This was our first Silversea cruise and only our 2nd ever cruise. We booked for the luxury experience and because of the itinerary. There were many things that contributed to us having such a good holiday but the first thing I have to mention is the people. The staff were all very efficient but provided their services in such a friendly manner that we were made to feel really comfortable. We also met some lovely people on board who were keen to help ensure our first Silversea experience was a memorable one. We never at any time felt that we didn't fit in although we wouldn't normally travel in such luxury. The all inclusive nature of the cruise, and the onboard credit we received, meant that we could really enjoy ourselves knowing that everything had been paid for up front.

As for the actual cruise experience, the suite we had was bigger than we expected it to be and the double sink in the bathroom and walk in wardrobe were fantastic. The bed was very comfortable. The food was perhaps not quite as good as we expected, particularly in La Terraza in the evening, although we really enjoyed the lunches there. By far, our favourite place to eat in the evening was at the pool side for the 'Hot Rocks' experience. The fillet steak was excellent and the waiting staff the best on the ship. The entertainment was just perfect for us, Charlotte and Jonjoe providing background music in the bar, and the 6 singers (and Kirk, cruise director) providing a 30-40 minute nightly show. The quality of the entertainment was excellent without being intrusive, or taking up too much of our free time when we wanted to socialise.

The ports of call were partly why we picked the cruise so no complaints there, and having an overnight stop in Tianjin meant we could fully experience the sights of Beijing. Read more