6 Star Cruising!
I recently travelled to Europe, leading a tour of 58 passengers from Australia. We were destined for an 18 night cruise aboard Silver Wind, one of the ships from the Silverseas Line.
We departed from Barcelona on a hot summer’s day in July. Our itinerary was to travel through Ibiza and Minorca in Spain, down the Italian coast line, a day trip to the famed island of Sicily, a little side trip to the French Island of Corsica, across to the Croatian coastline, hugging it until we reached Venice.
Once on board a Silversea luxury cruise, your out of pocket expenses are minimal. Select wines, premium spirits, coffees and soft drinks are complimentary in all restaurants, bars and lounge areas. Even the mini bar in your suite is stocked with your favourites! I didn’t spend any extra on food or drink the entire cruise. Another inclusion is the gratuities, that’s’ right, tipping IS included too! Upon disembarkation at ports (every day) there were complimentary water bottles for passengers to take ashore (it was after all the middle of summer!). There was entertainment every evening in the theatre from ABBA shows to the music of a classical pianist. There was a casino, a library, a DVD library, a fully functioning office for all your business needs, and of course the gift shop. All extra expenses on-board were charged in US dollars, which at the time of travel was at parity, so we definitely weren’t complaining. There was the daily trivia at the bar on deck 5, the fitness centre, the beauty salon, guest lecturers, church services, the list is endless. I was never going to leave this ship!
I had been doing a bit of homework before I left, reading on what the ship had to offer. The thing that I liked most was the Butler! Yes, my own personal butler… On call whenever I needed him or her. Sounded perfect!
After checking in, a staff member showed us to our cabin, where our luggage was already waiting for us. There were 2 single beds, a couch, 2 lounge chairs, a table, a desk, a large built in cabinet housing the flat screen TV, glasses, hair dryers and other little knickknacks.
Then there was the more than ample walk in robe, a safe and of course extra pillows and blankets. A quick turn to the bathroom and I discovered a generous sized shower over a bath, a toilet and a hand basin. So much room!
A knock at the door and a gentlemen wearing a tuxedo appeared. He held a silver platter of toiletries and introduced himself as Prabu, our butler for the next 18 nights. As he displayed the toiletries he asked what my preference was from Bulgari, Ferragamo or some earthy wholesome brand… I must admit, he was starting to fade off as I was immersed in the aroma of all the little bottles!! What to choose? He advised that he was on call for our cabin from 5am to midnight every day. Nothing was too much or too little for him. He wanted to know our favourite drink, and returned 5 minutes later with some glasses, an ice bucket and of course the bottle of lemonade (Ok it was white wine!). A local drop, one he chose himself he assured us!
Prabu was there to make our stay spectacular… Yep – nailed it – day 1! Although he had a couple of cabins to attend to, he was always near, beaming with happiness, ready to jump if we called. Most mornings, Prabu had a coffee ready for us when we returned from the gym, raring to start our day.
He also offered to unpack our bags for us and put away our clothes, shoes etc. As much as I loved the idea of sheer indulgence and laziness, I really thought that it was something I should do myself!
How would I ever go back to cooking for myself and my family, making my bed, rearranging my shoes every night (hang on, I don’t do that anyway!) or returning to our suite after a full day touring to find Prabu (my Butler) had assembled a late afternoon snack consisting of fresh fruit, some cheese and crackers and there may or may not have been my favourite white wine, chilled and ready to drink. Why? Because he thought I may like it after a day in the hot Mediterranean summer! I wonder if I could bring him home?
Every afternoon when we returned to our cabin, Prabu the cleaning angel had been. Our shoes were all neatly arranged in the wardrobe (with all the shopping we did, the shoes kept piling up!! I often wonder what he was thinking as the shoe pile continued to grow!).
I was a little concerned we would be struggling to entertain our passengers for a full 18 nights at sea. I needn’t have worried! We docked in a different port every day, sailed the most tranquil waters at night, usually forgetting we were actually at sea. Although at times there was a gentle rocking of the cabin as we rested our weary feet from a full day of touring and exploring.
The food was spectacular! You could choose from dining in your suite or from one of the 5 or 6 bars and restaurants across the 7 decks. I was one of those people that kept taking photos of the dishes!! The way it was presented, the taste, the flavours, the service… Oh my!
Silverseas cruises are truly indulgent. The guest to staff ratio is almost 1:1. Silver Wind has a maximum of 296 guests (with 222 crew) and is somewhat smaller than your massive ocean liners that sail by. This has its advantages as we were able to dock in smaller harbors or much closer than the floating cities that passed by. I have never encountered such professional and personable staff. They would always look you in the eye and say “good morning” or “how was your day?” They usually knew most guests by name and were keen to assist, always with a smile.
Of course the destinations were just as magical, Ibiza, Minorca, Calvi, Portofino, Amalfi, Sorrento, Positano, Sicily, Sardinia, Florence, Siena, Rome, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Hvar, Zadar and Venice. Combing elegance, sophistication and fun, it doesn’t get any better!