After having been on 4 Silversea cruises, we chose the Canada and New England cruise at this time to be able to sail into NYC. It was a thrilling experience! We have sailed on the Wind, the Spirit (twice), and the Cloud. Each cruise was excellent. We loved the small-sized ship, and the crew was exceptional. The personalized service of Silversea, from the butler to the maitre d'hotel, was also superb. We were always greeted with a friendly smile and many times, greeted by name at the reception area, excursion desk and restaurants. We were disappointed with a windy day which prevented us from anchoring in Newport, but the crew and staff immediately planned activities for our unexpected day at sea. Although not a new, glitzy ship, we noticed updated decor as the ship was refurbished last year. It was understated elegance in all the public areas. We ate in all the restaurants except the grill due to weather. The food is outstanding, as we had remembered from all of our previous cruises on Silversea. The afternoon tea was a favorite time, with Trivia with the cruise director. We would have preferred the enrichment lectures be more in line with the ports we visited, giving history and landmark information. The excursions were very enjoyable. Read Less

We chose this cruise because Bridge at Sea was holding a bridge event, the bridge was fine- the ship was a huge disappointment. The interior spaces are old and tired, wear and stains on every surface. The room was tiny, we knew that, but we didn't know that the beds weren't full sized, the brochure said "queen-sized", instead they were shorter and narrower than standard beds. Nice quality linens, though. The much touted butler introduced himself the first day and asked if we needed anything. My wife asked for an extra washcloth each day and bar soap (shower gel was provided but we like bar soap), we got two extra washcloths and two bars of soap on the last day (TIP DAY!). That was the total of our interactions with our superspecial personal butler. Dishes from room service breakfast were cleared away during dinner. In a tiny cabin, having the dirty dishes around all day was both disgusting and inconvenient. Room service food was uniformly cold. In the restaurant, they had lobster on the menu every night. Folks, in Ohio we call crustaceans this size "crawdads" and they were always shrouded in a gloppy cheese sauce or gravy mix. "Lobster Thermidor" was the same cheese sauce AND gravy mix with a mushroom. La Dama, specialty restaurant for a $120 upcharge, was adjacent to the smoking room and the nauseating odor permeated the room. We are unsure what the specialty was, the food was the same as the regular restaurant. La Terraza, the Italian grill, was, obviously, Italian. On Silversea, Italian means that everything has a large dollop of Parmesan cheese and cilantro cooked in, we prefer to add Parmesan or cilantro to taste, asking for a dish without Parmesan and cilantro we were told everything was prepared in advance and it wasn't possible. They did make fresh pasta for every dish but it wasn't very appetizing unless you liked it to the chef's taste. One time, they had pasta with onions and garlic (and Parmesan and cilantro) and they made it fresh for my wife - plain pasta in olive oil, no onions or garlic. The Small Ship Experience - while heavily touted as an advantage of premium lines, we never stopped at a port that didn't have a 2,500+ passenger ship from a popularly priced cruise line and the large ships get the dock while we had to tender. Most the ports were 1/2 days and tendering took a big chunk of time. Summary - I wouldn't go on Silversea again, if the trip was free Read Less

ABOUT US: My wife and I (in our 50s) wanted to find a cruise on a smaller ship without the masses of people since this was our first cruise. We have heard nightmares from the larger cruise ships and wanted to avoid the "hairy chest contest" cruise lines. In all candor, I was not looking forward to the cruise since i am not accustom to being in a confined or crowded location. We have high quality expectations when it comes to food and hotels rooms; however, we are not in the "high brow" country club crowd. SERVICE: From the moment boarding the ship all the way to departure, the service was impeccable. I asked our butler (who was a bit over attentive -- I really don't need help unpacking or packing, pouring wine or doing laundry) to keep water and beer in the room fridge and he delivered on that promise. The great thing is virtually everything is included on the ship: drinks, tips, etc. I kept waiting for a bill for something that I drank yet happily did not get it. WOW! Everyone on staff was amazing and very accommodating...way more than expected or needed for us. DINING: During dinner, we asked for a different wine selection and they were able to meet our request with something we liked and kept the glasses full, and no extra charge! wow amazing. The food was incredible and a huge selection of items for the seafood lover, vegetarian or carnivore! The informal "hot rocks" (cooking steak on a hot rock) on the pool deck is the best kept "secret" when you want to get away from the formal dinners. The buffet lunch was by far the best and we noticed the chef would visit ports to get fresh food for the cruise. WOW! PUBLIC AREAS: We did not feel crowded at all. There was plenty of public space to stretch out on the cruise without anyone around. On the "ship day", we sat in the observation deck and enjoyed watching the waves with very few folks around. Very quiet and nice. Even for the most 'popular' events, there was always a place to find a great seat and relax. The pool and deck area was never over crowded. I was impressed with the workout area...almost had the entire place to myself (they had 5 spin bikes and several treadmills, and other exercise equipment. PEOPLE: This is definitely the over 65 crowd and it was obvious we were the youngest guests on the ship (in our 50s). This was a good thing! Everyone on the ship were very cordial, friendly and polite. We actually enjoyed this since everyone was so friendly and eager to chat and were great to visit with. By the end of the cruise, we felt like most everyone on the ship was our best friend. ROOM: We expected to be in a cramped space and felt like we had enough room in our Veranda suite. We are tall people and were concerned that the bath shower would be too small...but the shower was bigger than many hotel room showers and baths. The room was clean, fresh and felt brand new. Rookie advice: Just bring tape to keep your drawers from slamming open and closed at night during rough seas (LOL). Overall, we highly recommend this cruise line and ship for the seasoned cruiser or the newbie wanting a relaxing, high end and low key cruise line. Read Less

We have sailed with Silversea three times now. This time, we joined Silver Whisper in Lisbon and headed north. Our cabin was comfortable and well positioned. Generally, the food was good, though we found La Dame unexciting. The wait staff, bar staff, butlers and stateroom staff were lovely and helpful. The talks were interesting, the entertainment varied and a little patchy. Loved the jazz group. Good, though small, fitness area. Shore tours not exciting. We didn’t get to Porto in the end, but I wouldn’t have bothered with any of the ship’s tours. I did find it odd that there were certain times of day when there was no food available. Once breakfast finished, there was not a croissant or a banana or a cookie to be found anywhere. Late breakfasters were advised to get room service, which is a set menu and takes some time to arrive. Would it be so hard to make a snack available in one of the bars? The same problem arises if you want a little something with a late night drink. I did manage to get some crisps, thanks to a sympathetic bartender. This is the first ship where I have found it impossible to eat when I wanted to eat. There seemed to be an overemphasis on the ship’s routines. The downside of Silversea always seems to be the port shifts and skips. Last time, Silver Muse skipped Savannah altogether, and replaced Wilmington with some place I can’t even remember; there was nothing to do there but go to a shopping centre, so we didn’t bother. This time, we had quite a short cruise on Whisper, with planned stops in Porto, Bilbao, Bordeaux and Cherbourg before our promised arrival into Greenwich. Well, we missed Porto altogether, which was a bitter disappointment – especially because we had made independent tour bookings. The harbour was fogged in, so we couldn’t enter; but did we go anywhere else, or spend more time in Bilbao? No. We slowed right down and pottered into Bilbao right on time. I asked whether port fees would be refunded, and the reception staff offered to find out, but there was no reply. At lease the Muse gave us an extra day in Port Canaveral when Savannah was cancelled. At the end of the cruise, we were due into Greenwich on the night of 25 September, disembarking 26 September. We had our regular driver booked. We attended a lecture at 4pm, which was excellent and went a little over time, so we couldn’t make out some announcements about 5pm. We discovered via an ‘update’ announcement some time later that we weren’t going to Greenwich at all ‘... is expected to arrive into Tilbury at ...’! The desk was overrun, but no one had answers. We were told that there would be a shuttle to Greenwich at 6.30am, which did not suit us. We had to rearrange our driver, and the journey cost us quite a lot more. The thing that annoyed me was the complete unconcern about the disappointment, inconvenience and costs suffered by most guests. These are the downsides of small ships, I guess. They are more susceptible to bad weather. The other downside is that, when ports are cancelled, there is not a lot to do on sea days. We are leaning towards larger ships in future. Read Less

We chose this cruise from London to Lisbon a segment of the complete cruise to Barcelona as a back up to our Scenic Eclipse Cruise which was cancelled due to the new ship having construction delays and us already having vacation time booked from work. We stayed in London a few days prior at the ship hotel Conrad which was a beautiful hotel in a great location walking distance to Buckingham Palace. The transfers went smoothly, and we were on the ship for a nice lunch on the terrace. The rooms were ready around 2pm. We had a veranda recently updated but you can still tell this is an older ship the furniture wood had lacquer peeling and looked tired, but the bed was comfortable and the bathroom had two sinks and great shower with great water pressure they laid out the configuration with two beds but we had requested one, minor issues easily fixed by the great room staff . The crowd was on the older side we were in the minority being in late 40's early 50's most were in the 60's or older. There were some "younger" couples we met and some multi-generational families onboard. Gym was small but adequate in the back of the small spa/sauna. We did boot camp with the trainer which was a challenge but fun on a rocking ship! The restaurants were good Le Dame was amazing but a very small space and extra cover charge. The drinks were premium and all inclusive. The boutique was small but had nice items to shop. Internet was included and spotty at times but worked for basic emails etc. Casino had basic games with a small bar and friendly staff. Entertainment was basic cruise ship with a few singer dancers and a guitarist and pianist. Seems like most people went to bed after the show ! The ports were fun and we did excursions in all of them since most were new to us. Biking in France was a lot of fun! The excursions are extra and not included in cost like Regent which to date has been our top cruise line although this is a close second because of the staff and service! We got off in Lisbon and stayed there for a few days. What an amazing city! We picked our own hotel the One Palacio da Anunciada great location in Lisbon five star amazing breakfast and staff. Overall we were very satisfied with our first Silversea cruise. Read Less

This should have been an outstanding cruise, but, it was extremely inconsistent. The positives were: The Wait Staff were outstanding. They were efficient, professional, and an out standing group of individuals. Gilbert, thr Maitre d'hotel is a master. We had the best butler we have ever had aboard a cruise. The housekeepers were very good. The entertainment was very, very good. The "Voices of Silver Whisper" were excellent singers and dancers. A singer, pianist, and magician/comedian that were brought aboard for a few specialty shows were also great. Destination consultant Corey Sandler gave a 1 hour discussion of each port with practical comments and recommendations. He also gave some additional lectures on fun subjects. He is an A+. Herb Kaiser, who gave lectures on Broadway/singing stars was also very enjoyable. The buffet breakfast and lunches were excellent, They served a vast variety of foods, and the special shellfish buffets included lobster, crab legs and claws, oysters and shrimp. Wow The negatives that destroyed the potential high score: The temperature of our room for the first week was in the high 70"s and we were told the engineers were working on it. People requested electric fans because of the high temperatures in their rooms. After one week of sweating they fixed it for three days and than the room temperatures went down to the low 60"s. The engineers also said that they could not fix it and they never did. My wife left the ship with a head cold and an ear infection. We did not want to be in our room because of the temperatures. The thermostats were useless. There are three types of dress aboard ship. Formal, a dark suit or tuxedo on four nights: informal which is dress pants and a sport coat for 11 nights: and casual, pants and a sport shirt for 2 nights. Even on port days you had to hurry back to the ship to shower and dress with a sport coat. It made no sense. The time in ports is way too brief. Tours are rushed and important areas are skipped or ignored with apologies from literally every guide. Many tours were 1/1.5 hours from the ship each way, and total port time was approx 6 hours. On pre-tour documents we were told about wonderful places, and because of lack of time we actually voted which destinations to skip. The quality was good, it could have been great with a couple more hours on each tour. Poor scheduling: When immigration came on board they asked passengers to report to the show lounge, instead of calling people alphabetically, by floor or by group of rooms. A line developed where people were standing 20 to 45 minutes instead of doing it sensibly. We had a tour in out last port that was scheduled to return after the last night's show and in the middle of the Captains thank you to passengers and the presentation of the crew and the crew awards. When numerous passengers complained they decided to schedule the tours to leave earlier but forgot to notify the passengers on some of the tours, When asked we were told it was a communications error. Food was inconsistent in "The Restaurant." Very small appetizer size entrees to entrees that could feed two people. Bowls of soup that were not even half full. 16" dinner plates served for dessert that contained 1/2 a piece of pie. Order your meat medium and 50 % of the time it comes our rare, The ship had just come out of dry dock and the employees were not properly adapted to good upgrades and changes. The first night's dinner in the main dining room took over 3 hours to serve. Everybody missed the talk by the cruise director about the ship and the activities. Read Less

We chose this cruise as a means to pursue something different. Having boated on rivers for many years we thought cruising the Amazon would be a good extension of the activity. We looked forward to seeing the cities, wildlife and the notion of seeing piranha fish. Embarkation was very smooth and they lived up to expectations. Our room was clean and well stocked with fruit and beverages. Out butler arrived and per our wishes supplied us with our favorites. As a matter of course he was always there for us and since we were traveling with a third person in another cabin, he hooked us up with canapes or dinner for three whenever we wished. It would be difficult to come up with a complaint and we tipped him accordingly. The cruise started off well enough with a stop at Devil's Island. This turned out to be quite good if not the best stop along the itinerary. The remnants of the penal colony are still standing and testify to the harsh conditions. There is a hotel on the island but we would have been hard pressed to stay there having seen it. Other stops yielded a perspective that Brazil has quite a bit of cleanup and pollution work in front of itself. At one stop, no activity was offered and the shore concierge couldn't suggest a reason to leave the boat so we didn't. We were lucky enough to spot pink dolphins from the Panorama Lounge that day, but if there's nothing to do, why stop there. The Restaurant was our favorite dining spot although we did enjoy going to La Dame a couple of times. Having a menue that changed at La Dame while we were aboard for 16 nights would have been a great improvement. We also ate at The Grill once and decided not to go a second time. The hot stone cooking while unique, generated quite a bit of smoke. On a hot sultry night with no wind it can make one person at a table of four very uncomfortable depending on which way the smoke blows. The pool bar lunch while tasting good, lacked service. We noted staff standing around in conversation quite a bit. On one occasion we waited a quite a while, and nothing happened until we got up to go to The Restaurant. We continued on our way at that point in spite of a very apologetic server. We ate at La Terrazza 2 nights, but the food was quite repetitive from both their own dinner menu and The Restaurant's lunch and dinner menus, and we preferred the atmosphere and service at The Restaurant. Disembarkation did not go as smoothly, starting late, requiring waiting in line numerous times (each time waiting for our color to be called before being allowed to wait in line), and eventually needing to drag all of our luggage to a parking lot and load it onto the seats in a small passenger bus for transport to the cruise terminal. Perhaps it was because we were the last ship to arrive in port that morning, and were last in line. Read Less

Celebrating a birthday and an anniversary. We knew that Silversea would enable a trouble free voyage. Our Butler and Maid decorated our suite for the birthday/anniversary celbration with clever towel art and balloons. Our fridge was constantly restocked with our favorite beverages. Our every need was cared for (including some seasickness tablets on the occasion that they were needed. The food was simply amazing with the specialty restaurant La Dame serving on eof the best meals we have ever enjoyed. While we did not take part in the entertainment at night (being early to bed folks) we did enjoy the lectures. And the Bingo. And the Trivia contests. The dining options enabled us to enjoy what we wanted when we wanted it. And when the (free) WiFi went out on deck 4 and 5 we were presented with a $300 credit. A really fine gesture for a porblem that was not foreseeable. What can I say? It is Silversea.. Read Less

We prefer to cruise back from Europe rather than flying. We have been on Silversea for only four years, but it is our "go-to" cruise line. This trip fit in with our earlier plans: started with a week in Madrid in a rented apartment; then fly to Porto for an Ama Waterways cruise up and down the Douro River; then the high-speed train to Lisbon for a few days waiting to board the Whisper fro the crossing. As usual, the ship met or exceeded our expectations. The staff is wonderful and as repeat cruisers, we re-acquainted ourselves with many of them. It is such fun to walk into a bar on board and not have to order a drink. It just appears before you! The crew and the wait staff were also a welcoming sight. We have recommended Silversea to many of our friends and the feedback we get is always positive. Read Less

My wife and I like small ships rather than the large cruise ships because they are more intimate and feature the ports of call as the selling point versus the large floating hotel concept. We also focus on which ports the cruise will call on rather than the time of year or size of boat. This cruise was the second time on Silver Whisper, a Baltic Sea cruise being the first time. On this cruise we liked its origination port of Monte Carlo and conclusion in Lisbon. Portugal is a very interesting country to visit and we will go back. We also thought most of the ports would be very interesting, or provide access to exceptional Spanish cities. As we found out, Malaga and Cadiz allowed us to visit Granada and Seville, both the gems of Andalusia. Most of the tours were very good although on whole we thought Seabourn's tours are better. One tour to Granada was wait listed so we opted to use our travel agent to set up a private tour. Otherwise the ship's tours of Seville and Barcelona were excellent! Once you come back for a second cruise you become a member in their Venetian Society, and they hosted a remarkable excursion one evening in Barcelona that was very good! We normally try to book the larger Silver Suites which are similar in configuration to the Seabourn suites. Our suite, however, was better than the Seabourn suites by being wider and more spacious. We especially like their hot rock feature on the Pool deck, which we enjoy immensely! The October time frame was nice from a temperature perspective, but the captain skipped two ports due to high winds/seas so there is a trade off for booking at end of the season. Crew was very nice and the butler element is a nice touch not present on Seabourn. On previous trip in Baltic Sea we hit all of the restaurants, but this time, due to the presence of a wine tour group, most of the evenings were already booked. As such we were unable to compare with previous dining experience. We generally do not go to the Restaurant on deck 4. All in all a cruise that was very memorable! Read Less

Before going on this cruise, I read several negative reviews that made me quite nervous. We had originally chosen silversea due to reviews of excellent service and dining. Then we read the reviews criticizing just those aspects. Well, it turned out our original hope was fully realized. The service was excellent and the food was outstanding. We enjoy leisurely dining which is the style most available in the evenings when the buffet disappears; some may have felt it was too slow. However, after seeing how hard people tried to please us, I think if we had asked to have courses brought more quickly, they would have done so. The menu was varied each evening, and the ship has an "all day dining" menu that can be ordered in any restaurant venue if the daily choices don't appeal. This is also the way to get meals when restaurants are closed; the order will be served in your room or in any public venue (like the pool, panorama lounge, etc.) This allows a lot of flexibility although in a way different from many cruises that have buffets open more throughout the day. We found all the dining venues to be good, but particularly enjoyed lunch at LaTerrassa and the Main Dining Room in the evenings. Finally, we thought the Voices of Silversea, who provided several shows, were the most talented group we have seen on any cruise. The productions may not be as "big" as some larger ships, but the quality was higher. Read Less

Last year we took our first cruise on Silversea to Alaska. Since our experience last year was so enjoyable, we booked a Mediterranean cruise for this year. We weren't disappointed. The food, dining room service, cabin service, bartenders were great. We only went to the main dining room and La Terrazza. The previous cruise we tried the outside hot rock experience...which is when the passenger cooks their own steak or seafood. It looked like fun, but we prefer the chefs to cook for us! Most of the wines were good. Ports of call were beautiful. Massages were unbelievable, and I'm picky. Embarkation was flawless. Debarkation was even better...they are very organized with the luggage. We enjoy the smaller ships...no crowds anywhere! Gratuities were inclusive of our fare, which is nice. Alcohol is also included. Room service was excellent, always on time...I enjoyed Eggs Benedict almost every morning. All in all, it was a great time! Read Less

We have sailed with Silversea before and really loved it. This cruise was no different. Great Accommodations, Great Excursions, Awesome Crew and we love the fact that it's all inclusive.The captain and crew kept us up to date on all activities, embarking and disembarking procedures as well as up to date news regarding the cruise. The food was very good and the selections were great! The facilities on this cruise whether they were dining, exercising, using the library or anything else were always in clean, working order. The Reception Crew and Concierge Crew were always very helpful and informative and willing to go out of their way to accommodate your needs and requests. The excursions offered through Silversea were plentiful and covered everyone's wishes. We actually spent our Honeymoon on the Silver Whisper in 2005 on a Caribbean Cruise and even though I didn't think it could be done I think Silversea did make some slight adjustments and improvements. It was just a delightful cruise and vacation. Read Less

This particular cruise was an absolute failure in terms of delivering on any of the marketing made on their website or in their expensive shiny brochures and I do not think I will ever sail on Silversea again. Where to start? First of all, we are well experienced as cruisers, and as travelers, have refined palates and are all lovers of fine wines...so we did have a standard of expectations here, mostly as set by Silversea themselves on the website, in their brochures etc. We really did have the expectation that this would be a really high end cruise with superb food, wine and service. First of all our "personalized Butler service". Our butler showed up in the suite to say hello (our wonderful service attendant was there however with his excellent smile and unfailing good nature) at least 2 hours after boarding. Informed us he had 15, yes, 15 cabins to service so was busy. Yep, busy. Over 9-10 days he delivered breakfast twice...the second time it arrived stone cold with one rock hard cardboard waffle and cold congealed eggs..and he served it to us! There was no time to get a replacement (needed to join a tour in port) but it was obvious that our order had sat around for a long time before it was picked up. There was a nice soap selection presentation and one evening a small anniversary cake delivered with balloons to our suite, something all cruises do, which was nice. Our so called luxury mattress was just terrible to sleep on , so uncomfortable and on the day of the LAST NIGHT they informed us they were changing all the mattresses on our deck. We were NOT impressed with their ill timed announcement...they really should have saved the mattress switch for disembarkation day...because we got off this "premium" luxury cruise KNOWING that we slept badly on a mattress in need of change out. Oh, except for one night..thanks. The suite was very nice, lots of room in the bathroom, great walk in clothes storage, lovely living room space and very nice quality towels, robe etc. Slippers we referred to as our surfboards, rather giant sized for sure. We were very pleased with the space of the suite. I think our biggest let down was food quality and inconsistency. SO inconsistent. The sole exception to this was the morning walk through buffet, which was fresh, delicious and beautifully varied. The waiters took made to order egg orders. Desserts across all venues on the entire cruise were sub par to say the least (and just name ONE cruise line where gorgeous desserts aren't a feature. This ship offered mostly some form of a ganache pudding like filling served in some dessert form or another, or you could have creme brulee or cheesecake, hardly culinary dessert artistry. The four of us tried the ice creams and gelatos on two occasions, the ice creams had so little flavor and were more ice milk like as opposed to rich and creamy...we even mentioned our dismay over the desserts and ice creams to the Exec Chef one evening when he wandered by the Table. He informed us in a scolding tone that "they were all made from scratch fresh daily" well so much for that! Tasteless ice milk made fresh daily! I felt better right away! We found that the service stations were crazy noisy with drawers slammed, trays filled with dishes rattling etc. One night we asked for a "quiet table" and yes.....they sat us two tables from the KITCHEN DOOR...you know the one, the door that dozens of waiters run in and out of ALL NIGHT LONG. The Maitre D in the dining room was a grumpy fellow and not at interested in where you, the guest, might wish to sit...he had a plan and you got a growl from him if you asked for a table near a window, or away from the service stations etc. One morning we actually asked to have a waiter replaced he was just that bad. The steaks onboard were just delicious...we quickly learned that while the cook it yourself hot rock venue seems like something fun....it also comes with a fair amount of grease spattering everywhere. They do give you a large bib....but the grease is all over the table, on your sleeves, in your hair and all around you. The next time we had it grilled for us and brought over....MUCH better. On so many occassions we took lunch or ate lunch around the pool and found the service lackluster, and very inattentive..I am just not sure what was wrong here...but there were lots of staff standing around the service station or milling around the bar while plates piled up, glasses went empty and no one re-visited the tables to check. For some reason the bar staff at the pool had zero idea how to make a drink...really. They were all like first day bartenders who never made a drink in their lives. We sent back drink after drink which tasted NOTHING like what was described. Thank goodness for the lovely server, Magda who would personally take them back to the bar, and then re-make then herself for us...always perfect. How tough should that have been? This premium luxury cruise at day three started to feel like a cut rate cruise line. I know there are a lot of readers interested in the included wine service. Hope you all like Chilean wine. I asked every single occasions if there was a South African, or New Zealand or Australian wine available and always was told no...UNTIL the last two nights...lo and behold...some lovely wines from those very places magically appeared. In the meantime I racked up a few dollars buying decent wines to drink.... We did have a lovely meal in the La Dame room venue. We also asked , twice, for the sommalier to come to the table as were were wanting to purchase a very decent bottle or two of wine . The sommalier did not come although we saw him in the wine cabinets frequently, the young lady that was sent and we were told she was a sommalier, READ us the notes from the back of the two bottles we were interested in. GEE, thanks! We She also failed to decant our expensive bottle and did not replace our wine glasses when the second bottle was opened..OMG. We just gave up looking for a semblance of excellence at that point. The service however in La Dame was excellent and skilled... Of note, there was an absolutely excellent vocal band performing live in the dance lounge nightly, well worth a late nightcap and easy listen to. One evening (Portofino) we returned to find a note in our suite saying the La Terraza dining venue was CLOSED due to a "private event" . The 30-40 yr old folks on that private event dressed to the max in chic finery were on the shore to ship tender with us, so we thought something might be up. My point is this...Silversea actually CLOSED one of its very few dining venues to their PAYING GUESTS. During the evening. Some folks mused that perhaps it was a "charity" thing for Silversea...but if it was a fund raiser, then Silversea also had some very deep pocketed PAYING guests on board. just a chic private dinner party with a group from Portofino ...closed to paying guests. WOW...that IS really arrogant. At a minimum they should have closed a lunch venue off during the day when most of the paying passengers were ashore. Again...who cared? We booked three shore excusions with Silversea. We also loved the amount of time we had in port on this itinerary. First one, we were told to get on and off the bus three times, switch buses, then told to go back to the original bus...the on board "lecturer" and his wife royally buggering it up and not a Silversea staffer in site. ACK. Second one...we visited a rest/drink stop at a scenic mountain top location which was CLOSED because the local guide did not call ahead first and that particular guide felt very strongly indeed that there should never be a moment of silence on the mic over the four hours. Not a moment. Everything you never wanted to know about her entire family, and the curious mating habits of black pigs...over and over...Good one Silversea. We had a good time because we always have a good time. 99% of our fellow passengers were terrific interesting folks. The ports were mostly lovely, well once you go out of Marseille and Livorno, with enough time to really do something unhurried and wonderful in the locale, we took full advantage of that. Only once did we receive a wet hand towel upon re boarding from shore...that is SUCH a little thing but so noticeably missing on a consistent basis here. For all the reasons i have written about above....and the fact that prior to this cruise it was announced that Silversea had been sold to Royal Caribbean Cruise Line..I can only conclude that this expensive particular cruise failed to deliver on far too many cruise line basics let alone those associated with a self called "luxury" cruise. I really cannot recommend Silversea and that, is a real shame. Read Less

We chose this cruise because the ship was small, only 380 passengers and we wanted to cruise the Greek Islands which limited our choice of ships. Embarkation and disembarkation were the fastest I have ever experienced on a ship, no waiting in line. The food, service, entertainment were great. I am not a buffet person and loved that I had options of a la carte or buffet for breakfast and lunch. Our cabin was the largest cabin I have experienced on a ship. The service was over the top. Great crew. Very roomy and big bathroom. It was a Verandah suite which was the least expensive suite with a balcony you could purchase. My only complaint is the ship is old and dated looking. There are no electrical outlets by the nightstands, you have to plug your phone or I-pad in across the room which is not fun at 6 a.m. when the alarm goes off and you have to run across the run to shut it off. Our shore excursions were nice. Some of them a little longer than they needed to be. I felt the tour guide was taking longer than they needed because the tour was 4 hours and they felt they had to give us 4 hours of talking. The private tour guide through the ship was very expensive. We were able to find a private tour guide in Santorini for 75% cheaper than what the ship wanted to charge. Overall, we loved it and would travel on Silversea again but will look for a ship that is newer. Read Less

We selected this cruise because we wanted a 7-day cruise, roundtrip from Athens. SilverSea Silver Whisper was selected because of its size and amenities. We were able to explore Athens prior to boarding the ship. The embarkation process was excellent. It was much more organized than other cruises we have experienced. We found our cabin to be exactly as we expected. The bathroom was particularly nice and much larger than expected. Our Butler and housekeeper were delightful and professional. We were able to experienced all of the dining options on the ship. The French restaurant was particularly good. However, we found the quality of the food and the service to be excellent throughout the ship. All of the excursions were well organized. We thought that Santorini was way too crowded, particularly in the afternoon as we attempted to leave. All of the other ports and excursions were much more enjoyable. We highly recommend this cruise and look forward to sailing with SilverSeas again! Read Less

Because it was going to the Greek Islands we wanted to visit. Service onboard the ship was great. Our butler was most helpful. Wait staff in restaurant was wonderful! Food was very good. Two friends were I traveled with were vegetarian and there was a good selection on menu for them. Ship was very nice. There were a two young children on this cruise. I would not recommend this cruise for children, it is definitely an adult cruise! The parents did not look like they were having any fun trying to entertain 2 young children. Take a child centered cruise instead ...not this one! We did not partake of the evening entertainment except for the last night. We were pretty exhausted from the excursions every day and went to bed early. The only thing was the excursions were expensive. But I did not want to miss Santorini, Myconos, Delos, Kos, etc. that's what we were cruising to these islands to see. Overall, I highly recommend this cruise for adults, not children! Read Less

Last September, my husband and I sailed for the first time on the Silversea Whisper. In the past we had sailed with other companies and we decided to try this one due to the good opinions that had come to us by different ways. Unfortunately we have to say that the "exceptional experience" Silversea longs to offer is not what we had. When you travel on a luxury cruise you expect “luxury” and of course you pay for that. Anyway, let´s start with the positives. Embarkation and disembarkation were great. The stateroom was spacious and well designed with a walk in storage closet. The beds were comfortable. Butler service was ok although we could not find the utility of that service. There were several Spanish speaking in the crew very pleased to always help us. But that’s it. The food was very ordinary, not what you expect for a six star, expensive cruise. The buffet lunch was disappointing. Nothing tasted of anything. Nightly dinner meals were boring and simple. Service was friendly but very slow. The house wines were cheap and nasty. The entertainment was dreadful. It consisted of the same people singing “Voices of Silversea” It became very boring very quickly. We did not know that luxury was at odds with fun. Dress code outdated. Wake up, this is 2018 not “Gone with the wind” times. For two nights when the sea was a little choppy there was loud noises throughout the night which sounded like machinery moving so we could not get some sleep. But the worst was yet to come and that happened two nights before the end of the cruise. We had a reservation for dinner at the Grill and it was a windy night so plastic curtains were semi-open o completely closed. While we waited to be attended which took a long time, a passenger next to us wanted to close all of them. We did not agree because was to hot due to the ceiling heaters. At that point the mention passenger got up and started to close the ones near us. Faced with our protest the Maître was unable to solve the problem allowing the aforementioned passenger to impose his criteria without taking into account our own and this motivated our immediate departure from the place. We complained at the reception desk and went to the main dining room where the Maitre apologized for the incident. But up to day no one on behalf of Silversea has addressed us in a formal way to present their apologies. We missed the so called “impeccable hospitality” of the Silversea. Consequently we are very disappointed and Silversea will not be our next option. Read Less

First off, what is it about air conditioning? I had the thermostat turned all the way down in my room and the temperature was still just marginally cool. Definitely not comfortable enough for me to get a good nights sleep. And on the last night I found out that the entire ship was on one central system and not really adjustable by room. Even the observation room was not adjustable. So stick a bunch of people in there in the afternoon with all those large windows and it was downright HOT. Your staff finally blocked the doors open to get some airflow thru, to try to cool us down. Service from our butler was great, he was very responsive and took really good care of us. Food was good, service there was pretty good also, but a couple of times we were kind of ignored, as we had to ask for something more than once. Would have liked the main bar to have been open more during the day. Only being able to go to "The Grille" in the day was substandard, as it was pretty hot during those times, as well as humid. Shows were OK, given the stage size and the format. Very talented singers/dancers. We felt that a couple of the excursions were overpriced for the quality of the excursion. The one that was the least impressive was the one on Chios as the guy giving the cruise was marginal in the amount of info he gave us.Very overpriced on that one. Read Less

We sailed on this ship because of the itinerary and because we had sailed on the Silver Whisper 9 years ago -- that time the ship was exceptional and we have wonderful memories of that cruise. The ship is now showing its age and needs a complete makeover - - not just a change of the carpet - - a complete makeover. It needs to be modernized both as to technology and aesthetics - - furniture and furnishings. Also, the engine room smell in the middle of the ship needs to be completely resolved! The crew and the service were the best part of our experience. The food in La Terrazza was very, very good, the food in the Restaurant was good, but not exceptional. Hot Rocks was okay - - a bit messy until the chefs cooked our meal for us. Our meal in La Dame was very disappointing - - who rolls Dover Sole? You're catering to people who have options and are blessed to experience some of the nicer things in life. Yes, we are on a cruise ship, but comparing the luxury you advertise to the luxury offered at some of the fine hotels (e.g., Four Seasons and small Relais Chateaux hotels), they are superior to you - - - you need to step up your game. We would not sail on the Silver Whisper again - - maybe a new Silver Sea ship but not a ship that is nearly 20 years old. Read Less

I choose my cruise for the service and itinerary. We sailed from Monte Carlo, stopping at Livorno, Sorrento, Taormina, Malta, Croatia and ended in Venice. Embarking was very quick and flawless. Cabin was as expected..... clean, spacious, with the most comfortable bed and soft bed linens. I was on Deck 5, which made getting to anywhere on the ship easy. My butler was sweet (Demba) and efficient and kind. I never waited more than 5 mins for a response. He and the room attendant (Jennifer) made me feel well cared for the entire trip. My cruise was all inclusive, and the food was beyond delicious. Varied menus was great. Desserts were below the standard in my opinion. They should have sourced locally from all the ports we were stopping into to offer more authentic local delicacies. Clean and tidy is what I saw everywhere on this ship. With that said, it was an older ship, so the wear and tear and dated aspect was present. Pool towels were very poor and beat-up looking. Pool lounges were very, very comfortable. Spa was a crashing disappointment. Steam room was cracking and old. Massage therapist I had was more interested in talking about her self and avoided one of the two areas I had expressed I wanted her to work on during my 50 min session. I don't believe she had much experience in the massage arena. Pedicure was fine, but very over priced for what I received. Blow-out was typical, but the hard sell was annoying on adding all sorts of extra treatments I did not want. I had to keep repeating that I just wanted a basic blow-out. Gym was horrible and small. Under whelmed with the spa. Entertainment was " one note". They pandered to folks over 65. Not much variety. The boutique was also "one note". Very, very expensive, mostly jewelry with diamonds, and stones. Clothes were high-end clothes we could buy at home in USA at anySaks, Niemen Marcus or Nordstroms. Boring..... No variety. No local, unique productsor clothing with a variety of prices!!!! No sundries to choose from either. None. The few tours I did go on were great. Local tour operators were excellent, buses wereclean, air conditioned and in good shape. Silversea canceled two of my tours ( due to lack of interest) night before and did not extend any other offers to join other tours. Now, my biggest piss-off, was the stop in MALTA. My tour was cancelled to the gardens, so I read up on the internet on how to get there on my own, and also plotted out shops I wanted to stop into to see the local speciality, which was gold filigree and lace making, and found a museum I wanted to go to. With that said, I set off the ship onto MALTA to enjoy my day. After walking around for three hours, and asking many locals that mostdid not speak english, I discover ALL OF MALTA CLOSES DOWN ON SUNDAY due tothe fact they are mostly Catholic. So it was a complete waste of time. I was so disappointed, Silversea did not say one thing to anyone and did not make a big announcement that most, if not all businesses, were closed on sunday. WHY ARE YOU STOPPING AT A PORT ON SUNDAY IF MOST THINGS ARE CLOSED. Jipped on that stop.:( On a high note, getting on and off the ship was sooooooo easy and pleasant. So quick,10 minutes or less. I think they are very organized in that area and there were only300 people on the ship made the process efficient. All in all, great service, food, liquor choice. I would do another one in a heartbeat. But you have to "save - up", it's not cheap and check stops for religious closures. Thanks Silversea Read Less

We chose this cruise based on (a) destinations - we'd not been to some of the ports of call), (b) timing, and, (c) we'd been on several Silversea ships (including the Whisper in the past. Key points; 1. Virtually all the staff were attentive and helpful -especially our butler. 2. The food in La Terrassa was good - especially the evening meals - we ate there twice. 3. On the other hand the food in the main dining room in the evenings was not as good as in past years and was a big let down. I don't regard hamburgers as a suitable red meat choice for what purports to be a high end restaurant. 4. Internet is now included, and, although slow, copes with emails and newspapers. 5. Cabin was comfortable and clean, but only had 2 pairs of power sockets (one USA, the other European), one of which was on the design table at the end of the bed and was virtually useless. 6. The dress code is bizarre - few people bother with black tie. 7. I resent having to get the charity donation removed from my account. 8. We did 3 tours - which were well planned and executed. 9. Our flights were included. Transfer from the airport was smooth, but there was no help with the luggage at the terminal. Transfer back to the airport at the end of the voyage dropped us off an hour before check in opened. Read Less

The itinerary, dates and length of cruise was the reason we chose Silversea. We also wanted a higher end cruise line, which we understood that Silversea was. The embarkation and disembarkation was the smoothest I've ever experienced. It was well organized, had little/no queues, and plenty of staff to assist. The ship and cabins, in general, are a bit tired and dated and in much need of a refresh. The cruise was also more formal, particularly as it relates to the dress code, than I would have preferred. No shorts after 6PM and jackets required every evening was too stuffy, especially when you are supposed to be on vacation and relaxing. The food was excellent, particularly La Dame, and the service was top notch. We traveled with a large group (celebrating a 35th wedding anniversary) so 3 small children were in tow, all under the age of 4. I would definitely not recommend Silversea if traveling with children. There were 4 high chairs on the entire ship, which meant the majority of the time, there wasn't any high chairs for our children when we were dining. Also, there was no childcare/babysitting services which would have been nice for the family to enjoy a quiet evening or to go on excursions that required more activity. The pool was small and we were afraid our children would make too much noise and disrupt the other guests, so we really didn't use it much. Not much in general for kids to do. Silversea is definitely an older demographic without kids... The ports were excellent and there was enough time to really enjoy them. I particularly liked the fact that a local person from each port was at the Excursion desk on the ship to provide truly local expertise/recommendations. Our butler, Rooben, was fantastic. He was prompt, courteous, eager to please and anticipated our needs. Definitely one of the best butlers I have had. Our housekeeper, Joanna, likewise was fantastic. Overall, the cruise was nice but I would wait to go on recently refurbished ship and definitely without kids. Read Less

We chose this cruise by the ports of call. We arrived early morning in Barcelona and the cruise line representatives arranged for transportation and breakfast at a nearby hotel. Embarkation was quick and easy. Our top deck suite was lovely, spacious and immaculate. The huge walk in closet is a bonus.The food overall was quite good - I highly recommend dining at La Dame - with good selections of wine. But the best part of the cruise is the service. It is simply outstanding. Our butler, Marlon, could not have been more helpful and gracious. The wait staff are friendly and courteous. Just superb. We visited interesting ports of call and took advantage of shore excursions at each stop. Some of the tour guides are better than others but in the main we thoroughly enjoyed every experience. I travel internationally quite a bit on business and have pretty high standards, and would recommend the Silver Whisper with no reservations whatsoever. Read Less

the sliver sea company did a great job for our cruise. the suite on deck 9 was very roomy.linens and towels were terrific. our butler could not have been nicer. whenever we asked for something the answer was always- no problem . we liked the food best in the main dining room. we didnt like la terraza-. the grill had a clever concept where you cook your meal on a sizzling platter- i was fun. la dam was definitely worth the extra expense. it is very small and the food was outstanding. we went on two excursions with the cruise- one to gasson -in st trpez and then one excursion in alghero. both were good and reasonably priced. we did other excursions by doing my own research. we brought our luggage to the pier at 12:30 and were actually able to get our id . we then went on our tour and by the time we returned to the ship at 6:30 w were able to get into our room. being able to at least drop the luggage off was great. we were pleasantly surprised at how easy the embarkation and disembarkation were compared to a bigger ship. after this cruise we could never go back to a large ship. if you are gluten free be aware that the servers can help with the menu. there were a lot of options. if you like gf bakery items at breakfast the only have bead which was usually stale and also decent mini muffings. we did order gf french toast and pancakes which were almost inedible- the ship should carry gf pancake mix- we also tried the pizza- the kitchen did a decent job but i dont think they are skilled at cooking that even though the crust comes pre made- over all i think they tried to accommodate us but they could carry some packaged schar items. Read Less