Thoughts while “Muse-ing” - Modifications for Muse 2?

[Bon.Vivant]

What may give some "temporary relief" would be to loosen the in-suite dining menu restrictions, and perhaps allowing the 24 hour menu in the pizza place etc. At least this would take one element out of the doubly whammy of not having a seat anywhere and being told to burger off.

 

Perhaps if any suites are unsold then at a pinch having them reconfigured for "private dining" and offering them to floating groups unable to dine anywhere and sold as a sort of La Champagne experience plus.

 

Great solutions! I'm ROFL :D.

[UKCruiseJeff]

;p

 

I think that it is easy to forget the human aspects of when this sort of thing goes wrong. I don't think Sophia will mind me giving my take of what happened to her on the night she came to grief with all this.

 

She was looking after a great friend of hers who was older and worthy of the sort of respect all of us would understand. Both ladies had dressed up for a meal that they were anticipating would be a glittering evening of fine food and company of a few other friends. I think Sophia felt that she was looking after her friend and felt sort of responsible in that she felt she had let her friend down for what was a disaterous evening but out of her control. The group, hoping to eat together went from place to place asking or begging for a table but in the end they had to split up with Sophia and her friend dressed up for a proper meal eating a substandard pizza in the cold. The way they were "handled" was also rude. Two elegant mature ladies eating out in the cold a meal not of their choice is not a nice thing. This isn't what you pay SS prices for. And then to hear someone boasting that they had secured without prior booking a favoured table in their choice of restaurant for the whole cruise because they bribed the MD was the icing on the cake.

 

I think all of us can understand how Soapy felt. She is far too nice to say all this, but clearly I'm not. :)

[Bon.Vivant]

;p

 

I think that it is easy to forget the human aspects of when this sort of thing goes wrong. I don't think Sophia will mind me giving my take of what happened to her on the night she came to grief with all this.

 

She was looking after a great friend of hers who was older and worthy of the sort of respect all of us would understand. Both ladies had dressed up for a meal that they were anticipating would be a glittering evening of fine food and company of a few other friends. I think Sophia felt that she was looking after her friend and felt sort of responsible in that she felt she had let her friend down for what was a disaterous evening but out of her control. The group, hoping to eat together went from place to place asking or begging for a table but in the end they had to split up with Sophia and her friend dressed up for a proper meal eating a substandard pizza in the cold. The way they were "handled" was also rude. Two elegant mature ladies eating out in the cold a meal not of their choice is not a nice thing. This isn't what you pay SS prices for. And then to hear someone boasting that they had secured without prior booking a favoured table in their choice of restaurant for the whole cruise because they bribed the MD was the icing on the cake.

 

I think all of us can understand how Soapy felt. She is far too nice to say all this, but clearly I'm not. :)

 

Nobody should have to endure such experiences on a luxury cruise -- or any cruise, for that matter.

Edited May 5, 2017 by Bon.Vivant

[carefreecruise]

Nobody should have to endure such experiences on a luxury cruise -- or any cruise, for that matter.

 

This is not just a one off... Our next three cruises on new ships all have done away with the main dining rooms and only offer specialty restaurant dining. Ether these new ships will all fail or just maybe they know something we old timers don't. Maybe we should just call this growing pains and give them some time to work out the kinks, also giving the guests time to adjust to a new concept.

 

I will enter this field of dining later this year with in trepidation and an open mind. It looks like this dining experience is the wave of the future and guess we all better adjust or be left at the docks...

[les37b]

 

If as Les has suggested Manfredi has 'taken over' both La T and Atlantide for that June voyage then l would most certainly cancel the trip....end of.

 

 

I appreciate you wasn't suggesting my info was inaccurate, but just to clarify, I'm saying the two restaurants are showing as non bookable for 16th June in Monaco. From my experience last year in Monaco, Manfredi most certainly did take out of circulation, Le Champagne for the night. That is a fact.

 

It's not unreasonable to assume a similar arrangement is taking place here, though logic says "you can't be serious".

 

If they couldn't feed everyone when all restaurants are up and running, clearly there is no chance if they remove 280 dining room places for the night. 1/2 the ship will be heading for pizza in their rooms! lol

 

For that reason, I can't see that this will really happen, but I will say, if you want to entertain in private and show off your new ship, do so without interfering with fare paying guests. I just have the feeling though, this "booking" may well be some sort of special event that guests will attend.

 

Who knows. Getting information out to guests is unfortunately something that SS currently have a problem with doing. People I know on board on this trip have repeatedly been ignored when emailing. They did eventually get a reply from the CEO but they are far from happy. Their TA is also less than impressed and fed up with constant changing and lack of info. How can he advise when the goal posts keep moving!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[les37b]

 

 

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[les37b]

As you can see, la Dame is wait listed, but even with those restaurants removed, none of the others are full, suggesting to me that people are not in the know about the new system and will not be impressed if the Miss out because they were not told

 

 

 

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[UKCruiseJeff]

Maybe we should just call this growing pains and give them some time to work out the kinks, also giving the guests time to adjust to a new concept.

 

Several have suggested that this is "growing pains" and it will be ironed out but no one from what I've seen has actually suggested what options they have to choose from.

 

 

I can only think of one action that would cure it and that is two sittings.

[MissSophia]

I can only think of one action that would cure it and that is two sittings.

 

God forbid if that happens as they struggled to organise one sitting in Atlantide in particular......the small bar in there was always packed with folk waiting for their table.....it was a cross between a conveyor belt and the mad hatters tea party! 😊

[UKCruiseJeff]

If as Les has suggested Manfredi has 'taken over' both La T and Atlantide for that June voyage then l would most certainly cancel the trip....end of.

 

<<two sittings>>

 

God forbid if that happens as they struggled to organise one sitting in Atlantide in particular......the small bar in there was always packed with folk waiting for their table.....it was a cross between a conveyor belt and the mad hatters tea party!

 

 

Maiden voyage excepted ... but when an owner decides that the enjoyment of his customers are sufficiently unimportant that he will exercise a prerogative to eject his paying customers from restaurants knowing the upheaval and dissapointment this might cause for a private function it is extremely illuminating. It also sends a set of signals to staff that aren't attitudes you should as an owner wish them to receive.

 

If you want your staff to feel that the customer is king you must set an example and show leadership.

[les37b]

Maiden voyage excepted ... but when an owner decides that the enjoyment of his customers are sufficiently unimportant that he will exercise a prerogative to eject his paying customers from restaurants knowing the upheaval and dissapointment this might cause for a private function it is extremely illuminating. It also sends a set of signals to staff that aren't attitudes you should as an owner wish them to receive.

 

If you want your staff to feel that the customer is king you must set an example and show leadership.

 

I've made the assumption (and shown the evidence of the removal of the booking facility) that is what he's done based on my experience last year in Monaco. It may actually be that its a computer glitch or in fact he has organised some sort of event on the night. I might have made the soundbites that 280 passengers will have to find somewhere else to eat, but in truth I dont know if it is the case. It just doesnt seem feasible. I would add, that if it was the case, it would be a very big mistake that would eventually be an expensive lesson learned as I honestly do think the stink that would be kicked up would cost dearly. Thats why I'm sure SS cant be that naive.

 

As you can see from my booking.... I'm sorted in Indochine. ;-)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Or it may be that they have a group booking and they have decided that the group booking takes precedence over individual passengers.

[nfcu]

CruisinPashmina, I have exactly the same concerns, and have expressed that in several posts. This kind of dining arrangement does not work for solo travelers. Most of us would like to dine with other people -- but we haven't yet met these people pre-cruise and thus can't make reservations with them in advance. And it doesn't sound like SS has done anything to accommodate solos.

 

I think the whole dining situation is full of problems. It's complicated and inflexible. Plus, it seems that there's not enough capacity to accommodate everyone in the more desirable venues. I quote Silver Spectre who pointed out: " If I understand this correctly evening covers are as follows:

Indochine seats 180

Atlantide seats 140

La Terrazza seats 140

Say we have a nearly full ship, 560 or so, it's a cold/windy evening and there's not much uptake on the charged restaurants. That leaves somewhere like 100 guests stuck with pizza, room service or the Silver Note, or maybe in a queue waiting for a table clear in one of the restaurants."

 

I can just imagine the scrambling and competition to secure a dining spot if you don't want a charged restaurant, and don't want to eat outside or in your cabin.

 

Way to go SS!, on making the dining experience what I'm sure will be a disappointing experience for many.

 

I don't think the number of seats in a restaurant is the same as the number of possible bookings, since the seats can be turned over at least twice in an evening. Thus a seating capacity of 140 is actually at least 280 bookings. True?

[wripro]

I don't think the number of seats in a restaurant is the same as the number of possible bookings, since the seats can be turned over at least twice in an evening. Thus a seating capacity of 140 is actually at least 280 bookings. True?

Only true you have enough passengers who want to dine either at 6PM or 8:30PM. Most people prefer somewhere in between which does not allow for two seatings.

 

This whole situation is a mess and the sooner SS realizes it the sooner they can begin to correct it. I foresee a dry dock where they will reconfigure two or more restaurants into an MDR with open seating.

[Bon.Vivant]

I don't think the number of seats in a restaurant is the same as the number of possible bookings, since the seats can be turned over at least twice in an evening. Thus a seating capacity of 140 is actually at least 280 bookings. True?

 

As Wripro pointed out, there can only be two seatings if most people booked either early or late. I assume most people would book for around 7:00 pm. Allowing for 2.5 hrs per seating, there would not be enough time before or after for another seating. I don't think many would want to dine at 4:30 or at 9:30 pm. Silversea may have to go to a traditional two-seating system in the restaurants -- early and late seatings at 6pm and 8:30 pm. Or they will have to limit the length of time you could stay at you table (perhaps limiting us to 1.5 hrs per sitting, before you have to leave the table.) Otherwise, there will not be enough capacity to ensure that a good chunk of passengers will not be relegated to eating outside or in their cabins, or forced to use a for-charge restaurant if they don't want to.

Edited May 5, 2017 by Bon.Vivant

[UKCruiseJeff]

BV, re capacity, I think the situation is a touch more demanding than that for the following reasons. All small, but what is left is small, and these things all add up.

 

Although a relatively small number, the number of diners is more than the number of passemgers as there are also an unspecified number of staff that are entitled to eat in restaurants. Presumbly a number of them have fixed reservations in specific restaurants where they expect to host tables. The number seated at those tables in addition to the host is therefore removed from the pool of say 35% non-bookable that remain for passengers to take. So a 140 seater might have 90 prebooked leaving a remainder of say 50 if it were possible to have every seat occupied, which of course it would not be. Out of that 50 will be seats wasted when couples wish not to share or groups of three sitting at four-seaters, seats held back by the MD, hosted tables that will tend to seat more etc.

 

That doesn't seem to me to theoretically leave much flexibility for those without bookings.

[carefreecruise]

 

I can only think of one action that would cure it and that is two sittings.

 

 

Your right and it would calm things down for all if on the website or ship, it would state the following:

 

EARLY SEATING TIMES ..... 6:30, 6:40, 6:50, 7:00, 7:10, 7:20, 7:30

LATE SEATING TIMES ....... 8:00, 8:10, 8:20, 8:30, 8:40, 8:50, 9:00

 

Then just have the times grayed out if time slot was taken.

 

Just a thought.....

Edited May 5, 2017 by carefreecruise

[Bon.Vivant]

BV, re capacity, I think the situation is a touch more demanding than that for the following reasons. All small, but what is left is small, and these things all add up.

 

Although a relatively small number, the number of diners is more than the number of passemgers as there are also an unspecified number of staff that are entitled to eat in restaurants. Presumbly a number of them have fixed reservations in specific restaurants where they expect to host tables. The number seated at those tables in addition to the host is therefore removed from the pool of say 35% non-bookable that remain for passengers to take. So a 140 seater might have 90 prebooked leaving a remainder of say 50 if it were possible to have every seat occupied, which of course it would not be. Out of that 50 will be seats wasted when couples wish not to share or groups of three sitting at four-seaters, seats held back by the MD, hosted tables that will tend to seat more etc.

 

That doesn't seem to me to theoretically leave much flexibility for those without bookings.

 

Whoa... The problems and complications inherent in the whole dining set-up are mind-boggling, once you start thinking it all through! :eek: And why didn't the creative designing geniuses think it all through?

[UKCruiseJeff]

Whoa... The problems and complications inherent in the whole dining set-up are mind-boggling, once you start thinking it all through! :eek:

 

Indeed. The under occupation figure can be the killer. We use to have an 85 seater restaurant in our club. All tables seated four and so we'd join them together for anything more than five people. From recall our under occupancy would be on a good night say 15% and on a bad night 25% or more. SS will do better than that because they have a range of tables available. So if it were just 15%, then out if the 50 seats left unbooked in a 140 seater, 15% (of 140) say 20 seats might be wasted. So that takes the 50 down to 30 before you even consider the hosted tables and those held back.

 

It puzzles me, that's for sure.

[Bon.Vivant]

Indeed. The under occupation figure can be the killer. We use to have an 85 seater restaurant in our club. All tables seated four and so we'd join them together for anything more than five people. From recall our under occupancy would be on a good night say 15% and on a bad night 25% or more. SS will do better than that because they have a range of tables available. So if it were just 15%, then out if the 50 seats left unbooked in a 140 seater, 15% (of 140) say 20 seats might be wasted. So that takes the 50 down to 30 before you even consider the hosted tables and those held back.

 

It puzzles me, that's for sure.

 

You'd think that the planners/designers would have anticipated some of these potential problems. Apparently not. Another case of barreling ahead with a "vision" without getting the ducks in a row beforehand?

[UKCruiseJeff]

....... and if you were an MD and if your sheet showed a potential of say four four seater tables left and it were say 8:30pm and a couple turned up asking for a table for two ...... what do you think he would say?

 

;)

[wripro]

All these solutions seem very appropriate.....for Carnival or Royal Caribbean. NOT Silversea. I want the luxury of dining when I want with who I want. I do not want some MD to tell me when hr can accommodate me. I want to tell them when I want to be accommodated.

[CruisinPashmina]

I am focused on having SS understand the obvious; one of the major attractions of Silversea is the spontaneity, the luxury, the ease, of being able to walk up to a friendly, understanding Maître D and, hopefully, usually, to be seated as one had hoped. This required flexibility on all sides and it was one of Silversea's strongest cards.

What's happened with the Muse, and please, if anyone knows, tell me why? My objections, my angst, started with my personal concerns as what I perceived as being an abandoned solo sailor. I am now, sadly, thinking that this no MDR policy is bound to change the inclusive, flexible,and very special atmosphere a great many of us have loved so much...and for so long.

[Emtbsam]

I am focused on having SS understand the obvious; one of the major attractions of Silversea is the spontaneity, the luxury, the ease, of being able to walk up to a friendly, understanding Maître D and, hopefully, usually, to be seated as one had hoped. This required flexibility on all sides and it was one of Silversea's strongest cards.

What's happened with the Muse, and please, if anyone knows, tell me why? My objections, my angst, started with my personal concerns as what I perceived as being an abandoned solo sailor. I am now, sadly, thinking that this no MDR policy is bound to change the inclusive, flexible,and very special atmosphere a great many of us have loved so much...and for so long.

We totally agree. We have enjoyed the spontaneity of meeting new friends and deciding to dine with them that evening. Fortunately, all SS ships except the Muse allow this spontaneity, but the popularity of the Muse might be hurt if they don't find a solution to what appeared at first to be an interesting assortment of dining options but has turned out to be a real problem not just for solo travelers but those of us who don't want to plan ahead.

 

SS Management -- ARE YOU LISTENING???

[mjnvoyager]

We are on the Muse in a week. Our TA has attempted to make some reservations for us for the first 7 days. We will book the rest when we are onboard. There will be 6 of us dining together so perhaps harder for us to coordinate in advance. The TA says she has had multiple complaints about the new system.

Jane

 

 

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