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Silver Shadow Fails Sanitation Inspection After Caught Hiding Filthy Conditions from


mikedoes

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I do not expect Silversea to admit wrongdoing in terms of the alcohol (although they should -- they won't). If this practice has ceased, I can accept that (for our next cruise -- may not book after that).

 

The sanitation issue is what needs to be addressed by Silversea. We are only occasional Silvesea cruisers -- people who are regular cruises would (should?) notice if there has been a change in the food and beverage management on the Shadow in the past month. I think we would all like to know the answer to that. We are regular passengers on Regent and sure the heck would know if there was a shake-up as the result of a poor sanitation report by the CDC!

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I too am very distressed after reading all this. Especially since we have an uncoming cruise on Silver Explorer next month, obviously too late to cancel, and one next year scheduled.

 

IF they are storing perishable food in unrefrigerated areas, that is unacceptable. I don't see that in the photos. The picture of the meat is clearly in the galley, and the thermometer is unreadable to me, but I am figuring the point is that it was not kept as cold as it should be.

 

I am not that surprised about the serving of less expensive liquor and proscecco instead of champagne at all. My experience was that they would try to serve proscecco unless you specified champagne. But filling liquor bottles with liquor from opened bottles left in passengers suites, if it occurred, is really bad. You have no idea what is in there.

 

It is odd to me that this is all on a lawyer's website but not published by the CDC. I have no idea how long it takes for the CDC to publish their inspection results, but a month seems long unless they just publish in batches every few months.

 

I will definitely be looking at things with a critical eye going forward on the upcoming cruise, and if anything looks amiss, I will say something (and report here as well). I was annoyed by the auto charity contribution, but this food and beverage thing and the treatment of employees goes way beyond annoyment if true.

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It is odd to me that this is all on a lawyer's website but not published by the CDC. I have no idea how long it takes for the CDC to publish their inspection results, but a month seems long unless they just publish in batches every few months.

 

 

Good point.

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This is the statement my TA just received from Silversea. I have advised her that it is totally unacceptable and have cancelled my upcoming cruise on the Silver Shadow. I find it particularly insulting that Silversea finds it adequate to have a Sales Director in Florida issue a statement. To me this is a reflection of how much importance they are placing on the issue and how little they care about our future business.

 

Silversea Cruises Statement

 

On June 17, Silversea’s Silver Shadow received an atypical score of 84 during the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) inspection in Skagway. Silver Shadow has scored in the high 90s on its previous VSP inspections where the maximum achievable score is 100. Silversea is deeply disappointed by this specific and only unsatisfactory score and has taken immediate measures to address the issues identified in the inspection report.

The company takes very seriously its responsibility to maintain the highest standards in all areas of its operations. Silversea has an excellent track record when it comes to sanitation, which can be verified on the CDC's website. Silversea ships have achieved perfect scores of 100 on several VSP inspections, including Silver Spirit's most recent inspection in April, which is testament to the company's commitment in this area.

 

Following a thorough review of Silver Shadow's procedures, we have taken the necessary measures to ensure that the standards are the best in the industry.

All Silversea ships have comprehensive policies and rigorous training programs in place to make certain its staff and crew implement best practices to ensure shipboard safety. Silversea is sincerely sorry for the shortcomings in Silver Shadow's evaluation and is committed to ensuring that future inspections result in higher scores in line with the usual Silversea standards.

 

Saul Fonseca | Area Sales Director

South Florida, Southwest Florida & The

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Jeff, Despite all the outrage about sanitation and cheap liquor, I think you have hit on the most appalling possibility in this disaster-pay and tipping. To the best of my knowledge few people get sick on SS and therefore I wonder about even the pictures. So be it.

I'm much more concerned about pay levels, overtime etc. and the paying of tips to deserving crew members.

There are a lot of CC posters who object to paying tips directly, I am not among them, because they feel on all cruise lines that include tips the staff is paid generously. In fact SS had a CD make a presentation on our cruise from VP to BA that all crew is happy with compensation. Maybe not!

Your link to the crew member's suit certainly makes one question what the truth is and should at least slow down those who refuse to understand that superior service deserves direct compensation. Still, there will be those who say the case hasn't been adjudicated and they are right. I, however, after the mendacity of SS regarding the sanitation am willing to give the crew the benefit of the doubt about pay.

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Jeff, Despite all the outrage about sanitation and cheap liquor, I think you have hit on the most appalling possibility in this disaster-pay and tipping. To the best of my knowledge few people get sick on SS and therefore I wonder about even the pictures. So be it.

I'm much more concerned about pay levels, overtime etc. and the paying of tips to deserving crew members.

There are a lot of CC posters who object to paying tips directly, I am not among them, because they feel on all cruise lines that include tips the staff is paid generously. In fact SS had a CD make a presentation on our cruise from VP to BA that all crew is happy with compensation. Maybe not!

Your link to the crew member's suit certainly makes one question what the truth is and should at least slow down those who refuse to understand that superior service deserves direct compensation. Still, there will be those who say the case hasn't been adjudicated and they are right. I, however, after the mendacity of SS regarding the sanitation am willing to give the crew the benefit of the doubt about pay.

 

I know a butler that makes $1,400/week -- and he receives tips on top of that because some people feel the need to tip even though it is not expected. I believe that is a living wage in India. The crew should definitely be paid for every hour they work (plus overtime). IMO, this is a is a discussion for another thread (and posters should be prepared to compare wages on all-inclusive lines vs. lines where tips are expected). In the meantime, the sanitation issue is giving Silversea customers something to think about. Do we believe the reports we hear from current and past crew members....... or do we believe the what Florida is saying?

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As I wrote above in this thread -- receiving nearly universal flames! :) -- I really think too much is being made of this one failure on a CDC inspection-- disappointing though it is.

 

The Shadow apparently failed by one or two points. According to the CDC website, this was the first time a Silversea ship had ever failed an inspection.

 

Failures happen -- and they are not the end of the world.

 

According to the CDC website, the following high-end lines have experienced failures -- in some cases multiple times:

 

Cunard

Celebrity

Regent

Holland America

Hapag Lloyd

Seabourn

Princess

Sea Dream

 

I am not apologizing for the lapses on Shadow. However, a failure is not an exceptional event for any cruise line, and I would be much more concerned if Silversea was a repeat offender. In the event, this is their first failure. Ever.

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When we were on Silver Shadow in 2011, our outdoor buffet was moved indoors because of nasty weather. The food was set up in the galley - I was impressed at how hard the crew worked to accommodate everyone. That is, until I looked into one of the prep rooms and saw two large cockroaches scurrying around the counter. I didn't have a camera and I decided not to post this at the time, because I'm sure things like this can happen in close quarters.

Now it feels like fair game, and consistent with pattern of cutting corners.

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What proof is there that the photos were taken on an SS ship? The failed inspection is one thing but do the photos really correspond with what the failures were? On the Facebook link the captions only read that the photos were reportedly taken on The Shadow.

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What proof is there that the photos were taken on an SS ship? The failed inspection is one thing but do the photos really correspond with what the failures were? On the Facebook link the captions only read that the photos were reportedly taken on The Shadow.

 

Who knows if the photos relate to actual infractions, since the report is not available, either on the CDC website or elsewhere? As for proof that the photos were taken on Shadow . . . What would you want as proof? The Captain in the photos? :)

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  • Administrators

Hello Everyone:

 

We received the following statement from Silversea Cruise Line. It is being reproduced for you here, in its entirety:

 

Silversea Cruises Statement

On June 17, Silversea’s Silver Shadow received an atypical score of 84 during the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) inspection in Skagway. Silver Shadow has scored in the high 90s on its previous VSP inspections where the maximum achievable score is 100. Silversea is deeply disappointed by this specific and only unsatisfactory score and has taken immediate measures to address the issues identified in the inspection report.

The company takes very seriously its responsibility to maintain the highest standards in all areas of its operations. Silversea has an excellent track record when it comes to sanitation, which can be verified on the CDC's website. Silversea ships have achieved perfect scores of 100 on several VSP inspections, including Silver Spirit's most recent inspection in April, which is testament to the company's commitment in this area.

Following a thorough review of Silver Shadow's procedures, we have taken the necessary measures to ensure that the standards are the best in the industry.

All Silversea ships have comprehensive policies and rigorous training programs in place to make certain its staff and crew implement best practices to ensure shipboard safety. Silversea is sincerely sorry for the shortcomings in Silver Shadow's evaluation and is committed to ensuring that future inspections result in higher scores in line with the usual Silversea standards.

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Good point! In fact, the photos resemble those taken on a recent lunar landing. For sure, they were not taken on Shadow.

 

Are the photos from the fake landing or a real one? Could that explain the green cheese?

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Hello Everyone:

 

We received the following statement from Silversea Cruise Line. It is being reproduced for you here, in its entirety:

 

Oh great! Now the statement has been posted three times and, I am sure, countless times to come as a quote.

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As I wrote above in this thread -- receiving nearly universal flames! :) -- I really think too much is being made of this one failure on a CDC inspection-- disappointing though it is.

 

The Shadow apparently failed by one or two points. According to the CDC website, this was the first time a Silversea ship had ever failed an inspection.

 

Failures happen -- and they are not the end of the world.

 

According to the CDC website, the following high-end lines have experienced failures -- in some cases multiple times:

 

Cunard

Celebrity

Regent

Holland America

Hapag Lloyd

Seabourn

Princess

Sea Dream

 

I am not apologizing for the lapses on Shadow. However, a failure is not an exceptional event for any cruise line, and I would be much more concerned if Silversea was a repeat offender. In the event, this is their first failure. Ever.

 

Rally,

please note - no Oceania mention on that list :D

As someone alluded to earlier here, perhaps the Shadow would have passed again in the high 90's if the inspectors had not been alerted to search for dirty pots and pans and food in the crew quarters?

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Rally,

please note - no Oceania mention on that list :D

As someone alluded to earlier here, perhaps the Shadow would have passed again in the high 90's if the inspectors had not been alerted to search for dirty pots and pans and food in the crew quarters?

 

Why would I note that Oceana isn't on that list? Have I said something about Oceania . . . Ever???

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Rally,

please note - no Oceania mention on that list :D

As someone alluded to earlier here, perhaps the Shadow would have passed again in the high 90's if the inspectors had not been alerted to search for dirty pots and pans and food in the crew quarters?

 

No Crystal, either, nor PG, but so what? I haven't successfully predicted anything since, for a kindergarten assignment, I predicted that in 10 years I would be 15 years old.

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I agree, but isn't that exactly analogous to the IRS blaming things on "a few rogue agents in Cincinnati?"

 

Bravo on the analogy that's lost on too many.

 

If those photographs on FB were real and that really happened on SS, this goes way beyond any corporate 'splanations or blame on a few rogue employees.

 

Having owned and operated more than a few restaurants and FDA food processing ventures, I know that sanitation rules are strictly enforced. Every back of the house person has training in sanitation do's and don'ts, about cross contamination, what are the 'safe' temperatures different foods must be maintained at...which these pix show the worst violations of.

 

My first reaction to the pix were that they were staged cuz the violations are so wrong and dangerous if any of that were consumed.

 

In the U.S., foodies are required to have 'Food Handlers Licenses' and those are on State and Federal levels with testing and continuing education required. Licensed Food Handlers must be present at all times to supervise all operations. It's IMO, impossible for shipboard management at some level to not have known of these conditions if in fact, they really existed.

 

If a foodie operation is beyond retail (e.g; a cafe) and involves packaged food, the Feds step in with FDA licensing, rules and regs...it's all biz and no joke. A fraction of the violations in those pix would shut down and probably close an entire U.S. operation.

 

These kinds of violations don't happen often in better U.S. restaurants as some have stated. Owners know health inspectors will close them down if they do these things. All it takes is one disgruntled employee with a beef against the establishment to call the Dept of Health reporting these things and the health authorities are all over it.

 

If these pix and incident are not shown to have been staged; I cannot see any satisfactory explanation from management for a premium cruise line to apologize or justify being caught maintaining 3rd world food conditions on their ship.

 

___‹~›__‹(•¿•)›__‹~›___

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Bravo on the analogy that's lost on too many.

 

___‹~›__‹(•¿•)›__‹~›___

 

Ever watch a show on Food Network called Restaurant Intervention? You should, but not while eating. :)

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Ever watch a show on Food Network called Restaurant Intervention? You should, but not while eating. :)

 

Are you comparing SS with the flunky joints that show seeks out to sensationalize for cable TV air time?

 

Really?

 

___‹~›__‹(•¿•)›__‹~›___

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