We chose Silversea because of timing and ship size. We had never sailed them before. We do not like large ships and do like luxurious cruising. We were VERY happy with our choice as the ship never felt crowded and we were certainly pampered. We did include a few nights pre-cruise in Anchorage and so our transfer to the train was arranged by Silversea. Their representative in Anchorage was a bit chatty and not as organized as we had expected, but all worked out okay. The departure day buffet breakfast was lousy and not a good reflection on a luxury cruise line.

Embarkation was a breeze! We were bussed to the airport train terminal, boarded our train and were seated at a table of 4 for the 4 hour train ride to Seward. we enjoyed the opportunity to meet other people who would be on the ship with us. Once in Seward, we were on the ship in minutes and our luggage was already in our cabin. Our butler and cabin steward were fantastic and couldn't do enough for us. All of the staff on the ship was extremely pleasant and helpful. There was always something to do on the ship and we had no problem keeping busy. The dining selections were very elegant. We especially enjoyed the main dining room and the La Terrazza Italian Venue. Had the weather been warmer, we would have been able to enjoy meals outside on the aft deck.

Now....for the negatives: Another reviewer mentioned that the ship needed some refurbishment and I would agree. It wasn't awful, but I think she looked dated, dreary and worn in some areas. Most disappointing was the Deck 10 forward salon. It was a lovely space to view the vistas ahead, but the windows were hazy and it smelled of mildew. The line offers a "personal shopper." Perhaps if we were very wealthy, we might appreciate such a service, but we found his "in-your-face" style off-putting and avoided him like the plague. There is an upcharged French restaurant on the ship called Le Champagne. We enjoyed our meal, but the space appeared to be an afterthought; an oversized closet. Sadly, it was located right next to the humidor and smoking lounge, so the smell of cigars was very pervasive during this "elegant" meal. Food elsewhere was good, but not fantastic. I did have occasion to use the spa and while my massage was lovely, the high-pressure attempt afterwards to get me to purchase their products detracted from the relaxing experience. Also, their excursion desk is not manned all day...only for short periods morning and night. We seemed to always miss the person who should have been there. We would definitely recommend scheduling your shore excursions and dining reservations online before your cruise. Read more