We chose this cruise only for the sailing under London Bridge which was definitely the highlight . We haven’t sailed on Silversea for a few years (as Crystal is our cruise line of choice) and remember luxuries like Perrier Juneau being the house champagne and the crew knowing your name within a couple of days aboard, the soap menu on arrival and your mini bar being stocked with your choice of spirits or liqueurs, the flurry of napkins being placed in your lap whether in the dining room or out on deck dining , cocktails being made and offered while you lay in a deck chair outside well none of that happened this time around. Embarkation was very easy with no wait time and straight on to the ship where we were greeted with a glass of bubbly and then left to our own devices. We had lunch in the Terazzo which was a buffet which was tasty but all the food in the warmer was only tepid and we had to flag a waiter to get water or a drink and again to get coffee so not a great start. After this happening for the first two days we addressed that and a few other problems with the Hotel manager then the service was definitely improved for the rest of the cruise. The food In the dinning room and the Italian restaurant was very good and good service and a table was mostly available when we decided to go for dinner. The entertainment was very average with 3 guest entertainers a violinist,a singer and a pianist, then 2 other resident pianists plus the cruise director Colin who did piano recitals so it was all rather too much of the same and far too high brow for us.The singers and dancers were good but the sets were almost non existent and the shows were very hit and miss. We are a couple in our 50’s and felt the entertainment is aimed at a senior crowd which seems to be their market. The stateroom we had was a vista suite and was very comfortable and in good condition but still had the dated bathroom with a pathetic shower and the bath drained very slow so constantly showering in about 6 inches of water, the aircon was constantly too hot and even on the coldest setting was sweltering causing quite a few sleepless nights.The Butler and our steward were very good and breakfast was delivered on time with hot coffee and the stateroom always clean. The water in the cabins and the restaurants was desalinated and you had to ask for bottled water as it was never offered and the champagne was Monopole but Pommeroy was available but you had to request that also which was very annoying obviously another cost saving measure. The ship overall was well presented but was very dull decor throughout the lounges with mute colours and no feeling of comfort or luxury ,the pool area was brown on brown with no comfortable seating like outdoor couches or cushions or sculptures or art just a few pots with small fake plants in ,the grill area had no cushions on the seats and drinks served in plastic. Overall the ship didn’t have the wow factor we have come to expect from other luxury cruise lines we travel on like Crystal or Seabourn it was good but there are lots of good cruise lines out there Like Holland America or Oceania that you don’t have to pay the premium prices we paid for this cruise. We will not be back to Silverseas again and talking to a lot of guests onboard and on cruise critic a lot of them felt the same way. Shame as this was once a very good experience! Read Less

I chose this cruise when it was first offered because I'd never been on Silver Seas, I liked the itinerary, and the single supplement was within reason. I was a little concerned given some of the negative reviews, but my on board experience bore no relation to what I'd read. It was wonderful in almost every respect. I loved it and will be back. I was in a veranda cabin and will say more about it below, but it was big enough for two people to be comfortable and lap of luxury for a single like me. The bed was wonderful. Dining was maybe a little disappointing as my expectations were pretty high, based on how the line is promoted. Over all, the food was good, occasionally outstanding, but now and then sub par. For example, I ordered venison on one occasion. The plate came with two generous pieces, one succulent and delicious, the other like shoe leather -- not supposed to happen. On another occasion, the wine steward told us the red was Carménère, which made me happy as I like that wine, but, in fact, he was pouring from a bottle of Cabernet. When I pointed this out, a bottle of the former quickly appeared, but it was surprising the steward didn't know what he was pouring. As to the wines, overall, I thought they were fine and, if neither of those offered appealed, a substitute was readily at hand. I ate lunch at the Terrazzo buffet several times and many items were dried out and tasteless, while others were perfect. So, food was a little uneven in quality. One thing I must note, though -- Silver Seas serves the best hot dog on the planet. I'm not kidding. It's big and comes with a slice of very crisp bacon, a house made cucumber based relish and is served on a bun that has just a hint of cinnamon flavor to it. The sides are a delicious slaw and a little pot of great fries and onion rings. Not to be missed. I must have had eight of them by the time I disembarked. I thought the entertainment was good over all, especially the three piece combo, but it was the speakers who were truly exceptional. I've done a number of expedition cruises where the speakers are tremendous and many normal type cruises where the speakers are often lamentable. The three on this cruise, though, were all interesting and well informed in their areas. I didn't miss one and was never disappointed. Service is absolutely first rate almost all the time on this ship. The butler and room attendant were terrific, bartenders friendly, skillful and responsive, wait staff very good over all. You definitely have the sense that the crew are happy to be where they are. Officers could have been a little more engaged with the passengers, but the Captain was a treat -- witty and forth coming with details. The ports were all interesting and the overnight in NYC a huge plus -- saw Hadestown and was walking distance from the ship to the theater. The sail up the Thames and under Tower Bridge to moor next the the HMS Belfast was jaw dropping. I won't ever forget it and were so lucky to have perfectly sunny skies. The overnight in London was a second big plus. I was able to host a friend for dinner on board and the food that night was superb. I did a few of the sponsored excursions and they were fine and the prices seemed reasonable enough to me. Would I sail on Silver Seas again, of course I would, if the single supplement is fair and the itinerary good. Read Less

This was my 3rd cruise, my previous being on Silver Discoverer and Silver Shadow. When I booked the itinerary was to Central America but it got changed towards the end of 2019 to being Cuba and Cape Canaveral but Silversea hadn't done its research and so the itinerary changed swapping Cape Canaveral for the the Bahamas - Nassau and Bimini - ultimately we ended up overnighting in Nassau instead of even going to Bimini so it was all a bit disorganised from that respect. No compensation was offered for the fact that I ended up on a completely different voyage to the one I booked! Regardless of all that, Silversea was as usual a great way to travel although I believe the restaurant menu layout has been changed to encourage guests to eat less courses than my cruise the previous year (prior to the takeover). Silversea excursions are always informative and I saw some great places, I fell completely in love with Havana and plan on going back for a proper visit in the not too distant future. The one area Silversea could really work on is the show lounge entertainment. The cast are always amazingly talented but they're stuck with Luna Rossa choreography and badly fitting costumes when they do the full cast shows. The individual shows are much more fun as personalities shine and you get properly entertained. Also making opera singers join in with musical theatre style shows is just wrong! I was very lucky that we had Colin as our cruise director and as a classical pianist he was able to provide some real music to let the opera singers shine. 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

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

The ship is not handicap friendly!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO walk in showers --have to CLIMB in a VERY TALL TUB.Ramps that are very difficult to move on a walker without - assistance. Service in the dining rooms were VERY SLOW most usaually the food was warm at best when served . When you want something HOT to eat you needed to go to the HOT ROCKS at night or during the day the buffet on deck 7 or snack area on 8. ROOM service always came with great food and served (here you could get hot tea-coffee ) all the time. Takes 2 1/2 to 3 hrs to eat evening meal -very poor service .Food not avaiable at all time like on lots of ships only during certain windows of time evening meals start at 7:00 PM make for very late night -SHOWS not worth seeing at 10PM Suites were great walk-in closet lots of storage great butler and maid--BATH leaves a lot to be desired. VERY expensive --have been on many other cruises far better for LOTs less. The experience of getting on and off were the best of the cruise very fast- Read Less

Very nice cruise-line and lovely ship. Food, very good, and many options, coffee, delicious, wines complimentary and good. However many people were complaining that 7 PM was late for the earliest dining. I realize that in Europe, particularly the South, people eat late, but these days, many Americans prefer to not eat after 8 PM, and many older folks like eating early, as it’s hard to sleep on a full stomach, and too, many want to go to bed early, to be up early for excursions. Everything is included except excursions and Spa services, which is a big relief - not being charged every time you turn around. The cabins are lovely, the beds super comfortable, with one’s choice of types of pillows, very nice if one hates foam, (which I do). The bathrooms are lovely, marble, and superbly appointed. People seemed to enjoy the various excursions, and the entertainment. Embarkation was perfect, and disembarkation as well, with the bus to the airport, fast and pleasant. The staff are ultra attentive and kind. I only had one complaint - the swimming pool water was mostly too cold to swim. Everyone was complaining, but when I asked if they’d informed staff, they said no. I complained, as staff can’t possibly know if there’s a problem, if no one says anything. It took rather a long time, but eventually, this was rectified. Personally, along with elongating the deck mid ship, I would have put in a new, bigger swimming pool. Maybe they’ll do this eventually. And they close the pool quite early- just past 6:30 I believe. this was very dissappointing as I love night swimming - quiet and serene, under the stars- after a long day- nothing beats this! Also, the shower in the Spa Thermal Suite, the water was just barely warm, and could never get hot. Also, they have VERY bright lights all over the deck at night- I asked why, and was told it was for safety. But most ships have footlights everywhere, so people can see stairs and where they’re walking, but the atmosphere is generally romantic and low lit, so one can enjoy the moon and stars and the evening skies. I wish they would maintain soft lighting at night. One other thing- I wish all the doors opened automatically, so we don’t have to touch door handles, as everyone on a cruise is so conscious of germs. And, I wish they’d get “BritBox”, so that guests could watch British comedies, mysteries, dramas and movies. There are a lot of Brits on board, and also, they make the best entertainment in the world. I really missed these. The company offers a Solo get together, for Solo travelers, and they meet at 7 PM in the lounge, but they need to let people know WHERE in the lounge, as it’s big and crowded. This was very nice, and I noticed a lot of these folks made friends during the voyage. And they’re offering vastly diminished single supplements on some cruises, which is a great relief to Solo travelers, and very smart of them, as this is a huge market. One thing- there was a girl at the reception desk, who many felt was a bit rude and standoffish , maybe she was new and nervous, but when I first told her the pool was cold, she replied:” It’s because it’s cold outside.” (Fort Lauderdale was 71F), and pool thermostats are supposed to adjust, maintaining the same temperature despite weather changes, and 71, is hardly cold. Also, this same girl, told me that customs in San Juan, had Global Entry - they don’t- I wasted time getting out of line to rush over to someone to ask where it was, only to be told they didn’t have it. If she didn’t know- just say so. Misinformation is a pain in the behind. Oh, also, our last night was ruined due to ONE man, smoking a cigar, on the 9th floor deck outside the lounge. We were all waiting to leave the port, watch the sunset, have one last glass of Champagne, and this ONE guy, made the entire area a no breathe zone. And it went on forEVER. I think it’s great that some people love cigars, (even if they’re REALLY bad for you), but PLEASE, not in common areas. I don’t understand why some people feel their personal bad habits should be suffered by perfect strangers. But everything else was really nice. I don’t want to give the wrong impression, with my suggestions. A very nice line, and I really missed my comfy cabin and all the nice people, after I left. 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

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

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

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

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

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

Choose cruise because the iteniary was interesting with stops in NYC, Newfoundland and Ireland. Ship is very lovely but the food services are TERRIBLE. The food preparation, service (never hot in serving temperature), quality and selection of food venues is the worst of any of my over 1000 sailing days on various lines. Basically only 2 inside restaurant choices for lunch daily. Both serving below average food in selection and quality. Do not open the Japanese restaurant nor the IndoChina for addition luncheon variety except on shore days, which makes no sense. Other than the IndoChina restaurant, menus remained the same in all the inside restaurants for an entire cruise. Not even Evening Specials. Think the only reason for keeping the Atlantide Restaurant open (the worst of all the eating places) is to drive passengers to the 2 pricey optional restaurant choices.....neither of which is outstanding. The best food is offered in outside venues with no enclosures for weather considerations. This is true of both lunch and dinner. The Grill serves hot food and good service. The Pizza Parlor is also excellent. The Italian restaurant, which you would expect to be outstanding due to the ship's owner ship is barely adequate. Menu does not include such staples as meatballs, sausages, Ceasar Salad or cannolis. Gravy ( sauce) is ok but not authentic Italian taste or quality. The bar service was very good as well as the nightly entertainment in the bar. Overall entertainment was amateurish with young on- board singers and dancers and a couple of guests. No professionals. Activities on the ship definitely designed for non-active seniors. The usual bingo, trivia games,etc. Cabins and the ship in general were clean, modern and very pleasing. Excursions were fun and well handled by the staff as were the post trip hotel accommodations and transfers. Read Less

The ship is gorgeous, the staff is supreme, the food is wonderful. Our only criticism is regarding activities and entertainment. The highlight of every afternoon was Bingo and team Trivia. Not our idea of exciting and unique entertainment. There was also only a limited amount of board games on the ship. Throughout the 16 day cruise, food service was very slow, but the food quality was superior, as was the staff. The issues seemed to always be in the kitchen. One night, in the level 4 dining room, it took over 3.5 hours to complete dinner. We gave up on the idea of dessert. The head chef was very kind and seemed quite good at her job. I did go on a tour of the galley. I will give the benefit of the doubt. It’s a newer ship and there is a learning curve. They need to figure out how to shift focus on specific restaurants when business has higher than normal traffic. With all this said, we generally had a very good experience and plan to continue to use Silversea. Read Less

My wife and I have just finished cruise #2813 Ft Lauderdale/Barcelona April 6-20 and it was very good overall. After many years of sailing with Silversea and seeing it decline in some luxury aspects, I decided to point out some differences from many years ago to today in hopes that their management might consider some changes. Boarding procedures for this cruise were excellent, as usual. They could not be improved. In past years, upon entering your suite, there would be a good champagne on ice and the various shipboard credits and memos to read. This trip, there was a second rate champagne on ice and no credit or memos. After e-mailing my wonderful travel agent-Michele at Riverside Travel in Dallas, these items appeared the following day around noontime..with no explanation! The butler introduced himself in a friendly manner, and tried to answer our questions about electrical connections, but had to have additional help. He was obviously less experienced than previous butlers we had had but he was trying to be helpful. Dinner first night was good as usual. Lunch next day on pool deck, I had a delicious hamburger with a slice of cheese inside along with a paper lining that separates the cheese!. Staff personnel very apologetic..minor detail. Some of the differences that I and others have experienced over the years reveal that Silversea has diminished from a Great Luxury Cruise Line to a very good one. Some of these differences would have no operating economic impact,on the company but they would have a positive impact on clients. They include 1. in almost every meal the butter was cold and hard as a brick 2. several times when I requested some soft cheese, it was delivered cold and hard 3. few choices of beer were available on the pool deck 4. diminished service on the pool deck while service personnel were standing around not paying attention 5. several times when "crispy, crispy bacon" was requested, it came limp 6. the galley tour and buffet are no longer offered None of these examples are major problems, but they did not occur in years past. They indicate lack of supervision, training and commitment that make a distinctive difference between a "good" or "very good" cruise and a Great Cruise. Some suggestions would incur additional expense to the company... 1. having on menus the availability of a complete variety of premium foods such as prime shrimp, lobster, lamb, beef and other premium fresh and saltwater products. 2. For the first time on Silversea, in my experience, there was no Epoisse cheese and other well known cheeses 3...only one eau-de-vie, Pear Williams, instead of a wide variety of digestifs that once were standard. 4. Very little foie gras and quality caviar were offered. 5. Some passengers commented that a good champagne was not in their suite upon arrival but was furnished upon request. In years past, the guests were always welcomed to their suites with a good champagne on ice. 6. No cheese cart is now offered in the dining room and that used to be a classy touch. 7. The afternoon tea service has been diminished from before. Obviously Silversea knows about these and other items not offered or available today. My guess is that this is for economic considerations. The phenomenal growth of Silversea attests to its success and I hope it continues. I believe there is a large enough segment of the luxury market that is willing to pay more for the very best in service and food.....there is now considerably more competition in the luxury class and I wish to continue cruising with Silversea, but with the class and style of the original Silversea. I recognize and applaud the positive changes in Silversea from the beginning years, such as the butler service, the Hot Rocks venue, improved t.v. service reception, and free wifi throughout the ship, among others. It is obvious that Silversea recognizes the need to make changes. I had requested the e-mail address of the owners in order that they may be aware of these comments but my request was denied. I did send a letter to the Manager of Guest Relations, expressing some of these thoughts. To my surprise, the day after I sent my letter I received a thoughtful and appreciative letter from him indicating that my experiences were not in keeping with the highest standards to which Silversea aspires. He said he has discussed my correspondence with the "fleet operations executive team as we are committed to total guest satisfaction." I am pleased to know that my comments are being taken seriously. I have already booked two suites and paid in full for a Caribbean cruise on the Silver Wind departing November 15th, 2018. Read Less

My wife and I have done 20+ cruises on many different lines but latterly we have been mainly with Silversea. We joined Silver Wind in Fort Lauderdale and were onboard by 11.45 and drinking our first champagne of the trip in La Terazza when it opened for lunch at noon, Regulars on the Wind will know that is rather like a pair of old shoes - very comfortable but not in the first flush of youth. . Dining was variable. La Dame was probably overpriced at $60 pp. Both the MDR and La Terrazza produced some excellent meals but not consistently.. Hot Rocks was the most enjoyable for both quality and service. We had only one room service meal - an early breakfast when going on a tour. The guest speakers were all very good and the shows were OK. The Silversea singers were not in the same league as the ones on our last Silver Wind cruise last May. Cruise Director , Allan King was excellent - always very visible around the ship and he put on a show himself which we thoroughly enjoyed and was the best attended of the whole cruise. This was a trans Atlantic cruise so not too many ports. The weather during the crossing was sunny and the ocean was calm. The only ship's tour we took was to the Alhambra Palace at Grenada when the ship was docked in Motril. This was an excellent tour - about 40 passengers split in to 2 groups and was well worth doing. Read Less

We chose this SilverSea crossing for the duplicate bridge program offered daily on sea days. The bridge program was well run, the intermediate lessons well-conceived, and the duplicate bridge enjoyable. We were quite satisfied with our voyage. SilverSea is efficient and competent in everything they do, from embarkation to disembarkation. We have been on around 25 cruises or so and we found the efficiency on the Silver Wind to be better than such lines as Cunard, Azamara, and even Crystal. Unlike every other line we have been on, there was never a wait (other than the clearing Spanish customs on the day of disembarkation): not for embarkation, not for dinner (no reservations were ever necessary), and not for leaving or reentering the ship at its ports of call. The food in the dining room on the Silver Wind was consistently and overall the best we have had. The lectures were interesting and all 4 speakers sociable and interesting. The entertainment was limited but the entertainers were talented and personable. Service was beyond reproach and our cruise director was a very competent and experienced. Would we go again? Of course, in October. Read Less

We went on this cruise with a total of 8 people for spring break. Ft Lauderdale to Barbados. We have cruised on mostly upscale cruise lines (Crystal, ect) and stay in mostly four and five star hotels so we know what this level of service is. In general, the ship was clean and well laid out but the service was absolutely horrible for this level of ship with almost a 1:1 staff/guest ratio. The issues were brought to their attention and they only were marginally improved. On a positive note, the suites are the largest we have ever seen. They are well laid out and comfortable. The quality of the food and beverage options are nice but we found it quite petty to charge an additional amount for a couple of the restaurants like the tepanyaki grill. Just bump the cruise fare by $60/pp instead of trying to nickel and dime people. We understand with the Michelin starred and branded restaurants. Entertainment was average in our opinion when comparing it to Crystal. We realize that the Crystal ship is twice the size so this was not really an issue. The musicals were more comical to our kids so it was still entertaining. Hopefully Sliversea will send in some undercover guests and make some major changes to their service process, communication and overall organization. If they do, I think we would try them again but the luxury/upscale space is far too crowded in order to drop the ball like they did for us on this cruise. Read Less

We took a 13 night trip on the Muse in March around the Caribbean, Fort Lauderdale to San Juan. We booked directly with the line but made our own flight and prehotel arraignments. Everything was easy and all worked out as expected. This trip had ten ports which I believe was too many for the Caribbean. I would of liked a few more sea days. We have taken many trips and have been on most ocean cruise lines. This was our first SS trip. Below are my observations and comments. SHIP: Muse is a very nice ship. The layout is easy, size was great for us with plenty of space and no lines. The Decor was fine. We used all the public spaces and found the majority to be inviting and comfortable. The climate control system worked great everywhere we went and was very responsive in our cabin. CABIN: We were in a regular veranda cabin on deck eight, 845. It was very nice, great size with lots of storage all around. It was quite both day and night no matter what the ship was doing. The staff kept it very clean and made up with any request answered very quickly. I didn’t care for the in mirror TV and felt the TV selection was poor. INTERNET: I believe this was the first trip where everyone got unlimited internet. It was very easy to use while we encountered no dead spots aboard. We used it for email and face book which worked fast and dependably. I did not see any public computers however the front desk was willing to print out things. SERVICE: We felt the service was great all around. Everyone we encountered was pleasant and eager to please. FOOD: We ate in all the included venues and none of the extra charge. I really feel $60 pp is out of line on a already expensive luxury cruise. There should be no extra charge. We felt for a luxury line the food was just ok, there were no “wow” dishes. Beef was poor quality all around and I mistook their lobster tail for a shrimp. I would not recommend SS for a “foodie”. We made reservations on line and in person and used the open sitting restaurants. We had no issues and always got the time and table size we wanted. We tend to eat 7 to 7:30. We didn’t like the fixed menu deal, got boring after a week or so. We didn’t like the room service deal of not being able to order from a restaurant menu for dinner and not serving the food course by course. All was stacked up so as you ate your soup your desert melted. Not what I expect from a luxury line. SHOWS: We went to most of the shows and some of the speakers. They all were good, what I would expect for a ship this size. There was one pool party with great music. The lounge singers, jazz group and DJ were all very good. For us the main show started too late at 10:00 each evening. STORES: For a small ship they were all large with a very nice selection of product. SPA: Very nice and sold some very nice products. They gave some very nice hair treatments. In conclusion we hade a nice time and would use SS again, in fact we are going on the “new” Silver Spirit in October. For a luxury cruise line I would say they give an average value for the money. I was pleasantly surprised to see there was a broad mix of passenger age groups and nationalities. I find that much more pleasant than a trip where one group is the majority. Read Less

We have been on many Silversea cruises as well as cruises on most major cruise lines including Seaborn, Sea Dreams Yacht Club, Celebrity, NCL, and most other major cruise lines. About 40 cruises in all. We chose the Silver Muse for this cruise because it is a new ship and have enjoyed the Silversea cruise experience in the past. First the good news. The Silver Muse is a beautiful ship. It is the "Goldilocks" size of under 600 passengers. Not too big, not too small. There are many dining options and several bars and clubs to enjoy. The Silver Note supper club is great for dinner and live music. It is a great intimate jazz club with no extra charge. Reservations are a must. Kaiseki is a Japanese restaurant (ala Benihana) where you can sit around a table while the chef slices, dices, and chops your dinner. The cover charge here is $60.00 per person and there is basically only one dinner (you can choose between meat, fish, or vegetarian but everything else is fixed). It's nice but not worth the fee. The other extra cost restaurant is La Dame which is a french inspired Relais & Chateau venue. The cover charge here is also $60.00 per person. Food is only so-so and again, not worth the price. There is no "main" dining room on this ship and there are two open seating restaurtants, Atlantide, and Indochine which take the place of one. You don't make reservations at these as it is open seating at both so you come in a dine whenever you want. Other restaurants include La Terrazza (buffet for breakfast and lunch, italian for dinner. Reservation for dinner is a must), the Grill (outdoor dining on deck for dinner, sandwiches for lunch by the pool), and Spaccanapoli (pizza). Also, the Cruise Director Vicki is terrific! She is talented, funny, and extremely hard working! Now, the not-so-good. Some of the restaurant managers have an attitude-especially the one who manages Atlantide. Not very friendly. The entertainment is average. The Silver Sea singers (performing in the main theater) are very good, but other than that, a piano player in the lounge at times before dinner, and a trio that plays in another lounge at times. Overall, the food quality is about a 6 out of 10. We were disappointed at the quality of food, especially for a Silversea ship. On every other cruise we have been on (about 40) there is always an "always available" menu of some basic dishes like broiled chicken, a simple grilled steak, or fish. If there is such a menu at any of the restaurants on board, they must keep it a secret because it was never shown. Some of the dishes in restaurants are too spicy and/or rich and one might like a simple dinner at times. Service is also spotty. Our suite butler and maid were excellent, but some of the waiters in were less so. We went for breakfast in Atlantide one morning and walked out after about 10 minutes because we were never even seen by a waiter or offered coffee in that time. When we asked someone passing by for coffee, they said they would find someone, but then left and didn't bother to get us coffee. We left. Read Less

Newness of ship, culinary experience. Our butler Pedro and cabin attendant Solty were excellent as was Tatejanna in the Spa. The entertainment bordered on amateur and the guide in Belize(tubing excursion) was horrible. the guide through the caves was excellent. Jesus in Cozumel excellent. We enjoyed every bit of our time on board and the cuisine superb. La Dame could kick it up a notch all others excellent. The crew to passenger ratio excellent, we enjoy the smaller ship and look forward to sailing on same or one of your explorer ships. The Silversea line provides an exceptional cruising experience and the fact that we seldom saw others in the hallways and often had a private elevator was an added plus. The staff throughout the ship were always professional, polite and helpful. We had scheduled on Oceana in the fall but sister and brother-in-law had told us of their booking on Silversea so we joined them and even though we would not repeat the itinerary we will definitely book another voyage on Silversea Read Less

Desire to check out the latest Silversea ship the Silver Muse. In general we enjoyed everything. We still however prefer their smaller ships. However with close to 600 guests, we did not feel crowded. Coordination of services in 2 of the restaurants needs improvement (La Terrazza and Indochine). House keeping staff were efficient but didn't seem to have the same personnel connections as previous cruises. Having the shore excursions included in the price was appreciated. Silversea had to cancel excursions to Tulum which was disappointing but there were safety concerns which of course we value the most. One excursion in Roatan Island was concerning where the contracted agency took us out snorkeling in conditions that were not ideal for novice swimmers. Embarkations and disembarkation were both handled professionally. It was also great to be in Fort Lauderdale cruise harbour without other cruise ships. In general we as always enjoyed Silversea cruises. Read Less

From the moment we stepped on board it was 5 star luxury all the way....we were on deck 6 in the middle. The stateroom was spacious and very cleverly designed...space for 4 suitcases , a walk in wardrobe..big bath room veranda and fabulous bed sitting room... The ship was the right size (450 to 500 passengers)...the service impeccable, dinning and restaurants all 5 star .. excursions very well organised.... NOTHING was to much trouble for our butler and the ALL the crew..... We would 100% cruise with silver seas again...... YOU got much more than you pay for or expect... The ship is small enough for one to feel comfortable and not walk miles to get lost or exhausted. I cannot fault the crew our butler was fantstic and could not do enough for us. Waht ever we requested appeared miraculously..My only slight and I mean slight ...the casion was a bit small and the slot machines dated...but the croupiers mad up for it.. The cruise director was brilliant and so much fun...... Read Less

7 day cruise that was a disaster. Our cabin flooded with 4 inches of water. We had to stay in the cabin because nothing else was available until the next day. They moved us to a cabin with air conditioning problems which was never fixed. We ended up getting off the ship early and flying home. I contacted the President of Silversea and was referred to someone else. My request was for a future cruise credit to match the price I had paid for a vacation/birthday celebration that was ruined. Their response was a $1,000 future cruise credit which was a slap in the face. Needless to say they lost what could/would have been a future customer that will cruise regularly when I retire. My advice is avoid this cruise line at all costs. If there is a problem they do not have good customer service or resolutions. I would NEVER recommend this cruise line based the way I was treated. Read Less