ONBOARD THE CELEBRITY SILHOUETTE -- There's little doubt that the Lawn Club on the top deck of the Celebrity Silhouette will deliver the wow factor that cruise ship designers and executives seem to be forever chasing.
A lush lawn in a park-like setting is a Solstice-class innovation, and it's been modified on this 2,886-passenger ship to include a grill restaurant and eight private cabanas, called the Alcoves, that can be rented for the day.
As the Celebrity Silhouette sailed out of Hamburg, Germany, last month on a two-night cruise, a contingent of international press shuffled around the ship, taking notes and photos. A German reporter who paused for a look at the Alcoves was overheard saying: "Now they don't charge only for the special restaurants but for the best seats in the house, too."
Maybe he has a point, or maybe it's like the line's president and CEO, Dan Hanrahan, explained at a press conference the next day: "The best way is to charge for [the Alcoves]. We couldn't figure out how to leave that wide open. For someone who wants it and would be willing to pay for it, we're happy to generate extra revenue."
The same concept applies at the new restaurant, the Lawn Club Grill, which charges a fee of $30 per person.
Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of Celebrity's parent, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., said the decision to install another specialty dining spot "wasn't seen purely as an additional profit source."
The cost of adding the Lawn Club Grill, he said, "is not only the space and the facility. There's labor, and we have to add cabins to house the crew that staffs these places. Overall, the cost of providing that extra service is quite high."
Extra costs to passengers, from alternative dining spots and lounging areas to gratuities added automatically to spa service tabs, were among the topics discussed at the news conference. Reporters from around the globe were eager to hear from the executives about what some of them were describing as nickel-and-diming customers. This is a recurrent theme across the industry that frontline sellers in the U.S. deal with all the time when clients want to know what's included, what isn't and why.
Another addition to the Celebrity Silhouette's Lawn Club is the Art Studio, a program created in partnership with the nonprofit ArtCenter/South Florida. An indoor/outdoor area, it is staffed by two professional artists who teach sketching, painting and jewelry design. Lectures are provided free to guests, so it's an example of a meaningful enrichment program that doesn't cost extra, although passengers do pay for certain art materials such as jewelry beads.
ArtCenter artists Leslie LaCombe and Armando Droulers will be onboard through the ship's Europe season this year.
I chatted with LaCombe, who was setting up the studio on the two-night sailing. She predicted the art studio would be a big success with passengers, and she was eager to put her teaching skills to work.
"All the supplies haven't arrived yet, but once we get everything set up, it's going to be great," LaCombe said.
All of the attention that the Lawn Club received during the pre-inaugural cruise seemed to eclipse a few other notable additions on this ship.
The Hideaway is one of them. It isn't a large area, but it's a quiet one, with "relaxation pods" and "lounging nests" that look like treehouses and appear to hang from the ceiling. It struck me as a great spot for couples to hang out in.
And, in fact, if I had to describe the Silhouette in one word, it would be "romantic."
Warm, rich colors and dark woods enhance the cozy sitting areas in onboard destinations such as the Michael's Club lounge and the Cellar Master wine bar. The Sky Observation offers comfortable seating along a full wall of windows, where passengers can gaze out to sea, and the adults-only Solarium provides a steamy oasis where couples can kick back on lounge chairs or take a dip in the lap pool.
The Silhouette offers 11 cabin categories. I was booked into an AquaClass Veranda, on the Penthouse Deck, and I found it to be very pleasant, with its widescreen TV, work desk and small couch. It wasn't overly spacious, but it had the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in aboard a cruise ship.
Our group dined at the specialty restaurant Qsine one evening and in the main dining room, Grand Cuvee, the second. At Qsine, Celebrity said the goal was "modern and playful offerings of familiar and memorable dishes from around the world." It's a high-tech experience; passengers use an iPad to order food and wine.
On the night I ate there, a tasting menu had been ordered. It featured such creations as "sushi lollipops" along with shrimp and chicken dishes.
I enjoyed Grand Cuvee more. The food and service were excellent, and clients don't pay extra for either. I chose the buffet offerings at Oceanview Cafe for breakfasts and lunches, and I found both quite satisfactory.
I did stumble onto one tiny glitch: At the self-serve beverage counter, I placed my glass under the orange juice tab and pushed the button. When I sat down at my table I realized that lemonade had been dispensed instead. It was no big deal, and on a ship as pretty and grand as this one is, there's no sense in making lemons out of lemonade.
CORRECTION: The Lawn Club Grill is $30 per person.