Fittingly my first entry in this journal features Silversea Cruises--the best little luxury line afloat. I'd like to hear from anybody out there who has sailed on this sparkling ships. Email me at ppietschma@aol.com and bon voyage.Okay call me a deep sea diva, cruise snob, whatever, but I like my ships luxurious, my food spectacular, my wine robust and my men--umm that's too personal--let's stick with cruising which for me on any Silversea ship is about as good as it gets. Particularly when it’s the 1,434 square foot Grand suite—a concert of marble and mahogany mini mansion-- aboard the Silver Whisper on a 33-day voyage from Los Angeles to Sydney. Configured for comfort, the two room suite houses a large bedroom with king size bed covered in fine linen with Piumi Salpi down pillows and comforters; lots of drawers and storage space and high windows that accommodate afternoon naps. The adjacent Italian marble bathroom has a full-size Jacuzzi tub, twin sinks, and separate shower. It is well stocked with lavish soaps, shampoos, conditioners and toiletries (which change sporadically), Frette robes and slippers. The walk-in closet can hold two steamer trunks worth of clothing—at least my clothes fit fine.
The living room represents the heart of the suite with a Flat screen plasma television (of which we made good use checking outvideos from the library--actually our butler took care of this most of the time), aBang & Olufsen or Nakamichi entertainment center (on which we played many CDs), and a really comfy sofa and recliner (on which we sprawled to enjoy the aforementioned amenities).
A mahogany dining table (on which we ate several breakfasts and even dinners is set by the floor to ceiling windows that open to a large private balcony. Across from there is the bar stocked with Schott-Zwiesel crystal and a mini fridge filled with complimentary beverages (Philipponnat Royale Reserve champagne, wines, liquor and soft drinks). There’s an ISIS (In Suite information system) from which you can email (we opted to go to the Internet Center instead).
Our major conundrum was feeling too comfortable to leave our suite. In fact Silversea provides such excellent room service, we dined en suite more than half the 33 nights we spent onboard. Our waiters set elegant candle lit tables with Christofle silverware and Bernardeau Limoges china.
We did go to The Bar most nights. This is where most passengers congregate and socialize before dinner. And we took in a few shows, which were entertaining. Silversea attrats a deliberately discerning passenger, head of industry, celebrities, even royalty--I sat next to Prince and Princess once at a specialdinner at the Captain's personal table (these ships don't have Captain's Tables). We also made good use of the well-equipped gym and took Pilates classes every other day (no extra charge either. We swam laps in the large pool (it's quite big for a small ship) every morning fueled by cappucinos brought to us by a deck steward on cue--he saw us coming and voila our java appeared. Ah the good life. To continue the mood we had massages, facials and body treatments throughout the voyage. La dolce vida.
At this point you may be thinking I am waxing overly poetic. I am not. I have been on more than 200 cruises--no joke, I wrote two cruise guides and hundreds of cruise articles for magazines and newspapers--on every major and minor cruise line afloat, even two freighters. And Silversea just keeps coming up on top. They may have additional competition soon when Seabourn, their major rival, adds two larger ships with balconies to the company's tiny fleet. Heretofore, Silversea ruled because Seabourn only has French balconies--huge windows that open wide, but no verandahs. I have sailed Seabourn many times, however, and it is wonderful, too, with many of hte same amenities as Silversea, sans balconies and sans the large pool and extra spacious suites.
Silversea’s obsession to details is apparent on each of her four sparkling vessels: Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, and Silver Whisper. From free flowing French champagne, afternoon canapés and Godiva chocolates to leather ticket cases, inviting public rooms and amenities such as the outstanding Mandara Spa--cruising really doesn't get any better than this, believe me. The Restaurant with its dramatic glasswork art, black cherry wood chairs and superb, leisurely multi-course meals served by tuxedo-clad provide a sublime, understated elegant ambiance.
For additional information call: 800-722-9055, fax in the U.S. to 954-522-4499, or visit the website at: www.silverseacruises.com
And now this summer, Silversea's all-suite, 382-passenger, 38,258 gross tons Silver Shadow will be the only ultra-luxury cruise ship exploring Alaska. Like her sisters, she boasts a crew-to-guest ratio of 1 to 1.29 and a space ratio of 74.0 (or 7,400 cubic feet of space per guest), and provides a level of personalized service and spaciousness that is unsurpassed. What a way to see the the snow-capped glaciers and misty fjords, awesome rain forest. Silversea will explore Alaska and the Pacific Coast on ten distinctive itineraries of nine to 12 days. Several sailings depart round-trip from Vancouver, with open-jaw voyages also available from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seward.
"Designed to provide a truly exceptional travel experience, our Silver Shadow is the perfect option for the discerning world traveler who wants to be pampered in luxury and comfort while exploring Alaska's spectacular scenery," said David Morris, Silversea's executive vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. "There are a number of mainstream mega-ships calling in Alaska this summer, but only Silversea offers an exclusive alternative for the sophisticated traveler seeking an award-winning, all-inclusive and intimate shipboard experience."
Added Morris, "With one voyage already sold out, and others about to, space is filling up quickly -- so now's the time to book."
Tags: Silversea Cruises
No comments:
Post a Comment