Silver Moon Cruise Tours

[Lsimon]

Is it safe to bring a non waterproof camera? is there somewhere safe to keep it on the boat?

 

Thank you

 

Yes - you'll be fine - but I'd carry it in a plastic bag to protect it from the salt spray when you're sailing. That's what I usually do. The boats are pretty big and there are lots of dry areas, but you'll have fun if you sit out in the front and up front in the wind it is a good idea to keep the camera covered when you're not using it.

[Canoeguy]

Just did the 12 person sail last Sunday and my DW and I both agree it was the highlight of our cruise. Thanks Elvis and all the Silvermoon crew for a fine day we will never forget.

[tango9]

we just booked the 12 man cat with Silvermoon. The confirmation form states that the price is $110 per person and 50% required upfront, but I was billed 2% more. Anyone else billed more than was stated?

[DGNY]

we just booked the 12 man cat with Silvermoon. The confirmation form states that the price is $110 per person and 50% required upfront, but I was billed 2% more. Anyone else billed more than was stated?

 

I think that's based on the exchange rate your credit card uses.

[Lsimon]

They bill in local Barbados currency (the banks there don't keep their accounts in dollars). So along the way different banks and credit card clearing companies add a little here and there.

[jtmalt]

I think that's based on the exchange rate your credit card uses.

 

Yes, I think Capital One is about the only card left that doesn't charge a foreign exchange fee (at least they didn't the last time I used them).

[flyingandcruising]

I just wanted to post that we just got back from a cruise that included Barbados and took Silver moon tours. We were on the 24 person, but only 21 people were on it.

 

This is a fantastic tour with a great staff and informative captain/owner/operator. The staff go out with you into the ocean and point out all the turtles and fish, they make sure that everyone is safe and following the rules to keep the turtles safe. The lunch was really good and we were treated very well. All you can drink.

 

This excursion was one of the highlights of the trip and cannot recommend them enough. Well worth the $90PP.

 

The boat is huge and you deffinetaly do not feel cramped (even if there are 24 people)

 

Any questions?

[Dannie138]

we just booked the 12 man cat with Silvermoon. The confirmation form states that the price is $110 per person and 50% required upfront, but I was billed 2% more. Anyone else billed more than was stated?

 

I was billed more too, and it wasn't my foreign currency charge (which is seperate on my credit card). It was under a dollar, I believe.

[Lsimon]

I was billed more too, and it wasn't my foreign currency charge (which is separate on my credit card). It was under a dollar, I believe.

 

That isn't quite how it works. The foreign transaction fee which is separate on your credit card is your credit card issuer's fee. The exchange rate premium is inherent in the initial dollar amount first posted to the card.

 

Let me give you an example:

1. You approve charge for $110.

2. Silver Moon banks in Barbados Dollars, not US$, so they check with the bank and the bank tells them they are giving them an exchange rate of $1 us = $2 Barbados dollars. So they run through the charge for $220 Barbados dollars.

3. A charge is made against your credit card for $220 Barbados dollars. However your bank doesn't deal in Barbados dollars so the credit card clearing agency they use converts the Barbados dollars to US$. They don't do this for free. No one gets the "interbank" rate unless they're dealing in a popular currency like Euros and then only if it is lots and lots of millions of Euros. So the credit card clearing agency doesn't charge you $110 US for the $220 Barbados, instead they charge a small premium to cover their costs and charge you $112.

4. Your bank gets the $112 charge and posts it against your account. They also charge you a foreign transaction fee which will range from 0 (no charge) to 3% or more, according to the terms of your credit card agreement. So you get charged for 2 items: The $112 and the foreign transaction fee (unless you have a card which doesn't have this fee).

 

Silver Moon gets nothing extra, in fact they likely paid some small fees to their bank and actually got less than the 220 Barbados dollars. You get charged a little extra. And the banks get a little extra to cover their costs and profits.

 

And that is the way it works. It just is.

[2Canucks]

Great to hear the great feedback...we're ready to go...our turn soon!!

 

Pat :)

[jerseyjill]

Hi. We are booked on this 5 1/2 lunch cruise on March 17 and I have a question for the women who have taken this cruise. Do most ladies wear their bathing suits under a cover-up when they board or do they come onboard in street clothes and go into a dressing room/bathroom to get into their suits? I hate sitting around in a wet bathing suit all day and would like to be able to change back into shorts/tee shirt after the swim. Just curious about what they offer on the boat as far as facilities and what do most women do?

Thanks for your help!

jerseyjill

[jtmalt]

The two times I've been on Silvermoon II, all of the women wore bathing suits under their shorts/coverups. The only private place on board to change would be the restrooms, which, although small, should probably be adequate for changing.

[DGNY]

The tour ends at 2:30. Any recommendations for things to do before getting back on the ship? Is the pier area interesting?

[Lsimon]

The tour ends at 2:30. Any recommendations for things to do before getting back on the ship? Is the pier area interesting?

 

There is a big shopping mall with a variety of the type of store that you'd find at most cruise ports: Clothing, liquor, souvenirs, sundries, several booths have tasting of local rum, liquor and rum cake. A good selection of stores if you want to shop but nothing extraordinary. We've been downtown and didn't find it a great shopping place - more like a real downtown like one you'd find in cities all over and not as much Caribbean flair as you'd think as Barbados has a non-tourist business side as well.

 

Usually we're tired enough from the day that we just head back and chill out on the ship with or without a little shopping first at the port terminal.

[rcprncss]

Hi. We are booked on this 5 1/2 lunch cruise on March 17 and I have a question for the women who have taken this cruise. Do most ladies wear their bathing suits under a cover-up when they board or do they come onboard in street clothes and go into a dressing room/bathroom to get into their suits? I hate sitting around in a wet bathing suit all day and would like to be able to change back into shorts/tee shirt after the swim. Just curious about what they offer on the boat as far as facilities and what do most women do?

Thanks for your help!

jerseyjill

 

I have been on the SilverMoon once. There is a very small bathroom that you could change into when you are done swimming if you need to. I would go on the catamaran with bathing suits on underneath your clothes. :)

[advocatus]

So we're going to be in Barbados in March and would like to book a tour with Silvermoon. In order to reserve the spot they want me to fax them my credit card information.

 

What precautions have you taken to do this? Have you created a one time use account number? I don't like the idea of faxing my account number to some random yahoo in a foreign country...

[DGNY]

So we're going to be in Barbados in March and would like to book a tour with Silvermoon. In order to reserve the spot they want me to fax them my credit card information.

 

What precautions have you taken to do this? Have you created a one time use account number? I don't like the idea of faxing my account number to some random yahoo in a foreign country...

 

Do you ever purchasing anything over the phone or online? How is this any different?

 

For me I scanned the form with my cc number on it and emailed it instead of faxing. Mostly this was for my own convenience. However, I figure my cc number wasn't going to sit in a fax machine until someone noticed it.

[Lsimon]

So we're going to be in Barbados in March and would like to book a tour with Silvermoon. In order to reserve the spot they want me to fax them my credit card information.

 

What precautions have you taken to do this? Have you created a one time use account number? I don't like the idea of faxing my account number to some random yahoo in a foreign country...

 

Well, on the one had I'll say I've booked 4 trips with Silver Moon along with different cruise friends who did their own confirmations. No one ever had any issues.

 

On the other hand, I definitely share your concern. Frankly I don't see any difference between faxing, emailing or giving them the information over the phone. You have no way of knowing what their security is. I feel this way anytime I have to give my credit card info to anyone over the phone, email, web site, etc. For that reason I use a credit card that allows me to generate those one-use only temporary card numbers. It adds a lot of confidence and security when giving out my CC number.

 

If you have the capability of generating a one time use number then do use it - here and other places. We use Citibank card but I think a few other companies offer this too.

[KAWS]

So we're going to be in Barbados in March and would like to book a tour with Silvermoon. In order to reserve the spot they want me to fax them my credit card information.

 

What precautions have you taken to do this? Have you created a one time use account number? I don't like the idea of faxing my account number to some random yahoo in a foreign country...

 

First of all they are not "some random yahoo in a foreign country". They are a very reputable company that is based in the Barbados. When you go on their excursion and see how they do business, I certainly hope you will take back that statement (in your mind at least). Those guys work very hard to give you a tremendous excursion. They do not deserve to be called this no matter how you feel about putting your card info out there.

 

Second, if you feel uncomfortable doing this, then get their telephone number and phone in your credit card information to them.

 

As one of the companies in Barbados that still caters to the cruise crowd (and some of them no longer do) they deserve to have the security of a credit card for their reservations. However, there are other ways to pay if you're not comfortable putting it online on their secure site.

[advocatus]

Ignoring all the angry responses I've received, I believe my point is still valid. To me, sending my credit card information to some fax machine in Barbados is the same as sending that information to Nigeria. I have never sailed with this company. What I expected was to be able to reserve on a website that has appropriate encryption and able to provide a more secure transaction than numbers on a fax page.

 

Please understand that I am not suggesting the employees of Silvermoon cruises are in any way dishonest... this is merely a precaution I would use in ANY situation regarding credit card information.

 

That said, I am booking with Silvermoon because of posters such as YOU who recommended their services, so I appreciate your responses.

 

I contacted the company that issues the credit I will be using for the trip, and unfortunately they do not offer one time use, or virtual account numbers. I have clarified with them however that I will be in foreign countries during the time period of our trip, and they ensured me that I am not responsible for any fraudulent charges.

 

That you for your assistance :)

[loribelle1]

Did you tip the silvermoon crew? If so, did you tip to one person to divvy up, or did you hand tips out individually? Is 10 percent about right for a tip?

[jtmalt]

Did you tip the silvermoon crew? If so, did you tip to one person to divvy up, or did you hand tips out individually? Is 10 percent about right for a tip?

 

They put out a tip jar at the end of the cruise, but they don't make a big deal about it or ask for tips.

 

How much to tip is a personal matter, but on any sailing excursion I've always been told that it's customary to tip the mate 15-20%.

[jtsbusiness]

Advocatus - I too was concerned. Not about their integrity, but just the open email link. I therefore gave them my account no. in one email, and then later sent them my security no. in another email. Not the most securist of ways, but I just felt a little better about doing it that way!

[cruzlovr23]

We spent the day last week (Oct. 26) with Silver Moon on their 24 person catamaran. BEST DAY EVER !!!!! Plenty of room wherever you wish whether it be in the sun, shade or on the trampolines. Catamaran was spotless!! Ben, Dexter and Marlow (our crew) were fantastic and made sure that we were well taken care of. Dexter made the best rum punch we had all week long anywhere! Non alcoholic drinkers had plenty to choose from as well. We snorkeled with the turtles and were able to touch plenty of them. We were then taken to 2 wrecks to snorkel. Beautiful there as well. Next we were served an absolutely delicious lunch. :p After lunch we spent some time swimming and enjoying the beautiful day. Before returning Dexter fired up the blender and made pina coladas for the ride back!:D

We saw other catamarans which were crammed full of people and were confident that we made the right choice. This day was the highlight of our trip!

[skiiergirl]

We spent the day last week (Oct. 26) with Silver Moon on their 24 person catamaran. BEST DAY EVER !!!!! Plenty of room wherever you wish whether it be in the sun, shade or on the trampolines. Catamaran was spotless!! Ben, Dexter and Marlow (our crew) were fantastic and made sure that we were well taken care of. Dexter made the best rum punch we had all week long anywhere! Non alcoholic drinkers had plenty to choose from as well. We snorkeled with the turtles and were able to touch plenty of them. We were then taken to 2 wrecks to snorkel. Beautiful there as well. Next we were served an absolutely delicious lunch. :p After lunch we spent some time swimming and enjoying the beautiful day. Before returning Dexter fired up the blender and made pina coladas for the ride back!:D

We saw other catamarans which were crammed full of people and were confident that we made the right choice. This day was the highlight of our trip!

 

That was how we felt when we did it several years back. So glad to know it is still the same!