All things- Silver Spirit!

[Wellseasoned]

Wripro, we ate in Seishin in late August and the complimentary wines were available at no extra cost, just as in the Restaurant and La Terrazza. Don't know about cocktails since we order them in the bars.

[wripro]

I think the reviewer was mistaken, as they often are.

[dougburns]

This is not specific to Silver Spirit, but rather general to the entire SS fleet. In Jan we got 2 hours per day of free internet with the Grand suite, but now we will only get 2 hours per voyage segment in Dec, even though the 2010 brochure says 2 hours/day. For 2011 it's 4 hours/voyage segment per the 2011 brochure.

[scandun]

I was not so sure of two things found on the Spirit:

1) The announcement they make can be heard in the hallway, but not in the cabin, is there a loudspeaker that I forgot to turn on ?

2) They offer free printing in the internet cafe, but one needs to log on to use his online minutes to do the printing, is that correct ? the computer in the internet cafe did not have many softwares, that the printing either comes out in terrible format, or just unprintable. And the IT man does not seem to have any knowledge about it. How he gets this job to sit there without being able to give any help is beyond my understanding.

Anyone can help clarify ? Thanks.

[billcrooz]

I was not so sure of two things found on the Spirit:

1) The announcement they make can be heard in the hallway, but not in the cabin, is there a loudspeaker that I forgot to turn on ?

2) They offer free printing in the internet cafe, but one needs to log on to use his online minutes to do the printing, is that correct ? the computer in the internet cafe did not have many softwares, that the printing either comes out in terrible format, or just unprintable. And the IT man does not seem to have any knowledge about it. How he gets this job to sit there without being able to give any help is beyond my understanding.

Anyone can help clarify ? Thanks.

 

 

to hear the annoucements on all the other Siversea ships put on the tv !

[Portolan]

Wripro, we ate in Seishin in late August and the complimentary wines were available at no extra cost, just as in the Restaurant and La Terrazza. Don't know about cocktails since we order them in the bars.

 

In Seishin, you had the $30/pp no drinks option or a $40/pp wine/beer (maybe drinks...didn't inquire) option with Japanese beers (Kirin and Sapporo as I recall) and white or red wines. And, also the $80/pp sake pairings.

[wripro]

so I am once again confused. With the $30 no drinks option does that mean you can't have regular wine as you would in the main restaurant?

[Portolan]

so I am once again confused. With the $30 no drinks option does that mean you can't have regular wine as you would in the main restaurant?

 

The $30 option in both restaurants is the food surcharge only. No wine or drink service provided as in the main restaurant (though I think I read you get the welcome aperitif in Le Champagne with the $40 option).

 

The fact that "all-inclusive" means "almost all-inclusive" is bothersome. It is quite one thing to offer a surcharged special menu with wine pairings in Le Champagne, but charging for the base-line experience, and then charging more for any drinks you want is very much against the spirit of all-inclusive. After a dozen cruises on Regent and now one on Silversea, these were the first chits (other than spa and boutique) that I've had to sign for many years.

[DGF]

The $30 option in both restaurants is the food surcharge only. No wine or drink service provided as in the main restaurant (though I think I read you get the welcome aperitif in Le Champagne with the $40 option).

 

The fact that "all-inclusive" means "almost all-inclusive" is bothersome. It is quite one thing to offer a surcharged special menu with wine pairings in Le Champagne, but charging for the base-line experience, and then charging more for any drinks you want is very much against the spirit of all-inclusive. After a dozen cruises on Regent and now one on Silversea, these were the first chits (other than spa and boutique) that I've had to sign for many years.

 

Our recent Oct/Nov cross atlantic cruise, our experience on the Silversea Spirit was as follows:

 

Seishin- We elected to have the full menu (you have three options) with wine pairing which cost $40 each. We considered it a one time experience and cancelled our second reservation

 

Champagne- Included in your meal at $30 each is a starter glass of champage, but on our two visits, we found the waiters refilled the glasses. We booked the restaurant twice

 

On all of our occasions, we found the two restaurants half full, which provides a clear indication that many of the previous cuisers on Silverseas voted with their feet, eating in the main DR (our main venue for dinner), Hot Rock Grill (we booked twice an enjoyed), and La Terrazzo (Italian restaurant which we booked twice and enjoyed) where wine/ drinks were included and no surcharge

 

If you would like a nuts and bolts review of our Atlantic crossing http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1296987

[wripro]

Well, you can count me out for Seishin. I refuse to pay for a drink or wine after paying for the food as well. Le Champagne irked me at first but I thought okay, this is a really special meal with great wine pairings so maybe they can get away with it. But sushi? Give me a break. Silversea is now officially a "partially inclusive" line.

[Wellseasoned]

Well, you can count me out for Seishin. I refuse to pay for a drink or wine after paying for the food as well. Le Champagne irked me at first but I thought okay, this is a really special meal with great wine pairings so maybe they can get away with it. But sushi? Give me a break. Silversea is now officially a "partially inclusive" line.

 

 

Wripro, we ate in Seishin in late August and the house wines were provided free, just as in the main restaurant or La Terrazza, or Hot Rocks. This was true whether you had the $30 or $40 meal options at Seishin. Those prices differed because of the food courses, NOT the drinks. Le Champagne is the only restaurant that does not allow you to choose the free house wines.

[DGF]

Wripro, we ate in Seishin in late August and the house wines were provided free, just as in the main restaurant or La Terrazza, or Hot Rocks. This was true whether you had the $30 or $40 meal options at Seishin. Those prices differed because of the food courses, NOT the drinks. Le Champagne is the only restaurant that does not allow you to choose the free house wines.

 

Thanks for your experience. We were not given that option on the recent Atlantic crossing.

 

To resolve, someone will have to phone Silversea for current policy

 

DEAN

[dougburns]

We leave for Spirit in a couple of weeks and will be aboard for 18 days, so we'll check. We will eat in both Sieshin and le Champagne, but we are not wine buffs. On our last cruise aboard Spirit our experience was the same as Wellseasoned.

[DebbieH103]

We also saw in our cabin wine packages offered but forgot to bring that sheet home.

 

I assume the $30 in Sieshin is Teaser I or II.

 

You can also do the $200 option in Seishin to do wine pairing instead of sake pairing, I believe.

[wripro]

Wellseasoned,

 

thanks for clearing that up. I am happy to hear that they are serving house wines in Seishin.

[Fissy]

We leave for Spirit in a couple of weeks and will be aboard for 18 days, so we'll check. We will eat in both Sieshin and le Champagne, but we are not wine buffs. On our last cruise aboard Spirit our experience was the same as Wellseasoned.

Hi Doug,

5040&5041 ? We'll be on 5041, in cabin 1115. I think you're the first co-passenger I've noticed. No roll call? Oh well. Our new luggage sits in our bedroom, waitiing.........:D

[dougburns]

There are two threads on the board; one is 12/2-12/11 and the other is 12/11-12/20. You'll find the folks going on those threads. Can you post a last name and Mr&Mrs, Mr.,Ms, etc so that I can have the ship send you a formal invitation to the cocktail parties in our suite(802) 4 Dec and 14 Dec, or else e-mail me at dougburns1@cox.net with your info?

[DGF]

Wripro, we ate in Seishin in late August and the complimentary wines were available at no extra cost, just as in the Restaurant and La Terrazza. Don't know about cocktails since we order them in the bars.

 

Decided to give Silversea a call directly. The Lady advises:

 

Seishin Restaurant- Full menu with Saci (Spelling?) is $80, otherwise is $40.00 without wine. I mentioned to her that we had wine paring on our recent cruise for $40 and she said it was likely a ship promotion. Also did not have the prices for the other two food options- Teaser 1 & Teaser 2, advising pricing for these is a ship board decision

 

Seems there is some flexibility on board

 

DEAN

[Shellback91]

Greetings everyone,

 

 

Like many CC Silversea cruisers I am going to claim my 3 minutes of fame (15 minutes would be a bit of a stretch) and post my review/opinion of my recent cruise upon the Silver Spirit on 12/02/10 from Fort Lauderdale to Barbados. I know there have been quite a few reviews of the Spirit since her maiden voyage (some very detailed, others very brief), and some might wonder if another is really needed. I guess that is up to the individual reader of these forums; however, that being said, I am going to utilize my First Amendment rights and foist my opinions upon you :)

 

 

I had originally planned to post this while on the cruise, but it turns out we did not have as much down time as I had expected. Between excursions I had planned on nearly all the islands, eating, conversing with new found friends, entertainment, dancing, listening to music, and enjoying adult libations, it seems the day was consumed. Do not get me wrong, there was some time spent lounging about the pool enjoying the sunshine and reading while sipping a Mai Tai, but that was no time to sit at the computer typing away. I then planned to post as soon as I got home. Unfortunately, we arrived in the midst of a snow storm, so I was preoccupied with snow and ice removal. The next day it was back to work and I have been busy playing catch-up. I am finally caught up (well almost) and figured I better at least get the first installment on board, especially since we finished a week ago.

 

 

My wife and I took this cruise in celebration of our twentieth wedding anniversary. We are not only new to SS, but this is also our first cruise period (not counting the government sponsored ones I have been on). After several weeks of research, including some time lurking on the CC boards, I selected SS (others being considered were Regent, Crystal and Seabourn). This selection was initially made based upon my desire for a luxury all-inclusive experience, as well as the itinerary and price available at the time.

 

 

This review will not be as detailed as some. I will not be measuring floor space, or the number of hangers per square inch of closet rod :) I will also not be using a number system to evaluate the various aspects of the cruise. Not that there is anything wrong with those styles of reviews, I just prefer to write a narrative about our experiences. The review will simply be our impression of the Silversea experience.

 

 

I know that some readers do not care for what they feel is extraneous information, such as pre/post cruise travels (booking, travel, hotels, etc) and excursions. This review will include those topics, as I feel they are part of the overall experience and can impact your enjoyment. I have labeled the various sections so those of you who are not interested in those sections can skip them. The main categories of the review are titled: Pre-Cruise (everything up to sailing), Interior of Ship (cabin, public spaces & venues. Décor & feel ), Food & Beverages (will cover the different restaurants & lounges), Entertainment (shows & activities), Staff (personnel, from wait staff to officers), Ports of Call (islands & excursions). Post-Cruise (disembarkation & voyage home), and finally a grand soliloquy on our overall opinion/impression of the SS experience, especially as double first-timers.

 

 

In order to not make the post too long, I will post each section, or two if they are short, separately. Hopefully one will be posted each evening. I hope you enjoy my review and comments. Remember, these are the impressions of my wife and I as first time cruisers, and may differ from those of you who are veteran SS guests. Also, my likes and dislikes, I am sure, will differ from many, so please do not take offense if I say I did not care for something you love, or liked something you did not.

 

 

The first section, "Pre-Cruise" will be posted shortly. Again, I hope you enjoy.

[dusababy]

Shellback I like your review already !!!

Keep 'em coming......

a veteran CC and SS cruiser

[oregon50]

Not sure we can take a fresh perspective from a fellow that did not take time to post while onboard. And remember, we have enough photos and measurements to get through 2012. Looking forward to your report.

[wripro]

We have enough measurements to get through our entire lifetimes.

[Emtbsam]

Not sure we can take a fresh perspective from a fellow that did not take time to post while onboard. And remember, we have enough photos and measurements to get through 2012. Looking forward to your report.

 

Posting while on board is unnecessarily expensive. Give the guy a break - please!

[Scotspea]

Loved the ship and, after the first 'it is narrow', loved the suite.

Great cruise with superb service and no need to even contemplate the opposition!

Le Champagne, food as good as before on other ships but the quantity of wine poured on the degustation wine pairing was miniscule! Wines all top notch but now VERY definitely NOT worth the money (profit again?) I do wonder what happens to all the open bottles as we were the only couple having the wine pairing! The waiting staff are not nearly as good as some others in the MDR and La Terr.

The MDR seems to have fallen out of favour, feeling very empty and we heard a lot of negative comments.

The paper booking system for all the 'speciality restaurants' is a mess and should be upgraded to an electronic system linking all the eateries. People can and do multi-book and then decide which restaurant suits on the night, which leads to frustration and empty tables. A screen based system would automatically identify double bookings and remind guests.

The inclusive wine selection is going downhill with a particularly foul Southern French chardonnay and not one single Australian chardonnay to be had. Too many Sauvignon Blancs and too many Chilean wines of dubious parentage! (profit again? There seems to be a hard sell, noting for the first time ever the wine packages advertised for sale in the suite, perhaps they think, for the first time ever, that people will feel the need to buy better wines! A lot of people have questioned the all-inclusive aspect regarding restaurants, perhaps this is another step too far?)

To recap, great cruise, good ship, we will be back but not necessarily to Spirit.

[ging466]

The first section, "Pre-Cruise" will be posted shortly. Again, I hope you enjoy.

 

Looking forward to reading your review Shellback91. I will be writing one also and will post in the Review section of CC.

 

Cheers

Jennifer