customer with hundreds of days on board, I have booked a cruise on Hurtigruten to Norway.