Sit Down Lunch Options

[sea bright]

We sailed old Crystal several times years ago, but have sailed Silversea almost exclusively for the past 10+ years. After 2 disappointing Silversea cruises this year we are considering new Crystal. Is the main dining room open for lunch on both port and sea days? If not, is there another option for a leisurely, indoor, non-buffet lunch on both port and sea days? 

[Stickman1990]

Waterside won’t be open everyday for lunch but is open most days (closed some port days) but you can dine in Tastes as an alternative for a table service as opposed to a buffet 

[WNcruiser]

2 hours ago, sea bright said:

We sailed old Crystal several times years ago, but have sailed Silversea almost exclusively for the past 10+ years. After 2 disappointing Silversea cruises this year we are considering new Crystal. Is the main dining room open for lunch on both port and sea days? If not, is there another option for a leisurely, indoor, non-buffet lunch on both port and sea days? 

I am hoping someone will respond to your question but would you mind expanding a little on your last two Silversea cruises? 
 

I have 30+ nights booked on a back to back next year and it’s my first time trying Silversea. Usually sail Regent, Oceania (I feel the same about them as you do Silversea), Seabourn and Viking. 
 

After so many mixed reviews I am seriously considering not trying them. Thank you 

[Stickman1990]

29 minutes ago, WNcruiser said:

I am hoping someone will respond to your question but would you mind expanding a little on your last two Silversea cruises? 
 

I have 30+ nights booked on a back to back next year and it’s my first time trying Silversea.

Maybe this will help - I’ve sailed on Silversea Silver Muse twice (we just got off after 27 days onboard last week) and we were very happy with them on both occasions - great service and food and an excellent cruising experience. The entertainment isn’t as good as Crystal but having said that we enjoyed several of their ensembles performances 

 

We, along with several friends we cruise with, will happily cruise with them again depending on time in our cruising schedule and their itineraries 

 

Those who look at specific lines as being the be all and end all and only option are potentially doing themselves a disservice in not trying others. Of course the reverse is also true in hoping that others are happy to try Crystal out 

 

We’ve found cruising multiple luxury lines over the last few years that generally most luxury lines have many great features that differentiate them from each other. So our approach is to enjoy whatever a line offers you while you’re on them (although there are a couple we’d try and prioritise if possible)

[Keith1010]

sea bright, In terms of expectations, on the sailings we have been on since the restart last year Waterside is closed on all port days except when you arrive to port in the afternoon or in the evening as these are treated like a sea day.  Embarkation day seems to vary. On the cruises we have been on it has been open but I have noticed a few times when Reflections have been posted that it has been closed. 

 

I am not sure when you sailed Crystal last as even before it went belly up some changes were made such as open dining introduced for dinner in the 2017/2018 time frame.

 

New Crystal is very similar to old Crystal. Enhancements have been made and a new Italian Restaurant, has replaced Prego. Some additional changes coming with an even newer Italian dining concept and a new concept to replace Tastes.

 

I hope you will try out new Crystal to see what you think.

 

I am glad there is a lot of choice in the luxury market.  Just like luxury cars there are similarities with the products but lots of differences.  I also believe the same is true of most cruise lines. 

 

Happy Cruising.

Keith 

 

 

[LoveBora]

8 hours ago, sea bright said:

Is the main dining room open for lunch on both port and sea days

Waterside is open for lunch on sea days and closed on port days. It will be open on a port day only if you arrive in port later in the day. And I’ve only seen it open on embarkation day once, and that was when we boarded in San Diego. Tastes is the only option for table service at lunch, but the menu is limited. 

[Texas Tillie]

8 hours ago, WNcruiser said:

I am hoping someone will respond to your question but would you mind expanding a little on your last two Silversea cruises? 
 

I have 30+ nights booked on a back to back next year and it’s my first time trying Silversea. Usually sail Regent, Oceania (I feel the same about them as you do Silversea), Seabourn and Viking. 
 

After so many mixed reviews I am seriously considering not trying them. Thank you 

 

I'll have to disagree with Stickman (😮) as to the food on Silversea. I was on the Muse about 18 months ago and on the new Nova 2 weeks ago. The food I experienced was in no way on par with Crystal, especially the new Crystal that has upped their food game from the old Crystal. In general service is not at Crystal's level, although that varies by crew member, and that seems to be if they are new (and there are many of those) and those just aren't well trained. Entertainment and enrichment isn't close to what you get on Crystal. The Nova is lovely, however.

 

Patty

[sea bright]

14 hours ago, WNcruiser said:

I am hoping someone will respond to your question but would you mind expanding a little on your last two Silversea cruises? 
 

I have 30+ nights booked on a back to back next year and it’s my first time trying Silversea. Usually sail Regent, Oceania (I feel the same about them as you do Silversea), Seabourn and Viking. 
 

After so many mixed reviews I am seriously considering not trying them. Thank you 

We had a very disappointing cruise on the Nova in January/February and I don't think we would sail that ship again, especially in cold weather - too few indoor bar and restaurant seats for the number of passengers and serious short staffing everywhere.

We just completed 27 days on the Muse and it was much better- not as good as our cruises last year or previously, but heading back towards the Silversea standards we've always enjoyed.

However, we encountered a problem that I believe is unique to the Muse. It has a much smaller main dining room (Atlantide) than other ships in its class. On this cruise we found it impossible to get a table for  2 around 8, our preferred time to eat. We were consistently seated around 9 after waiting at the bar. There are certainly many other restaurant options, some with food we enjoy as much or more than Atlantide, but they require reservations and/or had more limited menus, which is problematic for a long cruise.

Thus, I am looking for a replacement for a cruise we have booked on the Muse next year. 

We have more than 350 days on Silversea and have a number of cruises booked on other ships that we are looking forward to. I wouldn't hesitate to give Silversea a try, especially the Moon, Dawn or Shadow, which are our favorite ships.

[Stickman1990]

2 hours ago, sea bright said:

However, we encountered a problem that I believe is unique to the Muse. It has a much smaller main dining room (Atlantide) than other ships in its class. On this cruise we found it impossible to get a table for  2 around 8, our preferred time to eat. We were consistently seated around 9 after waiting at the bar. There are certainly many other restaurant options, some with food we enjoy as much or more than Atlantide, but they require reservations and/or had more limited menus, which is problematic for a long cruise.

Actually there is another non chargeable option is Indochine - right next door to Atlantide 

 

I think the problem stems from them only opening restaurants from 7pm - this means that they struggle to get two seatings through the restaurants each evening. This could be easily solved by them opening at say 6.30pm

 

It didn’t worry us as we adapted and dined with a group of 6 at anywhere from 7-7.45pm each evening and were able to get a table in the non chargeable or non reservable restaurants

 

At least this gave us time to dine before the shows which were on at 9.30 or 9.45pm whereas on Crystal we struggled to get to the shows which were scheduled earlier and earlier during one of the WC segments as WCers put pressure on the CD to put them on earlier as that’s what suited some of them - they ended up being at 9pm which was for us too early 

[sea bright]

We know Indochine well. On past cruises we loved it. On this cruise we found it horrible. All Silversea ships open the restaurants at 7 pm. Dining at 8 or so is generally not a problem on other ships, which have larger Restaurant/Atlantide capacity (and a generally more popular open seating alternative in SALT). On past cruises on the Muse we had only occasional issues, but on this cruise Indochine was so unpopular that we (and many others) had long waits. 

 

 

 

 

[Stickman1990]

9 minutes ago, sea bright said:

We know Indochine well. On past cruises we loved it. On this cruise we found it horrible.

That’s the interesting thing about cruising and restaurants - everyone has a view based on their preferences and they can and do differ markedly

 

We loved each of our meals at Indochine and even had an Indian banquet prepared for our group - some of the best curries and breads we’ve enjoyed at sea. But we wouldn’t dine there every night of course

 

I recently read a review of another restaurant on Muse by someone I know was in the same restaurant at the same time as us on our recent cruise - they hated the service and the food and were very negative about it - we on the other hand had a great time and enjoyed the food

 

Peoples views can and do vary widely when it comes to dining 

 

Anyway back to the original topic of sit down lunches on Crystal - if Waterside is open that’s great but if not and you want table service then it’s Tastes - and that’s a completely different dining experience