Terri,

We have cruised on Silversea six times starting in 1998. Our first 5 cruises were on the two smaller ships, the Wind and the Cloud, in Europe. Our last cruise was this January on the Whisper in the Caribbean.

Our first two cruises were before 2001 and were wonderful. However, we have found that during the last several years Silversea’s service and food has become inconsistent from one cruise and ship to another. Also, our cruise on the Cloud in June 2005 was dominated by a large incentive group, which negatively affected the onboard experience. Our last Silversea cruise which was on the Whisper was very disappointing. It was our first on of their newer larger ships. The ship itself met our expectations but the attitude of the crew and the service was poor, and the food was not good.

We always enjoy ourselves on a cruise and do not get upset about small things, but at this time we would only cruise with Silversea if the itinerary was unique, and long enough to make it less likely that there would not be an incentive group on board.

When I was dissatisfied about our cruise in June 2005, my travel agent suggested I write to Frank Sansone, Manager, Guest Relations & Venetian Society. The address for Silversea is 110 East Broward Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33301. I do not know if Frank still has this position, but at that time I received a thoughtful response from him. I copied my TA on my letter to Frank, which probably helps to get attention.

I hope that Silversea addresses these problems since it can be an excellent cruise line, and healthy competition in the luxury cruise market is good for those of us who prefer this type of vacation.

Merril