Celebrity Silhouette Transatlantic Review + Cruise News [Podcast]

In this podcast episode, Doug Parker and guests cover a range of cruise experiences and tips. They discuss the closure of a river cruise line, a denied boarding, policy changes, AI for food waste reduction, man-overboard incidents, and repercussions for a fight that broke out on Carnival Magic late last year.

Scott and Kristen recount their 13-night transatlantic cruise on Celebrity Silhouette, detailing the ship’s features, dining experiences, and entertainment.

They enjoyed the sea days, visited various ports, and faced challenges during their post-cruise journey to London. Tips for first-time cruisers and overall positive impressions of the ship conclude the episode.

This episode is brought to you by TripInsurance.com, giving you three levels of travel protection — Good, Better, and Best — a travel insurance policy for every budget.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or where you listen to your favorite podcast.

Timestamps:

• American Queen Voyages Closure (00:00:41) Discuss the closure of American Queen Voyages and its impact on the cruise industry.
• Pregnancy Policy on Cruise Ships (00:02:20) A story about a woman being denied boarding due to pregnancy and the importance of reading cruise contracts and having travel insurance.
• Changes to Celebrity’s Solarium (00:06:10) Discuss the decision to allow children under 16 into the solarium on certain sailings and limited hours.
• Royal Caribbean’s Use of AI (00:09:23) The use of AI by Royal Caribbean to reduce food waste without impacting passengers.
• MSC Cruises’ Man Overboard Incidents (00:12:26) Two separate man overboard incidents involving MSC Cruises, one with a tragic ending and the other leading to an arrest.
• Update on Carnival Magic Brawl (00:14:06) An update on the legal proceedings following a brawl on Carnival Magic involving a passenger smashing a glass in another passenger’s face.
• Closing Remarks (00:16:17) Casual conversation about upcoming trips and past experiences at Disney.
• Trip Insurance (00:17:26) Importance of travel insurance for cruise trips, coverage options, and benefits.
• Pre-cruise plans (00:18:22) Scott and Kristin’s decision to take a 13-night transatlantic cruise, their previous cruise plans, and experiences with pre-cruise stays.
• Embarkation experience (00:20:21) Arrival at the cruise terminal, check-in process, and delays during embarkation.
• Impressions of Celebrity Silhouette (00:21:10) Observations of the ship’s features, capacity, cleanliness, and non-smoking casino.
• Stateroom experience (00:23:31) Details of the obstructed view veranda stateroom, location, amenities, and comfort during the transatlantic voyage.
• Dining at Ocean View Cafe (00:25:23) Variety, quality, and crowd management during breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the buffet area.
• Specialty Dining Experiences (00:27:32) Details of dining at Tuscan Grill, The Porch, Murano, and Sushi on Five, including menu highlights and overall impressions.
• The last solstice ship (00:33:14) Discuss a specific cruise ship’s unique dining experience and entertainment options.
• Entertainment on a 13-night sailing (00:34:06) Overview of the entertainment options, including shows, performers, and activities, on a 13-night cruise.
• Demographics and sea days (00:36:17): Description of the demographics and atmosphere on the cruise, as well as the experience during sea days.
• Thermal suite experience (00:39:43) Detailed overview of the thermal suite facilities and the value of purchasing a voyage length pass.
• Ports of call highlights (00:41:45) Highlights of the ports of call, including activities, attractions, and experiences in Bermuda, Ireland, England, and France.
• D-Day excursion in France (00:46:04) Detailed account of a private excursion to the Normandy sites, including Omaha Beach, American Cemetery, and historical landmarks.
• Disembarkation in Southampton (00:48:44) Discussion about the disembarkation process and the port of Southampton, England.
• The car ride to London (00:49:03) Describes the experience of leaving the cruise ship and taking a shared car to London.
• The Wi-Fi experience (00:50:26) Discusses the internet connectivity and the limitations of the basic Wi-Fi package on the cruise ship.
• Using VPN on cruise ship network (00:53:01) Explains the use of VPN for security on the cruise ship network and the limitations of certain VPN services.
• First-time tips for cruising (00:54:45) Provides tips for first-time cruisers on a transatlantic voyage, including cabin location and dining options.
• Highlights of the cruise (00:56:32) Speakers share their favorite experiences from the cruise, including visiting new countries and historical sites.
• Final thoughts on Celebrity Silhouette (00:57:09) Summarizes the overall experience on the ship, highlighting its amenities and maintenance.