Live From The Dawn

[brumagin1]

If you are heading to San Juan to board on Monday, Sunday (tomorrow) a festival continues in Old San Juan.  We were to stay in Old San Juan tomorrow night.  Our car service just called to tell us there was no way they could deliver us to the hotel - streets are not passable for vehicles, and are totally full of walkers.   They had to divert many of their deliveries today and have them complete their arrival to the hotel on foot with luggage.   We just cancelled our room, and rescheduled out of Old San Juan.  Our Transfer company told us not to try for any other hotel in Old San Juan near the Dawn as we would have to walk.    We are grateful for his call.  Hope you find this helpful if you have Old San Juan hotel reservations and want a car to deliver you to the door!

[netpj]

We were lucky as our TA was informed about the Festival when he tried to book Old San Juan.  We were able to get a lovely hotel in the Condado area and arrived late last night (Saturday).  The streets were packed which is not unusual in this part of the City but we had no trouble getting here from the airport.   Our driver said there shouldn't be a problem getting to the port tomorrow.

[dawntrdr]

In Tortola today.  Sitting in the open air transport vehicle awaiting our ride to Sage Mountain for a hike, we saw a trim blonde  in the seat ahead of us speaking in a familiar European accent.  It was CEO Barbara Muckerman, who had joined the cruise a few days ago from the Miami office.  She was most charming and also a good hiker.  

[dawntrdr]

She will be leaving from San Juan tomorrow when we dock.

[Randyk47]

No sense in starting a different “Live from the Dawn” thread so I thought I’d add my mid-cruise impressions here.

 

1.  The Dawn is beautiful and still has that new ship shine.

2.  The food has very good to excellent.  This is our first cruise on a Muse class ship having only done the Wind and pre-stretch Spirit before.  Love the choices and particularly the Arts Cafe for morning coffee.  

3.  The one downer has been the service.  Sometimes it is excellent but unfortunately sometimes poor like around the pool deck.  I have seen a number of staff getting on the job training from other staff.  In our mid-cruise survey my exact words in the suggestion section were:   Train, train, train.  Service levels are not up to the pre-Covid level.

4.  Kind of an aside but this has been our first Silversea cruise in the 12 years we have not run into a staff or crew member from a previous cruise.  Not an issue but interesting.   

[ronrick1943]

On 1/23/2023 at 5:33 AM, Randyk47 said:

No sense in starting a different “Live from the Dawn” thread so I thought I’d add my mid-cruise impressions here.

 

1.  The Dawn is beautiful and still has that new ship shine.

2.  The food has very good to excellent.  This is our first cruise on a Muse class ship having only done the Wind and pre-stretch Spirit before.  Love the choices and particularly the Arts Cafe for morning coffee.  

3.  The one downer has been the service.  Sometimes it is excellent but unfortunately sometimes poor like around the pool deck.  I have seen a number of staff getting on the job training from other staff.  In our mid-cruise survey my exact words in the suggestion section were:   Train, train, train.  Service levels are not up to the pre-Covid level.

4.  Kind of an aside but this has been our first Silversea cruise in the 12 years we have not run into a staff or crew member from a previous cruise.  Not an issue but interesting.   

The pool deck must be a company wide problem, on the Spirit no deck/lounger people area. dirty towels stayed on loungers.  Was people getting new towels themself.

[Lois R]

42 minutes ago, ronrick1943 said:

The pool deck must be a company wide problem, on the Spirit no deck/lounger people area. dirty towels stayed on loungers.  Was people getting new towels themself.

I have always seen people getting towels themselves. To me, that is no big deal. I have also seen pool staff getting them for people. So I have seen both. If I have to get my own towel? Doesn't matter to me.

[dougburns]

Lois; Thanks again for the update re Kartik and Paolo.

[dawntrdr]

17 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

The pool deck must be a company wide problem, on the Spirit no deck/lounger people area. dirty towels stayed on loungers.  Was people getting new towels themself.

Used towels on the pool loungers is totally on us, the passengers.  The majority of passengers who are done using a lounger or chair just leave the blue blanket and any towels behind and walk away.  The crew does not know if we are coming back to the lounger or if we have left for good (unlike if there is a book or hat, which is a different problem).  They do come around and pick up the empty glasses, so you know they are patrolling.  It should be a matter of courtesy to your fellow passengers to gather up your towels and drop them at the towel station when you leave, if you are able-bodied.  Then, the crew sees a totally empty chair and can re-set it up.  And, any passenger looking for a lounger on a busy day can claim it.  Now, if the crew is slow at re-setting the empty chair, that is on them.

 

[ronrick1943]

On 1/25/2023 at 2:01 PM, Lois R said:

I have always seen people getting towels themselves. To me, that is no big deal. I have also seen pool staff getting them for people. So I have seen both. If I have to get my own towel? Doesn't matter to me.

It does if you have no lounges available because people leave without removing the towels.  You need staff that work the pool area..That is part of a luxury experience.

Edited January 27, 2023 by ronrick1943

[ronrick1943]

10 hours ago, dawntrdr said:

Used towels on the pool loungers is totally on us, the passengers.  The majority of passengers who are done using a lounger or chair just leave the blue blanket and any towels behind and walk away.  The crew does not know if we are coming back to the lounger or if we have left for good (unlike if there is a book or hat, which is a different problem).  They do come around and pick up the empty glasses, so you know they are patrolling.  It should be a matter of courtesy to your fellow passengers to gather up your towels and drop them at the towel station when you leave, if you are able-bodied.  Then, the crew sees a totally empty chair and can re-set it up.  And, any passenger looking for a lounger on a busy day can claim it.  Now, if the crew is slow at re-setting the empty chair, that is on them.

 

Agree with you, but people are people—sad many think of themself only……….

[Lois R]

22 minutes ago, ronrick1943 said:

 

[Lois R]

Oops, seems the boards had an issue with my response to your post. I get the luxury experience. 

But then again, I never need a towel so maybe that makes things a bit easier for me.

[billdip]

On the Dawn over Christmas. Biggest disappointment was service on the pool deck.

[Randyk47]

2 hours ago, billdip said:

On the Dawn over Christmas. Biggest disappointment was service on the pool deck.

Things haven’t improved much if at all on our second leg.  Two days ago a married couple who were both lead bartenders left or were forced off the ship.  Crew knows nothing other than they are both gone and they were not at end of contract.   Could be a number of reasons like a family emergency, etc., but the impact for the remaining staff is that they were already short handed and their departure has caused issues with the bartender schedule.   

[ronrick1943]

On 1/26/2023 at 5:26 PM, Lois R said:

Oops, seems the boards had an issue with my response to your post. I get the luxury experience. 

But then again, I never need a towel so maybe that makes things a bit easier for me.

If you use a lounger, you should need a towel to cover the lounger…….

[MrsWaldo]

3 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

If you use a lounger, you should need a towel to cover the lounger…….

Why?

 

Do you put a towel on every chair you sit on? People sit on the lounges fully clothed....  hence they dont need a towel

 

[fudge]

From my experience most people on loungers are generally around the pool, most are wearing their bathing costumes, some swim, some go in hot tub, or just lay perspiring, that would make sense to me to put a towel on the lounger.

[saminina]

On 1/26/2023 at 5:26 PM, Lois R said:

 I get the luxury experience. 

But then again, I never need a towel so maybe that makes things a bit easier for me.

All I can do is think of passengers we met on our first SS cruise.......over two decades ago.

[Lois R]

54 minutes ago, saminina said:

All I can do is think of passengers we met on our first SS cruise.......over two decades ago.

Hi, not sure I understand this reply. Is remembering those guests a good thing? Did you become personal friends with some of them?  I have a good friend in California I met way back in 2005 on a cruise and we still keep in touch🙂

[saminina]

It is a vague statement left open to interpretation.

[MrsWaldo]

10 hours ago, fudge said:

From my experience most people on loungers are generally around the pool, most are wearing their bathing costumes, some swim, some go in hot tub, or just lay perspiring, that would make sense to me to put a towel on the lounger.

Yes, true, but it's not always that warm on deck, in fact I've only had a few cruises where I would have been perspiring on deck.  Mostly because I seem to be very good at picking bad weather.   

 

As an example, the cruises heading down to Antarctica or Chile around the Cape for the most part will not have warm swimmable weather, people will sit by the pool and read.  (Punta Arenas has a max of 17 today)  Some of the cruises in Aus NZ with the southern  climes will always be that warm..  Christchurch today is 23 max.  Thats not sweaty weather.

 

Remember there are spaces on the ship with loungers and an excellent breeze...

 

Each of us are individuals and use the facilities in the way which suit us best

 

FWIW, I tend to swim and hence have a towel and some clothing at the pool.  I have gotten up to use the bathroom and left the towel on the lounge only to return and find my spot missing.  Such is the life of a solo.....

Edited January 28, 2023 by MrsWaldo

[Mahogany]

Don't those using lounges, apply sunscreen? A good reason to use a towel on the lounge.

[MrsWaldo]

7 hours ago, Mahogany said:

Don't those using lounges, apply sunscreen? A good reason to use a towel on the lounge.

Not when wearing long pants and long sleeve shirt.

 

I think we've started a new "dress code" convo

[spinnaker2]

And then…what about that spray sunscreen that pollutes the air and goes on the pax next to the sprayer…and the deck and the lounger and the towels.

 

my personal preference is to have a towel on the lounger, even if i am fully clothed and bundled up in the cold weather in the sun. The towel protects the lounger, the pax and then, when i get up to leave i put my towel in the dirty towel bin. Lounger can be refreshed with new towel for next user.

 

as pointed out, many pax claim their lounger as personal property for the entire day, using such tools as books they have borrowed from the library aboard. Some pax even grease the palm of crew, who then place the books on the designated loungers when setting up the deck for the day, as early as 7 am. 

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by spinnaker2