M/v Silver Whisper: Five-Star Suite Cruising

By P W Mooney

Silversea has been garnishing rave reviews from the American—and foreign press—for its four white-glove cruise ships that sail around the world offering its guests the ultimate in luxury cruising along with unique itineraries. With all this favorable publicity, I was curious as to what it would be like to sail on a Silversea vessel and so recently I took a cruise on the line’s newest ship—M/v Silver Whisper. The 11-day autumn cruise visited Boston, Bar Harbor, St. John, Halifax, Sydney Quebec City before ending at Montreal. Along the way I was treated to wonderful views of the Cape Cod Canal, the spectacular seacoast outside of Sydney and the breathtakingly beautiful narrated trip up the Saguenay. (Click The Itinerary for the details.)

Boarding the vessel in New York on a gray autumn day, I was warmly welcomed by the hotel staff. After being presented with a glass of champagne, I was escorted to my luxurious Veranda suite on Deck 9 where a chilled bottle of French champagne awaited along with a plate of hors d’oeuvres and a bowl of fruit. On my writing desk there was a warm welcoming letter from the ship’s Master.

I settled in and quickly unpacked so I would not have that chore after the required boat drill before the ship sailed. After boat drill I stood on my veranda in the rain and watched the fog-enshrouded New York shoreline recede from view. The weather was not great and to be honest the weather refused to improve during most of the trip. But the warm ambience and superb service that I found on board more than made up for the lack of sunshine and somewhat chilly temperatures.

Silver Whisper has hit the top of the ratings polls since she made her debut in 2002. So what is it that makes this ship as well as the other Silversea vessels consistently receive such high ratings? It was easy to see why. Food and personalized hotel service on the ship were consistently top notch. With only 392 passengers on board, ship personnel soon addressed me by name and attended to all my requests politely and efficiently. It was almost like being on a private megayacht—a most agreeable experience in this age of supersized cruise ships—and being welcomed into a caring family of seagoers. The cost of a cruise on a Silversea ship may be above the average traveler’s budget, but what one gets in return more than surpasses when one considers the quality of the cruise experience and the overall genuine satisfaction at the end of the cruise.

So here’s what I found on board:

Suites

Staterooms are called suites and are broken down into different categories. More than 80 percent of the suites have a veranda and there are no inside cabins. My veranda suite with an area of 345 square feet had a floor-to-ceiling glass door which accessed a teakwood balcony or veranda as it is called. Frette bed linens covered my queen-sized bed. (At booking, you have a choice of either queen or twin beds.) There was a walk-in closet with lots of shelf and hang-up space for my clothes, as well as a minisafe, and a nook to store the luggage. An umbrella for rainy days on shore excursions and a blue backpack were also on hand. In addition, a plush bathrobe and slippers were in place—and thoughtfully, a pair of binoculars for up-close viewing of the scenery we sailed by.

The suite’s minibar was well stocked with bottled water, juices and wines and replenished daily at no additional cost. Every day at around 4:30 a plate of hors d’oeuvres was placed in my room— I guess they thought I had not eaten enough at lunch or breakfast.

The suite’s sitting area had a small sofa and two chairs with a coffee table and a writing desk with stationary printed with my name. There was also a small vanity table, a hair dryer, and a remote-controlled  TV/VCR with satellite connection was also in place that provided information on scheduled activities or shore excursions or a choice of movie channels. Since my trip DVD players were installed as was a new communications setup that allows cell-phone users to call from their suite anywhere in the world.

The marble bathroom was truly beautiful—the best I have seen to date on any ship—with a separate glass-enclosed shower, and a full tub. A double-basin vanity provided ample storage for toiletries— mine and the ship’s—which bore the brand of ultra-luxe Acqua d’ Parma. And lots of thick towels that were replaced twice a day.

Nightly turndown of the bed was welcomed with a wonderful piece of chocolate on the pillow. The next day’s Chronicles, the ship’s publication, along with the restaurant menus, and the in-suite breakfast order form were placed at the foot of the bed. Thick damask drapery separated the sleeping from the sitting area thus allowing one to read or watch TV without disturbing his/her cabin/suite mate. My suite was so restful that I hated to leave it initially. The noise between suites was minimal—in fact the only sound I heard was the murmur of the sea.

My room stewardess was wonderful and saw to my requests in a very professional way. Once, when I complained to my room stewardess about the bed being too soft, she quickly saw to it that a board was placed under the mattress to give firmer support.

There are even more luxurious suites than the Veranda suites available on board: the spacious  Silver Suite, the Royal and Rossellini Suites and the Owner’s Suite offer separate dining areas and living rooms with CD players and flat-screen Plasma televisions, and complimentary butler service—your luxurious apartment at sea. Both the top-deck Grand Suite and Royal Suite have extra-large bathrooms with a Jacuzzi tub and bidet, and two verandas. All have butler service.

The ship also has commodious Vista suites with large picture windows instead of a veranda and the same amenities of the Veranda suites. The Vista suites seemed to be quite popular with many of the ship’s repeaters, some of them on their fourth or fifth cruise on Whisper.

Dining

It should be noted that gourmet dining takes priority on this vessel. The company has aligned with Relais Chateaux—Relais Gourmand and naturally the food is of a higher quality than found on mainstream cruise ships. The main dining room—referred to as The Restaurant—is spacious with heavily draped picture windows and a color décor of soft beige hues while artworks grace the walls. There is only one sitting and you can eat here when you choose and where you choose during the designated dining hours. If you are traveling solo, the hotel captain asks if you wish a dining companion at your table.

The restaurant serves dinner over a period of four hours. A multiple-course menu offers a variety of international dishes and there is no extra charge for table wines or beverages. CruiseLite and low-carbohydrate menus are also available. On designated Culinary Arts Voyages, internationally recognized guest chefs, including Relais & Châteaux member chefs, are present to offer their special dishes and share to share their culinary insights.

But in the evening the room’s harsh lighting affected this diner negatively. The room felt more like a hotel restaurant than an exclusive dining venue. However, I often preferred to eat breakfast here, though I seemed to be one of a minority, as the wait staff attends to all your culinary requests without having to search them out yourself at buffet stations in the Terrace Café.

Most passengers not opting for breakfast in bed as well as lunch goers headed for the Terrace Café (now called La Terrazza) with its extensive buffet stations. The Café is designed with panoramic windows that bring in sea vistas and much natural light so despite the hectic bustle during peak times, the setting was less restricting than the Restaurant. However, the Terrace Café was something else at night—transformed into a candlelit setting with a choice of dishes based on different themes. Only 60 diners can be accommodated for the reservations-only dinner.

While described as a casual place for dinner, the candlelight and setting were vastly better than The Restaurant.  Each night there was a different theme menu offered in addition to some set dishes. One night the six-course menu offered Asian specialties such as homemade won tons, Asian duck salad and steamed salmon served with a black-bean sauce under guest food consultant Ed Schoenfeld. Another night it was a Paris-to Nice culinary tour featuring such dishes as an Escalope de Veau entrée in a cream sauce and an apple tartin. The night we left Boston, there was an array of Bostonian favorites including clam chowder and a clam bake as well as local fish dishes. Other evenings it was strictly Italian celebrating a region of Italy.

Better service, more personal attention to detail, and, I think, slightly better dishes set this eating venue apart from the main dining room. But then I always loved the fuss made over my presence by Paolo the Maitre d’Hotel or host Stefano who would usually escort me to a table. Often I dined with a group of new friends and the table chatter would extend beyond the end of dinner—we were usually the last to leave. Dining here, unlike the Restaurant, is within a limited time frame of about two hours as the Terrace opened at 7:30 and closed down two hours later.

Next door to The Terrace Café was the small specialty dining venue Le Champagne. Here a select menu was offered in an intimate setting of only 20 or so guests. I only dined here once early into my cruise for I was not overly impressed with the room’s stiff décor nor with my seven-course repast. While the fresh tuna tartar, small lobster salad and the shrimp and spinach risotto were delicious, I found my choice of the fresh fillet of Mahi Mahi with an olive tapenade wanting. However the passion fruit crème brûlée with white chocolate shortbread that I had for dessert was excellent as were the petits fours that followed.

Wine was not free here nor is it served by the glass. The Connoisseur’s Wine List featured only very expensive vintages by the bottle at $60 to $85 a bottle. When I informed the sommelier that my dining companion and I did not wish to consume an entire bottle, he offered to cork it for future use. But as I pointed out, a good wine, once opened, loses its quality and so in a kind gesture, the waiter brought us two glasses of champagne instead.

The restaurant is very popular with guests and sometimes it is hard to get a reservation but there is no extra charge to dine here. It can also be booked for private gatherings.

Since my trip, Le Champagne’s menu has changed. It is now featuring a new collection of dishes designed specifically to complement great wines of the regions that the ship visits. The new menus are developed by master sommeliers trained in Relais & Chateaux/Relais Gourmand establishments and who will be on hand to enlighten dining guests on the fine merits of the vintages being served to complement each of the menu’s courses.

In the three restaurants the table settings were above average. Frette linens, Riedel glassware, Eschenbach china and Christofle silverware adorn the tables. Doilies were placed beneath cups and saucers to catch the spillage. Wait staff were very attentive and after dinner, guests are offered a selection of ports, cognacs and aperitifs to their preference to accompany their espresso or cappuccino.

On this trip the consistently poor weather eliminated al fresco dining either outside of the Terrace Café or at the Pool Grille. In-Suite dining is available at all times. Dinner or lunch is served course by course by a waiter in the privacy of your suite.

Breakfast served in my suite was always a treat. The coffee table was easily transformed into a table for two by the steward who brought in the breakfast. He quickly placed a board over the table, covered it with a thick linen tablecloth and fine dining accoutrements, and set out the food selections I had ordered.

On the last day of our cruise, a Kitchen Galley brunch was held to show off the ship’s culinary talents. A cornucopia of dishes ranging from sushi to ribs of beef to Chinese and Italian specialties were temptingly displayed along with an array of sumptuous desserts. I ate so much I wondered if I could do dinner six hours later.

Public Areas

The interior décor was tastefully done with lots of leather and wood paneling incorporated into the design scheme of the public areas. Wooden glass cases displayed maritime memorabilia along the corridors to the lounges and restaurants. And as I walked around the ship, I would see a contemporary artwork or a modern sculpture tucked into this or that corner. There was also an abundance of fresh flowers placed throughout the ship that were regularly replaced. In the dining rooms, fresh flowers were on the table and sometimes part of the food presentation.

One of most popular areas during the day was the Observation Lounge up on Deck 10. It was a great place to watch the scenery when we traversed the Cape Cod Canal or sailed up the Saguenay. The weather on this trip was quite bad and you were either covering up from the rain or the cold wind gusts out on deck so this was the place to be. The lounge, which served tea and coffee during the day, also had a nice selection of nature and travel guides as well as several large atlases placed on a world-map table to check out the itinerary routes the ship was sailing. In another corner, a jig saw puzzle beckoned solvers.

At night the lounge was unused.  I would have liked to have seen the lounge turned into a cozy area where one could talk with friends or perhaps play a round of cards along with an aperitif. But the lounge was deserted and no wonder—bright ceiling lights blazed away just not making it a place to go as an alternative to the other lounges.

The Panorama Lounge was where many headed after dinner or the show. There was a nice area for dancing to live music and often a cabaret singer would belt some favorite jazz numbers. For the fair sex traveling solo, gentleman hosts were available to whirl you around the dance floor, or even be your dining companion. During the afternoon, the lounge served high tea, and one could enjoy a crumpet or two while gazing at the sea through the glass panoramic windows; or later, a cocktail at sunset.

The Bar was the place for dancing or a nightcap before calling it a night.

Le Humidor was located next to Le Champagne.  Created by Davidoff, the wood paneled venue with its brown leather chairs offers a selection of fine cigars from an extensive Davidoff collection as well as other premium brands. And cognac as well.

The small Casino with a small bar in one corner has slot machines and offers English Roulette and Blackjack.

The Viennese Lounge (now renamed the Show Lounge) provided the setting for the variety acts after dinner, the Captain’s gala before dinner, or for a movie or lecture. The lounge area, laid out in tiers separated by brass railings, gave guests good views of the stage as they sipped their libations on the small tables grouped in front of the plushy mauve-colored seating.

The Library next to the Panorama Lounge offered a nice selection of books, videos and magazines. A large jigsaw puzzle tempted one’s ability to complete the picture. Scattered around the library were seven computers in various states of disrepair but that has all been corrected with the recent installation of new computers offering the latest technology.

Entertainment

Most of the entertainment takes place in the Show Lounge. Variety shows with a Vegas touch were featured and bordered on the mediocre as the Jean Ann Ryan Production Company can be found on other cruise ships. On other nights there were jazz or pop vocal performances or first-run movies.

A wonderful asset for the Silver Whisper is the engaging personality of its Cruise Director Michael Gregurich—a nonstop dynamo—who arranges not only the entertainment but the daytime schedule of activities. Michael is a classically-trained singer but his effervescent and creative personality makes him a wonderful host on board.

Besides scheduling such activities as dancing classes, cooking demonstrations, nature enrichment lectures and music appreciation talks, he creatively puts together special events such as one I attended one night when he hosted a side-splitting funny event called Call My Bluff—Liars Club in the Panorama Lounge. Michael had participating guests form into small groups to guess who of the “resident four liars” sitting before us was really telling the truth with the guest group earning the most wins getting a prize.

For a small ship, the list of things to do was amazing: dancing classes, cooking demonstrations; enrichment lectures on nature— one on the Whales of the Saguenay was inspiring—or on Russian classical music; a daily trivia meet where teams vie for points; table-tennis tournaments, fitness classes; lectures by local historians on the port to be visited. A daily Silver Whiz sheet to test one’s knowledge was available daily at the Reception Desk with some quite difficult questions on subjects such as geography, culinary terms and astronomy. In the library, there was the daily zeroxed copy of a crossword puzzle.

One morning Captain Gennaro Armo invited interested guests to the Bridge where we got a hour’s tour, a two-page information sheet about the navigational equipment on the Bridge and a better understanding of what it takes to operate a seagoing vessel. The personable captain just loved taking on the role as teacher to group of mostly not-so-informed passengers and we came away quite enlightened by what we had heard. When someone asked a question about the complications of setting a ship’s course, Captain Arma replied that “it is important to know where you are—not where you are going.”

Activities

The Spa and Fitness Centre were located next to the Observation Lounge. The small workout center had treadmills, stationary bikes and workout weights sort of squished together. A separate area was provided for aerobic classes or Pilates or one-on-one sessions with a personal trainer. You can get a body composition analysis session here to measure your body’s amount of fat and water, as I did, but beware of the sales pitch for a weight-loss and body detoxification package of tablets that can set you back about $350 in addition to a $33 charge for the half-hour analysis. 

The Mandara Spa—the name Mandara comes from old Sanskrit legend about the Balinese gods quest to find the essence of immortality and eternal youth—uses Elemis Spa products in its ancient Asian therapies including the Elemis Aromaspa Ocean wraps or exotic Coconut Rub and Milk Ritual wraps; Hot Lava Rock massages and aromatic facials. The Spa treatments are extra and billed to your shipboard account. Separate-sex steam baths and saunas round out the health center.

There is an outdoor heated saltwater pool and 2 whirl pools on the Pool Deck. Behind the pool area is the Golf Cage for golfing instruction or putting practice. On a deck overlooking the pool area was shuffleboard.

Other Points of Interest

Smoking is allowed in designated areas of several bars or the outside of the Terrace Restaurant, the Panarama Lounge, and the Casino Bar. Otherwise, the dining rooms. public lounges and library are smoke-free. In The Humidor—cigar and pipe smoking is permitted.

The ship has a well-equipped medical department and several patient areas. A staff physician and nurse are on call 24/7. There is a fee for medical services and some medications.

The ship had two launderettes—a welcome addition for long cruises—and one I took advantage of. There is also laundry service through your room stewardess.

There is a boutique gallery on Deck 5 carrying an array of fine jewelry and watches and clothing from Escada and Loro Piana as well as perfumes and toiletries.

The newspaper in abbreviated form and in your preferred language is delivered to your suite each morning. What is outstanding is the daily Chronicles guests receive that not only lists the day’s events but gives wonderful backgrounds on the ports to be visited or the biographies of the lecturers and entertainers on board in addition to the ship’s key personnel.

Guests like to receive the traditional Passenger List booklet that lists all the guests aboard and their place of residence with extra blank pages to add personal notes. 

One-on-one golf lessons are offered by a PGA Golf professional on board and land excursions to golf courses in ports visited—on this trip, guests could play at the Bar Harbor championship golf course located at the mouth of Frenchman’s Bay; or at the 200-acre La Tempete Golf Course outside of Quebec City.  A third golf course was scheduled at Chimney Corner, Newfoundland, but the weather cancelled the ship’s visit to that port.

Overall Assessment

Silver Whisper is a wonderful ship—truly a home away from home. Ship personnel were very gracious and helpful. The food was tops for the most part and the suite accommodations incomparable. There are not many ships at sea that can nurture and amuse simultaneously the passengers. No wonder there are so many repeat guests.

However, it is not a venue for children of various ages as there are no facilities except shuffleboard, table tennis or the pool. The average age of guests is 50 years and over although I did spot some younger couples onboard. Aside from the entertainment features, reading and playing board games or cards are the main activities.

While the cost of a cruise is higher than most cruise ships, it includes gratuities, all alcohol and non-alcohol beverages except vintage wines, and a very upscale mode of cruising. The land excursions are executed beautifully and the ship’s size allows access to smaller ports and unique destinations.

Overall I was very pleased with my cruise—and no doubt, you will be too.