Silversea Cruises newest ship…Silver Moon

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 9/30/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 9/30/21

BLOG TEMPLATE

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 9/6/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 9/6/21

Silversea Silver Moon Cruise Review

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/6/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/6/21

Day 10: Mykonos, Greece

We visit a new island (to us), experience a new favorite cocktail and more on our last day aboard Silver Moon.

This morning, Silver Moon is docked in Mykonos, Greece. This is our first time to visit the island. We were scheduled to make a stop here on a cruise back in 2017, but the ship was re-routed due to high seas. So, we are excited to finally get to see Mykonos.

My morning begins as usual, by working on my blog from yesterday’s activities. The staff running Arts Cafe already have my coffee made and waiting for me when I arrive. Hats off to the great folks running Arts Cafe.

This morning, Silver Moon medical staff are conducting Covid-19 Antigen tests from 7:30-9:00am and 4:30-6:00pm. We decided to get it over with early before going on our tour. The test only takes a few minutes and is required for us to fly back into the US.

We disembark Silver Moon this morning for a morning walking tour of Mykonos. As soon as we disembark Silver Moon, Katarina, one of the Silversea cruise staff directs us to where we will meet our local guide for the walking tour.

Rickee disembarks Silver Moon in Mykonos

Once everyone gathers for our tour, about 12 of us, we board a motorcoach which will deliver us near the town center. We begin walking along the waterfront, taking in the sights. All of the buildings are painted white, and we learned that buildings in the path of the strong winds are built with rounded corners and special windows.

The island is home to 10,000 residents in the off season, but during July and August, more than 200,000 occupy the island as this is one of the top tourist destinations in Greece.

Our guide stops to show us a map of the island and point out some of the local areas of interest. Our walking tour will take us through some of the narrow streets to the most popular sights on the island: the windmills.

We stop at a local museum for a look at some well-preserved artifacts which have been uncovered on the island. It is a welcome stop to get in out of the heat, which by 10:30am is already in the 90s!

After about two miles of walking, we arrive at the windmills. For some reason, we were not able to get closer to them. I am not sure why since we did see other tourists walking near them. Nevertheless, we had the opportunity to get a photo which Katarina was kind enough to take of us.

As we walked back toward town from the windmills, we stopped at one of the many churches on the island. This one below is the most photographed church on the island.

Our leisurely stroll takes us back to the waterfront where we walk past busy oceanfront cafes and shops. One look at the prices at the shops and you know immediately that Mykonos is a favorite spot for the rich and famous. Our tour guide takes us to a local oceanfront cafe where we are all seated and offered a mezze plate along with a substantial serving of Ouzo (anise-flavored Greek spirit). Personally, I do not like Ouzo, so I did not partake, but the mezze were quite good. Rickee and I ordered Cokes and they were 4€ each and not covered in the cost of the tour. Actually, at only $49 per person, I was surprised that the tour offered the mezze and the Ouzo.

After our late morning snack, the guide offered to walk us back to the shuttle bus or we could wander off on our own. Silversea runs complimentary shuttles every 30 minutes until 9:30pm. We decided to do a little exploring in our own, so off we went with no idea where we were or where we were going.

We found ourselves lost in a maze of narrow streets and walkways, like the one below. Along our path, we found lots of local merchants selling clothing, jewelry, shoes, souvenirs, you name it. We found a souvenir shop where we bought our magnets and a few other items. Prices for souvenirs on Mykonos are about double what we have paid everywhere else in Greece.

After about an hour of walking around, I kept trying to find the way back to the waterfront. The streets here do not run in any sort of grid, they just meander all over the place. I tried Google Maps, but it still seemed as though we were walking in circles. Finally, after about 20 minutes of wandering around, we came upon the waterfront. We were just about ready to stop and ask a local for directions, but fortunately, we did not need to!

We are back on board Silver Moon in time for a quick and late lunch at Spaccanapoli. I had the Marinara pizza and Rickee had the Margherita. Both pizzas were MUCH better than the first ones we had here a few days earlier. In fact, they were both delicious!

Before dinner tonight, we decided to make one last visit to The S.A.L.T. Bar. The bartender here could see we were struggling with a decision on what to order, so he recommended The Gateway, one of their signature drinks. Rickee and I both had one and I think it was the best cocktail of the entire cruise! This is our new favorite Silversea cocktail.

The Gateway at The S.A.L.T. Bar on Silver Moon

For dinner this evening, we decided to try Atlantide. This was our first time to try dinner here. Atlantide is sort of the “go-to” restaurant on Silver Moon (and Spirit and Muse). We were seated at a lovely table for two right next to a window.

The menu remains the same here every day with the exception of a Chef’s Daily Recommended menu. I ordered the King Scallops with Strawberries, a weird combination that really seems to work well.

Rickee ordered the caviar starter which is an entire tin (or jar) of Oscietra caviar with all of the trimmings. Once again, she feels the blinis are too sweet, but that did not keep her from finishing the entire order. You can now get this caviar 24 hours a day on Silversea.

Sustainable caviar available 24 hours a day

For my main course, I had the Thai Green Chicken Curry on the daily specials menu. I told the waiter that I wanted it extra spicy, and the chef complied. I was pretty close to sweating at the end of the meal. The curry was delicious. Rickee ordered the vegetarian Voul-au-vent and for dessert she had the Lemon Meringue Pie.

After dinner, it was time for the dreaded packing to go home duties. The worst part of any cruise is having to pack to go home. Luggage Forward will pick up our bags from the ship and deliver them to our home in about 7 to 10 days.

It was another excellent day aboard Silver Moon. We got to visit a new island destination, discover a new favorite cocktail, and enjoy more of this beautiful ship. Sadly, it is our last day aboard Silver Moon, at least for now! Watch for our upcoming video review and more Silver Moon content coming soon to CruiseReport.com.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/5/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/5/21

Day 9: Heraklion, Greece

Another S.A.L.T. Lab session, souvenir shopping in Heraklion and an amazing show!

This morning Silver Moon is docked in Heraklion, Greece, on the island of Crete. This is our first visit to Crete so we look forward to doing a little exploring on our own today. All of the ship’s tours that interested us were sold out by the time we tried to book.

We decided to treat ourselves to breakfast en suite this morning. We filled out the breakfast menu the night before and left it outside our suite. Right on time, our excellent butler, Antonio, arrived with our meal. The coffee table in our living room was quickly converted to a full size dining table complete with linen tablecloth and all the finery you would expect in the restaurant.

Antonio prepares our table for breakfast

Rickee ordered the Eggs Benedict, which were a bit overcooked. We should have written on the breakfast order that she prefers her eggs lightly poached. My ham and cheese omelet could not have been more perfect. All of the items arrived hot and the coffee was especially good. I am not sure why we don’t do this more often.

This morning, I am back in the S.A.L.T. Lab for another cooking lesson. Since the ship is docked in Crete today, we are learning how to prepare two Cretan dishes.

Our instructors today are from the Silver Moon culinary team. One of the chefs prepares the dish while another one tells us about the preparation. TV screens are positioned around the lab so that we can see what the chef is doing at his cooking station. And, the room is small enough that you can always walk up to see what is being done.

Today we prepared Dakos, a sort of Crete version of Bruschetta: tomatoes, black olives, capers and feta cheese on top of barley rusks, which must be soaked in water first. The second dish was Gamopilafo, a traditional Cretan wedding rice dish made with chicken breast, chicken stock, long grain rice, onion and garnished with an asparagus spear.

The S.A.L.T. Lab is a fun and very informative addition to Silver Moon. I was fortunate to have two sessions here and enjoyed both immensely. After the S.A.L.T. Lab, it was time to visit Heraklion to seek out souvenirs. Once again, Silversea offers a complimentary shuttle bus to take guests to/from the port into the city center. The Heraklion port cruise terminal is only about 100 yards from the ship and the shuttle is just outside the terminal building.

We just missed the 11:30am shuttle. It was pulling away as we exited the terminal building. No big deal, we just waited inside the terminal building for the next shuttle. Shuttles run every 30 minutes.

Silversea complimentary shuttle in Heraklion

The ride to the city center, or the shopping district, only takes about 10 minutes. In fact, if you know where you are going, you could easily walk there. However, there is a lot of traffic here and busy intersections, so why not take the shuttle?

The shuttle drops guests within easy walking distance of major pedestrian streets lined with shops and cafes. Had we been more familiar with Heraklion, we would have come into town for lunch at a local spot. Maybe next time?

There are some very nice souvenir shops here and we had no trouble finding the often elusive refrigerator magnet to add to our collection. We still can’t get over how reasonable the prices are here. 1€ for a refrigerator magnet!

We spent about an hour walking through the pedestrian streets and came upon a local flea market, of sorts. Small booths or tents have been set up in this area with local artisans selling all types of crafts. We found one booth where a young lady was selling bars of olive oil soap that her mother makes. Rickee bought eight bars to take back home to some of the caregivers who work at the assisted living facility where her mother lives.

We were back on board Silver Moon in time for lunch. Once again, we just can’t pass up Arts Cafe. I was still full from my big breakfast and S.A.L.T. Lab meal, so I only had half of one of the delicious desserts at Arts Cafe, a Mango Mousse. I think I may have to go back for another!

This afternoon, we enjoyed Team Trivia conducted today by Fernando, The Venetian Society Ambassador and 25-year veteran Silversea Cruise Director. It was great seeing Fernando again. We have sailed with him twice before on Silver Shadow. However, his trivia questions left us without points today.

Fernando De Oliveira has been with Silversea for 25 years!

At 6:30pm this evening, we all gathered in the Venetian Lounge for the Captain’s Farewell Party which followed another incredible performance by The Voices of Silversea. A couple of observations about The Voices of Silversea: I cannot recall ever enjoying so many shows on a Silversea cruise as I have on this cruise. Honestly, we usually skip the shows on Silversea. This is the most talented group of vocalists I can ever remember seeing on a cruise ship. any cruise ship, of any size. Yeah, they are that good!

The entire crew of Silver Moon paraded down the aisle and lined up in front of the stage to receive a lengthy round of applause from the guests for a job well done.

After the Captain’s Farewell Party, we chose to dine at La Terrazza for the second time this cruise. We did not have reservations, but we were accommodated with a beautiful table on the aft deck. The weather was perfect for dining al fresco this evening. The menu has changed slightly since our first visit (it changes every four days).

I ordered the veal chop again, but this one was battered and deep fried. It resembled Schnitzel in texture and taste. It was very good, but I think I prefer the grilled veal chop over this one. Rickee ordered the Gnocchi which were tender little potato dumplings in a buttery sauce.

At 10pm every gathered in the Venetian Lounge again to see Cruise Director, Vicki Van Tassel’s show, ‘SHIP HAPPENS'. We have been enjoying Vicki’s wit throughout the cruise, but her performance tonight really blew us away. This is one very talented lady. She can sing, she can dance and she’s hilarious to boot. If you are sailing with Vicki, do not miss her show!

It has been another amazing day aboard Silver Moon. Tomorrow, we will be docked in Mykonos, Greece. Sadly, it will be our last day aboard Silver Moon. We have booked Mykonos Town Highlights On Foot for tomorrow at 10am, so watch for an update in tomorrow’s blog.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/5/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/5/21

First Look at Silversea Silver Moon

We give our first impressions of Silversea’s newest ship, Silver Moon.

I can’t think of a better way to come out of a pandemic-induced cruise shutdown than to spend ten glorious days aboard a brand new ultra-luxury cruise ship. Our cruise aboard Silversea Cruises’ brand new Silver Moon is our first since February 2020. This is only the fourth sailing of Silver Moon with guests on board but you would never know it from the service levels. There is no evidence that this crew have not been working for over a year. We have found no missteps in the service levels.

Like her sisters, Silver Muse and Silver Spirit, Silver Moon carries only 596 guests. There are similarities across the three ships, but Silver Moon has some very distinctive differences that set her apart from her siblings

S.A.L.T (Sea And Land Taste)

There is a new culinary initiative at Silversea called S.A.L.T., an acronym for Sea And Land Taste. Silver Moon was designed to reflect this new initiative. S.A.L.T. is designed to deliver a destination-focused culinary immersion for Silver Moon guests. For years I have been wanting a cruise line to shape their menus based upon the destinations to which we sail. Well, Silversea is doing just that with S.A.L.T.

First, there’s the S.A.L.T. Kitchen, a restaurant on Deck 4 (where Indochine lives on Silver Spirit and Silver Muse). S.A.L.T. Kitchen is open for dinner each evening with open seating. The menu is divided into two sections: one which remains the same throughout the cruise, and another which changes daily based on the location of the ship. The latter reflects local delicacies, dishes and flavors. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, unpretentious and very comfortable.

Next door to S.A.L.T. Kitchen is The S.A.L.T. Bar, an intimate, albeit rather small, lounge where you can enjoy some of the most creative cocktails anywhere in the world.

On the opposite side of S.A.L.T. Kitchen on Deck 4 is S.A.L.T. Lab. This is where guests can join Silversea chefs and guest culinary experts to get a hands-on experience preparing regional dishes. This is perhaps the best reflection of S.A.L.T. because it allows guests to take recipes from the destination back home to enjoy. Each guest is provided an apron, utensils and food product at neatly arranged cooking and food prep stations. It is brilliant.

The final piece of the S.A.L.T. ecosystem involves specially designed shore excursions where guests can visit local farms, wineries, cafes and restaurants. Our initial impression of the S.A.L.T. program is one of huge optimism. The program is already excellent, but there are a few tweaks here and there that will make it even better. Remember, this is only the fourth sailing. We are confident that S.A.L.T. will only get better over time.

It will be interesting to see if S.A.L.T. is extended to Silversea’s existing fleet. It would certainly require some dry dock time to accomplish this.

An investment in the future

As you would expect, the service aboard Silversea is as good as it gets. This is 6-star cruising at its finest. Some feared that the purchase of Silversea by Royal Caribbean would diminish the product. From what we have seen, the result has been an investment in better entertainment, new ship builds, and special touches like unlimited complimentary caviar. And, there’s no doubt that the financial strength of Royal Caribbean has helped Silversea weather the Covid shutdown.

And, there’s talk of a new “Evolution Class” of Silversea ships coming in 2024.

What’s Different?

If you are familiar with Silver Spirit (after the stretch) or Silver Muse, you will feel right at home aboard Silver Moon. Here are some changes you will notice:

Indochine has been replaced with S.A.L.T. Kitchen.
The Atlantide Bar has been replaced with The S.A.L.T. Bar.
Kaisecki has been moved to the starboard side of the vessel, where La Dame is on Muse. Oh, and there is no more Teppanyaki-style cooking at Kaiseki on Moon. All dishes are prepared in the galley.
La Dame has been moved to Deck 8 port side, next to Arts Cafe. La Dame is much larger and you now get aft ocean views while dining here.
The S.A.L.T. Lab is on Deck 4 port side, in the space where Kaiseki is on Muse.
Dolce Vita on Deck 5 now has a massive circular bar right as you walk in from the midship elevator lobby. This is a big improvement that really breaks up an otherwise sterile space.
You can now access the rear of S.A.L.T. Kitchen and Atlantide restaurants from the forward elevator lobby.

That’s about it. The rest of the ship’s public spaces are virtually unchanged.

Initial Analysis

Prior to our sailing on Silver Moon, Silver Spirit (stretched) was our favorite Silversea ship. It’s not that we did not like Silver Muse, but we have spent so much time on Silver Spirit that it holds a special place in our hearts. However, Silver Moon is our new favorite Silversea vessel. But remember, any Silversea ship is always a special place to be.

Somehow, Silversea has managed to improve on an already near-perfect platform with Silver Moon. The ship is beautiful, the crew is amazing and there may be no better time than right now to see the world with Silversea. If we have learned anything over the last 18 months, it is that we should never assume that there will always be time to enjoy life. Now is the time to see the world, and there is no better way to see it than with Silversea.

Watch for our full ship review and videos of Silver Moon coming soon.

Rickee Richardson (Senior Editor) and Chris Dikmen (President) CruiseReport.com

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/4/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/4/21

Day 8: At Sea

Lunch at Arts Cafe, the hot Greek sun and dinner at Hot Rocks.

Today was another peaceful day at sea aboard Silver Moon as we sail toward Heraklion, Crete. The seas so far this cruise have been very forgiving and have delivered a smooth experience.

We took some time this morning to peruse the Boutiques of Silversea on Deck 8. We were surprised at how small the shops are. Perhaps they took space from the shops for Arts Cafe and La Dame? We could not find any little logo souvenirs. Maybe they are in another spot?

For lunch today we chose to have a light meal at Arts Cafe, one of our favorite spots on the ship. We each had a ham and cheese baguette and I had a turkey salad and chicken noodle soup. All were delicious. Rickee had chocolate covered banana for dessert.

This afternoon, Rickee wanted to get some sun. It’s been more than a year since she has had this opportunity. But, the Greek sun was too hot for her to last more than about an hour. The loungers on Silver Moon are very comfortable, but the dark metal arms get extremely hot.

We played Team Trivia today and came in second place racking up another 6 Silversea Prize points.

After Team Trivia, we attended an iPhone/iPad Tips and Tricks lecture by Tracy Fleming. I consider myself to be pretty capable with the iPhone, but I learned a couple of useful tips.

Tonight for dinner we had reservations at The Grill for the Hot Rocks experience. The sun is starting to go down as we arrive at 7:00pm, so it is not oppressively hot; however, it is rather windy and the wind is blowing my direction.

I ordered the Rib Eye and Rickee the Filet. The Filet is the better cut of meat here, but both steaks were tasty. You get to cook your own steak (or fish, lamb, chicken or pork chop) on a searing hot piece of stone. Careful, it is really hot! This was the best meal we have ever had at The Grill/Hot Rocks, and we have done this on several Silversea ships. Perhaps the meat is better quality?

After dinner, we take a sunset stroll around the jogging track on Deck 11. It is the perfect time of day for a photo of the lighted stack.

Just look at that beautiful pool deck, large pool and two hot tubs! There is another hot tub on Deck 10 aft.

It was perfect weather for a nightcap at the Pool Bar (Deck 10) and we really enjoyed Charlie singing and playing the guitar.

It was another glorious day aboard Silversea Silver Moon (a nod to Ray Solaire). Tomorrow, the ship will be docked in Heraklion, Crete.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/3/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/3/21

Day 7: Limassol, Cyprus

We do some souvenir shopping and enjoy an incredible S.A.L.T. tour in Cyprus.

This morning, Silver Moon is docked in the port of Limassol, Cyprus. Limassol is a major commercial port and cruise ship port-of-call. It is an important wine-making center as well. This is our first visit to the island of Cyprus. After my morning blogging duties are complete, Rickee and I chose to do some souvenir shopping in Limassol. Silversea provides a complimentary shuttle service to/from the port to the center of the city. A schedule is posted at the Shore Excursion desk.

After disembarking the ship, we were immediately struck by the heat and humidity here as we walked to the modern cruise terminal building.

After exiting the cruise terminal, we found the Silversea shuttle bus waiting with air conditioning running, thank goodness!

The shuttle ride takes about 15 minutes through some busy traffic in Limassol. We are dropped off within walking distance of the Old Town shopping district. However, it is about a 15-minute walk from the shuttle stop. We had no idea where we were going, we just started following some other guests who looked like they knew where they were headed. Soon, we began seeing signs along the way that direct pedestrians to the Old Town area.

The shopping district is a pedestrian street lined with shops, many of which are closed on our visit. There were, however, several souvenir shops open. We went into the first one we came across which was very large, air conditioned and had a nice variety of souvenirs. We also purchased postcards and stamps here. The very nice lady running the shop told us how to get to the post office, which is just a a couple of blocks from the shop. She even offered us candy while we shopped! I should also mention that the prices here were very reasonable. I purchased six coasters for only 5€, and a refrigerator magnet for 1.95€.

We went to another souvenir shop across the street and as soon as we entered, the clerk asked me for my “green pass”, to which I replied “huh?” She said “do you have your safe pass?” I had no idea what she was referring to. Then, I remembered that Silversea told us to always carry a copy of our vaccination certificates with us. I showed that to her and, apparently, that was what she wanted to see. So, if you are traveling to Europe, make sure to carry a photocopy of your vaccination certificate.

After our souvenir shopping, we returned to Silver Moon where it is now time for lunch. I was in the mood for a burger, but did not want to sit out on the pool deck at The Grill. So, I suggested we have lunch in Atlantide on Deck 4.

I was surprised that there was no burger on the menu at Atlantide, sort of like an “always available” option. But, when I told the waiter that I wanted a cheeseburger, he said “no problem, we will bring one down to you from The Grill”. You just can’t beat the service on Silversea. No matter what you ask for, they will get it if they can.

At 3:30pm, we joined a group of other media professionals for another S.A.L.T. excursion titled The History of Wine in Cyprus. We boarded the air conditioned coach for the 45-minute drive into the hillsides of Cyprus. Our destination, the Oenou Yi – Ktima Vassiliades winery.

Without question, this was the most beautiful winery we have ever visited. And, I should say that we have visited quite a lot of them all over the world.

We had the opportunity to meet the resident winemaker and she took us on a tour of the facility, including a visit to the barrel room where the wines are stored and aged.

After our tour of the production facilities, we had the most amazing wine tasting with the best charcuterie and cheese selection I think I have ever had. We tasted four different wines. Of the four, the first and the last were my favorites, but we are not wine connoisseurs, as were some in our group.

After our wine tasting, we boarded the coach again for a short ride to an area where we walked down cobblestone streets to visit an ancient wine press in a building from the 15th century.

Another short walk brings us to a shop where they make an interesting snack from almonds dipped in a caramel-like mixture. The caramel mixture is heated and stirred while the almonds, which have been threaded onto a long string, get dipped repeatedly into the mixture. This creates a thick coating of the “caramel” surrounding the almond in a slightly sweet, soft candy. I am using the term “caramel” loosely. This is not like the caramel we are used to. It was not really to my liking, but many in the group took a cup of the product back to the ship with them!

Tables were set up right in the street where the candy was being made so that everyone could sit and enjoy a tasting of the product.

Another short walk and we arrive at Taverna Ambelothea for our evening meal. The beautiful outdoor patio was the perfect spot for a Greek/Cypriot meal.

As soon as we were seated, our plates were being filled with a huge variety of Greek/Cypriot delicacies. There were meatballs, pork, a dish that was like Lasagna but with macaroni noodles. There were so many different items coming so fast I could not keep up with the photos. It was truly a feast! The delicious salad below was served with no dressing, just a bottle of olive oil was all that was needed. The tomatoes are incredible here.

We spent the evening eating, drinking Cypriot wine and enjoying incredible conversation, all while learning the customs and cuisine of another culture. Isn’t that what travel is all about? Without question, this S.A.L.T. excursion is well worth the $259/pp. price tag. Just book it!

We returned to Silver Moon around 9:30pm after a long, but enriching day in Cyprus.

Tomorrow is our second, and last, day at sea aboard Silver Moon as we are enroute to Haraklion, Greece.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/2/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/2/21

Day 6: At Sea

We get our first hands-on experience in the S.A.L.T. Lab!

Today, Silver Moon is at sea en route to the island of Cyprus. I start my morning at my new favorite office away from home. There is a beautiful little desk in Arts Cafe (Deck 8) that is the perfect spot for blogging and photo/video editing. The waiters here keep the hot coffee coming while I get my work done!

This morning, Rickee and I attended a lecture/cooking demonstration by Yasmin Kahn, the guest S.A.L.T. lecturer on board. Yasmin is an author, travel writer and broadcaster from London. The topic of today’s lecture is “Beyond Borders, the Food and Flavors of Cyprus”. It is a timely subject since we will be visiting Cyprus tomorrow.

Ms. Khan is enthusiastic about the food from this region and has traveled through Greece and Cyprus extensively. Her passion is obvious and infectious. We were given samples of dolma and a potato salad to taste during the lecture.

Yasmin Khan talks about the food of Cyprus

After the lecture, Rickee and I decided to have a light lunch at Kaiseki, the resident Japanese restaurant. Dinner at Kaiseki carries a $40/pp cover charge, but lunch here is complimentary. The menu offers a variety of sashimi and sushi rolls.

My Spicy Tuna Roll (below) was fresh and delicious. What you see below is a double order as there are only three pieces on a lunch order.

After lunch, we walked right across the hall to the S.A.L.T. Lab. As I have mentioned in previous blogs, S.A.L.T. stands for Sea And Land Taste and it is a new initiative by Silversea to introduce guests to the culinary diversity of the destinations to which they travel.

The S.A.L.T. Lab is a space with cooking and food prep stations where guests can get a hands-on experience at how to prepare a variety of dishes. The theme of today’s lab is “How to Mezze” where we learned how to prepare Cypriot small dishes, or “mezze”,

Today’s lab did not involve any cooking, just a little chopping and mixing of ingredients to make some delicious mezze dishes. Everyone in the class was given printed recipes so that we can make these dishes when we return home, which we definitely will.

Today’s lab only required a little chopping and mixing

At the conclusion of the lab/class we get to enjoy the fruits of our labor by tasting the mezze we made. If you are sailing on Silver Moon, attending a S.A.L.T. lab is a MUST, especially if you are interested in food.

Mezze platter with eggplant dip, sausage, hummus, et al

We were fortunate to be sailing with Yasmin Kahn and hope our paths will cross again in the future. She will be leaving Silver Moon after this sailing. But, not to worry, there will be another S.A.L.T. lecturer on board for future sailings.

We had a great time at the S.A.L.T. Lab and look forward to the next one in a couple of days. This afternoon, every guest on board had to undergo a second mandatory Covid-19 Antigen test. The test only took a few minutes and we got the news later in the evening that everyone on board tested negative!

This evening, we enjoyed an amazing dinner at La Dame, Silversea’s upscale restaurant located on Deck 8 aft. We had a table with a perfect view of the sunset. Dinner at La Dame is $60/pp and other options with wine pairings are available for an additional cost. This La Dame is much larger than on other Silversea ships and can accommodate more than 60 guests.

After dinner, we enjoyed an amazing Opera performance, “Grande Amore”, by the Voices of Silversea. We have enjoyed every show so far, but this show was at another level. And, while all of the singers in the group are excellent talents, Rhiannon Herridge, Classical Soprano, and Giovanni Palmintari, Lyric Baritone, were able to demonstrate their incredible operatic voices this evening. This show is not to be missed.

Rhiannon Herridge and Giovanni Palmintari

It was another glorious day at sea aboard Silver Moon. Tomorrow, we will visit Limassol, Cyprus.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/1/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/1/21

Day 5: Rhodes, Greece

We explore medieval Rhodes, tie for First Place in team trivia, have dinner at S.A.L.T. Kitchen and enjoy a Queen concert!

This morning, Silver Moon is docked in Rhodes, Greece. Rhodes is the fourth-largest Greek Island and is considered one of the great islands of the Mediterranean. We chose to explore this island on the Medieval Rhodes excursion offered by Silversea. The excursion was scheduled for a 9:00am departure. As we disembarked Silver Moon, The World is docked nearby.

Motor coaches lined up for today’s tours

After boarding the coach, our driver takes us up some winding roads to the Acropolis of Rhodes, which is basically just a photo op stop. Unfortunately, some serious fires from nearby Turkey have caused a layer of smoke to obstruct the view. The smell of smoke was in the air as we took our photos.

Our next destination was the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes. Rickee and I visited here a few years ago, but we did not tour the palace; we just admired it from the outside.

The tour inside the palace lasted about an hour, after which our tour guide offered us a choice. We could continue with her to the Archeological Museum, or, we could walk back to the ship on our own through the shopping district. We chose the latter. Whenever you are on an island, it is usually pretty easy to find your way back to the ship, as long as you know the general direction. You simply keep walking downhill! Sooner or later, you will reach sea level.

Narrow pedestrian streets are lined with shops

As we walked through the narrow streets of Rhodes, we could not help but think that you would never know there was a pandemic to look at the bustling activity here. All of the merchant shops are open, restaurant managers try to get you to come into their sidewalk cafes to have lunch. It is as if nothing has changed. We did find a couple of souvenirs to take home. The walk back to Silver Moon took about an hour, but much of that time was spent stopping and looking in the shops.

Soon, we were walking along the ocean front toward Silver Moon.

When entering the cruise port area, we are required to stop and have our temperature taken along with a quick look at our cruise key. Silversea also instructs us to always carry a photocopy of our vaccination certificates with us when off the ship, just in case they ask for them. They did ask to see our certificates before allowing us to enter the Palace of the Grand Master.

Before boarding Silver Moon, we could not resist stopping to get a photo with the ship.

Once back on board, it is time for lunch. We head to Deck 11 where we order pizza at Spaccanapoli, Silver Moon’s pizza restaurant. I ordered the sausage and mushroom pizza with extra sausage. Rickee ordered the Margherita. Honestly, the pizza was not as good as we remembered from Muse and Spirit. Maybe the dough did not rise correctly this morning, but it was lacking something. Also, both pizzas were supposed to have basil, and as you can clearly see, there is no basil on the pie.

At 4:45, it was time again for Team Trivia and Rickee and I, on our own, did very well today. We tied for First Place and racked up 10 Silversea Prize Points!

For dinner this evening we chose to try S.A.L.T. Kitchen, Silversea’s newest dining venue. S.A.L.T. Kitchen is located in the same space as Indochine on Silver Spirit and Silver Muse. S.A.L.T. (Sea And Land Taste) is a new dining concept on Silversea and is represented by the S.A.L.T. Lab and S.A.L.T. Kitchen. The “lab” is a space where guests can get hands-on cooking instruction and the Kitchen is a restaurant where guests can enjoy a menu that changes every day, with dishes that reflect the destination.

The S.A.L.T. Kitchen menu is divided into two sections. One section remains the same every day and the other section changes with the destination to reflect dishes from the region. Rickee and I both chose the Mezze platter from the “always available” menu.

The highlight of the Mezze platter was the “Hummus Three Ways”. The herb, beetroot, and pistachio hummus were all good, and served with pita bread. The tzatziki with fried keyfalotyri cheese was also excellent. More please.

For my main course, I ordered the Lamb Stifado, cumin-scented lamb chops which were quite good. I also asked the waiter if I could get a side order of creamed spinach, which is not on the menu. No problem on Silversea, I got a beautiful bowl of delicious creamed spinach!

Rickee ordered the Freshly Caught Fish of the Day which was grouper. Unfortunately, her grouper was just too fishy for her to eat and she sent it back.

After dinner, we went to the Venetian Lounge to enjoy another performance by the Voices of Silversea. Tonight, they performed Rock Rhapsody, a collection of songs by Queen. It was another excellent performance.

Tomorrow, Silver Moon will be At Sea so we will sleep a bit later and enjoy all that the ship has to offer!

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/31/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/31/21

Day 4: Patmos, Greece (Silver Note Review)

Today, Silver Moon is anchored off the coast of Patmos, Greece. Patmos is a seahorse-shaped island of stunning seascapes and cultural significance. Unfortunately, Rickee and I will have to miss this port-of-call because we are just too behind in our blogging and video duties. We spent the day on board Silver Moon just relaxing, and trying to get caught up on work!

In light of the fact that we have reservations this evening at Silver Note, we decided on a light lunch at Arts Cafe. Rickee and I shared a ham and cheese baguette sandwich and we each had a small Waldorf salad, which is served in a neat little glass jar. One of our favorite refreshing beverages at Arts Cafe is the cucumber water. Very refreshing. And, Silversea still offers plastic straws. Now that’s luxury!

Of course, we could not resist the temptation of joining Cruise Director Vicky Van Tassel for Team Trivia. Another couple from Texas joined us today and we came in third place. We are improving!

Silversea has upgraded the Silversea Prize Points that they now award to guests who win at trivia, or other shipboard competitions. No longer do you receive xerox copied pieces of paper of varying sizes with points printed on them. Silversea now gives out nice plastic points cards.

After trivia, we decided to have a pre-dinner cocktail at Silver Note Bar which is inside the Silver Note restaurant on Deck 7. Conveniently, Silver Note is just about 50 steps from our suite! Mary Beth is the bartender at Silver Note and she does an excellent job of keeping guests entertained.

Soon, we were seated at our table for two and given menus.

Silver Note is the latest incarnation of what was originally Stars Supper Club introduced on Silver Spirit back in the day. There may be a new name to the venue, but the menu remains as quirky as ever. The menu is split into four sections: Oceans, Cooked, Raw and Earth. Oceans makes sense because the three dishes are seafood. Raw, sort of makes sense because all of the items are served uncooked, yet, they are all also seafood, so shouldn’t they be under Oceans? Then there’s Cooked which includes a Crudo of Beef, which is apparently cooked even though the word “Crudo” is Spanish for raw! Being from Texas, I started looking for the page with chicken-fried steak and mashed potatoes!

Don’t let the menu confuse you too much because as it turns out, you can order any item, or items, from any section of the menu. However, I should warn you to order at least three items because the portions are quite small. Rickee and I both ordered the Buttered Lobster Tail and the Crudo of Beef. I ordered the Salt from the Fields lamb and she ordered the Moulard Duck.

The poached lobster tail was served atop expertly whipped potatoes, drizzled with butter and topped with micro greens. The dish was spot on and the chef should get points for presentation as well as flavor.

The Crudo of Beef was definitely cooked and consisted of thin slices of deliciously tender beef, most likely Prime Rib. I cannot identify the accompanying sauces, but dragging the beef through them added to the flavor and they were all very good.

Neither Rickee nor I thought that the Moulard Duck was particularly tasty. It was our least favorite dish of the evening. The lamb, on the other hand, was truly delicious. It was fork-tender and wrapped in a tasty crust, almost resembling a tiny Beef Wellington, but with lamb.

During our meal, we enjoyed the music of the Jazz Duo, Didi and Kim, from South Africa

Our meal ended with a very nice Sugar Volcano which is described as a Chocolate Caramel Fudge Cheesecake with Chantilly Cream. It did not resemble any cheesecake we have ever tasted, it was more like a chocolate mousse covered in a dark chocolate with caramel with little pink crunchy bits of meringue. Don’t get the wrong idea. It was AMAZING!

After dinner, we had just enough time to head to the Venetian Lounge for tonight’s show, a comedian/magician, Dain Cordean. The theater was only about half full, a tough room for any comedian. But, Cordean did an admirable job of getting everyone to laugh at his jokes, even jabbing fun at the somewhat sedate crowd from time-to-time. And, his sleight-of-hand tricks were also pretty impressive. We had a great time and look forward to his next show.

Tomorrow, Silver Moon will dock in Rhodes, Greece, where we are scheduled to take an excursion of Medieval Rhodes. So, stay tuned!

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/30/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/30/21

Day 3: Paros, Greece

We enjoy an amazing S.A.L.T. excursion in Paros, Greece.

Today, we have been invited by our Silversea host to join the group for a S.A.L.T. (Sea And Land Taste) excursion on the island of Paros, Greece. Paros is one of the lesser known islands, often overshadowed by Mykonos to the north, or Santorini to the south. Yet, Paros has a lot to offer visitors to the island. Cafes and taverns line the port. Paros is a port you can explore easily on your own, which we did a few years ago on our first visit to the island. But, today we are in for a treat. We are joining a group of other media professionals for the S.A.L.T. Ashore: “Tastes of the Cyclades” excursion.

Visiting Paros by cruise ship requires a short tender ride. Silversea has done a good job of maintaining social distancing efforts on tender boats.

After arriving at the pier, we boarded a motor coach for the ride to Kamapango, a small, local active organic farm where we enjoyed a morning walk through fields of olive trees, vineyards and herb gardens.

Rickee chats with Brad Ball, Silversea’s Director of Public Relations, The Americas

We come from a world where everything we consume is shipped to our grocery store from God‑only‑knows‑where. On this portion of the tour, we could actually touch and feel and taste the products that are grown on the farm. Olives, grapes for Suma (a local drink comparable to Ouzo), herbs for cooking, and delicious figs, are all grown right here on the island. Everyone came away with a new appreciation for local farming.

At one point along the walking tour, we stopped for snacks, all of which were prepared using the local ingredients grown on the farm.

At the conclusion of the farm tour, we boarded the coach once again for a short drive to Thalassamou, a beachside restaurant, for lunch.

The setting for this part of the tour could not have been more idyllic. The mostly open-air restaurant looks out over the deep blue ocean waters, separated only by a beautiful beach. After being seated and offered cold water, beer or soft drinks, we noticed the chef removing freshly baked loaves of bread from an outdoor clay oven.

The same chef later treated us to a demonstration of how to roll out the paper-thin Phyllo (or Filo) dough for Spanakopita, a Greek pastry filled with a mixture of Spinach, onions, leeks, mint, and olive oil. It was fascinating to watch his technique, and we suspected we might get to try the finished product during lunch.

Soon, we were being asked to take our seats at tables set up on the beach. It is a beautiful day today with only a little wind. The tables are set up under trees for shade and, soon, the food begins to arrive.

Large bowls filled with delicious fresh salads begin to arrive, all served family style. A delicious eggplant salad was my favorite. The tomatoes in the salads were deep red and deliciously sweet. Not like the pink, flavorless ones we get back in Texas. Oh, the tomatoes. One of our table mates said that the tomatoes were one of her favorite reasons for visiting Greece.

The bread we saw being removed from the oven was served in brown bags and was still warm and delicious. Then came platters of fresh sardines, fried calamari and the freshly baked Spanakopita. I am not a big fan of seafood, so I leaned toward the Spanakopita, which was delicious.

Overall, this was an excellent excursion that fed the mind as well as the body. It is not something we will soon forget.

We arrived back on board Silver Moon in time to partake in this afternoon’s Team Trivia at Dolce Vita lounge on Deck 5. Our Cruise Director, Vicky, was on hand to inflict the pain. Rickee and I formed our own two-person team and failed miserably, coming in last place! We will do better tomorrow.

After our huge lunch on the beach, Rickee and I were not very hungry for dinner. We decided to check out the S.A.L.T. Bar on Deck 4 for a cocktail that has been all the rage on social media. Selene, The Moon is a concoction of Moonshot Gin, Maraschino, Rue Berry, Fresh Lemon, Apricot Jam, Peach Bitters and Citrus Smoke. The drink arrives with an ominous wiggly bubble on top filled with the citrus smoke.

Rickee prepares to pop the smoke bubble on Selene, The Moon — Rickee prepares to pop the smoke bubble on *Selene, The Moon*

When the bubble pops, smoke pours out that Rickee said smelled like Rosemary. The drink is quite sweet and refreshing. It is a must try when you visit S.A.L.T. Bar!

After our cocktail, we decided to head back up to Deck 8 and enjoy one last cocktail at Arts Cafe. We found a nice table outside with a beautiful view of Paros in the distance.

Outdoor seating at Arts Cafe, Deck 8 aft

Although not hungry enough for dinner, Rickee found herself in the mood for some caviar to enjoy with her glass of Prosecco. We asked the waitress at Arts Cafe if we could get some caviar delivered to our table. Within minutes, an order of caviar arrived with all the trimmings.

Complimentary, sustainable caviar is now available on Silversea

Rickee enjoyed the caviar; however, she felt like the blinis were a little too sweet. Nevertheless, the tin was soon empty. I am not a caviar fan, so I enjoyed a nice cheese platter offered at Arts Cafe in the evening.

After Arts Cafe, we retired to our suite and enjoyed a movie on the TV while munching on a bowl of popcorn delivered by our butler, Antonio. It was a great way to end another amazing day aboard Silversea Silver Moon. Tomorrow, Silver Moon will be anchored off the coast of Patmos, Greece. Stay tuned!

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/29/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/29/21

Day 2: Syros, Greece

Our walking tour of Ermoupoli is delayed, and we enjoy the Voices of Silversea.

This morning, Silver Moon docked in Syros, Greece, part of the Cyclades group of islands. The ship is within walking distance of Ermoupoli, the capital city. From our veranda, I am able to take the photo above. This morning we have booked the Neoclassical Errmoupolis On Foot ($49pp) excursion with the Silver Moon excursion desk. The tickets were in our suite when we boarded.

While Rickee was getting ready, I had time to walk down to La Terrazza, which is just aft on Deck 7 (our deck). The buffet breakfast is impressive and I was surprised by how few people were there. I had two eggs over medium, some bacon, link sausage and coffee. A perfect low-carb way to start the day! I had to pass by the breakfast pastries without indulging, but they look great.

We disembarked Silver Moon in time for our 10:30 walking tour. After disembarking the ship, we met with Olena, one of the Silversea excursion team members, who would be joining us on the tour. There were only 4 guests signed up for the tour. By 10:35, it became obvious that Olena was frantically trying to locate the local tour guide. We waited for about 20 minutes and, finally, another local who normally comes on board the ship to inform guests of local attractions, was persuaded to conduct the tour.

Rickee disembarks Silver Moon in Syros, Greece

Our impromtu tour guide apologized for her English and was obviously making the tour up as she went, but honestly, her English was far better than my Greek and she took us to some interesting sites. Since there were only four of us, we did not even need to use the iTour Smart Guide app to listen to her commentary.

The tour guide explains something to Rickee about the area through which we are walking

The tour only lasted about an hour and a half and there was some strenuous walking, some of it up inclines and steps. Those with mobility issues should refrain from booking this tour.

Rickee and I are not big on organized excursions. We tend to explore a destination on our own. However, there are some times when a guided tour can be interesting.

Rickee stops along the way to take a photo of some flowers

We were back on board Silver Moon in time for a late lunch. We decided to check out Atlantide and found it to be nearly empty! We love it when we can avoid a crowd. We were seated at a beautiful window table. We each had the Egg Drop Soup, which was very good. I ordered the BBQ Beef Short Ribs. The waiter knew that I did not eat starchy vegetables because of my low-carb lifestyle, so he offered to swap the baked potato for a corn relish that was surprisingly spicy and delicious. The ribs were fork tender and also very good.

Much of the afternoon was spent shooting video of the ship and one failed attempt to shoot a review of the Veranda Stateroom. My microphone came unplugged and I did not know it until I started trying to edit the video! Damn. Oh well, we will just have to re-shoot the video tomorrow. Tonight is formal night, so we dressed up and went to Dolce Vita for a cocktail before our 7:00pm dinner reservation at La Terrazza.

We noticed a table next to us at Dolce Vita was reserved for solo travelers. There was only one elderly lady sitting there by herself…rather sad. Soon, the Assistant Cruise Director, Katherine, came over and sat down with her and started a conversation. We noticed later, at La Terrazza, that Katherine was also having dinner with the lady. These are little things we think of when we think of why Silversea Cruises is so special.

We arrived at La Terrazza for dinner and were encouraged by the Maître d’ to sit outside. The weather was perfect for al fresco dining, so outside seating it was. We have enjoyed many meals at La Terrazza on Silversea ships, but have never had dinner al fresco.

The meal begins with a antipasti platter with an assortment of meats, cheeses, olives, roasted garlic and accompanied by a basket of delicious breads.

Rickee ordered Beef Carpaccio as a starter and I had the Caprese salad…both were delicious. For my main course, I ordered the Veal Chop and Rickee had a vegetarian dish with poached eggs, Parmesan cheese and a Bechemel sauce. It looked really good. I will order the veal chop again on my next visit. It was tender, delicious and perfectly prepared.

We skipped dessert and headed for Panorama Lounge where Rickee enjoyed a Limoncello after dinner dink. At 10:00pm, we went to the Venetian Lounge to hear the Voices of Silversea perform Mind the Gap, a collection of 60s British Rock and Roll music. It was a great show and the vocals were the best we have heard on Silversea.

Silver Moon’s Venetian Lounge features a large video screen stretcing the full width and height of the stage which really amps up the visual dynamic of the performances. We were very impressed. Tomorrow, we will be in Patmos, Greece.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/28/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/28/21

Day 1: Embarkation in Piraeus, Greece

We embark Silver Moon, our first cruise in over 16 months! We attend the naming ceremony for this beautiful new ship.

Silver Moon Videos

This morning we checked out of the Hotel InterContinental in Athens and by 12:45 we were boarding a motor coach for the short ride to Piraeus to embark Silver Moon. When we arrived at the pier, we were directed to a large tent where all guests had to undergo a mandatory rapid Covid-19 test prior to boarding the vessel.

The Covid-19 test administered was the “long swab up the nose” type, but fortunately, it was not as painful as the ones we have had in the past.

Once we had both been given the test, we were then directed to a waiting area until the results were revealed. This took about 15 minutes. Fortunately, we both passed the test and were then allowed to embark Silver Moon.

Once onboard we were informed that lunch was being served at The Pool Grill on Deck 10 and that our suite would not be ready until 4pm. It was already about 1pm so we decided to have some lunch. I ordered the Silversea burger with onion rings and Rickee had the hot dog. Of course, we had to toast the cruise with glasses of Prosecco!

After lunch, we had a little time to kill before our suite would be ready, so we headed down to Deck 5 to check out Dolce Vita, the main lounge on the ship. The design on Moon is different from Muse and Spirit with the bar being the centerpiece of the lounge, right out in the middle. We actually prefer this design.

We also had to try a couple of their signature cocktails here, something new on Silversea since our last sailing. We go into more detail on these cocktails in a later blog. Soon, we were being informed that our ssuite was ready, so we wasted no time in getting to Deck 7 to check out our Superior Verandah Suite.

Just moments after we arrived at our suite, our butler, Anthony, arrived and introduced himself. He showed us the safety video on the closed circuit TV in our suite and reminded us that we needed to watch it and verify that we had done so. At the end of the video, a screen appears where you can use the remote control on the TV to tell Silversea that you did watch the safety video.

Not long after watching the video, we were instructed to go to our muster station where we received an additional safety briefing.

We were a little frantic when we got back to our suite because we needed to be back in the Venetian Lounge at 6:15 for the naming ceremony. Even though our luggage had been delivered to the ship by Luggage Forward, it had not yet been delivered to our suite. A quick call to reception is all it took and soon our butler arrived with our luggage.

Our two large duffel bags arrived as promised thanks to Luggage Forward

We had just enough time to unpack and get dressed for the naming ceremony. It was a very special event hosted by TV travel journalist Peter Greenburg. It’s not every day you get to be a part of history, and today, we were fortunately to be onboard Silver Moon for this historic naming ceremony.

From left: Richard Fain, Chairman and President of Royal Caribbean Group; Jason Liberty, Exec. V.P. CFO Royal Caribbean; Silver Moon Godmother, Gaia Gaja; Roberto Martinoli, President and CEO of Silversea Cruises; Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager of Fincantieri’s Merchant Ships Division; Captain Chavdar Georgiev

After the ceremony, we were invited to dinner at S.A.L.T. Kitchen, a new dining concept which is being rolled out first on Silver Moon. We go into more depth on the S.A.L.T. concept in future blog entries. We had an amazing dinner with new friends, great wine and delicious food.

Oven-roasted Filet of Beef and Sauteed Foie Gras

After dinner, we said goodnight to our new friends and wasted no time getting to bed for some much needed sleep. Tomorrow, Silver Moon is docked in Syros, Greece, and we have an excursion at 10:30am.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/28/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/28/21

Pre-Cruise in Athens (and flight during Covid)

We arrive in Athens the day before boarding Silversea Silver Moon

This journey, our first since the pandemic, begins with 13 hours of flying from DFW to Atlanta then on to Athens, Greece. Silversea has recently entered into a partnership with Blacklane ground transportation services to offer guests complimentary airport transfers beginning in 2022. We thought we would book our own transfer with Blacklane just to check out the service. Their website was very easy to navigate and a Business Class (Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5 Series, Cadillac XTS or similar) one-way ride was available for a cost of about $88.

The Blacklane Suburban SUV was very comfortable and the driver extremely professional. He arrived a few minutes early and texted me to let me know he was in our driveway. Blacklane should be a great addition to the long list of Silversea Cruises amenities!

Our Delta flight from DFW to Atlanta was uneventful, and on time. This is the first time we have flown Delta in three or four years and it appears that they have upgraded their service over what we are used to on American Airlines. The flight (222) from Atlanta to Athens was aboard an Airbus A330-300, which was not equipped with a Premium Economy cabin.

Business Class was completely sold out; therefore, we were left with Economy Class on this 10.5 hour flight. We were able to obtain exit row seats ($168 pp) which gave us extensive legroom

One thing to note is what was required to board this flight. Gate agents required every passenger to show their passport (which, by the way MUST be signed!), a Covid-19 vaccination certificate (or recent negative Covid test result), the Greek Passenger Locator Form with QR code and, of course, the boarding pass. This slowed down the boarding process considerably.

We landed in Athens on time at about 10:30am. Of course, we were shattered from the overnight flight with virtually no sleep. We breezed through Greek Immigration. And, by the way, all that fuss over the Greek Passenger Locator Form resulted in a mere glance by police as we entered immigration. Nobody ever scanned the QR code! When we arrived at the baggage claim area, we realized how fortunate we were to have shipped our luggage directly to Silver Moon with Luggage Forward. We strolled right past the other passengers waiting for their luggage and out to the main terminal area where Silversea transfer reps were waiting for us with signs.

Silversea transfer representatives meet us in Athens

The drive to our hotel, The InterContinental Athens, took about 20 minutes and check-in was a breeze. Silversea Cruises had a service desk in the lobby of the hotel with a very nice lady who gave us a couple of forms to fill out and some labels for our hand luggage, which would be collected the following morning for transfer to the ship. She is also on hand to help guests with local activities or directions.

When we got to our room, which was quite large and very nicely furnished, we received a text from our Silversea host that we were invited to a dinner with other media folks at 7pm. That gave us plenty of time for a much needed nap.

Silversea service desk at InterContinental Hotel

At 7:00pm, we joined our host and a few other media guests at Premiere, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant.

An intimate dinner with other members of the meda

The weather was perfect as the sun was just going down and we had the most amazing view of the Acropolis in the distance.

The Acropolis view from Premiere Restaurant

We had a great time meeting the other media representatives and re-acquainting ourselves with our Silversea Host, whom we have not seen for many years. It was a wonderful evening of good food, good conversation and an amazing atmosphere. It should be a preview of things to come aboard Silver Moon. After 16 months of no travel, it sure feels good to be back!

Chris Dikmen and Rickee Richardson, CruiseReport.com

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/17/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/17/21

Silver Moon Videos

Most recent videos are at the top

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/17/21 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/17/21

Cruise Preparations and Our Sponsors

Our 10-night Greek Isles cruise aboard Silversea Cruises’ brand new Silver Moon will be our first cruise in over 16 months, following the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a completely vaccinated cruises, and Rickee and I have both been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine.

Health and Safety Protocols

Silversea has informed us that we will be required to wear masks while inside the ship unless we are seated in one of the restaurants, or in one of the bars/lounges. Masks are not required on outer decks as long as distancing can be maintained. We also are not required to wear masks when in our suite.

A rapid Antigen test is required prior to boarding and will be provided by Silversea at the cruise terminal prior to embarkation. Embarkation begins at 2pm.

Daily temperature checks will be conducted by our butler, in our suite. And, another random Antigen test may be required at some point during the cruise. A final Antigen test will be administered upon disembarkation.

Our Sponsors

We will be sailing on this cruise as guests of Silversea Cruises, along with other members of the media. In addition, we have been sponsored by Luggage Forward, Aperturent and OneSim.

Luggage Forward is an international luggage delivery service. We have used their services in the past with excellent results. On this journey, we will be shipping two large duffels from our home in Dallas, Texas to Pireus, Greece. Our luggage was shipped yesterday via Fedex (12 days prior to embarkation) and we will not see our luggage until we board the ship. Luggage Forward has agreed to provide this service on this journey in exchange for a review of their services. Click here for more information.

Aperturent is a company that rents high-end camera and video gear. We have used Aperturent in the past with excellent results. On this journey, Aperturent has agreed to provide us with a zoom lens for our Sony A7S III camera as well as a DJI RSC2 Gimbal. We will be using this gear to produce videos for our YouTube channel. Click here for more information.

OneSim is an international sim card calling service. OneSim has provided us with an eSim for my iPhone 12 Pro to use during our time in Greece. Click here for more information.

Pre-Cruise

We will be flying from DFW to Athens on Delta Airlines. Our air was provided by Silversea Cruises. Will will be flying in Delta’s Economy Class and will review the experience. Since we are fully vaccinated, it appears that we are not required to have Covid tests prior to boarding the flight. Unfortunately, our seats were not upgradeable, so we were not able to upgrade to Premium Economy or Business Class.

We are flying into Athens the day prior to embarkation and we will be staying one night at the Athens InterContinental Hotel.

We were able to pre-select an embarkation time of 2pm on the MySilversea.com website.

MySilversea Website

The MySilversea.com website is for booked guests and is very intuitive. This is where you can complete all of your Guest Information forms prior to the cruise. We were able to upload images of our vaccination certificates here in addition to choosing our bed configuration, desired pillows, etc.

You can also use this website to book restaurant reservations, spa treatments and shore excursions.