All the Viking cruises are of an excellent standard and all ships seems to be the same design so you feel at home very quickly. Staff are excellent, cabin spacious and well maintained. Wifi access good, food good. The only poor thing we have found on Viking recently is the quality of the musicians who play, usually as a duo or sometimes pianist. Do Viking not listen to them before they are engaged? The standard is so poor, the repertoire so limited and mostly more of a funeral type of music that we have found that we 'dodge' these 'musicians' who play in the open areas. Excursions are always excellent and well organised. Viking appear to be expensive, and their prices seem to be increasing considerably, but you do on the whole get good value for money. Viking do look after their customers well and pay attention to detail. Would recommend Read Less

There were three stops on this cruise that were not worth one hour much less a day!Trois Rivieres,Quebec, Corner Brook,Newfoundland to name two. The food in the main dining room was mediocre at best and the service there was poor. I have cruised Oceania many times and felt this is no longer a first class experience. On sail aways, like from New York, all they had was a band and no wine or champagne like they used to. The food in the two special restaurants was excellent...Toscana and Polo. The service in these was excellent but you are limited to two nights at each on a 17 day cruise! The Concierge "Suites" in this ship, Insignia, are very small..especially for a 17 day or linger cruise. Note that if you take the 8 "free" excursions and you are a couple that means on four excursions each! Any additional and you pay extra. Read Less

Travelling alone for the first time I found the staff very helpful,friendly and accomodating. The choice of meals in the Main Dining Room was very limited and was very salty overall including the Terrace Grill.Overall I enjoyed it. The Ship was on it's last voyage before dry dock where it was getting a complete overall,so a lot of the other things will not apply. I loved the itinerary of this cruise because it was one of the few that included Bermuda, but because of the time of year we encountered some bad weather and could not get into one Port but nonetheless I still enjoyed the Cruise. The entertainment at night was varied,but wasn't of the caliber of some of the other cruise lines. The Dining Room staff were accomodating in trying to seat me with another couple most of the time. I met a lot of many wonderful people on the cruise which is why I love travelling on a smaller ship. Read Less

My wife and I are retired hoteliers/ restaurateurs from the UK so are not always the easiest to please as we tend to have too many opinions regarding hospitality! But having read some other very negative reviews from earlier recent cruisers on Silver Wind we were concerned that we could be embarking on a nightmare experience. However having cruised the same ship previously a few years ago in South Africa we couldn’t readily equate these to our own positive memories . So we feel obliged to try to convey our own feelings regarding our voyage which bore little resemblance to some of these previously negative rantings. Yes that previous cruise was a warm weather one four years ago, but in a notoriously rough Indian Ocean (even in Summer) and this was to be mainly in November in northern Canada and the North Atlantic so we always knew it was going to be a cold and potentially rough trip, but you know that before you book and we couldn’t really understand how others had clearly failed to factor that into their own planning and were then blaming Silversea and expressing surprise at rough seas and missing ports. Surely these were always situations likely to happen so please don’t moan about the elements and blame the cruise line as there is clearly nothing that Silversea or indeed any other cruise lines can do about the weather! On boarding in Montreal all went as smoothly and seamlessly as normal with Silversea, and of course, no queues. We were pleased to be greeted in reception by a number of familiar personnel including Bar Manager, Newton, who we had met on previous cruises. Also Cruise Director, Colin Brown, who as someone else stated should be cloned, as he really is one of the best that we have encountered and this was our third cruise with him in charge. He looks after all the entertainment and enrichment programmes. These included two enrichment lecturers and a superb group of Voices of Silversea who were basically six professional singers, two operatic and four more general but all with their own individual talents. Additionally there was an onboard pianist and a Silversea trio who provided background entertainment throughout the ship. Two guest entertainers, a magician and a guitarist also came on board for a few days at different times to bolster the offering as this was a 16 day cruise. We felt they were both a bit underwhelming but that is probably because the Voices on this voyage were so good. Additionally Colin, who is a classically trained concert pianist, arranged a number of piano concerts in conjunction with the two opera singers and also performed some amazing classical duets with the onboard pianist, Olga, who was also outstanding. The crew in general were of the usual high Silversea standards. As ever mostly smiling and welcoming. Though I have to say that some of the restaurant staff (only a few to be fair) were not quite as friendly as we have experienced on other Silversea Cruises where they normally get your name quickly and address you by it from very early on, which is always impressive. Ever since the introduction of their iPad booking system a few years ago this standard seems to have fallen away somewhat unless they remind themselves by looking at your picture and name which they now get by entering your suite number into the iPad system. Maybe they were a bit tired after some seven weeks of cruising since they left London, most of which had been under some pretty appalling weather conditions! Our Suite Butler, Parveen from India, however, did an excellent job of looking after us throughout the voyage and was always on hand to attend to our every need, and our suite attendant Christine, from the Philippines, kept our suite immaculate throughout the voyage. Reception and Shore concierge staff were also very friendly and helpful and a great improvement on some we have experienced on other voyages. The hotel manager however was rarely seen by us out and about the ship and maybe that reflected on some of the staff performance? Captain Arma and the navigation bridge officers did a great job. They were all frequently seen around the ship and also kept us extremely well informed about weather conditions etc and, most memorably, carefully plotted a safe way around a huge storm that brewed up over the Gulf of St Lawrence by hugging the coast of Prince Edward Island and going very slowly for a couple of days to avoid the worst of the weather and keeping the ship as stable as possible. He kept all the passengers and crew fully informed at all times and despite a bit of rocking and rolling one evening the ship remained amazingly smooth, despite the gale blowing outside, and we never noticed any passengers confining themselves to their cabins with all the restaurants operating as busily as ever! He only once had to come onto the tannoy at 11pm on one evening to suggest that it was not a good idea to still be walking around the ship anymore! But it was reassuring that he was still on the bridge so late in the evening and in fact most everyone had gone to bed anyway and we actually had probably our best nights sleep so far being gently (or not) rocked into slumber. By the morning everything had calmed down and in the end that was really the only properly bumpy bit of this cruise. The storm did indeed mean us missing two ports of call but the first only for safety reasons as we had arrived and anchored, but it was a tender port and the Captain wasn’t convinced he could get everyone safely back to the ship, and the second because the local coastguard had closed the fairly narrow access channel…so the Captain had no option anyway. Talking to some of the crew it appeared that the ship had endured some pretty appalling weather all the way from London across to Iceland and then over to Canada for approx 7 weeks on the previous four or five cruises so, despite us being the last cruise out of the north for the winter, we actually probably had the best weather....so who knows? Just guess anyone should bear this more in mind if you choose such an itinerary in any year! Yes apparently the ship had had some sort of mechanical issue in Montreal a couple of cruises before our one that delayed departure by two or three days but to be fair to Silversea everyone on that one was reimbursed a third of their fare for that incident. Yes the ship is twenty three years old now and showing a bit of age externally but that will be sorted out when it dry docks shortly. The interior however was as clean and smart as ever with the public areas having been spruced up last year. Apparently the staterooms will be getting a “Muse-ification” refurbishment update during the upcoming dry dock in December. The suite bedrooms (or at least our one) actually seemed in pretty decent shape decor wise despite previous critical comments made on other CC Silver Wind reviews, though the TV system could certainly do with an update which is apparently happening with a more modern system being installed. For some reason it appears the update will not include the bathrooms which doesn’t make a lot of sense as the bathrooms are probably the weakest thing on Wind being rather on the small side with a rather small in length bath (not great if you are reasonably tall). However it does have an excellent power shower in addition to a hand shower, but it is one that you have to climb into the bath to use so not the easiest perhaps for some less mobile guests. We have also travelled twice on Silver Spirit in the past couple of years and have always particularly enjoyed that ship but mainly due to its larger size and thus the greater choice of dining options. Having said that Wind is half the size of Spirit and you benefit from a very cosy clubby atmosphere on board. We were on Wind for 16 days this time and didn’t really get bored with the Menus as they changed pretty much daily (every few days for La Terrazza) and the pool deck hot rocks grill, which we also love, was pretty much out as an option (even though it was still available with rugs and heat lamps) given the very cold weather in Canada and the northeast US. We actually got the chance to do a shipboard visit to see the newly stretched version of Silver Spirit when it came into Montreal a few days prior to our cruise on Wind and we really liked the updated decor and new restaurants that have now brought Spirit very much up to Muse standards. Anyway all in all it was an enjoyable and interesting cruise on Silver Wind and I would suggest others should quite simply ignore some of the earlier terrible reviews posted on cruise critic which in our mind really seem to have stemmed from experiencing some dreadfully bad weather rather than the ship itself! We would certainly be very happy to cruise on this ship again and can reassure others to go for it if they might be having any doubts. Read Less

We just returned from a ten day trip on the Silver Spirit, Montreal to New York City. Out of 25+ cruises this was hands down the worst because of the weather. It was 29 degrees F in Montreal, we got stuck in Quebec City because of a blizzard, Saguenay port was closed because of the weather, Baie-Comeau was closed because the dock was wrecked by the storm and it was rain, snow, sleet and fog in all but Newport RI. So I must give this trip two marks, overall trip a 2 while just the Silver Spirit a 8. I blame the weather 50%, myself 25% for booking a trip to Canada this late in the season and Silver Sea 25% for selling a trip this late. The attitude aboard the ship from Captain on down was it was too late in the season. The Ship: The Spirit looks like a new ship and just like the Muse in many places. She was very clean and organized with no problems that I encounter. The crew was great, service top notch. The unlimited internet and the interactive TV worked great. We were in cabin 1117, a new Silver Suite added when she was stretched. Great cabin in a great location. Very quite and right by the elevator and midships enough motion wasn’t a issue. Food: The Spirit now has the same restaurant arraignment as the Muse and the same room service. I really do not like the fact that the menus do not change at all in the evening in any restaurant, it gets very boring. Some will say they do change however after 23 days on both ships I have never seen a change, I also find the room service menu boring, almost like a Diner. I tried to get a lobster dinner, which is a special order, and just got the run around. I am really not impressed by the food. I never got a bad meal however there is no wow factor in any of it. I can not recommend SS to a foodie. Accitivies: For a ship with a very small stage their group did a great job. There were six singers who put on various shows, all very good. There was a three piece band which was OK along with a male and female singer who worked the lounge, also OK. I was surprised they didn’t bring in any guest acts. There was a lecturer onboard also. Overall I like SS but after trying them twice I just can’t get excited about their restaurant concept. I would sail them again however at their price point there are better options I believe. Read Less

Awesome service, accommodations and great culinary options! My husband and I boarded this cruise too celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary and had a wonderful experience. Despite the bad weather, and missed ports, we enjoyed all the ports we did get to visit! The staff on board accommodated our every whim and the dinning options were fabulous. The rooms are very spacious and serviced twice a day which was very nice. We loved all the common areas and the numerous activities that were offered. We especially enjoyed trivia play each day at 4:45pm. Who doesn't like drinks, friends, and some trivia! We made some wonderful friends on board as well! The ports were beautiful and full of fun and exciting excursions suiting every level of activity. Because of our ship's size we could get into most ports without having to tender to shore. I would definitely recommend this cruise and especially Silversea cruise line. We can't wait to book our next cruise. Read Less

I was interested in a cruise that either left from New York or came back to that port which meant I would be home in and hour or so. I flew to Montreal and spent the first night and second day onboard, unpacked and being pampered. Crystal met me at the airport and escorted me to a waiting bus. That was a lovely touch since it was raining and the hostess carried the umbrella. The line has buses waiting for all arriving customers throughout the day leaving every half hour for the ship. Your luggage is taken at the airport and to your room within hours while you can start eating and drinking on your ship. My room was quite nice with a more than comfortable bathroom. SInce I had twin sinks, I used one in the AM and one in the PM. There is a tub shower that I really enjoyed, bathing most of the time with the luxurious ETRO products supplied by Crystal. There was more than enough space for all my things and plenty of hangers. I toured the ship and found lots of nooks to hang out in, some of which served coffee and nibbles. There is a lovely library, well stocked and just 3 shops which are open when at sea. There are 4 specialty restaurants including Silk, a wonderful Chinese restaurant that served the best hot and sour soup I've ever tasted and I eat a LOT of Chinese food! You are able to eat in the specialty restaurants 3 times during the cruise and I found Prego, the Italian, to be my favorite. There is also Umi Uma Nobu's Japanese restaurant and a lovely main dining room which serves 2 different menus at each meal. Breakfast is also served in the Market as a buffet. Fun can be had in Churrascaria, a Brazilian style restaurant where you get your salad at the bar and then after sitting down, waiters come around with skewers of meat, chicken, shrimp, pork and the tenderest lamb chops you can find anywhere. Most of the trip was fine with 2 nights of rockin' and rollin' on rough seas but that's to be expected in the north Atlantic. I saved my real raves for the entertainment which was the BEST of any I've ever had on a cruise. From the singers and dancers to the special guest stars, it was First Rate and memorable. Too many to name but needless to say, every night was a joy! Another standout for me was the lectures by General Nick Halley. He was fascinating and informative. Kudos to Crystal on that aspect of the trip. About the leaves, not the greatest but not the fault of the cruise line either. Read Less

Booked this cruise to see the fall leaves...weather was crappy...Not Crystal's fault. The ship and crew were great. The food and service were excellent. Smaller ship and passenger list meant not as much waiting for shore excursions..etc. The entertainment was very nice since it was a smaller ship. We enjoyed the bistro and the hamburgers. They were the best. The speciality restarunts are a plus with no extra charge. The shore excursion were arragned well. There was always a Crystal person on the tours. Service was always spot on. Every time you sat down, there was someone available to get you a drink. When the ship docs, the attrium becomes very cold..this was an October cruise and have the ship open all day made the attrium very uncomfortable. The embarkation and disembarktation process was very smooth. When we disembarked, it seemed as if we were the only ones on the ship. Imigration was smootn. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of it's itinerary from Montreal to New York. We chose Oceania because of it's food and luxury. The itinerary was great even though the weather has not been too good. The cabin was comfortable enough but too small compared to equivalent luxury small ships. It was also dated, main problem was the old, small plastic shower room, and the storage was about enough for 2 weeks, any longer and there's not enough storage. Other reviews say the same thing. We are in cabin 7088 which suffers a lot from engine noise, again a sign of poor design and age. The noise was very disappointing so keep away from 7088 if you can. Because the weather wasn't great and fairly cold the outside spaces and dining was not being used. This made the ship seem absolutely packed. I think this is because the cabins are small so there are too many passengers for the ship facilities if the outside spaces can't be used. Getting a seat for afternoon tea is impossible if you're late. We had a problem on the first night where we had to wait for 50 minutes for a table for the grand dining room, we were eventually the last in. We found that when we got in there were plenty of empty tables which hadn't been reset. We were told it was because people weren't using the other facilities. We did get a good outcome as we got extra bookings in the speciality restaurants as a result and everyone was apologetic. I just think there are not enough indoor facilities if people can't go outside. This is possibly caused by the small cabins allowing more passengers than the facilities can really support on a small ship. Having said all that we are enjoying ourselves, the food is generally very good and the staff and friendly and helpful. If you drink I would strongly suggest you get the drinks package.as drinks are expensive on board. Read Less

We were attracted by the itinerary as it visited some places to which we had not been before and we were swayed by the marketing that promised so much but as we discovered actually delivered well below our reasonable expectations. The food arrived invariably tepid or cold and was sent back. The tables were being cleared before all the table had finished eating. The drink prices can only be described as a rip off!!! A run of the mill wine we buy for £7 is marked up at $45 plus 18% service charge. The shower was cold for the early part of the cruise as was the cabin for the whole trip despite our represenations. The wind was lifting the curtains in our cabin and the noise of it could be heard by reception!!! Gaffa tape was provided as a short term measure but it was never fully weathertight. The entertainment was mostly disappointing apart from the pianist. We have enjoyed a number of other cruises but we would not sail with this Company again. Read Less

We selected this cruise line because of its purported luxury features, the ports of call and the timing to see the fall colors. To start this is a very dated ship and the accommodations were anything but grand. The air conditioning did not work for the first two days, the live TV programming never worked, the door to our veranda was next to impossible to close and once the ship did get moving the door would pop open on its own (that got repaired), but we still had a whistling noise caused by the wind blowing past the door seals, the cabin floor got flooded one night during rough seas, our bathroom floor had to be repaired because of damaged (chipped) floor marble, we did had to climb into a bath tub to take a shower (kind of hard for old folks in bouncy seas), and a very indifferent customer relations desk. Our cabin was in forward part of the ship and ever time the side thrusters were employed our cabin vibrated and shook with a equal commensurate noise, kind of annoying when you are trying to sleep. But worse of all was a 4 day delay in our departure out of Montreal, which the captain insisted was because of the local port authorities, and kept promising false start times that never occurred and each day there were barges or maintenance devices attached to the ship. On the fourth day we were allowed to leave port with a tug boat shadowing us all the down the St. Lawrence River to Quebec. Due to all the mechanical problems/delays, that were never admitted to us, we lost three ports of call that we were really looking forward visiting plus some day time scenic viewing. Silver Seas did make an adjustment of 30% of our base cruse cost to make up for this loss but - - - -. We had two days of rough seas, that happens when you cruise, but in addition to the bouncing we had a loud metal on metal banging that seemed to come from the hull of the ship which kept us awake a couple of nights. The ship was late arriving in New York at the end of the cruise which was good and not so good. By arriving late we got to see the Port of New York in the early morning light, the bad news they then tried to rush to disembark us which resulted in un-necessary chaos. A verying disappointing cruise, but all of the servicee personnel were very attentive and friendly. Read Less

We chose this cruise specifically because of the itinerary. The best of Canadian Maritime. While the ship itself is in need of a facelift that is not the reason for the rating. Problems in Montreal made it necessary to stay extra days after alreadly arriving earlier than the cruise date. Four (2) key ports were cut from the itinerary. Saguenay, Baie, Gaspe and Prince Edward Island. We were aghast, when only a 30% refund was offered. Without those ports we would NOT reserved this cruise. To make things worse, the Captain was inaccessible to answer questions. He even announce that they had lost "revenue" on this cruise because of the Montreal difficulties. Why should passengers have to hear that? The rest of the staff tried hard to make up for his poor communication and general disregard for the terrible impact his words and action have. All of this leave a very bad taste... a stain on a good reputation...cannot recommend this cruise line to anyone. It as all handled SO badly. A few kind words and a full refund would have had everyone repeat clients....no such result. Read Less

We chose this cruise to enjoy the fall scenery of Canada, view the whales and other sea life of the St Laurence Seaway and visit Quebec City. When we embarked in Montreal on Tuesday we were not informed of a mechanical failure that occurred when the boat was arriving. Only after awakening Wednesday to the same view did we realize we were still in Montreal and then we were informed of a "small" "technical" "problem" and repairs would allow for a prompt departure. The staff did not go out of their way to develop more excursions. They just provided a $50 credit for us to buy "hop on, hop off" bus tickets. We awoke Thursday to the same view, but the ship had been relocated to a filthy industrial pier filled with containers, among other unattractive items and a splended view of large, rusting grain elevators. They then advised that the Canadian authorities now required an ocean tug to accompany the ship up the St Laurence. So, our departure was now further delayed by "forces beyond the control of the ship" in the ill chosen words of Silversea management, because we had to await the arrival of the tug. This generated concern among the passengers. What was the nature of the "technical problems" and had they been completely addressed and repaired? Why was a tug escort required? We received no answers, but Silversea gave a 30% cash refund. Then they altered the itinerary to canceling stops at the naturalists attractions ports of Saguenay, Baie Comeau , Gaspe, and Charlottetown. Instead, we will be hightailing it to the coal mining town of Sydney and then on to the large city of Halifax. Silversea does not care to try to make amends for their mistakes of not properly maintaining this older vessel. Instead they punish the customers on top of our 3 days in Montreal by canceling the most attractive portion of the cruise. I think they want to get the boat back to a large city for repairs. I will never set foot on a Silversea ship again. As an aside, on our previous Silversea cruise , our stateroom flooded and we were moved to an inferior room Read Less

The cruise itself was ok. The ship is beautiful inside with tasteful decorating and furniture. The weather was beautiful considering all the hurricanes the previous weeks. The food in the general dining area, called the ‘world cafe’ was very good for breakfast ,lunch and dinner. There were two specialty restaurants: the chefs table and the Italian restaurant. The chefs table I thought was decent, but we heard lots of comments on both sides of the table. We had two nights booked for the chefs table, but chose to eat there only one time. The Italian restaurant was definitely lacking. I received a nine oz. steak that was basically marbled fat. When they asked me why I didn’t eat the steak I showed them how it was marbled with fat. We ended up that night again at the world cafe. The entertainers were very good, but entertainment overall was lacking. This was a circle the Caribbean cruise with short tours included. Most of the tours were just not very good. On one tour the bus driver backed into the bus behind us causing all passengers to be moved to other busses. The worst decision we made, only day two on the ship, was to pre-book for a future cruise from Bergen to Stockholm. The pre-booking employee was very nice, but mislead us regarding the cancellation policy. She assured my wife and I that the deposit was fully refundable up to 120 days prior to the cruise, including insurance. She said this at least three times. We thought this was the same as Princess which we’ve sailed with many times. Never a problem. A week after we got home we decided to cancel as it conflicted with other family plans. We then found out that they would not refund the insurance. We were shocked that we had been lied to. A supervisor referred us to page 2 where the small print cancellation policy is. Keep in mind you never get this from the pre-cruise employee until they charge your card and then generate the paperwork. We were told there is no path to resolution. It’s their policy. They keep our $1400 and basically told us too bad. As a warning to all reading our story be very careful when booking with this company and don’t believe everything they say. Unfortunately, we were too trusting. Read Less

Having recently sailed on Regent Explorer and Seabourn Encore, we wanted to return to Silversea and try out the “new” Silver Spirit. We were not disappointed. We had a lovely trip from Montreal to NYC on the Spirit. The weather didn't cooperate, thanks to the remnants of Hurricane Michael, but the fall colors were spectacular, even in the rain! The ship itself is lovely and comfortable, and the newly refurbished/created lounges and restaurants are beautifully done. The food was delicious and nicely presented. We prefer a “main dining room”, and took most dinners in Atlantide- beautiful room, super service. The menu never changed, which became quite repetitive by the end of the trip. We enjoyed our dinners at Silver Note with its striking presentations, and the Italian fare at La Terraza as well. Our newly redone cabin was spacious and comfortable as well (the huge sink in the bathroom was an odd and awkward choice). Service throughout our trip was top-notch: gracious, friendly and prompt yet not obsequious. The crew was extremely courteous and helpful to my mother, who used the wheelchair we had rented more than expected on this trip. The stretching and refurbishment of the Spirit are a big success! We had a great time aboard ship and in port. The hiccups came at the beginning and the end of the trip. I'll start at the end. Disembarkation in NYC was a nightmare. For some reason, while we had been right on time up to our berth in Midtown, something happened which necessitated the ship to be turned around before docking, resulting in a 90 minute delay. Needless to say, the crowd gathered in Dolce Vita was restless, and the lack of information didn't help the situation. When we did make our way off the ship to claim our luggage, there was no personnel to assist as it was all hands on deck to just get the bags off the ship. With my mother in a wheelchair, I finally found a cart and we made our way to the buses to the airport, to find total chaos. It was the blind leading the blind, and the "Silversea" personnel directing traffic were, forgive the pun, at sea...not good when people are trying to make connections across town. We eventually made our way onto the bus, and did make our flight. I'm sure others weren't as lucky. I heard a lot of very negative comments about the way the disembarkation was handled, which put a damper on an otherwise great vacation. Our trip also began with some chaos. We opted for the pre-cruise night at the InterContinental. The fire alarm and subsequent evacuation of the hotel were NOT part of the package. The activity was handled very poorly, and I’ve expressed my concerns to both the hotel and Silversea. I know that Silversea doesn't control what the hotel does, but they need to know what's going on in the properties they use. May you never have a similar experience! Happy sailing! Read Less

We chose this trip with 3 other couples for a luxury ship fall foliage tour; weather was mostly bad, but that is just bad luck. Excursions handled by the ship were poor to average and the entire experience was not quite what we had expected or paid for. The cabin was excellent and the food was very good as well. Service was a little spotty as the ship was completely full, but I still expected more attentive service; the best service was from the butler & room staff. The fitness center was very small & very disappointing; several people that were in there while I was working out made the same comment. We had a problem with the flight set up by the cruise line, and the issue was handled very, very poorly which put a bad taste in our mouths even before we finally arrived at the ship later in the trip. Overall the experience was not a 5 or 6 star one and was less than we had expected. Read Less

The 5 stars are for the cruise only. The pre and post cruise services are definitely the weak link. We had booked transfers through Silversea. No one was waiting at the airport as we had been told. We dragged our luggage all over the airport on a wild goose chase until we found the transfer company. The pre-cruise night at the Intercontinental was a nightmare. Check in was very difficult, the fire and evacuation at midnight was handled terribly by the hotel, having our luggage picked up from our room by the transfer service in the morning was a 3 hour process. The Silversea hotel representatives were no help at all. Once we got to the port, everything changed. Embarkation was quick and easy. Our veranda cabin was perfect. Our cabin was in the “stretched” section with a nice big shower only. We loved everything about our cabin. Our butler Raphal and room attendant Larry took great wonderful care of us. Raphal even made sure we always had distilled water for my husbands cpap. Since they knew I liked champagne, they always had a chilled bottle ready for us. We tried all of the restaurants and enjoyed the food, wine, and especially the excellent service. La Dame was a very memorable meal for us! The destination speaker Corey Sandler was so informative and his tips added a lot of enjoyment to each of our stops. We enjoyed Quebec City, Bar Harbor, Boston, and Newport the most. The cruise down the Saguenay River was stunningly beautiful. It would have been nice to skip the smaller ports and have overnights in some of the nicer ports. The weather was awful due to the hurricane remnants and it was so nice to come back to our warm cozy cabin after being in port all day. We were very late arriving in New York City. Again, once off the ship, the transfer services were a mess. They took a long, out of the way route to the airport and they didn’t know which terminals were where. Many people missed their flights. We ended up getting off at one terminal and walking well over a mile to the correct terminal. If we cruise with Silversea again, we will book our own flights and hotel. Read Less

This was our first time on Seabourn, but will not be the last. The suites are expansive and well appointed. Our only complaint there would be the ridiculously small TVs that are in the cabin. Public spaces are well done for this size ship. Th entertainment was excellent actually. The four singers and two dancers that were part of the Seabourn team were some of the best that I have seen on any Cruise line. The food was always top notch, we never had a complaint at any restaurant. Now the only complaint and it is minor. The Restaurant Wait staff always seemed a little out of sync. Many times throughout the cruise we heard "sorry we're a little busy", or " we'll be with you in a minute". Even at the signature restaurant The Grill, we waited quite awhile for any service. The maitre D finally came over and asked if we had any service yet.It wasn't awful just not what we expected from Seabourn, and we had this happen repeatedly. The clientele on our cruise was definitely well heeled, and well traveled, and tends to be older. This is NOT a cruise line for children. All in all it is a luxury experience well worth the cost. Read Less

We chose the ship for the itinerary and had been on the ship once before in Croatia. Great itinerary then and only 1 sea day. On this trip, The itinerary was changed about a month before departure, cancelling several experiences due to WHALE MIGRATION. The whales migrate every year so the company should have not been surprised and should have offered other ports. There were 3 sea days...keep in mind we were in Canada, so we did not expect warm weather. With 3 sea days, there was little to do and of course we couldn’t sit out on the deck...too cold and windy. We took 1 ship tour against our better judgment. We spent a lot of time waiting for people to come out of the bathroom. Food was good but service was inconsistent. Many times meals did not arrive together or parts were forgotten and never delivered. Often food was not hot. Reception staff was excellent. Captain did not keep us very informed about sea conditions and was also invisible. Disembarkation was smooth and pleasant. I would not recommend this itinerary (Canadian Maritime) on any ship in the chilly spring or fall if there are many sea days without programmed activities. The movies that were chosen during sea days were horrendous. Overall, not up to our previous Windstar experiences. Read Less

First cruise and probably the last. The list of problems on this ship are too numerous to elaborate. Briefly - no hot water some days, no self serve coffee/tea available - only available with room service after 6:00 pm, inadequate seating spaces for breakfast and lunch during inclement weather, options for meals are severely limited, old and outdated stateroom, poorly coordinated and overpriced excursions, movie room had seating for about 8 people. At embarkation they lost 2 of our 3 pieces of luggage so that we had to track them down. Three full days at sea with nothing to do - what a waste of time and money. TV program listings on the daily activity sheet were for the day before. They cleaned the brass handrails on the stairs with Brasso and failed to wipe it down thoroughly. Got black on our hands when we used them. Service providers were overly friendly but many did not understand English. One redeeming quality was the workout room was well equipped. Read Less

We have been on multiple cruises ,first time on seaborne .I like the small ship ,the crew driving the ship ,especially the captain was very professional and competent .Our suite was very nice .Food in the main dining room was very average with a heavy emphasis every night on salmon and shrimp .Service was disorganized and poor taking up to 2 hours to eat .No obvious supervision .The Colonnade dining room was much better with themed meals each night ,much better service and excellent supervision by the maitre di .Coffee bar is excellent .Excursions are extremely overpriced .Entertainment is very average .One singer was fairly good ,comedian wasnt funny . Lecturers were of very mediocre quality to what we are used to ,often getting facts wrong . Ports were good ,better to arrange ones own tour with a local taxi etc ,more personalized and cheaper . Average age on the cruise was 80+and was mainly Americans . Read Less

I simply can't believe this is the same cruise line and even the same ship on which we experienced a truly magical trip to Antarctica. Whatever has happened to Seabourn in just 4 years? First, the good point (note the singular): the food has improved massively. Everything else however has fallen off a cliff - the style, the sense of being really spoilt albeit at huge expense , the quality of the whole experience - it's all gone. Let's gloss over being subjected to an entirely avoidable hurricane. We'll forget the force 9 that followed 3 nights later. Let's even pretend we didn't notice the fiasco at Quebec City, where the ship berthed in the wrong spot and total chaos ensued. Let's also not make too much of the complete breakdown in communication from both the bridge and the 'cruise director' that followed. Instead, we'll focus us a trip that cost more than my car that was poorly planned, appallingly managed and that we couldn't wait to be over. The itinerary was laughable, visiting a series of one-dog towns with nothing of any interest to see or experience. Pierre et Miquelon was a purported highlight. It wasnt. And as we arrived on a Wednesday every restaurant, bar and shop was closed. Nobody from Seabourn had thought to check. On a guided walking tour, the guide was reduced to pointing out where her auntie lived. Worst of all was the switch in emphasis to all-day boozing. Seabourn Square was always a quiet internet cafe and library. On this trip it doubled as an early risers' bar, with Irish coffee served at 10am to the same crowd who lurched through the days, gradually becoming more obnoxiously inebriated until they conspired to ruin every sailaway and afternoon tea in the formerly elegant Sky Bar by sinking endless cocktails and shouting a lot. I feel nothing but contempt and anger at Carnival for trashing what was one of the last bastions of refined and understated cruising, Seabourn. Shame on you Richard Meadows. Read Less

After reading some of the negative reviews on the Symphony we were wondering what to expect on our return onboard after 18 months and after the refurbishment. I would like to say we were not disappointed as everything and everyone onboard were of an excellent standard. The check in was seamless and took us 30 mins from arrival at the terminal to receiving our glass of champagne after completion of all the formalities. The ship itself is looking refreshed,modern and very stylish from the refurbishment but not too glitzy like a lot of the newer ships. The food and service in all the restaurants (and we tried them all ) was outstanding with a feeling of being spoilt by the very professional and attentive waiting staff. The bars were well attended and the bar staff got to know your drink preferences fairly quickly and also were very quick to note your arrival and make sure you had a drink in front of you with very little wait. The drinks were a generous pour and well presented and mixed well. The shows were ok being pretty standard cruise ship productions and the singers were fairly mediocre but we are probably jaded as we cruise 4or 5 times a year. The in room movie selection was very good and the large flat screens at the foot of the bed are a fantastic improvement. Our only gripe with Crystal cruises in this day and age is the amount of smoking areas dedicated to them especially around the pool as a handful of smokers had the whole side of the deck making the non smoking side very crowded as all it took was a couple of smokers to taint the air for all those around them and a number of people were complaining about that also smoking on the promenade when I was excercising. We will definitely cruise with Crystal again even though there has been a few cost cutting measures since our last cruise it is still a luxury experience that a lot of the premium lines have lost. Read Less

My first cruise 7 years ago was on Marco Polo a small cruise ship in the Cruise and Maritme fleet. With nothing to compare it to but other holidays in European resorts I thought it compared very favourably. Since then I have cruised with P&O three times , NCL , and Royal Caribbean, and again with Cruise and Maritime. However the cruise I am on at the moment with Crystal on the liner Symphony beats them all hands down . The reason I have titled my review as ‘Don’t cruise on this ship’, is because it has well and truly spoiled me , and I don’t think I would be able to cruise on another liner without feeling that that they had fallen short compared to Crystal. Unfortunately I might be a while saving up for my next Crystal cruise as it works out at about double the price of the ones I have named above, but goodness is it worth it! From the moment I boarded I was treated like a treasured guest. I think the main reason is that the ship never appeared crowded , the staff had time to be attentive to the guests. In order to make my point a little more clearly I will try to give examples. On previous cruise liners - long queues for the bar during the day on the all inclusive deals,wine waiters in the restaurant only coming to the table once during the meal as they all appeared rushed off their feet. Crystal- no queues anywhere, waiter service round the pool, public areas and in the dining rooms ,constantly replenishing glasses, stopping to chat with guests. On previous cruise liners - sea days when the weather is good , don’t bother trying to get a sun bed or seat of any kind after 10 am as they are either reserved with book, towels or bodies! On sea days when the weather is bad , everywhere noisy and crowded with public areas looking like my mum’s nursing home , or Butlins , depending on which cruise line you are on. Crystal - nowhere is crowded , on the sunniest days barely half the sun beds are occupied with anything, and inside is the same , no loud piped music , no queues for anything. I don’t mean it to sound like a graveyard , it is just quiet and understated and not intrusive. On previous cruises- tips , and drinks are extra. Even on the all inclusive cruises speciality coffee and certain drinks , ice cream ,plus the mini bar in the room and certain room service menus are all extra . Crystal - All included , no staff being extra nice at the end of the holiday in the hope you will leave them an extra tip , on Crystal the staff are attentive , happy and welcoming the whole time.All speciality coffees included, with waiters on hand in public areas to dispense drinks of all sorts, and don’t get me started on the ice cream , with about 20 different flavours ( no cheap imitations) they were brilliant , and of course all included. On previous cruises- Being tendered into port whilst other ships have the cruise terminal position, queuing up for an hour before breakfast to get tender tickets so that we can get off the boat at a reasonable time . Paying extra for shuttle buses out of the port , and again having to queue up for ages in order to get a ticket that insures we get a shuttle at a reasonable time. Crystal - certainly on this cruise whenever there was a dock/cruise terminal , we got it. On the couple of occasions we were tendered in , there were no queues , no waiting , and shuttles when needed were waiting with plenty of room , and ran frequently. Food- on previous cruises tables for two have been few and far between especially on P&O. The food has been OK , but things like steak have often been tough and sometimes inedible. Self service has been good , but often the food would only be warm. On one liner our dinner companions (no table for two available) had paid a substantial amount for the drinks package and eventually having managed to get the attention of the wine waiter they were poured a glass of wine each , they didn’t see the wine waiter for the rest of the meal. On Crystal the food has been excellent , no expense spared and steaks have been so tender and cooked to perfection , as has all their food. We did try the speciality restaurants which were very good , but the main restaurant was so good that we didn’t feel the need to try anything else , also your wine glass is replenished before it ever becomes empty. The cabin we had on Crystal was a comparable size to that of other liners , but the fittings were superior . Our cabin attendant was efficient and friendly and tailored our cabin cleaning/turn down service around our movements which wasn’t the case on some of the other cruises we have been on. Of course it is very much horses for courses and if you like loud music, sing alongs , karaoke , bingo and announcements from your cruise director throughout the day , or water shoots and bumper cars , then this cruise line might be a bit quiet for you. The larger proportion of passengers are American , the rest are English , Asian and European. I think there is quite a bit to do on board with lectures , a cinema , and Dvd’s That are played through your TV . We only had 3 sea days so we were able to find plenty of quiet spots to sit and read ,so to be fair we didn’t really try out their activities, although we did play table tennis - this had its own part of the deck with a large heavy net covering the area where you played , thus preventing the ball escaping under sun loungers etc. Afternoon tea served in one of the lounges was a sight to behold and was of the same standard as the Ritz or Fortnum and Mason! We didn’t tend to watch the entertainment in the evening , as we are not really into shows , but we did catch one of the comedians one evening (John Joseph) who was hilarious. I feel that throughout the whole cruise nothing was too much trouble , the passenger and their comfort was the important aspect, not how much money could be generated from them. I think it is well worth the extra money and have started saving my pennies already! Read Less

Wanted to do the northeast. Sixth cruise with Crystal. Last was New Years in Australia 2017. Food as always was excellent. Several crew members remembered us by name. Always a nice touch. Entertainment has always been a strong point with Crystal and remains so. Had heard with ownership change there might be a decrease in service and or food. I found no evidence of this. We prefer the 8th deck with an unobstructed view since we rarely used the veranda in the past and would rather use the savings for the reserve wine list. We often drink half a bottle one night and finish it the next night. The sommelier is glad to store it for you Makeover of the dining room is pleasing. Still prefer Prego and Umi Uma to newer Silk and Brazilian steak venue. Just our taste since all are quite good. The cabin is relatively small but ample. New TVs are an upgrade. WiFi was good. Be sure and get the Crystal app on your iPhone. Shore excursions were as expected and advertised. Graveyard in Halifax was Titanic victims was moving. The museum not so much. The Breakers in Newport was a great reflection of a bygone period. So,pleased to say that Crystal still the best. Booked a future cruise while on board. Read Less