azmara vs.Silversea

[billcrooz]

I have been looking at some interesting voyages to the Mediterranean on Azmara for next year and was looking for some comparisons as I have been sailing almost exclusively on Silversea for the past 7 years. How much of a trsde off if any as looking and comparing prices Azmara is now for the most part as expensive if not more tha Silversea. anyone who has sailed both I am sure could give me an informed opinion :confused:

[Jade13]

I have been looking at some interesting voyages to the Mediterranean on Azmara for next year and was looking for some comparisons as I have been sailing almost exclusively on Silversea for the past 7 years. How much of a trsde off if any as looking and comparing prices Azmara is now for the most part as expensive if not more tha Silversea. anyone who has sailed both I am sure could give me an informed opinion :confused:

 

We have been on both, but note comparing PAII (Prince Albert II) in the Arctic to Quest. We liked Quest a lot better, mostly based on the staff (did not have a good experience with some staff on SilverSea. I probably should have written a letter but too dumbfounded).

 

On the PAII there was really nothing to do when we were not off of the ship besides the usual lectures. Even the one Trivia game we went too was not well run. Note that we have been on a number of smaller ships so not new to small ship cruising. Plus, there is virtually no outdoor space on PAII, no wrap around deck (as we found on Minerva in Antarctica) or pool area and jogging track as on Azamara, so the ship felt really closed in to us. The last day all landings were aborted too. They never bothered to bring any drinks such as hot chocolate up to the observation area, even though that was what we suggested on the comment card half way through the cruise.

 

With that said Azamara is now significantly more than what we paid on SilverSea in 2008. We had been willing to pay a premium for expedition cruises and unusual itineraries, so we will see.

 

The only difference I see is that Silversea has most of the alcohol included. My DH does not drink and the only thing I liked on SilverSea was some Baileys in my hot chocolate. Btw, I was in a Suite on Azamara with a liqueur set-up and Butler easily traded what we had for a bottle of Baileys (also available in the gift shop for $22.00).

[Paulchili]

While I am yet to sail on Azamara (will be on Quest this Sept), I have sailed several times on both Silversea and Oceania.

In my opinion even Oceania falls short of Silversea as far as the quality of overall cruise experience goes (service, food, etc). From everything I read Azamara often compares unfavorably with Oceania (of course there are many who think A is equal to or better than O - it's a personal choice).

All things being equal (itinerary, price) I would choose Silversea. When prices on A were half of what they are now (by and large) Azamara would have been a very good choice.

Most (not all) people who are accustomed to Silversea would have trouble "downgrading" to Azamara. If you consume a lot of alcohol, Silversea is a better choice. If you prefer casual dress code and do not drink - Azamara (Oceania) is your choice.

These are, of course, only my personal observations. YMMV.

[palamoh]

Sailed w/Journey lasr summer and have booked on the Quest for Mar 2011 Asia back to back cruises (note I booked these cruises when fares were almost half of their new pricing) We have sailed on Silversea 7 different times, the last was a 21 day cruise on the Shadow last Sept. We are booked on the new "Spirit" Oct Trans Atlantic.

 

Silversea is a better Choice, but you pay somewhat more for their Cruises. Service, Food, Rooms far superior, Beverages, Unlimited Liquor, Entertainment, on Board Activities are superior. With that said we enjoy the casual atmosphere on the Azamara Cruise Line and also very much appreciate their Smoking Policy. One of the problems we have w/Silersea is their Smoking Policy, we keep hoping it will change,if it doesn't this Trans Atlantic cruise in Oct will be our last. Too bad because we always look forward to their Great Personal Service.

 

One could compare all day w/many different opinions. Cruise Line Travel changes for the better of the worse w/every Line over time. Op[inions like mine are personal and one can always find another opinion that is the opposite. Try an Azamara Cruise and Judge for yourself.;)

[California Native]

OP...

would you be kind enough to provide a link to AZ and Silversea itineraries

to begin the comparison.

I have not sailed SilverSeas...however I will use a land analogy.

Ive stayed in Motel 6 type hotels and the Four Seasons, Ritz Carltons and the higher end Leading Hotels of the world.

I love the Four Seasons, I love when hotels or cruises that think of what I would like or need before I do..I love not having to think...

BUT the crappy hotel next to St. Marks square in Venice with dead mosquitos on the wall and just a biscotti for breakfast was worth it for the location...

we reset our barometer..we made our decision to stay there with all the facts and yet we loved that we could be in St. Marks Square in 45 seconds...that made it 5 star in our mind!!!! We stayed in cave hotel in Capadoccia with no heat and limited electricity and on the Motu in Moorea the bathroom was a bucket

Each of these experiences werent 5 star and 3 star wasnt even an option

BUT the adventures were PERFECT for our travel desires

This has been our mode of travel all along...

for us its the destination and who, what and how we can get to that destination...sure if Silverseas and all competitors can get us there for the money were are willing to pay..then absolutely they are our 1st choice..I love to be pampered just like everyone else...

BUT if they cant and some less than glamorous lines that people say avoid (Costa, Fred Olsen, Louis and gasp Easy Cruise) will give us the ports and times in the port we want (provided DIY land wont work) then we will adjust our barometer

Its all about what YOU want and need while you travel...what are your priorities..

[GeorgeL]

OP...

would you be kind enough to provide a link to AZ and Silversea itineraries

to begin the comparison.

I have not sailed SilverSeas...however I will use a land analogy.

Ive stayed in Motel 6 type hotels and the Four Seasons, Ritz Carltons and the higher end Leading Hotels of the world.

I love the Four Seasons, I love when hotels or cruises that think of what I would like or need before I do..I love not having to think...

BUT the crappy hotel next to St. Marks square in Venice with dead mosquitos on the wall and just a biscotti for breakfast was worth it for the location...

we reset our barometer..we made our decision to stay there with all the facts and yet we loved that we could be in St. Marks Square in 45 seconds...that made it 5 star in our mind!!!! We stayed in cave hotel in Capadoccia with no heat and limited electricity and on the Motu in Moorea the bathroom was a bucket

Each of these experiences werent 5 star and 3 star wasnt even an option

BUT the adventures were PERFECT for our travel desires

This has been our mode of travel all along...

for us its the destination and who, what and how we can get to that destination...sure if Silverseas and all competitors can get us there for the money were are willing to pay..then absolutely they are our 1st choice..I love to be pampered just like everyone else...

BUT if they cant and some less than glamorous lines that people say avoid (Costa, Fred Olsen, Louis and gasp Easy Cruise) will give us the ports and times in the port we want (provided DIY land wont work) then we will adjust our barometer

Its all about what YOU want and need while you travel...what are your priorities..

 

I tend to look at this quite differently.

I think that cruise travel and land vacations are inherently different in nature.

I consider the travel portion of a land vacation to be almost totally goal oriented (unless, of course, one adores air travel :)) . By that I mean that with land vacation, the actual transit portion of the trip is the means to an end (arriving at your destination) while with a cruise vacation, the transit is a major part of journey, not simply the means to an end. Therefore, what one expects and needs to have in a cruise in order to be happy is NOT the same as what one needs or expects in a hotel on land. A cruise ship constitutes a huge part of the overall pleasure of the vacation experience not just a mode of transportation.

Comparing cruises to land vacations in setting one's expectations is totally unrealistic.

[California Native]

Hmmm...

totally disagree (respectfully, of course)

AZ new tag line is You will love where we take you......

that speaks to us

At this time in my DHs and my life we want to travel

to as many places as possible. the more exotic the better

if someone wants to pamper us along the way....wonderful

but we want to explore

We take into account when we are cruising that cruising is part of the in transit..we dont do transatlantics because they drain the very limited vacation days we have..

thats an option when we retire in 20 years

cruising is a means to an end...the end being the ports we want to see

logistical speaking for example to do many of these itineraries that AZ offers as DIY land travel would be VERY EXPENSIVE in addition to a logistical PIA...

trust me I know...heres just one example

we did the coast of Croatia and Montenegro by land

I know what it takes to do that (a run down ferry and driving with multiple border checkpoints, extremely limited train service, so then you are forced to fly with luggage allowances at 15 pounds for a carryon and very limted to 40 pounds)

We went to these place before it was "in" for ships to do, otherwise we would have been thrilled to do an AZ cruise and when you number crunch those itineraries..just for the transportation and hotel aspect AZ is significantly less expensive than land..

add to it that you have safe food, water, you can read the menu, handy internet access, you unpack once, your laundry can be done easily because Croatians smoke more than any other country on the continent...

AZ is truly a steal...

Now, back to the OP he just needs to decide how much pampering he needs for his cruise experience and where he can reset his barometer..

SilverSeas is a Four Seasons, Azamara is trying

but will they take him where he wants to go??????

and for the record Ive been sailing since I was little kid for over 38 years and close to 300 cruises under my belt

I appreciate and comprehend what it means to have a cruise experience and be one with the sea and have the real world non existent..

[GeorgeL]

Hmmm...

totally disagree (respectfully, of course)

AZ new tag line is You will love where we take you......

that speaks to us

At this time in my DHs and my life we want to travel

to as many places as possible. the more exotic the better

if someone wants to pamper us along the way....wonderful

but we want to explore

We take into account when we are cruising that cruising is part of the in transit..we dont do transatlantics because they drain the very limited vacation days we have..

thats an option when we retire in 20 years

cruising is a means to an end...the end being the ports we want to see

logistical speaking for example to do many of these itineraries that AZ offers as DIY land travel would be VERY EXPENSIVE in addition to a logistical PIA...

trust me I know...heres just one example

we did the coast of Croatia and Montenegro by land

I know what it takes to do that (a run down ferry and driving with multiple border checkpoints, extremely limited train service, so then you are forced to fly with luggage allowances at 15 pounds for a carryon and very limted to 40 pounds)

We went to these place before it was "in" for ships to do, otherwise we would have been thrilled to do an AZ cruise and when you number crunch those itineraries..just for the transportation and hotel aspect AZ is significantly less expensive than land..

add to it that you have safe food, water, you can read the menu, handy internet access, you unpack once, your laundry can be done easily because Croatians smoke more than any other country on the continent...

AZ is truly a steal...

Now, back to the OP he just needs to decide how much pampering he needs for his cruise experience and where he can reset his barometer..

SilverSeas is a Four Seasons, Azamara is trying

but will they take him where he wants to go??????

and for the record Ive been sailing since I was little kid for over 38 years and close to 300 cruises under my belt

I appreciate and comprehend what it means to have a cruise experience and be one with the sea and have the real world non existent..

 

No problem; you are entitled to disagree and to have your own opinion.

However, I do believe that you may be speaking more in terms of your own vast travel experience which, I would venture to guess, may not be typical of most cruising passengers. I am reasonably sure that for most travelers who choose a cruise over a land vacation do so precisely for the particular pleasure a cruise provides and not just for its economic benefits (although those may play a role) and it is a major factor in choosing a particular ship or cruise line over another.

If that was not the case why would we need Cruise Critic boards and all the millions of reviews of ships and cruises? We would simply choose the cheapest and most convenient one just as we do with air travel.

[Paulchili]

Where2next,

I agree with you in principle. We have cruised on Silversea, Oceania, almost all the mass market lines all the way down to Voyages of Discovery, Orient lines and even Star cruises out of Singapore, mostly based on itinerary. We, too, look at where it takes us and adjust our expectation to the price we paid (i.e. would never compare Silversea with Star cruises).

However, OP is asking which line of those 2 we would recommend (at similar prices).

The answer to that is unequivocally - Silversea, IMO. It's like driving a Bentley vs a Toyota - they both take you from A to B, it just is not the same driving experience. If they would cost about the same I know which one I would get (although there is nothing wrong with a Toyota, it just isn't a Bentley).

In the end it is a personal choice - formal vs informal, all inclusive vs semi inclusive, itinerary, price, fellow passengers, etc.

As someone else suggested - OP should try Azamara and then he/she would know which one he/she prefers.

[Jade13]

 

AZ is truly a steal...

 

 

 

You are booked in an Inside, at least for this fall, correct?

[California Native]

Ok...

if money isnt important (or the fares are the same) and anything regarding the port is secondary

then of course Silverseas.

dont even think of AZ because you will be dissappointed if you have sailed 7 times with Silversea

I haven't sailed Silverseas, but I've seen the pictures, watched videos

heard stories over the years and while AZ might be very nice it is NOT Silverseas...

if the actual ship is your destination and the level of pampering is what is needed ( I do like to be pampered) then he should stick with Silverseas

but since OP mentioned Med itineraries on his post,

I took the approach I did!

Jade..correct, we are in a inside because of doing the B2B...

When my mom and I travel, its a balcony if we are on a B2B and suite if not. I've seen AZ's inside cabins, it will be cozy, but we should sleep very well in our little cocoon!!

[California Native]

Where2next,

The answer to that is unequivocally - Silversea, IMO. It's like driving a Bentley vs a Toyota - they both take you from A to B, it just is not the same driving experience. If they would cost about the same I know which one I would get (although there is nothing wrong with a Toyota, it just isn't a Bentley).

.

 

So true...just got back from a road trip/cruise combo to SoCal driving a 2000 Honda Civic Hatchback..no electrical windows, no heated seats,

and the humming noise of the road....:eek:

 

it got me there and back safely...but it wasnt the most comfortable ride...

but here's a little secret...my little car is actually a GOLD MINE..as the number one stolen car because of its parts...I could finance a couple of cruises with it, if I started stripping it down for parts!!!

I learned this when it was broken into in my own driveway in a very nice neighborhood...hears the kicker... all the cars around me...Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Volvo and Mini Cooper were ignored!!!

I'm sure if I thought hard enough I could somehow eloquently tie this together as Silversea/Azamara analogy..but I'm still waking up

OP, let us know what you've decided...

[Sprit]

I have not sailed Azamara but did sail Silversea several times. Based on my opinion I think it’s not fair to compare both products.

 

I do however not like Silversea that much. The entertainment is terrible and I find the crew somewhat distant and “arrogant” as they feel they are the best out there. The cabins on the Shadow and Whisper are very nice and the all inclusive concept is very nice. But at night we found the ships deserted and having a lack of atmosphere. As there are almost 700 people onboard Azamara and the crowd is perhaps somewhat different (also because of the pricing level difference) from Silversea both products will be not comparable.

 

After a long “discussed” decision we finally booked our first Azamara cruise for upcoming May and I’m more than happy to share my thoughts afterwards.

[billcrooz]

appreciate all the feedback but would like some opinions from some who have experienced both ! admit that i love Silversea and now get free laundry which is a huge bonus so if there is anyone out there who could give me some feedback it wouls be appreciated :D

[Jade13]

appreciate all the feedback but would like some opinions from some who have experienced both ! admit that i love Silversea and now get free laundry which is a huge bonus so if there is anyone out there who could give me some feedback it wouls be appreciated :D

 

We liked Azamara better because of the MUCH more friendly staff. I admit that on SilverSea we were in a porthole and on Azamara in the Penthouse. We also spent one night on Azamara in the regular balcony and SilverSea's porthole had a much nicer bath with tub. But, in the end we find that the staff can really make or break a cruise, unless of course all you care about is the ports and using the ship for transportation.

 

My DH did our laundry on Azamara (and SilverSea) with the do it yourself laundry. On SilverSea no coins were needed and on Azamara the wash was $2.00 but now no coins are needed. We had been on one Celebrity cruise so on Azamara as a "repeat passenger" each received one $5.00 coupon on any laundry service and it covered dry-cleaning of one pant and one sweater. Being in a Suite we also received 2 items pressed each. I am not sure what else I can tell you about laundry? It was less than we pay where we live for dry cleaning.

[billcrooz]

the only reason i mentioned the laundry as you only need to bring a little underwear&sox as after 100 days at sea they pick it up in the a.m. and all shirts,underwear,sox,you name it are returned cleaned and pressed in the p.m.! Huge for us and its all free !

[Zimmy]

appreciate all the feedback but would like some opinions from some who have experienced both ! admit that i love Silversea and now get free laundry which is a huge bonus so if there is anyone out there who could give me some feedback it wouls be appreciated :D

 

 

We have sailed on Silversea three times and will be on the Wind in June. We sailed on Journey for the first time last October, and will be on the Panama Canal holiday cruise. On Silversea we were in a balcony suite. On Journey we were in the Royal Suite, or whatever they call it now. We like them both, obviously, as we are returning to both. Azamara has a more casual feel. In our opinion, Silversea has a very formal feel - and I don't mean only the dress code. We found the service on Azamara to be very good. I can't tell you, though, how much of that was because we were in a premium suite. I suspect that on Silversea the service in the premium suites is more attentive than we had, though our service was wonderful. I think the biggest difference is the sea days. Azamara cannot, and does not try to, compete with the service you get at the pool on a luxury line. That may or may not make a difference to you. For us, while we love having someone hover over us and asking us constantly if they can do anything for us, we're also just fine doing for ourselves. We also felt that the main dining room on Azamara was nowhere near as good as the dining room on Silversea. But we solved that problem by dining at the specialty restaurants every night. They were absolutely wonderful, much better in fact than the dining room on the Whisper or the Wind.

[Jade13]

the only reason i mentioned the laundry as you only need to bring a little underwear&sox as after 100 days at sea they pick it up in the a.m. and all shirts,underwear,sox,you name it are returned cleaned and pressed in the p.m.! Huge for us and its all free !

 

You know, on HAL laundry is now free after 200 days. But, they have laundry packages and for $99.00 total we had unlimited laundry and pressing for 10 nights. I suggested that Azamara do the same, and they are looking for ways to increase revenue. The package has to be reasonable enough so a lot of people purchase it.

[Lobbylin]

We have cruised the Silver Whisper in Asia in a balcony staterooom and also the Azamara Quest in Asia in a Sky Suite.

 

What we liked on the Quest:

- Probably the nicest suite we have had versus all other ships in that category - big, airy and modern with wonderful bright floor to ceiling windows and nice, comfortable furniture, well laid out.

- We loved the proper chair and full sized table on our balcony - great for balcony breakfasts.

- Speciality dining rooms are excellent, main dining room is nice, but no where near the quality of food on the Silver Whisper. We never had a problem getting a table for 2 when we wanted one in the evenings.

- Staff are friendly and nice, although our butler was not the best by any means.

- We loved the casual dress code, where you can really relax but still be comfortably smart.

- Entertainment choices are better on the Quest - I agree with one of the posters above that there was something lacking when it came to entertainment in general on the Silver Whisper (and I agree it is probably due to a smaller passenger count)

- We loved the outdoor terrace on the Quest where we could have breakfast. Dining outside on the Silver Whisper wasn't as easy as there were fewer tables.

 

My thoughts on the on the Silver Whisper:

- Stateroom was a better size than "standard" balcony staterooms on other 5star cruiselines (bigger than the one we had on Crystal) so would not hesitate to cruise in one again.

- All alcohol is included (it wasn't when we were on the Quest, but I see the rules are changing now) and Silversea did not rush us to vacate our table after dinner, you can take your coffee and have a liqueur at your leisure.

- Food in the in the main dining room is outstanding, and afternoon tea everyday is wonderful - better than afternoon tea on the Quest.

- In overnight ports, Silversea laid on a wonderful deck buffet with silverware, white linen and crystal glasses etc - they really know how to do things in style! They also brought on local entertainment that evening with Vietnamese dancers performing by the pool area - one of my fondest memories of the cruise.

- All the staff know your names within days even though you don't have to show your stateroom card for anything... I kept wondering how they did that - maybe they have secret photos of us all with our names plastered on the wall in their staff dining room!!:p

- In terms of dress code, our first preference is for a smart-casual dress code (as with Azamara, and now Regent Seven Seas...) purely because we both wear suits to work, so it's nice not to have to dress up on vacation.

- Food in the buffet at lunchtime is far superior in quality on Silversea than on Azamara. I found the lunchtime food on the Quest to be very repetitive and not always as hot as I would like it to be.

- We found the expensive speciality restaurant on the Silver Whisper to be over-rated and expensive (and a bit "stuffy"); whereas we loved the Trattoria restaurant (buffet by day, trattoria by night) on the Silver Whisper.

- Whilst the food in the main dining room on the Silver Whisper is better than the food in the main dining room on the Quest - the added dining locations (Italian & Steakhouse speciality restaurants) of the Quest means things are less repetitive i.e you are not eating in the main dining room almost every evening.

- We found fellow passengers on the Silver Whisper a little pretentious and so we didn't really mix, whereas we had lunches and dinners with various passengers we met on the Quest, so I guess you could say the overall atmosphere was better on the Quest. I recall sitting in the hot-tub out on deck one day on the Silver Whisper, and being asked by a fellow passenger if I was crew in a sub-servient tone - probably because I have an olive complexion. I was shocked, but wish I had been quick enough to reply "why, are you crew?"

 

I would not hesitate to sail with both, and have actually got upcoming cruises booked on both the Silver Wind and the Azamara Journey. The itinerary and price was very good on the Silversea cruise or we probably would not have booked with them again as they are pricey.

 

If you feel you can do without lots entertainment and prefer better food and service then Silversea is the way to go. For overall value for money and a great cruise with very nice extras, I cannot fault Azamara.

 

My all time favourite 5* cruise was with Crystal, who manages to offer the best of everything, though they have suddenly become pricey, which is a shame.

 

Hope that gives you a flavour of what to expect and help you in your decision-making! Of course, all of this is just my opinion...

 

Linda :)

[billcrooz]

We have cruised the Silver Whisper in Asia in a balcony staterooom and also the Azamara Quest in Asia in a Sky Suite.

 

What we liked on the Quest:

- Probably the nicest suite we have had versus all other ships in that category - big, airy and modern with wonderful bright floor to ceiling windows and nice, comfortable furniture, well laid out.

- We loved the proper chair and full sized table on our balcony - great for balcony breakfasts.

- Speciality dining rooms are excellent, main dining room is nice, but no where near the quality of food on the Silver Whisper. We never had a problem getting a table for 2 when we wanted one in the evenings.

- Staff are friendly and nice, although our butler was not the best by any means.

- We loved the casual dress code, where you can really relax but still be comfortably smart.

- Entertainment choices are better on the Quest - I agree with one of the posters above that there was something lacking when it came to entertainment in general on the Silver Whisper (and I agree it is probably due to a smaller passenger count)

- We loved the outdoor terrace on the Quest where we could have breakfast. Dining outside on the Silver Whisper wasn't as easy as there were fewer tables.

 

My thoughts on the on the Silver Whisper:

- Stateroom was a better size than "standard" balcony staterooms on other 5star cruiselines (bigger than the one we had on Crystal) so would not hesitate to cruise in one again.

- All alcohol is included (it wasn't when we were on the Quest, but I see the rules are changing now) and Silversea did not rush us to vacate our table after dinner, you can take your coffee and have a liqueur at your leisure.

- Food in the in the main dining room is outstanding, and afternoon tea everyday is wonderful - better than afternoon tea on the Quest.

- In overnight ports, Silversea laid on a wonderful deck buffet with silverware, white linen and crystal glasses etc - they really know how to do things in style! They also brought on local entertainment that evening with Vietnamese dancers performing by the pool area - one of my fondest memories of the cruise.

- All the staff know your names within days even though you don't have to show your stateroom card for anything... I kept wondering how they did that - maybe they have secret photos of us all with our names plastered on the wall in their staff dining room!!:p

- In terms of dress code, our first preference is for a smart-casual dress code (as with Azamara, and now Regent Seven Seas...) purely because we both wear suits to work, so it's nice not to have to dress up on vacation.

- Food in the buffet at lunchtime is far superior in quality on Silversea than on Azamara. I found the lunchtime food on the Quest to be very repetitive and not always as hot as I would like it to be.

- We found the expensive speciality restaurant on the Silver Whisper to be over-rated and expensive (and a bit "stuffy"); whereas we loved the Trattoria restaurant (buffet by day, trattoria by night) on the Silver Whisper.

- Whilst the food in the main dining room on the Silver Whisper is better than the food in the main dining room on the Quest - the added dining locations (Italian & Steakhouse speciality restaurants) of the Quest means things are less repetitive i.e you are not eating in the main dining room almost every evening.

- We found fellow passengers on the Silver Whisper a little pretentious and so we didn't really mix, whereas we had lunches and dinners with various passengers we met on the Quest, so I guess you could say the overall atmosphere was better on the Quest. I recall sitting in the hot-tub out on deck one day on the Silver Whisper, and being asked by a fellow passenger if I was crew in a sub-servient tone - probably because I have an olive complexion. I was shocked, but wish I had been quick enough to reply "why, are you crew?"

 

I would not hesitate to sail with both, and have actually got upcoming cruises booked on both the Silver Wind and the Azamara Journey. The itinerary and price was very good on the Silversea cruise or we probably would not have booked with them again as they are pricey.

 

If you feel you can do without lots entertainment and prefer better food and service then Silversea is the way to go. For overall value for money and a great cruise with very nice extras, I cannot fault Azamara.

 

My all time favourite 5* cruise was with Crystal, who manages to offer the best of everything, though they have suddenly become pricey, which is a shame.

 

Hope that gives you a flavour of what to expect and help you in your decision-making! Of course, all of this is just my opinion...

 

Linda :)

thanks Linda; I will stick with Silversea; although we never found the guests on board stuffy; for us that is almost the best part of the trip; meeting new friends and when you check pricing Silversea is now the most competitive of all; fforget Regent,Chrystal and Seabourn !

[Lobbylin]

thanks Linda; I will stick with Silversea; although we never found the guests on board stuffy; for us that is almost the best part of the trip; meeting new friends and when you check pricing Silversea is now the most competitive of all; fforget Regent,Chrystal and Seabourn !

 

Billcrooz, admittedly it was Nov 06 that we did the Silverseas cruise, so clientele may have changed since then, and I can definitely say that the CC Silverseas Board is a far more friendly place now then it was then. Clearly we like Silversea or we would not have booked again! :)

 

Happy Cruising!