This was the link cruise between Imagine Cruising’s Wonders of the World tour which should have included China and India - full review of that on Tripadviser. Joined the ship at Singapore and set sail for a 14 day journey to Mumbai via Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Cochin. From the first moment the ship and its staff exceeded expectations - a smaller ship at 604 passengers than many cruise ships but with 8 restaurants and bars and nearly every suite with a balcony following its recent refurbishment this is a floating palace. Entertainment was available throughout he day to suit all preferences with games, trivia quiz’s, cooking and drinks demos as well as first class shows in the evening nd of course a casino to get the adrenaline going!! Our suite on the 8th level was spacious and very functional inc shower and separate bath - the bed was very comfortable and the lounge area and TV very good with the balcony providing some spectacular views in port and sailing between islands. The butler service is very effective without being intrusive and unpacking our cases and stacking it all was a pure joy. The cruise sadly got caught up in the in the CV19 issues and after a couple of days the original route was changed dramatically with Myanmar and Sri Lanka closing its ports -9 the response from Silversea was exceptional with a partial cash refund and future credit offered within 24 hours!!! In the event the 14 days became 20 and instead of India we ended in Darwin Australia having been refused entry by 7 countries despite there being no cases or even symptoms on board and daily temp checks to prove it. Throughout this odyssey the crew worked tirelessly and standards never dropped to ensure that everyone had the best time possible in the circumstances. The Captain was frequently updating passengers and was readily available to chat to passengers on the ship - overall a first class example of turning a potential disaster into a celebration of customer care. Read Less

We chose this cruise — 14 days Singapore to Mumbai — because we were offered a once-in-a-lifetime deal. Sadly, CV-19 caught up with us and seven of our ports refused us entry. Nevertheless, after 18 days, we made it to Darwin, in Australia. How can I begin to explain how marvellous the crew were! The ship was kept absolutely spotless! And I mean that. Every day, every surface was sanitised — twice. You could NOT enter a dining room without sanitising. You could NOT serve your own food in the buffet. It was marvellous. And despite all that, the crew were happy, pleased to help us with anything at all. Their talent show was superb and demonstrated their unbreakable will and optimism. We had no virus on board — at all. And we WERE tested — 10 times by my count. I've never a cruise with so many healthy people on board! The ship is a happy ship — and that is due undoubtedly to the captain. What a hell of a situation he faced, and sometimes, just occasionally, you could hear the frustration in his voice. But he was forever honest, forthright and upright with the passengers and crew (they told us). Full kudos to him!! We have a FCC with them, and as soon as we can, we'll be back!! Read Less

We were looking forward to the places we had not been to and on entering the ship and cabin, our YouTube expectations were met by the fixtures and fittings we found. On sailing North from Singapore to Thailand all was well, but after the first port of Phuket the cruise went pear shape. Myanmar and then Sri Lanka closed its borders. So back to Malaysia and after landing in Penang, and the port for K.L., plus Malacca with no problems we headed to Langkawi and Malaysia then closed its borders down. Back to Singapore and what was going to be a recurring problem, one day out Singapore closed down, then Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines. Four things that saved us were the fact that the Captain had not jumped overboard like one other shipping cruise line captain we know about, no cases of Covid 19 had been detected on board with the crew or passengers and we were tested every two days, plus 10 days of not landing at any country and a third of the passengers were Australians, we headed to Darwin, Australia and home for us in Perth, Western Australia. During all this Cooks tour our Captain was praised by the passengers for keeping us up to date with the daily port closures, plus walking through the ship and entertained us with his funny version of English (I cannot speak his language of Italian). The crew and choice of food were magnificent with staff always happy and helpful and if you want to be on a ship in these bad times then this was the one. So we had a good clean happy ship that although maybe did not take us to our stated ports, but it brought us home safe and well and happy, what more can you ask for. Read Less

I love this ship. The extension and redesign made it a different ship. This turned into a cruise to nowhere because several ports denied entry to us because of the Coronavirus scare. SilverSea handled it beautifully, keeping everyone informed and at the first sign of trouble offering 100% refunds plus free return flights home and a 25% reduction for a future cruise. When we finally were permitted to dock at Laem Chabang, Thailand (Bangkok), we had spent 10 days in service and culinary bliss, all courtesy of SilverSea. Some people don’t handle uncertainty well, so there was consternation for some passengers, but the overwhelming majority of passengers behaved well under the circumstances. That is a tribute to how well this was handled by SilverSea and the ship’s staff. I have nothing but admiration for all of them. Aside from the unique situation of this cruise, this is my third time on this ship, twice since the remodel/extension, and it is one of my favorite ships. The staff is exceptional. Read Less

After cruising extensively on Oceania I thought I would try Silversea. Oceania discourages children so it came as a shock to discover there were nearly 60 children on the Silversea cruise (10% of the passengers). Instead of being a sophisticated adult experience, the cruise was more like a school outing. Kids running around everywhere and a cacophony of high pitch screaming from the forest of high chairs in the dining room. That was a pity because other aspects of the cruise were very good. The ship and cabin were tastefully decorated, although sound proofing between cabins could have been better. Staff were wonderful and very willing to accommodate special requests. Food was good even thouhg the dessert menu was the same every night. Shore excursions were well organized and reasonably priced. One negative, the ship had the worst WiFi I have ever experienced on a a cruise ship. Silversea needs to decide if it wants to be a family cruise line or an adult cruise line. If they decide on the latter, I would cruise with them again. Read Less

My partner and I, with friends, recently cruised on the Silver Spirit: we embarked in Singapore for a 14 day cruise to Hong Kong via Thailand and Viet Nam. It was a wonderful itinerary on one of our favorite ships. After a terrific pre-cruise adventure to Cambodia to see the ancient temples and a quick one night stay in Singapore at the outrageous Marina Bay Sands Hotel, we joined the Silver Spirit: as always with Silversea, embarkation was a breeze and we were onboard drinking a welcome glass of champagne within minutes - and the suites were ready for occupancy which was a nice surprise! After a quick lunch, our bags appeared, our Butler stopped by our Suite to go over preferences, restaurant reservations were re-confirmed and we were "Good to go". Silversea does do this very well: embarkation is effortless. This was our first cruise on the Spirit since she had her make-over and she looks great. The décor is new, bright and fresh and very similar in style to Silver Muse. Arts Café is a wonderful new addition, La Terrazza has grown in size making breakfast service much easier during the pre-tour rush hour, and the restaurants on Deck Four have been updated and look great. The Silver Spirit looks like new ship. Our Suite was wonderful: Silver Suites on the Spirit are so roomy and comfortable with every possible amenity provided - our location on Deck 10 was both quiet and convenient. The décor in all suites has also been freshened and everything looks lighter and more modern - they did a good job with the update. Thankfully, the beautiful marble bathrooms remain. Service on the Spirit was extraordinary: while we always enjoy excellent service on SIlversea vessels, this cruise was over-the-top excellent - maybe because we knew many of the crew members or maybe because the ship was only about 80% full or maybe because this crew was terrific - it does not matter, the service was wonderful and any and all requests were happily and graciously accommodated. Our Butler (Ronaldo) was amazing, the dining room captains (especially Rajiv, Andy and Julia) were just lovely, and everyone including the front desk team went out of their way to accommodate and assist us. The food was very good: we are still adjusting to the multiple restaurant arrangement on the "larger" Silversea ships (honestly, we loved the Main Dining Room and miss it) but we did enjoy eating at the different venues. The food and service was good throughout the ship: our evening at La Dame was memorable, La Terrazza for dinner (both inside and outside) was delightful, the steaks were great at the Grill and we love the tastes at Indochine. We enjoyed our evening at Silver Note and found the food "interesting" - the tasting menu has evolved once again and its a unique experience although not exactly to our tastes. Breakfasts and lunches at La Terrazza were wonderful with lots and lots of variety, the Grill for lunch works just fine and the Pizza onboard is delicious. Trust me, we ate well. We liked that Atlantide now has a hybrid menu - daily offerings (like the old Main Dining Room) plus standard items (the always available menu) - this increases variety. Menus at Indochine and La Terrazza changed every 3 or 4 days which is also very nice. And, caviar is back and available every night at Atlantide! We were impressed with the Cruise Director and entertainers on this cruise - they were all sharp and worked hard. Also, they were out and about and interacting with the passengers....something that we have not seen in a while. It made for a very pleasant atmosphere onboard. Seriously, one does not select Silversea for entertainment and nightlife but this group did a great job in keeping the passengers busy and entertained. There were several shows, lectures, guest performers, etc. - perfect for the small ship atmosphere. And, the Death By Chocolate night on deck is a very nice addition and was delightful. The itinerary was wonderful and we enjoyed all of the ports visited: Koh Samui is a beautiful resort island, Laem Chabang for Pattaya and mind-boggling Bangkok, two overnights in Ho Chi Mihn City allowed for lots of touring of this developing city and a visit to the Mekong Delta, Chan May allowed a visit to Da Nang, China Beach and Hoi An, Halong Bay was simply spectacular and Hong Kong was a wonderful conclusion to this cruise. We saw so much. There was some talk onboard about the Silver Spirit's docking location: firstly, Silversea does the best that they can......but the reality is that the Spirit is bigger that the Shadow or the Wind and therefore cannot access the inner city ports in Ho Chi Mihn City or Bangkok. With the Spirit, Laem Chabang is used for Bangkok and it is a 2 hour drive into the city, in Ho Chi Mihn City, we used Heip Phouc which is about 45 minutes from the city center (its far better than the port used by mega ships that is 3 hours from the city) and Chan May is about 45 minutes from Danang. All ports are industrial and are located in the middle of no where - its vitally important that you have tours and plans and arrangements for each port of call or you will be disappointed. As mentioned, Silversea does the best that they can (and shuttle busses were available at all ports) but the docking locations are not ideal and not attractive on this particular itinerary. We organize our own private tours at each port: they were wonderful and we saw so much and had such a good time. Silversea had a good selection of tours available but we prefer to tour on our own at a quicker pace than offered by the ship tours. The cruise concluded in Hong Kong with an overnight at the "old" Ocean Terminal which was ideal; we were basically docked in the middle of the exciting Hong Kong harbor with front row seats for the Sound and Light Show (dinner on the terrace of La Terrazza that evening was very special indeed) and we had the "million dollar" view of the Hong Kong skyline from our suite. It was truly spectacular. Disembarkation was easy and simple with our private car waiting for us as we exited the terminal. We spent a couple of past cruise days in Hong Kong which were wonderful (and thankfully no problems due to the current issues going on there) and did a great daytrip via Jetfoil to Macau. In all, a memorable and wonderful vacation. Will we go again? We are already planning. The Med in the Summer and either the Muse from Bali to Sydney (December) or the Moon from Fort Lauderdale to Lima (November). We always enjoy our cruises on Silversea and can't wait to return! Read Less

This was our first with Silversea & was a recommendation from some dear friends who had cruised other comparable lines. We found an itinerary we liked and called Silversea directly. Our experience with our agent,Lazaro, was one of the most professional we had experienced. He was well informed and helped guide us through the process from beginning to end. The cruise itself, Singapore to Hong Kong was delightful despite rough seas on day 1. Air arrangements, hotel and transportation were exactly as one would expect for a trip of this magnitude. Boarding the ship, immigration, were all seamlessly done. Meeting our butler, Nishin and cabin steward was a pleasure as compared to other ships where you might not get to meet them until the ship is underway. They took care of all our needs as requested and offered assistance in anticipation of any query we may have had. The Silver Spirit is not a terribly large ship which was to our liking. It didn't take long to navigate around the decks. The stairwells and walkways are graced with beautiful artwork and sculptures as are the restaurants and public venues and lounges throughout the ship. There are various restaurants one can choose from and making reservations was rather simple: Do it yourself or ask your butler. There was enough variation in the menus that one could find something different to have each night. A plus on this line is availability of room service 24 hours a day. Just ask your butler. They will will be delighted to serve you in your cabin course by course. A great cruise line with superb and caring staff. Next stop on Silver Moon, South America. Read Less

Embarkation and disembarkation went smoothly. No lines to stand in, was great. On arrival we were met with a glass of champagne and and escorted to our room. Our butler Terrance was excellent, nothing was too much trouble for him. We had dinner in our room on a few occasions and the menu to chose from was very varied. Our room attendant Baby Vipin always kept our room spotless. I can not complain about the food at all. The waiters were always polite and nothing was too much trouble for them. A special thankyou to the staff at The Grill who always made us laugh and whom we could joke with. Mind you the staff every where were great. There were no public rooms that were ever crowded and you always greeted with smiles. Nothing was too much trouble for them. On one occasion only i did not like a particular red wine. It was replaced with a different one to our liking. We have been on a few cruises but i have to admit this cruise line stands above them all. It has spoilt us now that we will only sail with them again. A BIG thank you to them all. LOVED IT Read Less

My wife and I were very excited about our first cruise with SilverSea. We like the smaller ships and had seen that they were focusing on a high quality food experience. Combining a trip to Italy with this cruise seemed like a wise decision. However, we were disappointed with the outcome. Let me illustrate some of our experiences, both good and bad on the cruise: Embarkation was smooth and efficient; Our cabin was top shelf; roomy and very comfortable; Ship was fresh with a few areas lacking but overall good; Our assigned butler was annoying; after awhile it seemed that his interest in providing service was all driven by his interest in getting an additional gratuity; very insincere attitude; Overall, the staff seemed disengaged; for many, they were finished with their tour of duty and were anxious to get home; The focus on the quality food experience seemed good because many dining options were offered; much got lost in this regard since most of the dining options had limited menu choices (not necessarily an issue) until you realize these options did not change much for the entire cruise; Excursions were good; varied options; generally, good, knowledgable guides; Overall, the guest experience was below average; Let me offer two separate experiences which sums up our impression of the service and onboard experience: Prior to an excursion, I stopped at the bursar's desk to get smaller bills for tipping our guide and driver; when I asked them to "break" a $50 Euro bill, I was informed that they had no euros on board; they only dealt with American dollars; seemed very odd since we were traveling in Europe; the attitude of the staff member came across like "I really don't have the time to get this for you." On one day when we had not pre-planned an excursion, we decided last minute to see if we could get to do one that sounded interesting; that morning, we went to the reception desk and inquired if there was space available; the person at the desk informed us that she didn't work for the cruise line but if we made a written request, someone would get back in touch; 2 hours later, we had heard nothing; went back to the desk and were told someone would be in touch; 1 hour later - nothing; went back to the desk to inquire and was told we should take the tender in to port and check with the SilverSea rep there - really?; they could not (would not) communicate to determine if space was available?; when I asked "What if there is no space?" I was told we could stay in port or take the next tender back to the ship; I could go on but these experiences were very indicative of the overall attitude of the staff/service. If it were not for the stateroom, the rating would have been 1 Star. We tried SilverSea and came to the conclusion that even though the room was great, we would not be return cruisers. Read Less

This was our 1st cruise on Silversea and they nailed it! Top to bottom, the experience exceeded all of our expectations, and was superior to our recent Seabourn Encore cruise in NZ/Australia. The ship was stretched and fully refurbished last year, it looks brand new with top notch high end touches in every venue. We are very seasoned cruisers and have been on nearly all the mainstream cruiselines (Regent, Seabourn, Oceania, Celebrity, HAL, etc.) with over 60 cruises under our belt. We traveled as an adult couple in our late 40's along with our 22yr old daughter, sharing a cabin with her. We choose this cruise for two main reasons. 1. Experience a Silversea cruise 2. Itinerary to Norway where we haven't traveled before. The ship was fully refurbished and stretched last year (read about the changes on CC) and it shows with high quality touches in every venue. The ship sailed full, but we never encountered any crowded areas and the space to pax ratio is very high! This ship offers everything you could want in a smallish footprint luxury line. No sings of wear or tear anywhere. Beautiful fresh flowers are found throughout the ship, adding an upscale high end vibe to the ambience. SHIP 5 STARS The standard suite was very spacious, well laid out, included high end toiletries, stocked bar, shower & tub, balcony, and a butler. Many discussions about how to utilize a butler can be found on CC. Ours provided us with balloons/cake/decorations for our Anniversary, caviar, canapes, dining reservations, room service, a VIP dining experience on our balcony one evening with roses, and so much more. This is something Seabourn doesn't include that we truly feel sets Silversea apart from them. CABIN 5 STARS Dining options were excellent and well balance with most types of cuisine represented on the ship from Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Steakhouse, Italian, Continental, pizza, gastro pub special lunches, and so on. Some CC's threads complained about the lack of variety of choices on Silversea...I don't see how this is truly possible! With so many dining venues and new menus every 3-4 days we never felt like we repeated meals or bored of the food offered after 14 days onboard. The quality, variety, and presentation was superior to any other cruiseline we have traveled. Unlimited caviar is now included with Silversea, leveling the field with the competition. We loved Artist cafe's excellent lite bites and high quality coffee service. I could go on and on about the food, but won't bore you to tears other than to say it simply was the BEST we have experienced to date (Seabourn was well below Silversea). FOOD 5 STARS Entertainment was geared towards an older demographic, which was expected. The singers (no dancers) consisted of 2 opera performers and 4 others.The theater had excellent sight lines with no obstructed views like we experience on Seabourn. One show per evening, around 9:30pm was offered. The opera singers were excellent! A few other strong vocalists mixed with a few average. The jazz duo in Silver note delivered an authentic jazz club like atmosphere and were a hit! One knock was having no duet or soloist that sang and played an instrument. The guest entertainment consisted of a comedy magician that was excellent and another pianist (the ship already had a full time one on staff). Why repeat the same entertainment that already existed from the staff onboard? ENTERTAINMENT 4 STARS The service was absolutely without a doubt 5 star luxury level at its finest! We felt as guests and not pax for our 2 weeks onboard. They would bend over backwards for you; we felt the staff enjoyed their jobs and were happy to work onboard. A very high percentage of staff knew our names within a few days onboard, similar to what we experienced on Seabourn. Seabourn dining room service always felt chaotic and understaffed. We didn't run into this on Silversea. The vibe was much calmer, more chill, and less stressed we felt from the service staff compared to Seabourn. The cherry on top was having a butler catering to our needs no matter how big or small. He went the extra mile to give us top notch service that sets Silversea apart from the competition. SERVICE 5 STARS Ports and excursions were all excellent and have been discussed many of times on CC. We enjoyed all of our stops in Norway and loved the authenticity of Norway vs places like Alaska that felt touristy. We had a very early arrival in London and were greeted by staff taking our luggage from us and then directly to the ship. We were delighted they took us to a city center high end hotel to have breakfast and refresh before our transfer to the port. PORTS 5 STARS We rank Silversea Silver Spirit #1 out of our 60+ cruises. If you're looking for the best of the best, you have found your ship! Read Less

In reflecting on our 11 nights aboard the Silver Spirit, I can honestly say we couldn't think of a single thing we would have liked to change. This ship and crew are the epitome of why we sail with Silversea again and again. Every single crew member we encountered was friendly and professional with some being old friends that we were happy to see again. I personally like the decor of the Spirit as it has a bit of the darker wood and warmth that I thought was lacking in the newer Muse. Our suite was kept immaculate for the entire voyage and all the public areas were clean and well-maintained. My daughter even commented on how the crew was painting and repairing something every day to keep it all looking fresh. The ship never felt crowded and the crew always had something planned to try and keep us busy even if we were at sea. We love the daily trivia, golf putting, and the special events such as chef's cooking demonstrations, and galley tours. The singers were very good although we didn't attend all the shows. We are late diners so many nights we were still enjoying dessert at that time. We found the food in all restaurants to be very good. The menus in Atlantide and La Terrazza did have a few changes during our voyage. Service was excellent and the wines were generally very nice as well. My glass of pre-dinner champagne only had to be requested for the first few nights and then magically appeared for the rest of the cruise. My daughter enjoyed that caviar was offered as an appetizer choice--I'm not sure I remember seeing this on any of our other voyages. Compliments to the chefs and staff as each dining experience was very good to excellent. Not to be missed...there were some seriously talented bartenders on board as well. If I had to nitpick, Silver Note was our least favorite food-wise but the jazz duo was lovely so we counted it as a win as well. The spa was beautiful and we enjoyed some services there. They were giving tours on embarkation day and some giveaways so it was a fun introduction. The gym is a bit small for this size of ship and my only comment about the fitness classes is that the yoga classes and such were only offered at 7 am but tours went out around 8:30 each day so I didn't get to go to any classes. I was disappointed as I brought my yoga gear and was ready to practice. Most of the afternoon classes where paid classes such as booty boot camp, etc. In general the excursions were very good and I was impressed with how organized they were even on the days we had to tender. Everything went quite smoothly. Embarking in Barcelona was easy but there was an actual line to board which I've never experienced before. I think flights must have come in just before we went over to board so many arrived at the same time. Mallorca- Caves of Drach was very pretty and interesting. The added on Majolica pearl factory tour was really a store to purchase jewelry with one person demonstrating how the pearls are made... no commentary. We weren't there long so not a big deal but a little underwhelming. Cadiz--Andalusian Horse show was fantastic. What gorgeous creatures and the trainers have really worked magic with them. No photos or video allowed which was a bit of a bummer but actually made everyone stop and watch the horses. Not to be missed! Lisbon--We did a city drive and river cruise on the Tagus River. The city drive was ok but our guide was my least favorite and the river cruise was not too good. Not much to see and there weren't enough seats on the top deck so those of us that sat below had dirty and scratched windows to look out of and a very limited sound system so we didn't hear much of the commentary. Cascais and Sintra--both towns were very cute and the drive up the coast and through the mountains was lovely. Our guide was exceptional and we enjoyed walking around. Maybe a bit more time especially in Sintra would have been nice as it was very crowded and we didn't have time to see the palace and finish the shops. It was quite cool when we got up there as well. Porto--LOVED this town. Wish we had more time here as there was a lot we would have loved to have seen on foot. We had a great guide who was an architect and offered much educational commentary on the buildings including the stunning port terminal where we docked. We took a bus tour and a river cruise on the Douro with its many bridges and then went to a winery to taste the port wines that the area is famous for. The river cruise was much better than the one in Lisbon and the entire visit made us want to go back to Porto. St. Malo--Went to Mont St. Michel and had our exercise for the day--up 350 steps. The guide was very knowledgable and we enjoyed the tour. I think it was probably handled as well as it could have been given that it was a Sunday and every person in France and four other countries much have been there....crazy crowded. Our only complaint was that we were given several hours of free time to shop and eat afterwards and the crowds made it impossible to shop and the food was not very good in any restaurant. We would have preferred to have been taken back to St. Malo and allowed to dine there and see the town. We were very disappointed not to have seen it but very happy to have seen Mont St. Michel...it is stunning. Guernsey--What a charming little place. We did not get to see the whole island as we opted to take the powerboat ride and just walk around the town where we docked. We did get to see puffins and seals and has a fun ride so we are not complaining but hoping to go back again and see more. Portsmouth--Home of the Royal Navy...felt very safe. Interesting tour to the town of Winchester and the beautiful cathedral. Jane Austen is buried here and the remnants of the castle nearby have some ties to Henry VIII so that was interesting. Probably a little too long in town for us though as we had nothing to do after the guide dropped us off. I think there were some pubs open and some passed the time there. Disembarkation in London was very easy. Cruise Director Roy was delightful and a wonderful addition to the Silversea family. Overall, one of the best cruises we have taken and an itinerary that we would do again given the chance. Read Less

Just returned from an absolutely wonderful 11 night cruise on the Spirit. We had not sailed Siversea in 10 years and will definitely be returning. Our past experience with this line had not been very positive and we switched to Seabourn but decided to try again based on the itinerary and timing near our anniversary. We embarked in Barcelona, it was qiuick and efficient but not as wrm as Seabourn. Our first impression of the ship was “dated”- perhaps it was the color scheme but the furniture style reminded me of an assisted living facility. We then reviewed the buffet in La Terrazza but opted to have lunch in the Atlantide restaurant where we enjoyed a tasty Mahi and drank a french chardonnay. The room was less frenetic than La Terrazza and the service excellent.We finished lunch and went to our Deluxe veranda suite on the 8th floor and found our luggage had been delivered-always good to get the unpacking squared away. Once again we had the impression that the suite had a bit of a dated feel to it but the space was similar to the Seabourn line and felt familiar. The shower was larger and the tub deeper but there was only a single sink.the ame/nities were very similar and we were very happy to have a jewelry box in the safe for our items. Our butler showed up shortly after and took care of several requests including a mattress topper for the bed which was on the firm side. After unpacking and attending the muster drill we showered, dressed for dinner and went to the Panorama lounge for a predinner cocktail. The ambience is different than the Observation bar on Seabourn and both have positives. We always enjoyed a seat at the beautiful bar on Seabourn where we could enjoy the bartender’s company as well as conversation with other passengers. The bar area on Silversea is small and not a focal point of the room so we chose to sit in the comfy chairs.The Silversea lounge was just that- very comfortable chairs and a very nice dance floor. I loved having a cocktail list on the Spirit and the drinks were well crafted and presented. Our reservation the first evening was in La Dame because we could only waitlist this venue for the rest of the cruise when we tried to book our reservations back in Feb. The dinner was just perfect- excellent food with delicious options and very attentive service - the only negative was that many of the tables were set so closely together that we felt as if we were joining others rather than dining as a twosome. The other restaurants on the ship were similar with many of the tables for two placed very closely together which could be positive or negative depending upon one’s table-mates. A couple next to us was forced to engage in political banter with two people on their other side told us after the other couple departed that they did not enjoy the discussion. All of the dining rooms seem to fill up each evening and everyone seemed to make an effort to dress nicely which added a touch of elegance. On Seabourn there were fewer jackets and almost no ties. We dined in La Terrazza most mornings and the selections for breakfast were quite varied and the food delivered hot and very quickly which we appreciated when we had an early excursion. We also enjoyed room service a few mornings and one evening when we were too tired too move! and our butler brought the tray-the presentation was lovely, the orders correct, and the food hot. The food in Seishin and Indoshine were nice options and we enjoyed the ambience of each restaurant. The only dinner we did not enjoy was in La Terrazza- service was on point but the food just wasn’t appealing- we only tried it once. The Arts cafe was another plus-it offered all day snacking items and we loved the option of bringing some things to the room-particularly as it was right down the hall. Our suite was very accessible to the elevators, the lauderette (which I used once,) the Arts Cafe and the pool. The only negative was the sound of furniture scraping across the deck above us- not a gigantic nuisance but I would probably go for deck 7 instead of 8. The ship’s excursions were very interesting and not overly crowded- there was always space on the bus to move around. Overall I would say that Silversea had better food and service and we really enjoyed having the services of a butler. Seabourn has prettier and more up to date venues and better entertainment. We liked the glamour of dressing for dinner on Silversea but did not like the surcharges for some of the restaurants. The welcome on Seabourn is more vibrant while Silversea is more subdued. Many of the guests on Silversea have sailed numerous times with the line and we are pleased to say that we shall be repeatIng with another cruise in the future. Read Less

We just returned from a Silverseas sailing on Silver Spirit from Barcelona to Rome. It was our first time with Silversea. I would give this cruise a mixed review. Likes: I liked our specious suite and the service was quite good.  Dislikes: The dining options are rather limited. I did not like the fact that dinner started late- 7pm at the earliest.  And, I also thought the dress code on non formal nights was too formal. There was also no casual dining options in the evening except for room service. The shows were also on late - at 10pm. I would prefer the option to eat at 6 and go to a show at 8 or even 9. Also, I got ill- food poisoning. I am pretty sure it was from an oyster in the lunch buffet. I was sick all night, and then quarentined all the next day. After I recovered I was fine the rest of the trip. While I enjoyed luxury crusing, I don't think I would do Silversea again as I would prefer earlier dining options/earlier shows/less formal dining options. Read Less

The ship is in excellent condition. The cabins are very nice and very clean and the bed was comfortable. The food was excellent and high quality. Filippo Bulgarini the Maître D is very good at insuring everything is perfect. All staff members have a excellent attitude and really care about insuring you have all your needs and wants met. Lots of area's on the ship to relax and enjoy the beautiful views. The on board credit was very easy to use and the store on the ship had a great selection of watches and clothing. We have travelled on many cruises. This was our first cruise with Silversea and we will return very soon because the overall experience was better than advertised. The ports of call were excellent and the extended stay in some of the ports was great because you did not feel rushed. The ship arrived on time to the ports of call everyday. Read Less

My partner and I, both 60, joined a business group for the first 5 days of this 11-day sailing. This was my first time on Silversea but not my first cruise. I have been on 36 other cruises on 11 other lines so I feel I have a good base of comparison. We flew into Ft. Lauderdale the day before embarkation and enjoyed riding the Water Taxi past the celebrity homes and yachts. Embarkation on the Silver Spirit was quick and easy. The Silver Spirit is one of the most luxurious ships I have sailed on. Understated, yet upscale, elegance permeates throughout. There are many venues, outdoor seating spaces, and a lot of eager crew to serve you, It never feels crowded and you can always find a seat. The pool was large for a ship this size and there were three hot tubs. The day we utilized them, only one had working jets. There were a lot of loungers by the pool but few in the shade. Away from the pool were many more seats in the shade. You really have to explore all the open decks to find all the spots. Our Deluxe Veranda Suite was lovely: Marble bathroom with large shower, menu of toiletries, bath puffs, bathtub, and good lighting (once I located all the switches). Beautiful veranda with teak flooring and rails which do not obstruct the view. Sofa and chair in sitting area which could be cordoned off from bedroom with a curtain - a nice touch. Bed was very comfortable and our friendly butler brought us an egg crate mattress topper. He also filled our mini-fridge with our choice of beverages, The FOOD! Mostly superb. I love buffets and the breakfast and lunch buffets were outstanding with lots of fancy seafood, carved meats, cute jars of layered things, ice creams, fabulous desserts, you name it. Dinners were hit and miss. When we dined as a group (17 of us) service was painfully slow (3 Hours for dinner) and food was often cold. When my partner and I dined alone, the meals were normally paced. My favorite restaurant was Indochine, which I understand is the least popular on the ship, excepting the $60 upcharged La Dame (French). I love Asian food and this meal was excellent. Portions were small by American standards but we did not go hungry. Order something from all the courses and try something new! Dinner begins at 7 pm, which is late for us. I wish at least one of the restaurants started dinner service earlier. Don't hesitate to make special requests or tweak your meals to your liking. This is one of the hallmarks of Silverseas' personalized service. For example, my partner ordered the four (or was it five?) cheese pizza but requested meat be added. The pizza was great! I also loved the little treats offered in the Arts Cafe throughout the day. The All-Day Dining (AKA Room Service) menu was extensive. The only times we ordered room service was for morning coffee and service was prompt. Compared to other cruise lines, the Silver Spirit does not offer a huge amount of activities. There was, among other things, trivia, golf putting, the spa talks, a galley and bridge tour. The latter tours required same day morning signup as noted in the Daily Chronicle, the shipboard schedule, in tiny print which is easy to miss. Don't be like me - read the entire Chronicle! A small library is in the very top and front of the ship. An excellent lecturer offered a few talks on history and Caribbean topics. I would have attended more if I could! The nightly entertainment was the weakest part of this cruise, The 10 pm shows were boring, dated and not of the caliber expected from an upscale cruise line. I actually walked out -a first for me. Even though most of the passengers were older, everyone seemed bored by the shows. As for the ports, Grand Turk was a riot of beach activity, a swimming pool, Margaritaville, etc.right by the dock. We took a tour of the island, somewhat interesting, and a very fun boat excursion to Gibbs Cay where we swam with stingrays. In Virgin Gorda, the big attraction is the baths. We did not book a tour here because I had been to the Baths recently. Note: There is absolutely nothing to see or do here unless you are on an excursion. Hurricane damage is still evident. Next time, I would not even bother tendering in. We disembarked at St Martin and there is a shopping complex right by the pier. Again, I think an excursion by water may be the best option here. This is not a cruise for children, although there were a handful onboard who seemed to be enjoying the pool. The ship seems to be geared to those who want a relaxing, quieter cruise with fine dining, wine, and service. Would I go again? If the price is right and the itinerary compelling, maybe. If the entertainment was improved, that would be a big plus. Read Less

Beautiful ship with large cabins and plenty of public spaces to get away. Lots of restaurants, but food choices were somewhat limited. Like most cruises, there were minor issues along the way, but we really enjoyed this cruise. Embarkation seemed a bit disjointed with multiple stops. Staggered times based on suite category meant no big lines and cabins immediately ready. Our boarding opened at 2:00 pm. Don’t get too comfortable unpacking and miss lunch as the hours are limited. Welcome champagne glass and a full bottle waiting for you in the suite. We toured and photographed the ship after lunch. Disembarkation went as scheduled with full room service breakfast available (a rarity on most lines). Out of the cabin by 8:30 am, we waited until 9:15 for our group to be called right on time. Uber for two to FLL was less than $12 + tip. Why would anybody spend more for a bus transfer? Ship. So much room throughout the ship that we often asked ourselves, “Where is everybody?” Like many newer ships, this ship has the plethora of quiet places to “hide out.” Lots of elevators and stairs made it a snap to get around. Service and Amenities. Mostly what I would expect for a luxury cruise line. All-inclusive alcohol and wine flowed freely. Water, iced tea, and juice at the gangway with cold washcloths back on the ship. Friendly staff always greeted guests in passing, but don’t expect them to remember your name like they do on much smaller ships. Bulgari toiletries. All the toys in the cabin except binoculars. (I bring my own anyway.) No fresh flowers or fruit in our cabin. Clientele. Most people we met were very experienced cruisers. Some were avid Silversea clients, but quite a few were on their first Silversea cruise. A fair number of Brits. The clientele age was more varied than we expected. We quickly made friends with a lot of interesting people and enjoyed their company throughout the cruise. This is not a ship for kids, although the one 5-year old girl onboard got a lot of attention. Entertainment. Six singers and dancers did all the shows, including their solo acts. Other musicians also onboard for piano music, etc. Enrichment activities. Ira Feldman was our destination lecturer. He was very informative and approachable. We didn’t spend time doing most of the other cruise trivia, bingo, bridge, etc. We like doing puzzles and this ship could use a better location than the card room for that purpose. Restaurants. Very different arrangement than many other cruise lines and we were quite confused when trying to make pre-cruise online reservations. I’ll try to provide the information I wish I had before boarding. There is a cluster of four restaurants on Deck 4. Atlantide is the closest thing to a main dining room and doesn’t require reservations unless you have special requests. Menu only changed slightly once during the cruise. Indochine is similar with an Asian menu, but we never went there. Seishin (Asian) and LeDame (French) are the small, premium restaurants that are pricey and small. Hot Rocks (aka The Grill) is outside on Deck 9 by the pool. For lunch they serve burgers, but for dinner you cook your own food on a hot stone. Just upstairs overlooking the pool is the pizza restaurant Spaccanapoli. It’s not really a dinner restaurant, per se, but it does have a dinner menu if you want pizza. La Terrazza is the buffet converted to a sit-down Italian restaurant in the evening with both indoor and outdoor seating. Surprisingly, it had some of the best food on the ship, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Finally, Silver Note is a nice restaurant on Deck 8 that transitions into a piano bar with dancing at night. Menus vary by restaurant, not by day, so the idea is to try the different venues if you want variety. Finally, Arts Café is a gem of a place to get snacks next to Silver Note. That is where they serve afternoon tea with scones, cake, sandwiches, etc.. Unfortunately, the amazing cakes are replaced with only chocolate after dinner. It’s a good place to get an after dinner drink. The biggest critique I have is that afternoon post-shore excursion food was limited. Waiting an hour to get a burger from The Grill or room service just doesn’t cut it when you have been walking all morning and you are starving hungry! The simple fix would be to provide more substantial food (e.g. sandwiches, sushi, fruit, cookies, etc.) at the Arts Café during the entire lull period between lunch venues closing and dinner venues opening. Food Quality and Service. We were disappointed in the quality, variety, and availability. Although we had a few excellent meals, most were just average, which was disappointing for a luxury cruise line. Appetizers were typically the best part of the meal. Our lobster tails were overcooked. Steaks were not very tender and often undercooked. Lots of good fish choices, so we ate a lot of fish. Service was too often painfully slow, sometimes taking 2 ½ hours for a three course meal. What is it about some ships and the timing of the coffee? I like to drink my coffee with dessert, but the coffee usually came 15 minutes after dessert was served and long gone. Our last dinner onboard at La Terrazza was the best food and service of the cruise. Dress code. Two formal nights and five other nights requiring jackets for men. I would prefer more nights of “country club casual” or a dress code based on restaurant venue. Wearing formal clothes or even a jacket to an outdoor pizza restaurant didn’t make sense. Internet. Finally! Free, unlimited internet. Still ship-slow and sometimes difficult to get a good connection, but at least you are not being billed for every minute. Upgrades to higher speeds and more devices were available. Self Service Laundry. With machines on every floor, we were actually able to find open machines on a sea day, which made quick work of the laundry we needed washed. Free with a confusing soap dispenser. Machine instructions were practically non-existent and also perplexing. It didn’t help that the machine labels were German and the water temperatures were degrees Celsius. Cruise lines could really help out their guests by providing no-nonsense guides in English with recommendations about which of the 14 cycles (from 20 min to 3 hours) works best for most clothes. Spa & Fitness Center. Lots of treatment rooms. We enjoyed the Thermal Suite, which was an extra package price and limited access. Silversea could take a tip from Oceania and provide free Gatorade. Smoking. This was one of our main reasons for not sailing Silversea earlier. It is now reasonably restricted and the occasional whiffs of smoke from a designated smoking area did not bother us much. Ports. Santiago de Cuba, Grand Cayman, Cienfuegos, Havana, Bimini. Most people were on this cruise to see Cuba. Almost everybody went ashore to get a chance to see it firsthand. We invested heavily in shore excursions primarily because we didn’t know what to expect in terms of access and meeting the U.S. requirements to visit Cuba. All the Cuban tours were operated by Havanatur and transportation was provided on relatively new Chinese buses with toilets (an amenity you will appreciate in Cuba where every bathroom has an attendant with their hand out for a tip). Our shore excursion guides were all high quality. Everything was on time and the three sea days were a welcome respite from touring. An unexpected extension to our time in Havana allowed last-minute shore excursions to the nightclubs and shows. Friends we met through Cruise Critic were able to book their own independent tours, but we did not have the time to do all the advanced research and booking. Tenders. This was the first Silver Spirit itinerary to Cuba so there were many learning opportunities. Particularly problematic was the tendering service. Some of the tender rides were 35-45 minutes, but this was not entirely Silversea’s fault. Even this relatively small ship was not allowed to get close enough in some of the ports to have reasonable tendering times. This caused several of us to miss evening plans in Santiago because we could not get back to the ship in time to go back for the evening shows. Havana was the only port where we used a dock, which was a real luxury after all the tendering. The one big misstep was in Bimini, where bad management of tender rotations caused an hour wait that made several of us miss our afternoon shore excursion. The ship staff accepted full responsibility and refunded our ticket prices, but it was disappointing. In summary. We’ve never taken a perfect cruise, but expectations can be high for luxury cruise lines like Silversea. However, after 18 cruises on a variety of lines, this cruise makes our top 3, with Regent and Azamara. We loved the location and size of our cabin. Now that we understand the system, we will make better dining choices next cruise. Cuba is a must see and we will be back in the future to see the progress. Overall, we really enjoyed this cruise and will be back Read Less

We chose this cruise for several reasons. Rated 6.0 luxury. It was our first cruise so we wanted to keep the days down to a minimum, and this cruise lasted 7 nights. It was refurbished last year so it was practically new with beautiful soft colors and rich woods. I read many reviews and it was touted to have excellent food and service. It did not disappoint. We loved everything about this ship. Everything went smoothly and everything worked perfectly. Our cabin was perfect, enough space for all our things. Everything was put away and there was never any clutter due to lack or storage. Our butler was terrific and very accommodating. We tipped him when we were first introduced, although we knew it was not expected. We just wanted to be sure he was happy with us from the beginning. He was sure to bring us our snacks in our room every day at 4:30 when we got back to the cabin to relax before dinner. All the restaurants were terrific. We were on deck 7 so it was very convenient to go to La Terrazza for breakfast every morning for their buffet. We could sit in or out depending on the weather and the wind level. La Dame was elegant as was Seichin. We loved eating at Atlantide. Very elegant and great service and food. Although there were 555 passengers, we found everywhere we went it was never crowded. We even found lounge seating at the pool area along the side of the ship where we were completely alone just looking our at the Caribbean Sea. It was glorious. We loved the hot rocks dinner at the Grill at the pool in the evening. The massages in the Spa were excellent. The shows were lovely. This was not Broadway, and coming from New York we get Broadway whenever we want it, but it was wonderfully entertaining. If you wanted daily activities they were there for you. We went on shore excursions, and we chose to play Trivia which was headed every day by the cruise director Rico. He did an excellent job throughout the cruise keeping us all happy and laughing. All in all, I'm sad to say our cruise ended. We can't wait to have this experience again. Read Less

We chose this cruise because it was the only one available for 7 days in a warm climate in February. The agent with Silversea was amazing in assisting us with any of our questions or concerns. The embarkation and disembarkation were flawless. The ship is small which is very nice and the cabins (we had one for our grown son and one for us) were as or larger than we had on Regent and Oceania, all with verandas. The decor may be a bit subtle for my taste. We enjoyed our meals at the Silver Note and at Seishin. We thought the entertainment in the various areas was very nice, although we never went to any "shows" so I'm not sure about that. The service was very good and our butlers were very attentive and did extra things like polishing shoes without being asked. We were very happy with our shore excursions which included a helicopter ride, snorkeling (no fish, but a fun day on the boat), our favorite was The America's Cup trip, my son enjoyed the canyoning with rapelling and diving off of the waterfalls. Roseau - hmmm. Not worth getting off the ship as far as we could tell. The Baths were great fun but plan on getting wet. Overall, the food was not up to par with Regent or Oceania; but, was still very good and I overheard other people raving about it, so that's inconclusive I guess. There were not enough activities onboard. There is a bridge room but nothing organized so it may as well not be there, no mini-golf or mini-tennis which we've enjoyed before. Smaller ship size accounts for this I guess. Trivia was fun. We felt it was a good value. We noticed that the age range was younger than on our other cruises, so a more lively, visible and active group. Our other cruises were 24+ days so I'm guessing it was the quick, easy, 7-day trip to a warm clime would explain that. Read Less

First time in SilverSea very disappointed, definitely not was I expecting, Embarkation in San Juan went smoothly from there all went downhill, we book Cruise true American Express and got $ 1,500 dlls cruise credit on board the first order was to make reservations for dinner to our surprise ALL the Restaurant where book for the week we ended up having dinner at the same restaurant 3 times( The Grill ) and 2 times at la (Terraza), cabin was clean in perfect shape but above us was a restaurant " The Grill " so we had heavy noise until 11pm every night, next day we pick our tours and proceeded to reserve them to our surprise they where all book and all of them on waitlist, only one open up out of the five we selected. The port selection for this Itinerary was very poor except for St Barths & Tortola, I just don't understand how can a cruise line with this level make a stop in an Island like Rosseau, Dominica. Service on the ship was excellent but nobody went out of its way to assist or help beyond giving you the NO or you are on Waitlist.. Try to spend the on board credit on the Spa but with the same results it was book for the week and if an opening was available we will be notify, we where also unsuccessful, In General the ship felt very dull no activities at all, will not travel in SilverSea again. Read Less

Overall our cruise was delightful. The only downsides being: first, some of the ports on this cruise (Road town,Tortola and Rouseau, Dominca) were odd choices. They are both sadly still suffering from hurricane damage. My second issue was the awful wi-fi, even with the premium service we received for being in a Silver Suite. At times it simply did not work, and we were only doing emails and checking the weather and written (not streaming) news.. The explanation that it's tough to do wi-fi at sea is at odds with our very positive experience with wi-fi on Silver Muse about 18 months ago. Moving on to all the many positives: The Ship was in perfect, pristine condition. It was interesting to play "find the stretch spot". It was done so well that only with the help of a crew member could we figure out precisely where the work was done. And the additional room at the pool and Grill made for a better experience. I particularly like the new, Muse like, color scheme; others may disagree. Dining options are plentiful. We made reservations on MySilversea and all were honored. It was easy, however, to make some changes as the cruise went on. And, Atlantide and Indochine require no reservations. Even with a nearly full cruise (544 passengers) there were no problems making adjustments. The increased space in La Terraza was a mixed blessing. It was easy to get in there for dinner, but the relative intimate nature of the space is gone. And, I notice they no longer mention Slow Cooking in the description; sadly, the duck pappardelle was just OK. We tried Silver Note and enjoyed it. The duo (singer and pianist) were quote good, took requests andwere not at all too loud. The crew make the Silversea experience and this trip was no exception. They were uniformly charming and a delight to interact with. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the itinerary and the cruise line. We had sailed with Silver Sea's on the Spirit two years ago. Some things have greatly improved from our initial sailing. 1. Level of service was excellent from the pool waiters to our butler and cabin steward. The crew was very engaged in making sure you had whatever you needed to make the trip enjoyable. If you made a request for something, that person made sure you had it. 2. Food, unfortunately both quality and variety really fall short. We were on a 14 day cruise and the menu's in Atlantide (main dining room) and La Terazza hardly changed. By day 14 I did not even open the menu. The staff says the menu changes after a week, but what changes is maybe one appetizer selection or soup. The majority of the menu stays the same. The other problem is the quality of the food is varies. One night the entree may be delicious and a few nights latter the same choice not very good. This is especially true with the veal. There are several restaurants , which helps, but Silver Sea's still need to address this problem, because it is a problem. 3. Ship expansion. This really helped the flow of the ship. Restaurants are no longer crowded. Also, created more room around pool area which is nice. 4. Beds, the new mattress are very hard. They will put a foam topper on bed, if requested. Does help. 5. Dining time - Service is very very slow. It was not unusual for dinner to take 2 hours to complete. Long time between courses. 6. Entertainment - Shows now start at 10 pm (maybe because of the above). So we did not get to see any shows. They use to start at 9:30. Bottom line, if food is not your priority or you are on a short itinerary, the Silver Spirit is a good choice. The friendly staff and beautiful ship certainly was enjoyable. We also found that the afternoon buffet had a very good carving station and lots of variety. So we ate more at lunch and less at dinner and came home weighing the same. But for what you pay for this cruise, you should not have to make compromises. 7. Excursions - Gibbs Bay (Grand Turk) - swim with stingrays. Wonderful- swim with stingray is optional, but the beach is beautiful. Sailing St. Bart a little on long side and they do not serve lunch only snacks. Be careful, if you swim, current is strong. 4X4 Bridgetown - ride rough (yes I know its a 4X4), but also because the seats face into jeep - so you are having to turn to side to see front or back. Most sights not very interesting, don't need to see McDonalds or schools. Some beach stops beautiful. Rum Factory & Beach Tour (St. Georges) bring bug spray - mosquitoes are terrible. 8. Spa services are great had massage and manicure. Be aware tip is added to your bill though NOT STATED on spa menu. Would I sail again on Silver Spirit?- maybe Read Less

We choose this cruise line and ship because friends raved about it and we enjoy luxury cruising. Sadly, we did not think it lived up to the standard we are used to on Crystal. 1. There were things not working on the ship. The forward elevator was out the entire trip and it was out the cruise before ours. Our room was freezing for 2 days before my husband found the head of Hotel and she got engineering/maintenance to get it working after an assistant tried to fix it and said it was working, but still was not. 2. Many people got sick while aboard 3. Menus were never changed in the different restaurants with the exception being on Christmas and New Years. Only the La Dame ($60 per person charge) was cozy with an outstanding menu. We went twice. 4. We enjoyed the different all day snacks at The Arts Cafe in the back of the ship with lounge seating outside as well. At 3:00 five different cakes were served and different ones each day. Different salads in a small glass container, great coffees, cookies, sandwiches, etc. 5. We also enjoyed the Panorama Lounge before dinner with live music, dancing and cocktails. 6. We liked the ambiance in The Silver Note restaurant and the lovely live dinner music during dinner. The menu was not very much to our liking very though. We liked the menu at Indochine restaurant, but not the decor as it was very contemporary, open and not cozy. The outside restaurant at night was by the pool and called "Hot Rocks" where you cook your own steaks or fish or whatever on a very hot plate. I had the best filet mignon I've ever had there. 7. Most of the shows were so-so with the exception of two, which were excellent. The Silver Note Singers did their best. 8. No one remembered our name except our butler and his assistant. 9. Most all of the staff was very friendly, although a couple of the men in charge in the restaurants had “attitude”. Most everyone tries, but do not quite make the cut. 10. Not very many activities but they had bridge play and lessons, black jack and poker tournaments, occasional dance lesson, trivia, occasional bingo. Most of the activities were held at the same time or would overlap so we had to choose one. 11. We went on two excursions and one was barely acceptable. There were two enrichment speakers and one was quite interesting about Radio City Music Hall, Bob Fosse, etc. 12. This was a Holiday cruise, so there were a few families on board. Sometimes the kids got rambunctious, but generally it was a quiet seniors cruise, which we liked! We thought the cruise did not accept anyone under 18 years, but we were wrong! 13. Embarkation was a breeze and debarkation took forever. 14. We feel we got our money's worth, but we are not sure we would go again--would have to be the right destination for the right price! Read Less

I choose this ship for its 6 stars, and the itinerary. Our reservations included the airfare. Sivlersea had us booked on a overnight United flight. Arrived in Ft. Lauderdale right after 6 AM. We were picked up at the airport and taken to a hotel for breakfast. The check in table at the hotel did not have our information. They were eventually able to provide us with a $20/ person coupon for breakfast. Restaurant was mediocre. We had to wait at the hotel until 12:15 to be taken to the ship. The bus ride was not well planned, lots of confusion. The check in at the ship went smoothly. Waited about 30 minutes for our room and another 2 hours for our luggage. The suite was very nice. Divided into a bedroom and sitting area. Nice size balcony. Walk in closet, with a dresser. Bed was very comfortable. The bathroom had a soaking tub and a shower. The service in the room was excellent by both the butler and the cleaning staff. I ordered breakfast most morings, which was delivered in 5 minutes. The quality of the food and wine ran from average to very good. They did have great icecream. We have traveled often on Crystal and found their food to be much better. Silversea have two specialty restaurants which charge an additional fee. We found the food to be of less quality then the regular restaurants. There were two specialty acts which we thought were very good, but the regular entertainers and shows were of poor quality. Two guest speakers were good. We choose to make our own tour reservations, which were excellent. Did go on one of Silversea's tour. Too many people, too much shopping, and too slow. The embarkation was slow and confusing. Should I cruise on Silversea in the future I would make my own arrangements. Read Less

Silver Spirit at Christmas time is a beautifully decorated ship, as well as one of the most pleasant to cruise. The extension added new cabins as well as enlarging the main dining room. No reservations are needed there, and it was never filled. The menu has multiple choices, but does not vary from day to day during a ten day cruise. There is enough to choose from in the main dining room, and also several other venues that are available at no added charge but require a reservation. None of the areas were ever filled to capacity during my lunches and dinners there. Only two areas have surcharges - the Japanese and French specialty rooms charge $40 and $60 for dinners. There is really no reason to pay extra when there are so many other dining areas included. The new pizza area on Deck 10 is terrific, and Hot Rocks at The Grill on Deck 9 continues to be a favorite. LaTerrazza on Deck 7 is an Italian restaurant at dinner time, and has a six or seven page menu all in Italian with English subtitles. Wine is poured freely at each and every venue - no need to ask unless you prefer a certain type. A red and a white are offered, and you are free to request something else - no problem! Everything is done with a flair - all services are top notch. Entertainment is not their main feature, but the singers do a good job with various types of music each evening. One daily trivia is well attended, and the no-charge Bingo games get a good turn out of players. All of the staff from room butlers to waiters do their best to accommodate your every wish. The cabins are much larger than on other ships of this size, with a walk-in closet that has a six drawer dresser w/safe as well as large hanging area. The bathrooms feature a large glass-enclosed shower and full tub plus lots of storage area. Your room fridge is filled with your choice of beverage at no added charge. Who could ask for more? Read Less

I chose the newly revamped and stretched Silver Spirit, hoping I would enjoy the cruise to the Western Caribbean and Central America. After boarding the ship in Ft. Lauderdale, I had a wonderful lunch in the main dining room, and so my expections were very high. When I went to my stateroom, I was very impressed with its size, the champagne that was chilled and waiting for me. I met my butler, and I was very impressed with him and his assistant, and his efforts and kindness throughout the cruise were more than noteworthy. I can say on a positive note, that you will have access to all the senior officers throughout the cruise-more than I have ever had before on other cruise lines. The chief maitre’d, Antonio, was absolutely amazing, and was the linchpin keeping all the heads of the many restaurants inline. He was there to ensure everything was done correctly in all the 7 dining rooms. On the first day of the cruise, there was an opportunity to meet with all the dining maitre’ d’s and the executive chef to discuss any food allergy or other food requests. Now, here were some of the issues and problems I encountered: 1) The lifeboat drill was something I never experienced before. When I left my stateroom near the front of the ship, the crew monitors sent me toward the front of the ship, and then said our group, whose staterooms were in the front of the ship, had to go into the crew area door on deck 6, and down steep metal crew steps 2 complete flights into the bowels of the crew area down to deck 4. We then walked some distance on the crew deck 4, and went up another crew staircase to deck 5, which was where the lifeboat drill was to take place. My comment to the leader of our group was how would be know how and where to go, since the corridors were so confusing, if we were expected to take this same route during an emergency? Why should we be the only group that was sent down into the crew area, when all the other guests on deck 6, went down the center ship staircase to the meeting room on deck 5. This room is the only large space on the ship, and every passenger on the ship (around 500), was crammed into that room for a 40 minute drill. More than half of the guests had to stand throughout the whole drill, since there was no place for the rest of us to sit. Once they began showing the guests how to don the lifejackets, I was shocked they did not ask the guests to follow their instructions and put on the lifejacket. After they showed everyone how to put on the lifejacket, they announced we should all proceed in one big group toward the outside of the ship where the lifeboats were located. Those who had not put on their lifejackets had to put them on before we started moving out of the room. I felt very uncomfortable and like I was in grammar school, when they insisted that while we were in the big room, that all guests should put their hands on the person in front of them, and keep the hand there all the way to the lifeboat area. In my 40 years of cruising, I have never participated in such a screwed-up and long lifeboat drill. 2) If you are going on the Silver Spirit to enjoy wonderful meals in the main dining room and other restaurants, you need to know that all the ships’ dining rooms serve the same meals every day. That’s right, no specials, no nothing, but the same repetitive meals. I am glad I was not on this ship for more than 10 days-I was tired and bored of the same food choices. The only time you can get some variety is during lunch in the main dining room, where they have a new wonderful menu everyday, but that menu and meal is prepared by the Sous Chef. I complained and asked why they pay an “executive chef” if the food is the same in all of the venues every evening? But they insist that you have to go to the other meal venues for some variety, and to that I say, that is nonsense. No ship cruising today doesn’t have different menus and specials in the main dining room every evening. I looked in the sushi restaurant during dinner, and it was so dark at night, that I would not chance eating there. I spoke to a chef who was preparing different sushi rolls in the Sushi restaurant (they are only open for dinner) to be served for lunch in the Trattoria restaurant, and I decided to try one of his rolls that day while eating there, and I could not even swallow the first bite of a California roll-it was that bad. The Central American ports were not ones that will ever go back to again. When we arrived at Grand Cayman, we encountered strong winds and very rough water and waves. The ship decided to disembark the ship via the tenders, but the water was so extremely rough that the light light boats were going up and down and banging-up against the temporary dock on the side of the ship. It was so extremely dangerous, that the tenders should have been shut down, but the crew continued to take guests ashore, even though the tenders were banging against the cement docks at the island’s piers. Again, the tenders were going up and down, and getting off was very, very dangerous. Returning later in the afternoon for the ride back to the ship, the Hotel Director, the Assistant Captain of the ship, and one other officer was there directing the boarding of the tenders-it was just as dangerous and even more frightening in the afternoon as it was earlier in the day, and very diffiicult to get back onto the temporary dock at the ship. I was thankful to be back on the ship safely. My observations were that all the crew were amazing, so helpful, and good at their jobs. The front desk employees were so helpful, and kind. They were always there to help and provide the answers to any questions. My room was kept perfect, and as I said, my butler and his assistant were amazing. I had one hiccup with a very young maitre’d in the Silver Note restaurant, and I was assured by Antonio after I told him about it the next day, that he was going to take care of it, and make sure that this individual did not make the same error again that he had embarrassingly done with my group the night before. If you are into fitness and working out, the gym onboard had to be an afterthought, and was really a joke. Way too small, and had only a few pieces of equipment. Read Less