The Maiden Voyage of the Silver Muse was a major disappointment. She was touted as "Simply Divine" but she was "Simply Folly". You would have expected Silversea to bring their most experienced staff to work this ship. Alas, that was not the case. The service was substandard and there was "attitude" among some of the staff. There were times when we were offered wine and never received it; ice tea was not refilled. Food was ordered but not delivered to the table.

We were controlled by the ship. Silversea was so proud of their new "most comprehensive dining experience at sea...Our main dining room is always open seating so you can arrive at your leisure." (from Silversea Silver Muse Travel Journal) We never found this "dining room" after 13 days on the ship as it did not exist. This is the first ship we have been on where dining is a challenge and we have been on over 15 cruises. I called it the diet cruise. No reservation, no eating until after 9 p.m. in most cases. That is too late for us to eat with early activities the next day. We do not want to plan our meals ahead of time especially after a long day in port. The only place we could get into with regularity was Spaccanapoli but how much pizza and calzone can one eat. At least the food at this pizzeria was good and the service excellent. All the menus remain the same with no local offerings. How tiring is that?! Thank goodness the ports offered great restaurants where we met a lot of fellow cruisers who were also unhappy with the dining situation. Many passengers used "In Suite" dining so they could eat but we did not want to do this. The fun part of cruising is meeting fellow passengers and not being cooped up in your suite.

The ports and shore excursions were the only things that made this cruise worthwhile. Embarkation and disembarkation went well. The cabins were comfortable and relaxing. Read more