the curates egg

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the curates egg
Reviewed By: McDonald, cardiff on 23rd Feb 2009
Cruise Line: Silversea	Times cruised before: 10+
Cruise Ship: Silver Wind	Sailed: February, 2009
Destination: Indian Ocean	Age: 46-55

This was seven day cruise around the Seychelles. I had expected a woderful experience but it was only ordinary. The room was small for its grade and the walls very thin and we could hear the toilet noise from above nad the stereo snoring from the adjacent cabins. The fridge in the cabin was broken and it took three calls and a visit to the pursers desk to get it fixed taking over 36 hours. The room phone was also broken but that was fixed in four hours. The room stewardess was excellent as was the room service. However the restaurant was the real disappointment. On the first night we arrived at 7.30 to be turned away as there was no room. We could not dine until 9.30. it became clear that the dining room was overstretched by a passenger manifest of only 75% full. Service was sloppy throughout the cruise with accepted mores being ignored such as serving from the right. Still water was offered but if you asked for sparkling you got the rolling eye look. this appiled to any request beyond the norm despite the gradiose promnises to meet any reasonable request. Wine was available but as the wine steward was run off her feet was only occassionally refilled. That too was an issue as measures were very small. The offered waters were locally produced nad really only equivalent to tap water. The biggest issue wqas the poor and indifferent service. Ther was also an afternoon tea in the Panorama lounge which was supported by a menu. The reality was that unless you really pushed you got a tea bag and not the loose leaf tea as promised. There also seemed to be a milk quota as it was impossible to have a milk jug on the table. A second cup thus was never possible as having had the first and beeen denied milk no one was available to pour a seccond cup. Having travelled Queens grill on Cunard, and on Seabourn in the last year I feel that expectations were in no way met by this very poor experience. To add insult to injury all the land arrangements were made through silversea nad they failed to turn up at the airport to transfer us to the hotel nad the post cruise package was also denied transfers and they demanded $60 per person for a $45 taxi ride.
Quality of Food
Food quality was good although fish was in general overcooked
Entertainment
The Cruise director was first class and the entertainment very good
Shore Excursions
Excursions were very expensive, but we really enjoyed the cruise to Cousin island
Staff
The deck bar staff were very enthusiastic
Children's Facilities	n/a

Onboard Activities	n/a

Cabins

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Question by Michie, Glasgow (04 Jul 09 13:29) about this REVIEW

Do you think that the Silversea is trying to fill their ships by offering special "discount" rates plus "on board credits" to the determent of the quality of service and food? Are Silversea travelling the same path that most of the standard and premium lines seem to be going down...cut backs to pay for cut prices? Are they deliberately downgrading to the service you would expect from a premium line? We have cruised for 22 years now, and have definitely noticed the changes and cutbacks, but our first Caribbean cruise ( all those years ago}, cost about the same as a similar cruise today…so it seems its true, that in this life you only get what you pay for.

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Answer by Mcdonald, CARDIFF (20 Aug 09 11:03) to a QUESTION by Michie (04 Jul 09 13:29)

Its a sad fact that corporate accountancy is playing a major factor in planning of cruises. I note that european staff have largely disappeared from many lines and the famous luxury silver service has slipped away. Some of the much smaller lines still try to maintain standards still serving caviar and serving real champagne but even those supposedly 6 star lines are not really much better than the lowest denominator.

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