17 Apr 2014
My husband and I are seasoned travelers, having cruised to Antartica, Galapagos, Tahiti, Vietnam, Greece and Russia and many other destinations. In our thirty or more cruises, we have expereinced all inclusive trips on Silverseas' competitors. Mostly, we have been pleased with trips and generally pleased with our recent cruise on Silver Explorer with the exception of our accommodations. We started with the least expensive cabin on the 3rd deck. This cabin is in the bow of the ship. There was a noise equivalent to a jack hammer at 30 second intervals triggered by the rising and falling of the rolling bow. After not sleeping the first night, we asked for a change of cabin. This seemed like a reasonable request since the ship was only half full. After an entire day of talking with the management, we were required to pay for an upgrade to the bow of the 4th deck. This cabin was only a little less noisy. We found Silversea's mangagement to be disinterested in our situation. Service was very good on the ship. Due to the small number of passengers, we were treated very well by the ship's staff, if not by the company. The Naturalists are well trained and were professional in their presentations. The shore excursions were average, certainly not up to par with Paul Gauguin or AmaWaterways. Dining options were felxible and convenient. You could choose to dine alone or with others and anytime during a two hour period. The food was fresh and well presented. Overall, the ship has benefits in terms of the all inclusive package but beware of booking a cabin in the bow of this ship, especially on the 3rd deck.
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