Silversea Cruises

MV Silver Wind

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Operator: Silverseas Cruises
Year Built / Last Refurbished: 1995
Length / Tonnage: 514 / 16,800
Number of Cabins / Passengers: 157 / 296
Officers / Crew: Italian / International
Operating Area: Mediterranean, Africa, Indian Ocean, Far East, Australasia, Mexico, Panama Canal, Caribbean
Telephone / Fax: Tel 115 2245 / Fax 115 2250

Anybody who loved Sitmar Cruises before they were swallowed up by their competitor Princess cheered when, in the early 1990s, an annoncement was made that they might be making a come back. The Vlasov group, owners of Sitmar, felt that it was time to re enter the passenger carrying business....but this time, it was their intention to introduce a fleet of ultra luxe vessels. Calling themselves Silversea Cruises, they closely studied their future competitors....Seabourn, Royal Viking, Cunard and Sea Goddess. They recognized that there was a choice that prospective passengers had to make....either take a small all suite ship and forfeit a well rounded cruise experience, i.e. shows, lounges, deck space....or select something like the ROYAL VIKING SUN....which from the beginning was something of a lemon among many experienced cruisers. And so the not too big, not too small SILVER CLOUD and SILVER WIND were born....and almost instantly, they had the other lines running to the drawing boards to see how they could improve their products and give Silversea a run for the money.

Silversea made lots of friends quickly....with their sensible all inclusive rates, interesting itineraries, and well thought out ships. We urge you to get a copy of their 1998/1999 brochure....it's the prettiest cruise folder we've seen in the North American market in the last decade! But as lovely as this booklet is, do the pretty words they use in it accurately describe what it's like to travel Silversea? For the most part, yes. There are just a couple of oh so minor lapses in attention to detail....but nothing significant enough to make us assign less than five stars to these dreams at sea.

In the style reminiscent of our Cruise Editor's favorite current vessel, the EUROPA, the SILVER CLOUD and SILVER WIND have almost all their public rooms located aft....leaving the midships and forward spaces for cabins. At first, anyone used to the arrangement of all lounges on one or two decks might find this stacking system off putting....but give it some time....it works well, and it keeps any peripheral noise and traffic well away from the cabin corridors. I cannot find the words to describe the thrill....yes, it's a thrill.....to sit in rooms as beautiful as the Bar or the Terrace Cafe. These are spaces stuffed with the finest materials of all....and rather than go on and on telling you here, get their brochure....turn to page twenty one....and see for yourself....because in this case, the camera didn't lie....it's just as charming in three dimensions. I'm not as crazy for the Parisian Lounge, though it's perfect for its intended use....as a venue for floor shows, lectures, and such. You won't be coming in here for the atmosphere....the room will be darkened for the show, anyway....and I can't imagine anyone deciding against a cruise because they didn't like the show room. You, may, however, find yourself spending a fair amount of time in the Panorama Lounge, with views aft, or the small Observation Area, looking out to the bows. Wherever you end up, you'll notice how serene....how soothing the decor is...and you may want to join me in extending Silversea a heartfelt thank you for keeping the entertainment volume to a pleasant level...so that conversation can be enjoyed without a lot of "huhs" and "whad'ya says".

As for the outdoor areas, the only thing I find lacking is a really good promenade....it's true, you can make a partial circuit of the ship up on Deck 9....but this area is completely exposed to the elements....wind, rain and beating sun. There are some nooks toward the after parts of Decks 7 and 8, and that's where I would try to hang out....and the pool area is ideal for lounging....either in the sun or the shade. As complete a ship as you'll find around today, the SILVER CLOUD has a small gym, sauna and massage area....along with a beauty parlor across the hall. Though most everything is included in your fare, there is a charge for any beauty or health treatment services you desire.

Even if the food here stunk, I wouldn't mind spending lots of time in the restaurant....it's a feast for the eyes, and exceedingly comfortable. Fortunately, most of the food served here matches the room....the quality of ingredients is nop notch, the presentation flawless, and the selection varied. The service is on par with a two star Michelin restaurant....you won't go wrong here. This is not a hash house....the food will not arrive at the table in heaps and mounds....so if you have an amply sized stomach, who regularly cries out feed me...as does mine, ask your waiter to double your orders....they understand that not all of us eat as do the birds. For those desiring a taste of the grape to accent their dining, the wines selected to be included with your cruise fare are excellent....but should nothing but a bottle of Chateau de Cadillac Brougham d'Elegance 1946 ever pass your lips, the sommelier will accommodate...and you will be charged accordingly. The restaurant, it goes without saying, is open sitting....you will decide when and with whom you wish to eat.

For the "coffee shop" crowd, the Terrace Cafe has buffets for breakfast and lunch, grilled items and the same wonderful service as in the restaurant. At night, the cafe offers a more casual environment where you can feast on regional Italian foods.....if you want to take your meals outside, the nearby terrace is set up for you.

A five star ship must provide round the clock room service....so anything you could possibly dream up.....that they have on board.....will be delivered with a minimum of pomp and circumstance.

There is not one cabin on the SILVER CLOUD or SILVER WIND that I would not happily occupy. The least expensive Vista Suites, at 240 square feet, are more than adequate for one or two....or even a third. These cabins have a large window, twin beds that can be converted to a queen configuration, a sitting area, a TV/VCR, a refrigerator, an honest to goodness walk in closet and a bathroom pretty enough to live in. The Veranda Suites are similar, but have a private balcony. If these cabins aren't large enough for you, four bigger cabin types are available....in sizes ranging from 541 square feet to 1,341 square feet! I'd almost recommend you get a realtor to show you these apartments....so inclusive are their amenities. As an example, a two bedroom Grand Suite (the 1,341 foot one) has three verandas, two living rooms, a dining area, queen sized beds, three televisions and VCRs, a CD player, refrigerators, two walk in closets, dressing tables with hair dryers, two marbled bathrooms with full size tubs....and so on and so forth.

With per day prices running six, seven, eight hundred dollars or more...per person....Silversea can not attract those on a strict budget. But money does not make the man...or woman...so you will see passengers with all manners of breeding....on sailings when the young ones are out of school, you might find a few families....but there are few diversions for kids on these ships....and passengers have forked over quite an amount of money to be here, so they're not likely to look kindly on children who cannot be controlled....unruly children are rarely the recipients of unstinting praise.

During the summer of this year you will find the SILVER WIND in Europe sailing along the French and Italian Rivieras. In the fall she heads to Greece and then Africa. For the holidays she crosses to Rio de Janeiro and then to Florida. After the first of the year, she embarks on a 95 day world cruise from Ft. Lauderdale. After the world cruise its back to the Mediterranean and Greek Islands before returning to Ft. Lauderdale at the end of the year.

Back in the "overview" section of this review, I mentioned that there are just a couple of nit picky things about Silversea that they should address....sometimes, if you order caviar, you'll be served the similar looking Danish lumpfish....and that's a no no. The other problem is the shore excursion program. This was a major stumbling block the line had when they began service....but each season, these optional forays into the ports improve....nonetheless, "the Silversea Experience", a selected shore trip that is included in your fare on some sailings, is often more a non event than anything....no one would seriously consider a Silversea trip based on the quality or lack thereof of a shore excursion....but the memories of these little things sometimes stay with us longer than we would like. Everything else on the SILVER WIND is top drawer, first rate, spiffy. I'm certain you'll agree with me.