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Caviar for Breakfast. A Regent Ultra-Luxury Cruise.
By John and Sandra Nowlan
Seven Seas Splendor docked in Cozumel
As much Atlantic Canadian lobster as you want. Prime filet mignon on the menu each night. Unlimited caviar at Sunday brunch. Just three of the culinary indulgences on a cruise line with the motto, “Luxury Refined”.
Regent holds a unique place in the world of cruising. The high end brand of parent Norwegian Cruise Line, its five ships are in the rarified ultra-luxury category but Regent stands out by offering a complete all-inclusive package. Included in the price are a spacious suite with balcony, all meals (including specialty restaurants), drinks (including beer, wine, spirits and cocktails), tours (with a wide variety of choices in each port), gratuities, airport and hotel transfers, even laundry and pressing. In some categories first class flights and pre-cruise hotels are included.
Janice Davidson. Regent’s VP for Creative and Brand Management, told us her greatest marketing challenge is price. “We’re trying to educate people about what comes with all inclusive,” she said. “With our single up front cost, guests could actually pay less than on other lines.”
The “Welcome Aboard” Champagne
As soon as we boarded Seven Seas Splendor, Regent’s newest ship, for a week long Caribbean cruise from Miami the luxury and service stood out. Walking around with welcome champagne in hand, the 46,000 square feet of fine Italian marble on walls and floors and more than 500 stunning chandeliers created an ambience unlike any we’ve experienced in 25 years of cruising. The ship, launched in 2020, has a capacity of just 750 guests, all in balcony suites ranging from an impressive 307 to more than 4000 square feet. The crew of 550 provides the best staff to guest ratio at sea. Their friendliness, training and attention to guest needs were evident all week.
Italian marble throughput the ship. The entrance to the main restaurant
We were in one of the smaller suites but were impressed with the layout and generous storage spaces including a walk-in closet. The long couch and convenient work desk were separated from the bed area by privacy blackout curtains while the balcony with its generous table and two cushioned wicker chairs was one of the largest we’ve ever seen. The bed itself was extremely comfortable with high thread count sheets and excellent adjustable reading lights. There were several convenient USB and power outlets. The thermostat was controlled by up and down – warmer and cooler – arrows rather than an actual temperature setting. The small fridge could be filled with whatever complimentary drinks we wanted. The marble lined bathroom had just one smallish sink but a large shower area with both a regular shower head and a rainforest-style shower.
Our suite was near the back of the ship so we could occasionally hear engine rumble, especially when getting underway or docking. But we think the general room soundproofing is excellent since the ship was full and we didn’t hear a sound from any of our neighbors.
Rooms are cleaned and refreshed twice a day with newspaper summaries (from the USA, Canada, Britain and other countries) put on the bed each evening along with tomorrow’s schedule (the spacious library includes a daily, full edition of the New York Times). The large, high resolution TV had many free movies available but broadcast channel choices were very limited.
One negative aspect of not just the suites but throughout the ship was the poor internet service. Regular, free but slow internet is available for all guests. We booked the premium, extra cost package but it was only marginally better. Email and YouTube worked fairly well but posting photos on Facebook was not possible. The technical head on the ship told us that satellite improvements are coming.
Regent continues to excel in its culinary program. The Hotel General Manager, Anatoli Makaev, told us that food costs, per person, are the highest at sea. Regent, he said, is spending three times more for food than before the pandemic. Unlike other lines, there have been no cutbacks in quality or quantity. Chefs continued to get paid during the Covid years and their commitment to guest satisfaction is evident.
Decadent desserts in the buffet
For a ship with fewer than 800 passengers, the restaurant and menu choices were remarkable. Every evening in the main dining room, Compass Rose, guests could choose from an “Always Available” menu (from Alaska Crab to New Zealand lamb) or the daily specials including the Executive Chef’s six course “Gourmet Tasting Menu”. A healthy Spa menu was also available. Good quality red, white, rosé or sparkling wines were offered without extra cost each day, even non-alcoholic wines if you wished. Three uniquely decorated specialty restaurants offer French cuisine (Chartreuse), Asian fare (Pan Pacific) or Steaks and Seafood (Prime 7).
Alaska crab appetizer in the main Compass Rose dining room
The Chartreuse French specialty restaurant
The large buffet restaurant on Deck 11, La Veranda, has an excellent selection of breakfast and lunch items. White tablecloths are standard throughout the area (most unusual for a cruise ship buffet) and are a classy touch in the evening when much of La Veranda becomes a fine Italian restaurant, Sette Mari. Coffee quality in the buffet was only fair but outstanding brews were always available at the 5th deck Coffee Connection.
The uncrowded buffet restaurant
Seven Seas Splendor has a well equipped fitness center and a Spa at the stern of the ship. We discovered the uncrowded Infinity Swimming Pool as part of the Spa and preferred it to the large, main pool on Deck 11.
The Infinity Pool at the stern of the ship
The well equipped gym
Splendor’s entertainment was, as expected, of a high caliber with a dozen talented singers and dancers, accompanied by the ship band, putting on several complex main stage productions in the evening. The Regent Signature Orchestra, the Cocktail pianist and a DJ also played music for listening or dancing each evening in several lounges throughout the ship. On our final evening a few band members and singers put on a lively Beatles music night, with dancing encouraged, in the Atrium. We were disappointed that the ship’s entertainment did not include a string quartet or even a solo cello or harp. Classical music would have been a lovely touch in the pre-dinner period.
Curtain call after an imaginative main stage production
There was no shortage of games and puzzles throughout the ship. Trivia, Bingo, darts, shuffle golf and beanbag toss were among several ways guests competed for coveted Regent points and prizes at the end of the cruise. We were also pleased to see and hear a retired history professor give illustrated lectures about subjects ranging from Mayan civilization to the Caribbean connection in World War II. Another special treat was seeing actor John O’Hurley (best known as J. Peterman on Seinfeld) perform his brilliant one man show – music and musings – called “A Man With Standards”.
Excellent history lectures in the main theatre
The ship itself was clearly the star of our week-long cruise from Miami but the itinerary was fascinating too. We docked in Roatan, Honduras, for an island tour and swim, then stopped the next day in nearby Belize, the only English speaking country in Central America. Sandra joined a tour to a spice farm where the two chefs from the Culinary Arts Kitchen collected spices to be used in a hands-on cooking class back on the ship. Guests prepared prawn biryani with garam masala and white pepper crepes with cardamom ice cream. In the meantime John visited a typical Mayan village off the grid where a chocolate maker showed how cacao beans were harvested and turned into the popular sweet treats.
Our planned stop in Costa Maya, Mexico, was cancelled because seas were too rough to dock but Cozumel was more tranquil and we relived our youth by boarding a two-person mini speedboat and racing through choppy water with other boats before stopping for a snorkel in warm, pristine waters filled with tropical fish.
Seven Seas Splendor has been called, “the most luxurious cruise ship in the world”. In many ways it’s true. But later in 2023, Regent is launching Seven Seas Grandeur, a sister ship to Splendor. With subtle improvements, Grandeur is now likely to claim the “most luxurious” title. It will be fun to find out.
John and Sandra Nowlan are travel and food writers based in Halifax.
Photos by John and Sandra Nowlan
Celebrity Beyond Western Caribbean Cruise
We spend seven nights aboard Celebrity Beyond on a Western Caribbean cruise.
Our food and dining review of Celebrity Beyond.
Silversea Cruises Silver Endevour in Antarctica
We spend nine nights aboard Silversea Silver Endeavour in Antarctica.
Swan Hellenic SH Vega (Mini-Review)
I am invited to a two-night sailing aboard SH Vega for media and travel professionals.
Silversea Silver Moon Review
We spend ten nights aboard Silversea Cruises brand new Silver Moon.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer: The Most Luxurious Ship Ever Built?
Our cruise review of Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Explorer
Itinerary: Miami, At Sea, At Sea, Bermuda, Bermuda, At Sea, At Sea, At Sea, At Sea, Horta (Azores), Ponta Delgada (Azores), At Sea, Funchal, At Sea, Lisbon (Disembark).
April 28, 2019 - It's a bold claim, for sure. Regent Seven Seas Cruises declares quite vehemently that Seven Seas Explorer is "The Most Luxurious Ship Ever Built." But, is it? It's a claim we decided to put to the test during our 14-night transatlantic sailing from Miami to Lisbon.
The Ship
We embark on Deck 5, just above the grand staircase. One glance at this lobby and you immediately get a sense of style and elegance.
Visually, there is no question that Seven Seas Explorer's designers hit all the right marks when it comes to creating a luxurious environment. The ship is one of the most beautiful and tastefully decorated on which we have had the privilege to sail.
The public spaces are filled with beautiful works of art and clad in expensive marble, leather and coordinated fabrics. Function follows form throughout the ship, making it one of the easiest to find your way around. The Constellation Theater (Deck 4/5 forward) is spacious, has good sight lines and excellent acoustics
Constellation Theater
Deck 11 is the Lido Deck with a large pool flanked by two large hot tubs, the Pool Bar and the Pool Grill. Aft on 11 is La Veranda, the ship's Lido Buffet.
Deck 12 features the ship's jogging track, a very nice mini-golf course, a golf driving net, pickle ball court, Bocce court, and of course, shuffleboard.
Top quality wicker loungers surround the pool on Deck 11. Each is covered with terry cloth, and plush towels are provided.
Accommodations
A chilled bottle of champagne and two glasses have been placed in each suite to greet guests when they arrive.
Our Superior Suite was 332 sq. ft. with an additional 115 sq. ft. of balcony. The king-sized bed faces the balcony, and is one of the most comfortable beds you will find on a cruise ship. Each night stand has USB ports, electrical outlets and there is a clock on one of the nightstands.
Next to the bed is a long desk/dresser with a marble top. The desk has electrical outlets and is a comfortable workstation if you travel with a laptop. The desk becomes a vanity with a lighted makeup mirror (something that every cruise line should provide) and drawers to hold all of the potions and lotions that women require.
The bathroom is huge and is one of the nicest we have seen in a suite/stateroom this size on any ship. There is a full-sized bathtub with its own shower head and a separate shower stall,too. This makes it very easy for two people to shower at the same time.
The large vanity has two sinks and lots of storage in the form of shelves and drawers. Top-quality L'Occitane amenities are provided and replenished as needed. Large, plush towels are as nice as you will find in any five-star hotel. And, the toilet flush is very quiet for a cruise ship toilet.
The walk-in closet is not only large, but houses another dresser with tons of drawer storage. One of our favorite features of the closet are the hooks provided for hanging jackets, caps, pajamas, or whatever you desire.
The balcony is wide and deep with two padded lounge chairs that can recline to become mini-loungers.
The large wicker and glass table is perfect for al fresco dining. We enjoyed a beautiful room-service breakfast on the balcony on the morning we arrived in Bermuda.
The large flat-screen television is mounted in the sitting room, but is hinged so that it can swing into view of the bedroom. There is excellent programming with a variety of news channels, closed-circuit programming and movie channels. There is also a nice selection of movies on demand (complimentary).
The sitting room has a small sofa and glass coffee table on one end and the mini-fridge/bar, television and even more storage drawers at the opposite end of the room. The space can be segregated somewhat from the bedroom by pulling the curtain provided between the spaces.
It should be noted that our suite was whisper quiet throughout the entire 14-night cruise. We never heard our neighbors. As far as comfort goes, we would rate the Superior Suite a 5 out of 5. It is simply one of the very best stateroom/suites we have had the pleasure of occupying.
Food and Dining
Seven Seas Explorer offers guests a wide variety of dining options. La Veranda is the ship's lido buffet on Deck 11 aft. La Veranda is open for breakfast and lunch, offering a variety of choices. Seating is very elegant for a buffet with linen tablecloths, napkins and nice table settings. Waiters are on hand for drink orders and a selection of complimentary wines is offered at lunch.
One of our favorite features of La Veranda is the endless supply of fresh boiled shrimp each day. And, the spicy cocktail sauce is quite good.
The Pool Grill is located just forward of La Veranda on Deck 11. A smaller buffet is offered here and is the perfect lunch spot for those lounging poolside. On the port side, there is a covered dining space with great ocean views and table service. The Pool Grill menu offers a choice of sandwiches, hot dogs, panini, and burgers.
The burgers served at the Pool Grill are quite good, as are the French fries (when served hot). We were served cold fries a couple of times and had to ask the waiter to bring a fresh batch, which they always were happy to do.
Cheeseburger and Fries at the Pool Grill
Our only disappointment at the Pool Grill was with the pizza. It sort of tasted like a frozen pizza and was not up to the standard of Regent's other food offerings.
Pizza at Pool Grill
Extensive Room Service Breakfast Menu
Room Service was excellent on our sailing. We had breakfast in our suite three different times and, each time, the food arrived on time and warm. A Room Service breakfast menu is placed on the bed each evening. The menu is extensive. Just fill out the menu before going to bed, hang it outside on your doorknob, and the food arrives the next morning at the requested time.
Eggs Benedict
When the food arrives, the server prepares the coffee table (or balcony table, if you choose to dine al fresco) with a linen tablecloth, napkins and every other amenity you would expect if you were dining in Compass Rose. It is five-star room service, for sure. Our Eggs Benedict arrived warm, with perfectly poached eggs and topped with delicious Hollandaise.
The 24-hour room service menu is quite extensive and, during dinner hours, you can order from the Compass Rose menu.
Compass Rose is the ship's main restaurant (Deck 4 midship).
Compass Rose
Compass Rose is open for breakfast and dinner each day. This the place to come if you want full service with a menu that changes each evening. Compass Rose has the most elegant charger plates and table settings we have seen to date.
Compass Rose also has the largest "always available" menu selection we have ever seen on a cruise ship. The entire left side of the menu (and, it is a very large menu) lists items that are always available.
Lobster Bisque at Compass Rose
Prime 7 (Deck 10 aft) is Regent's steak house and it quickly became one of our favorites on board Seven Seas Explorer. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and reservations are required for dinner. There is also a small bar at Prime 7 where you can enjoy a cocktail while waiting for your table.
Prime 7 is deceptively large. If you arrive early for lunch, you should be able to find a nice table for two with an ocean view. Rickee enjoyed the BBQ pulled pork sliders on more than one occasion.
BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders
The best part of lunch at Prime 7 is the dessert carousel containing six different delicious treats that are the perfect size for two to share.
Dessert Carousel at Prime 7
Dinner at Prime 7 is very elegant and service is top notch. The menu features many prime beef offerings, but there are other options for those who enjoy seafood. Rickee's Filet Mignon was perfectly cooked, tender and delicious, as was my Rib Eye.
Chartreuse is the ship's French-themed restaurant, also located on Deck 10 aft (port side). Like Prime 7, Chartreuse is open for lunch and dinner each day. We had lunch and dinner here only once. The restaurant is beautiful, however, we felt like the service was slower here than any of the other restaurants.
French Onion Soup at Chartreuse
Lamb Chops
Our dinner here was somewhat disappointing. My lamb chops were well seasoned, but very tough. And again, service was slow. In their defense, the restaurant was full. But, Prime 7 was full when we dined there, and service was crisp.
Beautiful bread basket at Sette Mari
In the evenings, the port side of La Veranda becomes Sette Mari, an Italian-themed bistro. Sette Mari is sort of a hybrid between a buffet and table service restaurant, which is a little confusing at first. The menu is quite large, and changes every couple of days.
Soups and main courses are ordered from the menu while salads, antipasti and desserts are self-serve from the buffet area. However, several antipasti selections are also placed on the table by the waiter.
Bruschetta selections are brought to the table
Sette Mari quickly became another one of our favorite 'go-to' restaurants because reservations are not required here. The service was excellent from our three-time waiter, Armando. And, you can watch your meal being prepared in the open kitchen there.
Open Kitchen at Sette Mari
One of my personal favorite dining venues is Pacific Rim, the Asian-fusion restaurant on Deck 5 aft which is only open for dinner.
The menu here offers a variety of Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, and Chinese-inpsired dishes. The Peking Duck Salad was one of our favorites.
Peking Duck Salad
Shu Mei dumplings
The atmosphere, service and food at Pacific Rim were among the best we found on Seven Seas Explorer. All restaurants on board are complimentary and complimentary wine is offered at lunch and dinner. The complimentary wine selection was as good as any we have found on any luxury ship, and better than most. Overall, food quality was very good and service was what you would expect from a five-star cruise line.
Entertainment
We were extremely pleased with the quality and variety of entertainment on board Seven Seas Explorer. The production shows (3 on our cruise) were as good as we have seen on any ship, of any size. We counted twelve singers and dancers, which is unheard of on a ship this size.
Seven Seas Explorer Production Cast
The vocalists were extremely talented, as were the dancers. Costumes, and lighting were also very well done. The Constellation Theater adds to the experience with excellent acoustics, a great sound system and good sight lines.
Janneke displays her amazing vocals
In addition to excellent production shows, the guest entertainers were the best we have ever seen on any cruise ship. (Remember, we have been on more than 135 cruises, so when we say they were that good, it should not be taken lightly). Jenene Caramiello was quite simply one of the best female vocalists we have ever seen in person.
Janene Caramiello
Juliette Primrose
We were equally impressed with violinist, Juliette Primrose. Between 2003 and 2011, Ms. Primrose toured the globe as lead fiddle-player for Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance.
There were other excellent entertainers throughout the cruise that we missed due to late dining. However, we heard nothing but praise from other guests for these acts, which included, among others, a magician, a comedian, a classical pianist, and vocalists. Veteran Cruise Director, Lorraine Weimerskirch, knows how to entertain guests and is quite a performer herself.
Cruise Director, Lorraine Weimerskirch
Rickee, knocking down bowling pins
Throughout our many cruises, there are only a handful of cruise directors that we remember and are anxious to meet again. Lorraine is now a member of that small group. On transatlantic cruises, Regent often puts on a County Fair on one of the sea days. Typically, the County Fair is held on the pool deck, but with the cool and windy weather we had, the activities were moved into the main lobby. Each department comes up with their own game for guests to play and raffle tickets are handed out for points scored. Nice prizes are raffled off at the end of the fair to those holding the winning tickets.
Everyone had a great time at the County Fair, and it is something unique to a Regent cruise. At one point, a huge group of guests broke into a Mama Mia flash mob.
Mama Mia Flash Mob at County Fair
There were also a whole host of games and other activities offered throughout the cruise. Team Trivia was held each afternoon and was so popular it had to be held in the Constellation Theater on sea days to accommodate everyone. Guests can earn Regent Reward points for playing trivia, or completing the daily Mensa Quiz, or with other activities around the ship.
Regent Rewards
The Regent Rewards can be redeemed on the last day of the cruise for some very nice logo items.
Some of the Regent Reward logo items
Another very popular activity is the Culinary Arts Kitchen (Deck 11 forward). This full-blown training kitchen allows guests to learn various cooking techniques and knife skills from a professional chef. Each guest has a cooking station with two induction cooktops, cookware, tools, knives, cutting boards, aprons and towels.
The chef introduces each course to be prepared and demonstrates the technique before students return to their stations to replicate what the chef has shown. In my class, we created a delicious roasted vegetable bruschetta, seared scallops, and a grilled flank steak.
Chef Celms demonstrates techniques for the class
The Culinary Arts Kitchen is one of the best activities I have enjoyed on any cruise. It is well worth the $89 per person fee. The classes fill up quickly, with many guests taking several during the cruise. The best part of the class is, at the end, you get to eat what you have prepared!
My grilled flank steak
If staying in shape is important to you, you are in luck. An outdoor jogging/walking track on Deck 12 is the perfect place for a few laps around the ship while enjoying a view of the ocean. A fully-equipped fitness center offers every conceivable cardio machine as well as TehnoGym weight machines.
TechnoGym weight machines
The Canyon Ranch Spa offers a wide variety of massages as well as full salon services, just in case your hair and nails require some attention. The Casino on Deck 4 midship has a variety of table games including Blackjack and Roulette and quite a few "one-arm bandits." You can also see a magic act here. Right before your eyes, the slot machines can turn a $20 bill into a 15-cent voucher!
And, of course, sea days were filled with a host of other activities, too many to list here. Enrichment lectures, an Iron Chef-style cooking competition, and Bingo are just a few of the many things going on around the ship.
Shore Excursions
Perhaps the greatest value of a Regent Seven Seas cruise is the unlimited free shore excursions. Of course, they are not really free (since you pay for them as part of your cruise), but they are included in the cruise fare, which is rather unique in the luxury cruise market. However, because the excursions are free, they can fill up very quickly. When we tried to pre-book excursions through the website more than 30 days in advance, many excursions were already fully booked and unavailable. Lesson learned: book your cruise well in advance, and book your excursions as soon as you receive your confirmation.
When you pre-book your excursions online, your excursion tickets will be waiting for you in your suite upon embarkation. If you wish to change an excursion to a different choice, you can request a change up to 48 hours before the date of the excursion. You can also request to be placed on a waiting list if an any spots open up on a fully-booked excursion in which you are interested. We found the folks at the Destination Services desk to be very nice and helpful, even though our one request to change an excursion did not materialize. If you wish to explore a port on your own, Regent often provides a complimentary shuttle service from the port into town. This is a very nice service, and a great benefit.
There were not many ports on our 14-day transatlantic sailing so we only ended up taking two excursions. Both excursions were very well managed, and they could easily cost $100 per person or more on any other cruise line. On a port-intensive sailing, the complimentary excursions would become a huge value proposition that any luxury cruise enthusiast should take into consideration.
Bars and Lounges
There are several bars/lounges on Seven Seas Explorer. The Pool Bar is obviously located on the Pool Deck, 11 midship. Explorer's Lounge (our second favorite) is on Deck 4 midship, just outside of Compass Rose. Meridian Lounge is on Deck 5 midship. Our favorite lounge was Observation Lounge on Deck 11 forward. There are also small bars at Prime 7 and Chartreuse. Cocktails are served in the Constellation Theater before shows. You could also get a drink at The Cafe on Deck 5 and in the Connoisseur Club on Deck 11.
Regardless of where you choose to quench your thirst, bar service is excellent and bartenders are generous with their pours. We frequented Observation Lounge enough that, by the third visit, our waiter knew my drink preference. All cocktails, beer and wine (except for some premium wines), bottled water and soft drinks are complimentary. At 6:00pm each evening in the bars and lounges, trays of canapés are offered.
The Coffee Connection on Deck 5 midship is a popular place to meet for a Cappuccino or Double Latte. A Barista is on hand starting at 6:30am to prepare your favorite coffee drink. In the mornings, an extensive continental breakfast buffet is available here including cold cuts, pastries, donuts, cookies, fruit, cereal and yogurt. There is also an automated coffee machine available which is available around the clock.
Summary
In order to be accurate in my assessment of the 'luxuriousness' of Seven Seas Explorer, I thought it appropriate to Google the definition of 'luxury', and here's what I found:
“A condition of abundance or great ease and comfort; sumptuous environment lived in luxury; something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary; an indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction, or ease”
In trying to determine whether or not Seven Seas Explorer is, in fact, 'The Most Luxurious Ship Ever Built', why not rely on Merriam Webster to make the call? Our experience on the ship was such that every word in italics in the definition above applies to Seven Seas Explorer. She could, indeed, be the most luxurious ship ever built.
Silversea Silver Spirit - Longer and Better Than Ever
A 49-foot section has been added to Silver Spirit to bring it up to Silver Muse standards. This remains one of our all-time favorite luxury vessels.
Itinerary: Port Everglades, At Sea, Grand Turk, San Juan, San Juan, St. Kitts, Roseau, St. John's, Gustavia, Road Town, Semana, At Sea, Key West, Port Everglades
Silversea is a cruise line with which we are very familiar, having sailed on nearly every ship in the fleet to many exotic parts of the world. In addition, Silver Spirit is a ship with which we are also very familiar. This was our third sailing aboard Silver Spirit. So one must wonder, what more could we possibly have to say about this cruise line and/or this particular ship?
A lot has changed since the last time we sailed on Silver Spirit. For one thing, she is now 49 feet longer after having been cut in half and a new section inserted. The objective for this stretch was to bring Silver Spirit closer in design and function to Silversea's newest ship, Silver Muse (and the next ship, Silver Moon). And, since our last Silversea cruise, Silversea has become part of the Royal Caribbean family of cruise lines (along with Azamara Club Cruises and Celebrity Cruises). So, we were very curious to see not only what has changed on Silver Spirit, but if we could detect any changes to the Silversea product under the auspices of big brother, Royal Caribbean.
I am pleased to report that, for all of you who have emailed me with concerns about the Royal Caribbean acquisition, you can rest easy. Silversea is still "Silversea." As a matter of fact, all indications are that Silversea will be even better (if that is possible) as a result of the Royal Caribbean deal. Big Brother has deep pockets and can fund things like new ship builds, many of which have already been announced. We could see a luxury segment war with the big players all trying to one-up each other by offering more amenities and services to attract the profitable luxury-seeking cruise enthusiast. Wouldn't that be cool?
So, this media assignment was to see what changes have taken place with Silver Spirit, one of our all-time favorite small luxury ships. In fact, we have already done thorough reviews of Silver Spirit, which you can read if you want all the detals:
14-Night South America Cruise (2010): Read Here
14-Night Transatlantic Cruise (2012): Read Here
So, rather than saying what has already been said, we want to focus on what's new and what's changed with Silver Spirit.
Restaurants and Lounges
The "Muse-ification" of Silver Spirit meant the addition of new dining spaces. Gone are the days of a single restaurant where everybody congregates at tables for four, six or eight people. Silver Spirit guests can now enjoy a wide variety of dining venues, menus and flavors. And, there is a greater emphasis on intimate dining with a large number of two-top tables in every venue.
The Arts Cafe
One of our favorite additions to Silver Spirit is Arts Cafe (Deck 8 aft). The quirky, colorful decor is sort of out of character for Silversea, which tends to lean more towards an understated elegance theme. We enjoyed Arts Cafe on Silver Muse in 2017 and we love that it has been added to Silver Spirit.
In addition to having a full-service bar, Arts Cafe features canapés, sandwiches and snacks throughout the day. In the mornings, you can find pastries here and, at lunchtime, there is a delicious selection of sandwiches (Rickee's favorite was the tomato, cheese and cucumber), and these cool little jars filled with all sorts of salads.
Jars contain creative salads
Glass mugs are used to serve a variety of hot soups. The Chicken Noodle was delicious.
A delicious jug of chicken noodle soup
At teatime, Arts Cafe offers a multi-tiered tray with a selection of sweet treats and finger sandwiches to enjoy with your choice of tea. And, you can enjoy your visit to Arts Cafe inside or out on the shaded terrace.
Spaccanapoli
Spaccanapoli (pronounced 'spack-uh-nop-oly'), located on Deck 10 midship (overlooking the pool deck) is Silversea's new pizza concept and it, too, is a winner in our opinion. It is open from 11am to 11pm every day and is always casual. Outdoor dining only here.
You would expect an Italian-based cruise line to have good pizza, and you won't be disappointed with the pies served here. If you like thin-crust Neopolitan-style pizza, you are going to make a few visits to Spaccanapoli.
The crust is crunchy, and chewy, with just enough burned bubbles around the edge to make it authentic. San Marzano tomatoes are used for a rich sauce along with excellent Italian cheeses.
The menu here has something for every pizza lover. They also have a Calzone which we did not try, but saw one being delivered to a nearby table. It was large enough for two people!
Indochine
Indochine is Silversea's Asian restaurant located on Deck 4 midship. Indochine occupies roughly one-third of the space from what used to be The Restaurant (my estimate, not Silversea's) with Atlantide occupying the other two-thirds. Indochine is open from 7:00pm until 9:30pm. The Indochine Bar is open at 6:00pm.
There are two different menus at Indochine, the second of which comes into play about half-way through the cruise. This gives guests an opportunity to make two visits, and have two different food experiences.
We dined here twice and I enjoyed both menus. I am more into spicy food than Rickee is, but she was able to find items that she could enjoy. The Egg Drop Noodle soup is one of the best you will find anywhere.
If you like spicy, then Indochine is your kind of place. Put your tolerance to the test with the Lamb Rogan Josh. It is the hottest, spiciest dish I have ever had on a cruise ship, and comparable to what you would find in an authentic Indian restaurant.
Lamb Rogan Josh
Read more about Indochine here.
Atlantide
Located next door to Indochine, Atlantide is the closest dining venue to what used to be The Restaurant (pre-renovation). Atlantide is open for dinner from 7:00pm to 9:30pm. The Atlantide Bar opens at 6:00pm.
Atlantide is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Lunch menus change daily, but breakfast and dinner menus are fixed.The dinner menu, however, is extensive enough that you could easily dine here several times and never eat the same thing twice.
We had dinner in Atlantide on our first night and it was very good. Rickee had a massive caviar starter and a Lemon Meringue Tart that she claimed was one of the best desserts she has ever eaten.
La Terrazza
While not a new restaurant, La Terrazza on Silver Spirit has been completely renovated. Everything here is brand new, and beautiful. At breakfast and lunch, La Terrazza is Silver Spirit's buffet restaurant. In the evenings, La Terrazza becomes a romantic Italian bistro. The restaurant serves breakfast each day from 00:30am to 00:30am, buffet lunch from 12:00 noon until 2:00pm. Dinner is served from 7:00pm until 9:30pm and reservations are recommended.
At breakfast and lunch, La Terrazza has one of the best buffets you will find on any ship.
Fresh sushi and cocktail shrimp appear on the buffet each day at lunch
The terrace behind La Terrazza is the nicest al fresco venue you will find anywhere.
We had lunch at La Terrazza several times, and were always pleased with the selection. I especially like the fresh pasta and Asian stir-fry station where dishes are prepared when you place your order
Dinner at La Terrazza is a special event with a beautiful multi-course Italian menu. The new decor really takes on a dressy, elegant feel in the evening when the lights go down and candles are placed on the tables. Reservations are recommended here, but if you show up without one, there is a good chance they will be able to find you a table.
The Caprese Salad was a softball-sized chunk of fresh mozzarella atop slices of juicy red tomatoes and drizzled with a fragrant pesto.
The pasta dishes all feature fresh, handmade pasta, and you can tell the difference. The pastas are as good as you will find in any Italian restaurant. They are good enough to be enjoyed as a main course, which I did on our second visit. The Bigoli al Cacio 'Podolico' e Pepe was my favorite. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, and the simple cheese and pepper sauce was sublime.
Bigoli al Cacio 'Podolico' e Pepe
No meal at La Terrazza is complete without a traditional Limoncello to cap off the meal.
Read more about our experience at La Terrazza here.
Silver Note
Silver Note (formerly Stars Supper Club) is certainly the most unique dining concept on Silver Spirit. There is only one seating for dinner here each evening: 8:00pm.
There are a few tables for four or six, but the most common seating here is two-top tables all in a row. It is one of the only things we did not care for about Silver Note. There's only about 10 inches between tables, so even though you are technically at a table for two, it feels more like you are at one huge table for 18. We prefer the seating arrangement in Silver Note on Silver Muse.
The menu is quirky, as we remembered from our Silver Muse experience, maybe even a little over the top. Rickee's ceviche starter was a work of art, albeit a little difficult to negotiate when eating.
Ceviche appetizer at Silver Note
Guests enjoy live entertainment during dinner at Silver Note.
Reservations are required at Silver Note, and seating is very limited, so reserve early.
Panorama Lounge
We had never been huge fans of Panorama Lounge on Spirit, that is, until now. The lounge has been completely renovated with new colors, furnishings and surfaces. It is a little smaller than Panorama on Muse, and that is one of the things we like about it. And, it is more intimate than Dolce Vita (formerly The Bar) on Deck 5.
In the evenings, guests enjoy live music from the Silver Spirit Trio. The bar service in Panorama was the best we found on Silver Spirit. By the third visit, our waiter knew my drink of choice.
Silversea still has the best bar service of any cruise line. Even though all cocktails, wine and beer (except for some Premium wines) are complimentary, they are very generous with each pour. My Crown Royal pour on SIlversea would be considered a double on any other cruise line.
Crown Royal (left), Glenlivet on the rocks (right)
A snack tray is offered at each table with nuts, trail mix and potato chips. At 6:30pm, waiters begin offering plates of creative and delicious canapés.
Canapés at Panorama Lounge
Dolce Vita
Formerly The Bar, Dolce Vita, located on Deck 5 midship, is the largest bar/lounge on Silver Spirit.
New furnishings make this a more comfortable space than what The Bar was. The space is larger and more open than before. There is a small dance floor and piano for entertainment in the evenings. Of course, bar service here is virtually the same as in Panorama; however, because Dolce Vita is a much larger lounge, it may take a little longer to get your favorite beverage here. On our voyage, Dolce Vita guests were entertained in the evenings by resident vocal pianist, Snizhana, and vocal guitarist, Daniel.
Anywhere/Anytime Dining
Now on Silversea, you can order anything from the room service menu and have it delivered to you anywhere on the ship. I have used this in the mornings when working on my blog at Panorama Lounge. I call Room Service at 5am and order a pot of coffee, and they deliver it to me at Panorama!
Chris Dikmen in dolce vita lounge
Or, let's say you might enjoy a cheese plate delivered to Dolce Vita. No problem. The only suggestion we would make would be for the ship to have one of the room service menus available in each pubic space, maybe next to the phone.
New Suites
Twenty-six new Veranda suites have been added to Silver Spirit, along with six Silver Suites and two Panorama Suites. Every suite on Silver Spirit has been touched up with a new look and feel to match the design of the suites on Silver Muse. For the first two evenings on board, we stayed in a Superior Veranda (808) on deck 8 and it looked brand new.
Superior Veranda
All furnishings are new. The new color scheme is lighter and much more contemporary than before. If you did not know better, you would swear you were on Silver Muse. Big improvements have been made to the suite's technology. The interactive HD television has been moved from behind the mirror(s) so, now there is one large television mounted in the living room, but visible from the bed.
The suite now features more power outlets and (finally) USB charging ports! An alarm clock with charging plate on top is a welcome addition.
On day three of our sailing, we were moved into one of the new Silver Suites on Deck 10 (1015). There were two Silver Suites added to Deck 10, two on Deck 11 and two on Deck 8. The Deck 8 suites also have the option of converting to a two-bedroom suite by opening up to an adjoining Veranda Suite. The six new suites that were added to Silver Spirit reflect the same color scheme as those on Silver Muse, with the light grey color scheme giving these suites a more contemporary, fashion-forward look.
Suite 1015 Living Room
The new luxury mattress is very comfortable, and all bedding is top quality. The desk is large enough to hold a laptop (by relocating the books and folders) and now offers more than enough in the way of electrical and USB outlets.
A nicely equipped desk
Your favorite adult beverage delivered to your suite.
The bathroom is the crown jewel of the Silver Suite with a dual-sink vanity, tons of storage space and top quality Bvlgari amenities.
The shower stall is as good as you will find on any cruise ship, or hotel for that matter.
Excellent shower in Silver Suite 1015-Silver Spirit
Silver Suite guests also benefit from additional perks, such as complimentary laundry, wet cleaning and pressing throughout the cruise (a really nice benefit on a longer cruise). You also get bumped up to Premium Internet service when in a Silver Suite.
We did notice quite a bit of mechanical noise in suite 1015, likely due to its location. Just behind the bedroom wall of the suite is the Spaccanapoli kitchen, which is basically open to the pool deck. When there is a band playing at the pool, you will hear it clearly in 1015. We have stayed in other Silver Suites on Silver Spirit and never experienced any noise issues, so we are sure it has to do with this specific suite. Perhaps some additional soundproofing is in order?
The improvements to all of the suites on board Silver Spirit elevate the accommodations to the top of any in the industry. The Silver Suite remains our all time favorite cruise ship accommodation. If we were doing a world cruise on Silversea, we would choose the Silver Suite.
Pool Deck
The pool deck is larger after the lengthening with a much larger Grill dining area. There are three hot tubs at one end of the rather large pool. There are plenty of comfortable loungers on Decks 9 and 10.
Entertainment
Silversea appears to be putting an increased emphasis on quality entertainment. They recently announced six new theatrical performances in conjunction with Luna Ross Productions. On our sailing, we enjoyed some excellent vocal performances by the Voices of Silversea.
Aimee Lake performs on Silver Spirit
In addition to the troupe of resident performers, we were also treated to excellent guest performers, like Flemenco guitarist, Adam Westcott.
And of course, Silversea continues to provide some of the best enrichment lectures of any cruise line. On our cruise, all of this entertainment was being capably delivered under the auspices of veteran Cruise Director, Jimmy Kovel, and his excellent cruise staff.
Jimmy Kovel, Cruise Director
We sailed with Mr. Kovel on Silver Muse in 2017 and were pleased to see he still has his sharp wit in tact, most noticeable during Silversea's legendary Team Trivia sessions. One evening, the cruise staff invited everyone out on the pool deck for Death By Chocolate, a massive chocolate-lover's buffet complete with singing and dancing.
Guests dance the night away after enjoying Death by Chocolate
Silversea Shore Concierge
We booked four excursions for this cruise. Three were booked through the MySilversea website a few weeks prior to embarkation, and one was booked directly with the Silversea Shore Concierge desk (Deck 5 midship). When we arrived at our suite on the day of embarkation, all of the tickets for pre-booked excursions were waiting for us on the desk.
We enjoyed all of the excursions and felt like all were a good value. The Culinary Walking Tour of San Juan was one of the best we have ever enjoyed on a cruise. And, when we decided at the last minute to do a kayak excursion in Semana, Dominican Republic, the Shore Concierge Desk was more than willing to accommodate us.
Complimentary Internet
Since our last Silversea cruise, the company now offers guests in all suites complimentary unlimited "standard" WiFi Internet access. This is a very nice perk that we are starting to see on more and more luxury and premium cruise lines. Guests staying in Silver Suites and above benefit from complimentary Premium Internet, which claims to have higher speeds. We had the opportunity to try both standard and premium during our 13-night sailing. With Standard Internet, sites like YouTube, Vimeo or any sites that stream video are blocked. You can access YouTube and others with the Premium Internet, but the speeds are still too slow to really utilize them. The Premium Internet package was selling for $244 on our 13- night cruise, or $29/day. If you only want to check/send email and maybe look at your stock portfolio, standard Internet should work fine.
Summary
When you step aboard a Silversea ship, you feel like you have arrived. It's like riding in a Rolls-Royce, flying First Class on Singapore Airlines, or staying in a suite at The Peninsula Hong Kong. It's just a feeling, there's no other way to describe it. We have been sailing with Silversea since 2002, and have watched the company grow and continue to improve. We enjoy, and appreciate, quality and good service. When only the best will do, Silversea always delivers.
Rickee Richardson and Chris Dikmen are travel journalists from Dallas, Texas
Parting Shots
Big City. Small Ship...
Big City. Small Ship. Lots of Public Television. Cruising on Regent Seven Seas Navigator.
By John and Sandra Nowlan
It’s hard to dislike New York City. The Big Apple, in spite of its crowds and controlled chaos, is especially appealing as the starting and ending city for a ten day cruise on one of the few ultra-luxury, all-inclusive lines. And when the cruise line is Regent Seven Seas with its “Spotlight on Public Broadcasting” theme, you know the level of service, cuisine, entertainment and information will be difficult to match.
Also hard to match was our pre-cruise hotel choice. The Four Seasons on East 57th Street was designed by IM Pei and is close to Central Park, Radio City Music Hall and Times Square. The rooms are very large by New York standards and the well-trained staff has a ‘can-do’ attitude, even extending to a wide choice of slipper sizes and complimentary additional toiletries if needed – combs, razors, toothbrushes.
A friendly greeting at Four Seasons Hotel, New York
Our dinner choice was also ideal. Del Frisco’s Grille at nearby Rockefeller Center has a comfortable ambience (leather chairs), an excellent wait staff and an imaginative menu. We enjoyed Cheese Steak Egg Rolls, Ahi Tacos, Prime Short Rib Stroganoff and the Catch of the Day – Fresh Halibut.
Del Frisco's Ahi Tuna Appetizer
Boarding the 500 passenger Seven Seas Navigator at the Manhattan Cruise Port was, as expected, fairly quick and very well organized. Launched in 1999, the ship does show some signs of wear but has aged quite well. At noon our rooms weren’t yet ready so, after a welcoming glass of champagne, we enjoyed an excellent light lunch by the pool and explored the ship. Particularly impressive were the well stocked library, the card room (already busy with bridge keeners), several comfortable lounges with well stocked bars (all wine, beer and spirits are complimentary) and the large main theatre. The tiered seating had the best sight lines we’ve ever seen on a cruise ship. We went to a show most evenings and were dazzled by the 12 member ensemble of singers and dancers. All talented pros. The accompanying Regent orchestra was small – just five members with a piano, drums, two guitars and an overworked saxophone player. An extra brass or woodwind instrument would have been welcome.
Seven Seas Navigator
Our recently refurbished suite, like all basic rooms, was a very generous 300 square feet plus a balcony. There’s a curtain divider between the bed and the sitting area. The king size bed (excellent reading lights) had a black cushioned headboard and there was an amazing amount of storage space including a very welcome walk in closet. The marble bathroom included both a bathtub and a separate shower. The large screen TV had a wide variety of American and British channels plus movie and information channels. But no CNN.
On a ship of this size, we didn’t expect an extensive menu in the main dining room. We were wrong. The Compass Rose on Deck 5 (anytime dining) has large, ocean view windows and, as we were told by the Food and Beverage Manager, a menu identical to Regent’s larger ships. It was impressive with an “always” menu on the left hand side (including shrimp, steak and foie gras) and daily selections on the right. Unlike many cruise ships, the Executive Chef visits fish markets in some ports and brings aboard fresh fish for the dining venues. Very impressive.
Crab Salad Appetizer Compass Rose
La Veranda, the buffet restaurant on Deck 10 turns into an excellent Italian restaurant in the evening and the Poolside Grill always had a wide selection of salads, burgers, hot dogs and fish burgers. The only “Reservation Required” restaurant (no extra cost) was the 70 seat Prime 7 on Deck 10. Great beef cuts, lobster and fresh fish highlighted the creative menu.
The quality cuisine matched the outstanding theme of this cruise – Spotlight on Public Broadcasting. Since 2004, an organization called Artful Travelers has partnered with Regent and PBS/NPR outlets in the US to bring top journalists, filmmakers and producers aboard Regent ships to discuss public radio and television and show examples of their craft. The Artful Travelers President, Kevin Corcoran, told us that famed broadcaster Jim Lehrer was the first PBS guest speaker 14 years ago and now, 30 cruises later, the concept is working better than ever.
Kevin Corcoran, President of Artful Travelers
On our cruise we were fortunate to meet and enjoy presentations by Sam Paul (“Live from the Met”, “Bernstein in Berlin”), Justin Weinstein (“Being Elmo: A Puppeteers Journey” and “An Honest Liar”, about James ‘The Amazing’ Randi), Alison Chernick (“ITZHAK”, a profile of violinist Itzhak Perlman) and Hari Sreenivasan, the host of PBS Newshour Weekend. All guests were invited to share a dinner table in Compass Rose with these broadcast personalities.
With Sam Paul’s connection to Leonard Bernstein, America’s first classical music superstar, he was able to help arrange a tour in Boston of the travelling exhibit, “Leonard Bernstein at 100”. Commemorating the 100th birthday (in August) of the famed composer, conductor and social activist, the remarkable display with many personal artifacts covers the broad spectrum of Bernstein’s remarkable career.
Bernstein’s piano. Part of Leonard Bernstein at 100 exhibit in Boston.
On the same day, we visited the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, overlooking Boston and Dorchester Bay. It offers a retrospective of the president’s Massachusetts heritage, spectacular rise to prominence and untimely death in Dallas.
Kennedy Library and Museum Boston
Unlike most cruise lines, the majority of tours on Regent are complimentary and we were given many choices at each port. In Newport, Rhode Island, we joined a walking tour of this colonbial New England town. We admired its strict rules about preserving historic buildings.
Walking tour of historic Newport RI
Because of bad weather we couldn’t stop in Bar Harbor, Maine. It was a bit surreal the next day as Navigator visited our home port of Halifax. But, even in the rain, fellow guests loved it. We played tourist and joined a Duck Boat tour (the Harbour Hopper) since we’d always seen it around town but never experienced the fun of a land and water tour. We learned several new facts about the Nova Scotia capital.
Harbour Hopper Duckboat
Our final stop (before a return to New York) was Bermuda on a “Bermudaful Day” as the locals like to call it. It was a delight seeing all the white roofed houses of St. George’s Parish as well as the many beaches and historic buildings of this British colony. Most exciting was a tour of the Crystal Caves, natural limestone caverns discovered over a century ago by boys searching for their cricket ball. Excellent lighting and walkways over the underground pools made for a memorable, if spooky, attraction.
Inside Bermuda's Crystal Caves
Back on board we arrived just in time for an excellent dinner and the Krew Kapers, a talent show by members of the crew. We’ve seen crew shows on other ships but this one was very special, including sophisticated technical effects. “The Incinerator Man” (his job is to feed the ship’s incinerator) was a marvelous crooner. One of the modest and polite wait staff named Ola changed her personality entirely with a scintillating belly dance. We did a double take.
Lively Crew Show
Back in New York, disembarkation was smooth and effortless. It made us appreciate even more the value of an all-inclusive cruise with a staff dedicated to our comfort and pleasure.
Treasures of the British Isles with Tauck on Le Soleal
Tauck Small Ship Cruising delivers a unique and excellent British Isles experience.
May 10, 2018 - Having sailed on a few Tauck river cruises in Europe, we were already familiar with the company's focus on providing its guests with an unparalleled destination experience. Tauck's approach is to partner with a reputable cruise line, allowing them to handle virtually all of the onboard experience (dining, staterooms, onboard entertainment, etc.). This allows Tauck to focus on providing guests with Tauck‑exclusive shore excursions, planned and operated by Tauck, with either a Tauck Director, expert local guide, or both.
Tauck Directors Dale and Stacie
This seemingly subtle distinction really does impact the small ship cruising experience, and distinguishes a Tauck Small Ship Cruise from a "typical" cruise. All shore excursions are included in the price of a Tauck Small Ship Cruise, and each benefits from 93 years of Tauck's experience in delivering high-quality land tours. Experienced travelers will immediately notice the difference.
Most Tauck Small Ship Cruises feature a two or three-night pre-cruise or post-cruise hotel stay in the city of embarkation (or disembarkation), with guided Tauck sightseeing included. On our Treasures of the British Isles cruise, we enjoyed two evenings (pre-cruise) at The Conrad Dublin in Dublin, Ireland, and two nights (post-cruise) at the Churchill Hyatt in London.
Both hotels would easily fall in the 4 to 5-star rating category. Tauck also arranged for its guests to enjoy complimentary breakfast each day. In Europe, that translated to a $25-$30 value per person/per day! In Dublin, we were treated to an excellent city tour including a stop at St. Patrick's Cathedral and at Trinity College to view the historic Book of Kells.
We visit St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin
Unlike with most cruise line excursions, or those go-it-on-your-own excursions, Tauck arranges for its guests to go to the front of the line when visiting popular attractions like the Book of Kells in Dublin or the Crown Jewels in London. Tauck obtains VIP passes for guests so there is no waiting in long lines. Yes, you WILL notice a difference on a Tauck Small Ship Cruise!
In London, we enjoyed a tour of The Tower of London early in the morning before the hordes of tourists arrived. We had our own Yeoman Warder to guide us without the crowds, without the pushing and shoving. You get the idea.
Our floating home for the seven-night cruise portion of the trip was Ponant's Le Soléal. The ship has been in service for five years, but it looks as though it was just floated out of dry dock. The interior spaces were in immaculate condition and looked brand new. Le Soléal can carry up to 234 guests, but there are only 185 on our cruise, all of whom were Tauck guests. Ponant operates a fleet of small cruise ships and Tauck is Ponant's largest customer.
Le Soléal (and her sister ships, Le Boreal, Le Lyrial and L'Austral) are perfectly designed and outfitted for small ship cruising. The ship is small enough to feel intimate, but large enough to have all of the facilities and amenities of larger ships. There is a small fitness center, a full-service spa, swimming pool, two bars/lounges, two dining venues, 24-hour room service, and a theater for lectures and evening entertainment.
It was a little too cool to use the pool on our cruise
My balcony stateroom (507) was quite roomy with plenty of storage, an electronic safe, a large flat-screen HD television, large desk/vanity, small table and chair for in-room dining. A narrow balcony has two chairs (facing each other) and a small table. It is not large enough to really enjoy breakfast on the balcony, but great for taking in the passing oceanscape.
The bathroom is split into two sections with a dedicated "water closet" and a separate shower/sink/vanity room. This layout provides more privacy should one guest require use of the toilet at the same time their companion is taking a shower. There is a curious window from the shower/sink side of the bathroom open to the bedroom. While this window can be closed off via a sliding door for maximum privacy, the door is controlled from the bedroom and not the bathroom. Interesting design. Bathroom amenities are from Hermes and are top quality.
Ladies will appreciate the hinged makeup mirror in the bathroom.
My stateroom was very comfortable and one of the quietest staterooms I have ever experienced. I never heard a sound from the hallway or my neighbors. Stateroom doors also close quietly. The ship is very well engineered for comfort.
All meals onboard the ship are included in the cruise fare, and Tauck guests enjoy complimentary beverages, including alcoholic beverages, throughout the cruise. Even the mini-bar in the stateroom is stocked with complimentary spirits, bottled water, soft drinks and beer. However, the selection of complimentary cocktails was more limited than we have experienced on Tauck's river cruises, where Scylla is the ship operator. For example, Crown Royal is considered a "premium" whisky on Ponant and comes with a hefty $10 charge. Nevertheless, bar service was very good. In fact, service throughout the ship was very good.
There are two dining venues on Le Soléal. The main restaurant, L'Eclipse, is located on Deck 2 aft and serves à la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner. A buffet with breads, cereals, meats and cheeses is available at breakfast and lunch, while dinner is a full menu-service affair.
Elegant evening dining in L'Eclipse
Evening menus offer a choice of starter, main course, and dessert. There is always a fish choice, a vegetarian option and another meat dish. A selection of "always available" items includes steak, chicken, pasta, Caesar salad, etc.
A less formal option for dining is Restaurant Pythéas on Deck 6 aft. Most would consider this a Lido buffet restaurant since the swimming pool is just aft of the restaurant, and there is indoor and al fresco dining here. This restaurant offers extensive buffet offerings at breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition to buffet selections, there are a few à la carte items that can be prepared to order such as egg dishes at breakfast, burgers at lunch, or steak and salmon at dinner. Guests are requested to make reservations for evening dining at Pythéas.
Less formal dining in Pythéas on Deck 6
I found the service in both restaurants to be very good. Food quality was much improved over our last cruise on Ponant in 2012. I am not a fish eater, but everyone raved about the seafood dishes. All of the breads were incredible. Get a fresh baguette, some French butter and a glass of wine, and you can make a nice lunch. A selection of red and white wines are offered at lunch and dinner in both venues. Every wine I tried was good. A selection of premium wines is available at additional cost. The ice cream selections available at lunch and dinner in Pythéas were also excellent.
When guests return to their staterooms each evening, they will find the next day's itinerary in the daily newsletter, Journal De Bord. The newsletter is very well laid out and easy to read with a summary of the destination, weather forecast and disembarkation times for the various shore excursions the following day.
In each port-of-call, Tauck offers a variety of shore excursions with varied activity levels. Guests with physical limitations, or those who simply wish to take a slower pace, will appreciate the leisurely option excursions. When motor coaches are used, they are always new, clean and very comfortable.
Shore excursions and destination immersion is where Tauck's experience really shows. They have spent decades developing relationships with local tour operators and venues around the world. That translates into the very best local guides, excellent motor coaches, and often exclusive access to interesting attractions and venues.
Excellent local guides, like Linda in London, really make shore excursions special
For guests who want a higher activity level, Tauck has that covered as well. In Guernsey, the Cliff Top Hike and Gin Tasting took guests on an invigorating, and challenging hike with some of the most beautiful views of the entire trip. Read our daily cruise blog
Enjoying a pint of Guinness in Dublin
In London, on the last day of our Tauck journey, they treated us to an incredible flight on the London Eye. That was completely unexpected! And, in true Tauck fashion, they reserved two capsules just for their guests and we zipped past the huge lines of tourists thanks to our VIP passes.
The London Eye
No matter where you are on a Tauck Small Ship Cruise, a Tauck Director is never far away if you have a question or a problem. There were six Tauck Directors and a Tauck Cruise Director on our cruise. When off the ship on a shore excursion, Tauck Directors can often be found assisting the local guides. It is comforting knowing that a knowledgeable advocate is always close by when you need information in an unfamiliar place.
A Tauck Small Ship Cruise is far more inclusive than typical cruise lines. Included in Tauck’s cruise prices are all shore excursions, all gratuities, all onboard beverages (adult and otherwise, with the exception of the Galapagos cruises where they have nightly complimentary happy hours and complimentary wine and beer with dinners), airport transfers, port charges and other fees, luggage handling and more. Tauck really does take the hassle out of travel so that all you have to do is show up and enjoy the journey.
This was our first experience on a Tauck Small Ship Cruise and we were very impressed with how Tauck has taken small ship cruising to a new level. We have always been fans of small ship cruising and we are huge fans of Tauck river cruises. Small ships can take you places that you cannot get to on a river cruise and larger cruise ships have to sail past the smaller, more interesting ports because of the size of the ship. Sophisticated travelers have already discovered the small ship allure and are making this one of the fastest growing segments in the cruise industry. The combination of small ship cruising and Tauck expertise is formidable.
Tauck's small ship cruises are always the first segment of their business to sell out each year, so plan ahead. Perhaps that is why Tauck recently announced that they will be doubling their ship capacity over the next several years with a 40% increase in 2019 alone! Tauck partners with Silversea, Ponant, Windstar and Metropolitan Touring.
If you are considering a small ship cruise, we highly recommend that you put Tauck at the top of your list. For more information on Tauck Small Ship Cruising, click here.
European Christmas Markets with Tauck River Cruises
A European Christmas Markets river cruise should be on everyone’s bucket list. And, there’s no better way to do it than with Tauck.
Itinerary: Vienna, Vienna, Melk, Salzburg/Linz, Passau, Regensburg, Nuremberg
December 2017 - As the saying goes, this was not our first rodeo. And, with a 90-year history of conducting tours and cruises all over the world, it is most certainly not Tauck's first rodeo. Our recent European Christmas Markets Cruise aboard Tauck's ms Savor was our fourth Christmas market river cruise on as many cruise lines in the past three years.
ms savor in vienna
Tauck River Cruises is what we consider a "Luxury" brand. By our definition, a Luxury brand includes most, if not all, excursions in the cruise fare. All cocktails, beer and wine are also included as are gratuities. Of course, the ships must be modern with comfortable accommodations. And, "luxury" means that service levels must be unmatched.
We arrive at ms Savor in Vienna about 10:00 in the morning, several hours before actual embarkation begins (3:00pm). As we arrive at the bottom of the gangway, we are pleasantly surprised to be greeted by Cruise Director, Steve Marchant, whom we immediately recognized. Steve was the Cruise Director on our 2014 Tauck ms Inspire river cruise. Steve welcomed us aboard and offered to let us hang out in the Panorama Lounge until embarkation begins, or, take a taxi into Vienna to do some sightseeing. We chose the latter. Another couple who also arrived early shared a taxi with us, with Tauck picking up the tab. What other cruise line would offer to pay for our taxi into town just because we showed up early?
The Christmas markets in Vienna
When we returned from our time in Vienna (around 12:45pm), Steve informed us that our stateroom was now ready. After a quick check-in at Reception, one of the Reception staff members escorted us to our stateroom (216).
Accommodations
Our Category 6 Cabin was 225 sq. ft. and was nicely laid out and quite comfortable. Even though there is no desk, there is a tall coffee table that can be used as a desk. Two chairs are placed at this table.
Category 6 Cabin
The substantial closet (9) would hold enough clothing for two people for up to two weeks. A storage cabinet (6) with drawers is something you don't find on all river cruise ships. The electronic safe is found in this cabinet.
There is a large sliding glass door with French-style balcony (1) and another floor-to-ceiling window (3) on the opposite side of the cabin. Between the two windows is a flat-screen HD television (2) with good programming choices including CNN, BBC, Sky News, Euro News (What? no Fox News?) and a couple of movie channels. There are also some CCTV channels with safety information, a bow cam, and some On Demand movie channels (complimentary).
Beautifully appointed bathroom
The bathroom (10) is the largest and nicest you will find on any river cruise ship. The very roomy shower stall (11) is outfitted with both a rain shower head and a hand-held wand. An expansive medicine cabinet-style mirror hangs over the sink offering tons of lighted storage for all of your toiletries, cosmetics, etc. There is even more storage under the vanity and above the toilet. A small, magnifying makeup mirror is attached to the interior of the medicine cabinet. Tauck supplies a nice hair dryer and top-quality Molton Brown amenities, including shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and shower gel.
We found the pillow-top, queen-size mattress (4) to be comfortable, but the pillows were a little too soft for our liking. No problem -- a visit to Reception and a request to Simona for firmer pillows quickly resolved that issue. Firmer, foam pillows were delivered to our cabin and were perfect!
More information about Tauck Christmas Markets cruises
Tauck has intelligently included three 110 US-Style outlets. There is one on each bedside table and one by the stateroom door (next to the Vox charging device).
Overall, we found the Category 6 Cabin to be very quiet and very comfortable. Rickee still prefers the Category 3 (Loft) cabin, but I think I prefer the Category 6. They are the same square footage, but laid out differently.
Excursions
The main appeal of river cruising is the included tours in each city/town visited along the river. And, this is one area where Tauck has no real competition. They just do everything to near perfection. Disembarking the ship requires guests to be "swiped out" by presenting their room key to the crew member manning the "reader". This allows ms Savor staff to know who is on board and who is ashore. Upon returning to the ship, each guest presents his/her card to a crew member who "swipes" the card through the reader once again, showing that the guest has returned. It is the most secure system we have seen on a riverboat as each passenger's photo appears on the check-in screen when the card is swiped. Complimentary bottles of water are available at Reception before every excursion, with Tauck thoughtfully offering both small and large bottles.
When motor coaches are required for transport, Tauck uses modern, clean and comfortable coaches. Colored signs in the window of the bus correspond to the color designation of the tour group you have chosen for that excursion.
Tauck continues to provide guests with the Audio Vox receivers for use when on walking tours. Each stateroom has two Vox receivers placed in a charging base by the cabin door. Guests are responsible for making sure the Vox units are always charged and ready to go, a simple matter of placing the Vox units back into the charger when you return to your cabin after an excursion.
Vox receivers in charging base
Another way Tauck sets itself apart from other river cruise lines is the presence of Tauck Tour Directors on each sailing. On our sailing, there were three Tauck Tour Directors overseeing the local excursions. Even though local guides are used on many walking tours, A Tauck Tour Director is never far away should additional support be needed. These Tour Directors also make onboard presentations about local culture and customs.
Jillian, one of the Tour Directors, leads the walk into Nuremberg
Coordinating all of the local tour guides and other activities on board is Tauck Cruise Director, Steve Marchant.
Cruise Director, Steve Marchant
On this Christmas Markets cruise, Tauck included several special events. One such event was a group lunch at St. Peter's Restaurant in Salzburg, perhaps the oldest restaurant in the world! Another special treat was a tour of the Thurn and Taxis palace in Regensburg, which included admission to the palace's private Christmas market.
Tickets to a tour of Thurn and Taxis palace
A tour of Shönbrunn Palace in Vienna, along with a special buffet lunch at Palais Pallavicini, was also included. These are optional excursions on most other river cruise lines, at additional cost. But, Tauck includes them, which is another reason we consider Tauck a "luxury" brand.
Shönbrunn Palace in Vienna
In addition to these special events, Tauck also throws in a few lagniappes (unexpected little extras) along the way. One such lagniappe on our cruise was a gingerbread demonstration and tasting at Cafe Simon in Passau where we were given a decorated gingerbread star to take with us. Another little extra was a coupon for a warm drink at the Christmas Market at Schönbrunn Palace and you even got to keep the decorated mug!
Chef Simon gives a gingerbread demonstration
We also enjoyed the little pillow gifts left on our bed at turndown each evening. It was like Christmas every night!
A glühwein spice mix was one of our pillow gifts and we had pillow chocolates each night
When it comes to excursions, nobody does a better job than Tauck.
Food and Dining
At this point, we should note the special relationship between Tauck and Scylla. All Tauck-branded river cruise ships are owned and operated by Scylla. Therefore, all hotel operations, including Food and Beverage, engineering, and getting the ship from one place to another, are the responsibility of Scylla. Tauck basically handles all of the excursions and guest activities. It is a unique partnership that leverages the skills and assets of each company, and it works seamlessly.
Elegant seating in Compass Rose
As with most river cruise ships, the main dining room, Compass Rose, is located on Deck 1 forward. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style with a few á la carté items available at breakfast. Dinner is available from 6:30pm until 8:30pm on most nights and is open seating. Unlike the dining policy on many river cruise ships where there is only one time for dinner, on Tauck you can dine any time within that two-hour window. So, there is no mad rush to the dining room when the restaurant opens like we've experienced on other ships.
Fruit and desserts on the lunch buffet in Compass Rose
Breakfast each morning in Compass Rose features a variety of fruit, cereals, breads and pastries. Scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage are available from the buffet. An eggs-cooked-to-order station is available where you can get omelets or fried eggs cooked to your specifications. Eggs Benedict and pancakes are available from an á la carté menu on the table and ordered from your waiter. Rickee tried the Eggs Benedict and they were perfectly poached.
Salad bar at Compass Rose
Lunch items change each day and include a nice salad bar, some sort of sandwich, a couple of hot entrées and side dishes, soup and a carving station. Dinner menus change each evening and offer a variety of starters, main courses and desserts. The Gala Dinner, held one evening during the cruise, it not to be missed.
The Gala Dinner was a multi-course, elaborate meal with some impressive offerings. The Smoked Duck Breast starter was especially nice.
Smoked duck breast at Gala Dinner
Overall, the food served in Compass Rose falls into the "good to very good" range. Service from the wait staff was excellent. Complimentary red and white wines were offered each evening, and were also very good. When I mentioned to my waiter that I preferred a Reisling instead of Savignon Blanc, he did not hesitate to fill my glass with a very nice German Reisling.
Enjoying our table for two in Compass Rose
There are only two two-top tables in Compass Rose, one on each side of the dining room. However, because guests have the option to dine any time between 6:30pm and 8:30pm, there are usually enough four-top tables available allowing you to dine alone if you wish.
Sample lunch menu in Compass Rose
Tauck is the only river cruise line on which we have sailed that offers an alternative dining venue that is open all day long, from 11am until 11pm. Arthur's is located aft on Deck 3 and starts each day with an Early Riser breakfast at 6:00am.
Early Riser breakfast at Arthur's
A selection of cereals, yogurt, fruits, cheeses, meats, juices and pastries is available each morning in Arthur's. There is an automatic coffee machine available 24 hours-a-day along with a very nice selection of tea. Cookies are always available for the taking.
Coffee machine at Arthur's
At lunchtime (beginning at 11am), Arthur's offers a lunch menu with a choice of sandwiches, flatbreads, burgers, salads and soups.
Lunch menu at Arthur's
In the evening, the dinner menu at Arthur's changes to offer a steakhouse-style menu with a variety of steaks, chops, chicken and fish. One item that spans both lunch and dinner menus is the Goulash Soup, a spicy and rich broth with chunks of beef and a flavor reminiscent of Texas chili. It was delicious and a good way to warm up on a cold winter day!
Casual seating at breakfast and lunch in Arthur's
There is also a full bar in Arthur's, making it a great place to go for a drink, even if you don't want to have a meal.
The bar at Arthur’s
Arthur's is a great concept offering an all-day dining alternative to Compass Rose.
Bars and Lounges
The Panorama Lounge is the main lounge on ms Savor. It is located forward on Deck 3, just forward of Reception. The elegant decor of Panorama Lounge is reflective of other Tauck/Scylla river ships on which we have sailed.
Panorama Lounge
Seating is very comfortable and there are expansive, scenic views of the landscape as the ship sails the rivers of Europe. The bar is located in the front half of the lounge, with a few smaller tables in front of the bar.
ms Savor Bar
Tauck river cruises are all-inclusive, so there is no need to sign a ticket for cocktails, beer or wine as all drinks are included in the cruise fare. The quality of cocktails is unmatched, anywhere. There is a house sparkling wine, or, you can order a glass of Moet & Chandon Champagne. My Crown Royal (below) pour was nearly double what was delivered on another river cruise line, and I was paying $7.50 per drink on that cruise! And, on Tauck, if you want a double, just ask for it. The price is the same!
As you can see from the photo above, there are mixed nuts on each table in a proper "pour out" bottle. There is a Cocktail Hour each evening before dinner where waiters/esses circulate with trays of delicious hors d' oeuvres. A "premium" cruise line may offer hors d' oeuvres once or twice per cruise, but a "luxury" cruise line, like Tauck, does so each evening. This is a pretty big deal for us because we often don't go to dinner. We can eat two or three of the hors d' oeuvres and be set for the night.
As mentioned previously, there is also a full bar located aft on Deck 3 in Arthur's. So, if you prefer a smaller, more intimate spot to enjoy your favorite beverage, you have that option.
Entertainment
As with any river cruise, the main form of entertainment is the destination and the excursions. However, Tauck provides guests with an array of onboard activities and entertainment. There is a resident pianist who plays in Panorama Lounge each evening after dinner and during Cocktail Hour. A small dance floor allows those who so desire to "cut a rug."
In Regensburg, we were treated to an acapella concert by Spitzweig Quartet. They performed a series of Christmas songs in both German and English. When we returned to our stateroom that evening, a CD of their music was waiting for us on our bed!
One afternoon, there was a gingerbread house decorating competition in Panorama Lounge. Each "team" was given a kit with pre-formed gingerbread pieces and instructions. Candies and a piping bag filled with icing were provided for construction and decorations.
Gingerbread house "kit"
Team members start building the house by using the icing to "glue" the pieces together.
Then, pieces of colorful candy, and more icing, are used to decorate the house.
Rickee's team members and their gingerbread house
At the end, each team's gingerbread house was put on display in the Reception area for everyone to admire. Rickee said it was the most fun activity she has ever had on a cruise ship!
Another fun activity was when Tauck gave each guest 10 Euros to purchase a Christmas ornament at one of the Christmas markets we visited. These ornaments would be placed on the Christmas tree in the Reception area. We all gathered one evening to place the ornaments we purchased on the tree. Christmas music was playing and hot beverages were served along with Christmas snacks. It was such fun! At the end of the cruise, each guest got to take his/her ornament home with them.
If you are one of those who cannot go a week without exercise, there is a nicely-equipped Fitness Center on Deck 1, and even a steam room and sauna! There is a hair salon on Deck 1 for those who want additional pampering.
Fitness Center
Although not used on this cruise due to cold weather, the Sun Deck (top deck) has a hot tub and golf putting green. It is important to note that there is an elevator that travels between decks.
The Tauck Experience
The dress code is casual with one opportunity to "dress up" at the Gala Dinner. During the day, I wore blue jeans, vest, jacket and flannel shirts. After 5pm, it is suggested that guests not wear shorts or jeans in the public areas or dining room, a non-existent issue on this sailing with temperatures in the 30s most days. Umbrellas are provided in each cabin as well as at Reception; however, packing a small portable umbrella is advisable.
River cruising, in general, tends to attract a mature crowd, and the guests on Tauck fit this description. You will rarely find families with small children on a river cruise and, there were none on this sailing. Tauck does offer river cruise itineraries designed specifically for families.
Tauck delivers an all-inclusive experience that includes gratuities and beverages in the cruise fare. Depending on the package you purchase, it may also include a pre-/post-cruise hotel stay and airfare. This can make Tauck a very good value compared to other river cruise products. Gratuities on other river cruises can be as much as $20 per day/per person. On this sailing, that would be $280 for two people! An unlimited drink package on another popular river cruise line costs another $20 per day, so add another $280. Tauck also includes special events and meals off the boat that would easily cost you several hundred dollars on other cruise lines.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Cruise accommodations
All meals on board
Special events and meals off the boat
All excursions
All gratuities
Airport transfers
Soft drinks, bottled water, beer, wine and liquor
Premium spirits
Complimentary use of bicycles when docked
Complimentary WiFi
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
Incidentals (gifts, postcards, postage, etc.
Salon services (hair, nails, massage)
One important thing should not be overlooked, considering that this was billed as a "Christmas Markets" cruise. Of the four Christmas Markets river cruises we have enjoyed, none evoked the feeling and spirit of Christmas as completely as this Tauck cruise. Everywhere you looked, there were beautifully decorated Christmas trees, greenery and ornaments.
From this vantage point, you can see three Christmas trees!
Even the handrails were wrapped with Christmas bows and decorations.
The gingerbread house display in Panorama Lounge was also very special.
Tauck Tour Director, Zophia, is all wrapped up in a bow for Christmas
And, of course, Cruise Director, Steve Marchant is not going to be outdone. He wore a different colorful Christmas sweater each day.
Tauck also puts a lot of emphasis on giving to those less fortunate. There is a Giving Tree in the lobby and guests are encouraged to purchase gifts or necessities (diapers, clothing) etc. for children up to the age of six and place these unwrapped gifts under the tree in the Reception area. In addition to the presents, Tauck contributes 200€ to the charity.
Gifts donated by Tauck guests on this sailing
Summary
We have been singing the praises of Tauck River Cruising for years. So, we were not surprised when this cruise lived up to our high expectations. This was our 15th European river cruise and our fourth Christmas Markets cruise (on four different cruise lines). Every Christmas Markets cruise we have taken has been enjoyable. But, none has evoked the feeling of Christmas like the ms Savor cruise. If you love Christmas and want to immerse yourself in the Christmas spirit, take a Tauck Christmas Markets river cruise!
Chris Dikmen and Rickee Richardson are luxury cruise and travel journalists for CruiseReport.com
Silver Muse - A New Standard of Luxury from Silversea
Silversea’s new flagship sets a whole new standard for luxury cruise travel.
Itinerary: Valletta, Taormina, Amalfi, Sorrento, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Villefranche, Villefranche
I remember the last time we sailed on a brand new Silversea flagship, Silver Spirit. At that time, Rickee and I agreed that there was little Silversea could do to improve upon that ship. And, while Silver Spirit is still one of our favorite Silversea ships, Silver Muse reflects a whole new direction for Silversea, one that the entire luxury segment may soon try to copy.
Embarkation
We boarded Silver Muse in Valletta, Malta, for the second half of a 14-night Inaugural sailing from Monte Carlo to Villefranche. The sailing was sold out, so the person occupying our suite (848) disembarked in Valletta the morning before we embarked. In fact, there were only five of us who embarked in Valletta, which made for an interesting embarkation process. When we arrived shoreside at 2:00pm, we were the only ones embarking. We walked up the gangway, showed the security officer our paperwork and, after a call to Reception, he directed us to Deck 5 where we could check in.
As soon as we stepped off the elevator on Deck 5, Marcus (one of the Reception staff) was there to greet us and escort us to the Reception Desk which is located at the back of the Dolce Vita lounge. In true Silversea fashion, Marcus quickly produced cool towels and glasses of chilled champagne for a proper Silversea welcome aboard. Check-in only took a few minutes and, after our photos were taken, we were given our suite keys and escorted to our Deluxe Veranda Suite on Deck 8.
Luggage was waiting for us when we arrived
We were pleasantly surprised to find our luggage had already been delivered to our suite and placed on two luggage racks (much nicer than throwing them on the bed). A butler soon arrived to greet us and inform us that our butler, Haley, was currently off duty but that he could take care of anything we needed until she was back on duty. As is customary on Silversea, a bottle of chilled prosecco was chilled and waiting for us on our coffee table.
Welcome aboard Prosecco
This is one of the easiest embarkations we have ever experienced.
The Ship
By the numbers, Silver Muse has a grt of 40,700 and can accommodate 596 guests. She is the largest ship in the Silversea fleet, edging out Silver Spirit's guest capacity by a mere 56. But, Silver Muse represents more revolution than evolution compared to other Silversea vessels. This manifests itself primarily in the area of dining. Silver Muse has eight dining venues compared to five for Silver Spirit. Because the ship is an all-suite, all-veranda design, there is only one main corridor through each deck. This allows for larger suites and wider hallways.
Single corridor design means expansive hallways and elevator lobbies
The ship is very easy to find your way around. This is, in part, because of its smaller size, but also because of its design. There are four elevators aft and two forward on every deck with the exception of Deck 11 which only has forward elevators. There are stairs near the elevator lobbies for those who prefer to walk off some of the additional weight they will no doubt be gaining in Silver Muse's restaurants.
Public areas are where you expect them to be on a Silversea ship. Reception and Shore Excursion desks are on Deck 5 at the rear of the Dolce Vita lounge. The Venetian Lounge is located on Deck 5 aft and is the ship's main theater for lectures and production shows.
The Venetian Lounge
Deck 4 is dedicated to four restaurants, which will be covered in more detail under Food and Dining.
Deck 4 lobby entrance to restaurants
Nearly a third of Deck 6 is taken up by the massive Zagara Spa and Fitness Center. The spa offers every imaginable massage treatment, facials, a nail and hair salon and even teeth-whitening! The well-equipped fitness center has top-of-the-line TechnoGym cardio and circuit-training equipment.
TechnoGym equipment in Fitness Center
On Deck 7 aft you will find La Terrazza, the ship's breakfast and lunch buffet restaurant and evening Italian restaurant. Silver Note, a jazz supper club, is just forward of La Terrazza as is a very small Casino. The ship's boutiques are located on Deck 8 aft as is the Arts Cafe and Connoisseur's Corner (smoking lounge).
The Arts Café offers a relaxed spot for tea, a snack, or a cocktail
There is a handy (and elegant) spiral staircase at the back of Deck 8 that ends in Panorama Lounge on Deck 9 aft.
Panorama Lounge
The Panorama Lounge is quite large and has both indoor and outdoor seating. Deck 10 is where you will find the ship's pool, lots of open deck space for lounging in the sun and the Pool Bar and Pool Grill. The pool itself is surprisingly large and will be loved by those who like to swim a few laps each day.
Deck 10 is the Pool Deck
There is additional lounging available on Deck 11 overlooking the Pool Deck and this is also the location of the walking/jogging track.
Jogging track and loungers on Deck 11
Deck 11 is also home to Spaccanapoli, the ship's pizza restaurant which overlooks the swimming pool. Moving inside and forward, Thor's Observation Lounge becomes the highest point on Silver Muse where you can enjoy a cocktail, relax, and look out over the ocean ahead.
Thor's Observation Lounge
From top to bottom, Silver Muse is the most beautiful Silversea ship to date. As with all Silversea vessels, "understated elegance" can best describe the approach to decor. The whole ship has a quality feel that is hard to describe, but easy to get used to.
The ship is equipped with WiFi Internet service (for an additional fee). There are different service plans available for a "standard" Internet/WiFi. We opted for the Premium Internet Package which offers unlimited WiFi, presumably at a higher speed. The speed of the Premium package was reasonable, but it had an annoying characteristic of interrupting our service periodically, forcing us to have to log in again. This would frequently happen right in the middle of a work session. So, it is not as though it was timing out from lack of use. We overheard other guests complaining about the same experience with their Internet service. Another annoyance was the inability to connect more than one personal device simultaneously to the ship's WiFi. If I wanted to use my phone's WiFi, my laptop would automatically be disconnected from the service.
Accommodations
Every stateroom on Silver Muse is a "suite", each with its own private veranda and butler service. Our Deluxe Veranda Suite (848) was situated amidship on Deck 8 and was very conveniently located. At 387 sq. ft., it is among the smallest suites offered on this ship but is certainly not small.
As with all Silversea ships, the suite decor is muted with neutral tones and hints of blue. Once again, the feeling is one of understated elegance. The long desk/vanity in the living room has a very elegant marble surface instead of wood. No doubt it will hold up better over time. Above the desk is a large see-through mirror wall behind which you will find a flat screen television hiding.
Flat screen television behind mirror in living room
Television programming is quite extensive with multiple international news channels and a closed-circuit, on-demand movie selection (complimentary). You can also pull up your account balance and charges through the television as well as restaurant menus and daily activity schedule. What you can't see are any future reservations you have made for restaurants or shore excursions. One of the first things we attempted to do when we got on board was use the interactive system on the television to confirm the restaurant reservations we had made online through the MySilversea website, but could not.
The desk is quite elegant and a great workspace. There are multiple electrical outlets and two USB charging ports (thank you). There are also two US-style 110 electrical outlets and at least two Euro-style 220 outlets (which will work with most phone/camera chargers).
Two USB power ports on desk
A very nice iHome™ alarm clock is also placed on the desk and can easily be seen from the bed. The alarm clock is outfitted with a wireless charging surface for any cell phone that can be charged wirelessly. Very cool!
Your cell phone can charge wirelessly on top of alarm clock
A mini-bar/fridge is located under the desk and is stocked with whatever beverages you request from your butler, all complimentary. A large oval stool provides a comfortable seat for working at the desk. Opposite the desk is a nice coffee table, small sofa and large leather chair. The coffee table can be converted into a large dining table with the addition of a folding tabletop stored in the closet. Your butler will set this up for you so you can have an elegant meal, complete with linen tablecloth, right in your suite. All furnishings were very comfortable.
The large walk-in closet is big enough for a 100+ day world cruise. There's a lot of hanging space and another large dresser with plenty of drawer space. An electronic safe sits behind a door. All cabinet drawers and doors in the closet, and throughout the suite, are dampened for soft, noise-free closing.
Large walk-in closet
The bathroom is a nice-size and clad in beautiful marble. There is a full-sized bathtub and a separate shower stall. There are shelves on both sides of the mirror and a large open shelf underneath the single sink. Thankfully, Silversea has moved away from the stylish, but clumsy vessel sinks.
The shower is a fiberglass, prefab unit that is oddly-shaped to fit the space. It is larger than it looks and actually quite comfortable to use. However, we did experience a fair amount of hot/cold water fluctuation during showers, making it difficult to get a consistent temperature. A nice, large chrome basket can hold all of your shampoos, conditioners, soaps, etc. The rain shower head in the ceiling augments the handheld wand.
Rain shower head and wand
Our suite was outfitted with Bvlgari™ amenities, but your butler will offer you a choice of luxury-brand amenities. The bath towels are very high quality, soft and absorbent. For some reason, there were no hand towels provided, only bath towels and wash cloths.
Quality amenities
As for the bed, this was the most comfortable Silversea bed on which we have ever slept. And, the linens are top of the line. A pillow menu allows you to choose from a variety of pillow firmness levels and materials. There are flexible reading lamps on each side of the bed. Nightstands have a small drawer and a cubby underneath for more storage. There are two US-style 110 outlets and one Euro-style 220 outlet on each night stand. What you won't find here are USB power ports. So, if you want to keep your phone charged overnight, you will have to leave it on the desk, or bring an AC/USB adapter with you.
The teak-deck veranda is compact but comfortable with nice furnishings including two chairs (with footrests) and a small table. Out butler said that the table can be expanded for al fresco breakfast service.
And, while we are on the subject of butlers, one of the unique features of a Silversea cruise is that ever suite has butler service. Our butler, Hayley, was excellent and always available to answer any questions. She made sure all of our dinner reservations and shore excursions were scheduled. If we needed anything, she was a phone call away.
Hayley, our excellent butler
The Deluxe Veranda Suite was extremely comfortable and well appointed.
Food and Dining
Where other areas of Silver Muse could be considered evolutionary in design and execution, when it comes to culinary pursuits, the ship is unquestionably revolutionary. There are more dining venues on Silver Muse than many ships three times her size, topping out at a total of eight! Each restaurant has its own unique menu, theme and evening dress code. That's right, there is no daily shipwide dress code on Silver Muse as with other Silversea ships. Every night is formal night when dining at Atlantide* or Le Dame*, and every night is casual night when dining at Hot Rocks Grill or Spaccanapoli. All other restaurants are informal*.
This new dress code system takes a little getting used to, especially for the Silversea faithful. Because there is no formal night, so to speak, and dining in Atlantide is formal every night, you could be having a drink in Panorama Lounge at 6:30pm dressed in a tuxedo while sitting next to someone in blue jeans who is planning to have dinner at Hot Rocks Grill that evening. It took a few days for us to figure out the system, but I think we like it!
Atlantide
This seafood-theme restaurant on Deck 4 is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. You can expect à la carte menu service here at every meal. In the evening, the dress code for Atlantide is formal. You can read our full review of Atlantide here.
Indochine
Indochine is one of the largest restaurants on Silver Muse and can seat up to 180 guests. It also boasts the boldest menu of any restaurant on board. The choice of Indian, Thai and Chinese cuisine is the spiciest you will find in any restaurant at sea. My lamb curry had me perspiring from the heat, which is exactly how I asked for it to be prepared. Dress code for Indochine is informal. To read our full review on our Cruise Ship Dining blog, click here.
Kaiseki
Kaiseki is open for lunch and dinner. At lunch, it is a sushi and sashimi restaurant (complimentary). In the evening, it is a full-blown Teppan grill with an incredible dègustation menu. The dress code is informal in the evening and there is a $60 per person charge to dine here. Reservations are recommended. Read our full review of Kaiseki here.
Le Dame
Also located on Deck 4, Le Dame is Silversea's Relais & Châteaux-inspired restaurant featuring French cuisine. This restaurant would be comparable to Le Champagne on other Silversea vessels. Dress code is formal. Reservations are required. And, there is a $60pp cover charge to dine here.
Silver Note
Silver Note is located on Deck 7, just forward from La Terrazza. This intimate jazz supper club is perhaps one of the most unique dining experiences at sea. The menu is over-the-top and borders on being quirky, but the food and entertainment are spot-on. You can read our full review of Silver Note here.
La Terrazza
As on other Silversea vessels, La Terrazza offers buffet service for breakfast and lunch and is transformed into an Italian restaurant each evening. What differs on Silver Muse is that the evening menu never changes (menus rotate on other Silversea ships). That said, the menu is very well composed and quite comprehensive. You can read our full review of La Terrazza on the Cruise Ship Dining blog, click here.
The Arts Cafe
Think of a coffee shop, snack bar, cocktail lounge all rolled into one. The Arts Café on Deck 8 aft is a venue unique to Silver Muse and we found it to be quite a nice spot for a relaxing drink in the evening, or a mid-afternoon snack with tea. The snacks offered here change throughout the day. In the morning, you will find a selection of smoothies, pastries and other small plates. In the afternoon, a selection of snacks and delicious flavor-infused waters are available, as well as teas or any other beverage you might desire.
Snacks and flavor-infused waters at The Arts Cafe
The Arts Café is a great place to curl up with a book, or bring your laptop to get some work done while enjoying a cup of coffee or tea.
Pool Grill/Hot Rocks
The Pool Grill (daytime) is your basic burger, hot dog and sandwich spot located poolside on Deck 10. The menu includes a variety of wraps and salads and some of the best French fries you will find on a ship. I am pleased to report that the Silversea Signature Burger is MUCH improved over past experiences. My burger was cooked to order (medium) and was quite tasty. Even the bun appears to have been improved upon.
In the evening, the Pool Grill becomes Hot Rocks, Silversea's signature "cook-it-yourself" concept where thick steaks, lobster, shrimp or seafood can be prepared right at your table on a searing hot rock exactly to your level of doneness, since you are doing the cooking! With only seven nights on board Silver Muse, and eight restaurants to try, Hot Rocks is one we had to skip on this sailing. We will catch it next time!
Spaccanapoli
Located just one deck above the Pool Grill on Deck 11, Spaccanapoli is Silver Muse's pizza restaurant. This restaurant is open from 11am until 11pm every day, making it a great place for those of us who like to go to lunch early. The menu here is pizza and, well, more pizza. There are no salads, no pasta dishes, nothing but pizza. All seating is outdoors and the dress code here is always casual.
The pizza here is thin crust, neopolitan-style pizza. Every pie is made to order in the nearby pizza kitchen. The ingredients are fresh and the pizzas are perhaps the best you will find on any cruise ship anywhere.
Room Service
Of course, we can't fail to mention that Silversea offers guests an unmatched level of room service. There is a room service menu in each suite with items that are available 24 hours a day. However, during dinner hours, you can order any item from Atlantide, Indochine, Spaccanapoli, or La Terrazza, delivered to your suite.
Anywhere/Anytime Dining
You can order just about anything and have it delivered anywhere on the ship. Let's say you would like to enjoy a cheese platter while sitting poolside. How about a burger and fries delivered to Panorama Lounge aft deck? Just call 404 (room service) and place your order. We love it!
I used this service each morning at 5:30am in Panorama Lounge. I would order a pot of hot water and a coffee cup for my coffee (I use a French press) and have it delivered to Panaorama where I settled in for my morning blog sessions. Wonderful!
I can't recall sailing on any cruise ship, of any size, that offered as many dining options as Silver Muse. What's missing is the traditional cruise dining restaurant with a menu that changes every evening. Instead of guests going to one place to experience a different menu each night, guests can go to a different restaurant each night. Since each restaurant has the same menu every day, logic would dictate that execution of that menu would be much improved. As I stated earlier, this new way of dining takes a little getting used to, but after seven days, we loved it! I suspect many Silversea guests are going to feel the same way.
* The exception to this rule is embarkation and disembarkation day when every dining venue is casual.
Bars and Lounges
Bar service has always been excellent on Silversea, and this has not changed with Silver Muse. All beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks are complimentary on Silversea cruises. This not only adds to the value of a Silversea cruise, it eliminates the hassle of having to sign for drinks every time you place an order.
During the day, one of the busiest bars on the ship is no doubt the Pool Bar. Waiters are circulating around the pool area to make sure guests' thirsts are adequately quenched. The largest lounge on the ship is Dolce Vita on Deck 5. Comparable to The Bar on other Silversea ships, Dolce Vita also offers piano music in the evenings.
Dolce Vita
We only visited Dolce Vita one evening for pre-dinner cocktails. We preferred the smaller, more intimate feel of Panorama Lounge on Deck 9 aft. We also enjoyed the music of the Silver Muse Contemporary Trio. Panorama Lounge has the advantage of outdoor seating making it a great place to enjoy warm-weather sunsets while sipping champagne.
Creative and delicious hors d'oeuvres served in Panorama Lounge and Dolce Vita
If you prefer a smaller, quieter spot to enjoy conversation while sipping your favorite beverage, The Arts Café on Deck 8 aft is a great choice, as is Thor's Observation Lounge on Deck 11 forward. If you have dinner reservations in one of the restaurants on Deck 4 (Indochine, Atlantide, Le Dame or Kaiseki), you can enjoy a drink in the Atlantide Bar or Enoteca (located inside Indochine).
The Atlantide Bar
No matter where you are on Silver Muse, a watering hole is nearby. Bar service was excellent throughout the ship.
Entertainment and Activities
As with most cruise ships, when the sun is shining and the weather is warm, the Pool Deck is where you will find many Silver Muse guests. On our sailing, it was a little too cool for all but the true sun-worshippers to sit poolside. No problem, Silver Muse's entertainment staff offer a variety of activities to keep guests occupied. Team Trivia is always popular on Silversea and offered every day, even when the ship is in port. Golf Putting is another Silversea signature activity that we have always enjoyed. Guests who participate accumulate Silversea Points during the cruise that can be redeemed for Silversea logo prizes at the end of the cruise.
A protected section of Deck 9 portside has been set aside for table tennis and shuffleboard. This is the nicest setup we have seen for table tennis as it is protected from the wind and other elements.
Table tennis and shuffleboard
For the little kiddos, an Activities Room is equipped with televisions and areas for playing a variety of games and other activities. We did not have any cooking demonstrations on our sailing, but this is probably due to the fact that there were no days at sea.
On most days, we enjoyed a lecture series conducted by Dr. Mark Elovitz on a variety of geopolitical topics. Silversea always has excellent lecturers.
Dr. Mark Elovitz
In the evenings, guests migrate to the Venetian Lounge (Deck 5 aft) for the nightly performance. The Venetian Lounge is the main theater and is the venue for all lectures and evening performances. The lounge has comfortable seating and good sight lines to the stage. Acoustics are also very good.
The Venetian Lounge
The Silver Muse Contemporary Trio provided background music in Panorama Lounge each evening during cocktail hour.
The Silver Muse Singers, a group of three male and three female singers, performed a variety of production shows during our cruise. The quality of vocals, costumes and set design is much improved over what we have experienced previously on Silversea.
All of the entertainment is under the direction of Cruise Director Jimmy Kovel.
Cruise Director, Jimmy Kovel
In addition to the cast of resident singers, Silversea has guest performances on some evenings. There were also a couple of "big screen movie nights" held in the Venetian Lounge, showing new-release movies.
And of course, Helene and Andre performed excellent jazz in Silver Note.
Overall, we felt the entertainment on board Silver Muse was some of the best we have ever experienced on Silversea, certainly worthy of their new flagship!
Shore Excursions
Silversea guests tend to be very well-traveled, experienced world explorers. Silversea knows how to cater to this elite group of guests by offering high-quality excursions that also happen to be a very good value. During our cruise, we joined three different Silversea excursions and each one was unique and very well executed, and each one was a good value.
A tasting at a Michelin-star restaurant was one of the most unique tours we have ever experienced
Silversea always tries to keep tour groups smaller, which makes for a much more pleasant experience. Have you tried visiting Florence with a group of 80 others? It's not fun.
Smaller groups make for a more enjoyable tour
For those who enjoy exploring on their own, Silversea arranges for complimentary shuttle services is most ports. Shuttle schedules are always available at the Shore Excursion desk on Deck 5.
Shuttle schedule
When disembarking Silver Muse on one of the ship's tenders, or using the gangway to go ashore, complimentary bottles of water are always available for the taking.
When tendering was required, Silversea ran tenders to and from shore on a regular basis. Tender service was unusually "rough" on this cruise for some reason. Perhaps a new style of tender boat was the reason, but we noticed much more pitching and rolling of the tender boats, especially when attempting to pull alongside the ship. Even in relatively calm seas, the tender boats seemed to bob up and down in the water more than we have experienced in the past.
Silver Muse regular tender service
We have always been impressed with Silversea's Shore excursion operations. We still are.
The Silver Muse Experience
For now, at least, the Silver Muse experience is slightly different that the Silversea Experience. The lack of a daily shipwide dress code will no doubt be praised by many, and scorned by some traditionalists. The evening dress code is now determined by where you choose to dine. If you are dining in one of the formal restaurants (Atlantide or La Dame), you can enjoy cocktails with like-clad diners at Atlantide Bar. Informal diners (Indochine, Kaiseki, La Terrazza, Silver Note) can retreat to Enoteca on Deck 4 or The Panorama Lounge, where we found most guests tend to adhere to informal attire. Casual diners will feel more comfortable enjoying a drink at the Pool Bar or The Arts Cafe in the evenings.
Silversea has taken a very bold step to revolutionize the cruise ship dining experience. This is the first ship on which we have sailed that does not have a traditional "cruise ship restaurant" dining venue. We, too, were a little hesitant for the first few days. But, after seven days, we are huge fans of this new paradigm. Each restaurant has its own unique theme and menu, each executed very well.
The one thing that has not changed on Silver Muse is the excellent Silversea service and attention to detail. It is hard to declare a favorite Silversea ship, but I think we may have give a slight edge to Silver Muse. This may be the most luxurious, decadent way to see the world.
Chris Dikmen and Rickee Richardson are professional travel journalists for CruiseReport.com
Tahiti & Society Islands Cruise on m/s Paul Gauguin
Tahiti is the most romantic destination on Earth, and Paul Gauguin Cruises is the best way to experience it.
Itinerary: Papeete, Huahine, Taha'a, Bora Bora, Bora Bora, Moorea, Moorea, Papeete
There are a handful of cruise lines that don't fit the typical cruise review mold. Paul Gauguin Cruises is one such cruise line. First, the cruise line currently operates only one vessel: M/S Paul Gauguin. Second, they are focused on South Pacific destinations, most notably the islands of French Polynesia. And, third, guests will most likely be flying into Papeete to embark M/S Paul Gauguin, which presents its own set of unique circumstances.
Embarkation
As mentioned previously, our sailing embarked in Papeete, Tahiti, which required a total of about 11 hours of flying time. Our flight from DFW to LAX took approximately three hours, then add another eight hours for the flight from LAX to Papeete. Most US guests will likely fly to Papeete on Air Tahiti Nui (ATN), as was the case with us. That means you will probably not arrive in Papeete until very late at night. We flew in Economy Class, electing not to spend the $1,000 per person (each way) to upgrade to Business Class.
Economy Class on ATN is not all that comfortable. The Airbus A-340 is a wide-body aircraft with 2-4-2 seating. We were fortunate on the flight over to have a window and aisle seat on the "2-side" of the plane, as opposed to the center section. We also flew on one of their newer planes (not to be confused with a"new" plane) which did have touch-screen, on-demand entertainment in each seatback and had USB chargers. The seats, however, were very cramped and very uncomfortable. Halfway through the flight, we were re-thinking our decision to not upgrade.
In the photo above, you can see where my knees (I am 6' 2" tall) touched the back of the seat in front of me. And, this was before the person in front of me reclined their seat! Also, Air Tahiti Nui provides no way to select a seat in advance through their website. Multiple phone calls to their reservations' 800 number resulted in the same response: "You can only select your seats at check-in at the airport." Now, I only mention this because when you sail on Paul Gauguin Cruises, you are very likely going to be flying on Air Tahiti Nui so, if you can afford it, pay for the upgrade to Business Class!
Also, we highly recommend flying into Papeete a day or two ahead of your cruise. Get a room at the Intercontinental Hotel and Resort and you will be able to board the ship in the afternoon on the day of embarkation. Because of our late night arrival, we did not get to the ship until midnight, and we were pretty wiped out the next day.
Embarking M/S Paul Gauguin after midnight
Fortunately, once we boarded the ship, check-in was very fast and efficient. We were impressed that crew members were on hand to carry hand luggage up the gangway and into the lounge where we checked in. Once we arrived in the Grand Salon, we were greeted with glasses of champagne and whisked through the check-in process. A stewardess escorted us to our stateroom and, within 10 minutes of boarding, we were unpacking our luggage which was waiting for us in our stateroom.
The Ship
M/S Paul Gauguin is 19,200 tons and can carry 332 guests on seven passenger decks. The ship was originally operated by Radisson Seven Seas, which later became Regent Seven Seas. If you look at the smokestack very closely, you can still see the outline of the original Radisson Seven Seas logo underneath the prominent "P" that now emblazons that space. The ship is 18 years old and I can still remember touring her in 2000 when we were in Tahiti for a cruise with the now- defunct Renaissance Cruises.
m/s paul gauguin
From the exterior, you would never know that the ship is 18 years old. Even inside, the ship has held up well, although there are a few spaces that could use a refresh. An upcoming dry dock will no doubt address some of these areas. For Goldilocks cruise enthusiasts that find ships with 700+ guests overwhelming, and those with fewer than 100 guests boring, M/S Paul Gauguin is "just right." With a crew complement of 215, she has one of the highest crew-to-guest ratios in the industry.
Because of her modest size, M/S Paul Gauguin is very easy for guests to find their way around. If you forget something right before you board the tender on Deck 3, it won't take more than a few minutes to get back to your stateroom, even if it is on Deck 8, to retrieve that bottle of sunscreen or beach towel.
The Grand Salon is on Deck 5 forward and is the venue for entertainment and lectures on board. It is also the meeting point for shore excursions. The Grand Salon is actually a very well-designed theater for a ship this size with comfortable seating and excellent sight lines.
Grand Salon
There are two sets of stairs and elevators, one aft and one forward. You can move from Deck 3 all the way to Deck 8 from either set of stairs/elevators. This makes M/S Paul Gauguin easy to navigate for those with mobility issues.
The forward section of Deck 6 is occupied by balcony staterooms, as is all of Deck 7, and Deck 8 forward. Deck 8 midship is where you will find the ship's pool and the Pool Bar. The nice-sized pool is surrounded by plenty of sun loungers. However, the lounge chairs are not quite up to the standards we would expect to see on a ship that spends its days sailing the sun-drenched waters of the South Pacific. The addition of cushions would be nice.
Pool Deck
Deck 9 forward is where you will find Bar Du Soleil, a very nice area that appeared to only be used for special events. It is too bad that it is not utilized more because it is a wonderful space with expansive views of the ocean. There is also a lot of open deck space on Deck 9 and sun loungers can be found here for those who want a bit more privacy than is available on the pool deck.
The ship is equipped with stabilizers, which can help to smooth out the ride in rougher seas. We only experienced minimal motion the first night sailing from Papeete to Huahine, and it was not bad at all. On several evenings, the ship is anchored at night in protected waters.
M/S Paul Gauguin is equipped with WiFi Internet access for guest use. The costs are in line with what most other cruise lines charge for Internet access. I was pleased with the speed and reliability of the Internet on board...for a cruise ship. I was able to connect from our stateroom and from La Palette (Deck 8 aft). There were only a couple of instances of dropped connections, which is common with cruise ship satellite Internet connections.
Accommodations
Our Category C Balcony Stateroom (760) was located on Deck 7 aft, port side. The 202 sq. ft. stateroom is nicely laid out and quite comfortable overall. The use of mirrored walls helped to make the room appear larger. The queen-sized bed was reasonably comfortable and linens were top quality. A beautiful fresh tropical floral arrangement was the nicest (and largest) we have ever seen in a stateroom. However, it did take up a sizable amount of much-needed space on the coffee table.
Category C Balcony Stateroom
The white marble bathroom has a full-size tub/shower combination, toilet (obviously) and single sink with storage on each side of the sink behind mirrored doors. There is additional storage space both above and below the sink. Lotion, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner are all L'Occitane and are replenished as needed.
The twin closets can easily hold enough clothing for two people for a two-week cruise. Between the closets there is a vanity with mirror, but no makeup mirror, and less-than-perfect lighting. This space can also double as a small desk and is the only place we found electrical outlets (1 US-Style 110 and 1 European-style 220). This table soon became cluttered with all of our chargers, computer, iPad, camera and cell phones. A small battery-operated alarm clock is provided, a welcomed feature.
Between the bed and the balcony is a small sofa, coffee table and padded stool that can be used as additional seating. A wall unit has lots of storage cubbies and cabinets, a small flat-screen television w/DVD player, and a mini-fridge (stocked with soft drinks, water and beer). The balcony is only 37 sq. ft. but can easily accommodate two people to enjoy Tahitian sunsets or watch dolphins playing alongside the ship. Enjoying breakfast al fresco might be a challenge due to the very small balcony table. The sliding door to the balcony functioned smoothly, but could easily be slammed if you were not careful. The stateroom door, on the other hand, is difficult to slam. In fact, if you let the door close on its own, you can barely hear it.
If I were picking nits, I would say the reading lights attached to the wall on each side of the bed should be changed to cool LED lights instead of the broiling hot, and super-bright halogens. And, please add more electrical outlets and perhaps even a couple of USB charging ports. The stateroom was reasonably quiet. We could hear our neighbors slam their balcony door a few times. And, if you book a stateroom on Deck 7 aft of 756 (port) or 755 (starboard) you will hear the late-night disco music (especially the pounding bass!) coming from La Palette. The music would crank up around 10pm and continue until about midnight.
A hair dryer is provided in each stateroom. Laundry service is available for a fee. There is no self-service launderette on the ship.
Food and Dining
A continental breakfast is set up in La Palette each morning at 06:30 with pastries, fruit, cereal, coffee, tea and juice. Buffet breakfast is available starting at 7:00 or 7:30am in Le Grill on Deck 8 and La Veranda on Deck 6. Both venues offer an a la carté menu and eggs cooked-to-order. Tip: have breakfast in La Veranda to avoid crowds. Most people have breakfast at Le Grill because of the outdoor seating near the pool. But, La Veranda has outdoor seating, too, and fewer people!
Lunch is served at La Veranda and Le Grill each day at noon. Both venues offer a buffet of salads, breads, desserts, a pasta station and an a la carté menu featuring burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, etc. La Veranda was our favorite place for lunch because it was less crowded and had more food choices including a carving station and additional hot entrees. They also offer a different ethnic "theme" each day in La Veranda (French, Italian, Tex-Mex, Greek, etc.)
A variety of fresh salads on the lunch buffet
For dinner, guests can choose to dine in the ship's main restaurant, L' Etoile, on Deck 5 aft. This is a more traditional cruise ship dining venue but with open seating allowing you to dine anytime between 7:00pm and 9:00pm and sit with whomever you like. We had dinner in L' Etoile on three evenings and never had a problem finding a table for two.
L' Etoile
Reservations are required to dine at Le Grill on Deck 8 and La Veranda on Deck 6 in the evenings. Both offer fixed menus with Le Grill offering a Pan-Asian-influenced menu. The menu at La Veranda offers a Menu Dégustation (multi-course chef's selection) as well as an a la carté menu. You should make reservations as soon as you board the ship to ensure the dining day and time you want.
Le Grill
On the evening of our dinner at Le Grill, the weather was perfect, so tables were placed on the pool deck for a very romantic setting. Tables are candlelit (battery-operated candles), and the mood is as nice as we have experienced on any ship. My Polynesian marinated strip steak was flavorful and cooked perfectly. Rickee's Wahoo fish was a bit overcooked and dry. We also shared an order of the Chicken Chow Mein, which was my personal favorite. Dinner at Le Grill is a must on any Paul Gauguin Cruise.
At our La Veranda dinner, Rickee and I ordered the exact same thing. The cream of mushroom soup was delicious. The mushroom risotto was cooked well, but swimming in truffle oil. The vanilla creme bruleè was excellent.
La Veranda
Everyone should try Le Grill and La Veranda at least once per cruise. And, L' Etoile, the only evening venue that does not require reservations, is quite good. Guests can also enjoy room service 24 hours a day with a fairly extensive room service menu. The evening menu at L 'Etoile is also available from room service during regular dining hours. We saw a lot of room service meals being delivered each morning at breakfast.
Complimentary wines are offered each day for lunch and dinner and we found the wine choices to be excellent.
Excellent wines are offered at lunch and dinner
When we mentioned to our waiter that we prefer a sweeter wine, he did not hesitate to bring a bottle of Gewürztraminer (a sweet German wine) to our table for us to enjoy. Not many cruise lines even stock sweeter wines, much less allow you to deviate from the standard "red or white" offering of the day. From that day forward, our waiters somehow remembered that we liked the Gewürztraminer and always offered it.
Bar Service
All cocktails, beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks are complimentary on Paul Gauguin. That means you will never have to be hassled by having to sign a check every time you order a drink at one of the bars. We feel that is a huge value. Bar service throughout the ship is extremely good. Bartenders were not shy about pouring generous amounts of rum into the fruity, colorful "drink-of-the-day" and, the Spicy Bloody Mary at the Pool Bar is as good as you will find anywhere.
The Piano Bar on Deck 5 was our overall favorite spot for pre-dinner cocktails. On our second visit to the Piano Bar, the bartender knew our favorite drinks and, as soon as we sat down, the drinks were delivered. Delicious canapés are served each evening in the Piano Bar and La Palette.
All the way aft on Deck 8 you will find La Palette. La Palette is a panorama lounge with indoor and outdoor seating. There is a full bar here and this becomes the ship's disco each evening. If you want to enjoy your favorite cocktail while taking in an amazing sunset, La Palette is your spot.
Guests enjoy the patio at La Palette for a sunset cocktail
La Palette is one space that is showing its age but we were told that a renovation of this area is scheduled in the upcoming dry dock. The indoor seating is not as comfortable, or attractive, as the seating in the Piano Bar and the tables are small and dated. However, La Palette was my go-to spot for early morning coffee and blogging/internet duties. Fortunately, coffee and hot water were available after 5:30am and a nice continental breakfast is served here from 6am until 11am.
La Palette
Entertainment
Onboard entertainment focuses heavily on immersion in the Polynesian culture. On our voyage, we were treated to a dance performance by the "Children of Huahine" and to a group of local musicians who performed during Polynesian Night. We also had the opportunity to be entertained by the most famous dance troupe in French Polynesia.
Local performers come aboard in Moorea to perform
The Les Gauguines, a group of Polynesian crew members who serve as onboard cultural ambassadors, perform local music at various venues around the ship. They proudly share Polynesian history and traditions with guests.
Les Gauguines perform at a special celebration
The ship also has its own musical band, Santa Rosa, that performs at the pool and in La Palette.
On our sailing, Cruise Director, Claudine Carle, presented a one-woman show that featured her tribute to famous singing "divas".
Activities
Guests can enjoy quite a few onboard activities when they are not off the ship exploring the beauty of the Society Islands. Les Gauguines conduct a variety of classes such as pareo tying, shell-jewelry making, hair-pick creations, Tahitian language lessons, dance classes and various other glimpses into the culture of French Polynesia.
Rickee learns how to tie a pareo
The ship has a marina on Deck 4 aft where guests have complimentary use of a variety of water toys. Guests can kayak, paddleboard or wind surf when weather and local laws permit. Snorkel equipment is available at no charge for guests to use for the week.
Experienced and wannabe SCUBA divers will appreciate the ship's commitment to the sport. The m/s Paul Gauguin offers PADI certification on board. All dives offered are guided by a professional PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) Dive Master/Instructor. Each is skilled in ensuring that guests have the best dive possible.
Dive tank filling station
The ship is fully equipped with an onboard practice pool, a tank-filling station, and two inflatable dive boats with ladders. Each holds eight divers and two instructors. No tender to shore is needed—you simply leave from the marina platform of the ship and return to it after your dive, where a warm shower awaits.
One day, M/S Paul Gauguin shuttles guests to a small motu for a beach party and BBQ. You can read all about our day at the beach on our cruise blog.
Enjoying my (third) rum punch at the beach BBQ
There were several lectures conducted during our sailing. By far, the most interesting for us was an Indian Cooking Demonstration by Canadian Chef, Vikram Vij. This was a lecture meets cooking demonstration meets comedy show. Chef Vij is a celebrity chef in Canada having appeared on Top Chef Canada, Chopped Canada and Dragon's Den. He owns four highly-acclaimed Indian restaurants in Vancouver.
Chef Vij shows us how to create his signature Curry Chicken
We have attended more than our share of cruise ship lectures in the past 15 years, but nothing like the one with Chef Vij. He was very entertaining.
Paul Gauguin is very popular with honeymooners and those celebrating their wedding anniversary. The crew goes out of their way to show special attention to those guests celebrating a special occasion.
A special anniversary cake delivered to your stateroom
One evening, a special "by invitation only" celebration is held in La Palette just for honeymooners and those celebrating their anniversaries. Attendees are greeted with a glass of champagne and Les Gauguines are on hand to entertain with Polynesian music and a special dance. Each couple is invited to have their photo taken with Bora Bora in the background, wrapped in a traditional Polynesian blanket that symbolizes love. For those celebrating a special day, Paul Gauguin helps make it a day they will not soon forget!
Special anniversary/honeymoon photo
Repeat guests on Paul Gauguin were invited to a private function at Bar Du Soleil (Deck 9 forward). We were greeted by Hotel Director, Jacques Le Tallec, and had the opportunity to mingle with other senior staff while enjoying champagne and delicious canapés.
Hotel Director, Jacques Le Tallec, greets Rickee at Welcome Back Party
The Deep Nature Spa offers every possible type of treatment you could want.
The small fitness center is nicely equipped with LifeFitness machines, bicycles, treadmills and stair climbing machines.
Excursions
Paul Gauguin Cruises is all about the destination, and the destination just happens to be one of the most beautiful and romantic places on Earth. During our 7-night Tahiti and Society Islands cruise, we participated in four different excursions, three of which were booked through Gauguin and one booked independently.
Half-Day Lagoon Excursion
Our first excursion in Bora Bora was with a local tour provider, which we booked directly over the Internet. The tour was identical to one the ship offers called Lagoon Excursion with Moahi Nui. The tour begins with an outrigger boat tour of Bora Bora followed by three stops. The first stop was to snorkel in the ocean with black tip reef sharks.
Rickee snorkels with black tip reef sharks
The second stop was at a shallow sandbar to snorkel with friendly stingrays. And, the third stop was at the coral garden where we enjoyed snorkeling with many different colorful fish.
Stingrays swim right up to you
Finally, we visit a tiny motu (island) for a fresh fruit snack before returning to the ship. This is a great tour and highly recommended. Also, the cost of the tour through the ship's shore excursion desk is the same as booking independently. On our tour, we had to spend about an hour for the outrigger to make several stops at various hotels to pick up other guests. This would not be an issue with the ship's tour, so you would likely get to spend more time at each stop.
Lagoonarium: Open-Air Aquarium Snorkeling Experience
This excursion is a unique snorkeling safari in an open-air aquarium. Once again, a ride in an outrigger canoe takes you to the small motu where the Lagoonarium is located.
The Lagoonarium offers an abundance of marine life and a beach with a beautiful view of the island. Here, we had an opportunity to swim/snorkel with lemon sharks, rays, parrot fish, and more. Snorkeling is in water ranging in depth from 3-10 feet.
Rickee is surrounded by lemon sharks in the Lagoonarium
After our time in the water, we were served fresh fruit, but there was no time to enjoy the beach. Some other guests with whom we spoke were a little disturbed by the idea of having marine life contained within the confines of the Lagoonarium. Personally, it did not bother me. After all, they are sharks! But, if the idea of swimming in what essentially is a big aquarium does not appeal to you, you can always opt for another excursion. The ship offers many excursions that include time in the amazingly beautiful, crystal clear waters surrounding the Society Islands.
Moorea by Catajet
We departed the pier for a boat transfer to a hotel beach where the Catajets (and Waverunners) are based. Upon arrival, we were given (very) brief instructions regarding safety and operation of the Catajets, then climbed aboard our two-seat, side-by-side watercraft.
Our first stop was a sandbar for snorkeling in the shallow waters with black tip reef sharks and stingrays.
Rickee gets friendly with a stingray
Our second stop was a small motu where we had the opportunity to swim in some deeper waters, but we found the current a little to strong to really enjoy a swim. Refreshments consisting of water and sliced pineapple were served on the motu before we returned to the home base. We enjoyed this excursion, but felt that it was a little expensive ($299 for two people/one Catajet) for a two-hour tour. Also, half of the fun was driving the Catajet, and there really was little time to enjoy this as most of the time was spent in the water.
Slow-Paced Belvedere and Pinapple Valley by E-Bike
This slow-paced guided bicycle tour in Moorea was one of our favorite excursions. The tour began with a short introduction on how to use the E-bike.
The E-Bike has an electric motor that provides assistance at varying levels (that you can select). This should not be confused with a Mo-Ped since you are always required to pedal the bike. There are a few scenic stops along the way to the Belvedere Lookout point.
There is a lot of nice scenery along the twisty mountain road. The motor-assisted feature of the mountain bike made it easy to complete the tour, but I would recommend this for those who are at least in moderately good physical condition.
At $85 per person for the 3.5 hour tour, this excursion is the best value of all excursions we enjoyed. We prefer active excursions and this fit that description perfectly. It was really fun riding this unique bicycle!
Paul Gauguin Experience
The Paul Gauguin cruise experience is a romantic journey through one of the most beautiful places on Earth. No other cruise ship can deliver the South Pacific experience like Paul Gauguin. Life on board is very laid back, casual and relaxing. Leave your suit at home. All cocktails, beverages and bottled water are included in your cruise fare, so you never have to be inconvenienced with signing a check at the bar. All meals, even specialty restaurants, are also included to make this cruise an even better value. You will find adult guests of all ages on board ranging from 20s to 70s. But, you won't find many children. Take your kids and grandkids on Disney or Carnival in the Caribbean. Paul Gauguin Cruises is best when enjoyed by adults (of course, we don't have kids, so we are a bit biased). That said, Paul Gauguin Cruises does offer during the summer and Christmas holiday sailings.
The Rhine and Moselle on Tauck MS Grace
Tauck's newest riverboat continues the tradition of excellent service
Itinerary: Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Nijmegen, Remagen, Cochem, Bernkastel/Luxembourg, Trier, Boppard/Rüdesheim, Heidelberg, Baden-Baden, Strasbourg, Basel/Lucerne
The Assignment
We spend 12 nights aboard Tauck's new ms Grace sailing The Rhine and Moselle rivers from Amsterdam to Basel. Grace is one of Tauck's newest riverboats and we will be aboard the 6th sailing of this brand new vessel. Tauck Grace is basically the exact same class of vessel as Tauck Inspire, on which we sailed in 2014.
Tauck/Scylla Relationship
At its core, Tauck is a tour company. They have been in the tour business for more than 90 years. When the decision was made to enter the rapidly expanding river cruise market, Tauck partnered with Scylla, a Swiss river cruise operator with 40 years of experience in the industry. This unique partnership gives Tauck guests a "best of both worlds" experience. Tauck sets a brand standard on its ships that Scylla is required to meet. Therefore, Scylla hotel/restaurant staff deliver their portion of the onboard experience to meet or exceed Tauck's requirements. In addition, Scylla designs the Tauck-branded riverboats to meet Tauck's specifications. With Scylla responsible for the hotel side of the experience, Tauck can focus on the destination presentation, excursions and enrichment experience. This arrangement may seem a bit confusing at first, but the system works, and works very well. Both Tauck and Scylla appear to have the same focus on, and penchant for, great customer service.
The Scylla flag flies proudly beside the Tauck flag on MS Grace
Embarkation
We arrived very early on the morning of embarkation, around 10am. Embarkation day for us is also disembarkation day for the guests from the previous sailing, so early in the morning things are a bit hectic. As soon as we stepped aboard, we met Maggie, Grace's Cruise Director. In spite of being very busy helping guests who were disembarking, she took the time to greet us and invite us to relax in the Panorama Lounge until our stateroom was ready for occupancy. Normally, we would have used the time to explore Amsterdam on foot, but the weather today is extremely cold, windy and rainy. As soon as we were seated in the lounge, we were approached by a waiter who asked us if we would like something to drink, a preview of the great service we knew we were going to enjoy over the next 12 days.
About 11am, the crew began setting up a "Welcome" lunch buffet in the Panorama Lounge with soup, sandwiches and light snacks. By noon, the Hotel Manager informed us that our stateroom was ready. We visited the Reception Desk where we left our passports, had our photos taken (for security reasons) and were issued our stateroom keys. The whole process only took a few minutes.
MS Grace
The interesting thing about riverboats in Europe is that, regardless of the cruise line, the boats are all roughly the same size. This is due to the limitations imposed by the rivers themselves. A riverboat can only be so long, so wide and so tall, otherwise it would not be able to transit the various locks along the river or travel under the bridges. Where Tauck distinguishes itself from other companies is the space-to-guest ratio. Tauck's ms Grace only has 67 cabins which means it is designed to carry a maximum of 134 guests. There are riverboats exactly this same size that carry up to 190 guests.
Tauck ms Grace
PANORAMA LOUNGE - The heart of every riverboat in Europe is the lounge. The Panorama Lounge on Grace is located forward on Deck 3, "Diamond Deck." The lounge is elegantly decorated in blue and silver velvet fabrics giving it a very rich look and feel.
Elegant Blue and gray decor
The fully-stocked bar is located forward in the center of the room with seating surrounding the bar. There are sliding doors on each side of the lounge leading to the outer deck and to stairs that go up to the Sun Deck. Each evening around 5:00pm, you will see guests begin to make their way to Panorama for a "social hour" and to hear the daily briefing about the next day's activities. The lounge is also the venue for evening entertainment.
RECEPTION/GIFT SHOP - The Reception Desk is located on Deck 3 starboard just aft of the lounge. There is always at least one crew member at Reception 24 hours a day. Guests interact with Reception each time they leave or return to the boat. Before exiting the boat, guests are asked to "swipe out" by handing their room key to someone at Reception who swipes the key through the onboard system to record that the guest is off the boat. Upon returning to the boat, you hand your key to someone at Reception to "swipe in" to let them know you are back on board. Of course, Reception is available to answer any questions or deal with any issues with your cabin. On our sailing, Edua and Sintija (Cynthia) were always at the desk, smiling and willing to help. If you wanted to use the complimentary WiFi service on board, it was necessary to register your devices with Reception. This was a simple process wherein your computer, tablet and/or phone were scanned into the onboard system to allow you to access the Internet.
Gift shop
COMPASS ROSE - The Compass Rose Dining Room is located on Deck 2 forward. The dining room is laid out exactly like Tauck's other ships on which we have sailed. Tables are elegantly set with white tablecloths for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Most tables are set for four, six or eight guests. However, there are two tables-for-two (one portside and one starboard). Seating is along the sides of the boat while the middle of the dining room is occupied by a long buffet serving station.
Compass Rose
ARTHUR'S RESTAURANT - Arthur's Restaurant is Grace's alternate dining venue, and more. Located aft on Deck 3, Arthur's is an all-day dining venue, 24-hour coffee station, game center and bar.
FITNESS CENTER/SALON - The Fitness Center and Beauty Salon are located on Deck 1. There is even a massage room with a nice selection of massage treatments offered at reasonable prices. There is an elevator/lift that transports guests from Deck 1 to Deck 3.
The Fitness Center - Deck 1
SUN DECK - The Sun Deck (top deck) on Grace is open to the elements, as is the norm on European riverboats. However, there are a lot of covered areas to provide protection from the sun and rain. A section behind the Bridge is protected by glass on three sides for more protection from the wind. Aft, you will find a large hot tub and a putting green.
Forward of the Bridge on the Sun Deck there is an open area with very comfortable wicker furniture, the perfect location for enjoying your favorite beverage while taking in the sights of the river.
SECURITY - It is worth noting that Tauck has enhanced its security when it comes to how guests, and others, are able to access the interior of the boat. The guest must place their room key on a scanner which will open the door to Reception, Arthur's or the Panorama Lounge. It is no longer possible to simply walk onto the boat unless the room key is swiped across the scanner. While this is a little inconvenient, it is a measure we would like to see other river cruise companies employ. On most river boats, there is nothing to keep anyone from just walking into the Reception area. So, we commend Tauck for this new security measure. We also noticed on this trip that, when tied up right next to another riverboat between us and the shore, which is common practice on the increasingly crowded European rivers, we no longer exited through the lobby inside the other boat but instead had to go outside, climb the stairs up onto our Sun Deck and step across to the other boat's Sun Deck and down their outside stairs to access the shore.
Accommodations - Loft Cabin
Our Loft Cabin is a totally new stateroom design, and one we were anxious to experience once again. To fully appreciate the Loft Cabin, you have to be familiar with a typical Deck 1 (the lowest deck) cabin on a river ship. The floor of these cabins actually rests below the water line and a typical cabin will only have the top few feet above the water line. Therefore, a traditional Deck 1 cabin will only have a small window about 14 inches tall just above the water line. By comparison, the Loft Cabin is actually a split-level design with five steps up to a "loft" landing which has a very high ceiling that has been "carved" out of Deck 2. The Loft Cabin is one of the most innovative concepts we have ever seen on any ship. The windows, which are 1.5 decks tall, are fantastic. It was so nice to sit at the table and chairs in front of the windows and watch the river go by! And, a portion of the window could be raised at the touch of a switch to allow fresh air into the cabin or to take pictures without shooting through glass. Very nice!
The Loft Cabin is 225 sq. ft., which is quite large for a riverboat. The loft platform initially makes the room seem smaller than it is, but you soon realize that this is a very roomy and usable space. There is ample storage in the form of closets and drawers. The contemporary carpeting and furnishings offer both style and class. The mattress on the bed is as comfortable as you will find on any ship --- river or ocean. The pillows were a bit on the soft side, but after an extra one was delivered from housekeeping, I found the 'sweet spot'. Whomever designed the cabin has obviously been the victim of limited AC outlets on other ships. I counted more than 10 electrical outlets! And, there are US-style 110 outlets in addition to the European-style 220 outlets. Bravo! Stateroom lighting can be controlled from switches by the door, or from either side of the bed. "Cove" lighting beneath the stairs and around the headboard offers a soft glow that really classes up the room. There are also adjustable LED reading lights attached to the wall on each side of the bed. Even the tall curtains and sheers covering the massive window are controlled electronically from switches in the loft, or on one side of the bed. And, just when you think you have found every possible electronic control, you find yet another switch by the bed to raise and lower the flat-screen TV to make it more viewable from the bed! That is just plain cool. There is a mini-fridge that is stocked daily with your choice of beverage and an electronic safe for your valuables. An espresso machine was placed in each cabin along with a variety of coffee pods to use in it. Each cabin also is equipped with an alarm clock, a feature we really appreciated.
Switches next to bed can control lights and curtains
The bathroom is perhaps the nicest one you will find this side of a top-level suite on a 5-star cruise ship. The ceramic tile has the look of wooden planks and really gives the bathroom a warm and inviting appearance. The shower stall is large and has a rain shower head as well as a handheld shower head/wand combination. The vessel sink, a popular trend on new ships these days, places form over function. Prepare for water to splash all over the place when you wash your face or brush your teeth. A large two-door medicine cabinet opens to reveal roomy shelves that keep liquids and creams hidden from view and there's even a small magnifying makeup mirror mounted inside. The medicine cabinet doors are mirrored on both sides so you can use the items you need inside the cabinet without having to repeatedly close and re-open the doors. And, there is even additional lighting within the medicine cabinet itself making it easier to see to apply makeup! There is also a large cabinet under the sink that can be used for storage.
Even though the Loft Cabin is the most innovative and downright "cool" stateroom we have ever occupied, it is not without its shortcomings. There is a little problem with the noise coming from neighboring cabins' vacuum toilets when they are flushed. This is an issue we noted in our 2014 review of Tauck Inspire and, even though more insulation has been added for noise abatement, the flushing noise is still noticeable. We were often awakened by the loud sound of running water that seemed to flowing down the inside of our cabin walls. Even with the noise, the positives of this cabin far outweigh the negative. I would still rate this cabin 4 out of 5 and would not hesitate to sail in a Loft Cabin again in the future.
Food and Dining
Meal service starts each morning from 6:30am till 9am (times may vary) in Compass Rose with an elaborate buffet breakfast. As you would expect, there are scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pastries, fruit, cereals, breads, etc. An á la carte breakfast menu is available for cooked-to-order eggs, a variety of pancakes, French toast or waffles. Early risers will find a selection of Continental Breakfast choices at Arthur's from 6am until 10am.
The lunch buffet in Compass Rose begins at 12:30pm or later, depending on the daily activities, with buffet choices that change each day. There is always a variety of freshly-made salads, sandwiches, breads, hot entrees, and even a carving station. There is also an extensive charcuterie platter each day on the buffet with a beautiful selection of salami, Parma ham, proscuitto, liverwurst, etc. Soups are delivered to your table by your waiter/waitress.
Dinner in Compass Rose is full-service with menus that change each evening. We found the service to be very polished and prompt. The menus were varied and we found the food quality and presentation coming from Dutch-born Executive Chef, Fenna, to be even better than what we remembered from past Tauck sailings. All of the beef dishes I had were excellent and perfectly prepared. The food served in Compass Rose was as good or better than we have found on any river cruise to date. The suckling pig served at lunch one day was delicious, as was the roasted chicken. The only slip up was one morning when Rickee's Eggs Benedict has a strong smell and taste of vinegar. Apparently, too much was added to the poaching liquid. Every other egg dish we ordered during the cruise was perfectly cooked.
Arthur's is open from 11am until 11pm each evening and offers a complete menu with a variety of lunch and dinner selections. Throughout the day, all dishes are prepared á la minute in the restaurant's "open" kitchen where you can see the chef making your meal. Burgers and steaks are prepared on a flattop grill. A hamburger is on the menu, the only burger I have ever seen on a riverboat.
The atmosphere in Arthur's does not change from lunchtime to dinnertime and is much more casual than the previous steakhouse concept. Tables are set up as needed, when guests arrive. There is a small full-service bar in Arthur's and a large table in the back of the dining room sports several board games for guests to enjoy. Bridge players also congregate here for card games, so you might be dining right next to a heated bridge game. Therefore, an intimate, romantic dining venue, Arthur's is not.
The bar in Arthur's
Arthur's also serves as Grace's 24-hour coffee bar where guests can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and a choice of freshly baked cookies. If you want something light to snack on, you can order a "Bite to Eat" plate available daily from 10am until midnight which can be delivered to your stateroom, the Sun Deck, the Panorama Lounge or Arthur's. The menu is found in your stateroom and also at Arthur's and consists of items such as a cheese plate, sandwiches, cookies, etc.
Bar Service
Grace guests can enjoy their favorite beverage in Panorama Lounge (Deck 3 forward), Arthur's (Deck 3 aft) or on the Sun Deck. Waiters circulate through the Panorama Lounge taking and delivering drink orders. Rickee and I have a favorite table near the bar that we occupy each evening. By the second night, Farhan Hamdi (Bar Manager), knows our favorite drinks and a waiter delivers them to our table without our even having to order. We sailed with Mr. Hamdi on Tauck Inspire in 2014, and he remembered us. Farhan makes an excellent Mojito, which Rickee loves. There is a "social hour" in Panorama Lounge each evening to entice guests to attend the daily briefing before going to dinner. Waiters circulate through the lounge offering trays of delicious appetizers. On more than one evening, we ate so many of the amazing hors d'oeuvres that we had to skip dinner altogether!
Excursions
Visiting the towns, cities and villages along the rivers is what river cruising is all about. When it comes to immersing guests in the destination, nobody does it better than Tauck. From the very first off-the-boat excursion, it becomes obvious that Tauck has unequaled experience in this area. Overseeing all local excursions is Tauck's team of Tour Directors. Tauck Directors are knowledgeable professionals, well-versed in local culture, customs and traditions. They seem to always be looking for creative ways to share their love of the destination, with pleasant surprises or spur-of-the-moment opportunities along the way to make the each day the best day of your river cruise. In addition to Tauck Directors, local guides are used in most places, all speaking very good English, and all very knowledgeable about their local points of interest.
Each day, guests are invited to join one or more of the offered excursions. A complete description of the day's excursion(s) is provided during the previous day's briefing in the Panorama Lounge. Information is also available in the daily newsletter. To divide guests into smaller groups, Tauck uses colored poker chips. Each morning, guests are asked to select a colored poker chip (one per person) to determine which tour group/guide they will be assigned to for that day. The chips are then dropped into a waiting silver bucket to be used again the next day.
When all the chips of a certain color are gone, the group is full. Upon exiting the vessel, guests look for the local guide holding a sign with the color of the chip(s) they selected for the day. The system seems to work very well and keeps everything organized. On most days, there is one group geared toward a slower pace, which is great for guests with mobility issues.
Bottled water is always available in Reception before an excursion departure and, when guests return from the excursion, they are welcomed back on board with a moist warm or cold towel (depending on outside temperature) and some sort of local delicacy refreshment such as candy or cookies or special beverage.
Each guest is provided a personal communication "Vox" device, complete with an earpiece, that is programmed to the transmitter used by their local guide. These devices are becoming commonplace now and they really make local excursions much more enjoyable. The Vox units used by Tauck can be worn around your neck using the provided lanyard, or they will easily slip into a shirt or jacket pocket, great for those of us that have a camera hanging around our neck. The provided earpiece is very comfortable and can be fitted to either ear. At the end of the day, the Vox units are placed into a charging station in your stateroom.
While some excursions take place right from where the boat docks, others require a short drive to a tour departure point. Tauck has a fleet of new, comfortable and spotlessly clean motorcoaches to transport guests. The buses are wrapped in recognizable Tauck-branded graphics to make them immediately recognizable when parked among dozens of other tour coaches. These coaches also serve as shuttle buses that transport guests back to/from the ship at scheduled times when the opportunity exists to remain in a city for lunch, extra shopping or additional exploration. Tauck is all about choices. You usually have more than one choice of excursion. Don't feel like going on a walking tour today? No problem. A Tauck motorcoach will pick you up at the boat at a certain time and take you to meet the rest of the group at the winery or restaurant or wherever the walking tour was scheduled to end.
Entertainment
Riverboat entertainment, for the most part, is geared toward a cultural experience. Local entertainers come on board to sing, dance and play instruments. On this trip, we were treated to performances by La Prada, a string trio that played classical and not-so-classical music; the Sandy Quartett, who have been entertaining fans for over 25 years on European stages; and an Alsace Folklore show featuring local costumes and dances. But, the highlight was the Scylla Crew Show!
We were educated by guest lecturers and enlightened on local cultural topics by our Tour Directors. One night a movie on Dutch waterway management was shown in the Panorama Lounge. We even had a "Battle of the Sexes" game one evening after dinner! Musical entertainment was always available in the Panorama Lounge from Stefan, the onboard pianist. If you did not feel like venturing out, you have access to on-demand movies on your stateroom television. There was also a control on your stateroom wall that would allow you to listen to music or hear commentary delivered by a Tour Director when we were sailing through notable scenic areas of the rivers.
Board games were available in Arthur's and Bridge players were often found there in a friendly game. If you felt like getting some exercise, yoga classes were offered on several mornings or, when we were docked, you could ask a member of the crew to get a bicycle out for you to ride along the river paths. Golf putters were available at Reception if you wanted to get a little practice in on the Sun Deck putting green.
Staff and Crew
During a Tauck river cruise, guests will engage with both Tauck and Scylla employees. However, this is really seamless to the experience and every member of the Tauck and Scylla staff we encountered was friendly and dedicated to providing a great experience. From the Tauck side, our Cruise Director, Maggie Chada, could always be found at her desk across from Reception. It was pretty obvious that Maggie runs the show and she does an amazing job of keeping everything running smoothly. There were three Tauck Tour Directors on our sailing, Michael, Kati and Iris, and each of them went out of their way to ensure that each guest had a memorable experience.
Maggie Chada, Cruise Director
The Hotel Manager, Marija, and her team of Edua and Sintija were always available at the Reception Desk to handle any issues or answer questions.
Edua, Marija and Sintija
The housekeeping staff is also worthy of mention. Crew members are continually cleaning the public areas and keeping the brass surfaces polished and free from fingerprints. Our room steward, Yusup, did an admirable job of keeping our Loft cabin clean and well stocked. Room stewards and stewardesses also perform a variety of other tasks, including waiting tables in the restaurant and bar.
Jenny and Yusup
The Tauck River Cruise Experience
The dress code is casual with opportunities to "dress up" provided with the Captain's Welcome and Captain's Farewell receptions and dinner. During the day, we wore blue jeans and tees with a light jacket since the weather was on the cool side. After 5pm, it is suggested that guests not wear shorts or jeans in the public areas or dining room but we saw several male guests wearing shorts and jeans during cocktail hour. Umbrellas are provided in each cabin as well as at Reception; however, packing a small portable umbrella is advisable.
River cruising in general tends to attract a mature crowd, and the guests on Tauck fit this description. You will rarely find families with small children on a river cruise and, there were none on this sailing. Tauck actually offers four river cruise itineraries designed specifically for families, one each on the Danube, Rhine, Rhone and Seine. Naturally, families will gravitate toward those sailings. Part of the Tauck Bridges collection of family tours and cruises, the four Bridges river cruises are very popular with families. In 2017 Tauck will be doubling family river cruise departures from 10 to 20. On our sailing, the average age was between 45-65 with an occasional 30-something or 80-something in the mix. Tauck guests tend to be very experienced travelers.
Tauck delivers an all-inclusive experience that includes gratuities and beverages in the cruise fare. Depending on the package you purchase, it may also include a pre-/post-cruise hotel stay and airfare. This can make Tauck a very good value compared to other river cruise products. Gratuities on other river cruises can be as much as $20 per day/per person. On this sailing, that would be $480 for two people! An unlimited drink package on another popular river cruise line costs another $20 per day, so add another $480. Tauck also includes special events and meals off the boat that would easily cost you several hundred dollars on other cruise lines.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Cruise accommodations
All meals on board
Special events and meals off the boat
All excursions
All gratuities
Airport transfers
Soft drinks, bottled water, beer, wine and liquor
Premium spirits
Complimentary use of bicycles when docked
Complimentary WiFi
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
Incidentals (gifts, postcards, postage, etc.)
Salon services (hair, nails, massage)
Summary
Tauck River Cruises is far from the largest river cruise line, but what they lack in fleet size, they more than make up for in quality. This a truly all-inclusive vacation. The only thing we ended up paying for after twelve days was a few stamps for postcards, which were mailed for us by Reception. All beverages consumed on board are included as are gratuities. Staterooms are elegantly decorated, with plenty of storage, and the most comfortable beds you will find on any ship at sea or on a river. The partnership between Scylla and Tauck works to the benefit of the guests who sail with them. Our advice: book now before the word gets out about these exciting new ships!
Review by Chris Dikmen and Rickee Richardson
Chris Dikmen is President of CruiseReport.com. Rickee Richardson is Senior Editor of CruiseReport.com. Together, they have reviewed more than 120 cruises over the past 13 years.
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Silversea Cruises - Silver Shadow - Southeast Asia
We spend 14 glorious nights aboard Silversea Silver Shadow in Southeast Asia.
Our first visit to Southeast Asia was back in 2008, and we loved it! So, when we were presented with the opportunity to do a cruise on Silversea's Silver Shadow in Southeast Asia, well, you can imagine our excitement. The last time we were on Silver Shadow was also in China and Korea, back in 2011.
Silver Shadow
PRE-CRUISE IN SINGAPORE
Most guests on this cruise took advantage of Silversea's pre-cruise hotel stay in Singapore at the luxurious Shangri-La Singapore. We had actually booked two nights to give ourselves some extra time to shed jet lag and still be able to explore the hotel and the city. Unfortunately, due to a missed connection in Hong Kong, we had an additional seven-hour layover that cost us one night at Shangri-La. The travel agency booked our flight with only a one-hour connection window in Hong Kong. Lesson learned. Check your flight itinerary and do not accept one that has less than two hours on any segment.
Shangri-La Singapore
We did not arrive in at the Shangri-La until 6:30am, and after going for more than 35 hours without sleep, all we could do was head straight to bed. However, we did have a chance to experience some of the hotels facilities, including restaurants and the spa. For more information, you can read our review of Shangri-La Singapore.
EMBARKATION
Silversea's local ground operator in Singapore had a hospitality desk set up in the Shangri-La hotel and they had advised us to meet at 12pm in the hotel lobby for the transfer to the cruise ship. We had the porter take our checked luggage to the lobby as instructed, and it was whisked away for transfer to the ship. Along with about 50 other guests, we were escorted to motor coaches for the drive to the port.
Guests board motor coaches for the drive to the port
Singapore's port serves more than 1,000 ships every day, making it one of the busiest shipping ports in the world. Even though the cruise traffic is not huge here, at least by Miami standards, they probably have one of the nicest cruise terminals anywhere. Embarkation here is quick and efficient, especially when boarding a ship with a total capacity of 385 guests. Less than 15 minutes after arriving at the cruise terminal, we were walking down the long hallway to board Silver Shadow.
Silver Shadow docked in Singapore
Once on board, we were greeted with a glass of Silversea's traditional 'welcome aboard' champagne and invited to complete our check-in at the Reception desk on (Deck 5). This basically involves handing over our passports and having a security photo taken. We were told that the suites were not quite ready to be occupied and that we could enjoy lunch on Deck 8 (Pool Grill or La Terrazza) until an announcement was made. We skipped lunch, but instead enjoyed a soft drink in the quiet and nearly empty Panorama Lounge on Deck 8 aft. The Panorama furnishings have been recovered in new red and white fabrics since our last sailing.
Panorama Lounge - Deck 8 aft
Overall, the embarkation process was about as smooth and painless as can be. Of course, embarking a small vessel is always much easier than one of the bigger ships, and is one more reason why we love small ship cruising.
ACCOMMODATIONS
With the exception of the two Owner's Suites, the Grand Suite is the largest guest accommodation offered on Silver Shadow (and sister ship, Silver Whisper). The Grand Suite can be configured as a one-bedroom or two-bedroom floorplan (by combining an adjoining Verandah Suite).
Grand Suite Floorplan
For the first time in our cruising career, we actually were assigned the exact same suite that we occupied back in 2011 when we sailed on Silver Shadow from Shanghai to Incheon. Therefore, much of our assessment from that cruise still applies to this day. Even by hotel standards, our Grand Suite (802) is massive. The entry foyer leads into the living room with its full-sized sofa, two large and comfy chairs and coffee table. A dining room table large enough for four people to enjoy a meal together sits next to an impressive bar with two bar stools (formerly three). The bar is equipped with a mini-bar/fridge and an espresso machine. A nice-sized desk spans one wall of the living room with more than enough space for a laptop and any electronic gadgets you may have brought with you. However, more electrical outlets would be a welcome addition in this day and age. There is enough seating in the Grand Suite to host 13 people comfortably.
Living Room - Grand Suite 802
The 103-116 sq. ft. verandah is accessible via a sliding glass door and features one large wicker seat with footrest, two wicker chairs and two small tables. Due to its location under the wing bridge, the balcony is covered by a sizable overhang that blocks much of the direct sun from the balcony. Therefore, if you plan to sit on your balcony and soak up some sun, you may want to consider a Grand Suite on Deck 6 (601) or 7 (701). Note: All four Grand Suites (601, 701, 801 and 802) are located all the way forward on their respective decks. The same is true for the two slightly smaller Royal Suites (602 & 702). Therefore, if you are prone to motion sickness, you may wish to consider a Silver, Medallion or Owner's suite, all of which are positioned closer midships. On this 14-night sailing, the seas were ultra-smooth, making this a non-issue.
Verandah
A door separates the living room from the forward-facing bedroom. Guests can select from a menu of eight pillow choices to suit their personal requirements. A dressing table with three-sided mirror will be every lady's dream come true. A magnifying makeup mirror is on the dressing table. The walk-in closet is huge and houses an eight-drawer dresser and personal safe. Two long rods with wooden hangers can hold enough clothes for a world cruise.
Bedroom Grand Suite 802
The closet is large enough to get dressed in. There is also a built-in storage unit across from the bed that occupies the entire wall. There are three large, and I mean LARGE drawers, six regular-size drawers and lots of storage cabinets behind doors. Two large windows look out over the front of the ship. There is a full-length mirror on the wall as you enter the bedroom and also one on the wall of the bathroom opposite the shower.
The completely separate bedroom allows Rickee to continue to sleep uninterrupted while I do my morning work. I can enjoy my Fox News in the morning on the large, flat-screen LCD TV in the living room while working on my blog and enjoying my coffee ritual. However, the door between the living room and bedroom was in need of adjustment. It was very hard to open and close, like it was not centered properly. We lived with it, but did report it on our Cruise Questionnaire.
One of the two bathrooms is found one step up from the bedroom and is equally lavish. Slathered in Italian marble, the bathroom features a full-sized jetted bathtub, vanity with two sinks, separate marble shower stall and sequestered water closet with toilet, bidet and sink. The master bathroom is stocked with your choice of Bvlgari or Ferragamo soap, shampoo, lotion and conditioner. Cotton balls and cotton swabs are provided, too. There is also a powder room off the entryway accessible from the living room. In total, our suite had four sinks, two toilets and one bidet! The shower door in our bathroom would not close completely, and therefore, would not latch. It appeared as though the hinge mechanism had been worked on extensively as there was visible caulk and screw heads extending from the surrounding marble. With any motion, the door would swing open, a situation that could be dangerous if one entered into a dark bathroom at night and walked into an open shower door. The only other issue was with the sliding door leading to the balcony. It was nearly impossible to open, almost like it needed grease, or an adjustment. We mentioned this to Reception on the second day of the cruise and when we returned to the suite that night, it had been fixed.
Bathroom - Grand Suite 802
Grand Suite guests don't only benefit from space; there are other amenities as well. Each suite on Silversea enjoys butler service. Your butler is always available to make restaurant reservations, secure shore excursion tickets, provide evening en-suite dining, pick up and deliver laundry, and virtually anything else you may require during your stay. Guests occupying large suites also enjoy complimentary laundry, dry cleaning and pressing from the ship's laundry, another huge benefit. And a new perk since our last sailing on Silver Shadow allows guests occupying a large suite to enjoy unlimited Internet/WiFi access during the cruise. A chilled bottle of champagne is waiting in each suite upon arrival. Complimentary bottles of liquor are no longer offered automatically but, if you ask your butler, a bottle of your favorite wine or spirit will be delivered to your suite. They have also replaced the plastic bottles of water with glass bottles of "tap" water, an obvious nod to the environmental movement. Sorry, but I much prefer the plastic bottles of water. Your choice of daily newspaper is also available for delivery to your suite.
A bottle of your favorite wine or spirit will be delivered to your suite
On our last cruise aboard Silver Shadow in 2011, the ship had recently undergone a multi-million-dollar refurbishment. All suites had been updated with new mattresses and bedding, new upholstery and carpeting. Large suites had been updated to include a high-end Bang & Olufsen CD player. After five years, however, it is probably time for the mattresses to be replaced again. Large sunken dips in the mattresses are an indication that they have reached the end of their life cycle. The carpeting in our suite was still acceptable and the fabrics on the chairs and sofa looked to be in good condition.
Top-Quality Bvlgari bathroom amenities
Even the smallest suites on Silversea are spacious and well appointed. But, for those who insist on nothing but the biggest and the best, regardless of cost, the Grand Suite offers over-the-top luxury and spaciousness. Larger suite guests are also treated to two hours of complimentary international ship-to-shore telephone service and dinner at an officer's table once per cruise.
FOOD AND DINING
The Restaurant
The Restaurant located on Deck 4 is the ship's main "traditional" dining room. As we mentioned in 2011, The Restaurant looks like it did the day the ship launched (in 2000). The atmosphere here is elegant and luxurious. Service is crisp and efficient, as it is throughout the ship. Breakfast is served here each morning from a set menu. Lunch and dinner menus change daily and offer a nice variety of choices. Breakfast and lunch in The Restaurant makes a nice, calm alternative to the sometimes busy La Terrazza buffet (lido buffet). Complimentary wine selections change each day (one red and one white), but if the wines offered are not to your liking, every attempt will be made to find a suitable alternative.
The Restaurant
A table for two is almost always available at breakfast or lunch. And, unlike on larger cruise ships, guests always have the option of dining privately at breakfast and lunch. In the evening, The Restaurant comes alive with activity as the ship's primary dining venue. The menus have been updated since our last sailing, although they continue to lean toward Continental cuisine. I suspect this may be an attempt to cater to the largely European clientele. Dining in The Restaurant is open seating, so you may dine whenever and with whomever you wish. The dress code follows the ship's recommended dress code for the day.
Sadly, the signature Galley Brunch and Pool BBQ are no more. They will be (and were) missed.
La Terrazza
La Terrazza is the most popular dining venue on Silver Shadow (or any Silversea ship for that matter). Breakfast buffet service is complemented by made-to-order egg dishes, pancakes and waffles. Lunch buffet choices change daily and usually offer items from The Restaurant's menu in addition to a carving station and a 'pasta-of-the-day' station, fresh sushi daily and a wide variety of salads and desserts. A large al fresco dining area is located aft of La Terrazza where you can enjoy the ocean breeze as you dine. The outdoor dining furniture appears to be new since our last cruise, and is very nice. An awning has also been added since our last sailing on Shadow which provides shade on sunny days.
Al Fresco dining at La Terrazza
La Terrazza has embraced the Slow Food concept that began at a grass roots level in reaction to “Fast Food” and is dedicated to proper land stewardship while preserving cultural food traditions. For example, La Terrazza's chef uses buffalo mozzarella from Naples, organic balsamic vinegar and olive oil from Umbria, and air-dried ham out of Parma. The Emilia-Romagna region also produces Silversea's 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano, while the pasta is made daily right on board.
La Terrazza
Each evening, La Terrazza is transformed into a romantic, dimly lit Italian bistro. The evening dress code here is listed as casual, but a jacket would be a wise choice if you want to fit in. Even though the main courses offered in the evening are excellent, we have a hard time making it past the pasta course before crying "uncle". The pasta is made fresh daily and is the highlight. The Ravioli is still amazing. Reservations are required for La Terrazza in the evenings.
The Grill
Come nighttime aboard Silver Shadow, the pool bar and grill is transformed into The Grill featuring "hot rock" dining under the stars. This fun, interactive cooking concept allows guests to grill their own seafood and prime meats at their table on a heated volcanic rock plate. The seating here is limited, so you need to make reservations early in the cruise to enjoy this experience. Guests can choose from steak, veal chop or salmon which arrives sizzling on a hot, and I mean HOT volcanic rock plate. The rock plate retains the heat long enough to completely cook the meat to your desired level of doneness. So, in effect, you are cooking your own meal! Side items like baked potatoes, salads and vegetable skewers are pre-prepared so you do not have to cook those, just the meat. The concept is innovative and one that everyone should experience at least once per cruise. The dress code at The Grill is always casual.
Hot rock cooking at The Grill
Le Champagne
The only Wine Restaurant by Relais & Châteaux at sea can be found aboard the ships of Silversea. Guests can indulge in an evening where fine wines are complemented by a set tasting menu of regionally-inspired dishes in an intimate, elegant setting. The six-course experience celebrates some of the world’s most distinguished wine regions. Reservations are required and there is a per-guest reservation fee.
La Champagne's elegant table setting
We celebrated my birthday with dinner at Le Champagne. We felt like the biggest selling point at Le Champagne was the intimate atmosphere and the attentive service. The dishes offered through the multi-course menu are sophisticated, perhaps too much so for our Texas tastes. Other than the presentation, we did not feel that the food served here was any better than what The Restaurant offers. Perhaps that should be considered high praise for The Restaurant. Reservations are required for Le Champagne, and there is a $40pp cover charge, which includes wines from the ship's daily wine selection. There is an optional wine-pairing menu available for an additional cost featuring some higher end wines. Guests occupying larger suites are invited to dine in Le Champagne once per sailing on a complimentary basis.
Room Service
This often overlooked and underrated dining option is taken to a new level on Silversea. We routinely enjoy dining in our suite, especially after a long day of touring an exotic destination. The dining table in our Grand Suite was transformed into an elegantly-set romantic venue with Frette linens and fine silverware, just like you would find in The Restaurant. Even in the Veranda Suites, the coffee table is converted into an elegant dining table. Our butler, Amiel, carefully prepared the table then served our dinner (or breakfast) choices expertly. The food was delivered quickly and was fresh and hot. Breakfast is the most popular room service meal, and on this cruise, we had breakfast delivered several times.
Even an order of banana pancakes is elevated with Silversea's room service
A substantial 24-hour room service menu also includes the daily lunch and dinner choices served in The Restaurant (during normal lunch and dinner hours). The lunch and dinner menu for the following day is included each evening in the Silversea Chronicles that is delivered to your suite. But here's a little secret about Silversea. If you want something, just ask for it and odds are Silversea will find a way to make it happen, as long as it is within reason. For example, one day we stayed in our suite to watch a movie and we asked for some popcorn. No problem!
Pool Grill
One of my favorite spots for lunch is the Pool Grill. There is something about sitting outside on a beautiful day at sea and enjoying a simple burger, fries and onion rings. Silversea has stepped up its hamburger game considerably. There are two new "gourmet" burgers now offered at the Pool Grill (and on The Restaurant menu at night). I had the Jalapeno burger on two occasions and the burger was excellent each time. The fries were served hot and fresh; however, the onion rings still could use some improvement.
Silversea's Pool Grill is a noticeable step above other cruise lines with full table service and a pretty extensive menu of made-to-order burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, salads and other treats. On most days, a poolside buffet was set up with a variety of salads, hot dishes, fruit and desserts. An cream sundae bar has been added to satisfy your sweet tooth. As with all Silversea dining venues, you dine here with linen napkins and silverware. No plastic or paper in sight. Even a burger and fries feels elegant on Silversea!
Afternoon Tea
The British tradition of Afternoon Tea has been kept alive on Silversea with an elegant tea service held each day in The Panorama Lounge. A variety of teas are accompanied by traditional finger sandwiches, scones and other sweet treats served by white-gloved wait staff. Afternoon tea is a perfect way to stave off any hunger that might try to sneak in before dinner. You can also enjoy Afternoon Tea delivered to your suite.
ENTERTAINMENT AND ACTIVITIES
Entertainment has been steadily improving on Silversea over the past several years. This Silver Shadow cruise was no exception. Each evening at 10pm, the Athenian Lounge showcases a movie or a different production show or guest entertainer. The four production shows were performed by the The Voices of Silversea. Evening shows typically last 30 to 45 minutes, and while we wish they started a little earlier in the evening, you can usually be back in your suite by 10:45pm if you are not a night owl. Music and dancing continues in the Panorama Lounge long after the show has ended for those who like to take a spin around the floor. The two Gentlemen Hosts onboard were available as dance partners.
The Voices of Silversea are featured in lively production shows
Before and after-dinner musical entertainment was provided by the Musiclink Duo in the Bar and the Silver Shadow Quartet in the Panorama Lounge. On a few evenings, guests were entertained by Australian virtuoso concert violinist, Ian Cooper, in the Athenian Lounge. On one occasion, we were treated to the vocal stylings of Cruise Director, Kirk T. Detweiler, a talented and energetic entertainer.
Kirk Detweiler puts on an energetic show
IF YOU WANT SOMETHING EXTRA, JUST ASK FOR IT
During the day, Silver Shadow offers guests a variety of onboard activities. Your day might begin with a 7:30am "Sunrise Walk" or 8am stretching session with Personal Trainer, Ales, who also presented several seminars on fitness topics. International hostesses offered language classes. Bridge lessons were scheduled and Bridge sessions conducted. The most popular daytime activity seemed to be Team Trivia held each afternoon, which can get very competitive and lively. Trivia is followed by golf putting. There were table tennis and shuffleboard competitions. Various dance classes were led by the multi-talented Cruise Director, Kirk T. Detweiler. If you wanted to tour the galley, that was offered, too. Art lovers were treated to several presentations by onboard Art Curator, Rami Ron. A cooking demonstration was presented by Executive Chef Jerome, and the Bar Staff had several cocktail demonstrations and tastings.
On our voyage, there were two guest lecturers, Evelyn Evans and Roger Condon, each speaking on topics pertaining to our destination.
The well-stocked library also has a huge selection of movies on DVD for guests to check-out and view in their suites. This is the place to pick up the daily Silver Quiz, sudoku and crossword puzzles. If a board game is in your daily plan, you will find a selection of them in the library. Rickee dominated the Silver Quiz, winning the contest (and the prize points that can be redeemed at the end of the cruise for Silversea trinkets) on several days.
Rickee racking up some Silversea points with her Silver Quiz victories
If keeping fit is in your plans, there is a well-equipped fitness center on Deck 10 open daily from 6:30am until 8:00pm. Several classes were offered each day and you could even hire a personal trainer. The fitness center has a variety of carido machines, free weights, LifeFitness™ circuit machines and more.
Well-equipped fitness center
For those who like games of chance, the Casino accepts donations whenever the ship is sailing. There are 18 slot machines, a blackjack table, roulette and craps. We had some fun with the slots and, fortunately, we broke even for the 14-day cruise. The Casino Staff conducted gaming lessons from time to time and there were Blackjack and slot tournaments. A tiny Lampadina Bar adjoins the Casino for those who would like to take a break and enjoy a cocktail.
A small, but well-equipped Internet Cafe is located next to The Library with a few desktop computers available for use. Silversea has completely revamped its Internet/WiFi program, and it is one of the most generous in the cruise industry.
Unlimited Internet access for guests in Medallion, Silver, Royal, Grand, and Owner's Suite
One hour of Internet access per guest/per day for guests in Vista, Terrace, and Veranda Suites
In addition to the above, several other options are available:
Plan 1: Internet Service 1 Day: $30
Plan 2: Internet Service 2 Days: $50
Plan 3: Internet Service Cruise 3 Nights: $60
Plan 4: Internet Service Cruise 7 Nights: $140
Plan 5: Internet Service Cruise 8+Days: $16 per day
Plan 6: Time Plan (1,000 minutes): $250 ($0.25 per minute
Internet connectivity is available through the ship's WiFi network from virtually any location. I got the best connectivity in the public areas. WiFi was accessible in our suite, but not as reliable. Of course, this will depend on your suite's proximity to a WiFi repeater. If I was willing to leave our suite door open, the WiFi signal improved dramatically.
Pool deck on Silver Shadow
One of the most popular spots on Silver Shadow, especially in warm weather, is the pool on Deck 8. Cushioned pool lounge chairs surround the pool on Deck 8, and more are available on Deck 9. There are some loungers shaded from the sun and a few wicker "cocoon" loungers.
Wicker cocoon loungers
The Boutiques of Silversea, found on Deck 5, offer an extensive range of merchandise including jewelry, designer clothing, perfumes and skincare products. Silversea logo items are available. On this voyage, women could purchase a custom-made pair of Preludio Capri Sandals which were fitted and made on the spot, sewn by hand without the use of glue. You choose color, heel height, shape, and all the added "bling."
Rickee checks out the Preludio sandal options
The Spa at Silversea is a full-service facility offering massages and salon services and also teeth whitening. On our voyage, several specials were offered discounting the cost of certain spa services. The spa also has separate dressing rooms with lockers for men and ladies. Each dressing room has shower, sauna and steam room, available for guest use on a complimentary basis.
La Thérapie products featured in the spa
PORTS-OF-CALL
Silversea's complimentary shuttle service is a huge value to guests that often goes unnoticed...
Singapore - One of the nicest cities in Asia. Singapore is spotlessly clean and safe. If your cruise embarks or disembarks here, plan on spending a few extra days.
Bintulu - On our cruise we did the Highlights of Bintulu excursion, which is probably a good choice here. The butterfly farm was a bust, but visits to the Chinese temple and local food market were interesting.
Brunei - We stayed on board Silver Shadow in Brunei. We had heard that there was not much to see here, and talking to other guests confirmed that. A good change to have the ship to ourselves and enjoy the pool deck!
Kota Kinabalu - We were stood up for our scheduled river rafting excursion here, which we booked ourselves online. A good reason to use the ship's excursions here.
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) - Ho Chi Minh City is definitely worth exploring. Smaller ships, like Silver Shadow, can sail up river and dock right in the middle of the city. Larger ships will have to dock two hours away, not good.
Bangkok, Thailand - This was our favorite port on this cruise. As with Ho Chi Minh City, Silver Shadow is able to sail up the river and dock at Klong Toei, right in the middle of town. Larger ships will dock at Laem Chabang, two hours or more from the city center.
Ko Samui, Thailand - This island was another highlight of the cruise. Don't miss a visit to the elephant park.
SILVERSEA GUESTS
As you might expect on a 14-night sailing aboard a luxury ship, the clientele tends to be older. We did see a few 40-somethings roaming around, but most guests were in the 55+ range. We only saw one child on board, and quite frankly, there is not much for kids to do on these ships. But, we live in an age were some people take their kids with them everywhere, so I guess we just have to accept that reality. On this sailing, about 60% were British, approximately 25% were Americans and the rest were from everywhere imaginable. There were less than 20 Australians on board, but they are always easy to spot. They are the noisiest group and having more fun than anyone else!
Silversea has a published dress code with "formal" nights where a tuxedo or dinner jacket is the order of the day for men and cocktail dress or evening gown is worn by the ladies. On "informal" nights, men must wear a jacket but tie is optional. On "casual" nights, men don't have to wear a jacket, but a collared shirt is required and jeans or shorts are never appropriate after 6pm in any indoor venue.
THE SILVERSEA EXPERIENCE
In a world of self-serve gas stations, and a 'do-it-yourself' mentality, it is nice that one company insists on delivering an alternative. In fact, modern society has changed us so much that one can almost become consumed with guilt when this level of pampering is experienced. A Silversea cruise is what a vacation is supposed to be: worry-free, relaxing, luxurious and fun. We have sailed on all but one Silversea ship over the past several years and the story never changes. It is always excellent service delivered in an unobtrusive manner. Silversea embodies the nature of good taste, quality and service. There are a lot of good cruise lines, a handful of great cruise lines. Silversea is unquestionably one of the few great cruise lines in the world. But more than that, Silversea is one of the few places left on Earth where everyone is made to feel special, welcome and valued.
Formal nights are still part of the Silversea experience
All-Inclusive Value
Silversea has always been a great value in the luxury cruise segment, and now even more so. Of course, Silversea's cruise fares include all beverages (wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, etc.) consumed during the cruise. And, gratuities for the ship's staff are also included in your cruise fare. The addition of included shore excursions is a huge value for guests. Complimentary shuttle service in each port (at least on this cruise) was also a huge benefit, something you don't find on most other cruise lines. All of the shuttles we used were air conditioned, clean and efficient. The shuttle buses usually drop you off in town, near shopping or other local landmarks and run to and from the ship every hour or half-hour.
Complimentary shuttle service in port
Another huge value, at least for someone like me, is the new complimentary WiFi (see above). Even with an hour per day per person, you can get your basic email duties accomplished. Additional WiFi plans are also reasonably priced.
What We Loved
Friendly staff, impeccable service
Gratuities included in cruise fare
New, included shore excursions
New, complimentary WiFi
New, gourmet burgers
All beer, wine, champagne, cocktails and soft drinks included
Big, roomy suites, most with balconies
Butler service in every suite
Excellent room service for en suite dining
Bottled water (complimentary) available as you disembark ship in port
Quality shore excursions with ship's tour guide present
Pool bar now open late
What We Would Like To See
6:30pm dinner times (instead of 7pm)
9:30 show time (instead of 10pm)
Mattresses (at least in our suite) need to be replaced
A casual, no-reservation-required, á la minute dining option at The Grill
Bring back the bottled water in suites
SUMMARY
Silversea remains one of the best cruise lines in the world. The all-inclusive value and over-the-top luxury are a tough combination to compete with. We always know what to expect on Silversea, excellence.