Celebrity vs Silverseas

[Retired 2008]

Can anyone offer me a comparison of Celebrity vs Silverseas, especially as regards evening entertainment.  I have 30+ cruise on Celebrity, so I know what to expect there, but none yet on SS.

[Observer]

I have not sailed on Celebrity, but I know several people who have.  The Silversea evening entertainment is likely to be much more modest and low key than that on Celebrity, without fancy production shows, etc.  There are many reasons to sail on Silversea.  It is a splendid cruise line.  But I do not believe the evening entertainment is among SS's leading attractions.

[Lois R]

2 hours ago, Retired 2008 said:

Can anyone offer me a comparison of Celebrity vs Silverseas, especially as regards evening entertainment.  I have 30+ cruise on Celebrity, so I know what to expect there, but none yet on SS.

Hi, I sailed with Celebrity for many, many years but found Silversea in 2017 and have never

gone back to Mass Market since.  As for a a comparison? It is apples to oranges when it comes to food, service and overall ambiance.

 MUCH smaller ships.   Evening entertainment? 

They usually offer a few musical acts (Depending on the lounge) and yes, they have a theater.  I recall a few shows but as previously mentioned, not the

big productions.

 

I just love the smaller ships and it is really a totally different experience from X. 

[CruiserFromMaine]

We’ve been on several Celebrity cruises and enjoyed them. Then we sailed on Silversea in 2016 and *really* enjoyed it! The food and service are far better than Celebrity. We had a “regular” veranda suite and it was bigger than the Aqua class cabins on Celebrity. Embarkation was a snap, maybe 10 minutes to walk in the terminal and get on the ship. Everyone gets a butler, which is nice even if you don’t use a butler often. The entertainment on Celebrity is better in that the shows are more elaborate and perhaps better quality but not by much. There is dancing and a DJ most nights if not all on Silversea. Not having to pay for each drink or even show a card/key is very nice.

 

It’s a different dynamic on SS. There is a vibe and some formality on SS that not everyone enjoys. We enjoy it very much. I’d say give it try!

[A Tucson Guy]

Like other have said- different products. Having sailed on both, X is a Mercedes and SS is a Rolls Royce or Bentley. All great cars but very different. Ya gets what ya pay for!! I happen to like Rolls or Bentley's.

[Silver Spectre]

46 minutes ago, A Tucson Guy said:

Like other have said- different products. Having sailed on both, X is a Mercedes and SS is a Rolls Royce or Bentley. All great cars but very different. Ya gets what ya pay for!! I happen to like Rolls or Bentley's.

Or perhaps X is a C Class and SIlversea is an SS Class.

[A Tucson Guy]

I think that analogy is a bit of a stretch, in my humble opinion.

[rkacruiser]

22 hours ago, CruiserFromMaine said:

Everyone gets a butler, which is nice even if you don’t use a butler often.

 

Just curious:  how did you use your butler's services?

 

I had my first butler on MSC Meraviglia in Yacht Club and ended the cruise thinking that I very much underused his potential services.  I am still learning.  

[QueSeraSera]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

how did you use your butler's services?

 

We only have 2 cruises behind us, both on Silversea, but here is what I recall

• Butler answered many questions on our first cruise, from what are our choices for stocking the minifridge to how does the laundry work.  Answers were always provided in a kindly manner.
• Stocked said minifridge with the wine etc we requested. 
• Provided dinner in our cabin on a night we just wanted to try that, to breakfast in suite on a morning we had an early excursion
• Helped us feel at home in multiple ways - just ask and if at all possible you shall receive.  A trivial example perhaps, but important to me, I am accustomed to having a box of facial tissues by my bed every night & morning.  Our butler ensured I had that while cruising. 
• Took care of the laundry we had sent "out"
• Less concrete perhaps, but our butler made us feel we knew someone on board, experienced in cruising with Silversea, that we could call upon for almost any reason.  A great comfort.

[Straughn]

I find this thread quite interesting. While I enjoy the theatrical style shows on Celebrity (I am E+, so lots of Celebrity cruises under my belt), I found the shows to be good, but not fabulous. I was a theatre major, so I look at shows from more than just their entertainment value. 
 

I have my first SS cruise scheduled for next January. One of the things that attracted me to Silversea is the info I have found, both from friends who have sailed on SS, and from various posts and reviews here, about the entertainment. I have reached an age where quiet entertainment is enjoyable. I like small ensembles (piano, bass, drums or similar), a pianist or vocalist.  From what I have read, this seems to be what they offer.

 

 

[QueSeraSera]

8 minutes ago, Straughn said:

From what I have read, this seems to be what they offer.

Yes, your research is correct based on our limited experience.  We have truly enjoyed the solo artists, duos. and 3 piece bands we have found in various venues around the ship.  Welcome to Silversea! 

[Lois R]

2 hours ago, Straughn said:

I find this thread quite interesting. While I enjoy the theatrical style shows on Celebrity (I am E+, so lots of Celebrity cruises under my belt), I found the shows to be good, but not fabulous. I was a theatre major, so I look at shows from more than just their entertainment value. 
 

I have my first SS cruise scheduled for next January. One of the things that attracted me to Silversea is the info I have found, both from friends who have sailed on SS, and from various posts and reviews here, about the entertainment. I have reached an age where quiet entertainment is enjoyable. I like small ensembles (piano, bass, drums or similar), a pianist or vocalist.  From what I have read, this seems to be what they offer.

 

 

Hi again😃.....I sailed solo with X for nearly 16 years........I found SS in 2017 and never looked

back. I have 3 cruises with them and 3 more booked.  What cruise do you have booked?

The ensembles you have mentioned are spot on!  I can't wait to cruise again with them.

 

Thanks for your reply on the other thread as well!🙂

[Observer]

4 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Just curious:  how did you use your butler's services?

 

I had my first butler on MSC Meraviglia in Yacht Club and ended the cruise thinking that I very much underused his potential services.  I am still learning.  

 

This is a very reasonable question, and you have received at least one detailed and thoughtful response.

 

Butlers are there to be of service, and nearly without exception they want to be.  But you should not feel any responsibility to use their potential services to the maximum.

 

The butlers are human beings who work very hard and are serving multiple suites.  A bit of consideration for them is in order and is much appreciated.

 

For example, I am aware that most butlers are off duty from noon until around four.  A few are on call then, but most are sleeping or going to ashore briefly.  If I want lunch in my suite, I do not ask my butler for the lunch. If I did, s/he would probably feel responsible for serving it and then cleaning up.  Instead, I wait until 12:30 or so and call room service.  Then it is delivered by a restaurant staff member or perhaps another butler who is on duty that afternoon.

[A Tucson Guy]

1 hour ago, Observer said:

 

This is a very reasonable question, and you have received at least one detailed and thoughtful response.

 

Butlers are there to be of service, and nearly without exception they want to be.  But you should not feel any responsibility to use their potential services to the maximum.

 

The butlers are human beings who work very hard and are serving multiple suites.  A bit of consideration for them is in order and is much appreciated.

 

For example, I am aware that most butlers are off duty from noon until around four.  A few are on call then, but most are sleeping or going to ashore briefly.  If I want lunch in my suite, I do not ask my butler for the lunch. If I did, s/he would probably feel responsible for serving it and then cleaning up.  Instead, I wait until 12:30 or so and call room service.  Then it is delivered by a restaurant staff member or perhaps another butler who is on duty that afternoon.

Good response. I agree!!

[Fletcher]

On 4/6/2021 at 11:25 PM, A Tucson Guy said:

Like other have said- different products. Having sailed on both, X is a Mercedes and SS is a Rolls Royce or Bentley. All great cars but very different. Ya gets what ya pay for!! I happen to like Rolls or Bentley's.

Bentleys have huge image issues in the UK.  V for vulgar.  Great engineering though.  

[tgh]

Followed one just yesterday.. looked like a one handed aircraft carrier  

[rkacruiser]

19 hours ago, Observer said:

But you should not feel any responsibility to use their potential services to the maximum.

 

Thank you for your reply.  I didn't feel any "responsibility" to use their potential services and for some that I did use, it felt awkward for me (particularly being escorted to the Theater for a show).  

 

My butler did do several of things that QueSeraSera  mentioned in the post below.  He kept my huge fruit bowl filled with a complete change of fruit half way through a 7 day cruise.  He kept me well supplied with Prosecco.  

 

21 hours ago, QueSeraSera said:

We only have 2 cruises behind us, both on Silversea, but here is what I recall

• Butler answered many questions on our first cruise, from what are our choices for stocking the minifridge to how does the laundry work.  Answers were always provided in a kindly manner.
• Stocked said minifridge with the wine etc we requested. 
• Provided dinner in our cabin on a night we just wanted to try that, to breakfast in suite on a morning we had an early excursion
• Helped us feel at home in multiple ways - just ask and if at all possible you shall receive.  A trivial example perhaps, but important to me, I am accustomed to having a box of facial tissues by my bed every night & morning.  Our butler ensured I had that while cruising. 
• Took care of the laundry we had sent "out"
• Less concrete perhaps, but our butler made us feel we knew someone on board, experienced in cruising with Silversea, that we could call upon for almost any reason.  A great comfort.

 

I appreciate your detailed response.  Thank you.  

 

Once., I used room service on Meraviglia.  I called Room Service for breakfast.  Expecting a room service staff member to deliver my order, Jean Paul (my Butler) arrived with it.  I was surprised.  

 

Your comment about feeling that you had someone on board that could be called on for whatever reason was the feeling I had with the Yacht Club's Concierges.  I found them to be most useful and friendly.  The one time that I requested a butler escort to a theater that was in a part of the ship that I had not explored, my butler must have been off duty and he called another butler to his desk to do this task.  From her non-verbal behavior and tone of her voice, she was "reluctant" to do this for whatever reason.  The Concierge made it clear to her (as I was observing) that you are going to do this.  

[rkacruiser]

Observer and QueSeraSera,

 

Did your SS butlers actually care for your suites?  Such as the housekeeping duties, making beds, etc.  Or, was there a Room Steward or Stewardess who assumed those duties?  

 

In YC, there was a Room Stewardess who cared for my suite.  I was never aware of Jean Paul performing any such duties in my suite or in those nearby.  

 

I have wondered which of the two was responsible for the nightly turn down service.  I was either in the Restaurant or the Lounge whenever such took place.  

[Observer]

4 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Did your SS butlers actually care for your suites?  Such as the housekeeping duties, making beds, etc.  Or, was there a Room Steward or Stewardess who assumed those duties?  

 

 

On Silversea there are butlers and suite attendants.  The suite attendants make the beds, change the linen, clean the bathrooms and change towels, wash the windows, vacuum the floor, etc..  

 

The butler does nearly everything else -- attending to restocking the fridge, refreshing fruit, cleaning eyeglasses, replacing drinking glasses, handling laundry, shining shoes, and (curiously IMO) dusting. The butler also distributes mail (excursion tickets), announcements, the daily program, etc.

 

Both work very hard, without a syllable of complaint.

[QueSeraSera]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

was there a Room Steward or Stewardess who assumed those duties

 

As always, including when I was first asking questions on this forum, @Observer has covered it well

[Observer]

19 minutes ago, QueSeraSera said:

 

As always, including when I was first asking questions on this forum, @Observer has covered it well

 

Aw, shucks.  Thanks.  🙂

 

[brimary]

Great description by Observer .One additional duty which we always utilise the Butler for is making all our Restaurants Reservations at preferred time and tables.Cannot put into words the help and assistance provided by the Suite Butler and of course all the excellent SS staff throughout the ships.

[Lois R]

I always make my own dinner reservations......I guess I am just used to always doing things

on my own.  And I never thought about asking him to do it.

[rkacruiser]

On 4/9/2021 at 8:41 AM, Lois R said:

I always make my own dinner reservations......I guess I am just used to always doing things

on my own.  And I never thought about asking him to do it.

 

Me neither.  My "butler" at home does such.  Me.  

[rkacruiser]

On 4/8/2021 at 4:33 PM, Observer said:

 

On Silversea there are butlers and suite attendants.  The suite attendants make the beds, change the linen, clean the bathrooms and change towels, wash the windows, vacuum the floor, etc..  

 

The butler does nearly everything else -- attending to restocking the fridge, refreshing fruit, cleaning eyeglasses, replacing drinking glasses, handling laundry, shining shoes, and (curiously IMO) dusting. The butler also distributes mail (excursion tickets), announcements, the daily program, etc.

 

Both work very hard, without a syllable of complaint.

 

Thanks for your reply.  Your job description of what the Silverseas Butlers do is what I think is what my Butler did on MSC Meraviglia.  

 

As one who wears glasses, I'd be most uncomfortable with giving my glasses to another person to clean.