REVIEW of Silver Nova, 11/7/23-11/18/23, Lisbon to New York

[Catlover54]

Here is the CC link to my very, very, very long review about my impressions of the Nova.

Bottomline:  I enjoyed the ship and the journey, and would consider cruising on Nova again, either solo, with DH, or with friends.  There were many pros, and a few cons and oddities ( to me), but my overall rating is 4.3/5, rounded down to 4/5 for the CC ratings options.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=708560

[Lois R]

23 minutes ago, Catlover54 said:

Here is the CC link to my very, very, very long review about my impressions of the Nova.

Bottomline:  I enjoyed the ship and the journey, and would consider cruising on Nova again, either solo, with DH, or with friends.  There were many pros, and a few cons and oddities ( to me), but my overall rating is 4.3/5, rounded down to 4/5 for the CC ratings options.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=708560

Hi, I am sitting at EWR waiting for my flight home and in the middle of reading your review........thanks for all your thoughts. Did we ever meet?

One item, 2 of the singers are from South Africa......just to clarify.

[fdnycruiser]

Sitting in the Delta lounge at JFK after a very enjoyable 32 days on Silver Nova. Everything went well, crew, staff and service was as good as after , and the ship was as beautiful as ever .  
  Some pros & cons on the new design, but way more pros than cons. Don’t all the ships have pros & cons ?  Have to start counting the days until the next one ! 

[Lois R]

Hi Bob, it was wonderful meeting you and Linda🙂

[fdnycruiser]

catlover54, I just read your very detailed and appreciated revue. However, we never had to use our key card for access to any of the public restrooms.

[fdnycruiser]

Same here Lois. We were able to leave early after all , and the whole process went smoothly. Safe home, and we’ll see you here and on future sailings 😎

[Observer]

Thank you for a wonderful, detailed, elegantly written review.

 

Your essay raises a question and an observation for me.

 

First, the question: Is the Marquee entirely exposed to the elements or are there covered areas in case of rain, etc.  Are there overhead heaters for chilly days/evenings?  Is there a bar ready of hand so that one can grab a drink before taking a table?

 

Second, the observation: People complain about the inability to get restaurant reservations, but (as you observe) Silversea compounds the problem by making it difficult to cancel reservations.  One cannot do so online after embarkation.  Butlers are off duty at precisely the hours one might decide to have dinner in the suite or just grab a simple pizza. And on two separate occasions in recent years I have call Reception to cancel that evening's dinner reservation, only to find that all of my reservations for the cruise were canceled.  I have now given up on trying to have Reception cancel the reservation.  

[Lonedaddy]

5 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

Here is the CC link to my very, very, very long review about my impressions of the Nova.

Bottomline:  I enjoyed the ship and the journey, and would consider cruising on Nova again, either solo, with DH, or with friends.  There were many pros, and a few cons and oddities ( to me), but my overall rating is 4.3/5, rounded down to 4/5 for the CC ratings options.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=708560

nice review.  One question how was the shower size in the combo room?  Are there any photos.  DW (also a cat lover) likes her soak, but my gripe on the dawn was the small shower.  

[Catlover54]

3 hours ago, Observer said:

Thank you for a wonderful, detailed, elegantly written review.

 

Your essay raises a question and an observation for me.

 

First, the question: Is the Marquee entirely exposed to the elements or are there covered areas in case of rain, etc.  Are there overhead heaters for chilly days/evenings?  Is there a bar ready of hand so that one can grab a drink before taking a table?

 

Second, the observation: People complain about the inability to get restaurant reservations, but (as you observe) Silversea compounds the problem by making it difficult to cancel reservations.  One cannot do so online after embarkation.  Butlers are off duty at precisely the hours one might decide to have dinner in the suite or just grab a simple pizza. And on two separate occasions in recent years I have call Reception to cancel that evening's dinner reservation, only to find that all of my reservations for the cruise were canceled.  I have now given up on trying to have Reception cancel the reservation.  

1.  There are some covered areas but open to the breeze and semi-horizontal rains.  There are heaters.  On a colder evening I went up there without reservations to see if I could be seated, and decided it was too chilly.  There were only about 20 people all huddled under blankets in primetime, and they were drinking wine ( I assume they could get hard liquor drinks too but am not sure and that is what you are asking -- my guess would be yes, as the pool bar is close by with stock even though officially closed).

 

2.  As for dining:  butler are on 4-9:30 evenings.  If you want a really early dinner, call room service and someone else besides the butler will bring it ( though I worry someone will wake the butler and I don't want that). Sometimes I had no answer for both room service and reception ( at busier times, I allow 20-30 rings then pause), but I'd try again a few minutes later and it got through .  This was a small n, however, as I only did room service a few times. You can also track your dinner reservations for that night ( but not going far forward) on the TV, they pop up each morning, sometimes late the night prior.  I asked for a printout of all my reservations when I boarded to make sure it matched my plans, and also each time I personally added a new one, or personally canceled,  I got a TV email confirming a few hours later.  I added everything to my ical as I went along just in case -- and to a paper note pad since I know that will still be there and not disappear.

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by Catlover54
Typo

[Catlover54]

17 minutes ago, Lonedaddy said:

nice review.  One question how was the shower size in the combo room?  Are there any photos.  DW (also a cat lover) likes her soak, but my gripe on the dawn was the small shower.  

One average sized male and one average sized female,  together, would be snug in the shower, but it is doable.  One Person of Size alone will fit fine. If that is you in your Avatar, you will be fine, but not have space to let.

I will look if I have any shower  pictures ( but meanwhile also check online).  DH wasn't with me, or he would have had electronic measurements in 3D 🙂 

[Catlover54]

5 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi, I am sitting at EWR waiting for my flight home and in the middle of reading your review........thanks for all your thoughts. Did we ever meet?

One item, 2 of the singers are from South Africa......just to clarify.

1. Thank you for the correction about the singers.  Which ones were South African? 

 

2. I did not meet anyone named Lois, but I didn't go to get-togethers with introductions for various reasons ( most  of them health-related).  Plus, as I said, I hung out in my cabin in prime time a lot for sea-listening.  It's a physically  large ship for a luxury  vessel ( though nothing like mainstream, of course!), with so many mini-venues, which I think also fosters anonymity despite low pax counts  ( maybe that's why so many crowded into Arts).  That can be a good or bad thing, depending on perspective.

 

[Catlover54]

5 hours ago, fdnycruiser said:

catlover54, I just read your very detailed and appreciated revue. However, we never had to use our key card for access to any of the public restrooms.

 

Hmm.  Maybe my experience was because

1.  There were two public toilets I tended to use most often,  in the same area, and 

2.  I kept my room card in a case.

 

I was definitely motivated to enter! 🙂

On disembarkation day, after 8 AM, when I had vacated my suite  I couldn't get into those either, ( the two nearest to Panorama lounge and the Connoisseur's Corner),  even with the room key an hour later ( had to track down staff to let me in and wondered if that was by design, like internet expiring after checkout in some hotels).

Mystery.  Good to know this was not normal.

[Carolfay]

Good and useful reading.  I like your specificity and your writing style.  I'm boarding on January 16.  This answers quite a few of my questions.  Thanks.

[Lois R]

9 minutes ago, Catlover54 said:

1. Thank you for the correction about the singers.  Which ones were South African? 

 

2. I did not meet anyone named Lois, but I didn't go to get-togethers with introductions for various reasons ( most  of them health-related).  Plus, as I said, I hung out in my cabin in prime time a lot for sea-listening.  It's a physically  large ship for a luxury  vessel ( though nothing like mainstream, of course!), with so many mini-venues, which I think also fosters anonymity despite low pax counts  ( maybe that's why so many crowded into Arts).  That can be a good or bad thing, depending on perspective.

 

Hi, I didn't attend any get together either but it is very easy for me to meet other people. Sorry we never met.

The 2 male singers are both from South Africa. One from Capetown and the other from Johannsburg. 

[Catlover54]

27 minutes ago, Catlover54 said:

One average sized male and one average sized female,  together, would be snug in the shower, but it is doable.  One Person of Size alone will fit fine. If that is you in your Avatar, you will be fine, but not have space to let.

I will look if I have any shower  pictures ( but meanwhile also check online).  DH wasn't with me, or he would have had electronic measurements in 3D 🙂 

 

Here you go:

 

 

[A Tucson Guy]

5 hours ago, fdnycruiser said:

catlover54, I just read your very detailed and appreciated revue. However, we never had to use our key card for access to any of the public restrooms.

I am currently on the Nova and was on in August. You do not have to use your keycard for any restrooms. You just wave you hand in front of the green circle.

[Lois R]

1 hour ago, A Tucson Guy said:

I am currently on the Nova and was on in August. You do not have to use your keycard for any restrooms. You just wave you hand in front of the green circle.

I agree.

[Gourmet Gal]

Catlover, I read your review with great interest as I am considering a Japan cruise next year, possibly on Nova.  I know your final summation and score were fairly positive but I noticed many, many negatives upon reading the detail.  Hopefully some issues are due to growing pains but can you tell me if the issue of loud music was ever rectified?  Seems a simple enough fix.  I too have a problem with loud music.  Why did you wait until mid-cruise to comment on a survey?  Surely the staff would have been accommodating if you’d asked right away if the volume could be adjusted?

[Lois R]

I thought the library had a large selection of books.....just my opinion.

[texanaust]

Thank you for your review.  Although you gave the cruise 4.3/5, your review reads more like 2.5-3 out of 5.  In fact it sounds like you were quite disappointed overall.

 

Would you say the food is significantly worse than the current quality on Seabourn?  How is the quality (fixtures/fittings) of the Nova compared to your recent cruise on Ovation?  I was on Ovation earlier in the year and although the product is still nice, I felt Seabourn was not what it used to be.  

[Catlover54]

6 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Catlover, I read your review with great interest as I am considering a Japan cruise next year, possibly on Nova.  I know your final summation and score were fairly positive but I noticed many, many negatives upon reading the detail.  Hopefully some issues are due to growing pains but can you tell me if the issue of loud music was ever rectified?  Seems a simple enough fix.  I too have a problem with loud music.  Why did you wait until mid-cruise to comment on a survey?  Surely the staff would have been accommodating if you’d asked right away if the volume could be adjusted?

I may be imagining it, but in the same areas I went to, music seemed a bit quieter after my ( and apparently other people's ) comments.   
I would not just expect staff just to accomodate *me*, as there are other guests.  I gave feedback when asked after a few days to comment on what we like or do not like, but what if, say, Lois or FDNY or others like the outdoor music to be everywhere, in that style,  and at the louder volume? They might be upset if it isn't there!  Who gets the veto?  Perhaps if enough complain about too much of it they can compile all data and then fairly decide, or then try it quieter and see if someone gets upset it's too quiet.  My suspicion is most don't care one way or the other, and some just don't hear well anyway.

[lincslady]

I have to say that that shower looks to me like a fairly snug fit even for one medium sized person!  

[Catlover54]

2 hours ago, texanaust said:

Thank you for your review.  Although you gave the cruise 4.3/5, your review reads more like 2.5-3 out of 5.  In fact it sounds like you were quite disappointed overall.

 

Would you say the food is significantly worse than the current quality on Seabourn?  How is the quality (fixtures/fittings) of the Nova compared to your recent cruise on Ovation?  I was on Ovation earlier in the year and although the product is still nice, I felt Seabourn was not what it used to be.  

That's just my style of reporting facts and opinions so people, especially new readers, have an idea what might be negative, if they care, because cruising is not like the brochure magazines. Negative stuff just takes more words than positive because I like to provide specificity.

I was not "disappointed overall" , just in a few things ( some of which I trust will work themselves out, like the smell in VL, and the electronic schedules) . The main things were there -- ship is lovely, I was at sea for many days mostly uninterrupted by the hard work of excursions, I heard some interesting talks, had some great food ( though not all was great enough of it was) and played "scout" to help me decide if the layout and flow of this ship would be in the running for trips with DH and the answer is yes  (he likes a lot of ports with a lot of picture opportunities).  SS entertainment has also improved, as a bonus, on Nova.  
 

As for Ovation food comparison, I would give a small but not "significant" nod to Ovation food because at least on that short cruise it was more reliably good for my tastes.  Others may say opposite ( that is to a great degree subjective).  I do agree SB is not what it was a few years back but no line is.  DH also loved the lone quiet hot tub in the bow on SB ships, SS does not have that ( just one big one way on top) but it isn't  deal breaker.

[Lois R]

7 hours ago, lincslady said:

I have to say that that shower looks to me like a fairly snug fit even for one medium sized person!  

Hi Lola, I thought my shower was plenty large enough and didn't feel snug at all.

[lincslady]

Hi Lois - it didn't seem to be like yours, which did look a good size.  I don't know anything about the suites, though, maybe this one had a tub too?