Silver Dawn Review

[tulok]

I always appreciate people’s opinions. I am adult enough to know that they are just an opinion but it gives some food for thought. An opinion would never make my decision of one brand over another without more research. 

[Gourmet Gal]

I found AK1004’s review helpful and appreciate that they called attention to their personal preference when it was relevant.  I don’t understand the borderline vitriol directed towards someone who took the time to write a review and a comparison.  Aren’t we all cruise critics here?  Seems tiresome to be a critic critic.

[ak1004]

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

But I don't do buffets, so on your terms this is meaningless to me.  As is much else in your comparison (I do drink).  No matter how much more detail you add, your comparison is not going to ring true to most people – because you are only rating the things you care about and we only want to know about the things we care about.  I'm not attacking your analysis (which is correct – for you and you only), just your premise that this is somehow helpful to others.

 

And yet the comparison topic got 20 likes, so apparently many people did find it helpful..

 

But yes, most reviews and comparisons will discuss things that are more important to the reviewer and might be less important to some other people, so I really don't understand your comment..  

 

As a side note - we prefer dining rooms over buffets too, but sometimes you don't have a choice. What you have an early excursion and just don't have time to sit in the dining room? What if you get back from excursion late afternoon and dining room is already closed (not to mention that many times it's not even open for lunch on port days)? And just FYI, we usually do both for breakfast and lunch, and most of the time the buffet is pretty busy while the dining room is half empty. So the buffet review might be meaningless to you, but is relevant to a lot of people. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

17 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

So the buffet review might be meaningless to you, but is relevant to a lot of people.

Understood and agree.  Actually all of your review was relevant to a lot of people, including me (at least in parts).  The more details and explanations offered, the more relevant [so I can tell if this matters to me, or if I tend to agree with the reviewer's taste].  It is attempted apples-to-apples comparisons with other cruise lines that tend to get thrown off by the reviewer's particular focus.

[Brad1185]

The buffet sounds like an appealing option after seeing the restaurant menus. The restaurant menus seem very repetitive and have some strange offerings. Hopefully when we go in October seeing and experiencing the menus in real life will be different than seeing a few menus online.  

[Lois R]

11 hours ago, Brad1185 said:

The buffet sounds like an appealing option after seeing the restaurant menus. The restaurant menus seem very repetitive and have some strange offerings. Hopefully when we go in October seeing and experiencing the menus in real life will be different than seeing a few menus online.  

Just remember, SS does not offer a buffet for dinner. Not sure what you are referring to that is in the "strange" category though. I have always found plenty of choices.

[mancunian]

 not sure if it is mentioned but the strength of Oceania buffet is anything that can be cooked individually iwhich can be lobster fish, steak and other meats and stir fry’s.  You can go back to your table and a waiter can bring it to you or you can stay and watch.   I personally love their buffet because I never like eating too much in an evening and. i can get better control on quantity on the one hand and on the other a you can see what is being offered. 

 

The  buffet tables are set like a restaurant and they are attractive decor does not feel like a buffet

[Brad1185]

$480 for 2 meals for 2 people in the 2 extra charge restaurants on the Nova is a bit much when SS over uses the words all inclusive on their advertising and website. 

[canderson]

24 minutes ago, Brad1185 said:

$480 for 2 meals for 2 people in the 2 extra charge restaurants on the Nova is a bit much when SS over uses the words all inclusive on their advertising and website. 

Moving back to the topic - Dawn ...  it's only 1/2 that price.  Wonder how the turn-out has been on Nova at 2x the price?

[A Tucson Guy]

3 minutes ago, canderson said:

Moving back to the topic - Dawn ...  it's only 1/2 that price.  Wonder how the turn-out has been on Nova at 2x the price?

I was on the Nova in Nov. and ate twice in La Dame. Both nights 2/3 of the tables were empty. I asked the staff and they said they were never full.  I think $160 pp is too high and should be a maximum of $100 pp.

[Brad1185]

Just now, canderson said:

Moving back to the topic - Dawn ...  it's only 1/2 that price.  Wonder how the turn-out has been on Nova at 2x the price?

On the Nova it’s $160 each for La Dame and $80 each for Kaiseki.  We don’t drink and there is no option for no wine.  Seems a bit much for an all inclusive line.  You would think on our 14 night cruise with a passenger capacity of 700 something passengers there would be a way to at least book once without these charges. 

[tulok]

We were planning on booking La Dame twice while on our cruise. As I thought I would like to try every restaurant but now I am thinking The Grill and Silver Note are more our styles in the evening and will make reservations for more dinners there.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Each cruise line has certain special inclusions which make 'all-inclusive' a better deal for those who appreciate those things.  Seabourn spends a lot of money on caviar, which we don't eat, so not a good value for us.  Silversea is spending a lot on included excursions (a much better range than other lines IME) – if you don't like ship excursions that will make Silversea a poor value for you.  Most luxury lines include alcohol, not a good value for non-drinkers.  If having the specialty restaurants included is important, there must be a luxury line that fits.  

 

So far, in reading many premium and luxury line forums on Cruise Critic, Silversea seems to fit our tastes pretty well.

[Mahogany]

4 hours ago, Brad1185 said:

$480 for 2 meals for 2 people in the 2 extra charge restaurants on the Nova is a bit much when SS over uses the words all inclusive on their advertising and website. 

What were the reasons you chose to eat in the extra-charge restaurants?

[ak1004]

3 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Each cruise line has certain special inclusions which make 'all-inclusive' a better deal for those who appreciate those things.  Seabourn spends a lot of money on caviar, which we don't eat, so not a good value for us.  Silversea is spending a lot on included excursions (a much better range than other lines IME) – if you don't like ship excursions that will make Silversea a poor value for you.  Most luxury lines include alcohol, not a good value for non-drinkers.  If having the specialty restaurants included is important, there must be a luxury line that fits.  

 

So far, in reading many premium and luxury line forums on Cruise Critic, Silversea seems to fit our tastes pretty well.

 

I assume you know that SS has unlimited caviar too? I eat it, my wife doesn't. We don't drink, so we "finance" the drinkers.. Some people don't eat lobster and Foie gras so they "finance" me. So I agree, every premium/luxury line will include something that you don't use (maybe except Windstar which is I think is the only premium line that doesn't include drinks, internet and excursions, so it's pretty much pay as you go).

 

To me what's important is the whole package. We would consider any premium or luxury line that has good itinerary at reasonable price. I would also consider Crystal, but their current prices don't make sense to me, especially if you compare "price per sqft" as @FlyerTalker suggested.. I understand that so far their ships sail at less than half capacity, so maybe this will change.