Day 09 - Gustavia, St. Bart's (Silver Suite)
December 6, 2018 - Silver Spirit is anchored off the coast of St. Bart's today and tenders are shuttling guests back and forth to Gustavia, the capital port city.
Since we have been to St. Bart's many times in the past, we decided that today would be a great day to take advantage of our amazing Silver Suite. Earlier this year, Silver Spirit grew in length by 49 feet when the ship was literally cut in half and a 49-foot section added.
As a result of this renovation, six new Silver Suites were added (2 on Deck 10, 2 on Deck 11 and 2 on Deck 8). The Silver Suite has always been one of our all-time favorite cruise ship accommodations, so we were thrilled when we learned that we would have an opportunity to enjoy one of the newly-added Silver Suites (#1015).
At 746 sq. ft., the one-bedroom Silver Suite offers every creature comfort even the most demanding cruise enthusiast could ask for. The large living room features a full-size sofa (that can convert to a bed), two leather chairs, a marble coffee table, and two lamp tables.
Full-size sofa bed, leather chairs, marble coffee table and two lamp tables
At the other end of the living room is a dining table with four chairs and a marble-top mini bar.
In the photo above, you can see one of the two large-screen HD televisions (the other is in the bedroom). There are two sliding doors leading out to a massive veranda outfitted with a luxury sun lounger, two chairs w/foot rests, and a large dining table with two chairs.
The balcony table can comfortably be used to enjoy al fresco dining, as we did at breakfast.
There is a powder room (WC) off the entry hallway which is shared with the Master Bath. If you are entertaining, this allows your guests to have access to the bathroom without going through your bedroom. A very intelligent design.
There is a double sliding door that can be used to close off the bedroom from the living room for additional privacy.
Sliding door to bedroom open
Sliding door to bedroom closed
You can tell that this suite is one of the six new Silver Suites because of the light wood tones used throughout. It is very elegant and tasteful. Existing Silver Suites have darker wood, but have also been upgraded with new touches and new electronics. And, speaking of technology, Silversea has done an excellent job with outlets, both AC and USB, throughout the suite.
One of our very few critiques of the Silver Suite prior to the recent ship refurb was the lack of USB ports and AC outlets. Silversea has addressed this, to the max! At the desk, there are two USB ports, two 220 V AC outlets (1 Euro and 1 US). The digital clock also has a cellphone recharging pad on top. Very cool.
One one end of the desk is a Bose wireless sound system that can connect to your cell phone, iPad, iPod or other wireless music source.
Above the mini-bar, there are two Euro-style 220V outlets (I am using US plug adapters).
On the nightstands in the bedroom, there are two USB ports on one nightstand (for Rickee's iPad).
In addition, there are two US-style and one Euro-style AC outlets on the other nightstand.
In case that is not enough, there are outlets on the dressing table also!
Every surface is topped with a rich marble that gives the entire suite an elegant look and feel. The luxury bed is unquestionably the most comfortable bed we have found on a Silversea ship.
The crown jewel of the Silver Suite is the Master Bathroom.
The dual sink vanity is nothing short of opulent, surrounded by rich marble and adorned with only the very finest Bvlgari amenities.
The full-sized Jacuzzi whirlpool tub is large enough for two.
The walk-in shower is so nice that I am trying to figure out how to rip it out of the suite and take it home with me! It is the nicest shower we have ever seen on a cruise ship. There is a rain-shower head and a spray wand and plenty of room to relax and luxuriate.
When it comes to closet space, the Silver Suite has loads of it. There's plenty of room for a world cruise's amount of clothing here. Lots of hanging space and a huge eight-drawer dresser give maximum storage.
Lots of hanging space and floor storage
A large eight-drawer dresser offers tons of storage
Of course, it's what cannot be captured in photos that really makes the Silver Suite, and Silversea, special. The butler service is as good as, or better than, we have experienced anywhere. When I have my coffee in the morning, before Rickee wakes up, I close the door between the living room and bedroom. Rodolfo, our butler, brings me a pot of coffee to enjoy while I am working on the daily blog. He knows Rickee is still sleeping, so he does not ring the doorbell. Instead, he gently opens the door and whispers that he is there with my coffee.
Our Suite Attendant, Grace, keeps the suite spotlessly clean, no matter how late we leave in the morning.
During the lengthening of Silver Spirit, the ship underwent many changes and improvements. And, none are more apparent than those they have made to the Silver Suites. In our opinion, they are among the most comfortable accommodations in the entire cruise industry.
