Overall Silversea remains a top quality luxury cruise product. Unfortunately, embarkation for this cruise was the most unprofessional fiasco EVER experienced with "any" cruise. Shipboard systems apparently malfunctioned, so it created a problem in the usual boarding procedures. Hiccups can happen with all companies, but it is "how" the crew responds to such problems that underscores the difference between below average & superior, & Silver Moon not only failed in this instance, but failed miserably. The Guest Relations Director was absolutely useless & seemed totally incapable of taking charge. The term "deer in the headlights" would be a fitting description. She wandered around the rapidly filling warehouse space as if she was in a daze, while being confronted by long-time repeat Silversea passengers who were insisting that she either take charge or go to a superior officer who could take charge. Due to the system failure, Silver Moon crew began to transport passengers to a non-airconditioned warehouse where they had assembled only 1/2 the number of chairs needed to accommodate the rapidly growing passenger count. Passengers were simply left sitting before many began to demand to know what was going on? Instead of stopping the flow of passengers into the area Silver Moon crew continued to bring more to the hot & humid warehouse area. When the crew finally began to process passengers, it was a slow & unpleasant experience, but that was still not the end to the fumbled embarkation. Passengers were then driven to ship side & placed in line "outside" & left standing in the sun & 90+ degree heat & humidity, but still not allowed to board. The onboard systems were apparently still not working properly for the crew at the gangway, so they were not allowing passengers to board, but this information had not been passed on to the crew in the warehouse area who continued to process passengers & send them on their way to stand in the heat & sun in the growing outside line ship side. Many passengers angrily approached the gangway crew to demand that they be allowed to board, only to be told they could not board until they could be provided with a "ship ID card". The gangway crew had apparently never been informed that MANY of those standing in the outside line had ALREADY received their ship ID card. Only after the gangway crew were given this information by the passengers, were passengers finally allowed to board. This entire process was as if this was the first time the Silver Moon crew had ever handled an embarkation, which raises the question: WHERE was the Captain or other Senior Officers during this ongoing fiasco??

Lots of "formal" dress nights which is fine for those who enjoy such, but it should only apply to 1 or 2 restaurants, since "informal" ALSO requires a jacket. Onboard information system is a joke, in that there is an option to "reserve a table", but it never functioned once in the 16 days of the cruise. Each time we tried to reserve from the cabin TV a message was returned: "Your reservation will be wait-listed - do you want to continue". Yet each time we arrived at the specific restaurant it was basically 75% empty. Why bother with the option at all if it doesn't allow a passenger to factually book a table? The daily Chronicles information brochure contained incorrect information the entire 16 days of the cruise & was never corrected. Who is in charge of this? Do they not recognize the errors, or just choose to not correct it even after it is brought to the attention of the Reception Desk? Some of the Shore Concierge crew members could certainly benefit from added passenger service training. One in particular answered every question asked on 2 excursions, with the reply: "You can log on to our system to find the answer to that", without EVER factually answering any passenger inquiry, apparently not realizing HE should be able to provide an answer.

Food was OK, but Seabourn is superior in this area. Especially in the evening canapes in their Observation Bar, which has an outstanding selection, compared to the paltry offerings on Silver Moon --- which was the source of jokes among many past & new Silversea passengers. Entertainment ran the gamut from great, like Kim & Didi in Silver Note & The Panorama Trio, to much less than great, but this is usually the case on all cruises. What was shocking is that Silver Moon had the absolute WORST internet service we have ever experienced on any cruise, without exception, which was also a hot topic among passengers. Read more