The SILVER WHISPER is a very comfortable small cruise ship only carrying about 350 passengers. We never had to wait in line for anything. The stateroom was spacious and well designed. The bathroom, huge for a ship, included both an area for the shower and a separate tub. There was a huge walk in storage closet, almost a mini cabin in the cabin. Service in the cabin was excellent. Breakfast service in the cabin was best I have ever experienced on any ship. Food of high quality, a huge selection of breakfast choices, and always delivered right on time. The ship is well designed and everything within a short walk from the cabin. Interior design was rather bland, but all was comfortable. The pool lido deck area was well laid out and never seemed crowded. Food service for lunch at the pool lido was top notch with excellent and varied food items, all served quickly by the deck stewards. Bar service on the ship was excellent. Nightly entertainment was pretty good for a small ship....Six singer dancers presented the main nightly shows....my only complaint would be that they performed to taped music and not to a live band or orchestra.

So you may ask why only 2 stars. Well I have sailed in recent years on Regent, Seabourn, Grill Class Cunard, and Crystal so I think I am a it of an expert on the luxury cruise segment. The problem with the SILVER WHISPER was the nightly dinner meal and service. Mind you the food was not bad, it was just very ordinary. Not one course would I remember as anything special. I suppose the pasta dishes were a bit above average, but nothing else. Deserts particuallarly poor and of small size. As a matter of fact all courses were of a small portion. Service at dinner was friendly, but unbelievably slow. You could not get out of any of the main dining rooms for dinner at less than 2 and 1/2 hours. We had dinner in the Italian Specialty restaurant one evening and that was not much better. I met a frequent Silversea cruiser on the ship and she said she always took dinner at the Pool / Lido outside Grill. I can see why ! Lunch here was much better than dinner in the main dining rooms. Unfortunately for me, the pool grill dinners were fully booked by the time I got on the ship.

I booked Silversea expecting a fine dining experience. I did not find such an experience on the SILVER WHISPER. For the price paid, one would expect much better dinner service. My cruise last year on Holland America Line had much better food for dinner than you will find on Silversea.