A significant anniversary calls for a special celebration, and a Silversea ultra-luxury cruise is just the ticket. Photo / Supplied
The world of ultra-luxury cruising not only takes the cake, it takes the tiramisu, writes Maureen Marriner.
Above the gates of Hell, 14th-century Italian poet Dante wrote: “Abandon hope all ye who enter here.” Above the entry to Silversea’s 21st-century Italian-born cruise ship Silver Spirit, could be written: “Abandon all sense of reality . . . "
Celebrating a significant anniversary, we are on board and en route from Singapore — via two stops in Thailand and three in Vietnam — to Hong Kong. It takes 14 days but the calendar and the routines of the world rapidly disappear.
The days of ultra-luxury start with our butler, Marc Anthony, arriving at 7am with a breakfast tea tray. The Chronicles — what is happening when on the ship — has been delivered, with chocolates, at turn-down the night before.
There are large smart TVs in the bedroom and living area but the harsh realities of the outside world don’t have to intrude. You can use them just for live updates on appointments, activities, destinations . . . where the next lotus flowers are being served and when.
Our marble bathroom - awash with Bulgari toiletries - has a double vanity, enormous spa bath, a shower with additional monsoon head, and a separate toilet. I counted the number of internal doors: six. The walk-in, walk-out double-sided wardrobe has two doors plus an open doorway. Surely over the top, I reckon as they are in addition to the wooden sliding doors that separate the bedroom from the living room. But when one of us is out of action for a while with seasickness, the ability to shut those doors and still give the other access to the bathroom and toilet is a godsend for us both.
There are two bath towels over the bath, two folded on the bath, two hand towels and four face cloths. If any are damp or even moved, Pilar, our suite attendant, replaces them — twice a day. There are two boxed loofahs and after I use one, it stays but the number of boxes goes back up to two. When a lightbulb flashes to indicate it’s on the way out — one mention to the butler and it is replaced while we are at dinner.
The real shining lights are Silversea’s staff. No matter what suite you are in (Silversea does not have “cabins”), the staff you encounter, from maintenance through suite staff, waiters, bartenders and ship’s officers are brilliant. “Good morning madam” as you pass in a corridor ... “More iced water, Sir?” around the pool ... “Enjoy your evening madam”, always with a smile, and those with whom you interact often will address you by name.
On our anniversary day, I am already up when Marc Anthony brings the tea tray, accompanied by two glasses of champagne and orange juice. He is a little disappointed I’m awake. “I wanted it to be a surprise,” he says. I feel the imminent arrival of “swans”, the cruise world’s slightly odd decoration habit.
It is a sea day, so we start in a sheltered section around the pool where staff tuck large white towels around the padded loungers — as much for the furniture’s protection as our comfort. The pool’s surface is a miniature South China Sea, swirly and choppy but not uncomfortable. Three spa pools are popular and a posse of staff ensure an endless supply of rolled white towels.
The same staff are constantly on the move, tray in hand, fulfilling requests for drinks, offering others. The Grill on the pool level is a popular lunch choice, with sandwiches, wraps and salads. Or perhaps a freshly made pizza sent down from Spaccanapoli, on the mezzanine. Then the same with some gelato.
A return to our suite after lunch does indeed find two large towelling swans, beak to beak across the end of the bed and three-anniversary balloons on the fresh pillows. On the coffee table by the sofa is a signed card from the captain, an ice bucket holds a chilled bottle of champagne and alongside, because of dietary restrictions, is a large serving of gluten-free tiramisu with a chocolate “Happy Anniversary” written across the top. Divine. Really.
Later, more champagne and caviar accompanied by sour cream, blinis, chives, red onion, grated egg white and grated egg yolk.
Strangely, I cannot remember where we had dinner that night. There are eight options and we find favourites and move between them. Perhaps it was Atlantide, the biggest restaurant where they are proud of their lobster and steaks ... possibly Indochine, relaxed pan-Asian cuisine and welcoming cocktails such as Singapore’s Sling ... probably La Terrazza, where Italian dishes can be enjoyed inside or out on the covered stern deck. Two restaurants have a small surcharge and there is a Connoisseur’s List of wines that carry a charge, but the complimentary list has delicious options from all over the world.
La Terrazza’s buffet is a favourite for breakfast and I love the array of fresh sliced fruit. Smoothies and omelettes can be whipped up to order. When I cannot find Greek yoghurt for my fruit, waiter Martin comes to the rescue with a pot. I like to think he keeps a stash just for me, but probably not. There are small sealed jars of about half a dozen kinds of honey to be drizzled over the yog. Martin stars again another day when we are about to leave on a long excursion. I ask if he could put a croissant and a GF muffin in some paper towels for us. Minutes later they arrive at my table — wrapped as small tinfoil swans.
Excursions can be hot and sticky but there are fully equipped laundry rooms on each of Silver Spirit’s accommodation decks, However, laundry is free for passengers among Silver Spirit’s 600 maximum who have notched up 100+ cruising days (there are a lot of them) or are in a suite graded silver or above. Have it bagged and with your butler by 9am and it is back by 4pm when he comes on for his evening shift, tops and bottoms clean, pressed and hung, underwear folded and wrapped in tissue. Ditto socks. Two handkerchiefs deserve their own tissue paper roll. Next-level luxury has to be free laundry.
Of course, none of it is actually free, Silversea is a premium cruise line and, pre-cruise, charges accordingly. However, when you have booked and are paid up about three months before you embark, then it’s time for the anticipation, the planning, for choosing excursions, reserving some restaurant tables, organising “cruise” clothes. When you are finally on board, any price pain has been forgotten. You lie back and hand yourself over to the Silversea world.
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Silver Spirit is one of 11 Silversea ships, with Silver Nova and Silver Ray launching in 2023 and 2024, respectively. For more information and itineraries, see silversea.com
The writer travelled at her own expense.
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