Saturday – 14 March 2009 – Off the Coast of Surinam
Time for some observations. Actually time for breakfast, but the ship is pitching somewhat in the first swell on this cruise. Most folks are not about even though it's 8 am and the dining room, called "The Restaurant" and buffet, called "Terrace Café" or sometimes "Terrazza" on all Silversea ships is opening. Actually many folks are turning green. The ship is not really showing much movement, but no one has gotten their sea legs, so to speak, since it's their sea stomachs that really matter, but I digress.
We are on our transit from the slightly North Atlantic at Devil's Island to the Caribbean at Granada, about 200 miles due north of Surinam, position 8 04N, 56 26W. I've always wanted to say I was "off the coast of Surinam", and could have at any time in the last 60 years. But now I am actually off the coast of Surinam and can be honest about it. Being actually off the coast of Surinam on our last sea day on this cruise has inspired me to share some examples of the shipboard experience. First an observation about the long time concern of dealing with the sometimes intrusiveness of "fine service" on this product, the only real objection. Turns out, Silversea Cruises dealt with it already.
One such example that I wrote on my recent Regent Mariner cruise that the "early bird coffee" service attendant was always so engrossed by his two page newspaper that he ignored providing any service. While many of us much prefer to pour our own coffee and some even carry the empty cups and pastry dishes back to the attendant station, many guests might need assistant when the ship shows movement or for fill-ups of their tea or coffee. For almost 15 years one has had to do (American) football moves to get to the coffee pots as the attendant on Silversea would attempt to block all such attempts. One would sit down at the table of their choosing, and then the attendant would come over and fuss with the Danish pastries, napkins, and offer refills of the coffee or juice, usually every 30 seconds—more often if the place wasn't busy. I never could figure out if I was made awake by the coffee or by the adrenaline from fending off the attendant and dealing with the interruptions to my reading (of the 2 page newspaper) or conversation with another guest. Surprise, surprise, on this cruise the attendant allowed the guests to access the coffee pots and even their own pastries, helping guests who obviously needed assistance or made a request for help. I asked Hernando what changed. He said, "They gave us bigger coffee cups." I told him how the attendant was so, uh, inattentive on Regent (where they had made the cup to mug transition some time ago), and he said, "He shouldn't work there." He followed by suggesting that he watches all the guests and anticipates their needs. "It's my job," he said. Go figure.
This group of guests, at 120 or so out of a possible 296 (but with 212 crew members) on this cruise, are the long term very knowledgeable Silversea cruisers. I recognize about 2/3s of them. There are at least a half dozen men in within 10 years of my age traveling alone but oddly enough few unaccompanied women. I've been having tea, lunch, or dinner with various combinations of these guys—a retired Electrical Engineering professor from Northwestern, a retired Philosophy professor who has lectured years ago on Holland-America, a well known (by those in the industry I presume) Broadway/West End theater producer, a businessman from Canada who seems to have been CEO or part owner of every kind of business, all not quite clearly understood by me but that doesn't mean it isn't true, and various married couples including a retired British Air captain, and various other Brits who don't identify their professions since Brits hardly ever do. I believe that asking (especially by Yanks) is considered cheeky, whatever that means. There are two "Gentlemen Hosts" onboard who dance with the unaccompanied ladies and are supposed to be available for conversation and meals with singles who want/need someone to talk to, but in general (and in particular on this and most recent cruises) don't and can't. One is dumb as dirt and finds cause to argue with just about everyone. These Gentleman Hosts, by the way, pay an agent a substantial sum for the gig as well as their own airfare and are usually share a cabin with each other even though they usually have never met before. The onboard lecturers nowadays have similar arrangements. That is, they also pay to work onboard although their hours and obligations are limited to reading their PowerPoint slides a few times per cruise for 45 minutes each time. The Hosts work intermittently 12 hours a day. Most of you know that I (and both of us when there were two of us) had completely complimentary cruises, including airfare, hotels, and transfers, without any commissions or other expenses. I don't do the lecturing any more (except for an occasional favor to the CD "under the table"), and have turned down requests from HQ Entertainment Directors saying I "don't pay to work".
I often hang out with and enjoy dinners and chats with the guest entertainers who are flown in for a few shows during each cruise. There are classical pianists and violinists, comedic magicians, and various other performers, many I have known for years. Usually per cruise I have a private dinner or lunch with the Hotel Director (the BIG boss on such ships) and with the Cruise Director, usually a pretty big honor since he or she usually is pretty busy. This cruise has been no exception for my meal companions. What fun, and I feel privileged that these managers feel comfortable with sharing their time with me and not having to be on guard with their thoughts. Of course, I won't violate their confidences by posting the conversations on the Internet.
The range of guests' personalities are wide but well documented in my earlier trip journals, but of course very few are on Silversea cruises who didn't accomplish something professionally in their life and don't appreciate the experience here. Having said that, I do have to say that there are some who are rude to all other guests, one or two who are constantly wandering the ship texting on their mobile phones (yes, the ship has its own cell site), and even sometimes a guest who is loudly on their cell phone in all public areas. These are few and far between—maybe one per cruise—but my, my they are visible and annoy all the other guests. No one says anything, of course. There are usually no kids on Silversea, at least during the winter months, but one kid is very bad news since there is nothing for them to do, and two 6 to 12 year olds can make such a cruise miserable for everyone. It's only happened once in all the years I've done this that there have been two kids, but the pool deck—the only really convenient outdoor public area—was not a pleasant place for that cruise.
This cruise has a German mother and daughter (old and middle aged respectively), the only guests I've had a run in with. So, it's been a good trip. But there's a few grumps and the usual assortment of people who after two weeks one gets tired of just seeing. It's a wonderful experience all and all as long as you observe the "mind over matter" principle: if you don't mind, it doesn't matter. By the way, the food on this segment has been quite innovative. A temporary Executive Chef is onboard with instructions from HQ to try out some new, more seasoned, and international menus. It seems to be going over quite well.
Getting nauseous typing as the ship is rocking a bit more or maybe from last night's innovative menu. Better go down for breakfast and/or to look out the window. Perhaps more later, and feel free to contact me directly with any questions. TTFN.
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