boccenana

We have had a great experience with Silversea Air.

Gave us our preferred flight over the one they gave us originally. 

Our TA is fantastic, no problem with communications between him and SSAir.

We are interested in the Cigar lounge too.

What information were you given.

The illustration looked really nice.

12 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

Poseidon 

The ship was the Silver Spirit.

Itinerary left us rushed, no time for photos or to enjoy the scenery. Very stressful long days. Most ports were industrial,  noisy and smelly. Thank God for a few wonderful seasoned staff. Ship had buckets catching leaks in different locations.  Thankfully we had a wonderful butler this cruise. Food not the great Silversea food we have had in the past. Very disappointed.  Definitely feel the change and not for the better. Sure hope they get their act together, we have another coming up in October. 

Maybe we just lucked out but our Silverair Flights went perfectly. A little crazy getting to Athens via Chicago and Frankfurt. Beware disembarkation from plane in Frankfurt. High steps outside no ramp. Bizarre and dangerous with carry-ons.

Returning from Dubai on Emerites with one stop in Houston was the best flight we have ever taken.

Don't you all think it's time to end this ridiculous banter?

I for one are unfollowing.

Have better things to do, like finish packing for our wonderful Silversea cruise leaving on Thursday.

Tata.

7 hours ago, kimanjo said:

Then, the next one comes on board with the new/old rules, that are ignored, and said smoker is allowed to remain smoking cigars outside, then the rules change to accomodate them and rule changes back and so on and so on.....  It's not rocket surgery.   Cigars only in Connoisseurs Club.  That's it.  Don't care how much of a tantrum the fool has. Unceremoniously offloaded at the next port.

These areas include designated tables outside of the Panorama Lounge and the Pool Bar

2 minutes ago, MamaFej said:

Maybe he's just an arrogant, entitled jerk who thinks that his choice to flaunt the rules is more important than everyone else's right to enjoy what they paid for and who treats the crew in such a way that they are reluctant to confront him.

 

I have yet to read a post implying that anyone has joined an anti-cigar brigade. I have seen several who simply want cigar smokers to smoke where cigar smoking is allowed. Use steak knives in restaurants. Lift weights in the gym. Smoke cigars in the cigar smoking area. It's not that complicated. 

We still haven't determined if indeed he is smoking in a non smoking area. Is he smoking in a designated smoking area or not?

First, thank you Ryan82 for some common sense in this ridiculous conversation. 

If people have all these health issues and fears, why choose a cruise line that has smoking lounges and smoking areas?

There are way more cruise lines that don't allow cigars. You have options if cigars are soooo offensive to you, or is detrimental to your health.

There are plenty of areas on SS ships that are non smoking.

Has it been determined that where this is  taking place is in a NON SMOKING AREA?

That small area outside the Panorama Lounge ha always been designated FOR smoking, if the Wind is the same as all other SS ships.  That has been the rules for years.

If that's the case your complaining is moot.

We tend to be very considerate of anyone around where we smoke. But I must tell you,  your constant bellyaching is starting to annoy me. One person that is inconsiderate is no reason to put the rest of us down.

If these posts are true, it seems to me there are worse problems on the Wind than cigar smokers.

Don't you try to take away our choice of choosing the few cruise lines that allow us to enjoy a fine cigar. We pay high prices too.

We can't wait for our flights next week where we can have a cigar in the high end cigar lounge at Frankfurt Airport.

Then in our Grand Hotel visiting their high end cigar lounge.

We are not wealthy/powerful/connected.....but enjoy our cigars.

PS....we never complain about the wreaking of after shave and perfumes we must SUFFER with, everywhere on the ship.

Chill out, will you.

Elaine 😎

I have never run into a rude person in the beautiful Connessiuers Corner. 

🤔

2 hours ago, bobolz said:

It’s interesting in regards to the number of comments regarding D2D  and noticeable decline in overall service in quality, especially since Covid. I have been satisfied with the SS product and the pricing , so far. We have taken 2 cruises since Covid, but both have been with the P2P pricing since we were traveling in the states and did not need the air and thought the risk was minimal that we would have to cancel and potentially lose a 15% deposit. Of course the P2P pricing  was more economical than the D2D  pricing without air, so it’s a choice and you have to weigh the risk. 
 

I used to be in the camp that always took the air credit and booked the BC on our own because we want to control the flights and preferred to do our own excursions, so having them included was not desirable. However, since Covid , there is no way I can find BC seats for any overseas itinerary that can come close to what SS offers. I have checked Oceania and Viking and as soon as you add BC  air to their price w/o air, I would be paying more than the D2D w BC upgrade i could get from SS. So there is no comparison and now with Covid uncertainty, the last thing I want to do is purchase a non refundable BC air ticket and something happens with the cruise ( Covid restrictions or significant  itinerary change, or other) and can’t take the cruise, I’m now stuck  with a non refundable ticket, unsure of when I will next travel. Luckily I live near a gateway airport, so every cruise we had scheduled, but cancelled prior to the 30 day non refundable period, we not only had good flights scheduled using SS air, but did not have to worry about getting stuck with paying for them  after we cancelled and moved our reservation to a new itinerary. 
 

so as much as people do not like the D2D offering there are some of us that do. I’m surprised  we are the only ones that would pay more to book BC flights on their own. Possibly people are using points, so they do in fact save. 
 

also we have been on 2 of the older ships Shadow and Whisper b4 the refurb and I was very satisfied, I thought they were clean , comfortable and food was good, although sometimes service or food ( some served cold ) could have been better, but overall no real complaints. I would have to say I preferred the newer Muse to these older ships, so most likely will try to take the newer ships in the future. 
 

I would not mind  going back to Viking  and Oceania because overall they have much better interior design and public spaces and more restaurant offerings, but if I can’t get better pricing w BC upgrades, I will stick with SS. They still have a very good product and I’m satisfied with the service receive in their Florida  office. 
 

 Happy planning and safe travels. I hope everyone finds what the are looking for! 

 

I totally agree with you. I haven't checked the fares but knowing how crazy flights have been, we also opted for D2D with BC upgrade. Wish they would offer a first class upgrade. That might be interesting.

We want to be taken care of at this point in our lives. There is enough to arrange  before a 28 day cruise without having to deal with airlines.

Silversea has not let us down so far. 100% perfection is a lot to ask.  Shite happens. (Been watching a lot of European mysteries) 🤭.

Reading this post was making me crazy with all the negative. We leave in a little over a week for a long awaited cruise we booked over 3 years ago. 

It was refreshing to read yours. Thanks for putting things in perspective.

Elaine 😎 

🙄

1 hour ago, Catlover54 said:

 

Please don't delete!

 

I don't care about *outdoor* smoking one way or the other (cigars or otherwise) when I pick a cruise, though I know I am in a minority. 

However, there is ambiguity in the information pointed out in post #12, (presumably something in the daily program) and IMHO *there should be no ambiguity* about this issue that is important to both the cigar smokers and many of the non-smokers.

 

It is especially important not to have ambiguity when people book their cruise.  Booking information should be consistent with practice on board.  

On the SB forum, there was recently an uproar about smoking being allowed on the new expedition ship Seabourn Venture -- it had clearly been written, when people booked their cruise, that  smoking was not going to be allowed, and yet people were smoking near the hot tub and complaining pax were told the policy was different on that particular cruise.  

 

I am baffled as to why it is so hard for SS and SB and other lines to be clear and have consistency in written information. 

You are absolutely right. We will go with Silversea as long as they have their Connoisseurs Corner as advertised. 

6 hours ago, Randyk47 said:

Maybe this is a new or changed policy.  We cruise with a couple and the husband is a cigar smoker.  They have always asked if, where, and when he can smoke his cigars.  He is aware and sensitive to other people not liking cigar or even any smoke and I don’t recall him ever smoking one on the pool deck because of that.  He has smoked his cigars outside the Panorama Lounge but again checking if it was permitted.   

As do we Randy. We have always been considerate of others. That's what makes it so nice in the Connessiuers Corner. No one there to have to worry about offending.

The only reason we sail Silversea is because they have the finest Cigar Lounges at sea. Obviously the word Connessiuer in Connessiuers Corner escapes you.

To discuss cigars and toilet waste smell in the same sentence is just a sign of ignorance to one of the finer rewards in life.

To relax and converse with a myriad of interesting people, all sharing this one thing in common is delicious. 

You are entitled to your opinion for sure but don't seek to change the rules that have been in place for years to suit your prejudice. No one is forcing you to choose Silversea.

I should delete this so as not to cause a lot of nasty comebacks. But I won't.

Elaine 😎 

53 minutes ago, Older Party said:

As the person who created the all vocal program for Silversea, you are right regarding it being stale, and that is not a reflection on the current production team, but on my concept itself.  When I removed the dancers, and cheesy sets, and went in a classical music direction, I did so with the SS demographic in mind ... guests who have seen the best entertainment all over the world.  The idea of hiring seasoned entertainers who had their own shows is what The Artists of Silversea was about, coupled with an average age of 32 so that they had life experience and were able to converse intelligently with the guests.  

I created the program in 2010, more than a decade ago, so its shelf life is certainly past its expiration date, as entertainment trends are cyclical.  They used to change every 10 years or so, but with ever changing and expanding technology, entertainment must now change every 3 to 5 years in order to keep its audience.  I stopped creating and producing shows in 2015 noting then the need to refresh formats quickly.  My friend Brian Burke, who is the Creative Director for AGT and American Idol, surrounds himself with young creatives because of how quickly entertainment trends change today.  Even Franco Dragone, may he Rest In Peace, started repeating himself.  It's tough staying current.  

I must tell you that my Husband and I absolutely loved all the classical entertainment we have seen on our SS cruises. From  classical guitar soloists and couples to a flamenco dancer and classical violinist show, outstanding.

We don't need current, we need good.

Most of the  entertainers we have seen, are at the top of their professions. Not a show but our favorite spot is the Silver Note. As one who worked in a jazz club in my youth, I love the music and atmosphere. 

If Silversea is wanting to be like all the rest, God Bless them. We won't.

I never thought I would ever look elsewhere. We shall see after our next cruise in two weeks.

I am hoping all is as it was and should be.

Elaine

Curious as to who is performing in The Silver Note.

Thanks.

Elaine 😎 

2 hours ago, Randyk47 said:

Sounds like your butler was out of it.  We have a mix of blowers, curlings irons, chargers, etc., that are 110v, 220v, and a few that are dual voltage so they work with either as long as we have a plug adapter.   That said we have always been able to use our 110v stuff without using any converters or adapters.   

Thank you Randy. I will check that off my list. 

Elaine 😎

I want to thank those that politely took the time to answer.

For the rest,  geez you guys and/or  gals are really touchy. Lighten up will you.

I had a huge issue on the Moon with a butler that freaked out and told me I could not my  US curling iron or charge Waterpick etc. in the US plug in the cabin without a special adapter.

He kept coming in and out with different adapters...drove us nuts for three days. Same thing with some tiny little issues. I don't think he knew what he was talking about and after a few days of him,  we wanted our privacy back.  We had a leak in the bathroom etc. I got badly cut on the metal strip of the bathroom step. We never mentioned it or complained. Maybe I should have but my very sweet DH said let it go.

I am just trying now, some weeks before our cruise to prepare ahead of time to avoid problems that have happened in the past.

My bad!

We love our Silversea and are not picky American complainers.

We have always fallen in love with our butlers. Not this one.

Our cabin steward was a doll and he did way more to be helpful. He didn't like the butler either, but never showed it.

See........now you got me complaining.

During Covid I guess would be the reason for the issues.

All other staff were way above expectations as usual.

All we wanted was to enjoy our holiday cruise and make new Silversea friends. That we easily did.

We will do the same on this one.

.I hope you are all happy now with your inside jokes. 

Looking forward to our first time on the Spirit.

Love........E😎

That seems to be the issue. Seems I might need a converter that "steps down"  the 220 to 110. The converters I have seen so far online in the US are all Chinese junk and burn out in a few days.😖

Would someone on the Silver Spirit please let me know what kind of an adapter I  need to be able to use a curling iron in our cabin?

Thanks.

Elaine 😎

7 hours ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

In case non_brits haven’t picked up this news, The Palace has just announced that doctors are concerned about the Queen’s health.  Terrible news that will worry many. 

So very sad, she has passed. This American loved her. 😪

6 minutes ago, bobolz said:

Elaine I’m glad you are feeling more comfortable and am sure the  doctor will prepare your husband on what to expect and do going forward. Just so you know , my dad was told you “should not” go through the  detectors at the airport or the cruise ship because it could interfere with the device and the monitor that provides the feedback/heart rate, etc.  I was surprised to see others go through them, assume they  never ran into problems with the equipment . 
 

enjoy your cruise 

Thanks again.  We have a great Doctor thankfully. Wasn’t easy to find these days. He will give us proper guidance. The technology changes daily in medicine.

John is extremely healthy other than this so I am confident all will go well.

Elaine 😎 

Thanks for your assurances GW.

The more I research the more I realize this is no biggie.

My mind is at ease for our upcoming cruises.

John was in great shape before this, which is making recovery really easy.

Like my knees, a "pacer" just becomes part of the body.

We can't wait for Doc follow up next week.

Not driving is driving poor DH crazy.🤪

Elaine 😎 

 His Doctor will do all that on his follow up next week. Pacemaker ID card etc. in process.

I am aware of the things you mentioned Liz but wanted someone with personal experience on Silversea to perhaps comment on their experiences while traveling to and during a cruise.

For example, how the monitor works while your sailing in different parts of the world.

I can only assume, with internet access aboard that the monitor we will be receiving will work.

I am sure things will be a piece of cake but better to be informed by those that have been there.

Thanks so much for your input Liz.

Elaine 😎 

I don’t know if there is a previous post on this subject in Silversea forum. Searched but need fairly recent information. 

My DH has just had Pacemaker surgery for a heart block.

Only 3 days and he is doing great.

This is all new to us so if you can offer any tips on what to expect at airports, on the planes and on the ship it wold be much appreciated.

We are taking a Door to Door, 28 day Eastern Mediterranean Cruise, Athens to Athens to Dubai on the Spirit in November. 

Flights at this moment are Tucson to Athens via Chicago and Frankfurt.  Returning Dubai to Tucson via Houston.

Elaine 😎