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ChucktownSteve

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About Me

  • Interests
    Investing, cruising, volunteering, former scuba,
  • Favorite Cruise Line(s)
    Regent, Azamara, Oceania, HAL & Celebrity
  • Favorite Cruise Destination Or Port of Call
    St Petersburg, Russia

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  1. Agree. My comment was more directed toward people who believe the promotion is about financial instability instead of a smart business decision due to relatively high interest rates from inflation. After all, isn't the investment company, Sycamore Partners, about generating cash flow revenue and profits while still providing an excellent product?
  2. One thing some people appear to be missing is that Azamara isn't really giving up 7 or 10% cash. You get OBC. Considering the cost of goods for that means they're generating real cash flow early for a greatly reduced out of pocket cost later which is use it or lose it. I hope they stock the shops with tons of merch. Since cruise lines usually double the supplier's excursion cost, that's still 50% on the dollar. Much better cost of money than borrowing.
  3. Thank you for an excellent review. It hit all the points someone who hasn't sailed Silversea might like to know. The follow up with extensive details and pictures were unmatched from many blogs. The itinerary was incredible. I am a little confused though. I've thought that Azamara falls into the Premium cruise line category while Silversea and Regent occupy the Luxury category. I haven't sailed Silversea yet but was interested in finding something with them. Now I'm not so sure I would want to after having sailed Regent a few times and reading your review. I would have expected Silversea to be at a higher quality level and price point. However food is also an important part of cruising to me. That's why I was surprised when you said you "went on this cruise thinking 'all Silversea has to be is Azamara with better ships.' At the end of the cruise, I’m not sure it hit that level. Certain things were better than Azamara, but others were worse." You went with lower expectations and they still missed the mark in an important aspect. Although Silversea appears to be an overall good cruise line from your review, the takeaway for me is a confirmation that my three upcoming Azamara cruises are a good value choice for quality. Thank you again for your viewpoints.
  4. Thats why I asked if my cruise qualified for the promotion. one of the reasons I don’t want to pay tooooo early is because my trip insurance broker only writes the covered amount for just the deposit. Then as I pay additional amounts towards the cruise needing the coverage, I have to pay the additional premium which is several hundred dollars or more depending upon the balance due. two extra months earlier isn’t that big a deal.
  5. We were on the Navigator and the aft suites had a lot of vibration and noise. But I was told many people love that ship. Seems similar in size to the Voyager but can't say. I'm sticking with the Splendor, Grandeur and Explorer going forward although Mariner was nice too.
  6. I just spoke with an Azamara rep who said I have 91 days to pay the balance to receive the 5% promotion. However I must use it on the cruise I'm paying for. She said it will probably be a long time promotion because it's been very popular. I understand that comment plus $4.95 will get me a bitter cup of Starbucks coffee. Drink mine black.
  7. If you liked the info I supplied and you're going to book a Regent cruise, I can get you $250 off the booking if it's within 14 day of making the reservation. Let me know. I'll tell you how.. steveL50 hotmail.
  8. So it just shows to go ya, Celebrity IS more expensive whether its a standard veranda cabin or Resort Suite.
  9. As a caveat,I'm not sure if those crew numbers are still accurate for Royal Caribbean Group's lines. They may not be based upon recent crew cut backs; increasing their bottom line the past couple of years during/post covid. Look at the uproar over Celebrity's attempt to change to a butler group instead of the promised/booked personal butler. Also I'm not sure Silversea Medallion suites include the specialty restaurant or excursions since I have not experienced that line. I've found that the smaller ships tend to be more port intensive which is what I prefer in an itinerary. The more active in port I am, the less likely I wish to stay up later for "entertainment." Part of the intangibles proposition for me, as Markeb mentioned, is the caliber of other passengers. Meeting and making new friends is much easier on the intimate ships. Billc23, the way to determine PSR: Passenger Space Ratio = Gross Tonnage (GT) divided by the number of passengers. Thus Regent Grandeur = 74.39 and Celebrity Ascent = 43.12.
  10. Yeah I liked the itinerary too which is why I booked it. I was seeking the ABCs not two of them. I did make a fat finger error. I just rechecked the Silversea web site and the Medallion suite is $12,100 pp or $105pp/pn more than Regent. Thankx for catching that. I booked this Regent cruise on 2/29/24 which was the last day for that cruise to receive the two category upgrade promotion. I always book when they run that promotion on a Regent cruise I want. I paid for the Concierge E and received the Penthouse C suite. Thus I paid $10,949 pp on the 14 night which comes to $782.07pp/pn. Since it's the same price on their website still listed for the Concierge, I didn't think I needed to show the invoice.Too bad you missed the promotion. It may come back though. As a side note, my TA is rebating me $2,050 on this cruise instead of OBC which I didn't calculate into the cost. 😁 There is an online cruise booking company which I use for ship details (which must not be posted) that shows the size of the ship, with pax and crew numbers. So for your spreadsheet edification... SILVER RAY Year Built 2024 Tonnage 54,700 tons Registry Bahamas Length 801 feet Beam 97 feet Passenger Capacity 728 Crew Size 556 # of Inside Cabins 0 # of Outside Cabins 298 # of Cabins w/ Verandas 286 # of Suites 298 SEVEN SEAS GRANDEUR Year Built 2023 Tonnage 55,498 tons Registry Bermuda Length 735 feet Beam 102 feet Passenger Capacity 746 Crew Size 542 # of Inside Cabins 0 # of Outside Cabins 375 # of Cabins w/ Verandas 375 # of Suites 375 CELEBRITY ASCENT Year Built 2023 Tonnage 140,600 tons Registry Malta Length 1,073 feet Beam 128 feet Passenger Capacity 3,260 Crew Size 1,400 # of Inside Cabins 131 # of Outside Cabins 792 # of Cabins w/ Verandas 1210 # of Suites 198
  11. I just looked at Silversea Ray for an 11 night Caribbean cruise in a Medallion Suite which is 527sf compared to the Regent Grandeur Penthouse at 561-644sf for 14 nights and the Celebrity Ascent Celebrity Suite at 501sf for 11 nights which I posted on the Regent Board. All three overlap with different Caribbean itineraries in Feb 2026. Silversea is $408 more pp/pn than Regent. The Celebrity suite is $52 pp/pn more than Regent's suite. Besides my preferred itinerary on Regent and daily Valet Laundry for every suite, I no longer wish to deal with schlepping formal wear on a Silversea Caribbean cruise. Regent and Azamara don't require Formal nights anymore. Since RCG now owns Silversea, I'm wondering if they'll apply the same cost slashing to that line that they've done to both RCL and X? That's what made me move from X, my former go to line, to AZamara and Regent at better pp/pn rates, longer cruises and better food IMO.
  12. Nope. It's the cheap, short cruises that attract the booze cruize patrons with very little disposable income that can't usually sail a much longer cruise or have the available vacation time..That's why I prefer 14 night cruises. A different type of patron. Short Carnival cruises are a good example also. Nothing wrong with that if it's what people want. Just not for my pasture.
  13. Bet a one day cruise would be even cheaper. 🤪
  14. It's a promotional insulated beverage (bottle or can) holder; usually made of neoprene with a printed company's logo handed out for free.It's supposed to keep the bottle/can cold. In Australia it might be referred to as “stubby holder”.
  15. Yeah they do if cold liquid. That's why I put them in a koozie. 😎
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