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The most recent Celebrity Silhouette ship ratings given by Cruise Critic reviewers have become increasingly negative. I was hoping to report that there was no need for concern; however, that is not the case. The issues with poor service are too numerous to list. However, when we expressed our concerns to Guest Relations, the management went to great lengths to rectify each situation. To those of you anticipating upcoming cruises on Silhouette, I can only suggest that you speak up if you should also encounter any problems.
Pros - This is undoubtedly a beautiful and well-designed ship. The public areas are stunning and the cabins extremely accommodating. The food in the main dining room was delicious. While I generally tend to avoid a ship's buffet, I found the one on Silhouette to be very good, with the option of sitting in a lovely open air dining area across the back of the ship. The specialty restaurant Qsine was an extraordinary dining experience worth every penny of the $40 surcharge. Hint - they offer discounts on the first and last night of each cruise if you would prefer to pay $28. Loungers were plentiful on sea days; we particularly liked the cushy loungers on the somewhat hidden Solstice Deck, forward on Deck 16. The galley tour available on the first sea day was very well organized and informative.
Cons - As a 50 year old, I found this ship to be extremely sleepy. Perhaps its very quiet elegance will appeal to me in 20 or so years when I will be the age of the average guest. Entertainment options were limited and apart from a very funny guest comedian, usually mediocre. For someone who loves music and good quality shows, I realize that I have been forever spoiled by Oasis and Allure of the Seas where a Broadway show is Broadway caliber. For the first time, I now understand why "cruise ship entertainer" has a negative connotation. Regarding the aforementioned problems with poor service, let me just say that to point fingers at a particular nationality of staff members, as reported in recent reviews, is neither accurate nor acceptable.
Adjoining staterooms don't really adjoin, so depending on what you are looking for, this could either be a pro or a con. If you are not travelling with others, you need not worry about noise from a doorway. If you actually want adjoining rooms, the only practical access is via the balconies with the divider removed. In concept, there is a folding 'vestibule' door which should allow one access to two rooms. Our room steward, however, assured us that this door is too cumbersome to actually use.
Our group of seasoned cruisers have sailed on Princess, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival and thought that Celebrity would be a step up. However, after sampling Celebrity Silhouette, most of us will return to our former favorites.
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