He has been with Ritz Carlton for about 25 years, working at other properties including many years at it Central Park location and also worked in their corporate offices.
We have enjoyed our four night/five day stay at the Hotel. We had not realized that it was originally a Regis Hotel for a couple of years, before becoming a Ritz Carlton. It went through some renovations such as creating a Club Room.
Over the years, we have found that each hotel brand has their own style and even within a brand each hotel has their own look and feel and personality. Some of it is driven by the location of the hotel, its layout, the makeup of the clientele, staff along with the size and features of each hotel and property.
We like the layout of the hotel and the views are beautiful. Its interior color style is more in keeping with being located in Fort Lauderdale and across the street from the beach. Its well appointed but has none of that dark wood look that you might find at properties such as San Francisco.
We would say its major business comes from individuals on pleasure trips, and with its two large ballrooms from companies having meetings here versus individual business travelers. To us the Hotel is laid back and that is evident throughout the hotel including the Club Room. Two concierges on each shift work that room as well as some other staff and they are very personable and friendly.
Overall, its been a very nice stay and on our return to Fort Lauderdale we would stay here again.
After we left the Club Room, we had dinner in our room as once again we had gotten takeout for dinner. If we were certain about what the weather would have been like, we would have gone to dinner at one of several other restaurants we had identified but just to be on the safe side we had dinner in our room. With a very nice living area including beautiful table and chairs, it was very easy and comfortable to eat in our room. We caught up on the news as well, and then did reading and writing and continued packing.
This morning we had breakfast in the Club Room and then we freshened up and finished our final packing.
This is the cover of the box that contained our final documents and luggage tags from Silversea.
Documents included a booklet with the cruise tickets and information about the ship, ports and excursions and cruise ticket.
Two types of luggage tags. Two luggage tags (one for each of us) with our names printed on the tag and on the other side a place to include our contact information and then paper pre-printed tags with for each of us with our name and suite number included.
Ready to go and embark Silver Sprit.
After checking out of the hotel, we were driven from the Hotel over to Port Everglades. The drive was relatively short. Weather was quite a bit nicer than it's been here the past couple of days. No rain and very little wind.
This was our first time at Port Everglades in many years. The port is quite large. In contrast with the Port Of Miami we had to show identification as did the taxi cab drivers and security did a check of the trunk.
Once at the terminal, we checked our bags with the porters, went through security and went upstairs where we filled out a mandatory medical form. From there we were asked to sit down. We knew boarding would not commence until Noon and arrived around 11:00 AM. At 11:10 AM one of the representatives for the cruise line (they are actually contractors who work for various lines and for that company the luxury lines) came up to us and said that we would start with preliminary check in so they didn't wait until Noon to begin this process and then once on board we would do the final steps such as an imprint of our credit card, a photo for getting on and off the ship and they would collect our passports there. We were one of the first to finish that and then we sat down. In addition to our shipboard cards, we were given a one page letter confirming our specialty restaurant reservations and times. With Silversea there is a window for the time when you book on line. We took the first window which was 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM and hoped that we would be assigned 7:00 PM and as luck had it we were.
While we waited to board we spoke with two of the people that Silversea uses from that contracting company and both remembered us from our many sailings leaving and arriving in USA ports with Crystal Cruises. Right a Noon they began to have guests go on board. Since the reception area is small they tried to start in order of when guests arrived to the terminal so we were actually the third and fourth guests to embark. That was very easy and we finished the registration at the reception area.
Afterwards, we had lunch. There were three or four options available. We chose to dine at La Terrazzo which for lunch and breakfast operates as a buffet and at night an Italian Specialty Restaurant. Like Silver Shadow the restaurant is very nicely appointed with tablecloths on the table. We each tried a glass of wine and then made it over to the buffet and we each had a salad entree and then a small bowl of fruit.
Since our room was not going to be ready until 2:00 PM, we walked around the ship. We were given a tour of the spa/salon/fitness center and then found other areas such as several of the dining areas both inside and outside the ship as well as the library which is combined with the internet cafe along with the outdoor pool and a few other venues. We waited another 15 minutes and then made it over to our room. One of our two large pieces of luggage was already in the room. There was also a bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne courtesy of the credit card company that we used to book the cruise.
We will spend the next couple of hours unpacking. We will attend the lifeboat drill at 5:00 PM and there is a Cruise Critic Meet and Mingle at 6:30 PM which we will attend before going to dinner.
These are some photos starting at the terminal area and others that we took on board the ship.
We are excited to be on board.
Seisin which is the Japanese Specialty Restaurant serving lunch and dinner.
Le Champgane Speciality Restaurant serving dinner.
Keith & Anne Marie
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