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Live from Silversea Spirit Auckland to Melbourne Feb 12-24

RachelG

By RachelG,
in Silversea

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Emtbsam

Emtbsam

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Captain Alessandro Zanello

HD Flavio Gioia

CD Don Fluke

F & B Manager Nicolas Longin

 

Excellent senior crew who are very much in evidence and interact with the passengers quite frequently (a change from the past). The Captain's wife and young daughter are also on board.

 

Today is change over day with a number of new passengers boarding. I will post the actual numbers if I can get them.

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RachelG "Live from...." Rare

RachelG

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February 23,2015--Melbourne Australia--disembarkation

 

Agree with Victoria that senior staff were much more visible and interacting with passengers way more than on our previous cruise on this ship. We got to know the captain and his wife, as well as their cute baby, pretty well as the wife and baby were on two excursions with us, one of which was just us, and 3 other people plus the guide. The baby was quite taken with George, and liked to play peekaboo with him. She is a darling, and I only saw her fuss a little once, in la Terraza, when mom was trying to get her to eat something she didn't want. And that was only a tiny amount of fussing.

 

We were up bright and early to disembark. Our flight was not until evening, but I had hired a local guide to take us out of the city to a park where koalas and kangaroos could be seen in the wild. He was to pick us up at 8:30, and given the chaos of yesterday, I felt we should be off the ship by 8:00.

 

Easiest disembarkation ever. We walked right off, up to the customs and immigration desk, where there was not a single person in line. So it took us less than a minute to get though. No questions or inspection at all.

 

So we had to wait for our driver/guide. He arrived right on time at 8:30. We drove about an hour out of the city to a game preserve where we saw koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, 2 species of possum, and a echidna which looks sort of like a very large hedgehog and is a type of anteater. We were so close to it I could have touched it.

 

Weather was much cooler than yesterday, and it even rained hard for a while around noon. We walked a lot, and saw many species of birds as well as all sorts of flora.

 

Then to the airport for our long flight home. We are using miles, so going the long way round via Qatar. When I get home, I will post some pictures.

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Catlover54 Great Review Rare

Catlover54

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I just wrote and submitted a long review of our overall pleasant Auckland-Melbourne cruise (presumably currently being studied by CC for approval, but I hope I did not violate any posting rules). Will have a few pictures soon (e.g., of the fantastic Volcanic White Island by Helicopter tour excursion out of Tauranga).

We are back in California now but still have a sensation that the ground is swaying under us, as if we were still on board. :)

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spinnaker2 "Live from...." Rare

spinnaker2

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Thanks Victoria for that evocative post about seeing the aftermath of natures destructive capabilities. I immediately recalled how I felt seeing the destruction in Nola after the hurricane. It was a hollow feeling and tempered with the knowledge that much of what surrounds us and our treasures may be gone in a nanosecond, and not by our own hand.

Rachel I enjoyed reading about your escapades with George, I hope some day to meet you both! I know we followed you after your cruise to the Arctic on the Explorer, as we reminded the crew of you two when we sent your regards, the giveaway was George's chapeau.

Looking forward to the future posts!

Victoria, best to you and Bob.

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Emtbsam

Emtbsam

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Isn't it interesting how one person's wonderful cruise can be another's cruise from hell? This was our first, and most certainly our last Silversea cruise. Review to follow. Brace yourselves... :(

So sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your cruise. I do hope that you have other cruise lines that are more to your liking since cruising can be such an enjoyable experience. I will look for your review and read it with an open mind.

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Baggywrinkle99

Baggywrinkle99

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Review submitted and awaiting publication. I know it won't please many Silversea fans so when you've had a chance to read it I'm happy to debate the points I raise in a calm, rational fashion if anyone wants to and we can agree to disagree if necessary. But I can say that several other pax shared our concerns. We have cruised with Crystal, Regent and Seabourn so I think we can make an informed comparison.

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Ithaca

Ithaca

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Guess I am kind of a newbie.

Why would your review need to be reviewed?

Are reviews censored?

 

I also wonder. Last May I submitted a member review which was very positive on the whole, with some minor points included, and it was never posted. I never new what recourse did I have and just forgot about it. Now you bring it up and I wonder....

Edited by Ithaca
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kiawah12

kiawah12

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I just read Baggywrinkle99's review of his Spirit cruise. I posted a very similar critical review several weeks ago. We found the same lack of energy and dissatisfaction on the Spirit trip through the Panama Canal.

 

Poor leadership from the almost invisible CD. Ordinary food selections. Lack of interesting speakers and events. Certainly not value for money involved. Won't venture on Silversea again.

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brimary

brimary

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Having read Baggy wrinkles review of recent cruise on the Spirit as a loyal SS cruiser I am disappointed at the conclusions reached in a very balanced review.I have never cruised on the Spirit because of the views expressed by many regular SS cruisers whose opinions I trust and your views coincide with theirs under a number of points you covered.Thank you for confirming to us that our future SS cruising which we thoroughly enjoy will continue on our favoured small vessels the Cloud and Wind.Try one and I am convinced your experience will be the opposite to that described in your review particularly under the headings of quality of crew,officers and the service they provide.

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Silver Spectre "Live from...." Rare

Silver Spectre

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I have also read Baggywrinkle99's review, and do not recognise the Silver Spirit that we have sailed on.

 

The food and service is always going to be subjective and when it comes to other guests it may come down to who you meet and how sociable you are. Not everyone wants to be your friend, and yes some people can be grumpy.

 

The comment about an evening buffet I find odd, that is much more likely on a mass market line, as is really early dinning and shows.

 

Its a shame they didn't get to Seishen for lunch and eat the sushi there, but it has not been well advertised in the past.

 

Thanks for posting anyway.

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spinnaker2 "Live from...." Rare

spinnaker2

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Thanks for letting me know that your review is as you wrote it and it is uncensored.

I have sailed on the Spirit as well, and fortunately for me, I did not have the experience that you did and that you wrote about. Nevertheless I appreciate your taking the time and energy to pen your impressions of the cruise.

Fortunately we have the freedom to debate or opine as we wish and express what may be a different opinion without fear of reprisals.

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