Silversea
Silversea
Independent Expert Reviews by Professional Travel Journalists
Silversea Cruises is recognised as an innovator in the luxury segment, offering large-ship amenities on four intimate vessels.
Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper are all designed to offer an atmosphere of conviviality and casual elegance.
A regular award winner, Silversea was named "Number One" small-ship line in the 2006 "Reader's Choice" survey conducted by Conde Nast Traveller magazine.
Silver Wind and Silver Cloud each carry under 300 passengers while Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper – the newest ship in the fleet – handle 382. All offer six-star service with fewer passengers and more space than most cruise ships while having the ability to slip into exotic ports off the beaten track.
The four ships will visit nearly 340 different ports in 116 countries in 2008. The diverse schedule covers more than 140 itineraries ranging in duration from six to 110 days.
First ever visits to Taiwan, Okinawa, Guam, the Marshall Islands, the Gambia, Mozambique and Saudi Arabia feature during the year.
Complimentary shore experiences on selected cruises might include a classical concert at ancient Ephesus, fine dining and African music in the Namib desert or the spectacle of the Blue Wall glacier on board a catamaran in Laguna San Rafael in Chile.
Pre and post-cruise packages include a retreat to the Huka Lodge in New Zealand’s North Island, exploring the Scottish Highlands on the Royal Scotsman, testing the latest Ferraris in the Tuscan wine country or taking a game drive on Kenya’s Maasai Mara.
With a passenger to crew ratio of one to 1.34, the line claims that nothing, however superfluous, is overlooked in terms of service standards.
Eighty per cent of suites on board the four ships have their own balconies, while the remainder have ocean views.
All drinks, such as Champagne, spirits or fine wines, are part of the cruise price and all on board gratuities are also included.
In-suite dining is available with 24-hour room service and there are no assigned dining times in the restaurants.
Expanded wireless internet access is the latest in a number of enhancements the line is introducing to ensure passengers continue to enjoy a luxury travel experience of unsurpassed quality.
Silver Shadow was outfitted with new Sealy Posturepedic Plush EuroTop mattresses in all its standard suites. The top suites - Owner's, Grand, Royal and Rossellini - now feature Stearns & Foster Plush ultra-luxury beds that provide 10% more sleep surface than a conventional mattress.
The new bedding has been installed across the fleet with new flat screen TVs for all suites on Silver Whisper, Silver Shadow in January, and the rest of the fleet in the following months.
