Review, Panama Canal cruise, Silver Moon, 1/3/22-1/19/22, Ft. Lauderdale to Guayaquil

[Catlover54]

 

DH and I are experienced misc. luxury cruisers (though we have also tried Oceania, Celebrity, and Holland America), with no loyalty to any particular line.  This 16-day Central America/Panama Canal cruise (originally planned  to end in Lima, Peru, but changed a couple weeks before sailing due to Covid) was our first Moon cruise.  We had done multiple cruises  with Silversea pre-Covid on the older ships. We started in Fort Lauderdale (FLL), and cruised to Cozumel, Belize City, Roatan Island (Honduras), Puerto Limon, Panama Canal and Fuerte Amador, Puntarenas, Golfito, and Manta, and ended in Guayaquil.

 

Overall, I rate this cruise 4/5. Official review on CC is pending but may take a while.  I will post a little at a time and hopefully follow up with some pictures after DH gets them together.

Feel free to jump in with questions, comments, etc.

 

EMBARKATION:  Overall, this was nicely done in FLL at Terminal 19.  Social distancing was maintained in a comfortable area, and we were on  board after testing within an hour.  Rooms were available at 4.  We waited in the beautiful main bar, La Dolce Vita, until then, experimenting with a couple cocktails.

 

SHIP FACILITIES AND GENERAL FUNCTION:   This new ship was beautiful with bright, modern, clean-line decor.  Most important  things worked well ( other than internet, an old story) . Climate control was excellent in all venues.  There were usually  no lines on board, and no crowds (though only 220 pax on a ship with 600 capacity) .There was plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors, and hygiene standards were immaculate. Unlike on Celebrity Edge, thankfully there was NO pulsating or pounding music blasting on open decks, so the spaces could be enjoyed with the accompaniment of the soothing sounds of the sea (or music of your choice on earpods). The ship was steady in some slightly rougher waters and I only needed seasick meds on one day.

We had a wifi cruise app, on which we could follow key issues  (restaurant menus of the day, excursion bookings, activities, etc.).  This  could also be done on the in-room TV, though the latter was clunky and slower, and prone to chopped off images and text.

[Catlover54]

Negatives on ship facilities:

 

1. We did not like that the gym was only open 6AM-8PM, (with Covid, why not expand hours?), though on this 1/3 full ship it was not crowded and sometimes empty. Also, the attractive hot soaking pool  outside on deck 6 in the bow outside  the Zagora spa near the gym was closed and blocked off even more often, so it was impossible to use during ship dark hours .  Other than the very public tubs near the pool, there was another hot tub aft on the pool deck, so private and unused that crew did not even bother to set up lounge cushions in that area.    My husband detested the mask requirement in the gym, which detracted from his workout enjoyment.  The massages he usually gets on cruises were canceled (a combination of a quarantined masseuse, and then also realization that it would not be relaxing for him to wear a mask while lying upside down to get a back massage, and worried a proximate masseuse would infect him and get us quarantined).

 

2. The main entertainment venue (Venetian lounge) was oddly designed with rows of comfortable sofa seating with drink tables, alternating with uncomfortable upright chairs without drink tables.  Most pax understandably gravitated to the comfortable chairs.  There was only one day when six feet of social distancing could not be maintained, assuming some people sat on the upright chairs. It was also hard to discretely get in/out of some rows without going through a maze.

Internet (premium service, $305, unlimited for the cruise) was almost always slow, and sometimes unusable, but ok enough for leisure. However, other than on Celebrity in the Caribbean, where it was excellent a couple months ago, and Crystal Endeavor in Iceland, poor internet is par for the cruising course these days, it is just an issue of who has the worst.  Had I been trying to do online work, it would not have been possible to do so without wasting a lot of time.

 

3. There was no on/off switch in the suite for hearing overhead messages.  You could hear the captain's messages on the TV (bow camera), but only if you got to the remote quickly enough to turn on the TV and navigated the controls blitzschnell to select the bow camera station .  Otherwise you had to run to the hallway door and open it to hear, especially important on Covid updates. The almost day-long Panama canal moderation also could not be listened to in the suite on the TV (had to stand near the hallway door, go out on a hot deck, or sit in the crowded library where social distancing became tricky and most pax were maskless because they had a drink near them).  CD announcements could also only be heard in the hall. The explanation given was that it was a Covid precaution (the enrichment moderator was not allowed to access the TV broadcast mike in the bridge).

[Catlover54]

 

SUITE:   We had  a  Veranda suite, mid-deck 6, with a comfortable bed, hard sofa (only good for sitting on during room service), and cushionless balcony single chairs that did not recline, but had footrests.  

Set-up included a small fridge (sometimes cool, sometimes not so cool, but good enough), a walk-in closet with a big safe, and a bathroom with both a tub and a shower, either Bulgari ( default)  or hypoallergenic toiletries on request.  There was plenty of storage for two, though the bathroom had no drawers. Towels were fluffy and as abundant as desired.

We had free laundry, which we frequently used in the hot climate as we did active excursions, and clothing typically came back earlier than expected, nicely cleaned and ironed.

 

 

SERVICE:  Moon base crew, mostly Filipino (who typically spoke Tagalog with each other in public areas), and also many Indians, were friendly and usually very attentive -- sometimes overly attentive and/or not coordinated, e.g., six different people in restaurants asking us if we wanted more wine.  

 

Our suite butler and steward team maintained our room beautifully, always respected the DND sign, and followed our verbal and written requests.  The butler was polite and efficient. He was reserved and not  proactive, but he did his basic job.  He did not suggest any services or options we did not ask for specifically but which I know SS guests have previously received -- like cocktails, canapes or caviar in the suite, much less "surprises". I had to already know what special things I could ask for, e.g., I called for an order of caviar with champage at 4PM on a port day ( due to CC I knew it was complimentary), and it was delivered, at 4:45, no questions.  We did not want unnecessary  indoor close quarters chatting with staff or others during a Covid surge anyway, so as not to risk turning positive and getting quarantined, so we were  fine with the reserved manner. But pax  who love to chat up and pal around with crew about their families, backgrounds, experiences etc., might have preferred a different butler.

 

Dining room service was overall very good in all venues.  My only irritation was that too many restaurant crew, especially in Atlantide and La Terraza,  repeatedly abruptly interrupted our conversations while we were eating.  They were not trained on how to do so in an unintrusive manner.  They had stuff they were taught to say or ask , and they were going to charge in with their rehearsed speeches and briskly interrupt no matter what,  or ask a question right when we had just filled our mouths with food. It detracted a bit (but only a bit) from enjoyment of the courses after delivery, especially when it was then repeated by other crew asking the same questions.

[Catlover54]

 

COVID measures:  Good overall, under the circumstances. All pax were at a minimum double vaxxed, and efficiently antigen tested immediately pre-boarding, and as noted, our boarding ( not with the SS organized group from a hotel) went smoothly.  There was no booster requirement for pax though we know many were tripled. 

Crew, however,  had reportedly not been boosted until  just a few days before the cruise started. Crew  were then also tested early in the cruise, and the captain announced that 4 (including the CD and assistant CD) were positive (a number that increased to 15 as the voyage went on, and to 19 composite total after the pre-disembarkation PCR testing in Guayaquil). There was no mid-cruise asymptonatic pax testing.

The positive,  and "close contacts" , were isolated and quarantined -- this included most of the entertainment crew and the CD/assistant CD, so we did not see any six-man SS shows until day 14. My manicure options were cancelled for the first 10 days, due to the manicurist being in quarantine. Quarantined positive and contact pax and others were housed in a special roped off zone of deck 6, which was food serviced by crew in hazmat suits who brought styrofoam containers ( we saw the carts regularly) . Pax reportedly got  very limited and often cold menu meals and there was quite a bit of dissatisfaction reported by other pax on CC on how this was initially handled and why (see other passengers' threads on this SS forum for reports by Les, whose wife unfortunately got Covid, and quarantined, and they could not timely disembark). 

The atmosphere was sometimes a bit surreal (especially after a couple drinks), e.g., when we took an elevator after dinner down to deck 6 after dinner and were startled to see a crew in hazmat attire on our right, and another on our left, surrounding us when we got out.

 

The butler was required to check our body temperature electronically every day, (though experts have noted this is an extremely insensitive means of detecting asymptomatic Covid).  Our butler repeatedly struggled with the device and had to run it several times at the wrist, or at our necks to get a read when it did not take, breaking social distancing). If the butler did not correctly electronically submit results to reception, reception would send us an email to report by 4 and we could go do it there, below a clear barrier shield. 

Everything was visibly clean, and hand sanitizer and extra paper masks were available on request. Tables in dining rooms were distanced. Crew would spray tables in lounges with disinfectant , and then I saw them spray them again in 5-10 minutes even if no one had touched the tables.

[Catlover54]

DISTANCING AND MASKING

 

On board social distancing was almost always easy to maintain if desired both inside and outside, as the ship was only 1/3 full.  However, some pax did not desire (e.g., people playing trivia shoulder to shoulder with non-family, pax closely socializing with strangers, pax sitting  <6 feet from others when choice seats were not available non-distanced at talks or at view spots, pax who liked to reflexly bunch up closely behind other pax when in the few lines we had (I guess they thought their masks were superior to good distancing).

 

Crew also often animatedly talked face to face, often within one foot of each other (both about necessary business, and I inferred from their joking manner, (though I do not understand Tagalog), about social chit chat which humans need these days. Waiters often leaned over our shoulders breathily talking about the menu, wine list, etc. I did not want to be rude and tell them to back off, but wanted their breath out of my face, so it was a bit awkward.

 

We received general initial low-key instructions from butlers, from the captain a few times overhead, and in the daily newspaper Chronicle to wear masks whenever we left our  suites.  This was understood to mean *unless eating or drinking*, inside and outside (officially not just when unable to socially distance).  This meant masks were officially required on excursions and in ports (and local laws required them), both inside and outside, (including officially when walking  in 88 degree humid heat uphill outside, even when distanced many feet from other pax).  Even if you were alone in the gym, you were supposed to wear a mask, (though there was no official patrol).

N95 or K95 dense masks (allegedly the best for protecting self and others to varying though too  small degrees with early Covid and delta, and not yet published for Omicron but obviously recommended) were not required on board (at least *not yet* on my cruise -- that may be next, given the push by some authorities, though late,  encouraging more N95 usage ) .  Most crew did not choose to wear the higher grade masks  and instead wore ship surgical masks, and a few wore cloth. One port (Golfito) required at least surgical and not cloth masks, (you could not leave the ship with cloth, there was a ship screener).  The ship provided free white surgical masks in abundance and appropriately encouraged changing them out. 

 

Pre-cruise I had read contradictory CC passenger reports that the universal mask rule  supposedly excluded time at the pool, or when walking laps outside , or when able to distance 6 feet outside, plus of course it excluded performers, and excluded time when eating and drinking as long as you were sitting.  But when I specifically asked the butler after we boarded about such intuitive exceptions , he uncomfortably  giggled, hemmed and hawed, and basically said there aren't any exceptions he was aware of (though he clearly implied he knew people were not masking in the obvious, previously allowed situations, and it was not enforced in such situations). 

 

But realistically, in practice, de facto, *I did not witness any staff telling pale snowbird sunbathers in swimsuits to put on masks* .  So almost all sat maskless at the pool, though technically, the maskless or frequently nares-exposed pax elsewhere, or non-drinkers sitting maskless at shows and talks,  were rules violators (rules, confirmed by not just the butler but other staff the first few days, and then I stopped asking) .  So if you like to meticulously follow *all* rules, to their letter, be prepared to get an interesting shape to your tan, even if others do not want to play along, and be prepared to mask while exercising and walking alone outside on deck and when walking uphill in 88 degree 100% humidity weather on excursions.  

Guides on excursions in our course (this may be regiona dependent) also did not really enforce mask rules inside or outside (it would be hard to do, as they themselves not uncommonly had exposed nares, both inside and outside -- it was hot and humid and they were talking ).  Some sternly told people to wear inside and outside, because it was the law   -- but only told pax once.

 

So there was also a lot of maskless and prolonged sipping going on at dining venues, bars, and there was almost no masking at the 45-minute shows after the first couple days, even when pax had no drinks, (the former were compliant with the letter of the rules).  No time limit was set on how long you can nurse a drink. But at shows,  the drink nursing (or just sitting maskless, drinkless) was mostly distanced from others.  So I was fine with it (if I had to choose between distancing and masks to protect from Covid  I would choose distancing).  Others considering cruising might not be fine without BOTH distancing AND masking, but this was a determined bunch, (determined enough to not cancel cruises during Omicron).  IMHO people cruising now are less worried about Covid (or getting quarantined and/or stuck in an inhospitable place like Equador) than those on the fence at home, and way less worried than those who have not done a single cruise since March 2020 but avidly read CC.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Most people I saw  were also quick to remove masks as soon as they were within rules suggesting they do not like them.  But no one  would harass you if you did not, and a couple pax were double-masked .  Quite a few seniors at lectures, shows,  and in buses understandably came up for breaths periodically on some hotter buses and humid excursions, even when they were in technical violation.  A few regularly proudly sat at talks with masks below their nares, or maskless, no drink in sight.  Personally I was more worried about the impossible to avoid lack of distancing inside some excursion vehicles (though it was usually as well-done as could be) and  at excursion organized lunches where we sat next to strangers at assigned restaurant tables.

 

To enter the buffet area ( La Terraza), pax were directed to sanitize their hands contact-free.  Then pax could sit down at tables and remove their masks, indoors or out, for however long they wanted. Pax who then wished to enter the corner buffet area had to wash their hands a full minute, timed and monitored by staff, before being handed a plate.  Then the masked pax could  mill around from station to station in no particular order,carrrying their plates, undistanced,  to look at food and read small food descriptions. Masked staff behind barriers would almost immediately  ask what pax wanted before they had had a chance to look at selections, then staff placed food onto pax plates somewhat awkwardly handed to them below a barrier (often redirection was needed,  which delayed things, due to initial misunderstanding by staff of what the request was -- it is best to speak loudly, clearly, and slowly).  Delays occurred when too little, or the wrong thing, was placed on plates. Sometimes a station was unmanned (rest room break for the crew?), but I only saw this four times. There were no trays to help pax carry food to their tables, and the strangely stressful serving  process and remasking requirement served as a disincentive for me to just jump up, mask up, and go for seconds ( this was good for the waistline).  So I only went back when I had tried a bit of a new entree, hated it, and wanted to try another. Over time, I started getting used to it, and took my time despite crew pressure for me to answer what I wanted. 

 

 

Unfortunately, on excursions, distancing, and not just masking, sometimes fell apart -- a few  vans were packed by local tour operators to near capacity  (the Honduras panorama excursion was such, which we therefore aborted ), but some  did an excellent job. Even on buses that had seats marked with an X to not sit on, masked pax were still occasionally loaded onto vehicles  in such numbers that there was nowhere for added pax to sit except on a seat with an X, i.e., 1-2 feet in front of and behind other pax, e.g., if already  sitting in very closely spaced seats.  As noted, on some crowded excursion vans and buses , the local guides and some pax also wore masks under the noses, guides frequently fiddled with them, stood closely over pax while talking loudly with breathy illustrative sound effects to enhance their stories, and not uncommonly were in pax faces on the buses ( e.g., leaning over us to give details as they walked down aisles, or to show us maps we did not ask for) .  

But SS is not unique in having 6 foot social distancing fall apart on many port excursions despite the great efforts made on board, as I witnessed the same thing on Crystal and Celebrity excursions since Covid ( though those were pre-Omicron).  They do the best they can. 

 

Singers belted out breathy songs indoors without masks, and enrichment speakers did not wear masks.  They were of course distanced, so this is the compromise. To be consistently Covid-protective, if pax are expected to be able to aggressively work out in the gym wearing masks, it is unclear why  speakers, engaged in much less physical exertion, do not also wear masks, but I personally preferred to see their expressions -- at a distance. Of course,  neither  did any entertainers (and as noted, several entertainers landed in quarantine -- when they got out of their 10 day quarantine, DH saw dancers practicing maskless in close quarters in the gym; they were likely not infectious then, as they just got over their Covid, but it is unclear if they also practiced maskless before they got positive, or for how long after their recovery they will practice maskless indoors near pax. 

 

Overall, we were frankly not worried about getting very sick with Covid despite my multiple risks including medication for immunosuppression (we are triple vaxxed and do everything else we can and then some which many do not do, within reason,  to not get sick). We worried more about getting quarantined for contact with someone with Covid, getting locked in a room with icky food, and then not being allowed to timely disembark, but we knew it was a risk. So we sadly avoided having social contact, which we usually try to do on cruises (e.g., communal tables, or bars, or friendly face to face chats).  We also avoided sitting near tables with loud and frequent laughing -- more droplets are expelled by such people.  We know our vaxxes are not full-proof, and did not want to be quarantined.

 

People who cruise now should, and do, know it is a risk they  will be quarantined (though most will not be -- so far). Omicron is more  infectious, as we know, though fortunately for almost all the thousands of cruisers we have heard about, mild (asymptomatic or just URI symptoms) .   The presence of quarantine risk thus favors retirees, and people with more time and money on their hands, and less need to be home on time for other things (pets, elderly parents, weddings, etc.).  

 

SS is doing a good job, under the very stressful and money-losing circumstances.  I only mention the inconsistencies and things I noted in detail above as FYI information, not as a condemnation of SS or an implication that they are worse than other luxury lines.  None are perfect.  

[Stumblefoot]

Thank you for taking the time to share all of the detailed “FYI information” as you characterize it.  I imagine it will be helpful to many.

[les37b]

Good review which I think is very close to my experience and thoughts (with our rather unfortunate exception!)

 

We were also on deck 6 midships, so no doubt said hello at some point without realising.

 

Concur completely with what you said re-trivia, which you probably also know wiped out 2 teams for 24 to 48 hours  The "honey badgers" lost two participants (in quarantine right now), and their team has been renamed "social distances" - sit a fair bit away from each other and streamed to their fallen comrades so they could continue playing.

 

Social interaction is a huge part of cruising, so when that's taken or extensively reduced, it does reduce enjoyment. The risk of a close contact isolation is very very real and a gamble that isn't worth it IMHO.

 

They have (since you left) introduced a new rule.... "No sitting at the bar".

 

I've decided not to take chances and removed myself from Triv and generally live life completely in outside venues. My wife is out in 2 days. We just want to get home and can't afford to take chances. You can minimise your risks, but nothing is certain.

 

 

 

[Catlover54]

Les, I wish you and your wife well-deserved outstanding times together once we gets liberated!  I think it is wise to avoid trivia and non-distanced  social interactions, especially since you have not yet been sick and you could land up with "here we go again."

 

With only 65 or so on board now  (is that correct?), distancing should be easy.

 

Comments on FOOD (part 1):

 

 

FOOD and BEVERAGE

The Moon has 8 restaurants, not counting room service, and no main dining room.

 

ATLANTIDE - this comfortable, airy indoor venue with view windows on one side, is open for B, L, and D, and has a large menu (mostly basic steaks and chops), with a daily appetizer, entree, and dessert special. I adored the soft chairs and view of the close sea through the windows at lunch. The food was generally ok at three lunches and three dinners (a couple glaring exceptions) , with something for everyone, and was sometimes very good (pork loin special, lamb chops) but sometimes like nursing home fare, never OMG wonderful. The food ( especially fish) did not compare with the quality, creativity  and flavor on the Crystal Endeavor, or the Luminae retreat restaurant for Celebrity suite pax, or on Seabourn, or on Hapag Lloyd. The Wienerschnitzel "special" one night was embarassing, the worst I have ever had anywhere -- it looked and tasted like a low-sodium, Sunny Hills Nursing Home compressed "breaded veal patty"and was served with equally bland and unattractive sides.  Basic , complementary  daily white and red wine was offered by either a pleasant but wine naive waiter (lunch) or an unhappy and disinterested somm (dinner). Pax could actively ask by varietal name for other complimentary  wines, or from a for-pay wine list that would  delay service a bit but not too much. We could not get a list of complimentary wines like on SB. I could not get the somm to tell me if he thought the included white or red in Atlantide would go best with my designated entree of choice (he seemed annoyed at the question).  We usually like to interact and chit-chat with the somm on cruises in the MDR, but here we did not feel welcomed when we tried.

 

LA TERAZZA -- this  buffet, indoor/outdoor venue ( masked crew serve you) , had daily hot entree specials for lunch (with and without animal flesh) , plus misc buffet items and salads,  including decent sushi and a nice Zuericher Geschnetzeltes one day (no spaetzle or noodles, but it worked fine with parsley potatoes).  Dinner had a large variety of solid Italian appetizers and entrees (risotto and pasta and anything with either parmiggiano  or mozzarella were the best).  The fried liver with onions was surprisingly wonderful (DH shielded his eyes as he hates it), as was the tomatoe soup. I was surprised and disappointed that  the stock tiramisu and panna cotta in this Italian venue were nothing special. Gelato was  light and refreshing, (hazelnut, pistacchio more than the others).

 

LA DAME  -- an extra $80 charge upscale French style venue.  There is a lot of fussing with service style details, perhaps because the venue was mostly empty and waiters wanted something to do .  They tried very hard. The waiter brought a plate with many freshly baked breads, but initially,  oddly no traditional French bread. I asked for French bread, and the waiter directed me to the sourdough, insisting that is the same thing (after some discussion and delay, he produced some non-sourdough baguette slices). The foie gras was just ok. The caviar presentation was awkward (the sides were in tiny containers and hard to get out). My duck dish flavor was very good, but the duck itself was very tough . Without my asking, appropriately, my meal was comped after waiters asked how I liked the duck and I answered honestly. I discovered too late that others on CC have complained about the toughness of the duck in La Dame on SS. We did not go back, might have but for the $80 surcharge, to give them another chance (e.g., to try escargots, which I usually do on a cruise). .

 

SILVER NOTE -- a popular, small  supper club venue with an often noisy bar at prime time, and excellent creative smaller bites (the lobster and duck small plates were terrific), with  standard mellow bar piano music and  a sexy lady singer.  Reservation needed but no upcharge..

 

SALT Kitchen -- a venue to present foods to match where you are sailing (Sea And  Land Tastes), one reason I wanted to try the Moon (not available on older SS ships). This was our favorite (dinner only, ate four times) We were pleased with the interesting central and South American dishes, which were bursting with interesting and creative flavors, in all courses.

 

KAISEKI  -- a windowless small Japanese venue (no up-charge good sushi and sashimi for lunch, $40 upcharge for dinner including special Japanese gin, vodka, and sake, all worth it).  Popular at dinner, with excellent food and beautiful presentations (e.g., the multicolored caviar presentation is a work of art). The Miso Minestrone was a tasty meal in itself, and "surf and turf" with wagyu beef at dinner were beautifully done the two times we went. Terrific staff.

 

THE GRILL  (casual outdoor lunch near the pool), popular for lunch, becomes popular Hot Rocks by night (grilling  your own steaks is encouraged, but they will also cook for you if you prefer).  It offers lunch basic burgers, grilled fish, a simple salad bar, 12-3 PM or 3:30. We were offered soggy tortilla chips with some nice salsa/guacamole at lunch one day, crispy the next.  At dinner my husband was talked into doing his own steak.  He wore a special bib that was provided, but he still had grease spray on his arms and glasses at the end and had to take a shower, so in hindisght one of the hazmat suits would have come in handy. Good basic Caesar salad we both inhaled.  

 

SPACONOPOLI --  (thin crust pizza, served outside  above the pool deck, the only meal  venue other than room service that is open early, and then continuously,  11 am to  11 PM).  DH told me it was fine (I did not go).  It was usually empty. The pizza by the same name that came to room service was IMHO forgettable.

 

 

 

 

[Catlover54]

FOOD, PART 2

 

There is also a coffee/tea and snack area, with friendly staff, called "ARTS CAFE" on deck 8  that opens at 6:30 AM, closes 11 PM, where I would often go  to get my morning caffeination, (as there were no in-suite coffeemakers). What they have in the display case varies by time of day. They also have tea-time style mini-sandwiches (sadly, mostly bland and a bit stale) , inexpensive monotonous cheese plates (a nice soft cheese seen the first two days disappared -- ask for crackers), four basic small soft cookies (my cookie-fanatic husband was not impressed), gluten free cookies, some simple cake with an option to add whipping cream on top  ( I sometimes just got cream in little dishes -- on two days, the cream was bitter/sour/off).  There were morning sugared mini-Danish, , none of which were special but satisfied the desire for morning sweetness. Strange "detox" drinks (e.g., water with cucumber) were displayed in the morning. Though not ideal, all were appreciated for satisfaction of quick coffee and in between hunger cravings.  There is sadly no formal dress-up  sit-down tea time with piano music like originally on the older ships.

There are pleasant areas to sit with ocean view , both in and out, but we usually ran back to the suite equipped with coffee and small plates, to help avoid contacts.

 

ROOM SERVICE  offers were extensive, and provided basic foods for quick breakfast fueling before excursions,  and 24 hour options including simple burgers, sandwiches, salad, or pizza were on the menu.  I tried the room service beef and caviar tartare, which was tasteless, but fries and onion rings delivered with a hot dog were good. Tomatoe soup was good, but not like that offered in La Terazza.

 

Croissants (mini)  at all venues I tried were unremarkable.  They were buttery enough and I ate them because they were right there, but they tasted like frozen thawed basic grocery  style and could not rival the addictive huge buttery fluff and flake versions on Celebrity, Seabourn, Crystal, Hapag Lloyd or even Oceania. I was very happy with the crispy on the outside/soft on the inside white rolls and French bread, which I liked with butter and jam, or cold cuts (you can tell them which cuts you want delivered),  in the morning.   The room service line was always responsive and friendly, timely, and accurate, and pickup was quick so you did not have the smell of fries filling your suite for hours. 

 

There was no hearty rye or farmers type bread anywhere, just some packaged dark and dry pumpernickel. BTW Breadsticks in restaurants were sometime crisp, sometimes soggy from the humidity.

Overall, SS has improved their bread a lot since we first cruised them in 2011, but danish and pastries were unremarkable.  Otherwise, I would have gained more than the 5 lb I gained on the cruise.

[Catlover54]

ENTERTAINMENT  

Several entertainers were initially in quarantine, but survivor soprano Holly Gibson did one solo night of musical theatre numbers (not our thing, though we listened) and one night of classical arias (wonderful).  At cruise end, after quarantine release, the six Voices of Silver Sea did a tribute to Queen ( lots of energy and vocal talent, (though frankly the ladies' outfits were not flattering to their substantial thighs), and then a farewell Broadway mix. 

 

The highlight for us was the virtuoso and entertaining guest pianist Hyperion Knight, who performed a mix of classical and contemporary. Another guest artist was Canadian vocalist Claude-Eric Brunelle, who had a solid, rich voice, and shiny shoes, but not our preferred style for entertainment. Spanish guitarist Carlos Bonell provided refined acoustic guitar music.  

Flamenco Express guest artists were a couple who did the usual passionate  Spanish numbers ( he is from Spain, the lady is from Cuba) .  I did not like the man's talking and  contrived audience participation attempts ( 'where you from', what to sing along, etc.).  They tried hard to please and were happy to be performing again. 

 

The resident Moon musicians, The Silver Moon Contemporary Trio (pianist, bass, drums), were competent,  with solid lounge lizard tunes.  

Guitarist/singer Hernan was a nice young Argentinian man but DH thought he was amateurish, and fiddled with his ipad too much, accompanying himself. We did not seek him out.

 

On sea days and off times, pax also amused themselves with sunbathing, drinking, trivia, in-room movies (a good selection without particular bias), gambling, exercise, bingo, smoking and talking  in the gorgeous Connoisseur Lounge area, and attending enrichment lectures (about the Caribbean, Mayan and Inca culture, chocolate, coffee, and the Panama canal, two talks per sea day, one usualy at 10 and one at 3), not in that order. One enrichment speaker ( Freedman, who also moderated the Panama Canal day) was outstanding and enthusiastic and inspired further reading and learning  about his discussed topics.  The other ( a retired low level British diplomat) robotically read his speeches as if from a book, and almost put me to sleep.

 

For a small ship during Covid, all things considered,  SS did reasonably ok on the entertainment.

[Catlover54]

EXCURSIONS (part 1)

 

COZUMEL, MEXICO -- We went on an excursion to the Tulum Mayan ruins.  Six-foot distancing in our small  mini-van was impossible to maintain, despite symbolic verbal attention to it . The well-intentioned guide's mask was frequently below his nostrils, and he often hovered just a couple feet above our masked heads as he breathily and enthusiastically narrated.  The ruins venue was also  crowded with many young and healthy laughing and yelling people from many nations, unconcerned about cruise quarantine risks . Distancing was very difficult to maintain, so we  found it necessary to wear N95 masks in the sweltering heat, and while walking the 4.8 miles (per my pedometer) from start of leaving the ship, to returning.  Post-ruins, we had an included lunch at a decent Cozumel area restaurant, (water, sugared but not diet soft drink, or Mexican beer were included in the price). There, chatty pax from combined groups got seated shoulder to shoulder at communal tables. The excursion was rated as "moderate" (2/4), but we found it strenuous, and would have rated it 3/4.

 

BELIZE CITY -- we had a pleasant journey to the uncrowded and interesting Altun Ha ruins, on a well-airconditioned bus with decent distancing, and a terrific, smart and amusing guide.  This was then followed by a historic tour of the city.  

There are bars on many locals' windows in Belize City due to high theft rates, though tourists are welcomed (and attacked less often).  The standard of living is surprisingly second only to Costa Rica in Central America. Inspired by the guide,  I landed up spending the evening reading about Belize.

 

ROATAN ISLAND, HONDURAS -- there is almost nothing directly at the port other than  bars blasting loud music, hawking vendors, and cheap souvenir shops.  Most offered  excursions related to water sports, which we do not do.  A huge Celebrity ship came into port shortly before us. We had signed up for what we hoped would be an unstrenuous panoramic 5-hour comfortable island tour with what we hoped would be multiple calm nature and animal viewing spots for photos, and a relaxing drive. However, when we entered the mini-bus (which had very tightly spaced seats marginally marked for social distancing) , and sat there over 20 minutes past scheduled departure time with no updates, we felt the breath on our necks of the people partially standing up to stretch directly behind us,  and  realized even more people were getting squeezed on with nowhere to sit other than a few inches from our faces on the "X" (technically forbidden) seats. Plus they were waiting for even more to come by tender.  So we bailed on the tour.  We could not imagine 5 hours of sardine-like positioning next to strangers and then likely battling for distancing with the Celebrity pax for key site views.  SS refunded our money without dispute.  They should not have offered such a cramped tour at all, much less during Covid times.

[Catlover54]

Excursions, part 2

 

 

PUERTO LIMON, COSTA RICA -- we had a beautiful bus with good AC, an emergency toilet, and proper distancing, which took us to the scenic private nature  preserve excursion, Veragua Rainforest and Aerial Tram. After an educational intro in these uncrowded and clean visitor center, we walked to a waterfall and then floated through the rainforest, followed by a simple snack/lunch.  

Of note is that most of the reportedly abundant wildlife in Costa Rica is very well-hidden unless in a center.  This is neither Alaska nor Florida.

 

PANAMA CANAL TRANSIT -- this was our first time here.  We enjoyed the enrichment lectures, most of the moderating (and online references provided by Freedman) and SS attention to making our experience educational and enjoyable. 

We left the beautiful bow air-conditioned Library with the best view  early,  as it was getting crowded. The top deck had been opened for viewing outside ( very hot, but that is Panama).  This canal is an amazing accomplishment worth seeing at least once.   Panama City skyline views were also  striking.

 

FUERTE AMADOR (Panama City).  We did not go into town, but instead did an excellent "Monkey watch " tour.  We drove an hour in a nice bus with proper distancing to a marina, then got on small, sunshaded uncrowded boats and cruised around trying to find shy howler and cappucine monkeys, with some success.  A couple iguanas and colorful birds spiced up the journey.  We hated wearing masks in the wonderful outdoor breeze, especially when the boat went quickly (we usually associate speed with a sense of liberation, but that was not felt here, though we complied as required). One already unsteady super-senior fell to his knees getting off the boat because the dock was wobbling and a contorted exit position was required, and he had tried to get off unassisted.  Though basically uninjured, staff were concerned and filled out an incident report. 

 

PUNTARENAS, Costa Rica.  We visited the Natuwa Rescue Centre, where we walked a shady, flat, easy trail, and saw multiple birds and monkeys, jaguars and other local creatures. The bus was comfortable, with good AC and distancing, and overall this was a good tour. It ended with a brief drive-through of the sadly somewhat rundown and almost deserted downtown Puntarenas, with many "for sale" or "for lease" signs.  

 

QUIPOS   This  is just a small port town with nothing much going on locally, especially with Covid. We did an excursion, a Skywalk through tropical forests after a 1.5 hour long drive .  Our van had decent social distancing, but non-reclining, uncomfortable seats. The excursion was marked  as 1/4 effort, ("minimal"), but especially with the heat and humidity and outdoor masking,  it was relatively strenuous, e.g., in addition to the hanging bridge walks (good  balance is needed) pax walked 1.5-2 hours with steep descents on irregular paths and with some slippery rocks.  One lady, enthusiastic about nature, still  said she was "at the limit." So it should have been rated at least "moderate" . Other than leafcutter ants, termite nests, and half of a very socially distanced monkey, we did not see much wildlife (consistent with most of our experiences now and previously in Costa Rica, unless you go to areas where animals are confined), but we were in the thick of thankfully mostly shaded trees and bushes.

This was followed by a basic local simple lunch buffet at a resort, of chicken/fish and fruit juices, simple beverages, and what looked like Oreos for dessert, and then a walk through hillside gardens with views of the sea.  Overall this was still a good excursion, despite being strenuous, and would have been better had the guide not talked rapidly and frenetically about every leaf and piece of soil, (mask halfway down his nose) and then on the drive back, loudly and rapidly chit-chatted with the busdriver for the entire way back to the ship after he repeatedly told fatigued pax to "RELAX, MY FRIENDS".  As if we did not have enough audio pollution, he then blasted what he called   "typical Costa Rican music"  -- like Harry Belafonte's banana song! 

[Catlover54]

Excursions, Part 3

 

GOLFITO, Costa Rica;  this is another small port town, on the southern end of Costa Rica,  with nothing going on locally during Covid.  But  it is located in a pretty little harbor (which was beautiful later at sunset).  

Prior to disembarkation for our excursion in this very hot and humid port, it was announced that authorities do not allow cloth masks, and that masks must be at least surgical grade.  It was also reinforced that masks must be worn all the times, even when walking outdoors.  We put on our own  N95 masks (which happen to be black) and the "mask patrol" crew  at the ship exit demanded we exchange our masks for the white surgical ship masks. We informed her that our tightly sealing fitted N95 masks are much better than the SS surgical masks, and the color is irrelevant.  Confused, she then let us pass.  We then met our guide -- who was interestingly only wearing a cloth mask, as were most of port security.

 

We drove in a comfortable, socially distanced bus with nice reclining seats, for almost 2 hours, to see the Archaeologoical Site Finca 6, where there are a few pre-Columbian spherical rocks, the original purpose of which was unclear but likely a display of power and hierarchy).

There is an air-conditioned visitor center with rest rooms.  An armed guard (in a cloth mask) watched carefully as we washed our hands in an outdoor sink before we  could go in to use the rest rooms. Sofas were marked not to sit on.

Then we very slowly walked some field/tree areas, and/or stood around for about an hour, the first 45 minutes of which was mostly sphereless ( though we did see more leafcutter ants, more termite nests, and some lush flora including subtle local orchids).  Finally, the last 10 minutes or so we saw the highlight of the trip, a grouping of limestone spheres ( brought there from digs elsewhere) and some old rectangular rocks allegedly in their original positions.  Most people took smiling selfies with the rocks, and then we headed back to the bus and to a very late lunch (food served at 2 PM, so I was glad I had brought a package of some of the ship's wonderful cashew nuts in truffle oil) .  The group lunch ( again, shoulder to shoulder as is normal in big group restaurants ) was in  a very warm but shaded and outdoor cafe popular with locals and Spanish-speaking tourists (I could not tell from where). Then it was 1.75 hours in the bus again, back to the ship.  

But for Covid and cancellation risk , a private excursion would have been better, and we would have preferred just returning to the ship rather than eating at the cafe.

 

Later we all got PCR tested (which is when the captain announced 4 more people turned up  positive -- we were relieved it was not more and our totals did not require quarantining the whole ship).

[tv24]

Catlover:  Thank you for your complete review.  We hope to take the Dawn for our first Silversea experience this spring, so this gives me a preview.  I think I will read your comments again!  Absolutely terrific and useful info!

[Catlover54]

MANTA, Equador.  This is not a very interesting port, None of the non-canceled excursions appealed to us ( riding on wooden seats in a bus with a band playing local music, watching Panama hat making, watching a handmade metal button maker, walking around some ruins masked in the heat,  which by now I had had enough of, etc.). Originally we had signed up for a SALT food shopping/cooking/eating excursion with a known local chef, (even though it was $599 per person).

We had to wait until 11 AM for our PCR from the prior day  to come back to clear us to leave independently, so if we had reserved a private independent morning tour, we would have been out of luck   ( ship tours left earlier and were prioritized with results on the prior day's PCR testing). From our balcony we could see uniformed authority figures, a bunch of women who were likely nurses (in surgical caps etc.), an ambulance (though we saw no one carted off and it left very soon after it appeared), and people formally filming passengers as they walked off to their waiting buses (one official observer also filmed us as we stood on our balcony). Pax had to walk through some disinfectant as they went down the stairs (not a good day for sandals). 

Finally, we took a 5 minute shuttle to the pleasant cool terminal where some local handicrafts were for sale and (after being released from the locked and fenced area by an armed guard) just walked around on a nearby uncrowded and pebbly but surprisingly clean beach, and watched a few local families joyfully splash around in the sea, unmasked.  But we were put off by persistent hawkling vendors not only as we walked by empty restaurants, but also as we walked the beach.  

The place was eerily mostly deserted, very sad.  Though Manta is known for seafood, I wasn't sure I could trust the freshness of fish or ceviche in a restaurant with almost no customers and turnover. I don't know how it was pre-Covid, but we might have had lunch and drinks in one of the shaded restaurants in normal days. There was a strong security presence here in Manta and everywhere we saw in Equador, (a lot of bars, razor wire, locked areas, men and some women in security uniforms), a bit off-putting, as was the abundant grafitti.

  We understand there is some political instability (the guide the next day  told us that "the people" are unhappy with  the new (conservative) government, (the first in 14 years) though he left out what we later read, namely that 53% of the population had voted for that government in a fair election  after deteriorating economic situations for many years.  Unlike Costa Rica, which had been doing reasonably well economically until Covid (best in the area), Equador has more poverty and more crime. We landed up reading a lot more about Equador after we went back to the ship for lunch.  We were pleasantly surprised and relieved to learn that their overall vax rates are amongst the highest in the world, as we were packing to go to the airport. 

 

GUAYAQUOL, Equador.  We disembarked in an orderly manner at 8:15 ( out of room by 8, prior room service was available)  and then went on a 3.5 hour, security escorted bus tour of the city before being dropped at the airport with luggage.  SS organized things beautifully.

Though the sprawling unplanned city is large, what we saw were mostly rundown houses with faded paint, faded prior attempts at glory, and peeling plaster, and very few people on the street other than some in line at government and welfare buildings.  A few waved at us as we drove by. We also saw an interesting huge ceramic statue of an iguana, and a skyscraper (condos) with a coffee cup statue on top (Nestle), and other areas were just pointed out, without permission to leave the bus for photos. We were not allowed off the buses at all  (we were in a 3 bus escorted convoy)  except for an escorted rest room break at a mini-mart. The tour was informative, and a practical way to kill time and get an overview of Guayaquil  for very little money before a late flight, but the city and our circumstances were a bit depressing. We were lucky that the nationwide strike that had been planned for Equador for our departure day was postponed a few weeks.

 

The airport was small  ( only one way in), and  uncrowded ( minimal tourists in Equador lately), pleasant, and clean.  Dropping bags and security was easy and  quick ( though we were lucky enough to have quickly and independently snagged  business seats after SS changed the disembarkation port, we could see it was also not too bad for coach pax, at least now with Covid). There is only one lounge, Priority Pass (nice).

FYI flights from Guayaquol to U.S. are limited, especially if you need connections, and often leave at weird times  ( we flew to Miami and overnighted there before continuing on to San Francisco, to avoid getting overly exhausted or risk missing a tight connection). 

These are issues to consider if you are thinking about the SS Galapagos trip, e.g., Equador during Covid.  

[Catlover54]

SUMMARY:  The Moon is a beautiful ship, and we had overall very good service on this 1/3 full cruise.  We also had some very nice meals ( once we found our venues and foods of choice, after experimenting), and some forgettable ones, but would not cruise on the Moon primarily for the dining experience.  

The Panama Canal was the highlight, and what led us to book the cruise ( other than wanting to try the Moon or Dawn with the SALT offering).  Enrichment was overall good. Unfortunately, Covid issues ( tightening masking rules since Omicron, and distancing/quarantine/masking-in-humidity anxiety, canceled entertainment, near impossibility to reliably plan and do independent excursions, and general regimentation) detracted from our enjoyment more than we had hoped. However, no other luxury line is much different overall in approaching the Omicron surge, and all have to deal with the risk of foreign ports abruptly closing, plus the risk of resultant major itinerary changes.

 

We do not regret having done this cruise, but would not repeat it or any ports in the area until either Covid is gone, or authorities set different expectations for cruise lines. If we were snowbirds just craving sitting or swimming at the pool and escaping freezing temperatures, chilling, and drinking cocktails on a beautiful ship, and  not doing excursions to see and find interesting things to photograph and talk about, we would have been 5/5 happy instead of 4/5, which is our final overall rating. 

 

We hope to have another opportunity to try the Moon or its sister the Dawn without major post-booking itinerary changes, masks, and distancing -- i.e., after Covid -- but with the same enthusiastic service most of the hard-working crew delivered.

[A Tucson Guy]

Fair and Balanced- thank you. We are on the Moon this July out of Copenhagen. Your comments on the heat and humidity remind me why we don't do the Caribbean any more. 

[WesW]

Thanks Catlover 54 for a wonderful & balanced review chock full of useful Moon on board/and Excursion information.

[saminina]

The thing about Filipino crew on SS.....you have to set the rules of engagement with the supervisor operating the restaurant.   Or, butler.  Or, F&B manager.  You do it the first day.   Crew has their script and do not deviate on their own.   I quit as a regular SS sailor shortly after dismissal of European crew.   Your review is a reminder as I'm probably boarding Moon soon. 

 

[Silver Spectre]

Thanks @Catlover54 for your extensive review. It’s good to know that Hyperion is back on Silversea and appreciated again.

[Catlover54]

26 minutes ago, Silver Spectre said:

Thanks @Catlover54 for your extensive review. It’s good to know that Hyperion is back on Silversea and appreciated again.

 

I had experienced the joy of Hyperion on two other cruise lines.  If I knew he would be on a cruise, it would be a selling point for me.  I would even consider going back on Regent if he were performing there! 🙂

One does not need a huge orchestra or huge production company to have quality entertainment on a small luxury cruise, and Hyperion is a good example of this. 

[faucet]

Embarkation at Ft Lauderdale was chaotic, porter hassling you for money  to handle your luggage, no social distancing and long line ups.
Many of the staff poorly trained.

[zqtchas]

13 minutes ago, faucet said:

Embarkation at Ft Lauderdale was chaotic, porter hassling you for money  to handle your luggage, no social distancing and long line ups.
Many of the staff poorly trained.

We had no problems, but we were dropped off by family. Have no problem  with tipping.

[Catlover54]

12 minutes ago, faucet said:

Embarkation at Ft Lauderdale was chaotic, porter hassling you for money  to handle your luggage, no social distancing and long line ups.
Many of the staff poorly trained.

 

Were you with the SS organized big group that came from a hotel?  We were not, and if you were, maybe that is why our experience was more pleasant.  We arrived at 1:45 for recommended 2PM boarding and there was no hassling, lots of distancing, almost no lines, good directions, and the area we waited in had distanced seats, and easy access to clean rest rooms.  I am not known for sugarcoating my experiences, but I was pleasantly surprised, as I had been bracing for stress (having read about nightmare boarding experiences) .  

I generally like to avoid cruise line pre-cruise hotel groups and airfare bookings, because I like control when I arrive, and the few times I used a line's services they were more expensive and I could not timely make adjustments  on my own, and even misdirected me about a rebooked flight on SB such that I almost missed it, had I not been vigilant.

[Catlover54]

DH was very happy when he discovered the aft hidden hot tub on the pool deck: