Our favorite cruise line, Crystal, went bankrupt. We chose Silversea for the great itinerary, including the Monaco Grand Prix. If we had never taken a Crystal cruise, I would think this was the best ever. Attentive staff, lovely food, included excursions and airfare (upgrades for reasonable prices.) The veranda cabin was delightful.

And yet... we missed the high-quality Crystal entertainment, including 2 shows per night, live band instead of taped music tracks for shows, and local music and talent. Ken says the food is better on Crystal.

There are several restaurant choices on Silversea, and the fish is better than the meat in all cases except Atlantide, the main dining room. We enjoyed Atlantide a great deal for dinner. La Dame and Kaiseki are worth the extra charge, though we did not appreciate the hard sell on upgraded wine at La Dame. Read more