Luxury line Silversea Cruises are claiming a cruise industry first by adding newspapers and lifestyle magazines to its complimentary onboard digital service.
The digital service can be accessed on any Wi-Fi-enabled laptop, smartphone, tablet or even e-book reader -- anything with a browser. The service enables the streaming of movies and live television news broadcasts to guests' mobile devices aboard Silver Cloud and the recently launched Silver Galapagos.
The additional media options can be accessed on any smartphone or tablet, giving guests access to hundreds of daily newspapers and lifestyle magazines from 100 countries and in 56 languages. Publications are refreshed every night so guests receive the most up-to-date issues while travelling at sea.
"Thanks to technology from Newspaper Direct and other strategic partners, our guests are now able to enjoy their favourite newspapers and magazines on their personal mobile devices while sailing aboard Silver Cloud and Silver Galapagos," said Jason Cohn, Silversea's director of IT infrastructure.
By the end of November, the digital service will be available on Silver Shadow, followed by Silver Wind and Silver Whisper later in the year.
More info: visit http://www.silversea.com/ for additional details on the 2015 voyage collection.
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Showing posts with label Silver Shadow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Silver Shadow. Show all posts
Friday, 15 November 2013
Monday, 29 July 2013
Trusting Silversea
Last week's news that deluxe all-inclusive line Silversea failed - in epic fashion - their snap CDC sanitation inspection aboard the six-star Silver Shadow (above) has caused major ripples in the cruise world.
The fact one of the luxury cruising fleet could be caught out in this way was the initial shocker, followed by the details behind the case, which included galley crew hastily moving trolleys with food waste items and other dirty leftovers into crew cabins to try to hide them from the CDC inspectors.
The overall episode, which resulted in a score of 82 - where anything below 86 is marked as failing an inspection - has caused many media outlets to question Silversea's viability as a cruise line, amid lurid headlines and the usual array of criticism, much of it from lawyers eager to make a buck or two out of it by persuading passengers to sue (yawn).
Silversea have certainly and unforgivably dropped the ball on this occasion, but there are other facts that need to be outlined about this incident:
- Had a Silversea ship ever failed a CDC inspection before in the 20-year history of the line? No.
- Was passenger safety or health compromised by this bungled episode? No.
- Has the line been honest and up front in admitting what happened? Yes.
- Have they taken steps to ensure this won't happen again? Yes.
All in all, it is a chastening experience for the line and a real eye-opener for the industry. Failed scores can - and do - happen from time to time, including the Golden Princess in February and even one of the SeaDream vessels in January. CDC inspectations are rigorous and all-encompassing, and every ship is tested on a random basis twice a year, and some failing marks are on distinct technicalities that are highly unlikely that passengers would even notice.
The simple fact is, with hundreds of ships now in the world cruising fleet, these kinds of failures remain a rarity and it therefore creates headlines when they happen.
Experienced commentator and cruise specialist Ralph Grizzle, otherwise known as the Avid Cruiser, has already posted chapter and verse on what happened, why and how Silversea are dealing with it subsequently, and you can see it on his latest blog on this link.
Silversea CEO Enzo Visone has also posted a full account of what happened and the company's reaction to it on their facebook pages, and you can that here: https://www.facebook.com/SilverseaCruises.
It is a surprisingly fulsome and candid apology, along with a rigorous list of how Silversea will go forward and ensure they rebuild their reputation as one of the finest cruise lines out there.
As a final question, it is something I have already been asked by a number of readers, as well as online on our Twitter account: Would you be happy to sail on Silversea again anytime soon?
The answer is a very simple Yes. Firstly because you can be 100 per cent sure the line is now paying maximum attention to the matter of cleanliness and all CDC matters (as, of course, they should), but mainly, because it is such an aberration, I would be extremely confident you just won't see Silversea slipping up on anything like this again.
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Silver Shadow's Big Makeover
Silversea Cruises' Silver Shadow has a fresh new look thanks to a major renovation completed during the two weeks that the ultra-luxury ship spent in dry dock in Singapore, before returning to service this month.
As with the refurbishment of sister ship Silver Whisper last year, the enhancements echo the sophisticated contemporary design themes and warm colour palettes of Silversea's newest ship, Silver Spirit. Some of the highlights of Shadow's makeover include:
New Look for Suites: All carpets, headboards, curtains and veranda furniture were completely replaced. The sofas and chairs feature new upholstery. Each suite has a new mattress custom-made exclusively for Silversea. The mattress features an individual spring system with a soft and firm side that can be reversed to suit each guest's preference. There is also a new pillow-top that covers the mattress when configured as a queen-sized bed.
The larger suites (Owner's, Grand, Royal and Silver) have also been outfitted with a new state-of-the-art Bang & Olufsen home audio system.
Refreshed Public Areas: La Terrazza, the Bar, Panorama Lounge, Reception area, Card Room and Conference Room received new upholstery, carpeting, curtains and wall treatments. New carpet was laid in the Observation Lounge. The Spa features new wood flooring with new tiling and wall décor in the treatment rooms. The Restaurant's hardwood floor was completely reconditioned and polished and the chairs dressed in new upholstery. An upgraded sound system was added to the Show Lounge, Panorama Lounge and La Terrazza. New carpet was installed in all corridors, landings and staircases.
Upgraded Outdoor Spaces: The jogging track features all-new synthetic turf, and the pool area has been outfitted with new deck furniture, plus a new sound and light system for evening entertainment and outdoor shows. The pool itself has been upgraded inside and out with new tiles. A large awning was installed over the outdoor dining section of La Terrazza, along with new outdoor furniture. And the Pool Grill, sporting a new awning as well, will become The Grill for evening dining, featuring the popular new Black Rock cooking concept that debuted aboard Silver Spirit. At the new outdoor restaurant, guests will enjoy an interactive dining experience that lets them cook prime meats and fresh seafood on heated volcanic rocks at their table.
Finally, in addition to enjoying a fresh reconditioning and polishing of teak decks and woodwork, the ship also underwent thorough maintenance on mechanical and propulsion systems.
For more details of the ship's cruises, visit www.silversea.com or contact the UK's leading luxury cruise agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Head to the Far East with Silversea Cruises
Join Silversea Cruises for a 10-day voyage in the Far East from just £4,698 per person, on an all-inclusive basis. Departing April 27 from Tokyo, Silver Shadow (above) calls at Hiroshima, Busan (South Korea), Jeju (South Korea), Tianjin and Beijing (China) for an overnight stay onboard, before arriving at Shanghai.
All prices are per person, based on two people sharing a Vista Suite and include free Economy Class Air, port charges, government fees and taxes. $1,000 onboard spending credit is also offered per suite, for use towards additional benefits such as shore excursions, the spa, boutiques or wine restaurant.
For more information or to book a Silversea cruise, call 0844 770 9030 or visit http://www.silversea.com/ or check with the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
Silversea's New Partnership with Slow Food Promozione
La Terrazza set to become first restaurant at sea to feature Presidio Slow Food logo on menuSilversea Cruises is pleased to announce a new partnership agreement with Slow Food Promozione, an arm of Slow Food Italy.
The collaboration will focus on highlighting the Italian heritage of La Terrazza, a speciality restaurant featured aboard the all-suite, ultra-luxury ships Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper and Silver Spirit.
Founded in Italy in 1986, Slow Food has become an international organisation dedicated to promoting greater enjoyment of food through a better understanding of its taste, quality and production. It seeks to defend biodiversity in our food supply, spread the education of taste, and link producers of excellent foods to consumers through events and initiatives.
The joint initiative will also entail a programme of special Slow Food culinary voyages designed to showcase products of excellent gastronomic quality, help guests rediscover the joys of eating, and understand the importance of caring where their food comes from, who makes it and how it's made.
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