Special Silversea People

[UKCruiseJeff]

During the course of all this mess, the missus and I have been musing over some of the truly excpetional people - Silversea staff - who were truly wonderful and exceptional and showed humour and a sort of love that we often think about. They actually made the difference to our time on the ship. I sort of wondered whether others feel the same and would like to share some of their stories about some of those wonderful people who lightened our days and who we sometimes find ourselves thinking about. You never know the same names may crop up more than once!

 

Contribtions are not mandatory. If you don't like the idea then I simply ask that you think it but don't say it here. Don't try to trash the thread. Simply ignore the thread.

 

I'm proposing we share stories about the one thing that has and will always make Silversea special irrespective of what they do or don't do at corporate headquarters. The people that look after us. Wouldn't it be wonderful if they read of our appreciation here. Or talked about it. You never know.

 

I can think of so many. I don't thin not remembering names should stop us posting the anecdotes. Their loveliness is often all pervasive and us simply talking about our appreciation of them generically might lift their day. That'd be nice! :)

 

I remember a maitre d I think was called "Andrea". She was in my view better than all of the men. But most women are aren't they girls!

 

She had the most wonderful smile and impish sense of restrained humour. But she was restrained because she had to be. Professional distance and all that.

 

I remember on our first cruise with her, a steak was ordered by me in the restaurant. I was brushed up clean and elegant in a "it's the best I can do" way. The steak was delivered with a flourish and a smile but was inedible. Busy service but she tried again. The same again. A third time. The same again. She said "Mr UkCruiseJeff- let me try again". "No" I said " get me an egg. I'll have egg and chips. They can do eggs can they"?! So there I was, egg, chips and tomato sauce".

 

A few months later - different ship - there she was" "Oh hell0 Mr Frozen Steak" she screamed and I promise you this - she gave me a hug! From the on I was "good Evening Mr Steak". Everyone looked at us and we both just hooted. She was lovely.

 

I wonder where Andrea is now ......

 

Looking forward to reading from those who "get this" idea and want to share.

 

:)

[MHF]

My husband and I will always remember Dixon from the Shadow in Alaska, 2 years ago. He found out our names the first day and greeted us each time he saw us, whether it was bringing me boullion in the morning in the Panorama, waving to us as he was swabbing the decks, or serving us cocktails in the evening. A real man-of-all-trades.

 

Melissa

[UKCruiseJeff]

I must admit .... I was a touch disappointed that this thread didn't receive a few more posts. The staff do need to see that it is them that makes the trips wonderful.

 

So partly as bit of an antidote to the nastiness elsewhere on the forum and in an unashamedly attempt to remind CC'ers that it is the people of SS and not the management that make the line ..... I'd like to ask if anyone remembers one of the best fleet barmen we met called Oliver! He was I think Filipino .. and had a face that was always smiling in a sort of mischievous way.

 

We were lucky enough to encounter him on three separate cruises in one year – over two different ships The cruises were Med cruises and that meant that we spent a lot of time at the pool bar when everyone else was getting off and having a look round. His speciality were Planters Punches and he pulled no punches ….. :eek:

 

During one session, we were discussing the sad quality of the mixed nuts and that I had a theory that people coming to the bar earlier than me were stealing all the cashews. From then on ( and I am ashamed of what this meant for other passengers …) he would open a pack of nuts and select out for me some cashews with a spoon and decant them into my own nut bowl … picking only the largest juiciest ones.

 

Anyone else encounter Oliver?

 

Anyone else who made your cruise that we should remember? I'm sure they would love to hear that we remember them.

[jillyf]

Gilmar, in the panorama lounge on Silver Cloud in the morning made the best coffee we found on the ship.

He must have looked up our names as the 2nd time we were in he called us by name and remembered that we liked a double shot.

We usually went for breakfast there, but always for coffee before 10.30 when his shift ended till afternoon tea time.

We saw him in the MDR in the evening sometimes and he always went out of his way to greet us even if he was not our server.

[UKCruiseJeff]

LOVELY POST!

 

 

As you may know from some earlier nasty posts .... I have never been on a Silversea cruise ... but I did however manage ( before all of this gefuddle) to smuggle our Silversea Teddy aboard with someone else ... ;) .. and this is what the wonderful suite attendants did with it on each day ...

 

 

You will detect that we are very anti Silversea .....:D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[torst]

I must admit .... I was a touch disappointed that this thread didn't receive a few more posts. The staff do need to see that it is them that makes the trips wonderful.

 

So partly as bit of an antidote to the nastiness elsewhere on the forum and in an unashamedly attempt to remind CC'ers that it is the people of SS and not the management that make the line ..... I'd like to ask if anyone remembers one of the best fleet barmen we met called Oliver! He was I think Filipino .. and had a face that was always smiling in a sort of mischievous way.

 

We were lucky enough to encounter him on three separate cruises in one year – over two different ships The cruises were Med cruises and that meant that we spent a lot of time at the pool bar when everyone else was getting off and having a look round. His speciality were Planters Punches and he pulled no punches ….. :eek:

 

During one session, we were discussing the sad quality of the mixed nuts and that I had a theory that people coming to the bar earlier than me were stealing all the cashews. From then on ( and I am ashamed of what this meant for other passengers …) he would open a pack of nuts and select out for me some cashews with a spoon and decant them into my own nut bowl … picking only the largest juiciest ones.

 

Anyone else encounter Oliver?

 

Anyone else who made your cruise that we should remember? I'm sure they would love to hear that we remember them.

 

We too met Oliver on our first Silversea cruise and while other staff and bartenders have provided excellent service, Oliver was by far the most charming and accommodating making us feel welcome in the main bar of the Whisper each evening. Not to be forgotten is his singing voice as well.

[UKCruiseJeff]

We too met Oliver on our first Silversea cruise and while other staff and bartenders have provided excellent service, Oliver was by far the most charming and accommodating making us feel welcome in the main bar of the Whisper each evening. Not to be forgotten is his singing voice as well.

 

Wonderful.

 

I never heard him sing but he was a giant amongst bartenders. I can see his face now. We did see him on Whisper and another ...don't know which.

 

He once took us downstairs to a crew party as long as we "didn't tell".

 

Jeff

[Nigella]

I must admit .... I was a touch disappointed that this thread didn't receive a few more posts.

 

Jeff, possibly because there are others like me who have been avoided reading or contributing to the board because of so many different threads about the Shadow situation, many of those threads have turned into unpleasant personal attacks. I'm shocked by how rude some people have been, although I'll give the benefit of the doubt and say that perhaps it's partly because this isn't the best medium for expressing oneself adequately.

Anyway, thanks for posting the pics of Silversea bear again :D

 

I'd like to name Rommel, a waiter we met on the Spirit. Our first cruise was a 7 day Spirit cruise for the Monaco Grand Prix in 2011. Rommel served us on our very first evening onboard, and made a point to get our name. We only dined in his section one more time after that evening.

We then cruised on the Spirit at Christmas 2011, and Rommel was there, and he remembered us by name. That was the first time we'd experienced this, even though we've read about it many times here, so it was a special SS moment for us.

There's also a wonderful bar tender on Spirit, but I'm afraid her name completely escapes me, so that's I'm not much use there....:o

[UKCruiseJeff]

Jeff, possibly because there are others like me who have been avoided reading or contributing to the board because of so many different threads about the Shadow situation, many of those threads have turned into unpleasant personal attacks. I'm shocked by how rude some people have been, although I'll give the benefit of the doubt and say that perhaps it's partly because this isn't the best medium for expressing oneself adequately.

Anyway, thanks for posting the pics of Silversea bear again :D

 

I'd like to name Rommel, a waiter we met on the Spirit. Our first cruise was a 7 day Spirit cruise for the Monaco Grand Prix in 2011. Rommel served us on our very first evening onboard, and made a point to get our name. We only dined in his section one more time after that evening.

We then cruised on the Spirit at Christmas 2011, and Rommel was there, and he remembered us by name. That was the first time we'd experienced this, even though we've read about it many times here, so it was a special SS moment for us.

There's also a wonderful bar tender on Spirit, but I'm afraid her name completely escapes me, so that's I'm not much use there....:o

 

Lovely generously spirited post. I really appreciated it and if I misunderstood the spirit of any earlier post please accept my apologies. We post in turbulent times.

 

Pleased you were happy for me to indulge Silversea Teddy in having his pictures "up" again. It was the accusation that I had never taken a cruise with him that got his gander up and he told me that I should post his pictures again to correct this terrible slur on our very close relationship. Between him and ' er indoors I just do what I'm told.

 

I hope that Rommel does a good Bellini as this will mean that he can fight them on the peaches.

[Emtbsam]

Gerardo who was a bartender in Panorama and then the main bar on the Shadow a while ago was wonderful. He married Honey Bee (her real name) and last we heard they are in Scotland. His memory of our names and drinks surprised us after a 9 month absence. "Mr. EMTBSAM, will you be having your Grand Marnier on the aft deck this evening?"!

 

Rod in the Observation bar on the Spirit is also a favorite. He introduced us to Vespers.

 

Both Gerardo and Rod prepared blind taste tests for us on several occasions.

 

There are so many wonderful people on board. How about Sabe and Marcello (Brazilian) maitre d's!

[duct tape]

I would write few pages worth but am at sea on the QM2 heading to London to board the Cloud. I will chime in later. Appreciate the thread!

[UKCruiseJeff]

I would write few pages worth but am at sea on the QM2 heading to London to board the Cloud. I will chime in later. Appreciate the thread!

 

Cunard has been on UK TV over the few days re the lines 175th birthday. Lots of kitchen coverage. The food looks scrummy. Afternoon tea looked good.

 

Looking forward to your post.

[Rally]

I must admit .... I was a touch disappointed that this thread didn't receive a few more posts. The staff do need to see that it is them that makes the trips wonderful.

 

So partly as bit of an antidote to the nastiness elsewhere on the forum and in an unashamedly attempt to remind CC'ers that it is the people of SS and not the management that make the line ..... I'd like to ask if anyone remembers one of the best fleet barmen we met called Oliver! He was I think Filipino .. and had a face that was always smiling in a sort of mischievous way.

 

We were lucky enough to encounter him on three separate cruises in one year – over two different ships The cruises were Med cruises and that meant that we spent a lot of time at the pool bar when everyone else was getting off and having a look round. His speciality were Planters Punches and he pulled no punches ….. :eek:

 

During one session, we were discussing the sad quality of the mixed nuts and that I had a theory that people coming to the bar earlier than me were stealing all the cashews. From then on ( and I am ashamed of what this meant for other passengers …) he would open a pack of nuts and select out for me some cashews with a spoon and decant them into my own nut bowl … picking only the largest juiciest ones.

 

Anyone else encounter Oliver?

 

Anyone else who made your cruise that we should remember? I'm sure they would love to hear that we remember them.

 

We remember Oliver fondly and well, exactly as you describe. We were on 4 b2bs and met him as a bartender. And watched the head bartender stroll out, see that things were busy, chat up a lovely lady or two, then disappear. Then, Oliver was promoted to head bartender! Same Oliver, but when the bar was busy he jumped in behind the bar and helped out. The bar staff loved him for that. Then, at the start of the final leg, he was promoted to F&B. only problem, the new head bartender missed the ship (!) so Oliver filled both positions that cruise, always smiling and always with time to say hello. We dont know his nationality but do know he is any employers dream come true.

[Rally]

Cunard has been on UK TV over the few days re the lines 175th birthday. Lots of kitchen coverage. The food looks scrummy. Afternoon tea looked good.

 

Looking forward to your post.

 

Now, why would you feel compelled to post this in a thread devoted to great SS crew people remember and wish to acknowledge? I can understand most of your posts on other SS threads but these one seems to go quite a bit out of the way to say, "Bah! humbug!"

[UKCruiseJeff]

Now, why would you feel compelled to post this in a thread devoted to great SS crew people remember and wish to acknowledge? I can understand most of your posts on other SS threads but these one seems to go quite a bit out of the way to say, "Bah! humbug!"

 

Here we go yet again ....

 

Please explain why when dusa baby posts about his current trip on Cunard it doesn't warrant a comment from you at all but when I simply respond it does?

[Rally]

Here we go yet again ....

 

Please explain why when dusa baby posts about his current trip on Cunard it doesn't warrant a comment from you at all but when I simply respond it does?

 

I dont know what dusababy has to do with it. You responded to ductape's simple statement that she is on a ship and will comment later. Why would you post as you did? Here is the exchange:

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by duct tape

I would write few pages worth but am at sea on the QM2 heading to London to board the Cloud. I will chime in later. Appreciate the thread!

 

Cunard has been on UK TV over the few days re the lines 175th birthday. Lots of kitchen coverage. The food looks scrummy. Afternoon tea looked good.

 

Looking forward to your post.

 

Unless "scummy" is a complement in the UK?

[Rally]

Gerardo who was a bartender in Panorama and then the main bar on the Shadow a while ago was wonderful. He married Honey Bee (her real name) and last we heard they are in Scotland. His memory of our names and drinks surprised us after a 9 month absence. "Mr. EMTBSAM, will you be having your Grand Marnier on the aft deck this evening?"!

 

Rod in the Observation bar on the Spirit is also a favorite. He introduced us to Vespers.

 

Both Gerardo and Rod prepared blind taste tests for us on several occasions.

 

There are so many wonderful people on board. How about Sabe and Marcello (Brazilian) maitre d's!

 

Gerardo was fabulous! At "cocktail competitions" his entry always had honey in it and in the name :). An Italian who had bartended at 6 Star properties in Scotland, he knew his malts! Also Vischel, who I think is now a butler? Then he was a lido deck server. Beautiful smile. On our next cruise after first meeting him, he was on the payphone talking to his family as we embarked . . . We didnt see him until he yelled out "hello and welcome back!" As we were passing through the terminal. We were shocked at the warmth of his greeting. Again, a very special person. So many of them . . . .

[UKCruiseJeff]

I dont know what dusababy has to do with it. You responded to ductape's simple statement that she is on a ship and will comment later. Why would you post as you did? Here is the exchange:

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by duct tape

I would write few pages worth but am at sea on the QM2 heading to London to board the Cloud. I will chime in later. Appreciate the thread!

 

Cunard has been on UK TV over the few days re the lines 175th birthday. . Lots of kitchen coverage. The food looks scrummy. Afternoon tea looked good.

 

Looking forward to your post.

 

Unless "scummy" is a complement in the UK?

 

You need to read posts more carefully perhaps?

 

I wrote "scrummy" not "scummy". It is short for scrumptious. Yes, this is considered to be a complement in most countries I've visited.

 

By the way ... did you notice who started the thread on "Special Silversa People"?

[DoubleCho]

Check your spelling. I'm guessing "scrummy" = scrumptious.

[Rally]

You need to read posts more carefully perhaps?

 

I wrote "scrummy" not "scummy". It is short for scrumptious. Yes, this is considered to be a complement in most countries I've visited.

 

By the way ... did you notice who started the thread on "Special Silversa People"?

 

I will leave it at this. I am a moderately educated American and have never heard the term "scrummy" in my life. Regardless of its meaning or your intention, this is a thread about special SS people and duct tape did not comment on her current ship. Why take the thread off course? And what in the world does it matter who started the thread? You replied to and quoted duct tape. You love most to win an argument so I will leave the last word to you.

[Rally]

I will leave it at this. I am a moderately educated American and have never heard the term "scrummy" in my life. Regardless of its meaning or your intention, this is a thread about special SS people and duct tape did not comment on her current ship. Why take the thread off course? And what in the world does it matter who started the thread? You replied to and quoted duct tape. You love most to win an argument so I will leave the last word to you.

 

The BBC seems to back you up, at least on the definition. Damn! If only we colonials had stuck with King George (the III, not the future one :)

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1453_uptodate3/page25.shtml

[Rally]

Check your spelling. I'm guessing "scrummy" = scrumptious.

 

Why comment at all about Cunard? Off topic.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Why comment at all about Cunard? Off topic.

 

Why go to so much trouble to trash a thread I started to praise Special Silversea People? :confused:

[drron29]

Even in Australia scummy is a compliment.On our last Explorer cruise I thought the food was the most scrummy I have had on Silverseas.

 

As to SS staff.Cherry on the Cloud was wonderful.When the ladies were escorted to their tables she would run over and take my arm to escort me to our table.She won my heart.

Also on the Cloud Bo our butler and Alain the room attendant were a great team.Rojaan asked if she could take Bo home.

In Le Champagne we liked Cedric and James on the Shadow but Taifun on the Wind takes our number 1 spot there.

So many more though.

[Rally]

As to SS staff.Cherry on the Cloud was wonderful.When the ladies were escorted to their tables she would run over and take my arm to escort me to our table.

So many more though.

 

Cherry is great! I always smiled when a gentleman escorted my wife to our table, and beamed when a lovely young lady escorted me :)