Will we fit in?

[Senga]

We’ve booked Silver Whisper for Alaska, 14 days, May 25, 2023.  We were looking for a small ship experience, all inclusive with excellent food and service.

 

We have cruised 25 times with Celebrity, 3 Royal Caribbean, 3 Princess and 1 Scenic river cruise.  We used to love dressing up for formal nights.  In 2018 our single adult daughter was hospitalized for 3 months with a month on full life support and we were so worn out after the experience we booked our first Princess cruise and travelled without all the formal attire.  It was our most relaxing trip ever.

 

We WON’T take formal clothes, just a sports coat/tie for my husband and nice pants suits for me.  We don’t drink alcohol so won’t be hanging around the bars and have no interest in the entertainment so our attire shouldn’t have a negative impact on fellow guests. The SS travel consultant assured us this wouldn’t be an issue; places always available where we could dine casual.  Looking at the pictures, SS emails and reading CC, we’re wondering now if we’ve made the wrong choice.  Any comments/recommendations?

[Gourmet Gal]

Sorry to hear your family went through such a trying time.  Alaska will be a wonderful getaway and sounds like SS will be a nice fit for you.  Don’t worry, the pictures are pure marketing meant to convey a “luxury” experience.  I’ve rarely seen pax on any cruise line look as put-together as the marketing pix. And keep in mind, very few pax have even heard of CC so these forums only loosely reflect the average passenger.  Your husband’s attire sounds perfectly fine for “formal” nights if he includes a nice slacks and you would only need some dressy tops to fit in on those nights.  Also, it’s true that you can dine at the grill and La Terrazza on formal nights with informal attire and of course SS does a great job with room service anytime.

 

Just  wondering, are you sure there are formal nights on the Alaska cruises?  I could be wrong but aren’t the formal nights billed as optional on the Alaska cruises?

 

 

[Catlover54]

Yes, you will be fine on ALL nights, because you are going to Alaska, where "formal night is optional" per the SS website (and practice of late). So husband won't need a dark suit or tux for formal night in the MDR, just the jacket will be fine for the main dining room in Alaska.

 

From SS website:

 

"

Clothing Suggestions – Shipboard Attire

Shipboard attire ranges from casual to formal. Casual wear is appropriate for daytime aboard ship or ashore and consists of standard sports outfits as worn at five-star resorts. Shoes should be flat or low heeled for deck activities. Evening attire falls into three categories: casual, informal and formal. On casual evenings, pants, blouses, skirts and casual dresses for ladies; open-neck shirts and slacks for gentlemen are appropriate. On informal evenings, ladies usually wear dresses or pantsuits; gentlemen wear jackets (tie optional). Appropriate formal evening wear for ladies is an evening gown or cocktail dress; gentlemen wear tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits. Tie is required.

On formal nights, guests may dine in La Terrazza and choose to dress informal; dresses or pantsuits for ladies, jackets for gentlemen (tie optional). This option also applies to Seishin and Stars on board Silver Spirit. Dining at The Grill is optional casual
all nights. Following dinner, all guests are free to take advantage of any or all public spaces, however, jacket is required. Sailings of 9 days or less typically feature 1 formal night, while longer voyages usually have 2-3 formal nights. Details will be provided in your final cruise documents, but the chart below provides a basic guideline to assist in packing the proper attire.

Please note: On 7 day sailings in the Baltic, Mediterranean and
Alaska, formal night is always optional; guests may choose to
dress informal, a jacket is required for gentlemen.

Evening Dress Code*   
Number of Cruise Days -> Formal -> Informal -> Casual
4 -> 1 -> 2 -> 1
5 -> 1 -> 3 -> 1  
6 -> 1 -> 3 -> 2  
7 -> 1 -> 3 -> 3
8 -> 1 -> 4 -> 3
9 -> 1 -> 5 -> 3
10 -> 2 -> 5 -> 3
11 -> 2 -> 6 -> 3
12 -> 2 -> 6 -> 4
13 -> 2 -> 7 -> 4
14 -> 3 -> 7 -> 4  "

 

 

[QueSeraSera]

I fully agree with the above responses to your post.  Welcome to Silversea.  We loved our Alaska cruise with them.

[labrasett]

You will have a lovely time and be absolutely perfectly attired as you have described.   You need the break by the sounds of it and you will be so well cared for (as you deserve).   Without going to the bars you will find lots of  comfortable and quiet places to relax and read and enjoy the peace and quiet and you will see wonderful sights and visit amazing places.   Of course you will fit in!!!      

[Senga]

Thanks for the positive encouragement.  Going through what we did with Jennifer totally changed our priorities but we still want to enjoy the “finer” things in life without being detrimental to others.

[TLCOhio]

12 hours ago, Senga said:

We’ve booked Silver Whisper for Alaska, 14 days, May 25, 2023.  Looking at the pictures, SS emails and reading CC, we’re wondering now if we’ve made the wrong choice.  Any comments/recommendations?

 

You asked for more comments and suggestions?  Yes, agree that you will fit in fine with Silversea, etc.  

 

Below you can look through my life blog and see many visuals, tips from doing this adventure in late July 2019.  Great trip and experience!!   Super enjoyable in sailing with Silversea with their smaller-ship, more personal style.  

 

But, I will raise a few questions, ideas to consider.  Are you locked into the late May timing?  You will have more weather risks with that schedule.  Maybe you will get lucky to have decent weather at that early-season time.  But late May runs many, more risks for cold, windy, maybe even snowy weather, etc.  Worth the risk?  Second, have you done Vancouver before?  It's a super great, charming town that merit? two or three days there prior to and/or after your cruise.  

 

What about added time in the main part of Alaska for Fairbanks, Denali, etc.?  Done the amazing Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure?

 

Don't be shy with any added questions, etc.  Happy to share more.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Summer 2019 Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Muse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc.  Many visuals and details from our first in these scenic areas!  Live/blog: 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

[Senga]

38 minutes ago, TLCOhio said:

 

Are you locked into the late May timing?
 

Second, have you done Vancouver before?

 

What about added time in the main part of Alaska for Fairbanks, Denali, etc.?  Done the amazing Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure?

Thanks for your comments Terry.  

We actually just did Grand Princess May 25-June 8 and had the most incredible weather.  13 in Ketchikan but 21-28 in all other ports.  Unfortunately we didn’t pack with those temperatures in mind but certainly won’t make the mistake of thinking that’s “normal”.

https://link.shutterfly.com/xAzG0mTbsrb

 

We have never done the Rocky Mountaineer but have done Vancouver,  Banff, Jasper and Calgary.  Especially with COVID have no desire to be stuck in buses or trains with people not wearing masks or self distancing.

[Texas Tillie]

As to weather, timing and Alaska - I have done 6 Alaska cruises, very late April to mid September and find weather to be a crap shoot. I have experienced every kind of weather at every port. Que sera, sera.

[Gourmet Gal]

11 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

Yes, you will be fine on ALL nights, because you are going to Alaska, where "formal night is optional" per the SS website (and practice of late). So husband won't need a dark suit or tux for formal night in the MDR, just the jacket will be fine for the main dining room in Alaska.

 

From SS website:

 

"

Clothing Suggestions – Shipboard Attire

Shipboard attire ranges from casual to formal. Casual wear is appropriate for daytime aboard ship or ashore and consists of standard sports outfits as worn at five-star resorts. Shoes should be flat or low heeled for deck activities. Evening attire falls into three categories: casual, informal and formal. On casual evenings, pants, blouses, skirts and casual dresses for ladies; open-neck shirts and slacks for gentlemen are appropriate. On informal evenings, ladies usually wear dresses or pantsuits; gentlemen wear jackets (tie optional). Appropriate formal evening wear for ladies is an evening gown or cocktail dress; gentlemen wear tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits. Tie is required.

On formal nights, guests may dine in La Terrazza and choose to dress informal; dresses or pantsuits for ladies, jackets for gentlemen (tie optional). This option also applies to Seishin and Stars on board Silver Spirit. Dining at The Grill is optional casual
all nights. Following dinner, all guests are free to take advantage of any or all public spaces, however, jacket is required. Sailings of 9 days or less typically feature 1 formal night, while longer voyages usually have 2-3 formal nights. Details will be provided in your final cruise documents, but the chart below provides a basic guideline to assist in packing the proper attire.

Please note: On 7 day sailings in the Baltic, Mediterranean and
Alaska, formal night is always optional; guests may choose to
dress informal, a jacket is required for gentlemen.

Evening Dress Code*   
Number of Cruise Days -> Formal -> Informal -> Casual
4 -> 1 -> 2 -> 1
5 -> 1 -> 3 -> 1  
6 -> 1 -> 3 -> 2  
7 -> 1 -> 3 -> 3
8 -> 1 -> 4 -> 3
9 -> 1 -> 5 -> 3
10 -> 2 -> 5 -> 3
11 -> 2 -> 6 -> 3
12 -> 2 -> 6 -> 4
13 -> 2 -> 7 -> 4
14 -> 3 -> 7 -> 4  "

 

 

The OP is actually on a cruise longer than the 7 day exception indicated in the SS dress code so perhaps there will be a couple of formal nights after all.