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£3,000 Reasons to Sail with Silversea
After an extensive refurbishment, your favourite ship will be the most luxurious ice class vessel in expedition cruising. Her service and space ratios will be the highest in expedition cruising. And she’ll boast more dining options than any other ice-class ship to the White Continent. Along with panoramic public rooms and broad, sweeping decks, almost all suites will include verandas so that a breaching whale or a few cavorting penguins are always within sight.
With her ice-strengthened hull, she will easily maneuver through the ice flows. We’ve also limited her 260 guest capacity to a maximum of 200 in polar waters. That’s important, since crowds reduce the number of landings permitted in these fragile environments. And with her 18 new state-of-the-art Zodiacs, you’ll have plenty of opportunities for exploring the wonders ashore.
Silver Cloud has an amazing crew in all departments. Our cabin was well-appointed and comfortable, the restaurants were very good, front desk very helpful. The Expedition team were superb, and grea...
Silver Cloud, Silversea's first ship (debuting in 1994), had grown tired and dated until the luxury cruise line gave it a huge makeover and re-introduced it in November 2017 as Silver Cloud Expedition. It's now the newest -- and most alluring -- vessel to join Silversea's fast-growing fleet of expedition ships, and is the hot new superstar of all expedition ships, not just Silversea's.
Silversea spent more than $40 million to revamp the posh yacht into an ice class-rated vessel equipped to sail Polar Regions. The shipyard additions included extensive steel reinforcement, new sonars for underwater detection and polar temperature-resistant windows. All suites (except bathrooms), the spa and most public spaces were remodeled into the modern Italian Silversea flagship design of 2017-debuted Silver Muse. Prior, there were only three Silver Suites; now there are 12. Silver Cloud Expedition is the first Silversea expedition ship to debut a photography studio for classes and picture-printing.
New black-and-white photographs throughout the ship celebrate early polar explorers, such as the iconic Ernest Shackleton, depicting arduous expeditions -- and you can't help but compare their travel style to yours.
Silver Cloud Expedition carries 200 passengers on polar cruises, and 254 passengers elsewhere. On polar sails, expect more crew than passengers. With 22 expedition experts -- many with Ph.D. specialties ranging from marine biology to ornithology -- onboard, passengers find many opportunities for one-on-one conversations.
The expedition team is knowledgeable, seasoned and enthusiastic. (On our recent cruise, our leader had notched about 156 Antarctic expeditions in 18 years.) With 16 Zodiacs and 10 kayaks onboard, nearly everyone can explore at once. (On non-polar itineraries, 20 expedition experts sail with passengers.)
But here's Silver Cloud's most exclusive lure: It offers what other expedition ships, including Silversea's own Silver Discoverer and Silver Explorer, can't -- the abundant amenities of a luxury yacht.
Eighty percent of the all-suite accommodations feature verandas. All passengers enjoy white-gloved butlers, who can stir a nightly martini in-suite at 6 p.m., and return at 7:30 p.m. to serve a sumptuous dinner course by course.
But why stay suite-bound? With five upscale dining choices, an outdoor heated pool and two whirlpools, spa with diverse treatments (crystal sound bath healing, anyone?), comprehensive fitness center, photo studio, boutiques and bars, Silver Cloud Expedition offers all that both traditional luxury cruisers and adventure-seekers crave.
Silver Cloud Expedition draws a more physically active, younger clientele than Silversea's traditional cruise ships, where passengers might be 60 to 85 years old. Cloud passengers are typically 45 to 75 years old and are mostly American, with some Brits and Australians. They're friendly, well-traveled and mostly affluent. Some are Silversea aficionados on their first expedition sail. Others only embrace adventure travel.
Casual attire, including jeans, is the daytime norm, and anything but jeans and shorts rules at night. Silversea offers detailed expedition packing recommendations on its website; purchase online for delivery to your home or suite. All passengers on polar expeditions receive complimentary parkas, backpacks, an expedition hat and even a Silver Cloud Expedition sew-on patch. You may borrow boots but not all sizes are available; it's best to bring your own if you have them, or are planning other expeditions, for wet landings (when passenger hop off Zodiac boats into shallow water).
At night, men usually sport button-down shirts and slacks, and women wear pants outfits -- although some passengers stay daytime casual. For the captain's party evenings, men may don a sports jacket and the occasional tie. Some passengers also dress up for dining in La Dame by Relais & Chateaux.
Cruises include gratuities for housekeeping and restaurant staff, shore excursions, meals (except in La Dame by Relais & Chateaux), snacks, beverages (alcoholic and not), a certain amount of Wi-Fi, laundry room use and the aforementioned parkas and backpacks on polar sailings. The only additional costs incurred are for the spa and beauty salon (gratuities for these services are also not included in your cruise fare), cigars, laundry service, premium list wines and spirits and internet use beyond complimentary inclusions. The onboard currency is the U.S. dollar.
All accommodations on Silver Cloud Expedition are suites. The new design is lighter and cheerier -- with creamy-beige furnishings accented by blue and silver tones. So much is new after the 2017 refurbishment: leather headboards, carpeting, bright lighting and cabinetry with modern metal pulls and black-and-white expedition photographs. Silversea keyrings/flashlights are placed bedside. Turn-down Domori (Italian) chocolate squares are delivered nightly.
Multiple outlets (110 and 220 volt) and USB ports were installed on desks and by bedside tables. The untouched marble-and-granite bathrooms need updating; they possess spacious glass showers and ample storage, but need brighter lighting and new softer, thicker towels.
Comfortable beds are made with silky Pratesi linens and duvets, and convert from twin to queen. Choose from nine pillow selections, including firm, down-alternative, body pillow and buckwheat. (Standard pillows are 25 to 30 percent down and 70 to 75 percent feather.)
The one-sink brown-and-white marble bathroom is small but acceptable (particularly with the living area vanity setup). Four shelves line the mirror's right side; two more are beneath the sink. The counter includes a weakly scented, unlabeled diffuser (sadly, no longer Laura Tonatto) and small jar of cotton swabs and cotton balls. The spacious shower has an easy sliding-glass door and a built-in marble seat, two shelves, two shower heads (rain and hand-held) and a clothesline. The bathroom door has robe hooks. These bathrooms are found in all accommodations except for Royal, Grand and Owner's Suites. In the latter three suites, bathrooms include showers, separate tubs and bidets.
Each suite enjoys butler service. Butlers introduce themselves on embarkation day and offer Bulgari toiletries, including soap (facial and shower), shampoo, conditioner and body lotion. Hypoallergenic Sebamed, or Sicilian brand Ortigia, are alternatives. (Sadly, Ferragamo toiletries are no longer offered.)
Butlers stock bars with preferred bottles of wine or spirits. (No more automatic bubbly set-up on embarkation; it's now by request.) Butlers also fetch sundries for sale (request from an in-suite list), including toothbrushes and aspirin.
Provide your butler with laundry by 9 a.m. for same-day service. Neatly folded undergarments are returned wrapped in tissue paper. Clothes on hangers come bundled in a Silversea-embossed plastic bag.
Vista Suite: Even at entry-level, the 240-square-foot accommodations are exceedingly comfortable and efficiently designed. The entryway, with hooks for hanging expedition backpacks, leads to a bathroom, walk-in closet and queen-sized bed with two nightstands. Beyond the bed is a curtained-off living area with two leather chairs, a table, a large (could seat three) couch and a picture window.
Living area accoutrements include a granite counter/desk with a digital clock and charging station, telephone, room service menu and books, including a lavish coffee table Silver Muse tome.
The granite desk/counter doubles as a vanity, with a leather stool and a well-lit wall-mounted mirror and tabletop magnifying mirror. The desk has three deep drawers. A brown leather folder contains shipboard information, personalized stationery, ship postcard and a caviar menu (at a fee).
The mini-bar holds Coke, Sprite, Stella Artois beer, filtered still and sparkling water, tonic water and club soda. Two more shelves near the mini-bar hold an ice bucket and glasses, but are roomy enough for storage.
The Samsung flat-screen TV swivels, for watching shows (live or from the media library) in bed or on the couch. Each nightstand has a small granite top with a drawer and shelf. A wide, nearly floor-to-ceiling, mirror opposite the bed makes the suite feel larger.
The walk-in closet features a safe and seven drawers; one drawer holds a Helen of Troy hair dryer, shoeshine bag, shoe polish, lint brush and sewing kit. There's a long storage shelf above the clothes rack, built-in niches for extra storage and enough floor space for multiple pairs of shoes. The two hooks can hold the big, comfy 100 percent cotton Etro bathrobes. Count on many specialty hangers, from padded to pants, and an umbrella. Vista Suite passengers receive one hour of complimentary Wi-Fi per day.
Veranda Suite: Veranda Suites are identical to Vista Suites, except for the 49-square-foot veranda with two rattan-like high-back chairs and a small table. Some Veranda Suites feature pullout couches for three guests. Suites labeled as Deluxe Verandas simply have more central locations. Veranda Suite passengers receive one hour of complimentary Wi-Fi per day
Medallion Suite: The three 437-square-foot (including an 81-square-foot veranda) Medallion Suites feature a larger living area (with a convertible sofa for a third passenger) than a Veranda Suite, a larger veranda (two chairs, a table and a chaise lounge -- furnishings can be customized per passenger request), huge walk-in wardrobe, separate dining area (table seats two) and a private bedroom with a wall-mounted television. The one bathroom has one sink and a marble shower. Extra amenities include illy espresso machine, writing desk, a Bose SoundTouch 30 wireless speaker with Bluetooth and a small box of excellent Pierre Marcolini Belgian chocolates (higher-end than nightly turndown). Passengers receive unlimited Wi-Fi access.
Silver Suite: With 541 square feet (including a 92-square-foot veranda), the 12 Silver Suites are like Medallion Suites, only larger, and with an extra bathroom; each has one sink and a marble shower.
The dining area features a wood table with four leather chairs and a spacious bar set-up. There are two closets; one in the dining area and a large walk-in off the bedroom. Verandas include two chairs, a table and a chaise lounge. Passengers receive all the amenities of a Medallion Suite.
Royal Suite: The two 736-square-foot (including a 126-square-foot veranda) Royal Suites could easily please Prince William and Kate. The living area features a sectional couch, oval granite cocktail table, desk with an illy espresso-maker and round dining table with four chairs. The one bathroom has one sink, a full-size tub, separate shower and bidet. Enjoy two verandas; front (two chaise lounges and a table) and side (two chairs and a table). Royal Suites can be configured as two-bedroom, as they can connect to an adjacent Veranda Suite. Royal Suites also receive the amenities of a Medallion Suite and up.
Grand Suite: The two fully forward 1,019-square-foot (including a 145-square-foot veranda) Grand Suites are the most private and largest accommodations. The living room features multiple windows overlooking the bow and the dining table seats six. The bathroom has one sink, a full-size tub, separate shower and bidet. The two verandas possess the same furnishings as a Royal Suite. Grand Suites can be configured into a two-bedroom, as they can connect to an adjacent Veranda Suite. Grand Suites possess the same amenities as Royal Suites and up.
Owner's Suite: The one 587-square-foot (including an 89-square-foot veranda) Owner's Suite is smaller than the Grand and Royal Suites, but living space includes a big comfy sofa, two leather chairs, a free-standing desk and a six-seat oval dining table. The main bathroom has one sink, a full-size tub, separate shower and bidet, plus a separate powder bath. Passengers like these suites for the prime location (midship, mid-deck), cache and coziness. The Owner's Suite possesses all the amenities of a Royal Suite and up.
Although you might be sailing far-flung corners of the globe, count on sophisticated modern European cuisine, with an emphasis on Italian dishes per the line's lineage. Icebergs may float outside, but there's caviar in the kitchen. In fact, chefs regularly showcase luxe ingredients, like lobster and prime meat. Tarts and cakes look (and taste) fancy.
All tables are preset with high-quality extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Vegetarian and sugar- and gluten-free choices are always available. (For other dietary concerns, let Silversea know in advance, preferably 60 days before departure.) Servers provide attentive service, even at buffets.
All meals are open seating, with numerous tables for two. The complimentary wines, although inexpensive to moderate-priced, are well-chosen, and pair well with offerings. (Their quality matches bottles poured on other luxe lines.) All restaurants are complimentary except for La Dame by Relais and Chateaux.
The Restaurant (Deck 4): The Restaurant, warmly decorated with teak and brass accents, can seat all passengers at once. The best tables are by the windows, which offer sweeping ocean views. The Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and scores daytime visits mostly on sea days (otherwise, it's sleepy). Passengers often order two- or three-course lunches and four-course dinners (courses are portioned appropriately).
At breakfast, servers quickly offer juice, coffee and a silver tray laden with freshly baked pastries, including admirably flaky croissants. Expect the usual suspects, including fluffy omelets and great buckwheat pancakes, plus British faves such as English bacon and baked beans. The daily Vitamix juice blend tastes healthy and satisfying. Try the superb Agrimontana preserves from Italy; they're intensely fruity.
At lunch, the best bets are often the soup of the day, salads and pastas. Daily specials, reflecting the crew's heritage -- like laksa (Southeast Asian spicy noodle soup) -- taste surprisingly authentic. Separate dessert menus are presented after lunch. Some wellness desserts, like a chocolate coconut brownie, are standouts.
At dinner, starters include mesclun salads, soup like oxtail consomme and great entrees such as Maine lobster tail or grilled duck breast with duck jus. Pastas, such as an excellent cannelloni with spinach and bechamel, perpetually please. Although desserts include froufrou cakes and tarts, gelato always is popular. Or, choose a custom cheese plate from six to eight selections.
Complimentary wines primarily showcase regions where the ship sails. On an Antarctica cruise, expect South American selections such as the organically grown Cono Sur sauvignon blanc from Chile. One white and one red are offered nightly, but if not satisfied, the sommelier will open new bottles until you're pleased. (They also leave a whole bottle that a group loves on their table.) The Connoisseur's Wine List includes high-end champagnes, Italian Super Tuscans and Chateau d'Yquem sauternes.
La Dame by Relais & Chateaux (Deck 4); $60: Its menu designed by Relais & Chateaux, La Dame serves dinner only. Expect a lavish and leisurely six-course repast, with each course paired with wine. Wine selections should be more premium than other restaurant selections. Some grumble about the cost or simply don't bother to dine here as other eateries amply satisfy. However, with only 12 tables, the restaurant remains a popular choice, so reserve online before sailing.
La Dame is Silver Cloud Expedition's most beautiful -- and romantic -- restaurant. Think richly grained dark wood and beautiful high-back black leather chairs with curved wood arms. Modern Italian light fixtures -- with burnt-orange and gold glass -- set the room aglow.
Admire the delicate new Relais & Chateaux-emblem china, the multiple preset wineglasses and napkins nestled inside gold rings. The menu stars every luxury ingredient imaginable. As it should.
Order the ounce of caviar and note the accompaniments shaped into a flower. Entrees, like lobster tail with truffled leeks, or France's fabulous Limousin beef with truffle-infused jus, possess impressive flavors, ingredients and presentations.
Consider the Grand Marnier souffle a must-order dessert. A server presents this French finale quivering under a glass dome, before piercing its center and pouring in an astonishing amount of creme anglaise.
La Terrazza (Deck 7): A Silversea passenger favorite fleetwide, La Terrazza remains popular for open-seating buffet breakfast and lunch and (reservations-only) sit-down Italian dinners. After the redo, afternoon tea is now served in La Terrazza, too. During buffet hours, servers take special orders, retrieve any buffet items requested and insist on carrying passenger plates to tables (which can either make you feel spoiled rotten or somewhat embarrassed).
With sweeping sea views and glass cases of fine wines, La Terrazza is inviting, especially at night when reservations are limited, servers don suits and ties, lower blinds and dim lights. Many passengers dine outdoors in good weather.
At breakfast, order eggs or other custom dishes from your waiter (there's no special menu as Silversea believes you should get whatever you want, whenever you want, within reason) or visit the buffet for typical breakfast selections that are freshly prepared. Beyond the basics, expect English bacon, smoked salmon and mackerel, cheeses such as Brie, and accoutrements like pricy pine nuts. Freshly baked breads (including irresistible pumpkin seed-studded whole-grain mini-muffins) and pastries are beautifully displayed. Try a daily Vitamix juice blend, such as apple and cucumber.
Even with just 200 passengers onboard, the luncheon buffet teems with choice. Pick an ever-changing pre-made salad, like octopus, shrimp or white bean. The salad bar has so many ingredients -- from frisee to anchovies to flax seeds -- you could probably create a different plate daily. I counted seven different dressings, besides vinegar and olive oil.
A chef carves a loin of beef or pork, or turkey, while a cook spoons sides like ratatouille and potato gratin on your plate. Expect a daily quiche, sushi, cold cuts, gourmet cheeses and two different pizzas. Pizza devotees can also order from a menu of 10 custom pies. (Try the piccante, with spicy Calabrian sausage.) Freshly baked cookies (love the chocolate chip), tarts and cakes also tempt.
An English tea service is offered daily in the late afternoon, featuring about 10 types of Ronnefeldt loose-leaf teas. Nibble on sandwiches, such as smoked salmon; wee tarts and cakes; and buttermilk, raisin or chocolate chip scones with clotted cream, butter and jams. It's a kick to experience such a proper tea in polar climes.
In the evening, La Terrazza becomes a sit-down Italian restaurant with waiter service. The new-in-2017 dinner menu thankfully leaves the signature bread basket -- breadsticks, lavash, seeded rolls, focaccia and roasted garlic bulb -- untouched. A roaming sommelier quickly refills glasses. The mostly Italian wines poured, such as Luccarelli Primitivo Puglia, pair well with food.
Nightly family-style platters of regional Italian meals -- like chicken liver crostini, panzanella salad and beefsteak Florentine -- are a fun switch from fancier plated fare. The many pastas, like a rich ricotta-filled ravioli in walnut cream sauce, are highlights, as is the thick veal chop. Fantasia -- pistachio cake with sour cherry compote, cream sauce and ice cream -- is deliciously decadent.
The Grill (Deck 8): Dining at the poolside Grill, with hovering servers and tables set with delicate hem-stitched cream-hued napkins, feels quite yacht-like. The lunch menu includes lighter Mediterranean dishes -- like a fine Middle Eastern mezze plate with fluffy pita -- besides typical pool eats like burgers with caramelized white onions. The sundae with homemade triple chocolate chip cookies rules as the most indulgent dessert.
As on other Silversea ships, The Grill morphs each evening into a cook-your-own-dinner over lava rocks (when weather permits). Passengers dine under the stars, relishing comfort food like Caesar salad, grilled prime steaks and apple pie. Dining here's a hit -- even on polar sails -- as The Grill provides heat lamps and thick wool blankets. Many passengers consider dining bundled up outdoors an adventure.
Room Service: Ensuite dining is available 24 hours a day, served wherever you like on the ship. During breakfast, lunch and dinner hours, you can order from the Restaurant menu. All reasonable custom requests are readily fulfilled.
The extensive breakfast menu basically duplicates The Restaurant's. You can order via a door card the night prior or page your butler in the morning. Butlers, delivering breakfast on silver trays, spread fine linens and set tables with Villeroy & Boch china. (Plates, disappointingly, have plastic, not silver, covers.) Butlers fuss over settings and usually offer to pour tea or coffee.
All-day dining features everything from melon and prosciutto and Thai chili chicken spring rolls to linguine with pesto and an 8-ounce New York sirloin. Silversea's signature hamburger -- using high-end Fassone Piedmontese beef -- with porcini mushrooms and polenta fries, and the New York hot dog with sauteed onions in a homemade bun, are standouts. Philadelphia cream cheese cheesecake and bitter chocolate mousse are among dessert selections.
Shore Excursions
In Polar Regions, 22 expedition team members lead complimentary shore excursions. A Ph.D. crowd (many from Ivy League backgrounds), these passionate seasoned experts accompany all tours. Polar excursions are conducted mostly by Zodiac, usually one outing each morning and afternoon. (However, expeditions are subject to Mother Nature, so passengers should be prepared for Zodiac times to change or be postponed.) Each Zodiac group (about 12 per Zodiac) has its own expedition leader. Passengers are briefed the night prior to excursions. Safety lessons, like how to behave when encountering wildlife, are taught, repeated and strictly enforced. Zodiac handlers are excellent at helping passengers in and out of boats. With 10 kayaks onboard, passengers can also join these expeditions. A kayaking expert leads trips among the ice floes or to shore -- another way to explore the continent.
Passengers revel in nature-oriented outdoor activities, like guided hikes on islands, visiting gentoo, Adelie and chinstrap penguin colonies, spotting Weddell and southern elephant seals, and birds like snow and cape petrels. A geologist leads tours highlighting the volcanic elements of islands. On Goudier, a former research station, there's a museum, gift shop and post office; you can send a postcard while penguins roam outside. On kayak or Zodiac expeditions, passengers admire sculpted icebergs and calving glaciers, look for crabeater and other seals resting on ice floes, see more birdlife and perhaps, spot a minke or other whales. Visiting one of the many Antarctic research stations -- and setting foot on the Antarctic mainland -- is a major highlight. On some cruises, a few hearty passengers opt for a polar plunge -- jumping into icy waters garbed only in bathing suits or T-shirts and shorts, if they dare.
In regions outside Antarctica and the Arctic, all excursions are still complimentary and tours, led by expedition experts, possess an adventurous bent. Itineraries usually showcase less-visited locales and remote islands. For example, a Dublin-to-London spring cruise might visit Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain, and offer Zodiac tours to St. Kilda, Scotland, the westernmost landmass in the United Kingdom. A hike combining birding and history in the Shetland Islands, and nature walks along the rugged coastline of Berwickshire provide viewing points for watching thousands of nesting guillemots, kittiwakes and razorbills. Such non-polar cruises also offer less-rugged outings, such as touring castles and cathedrals.
If anxious about capturing bucket-list sights, know that an expert photographer also accompanies outings, and often offers passenger tips. He also shoots stills and film, and presents an edited version for sale on the last night. They're usually amazing souvenirs.
Daytime and Evening Entertainment
Silver Cloud Expedition doesn't offer scheduled daytime activities other than enrichment activities. In the evenings, two singers/pianists (both good) perform in Dolce Vita and Panorama Lounge. Depending on the crowd, a late-night DJ might spin tunes in the Panorama Lounge.
Enrichment
New to Silversea expedition ships, the Photo Studio offers a dedicated studio manager, individual and group classes at both amateur and pro level, use of editing software for both Mac and PC users and a high-quality printer for passenger use.
Expedition team members present impassioned lectures with slides or film in the Explorer Lounge during the day that are streamed to suites. These engrossing lectures are never snoozers; passengers listen attentively and ask questions. There's usually just one lecture daily as passengers are mostly out exploring.
Even in polar regions, bars and lounges stay busy, particularly pre-dinner. More active passengers head to the Panorama Lounge post-dining for a relaxing cocktail, conversation and even some dancing. Naturally, sea days mean busier bars than on shore excursion days.
Dolce Vita (Deck 5): Dolce Vita is the go-to bar for passengers meeting up pre-dinner. The lounge features a granite bar with taupe bar stools, and small groupings of couches and chairs with teal accents. Soft lighting, sea views and a standards-crooning pianist up the intimate ambiance. Some passengers twirl around the tiny dance floor.
Explorer Lounge (Deck 6): The redone Explorer Lounge feels glamorous. It features a giant curtained stage, and leather chairs and banquettes with cocktail rounds for a more theater-like, rather than lecture-room, vibe. New AV equipment includes a giant screen flanked by two smaller screens. Passengers come for lectures, pre-dinner expedition recaps, next-day briefings and the captain's welcome and farewell parties. Servers offer cocktails and prosecco, and sometimes, high-end canapes.
Panorama Lounge (Deck 8): Come for early riser breakfasts or pre- or post-dinner cocktails. The bar's buzziest after dinner, when a pianist sings and plays or the DJ spin tunes. Some passengers dance. When the weather's nice, cruisers often sit outdoors.
Connoisseurs Corner (Deck 8): Primarily a post-dinner hangout, this spot oozes a men's club vibe, with oversized leather chairs and fine bottles of spirits on display. You'll find mainly men sipping Scotch, puffing on Davidoff or other cigars and schmoozing.
Tor's Observation Lounge (Deck 9): Curl up with your iPad or a book pulled from the shelves -- they're filled with travel tomes -- at this stunning new lounge. Black leather chairs with black-and-white striped fabric, and black-and-white carpet with pops of red, are modern-Italian-gorgeous. Big windows provide mesmerizing ocean views. This lounge's one design flaw is that access is only from outdoors; if the weather is inclement with high winds (particularly possible in polar climes), outdoor decks are closed and the lounge is unreachable.
Pool Bar (Deck 8): Hop on a wooden stool at the teak bar or grab a seat at a table. (Some tables are for smokers.) Name brands, such as Grey Goose, Bombay Gin, Mount Gay rum and The Glenlivet single malt, fill bar shelves. The bartender makes a mean espresso or cappuccino, too. In nice weather, waiters also take orders from passengers lounging poolside.
Silver Cloud Expedition's pool deck -- a rarity in the expedition realm -- is located on Deck 8. The teak deck features one heated pool, two whirlpools and two rinse-off showers. There are rattan-like dark brown cushioned chaises for two, and dark blue chaise lounges.
One deck up on Deck 9, a jogging track circles the deck with an open view onto the pool below; 10 laps equal a mile. In jogging weather, water bottles and towels are available. No Ping-Pong or shuffleboard are offered.
There's a 24-hour staffed reception desk, expedition desk and a cruise consultant's table on Deck 6. Pebbled leather couches, marble flooring and murals of globes embellish the area.
There's no card or conference room for passengers.
Wi-Fi packages are standard fleetwide. Grand, Royal, Owner, Silver and Medallion Suite passengers receive unlimited premium (fastest speed) access. However, only one device at a time can be connected to a suite account. For all other suite categories, each passenger receives one hour of standard access per day. Packages reset automatically daily at midnight and unused minutes do not carry over as credits to be used on the next day. The offer is not cumulative. Passengers must pay for additional access. There are various plans, such as one full day of standard access per passenger on a personal device for $25. Unlimited access pricing is structured on voyage length.
Below on Deck 5, the Shops of Silversea boutiques provide retail therapy. One offers a mix of clothing, books and regional mementos (think stuffed penguins and Antarctica caps), designer perfume and watches like Citizen. The second boutique showcases sparkly jewelry like golden pearls and tanzanite necklaces from brands like Gucci and Bulgari.
In the Deck 7 library, cabinets teem with travel and expedition books, newspapers, current magazines and novels by popular authors like David Baldacci. Grab reading material and sink into a tufted taupe leather chair that's so buttery soft, you'll wish you had one at home.
Clinic hours for the Deck 3 medical center are from 8 a.m. until 9:30 a.m., and 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. daily. Medical assistance is also available by appointment, or as needed, 24 hours.
A self-service launderette on Deck 4 features three complimentary washing machines with a wall-hung soap dispenser, three dryers, an ironing board, iron and sink.
The new Zagara Spa on Deck 7 uses Elemis products and offers amazing treatments for a small ship. Think 12 different facial therapies, from blemish control to pro-collagen age defy. An Elemis Thousand Flower Detox Wrap is among five polish-and-wraps, and nine different massages -- like freestyle deep tissue and coconut poultice massage – also tempt.
When arriving for a treatment, passengers first visit the candlelit mood room. After trying various aromatherapy scents, passengers and therapists converse and pick the aromatherapy, music and mood lighting for the treatment room.
Small changing rooms feature marble sinks and soft hand towels. Thick bathrobes and Silversea-monogrammed slippers await. The shower features shower gel, shampoo and conditioner. Men and women have their own sauna and steam rooms.
The spa's elegant beauty salon sports marble counters, light wood cabinetry and creamy-hued buttery leather chairs. Count four chairs for shampoos and hairstyling, one manicure table and a pedicure chair with a built-in water bath. Elemis, Wella Professionals colors and CND shellac are featured.
This salon does plenty beyond the usual -- low-lighting hair, teeth-whitening, makeup applications and Brazilian bikini waxing. Male-specific treatments include back and chest waxing, sports manicures and speed shaves.
The fitness center is separate from the spa on Deck 6. The gym was doubled in size from the ship's original layout and has all-new TechnoGym equipment. Expect free weights, weight machines, two treadmills, two elliptical trainers, one full-body workout machine and one each recumbent and upright bicycles. Machines offer built-in TV screens and headphone jacks. There are also two benches, a barre, free weights (in kilograms), medicine ball, scale, mats -- even a TechnoGym mat with suggested stretches and stretch-times in Italian (with pictures, thank goodness). Towels feel newer and softer than suite towels. The fitness trainer leads complimentary classes in yoga, Pilates, circuit training and aerobics, but charges for personal training or body composition analysis.
This ship is not family-oriented except for multigenerational passengers traveling with older children. There are no children's facilities, programs or babysitting services. Children under 6 years old aren't permitted on Zodiacs. Babies younger than 1 year old are not allowed to board the ship. A signed and notarized waiver issued by Silversea is required for passengers traveling with children under 6.
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