Overall Score

BERLITZ'S RATING
	Possible	Achieved
Ship	500	411
Accommodation	200	177
Food	400	333
Service	400	335
Entertainment	100	74
Cruise	400	336

How this score is created

Silver Cloud has quite a handsome profile, with a sloping stern reminiscent of an “Airstream” trailer. The size is just about ideal for highly personalized cruising in an elegant environment. The vertical cake-layer stacking of public rooms aft and the location of accommodation units forward ensures quiet cabins. There is a synthetic turf-covered wrap-around promenade deck outdoors, and a spacious swimming pool deck with teak/aluminum deck furniture (little “Silversea” touches such as cold towels, water sprays and fresh fruit provide poolside pampering on hot days)..

The spacious interior is well planned, with elegant decor and fine quality soft furnishings throughout, accented by the gentle use of brass fittings (some of sub-standard quality and now showing blotchy patches in several places), fine woods and creative ceilings. Although the ship was given a multi-million dollar makeover in 2003, some parts show signs of aging (the spa and shore tenders need attention).

There is a useful business center as well as a CD-ROM and hardback book library, open 24 hours a day. There is an excellent amount of space per passenger and there is no hint of a line anywhere in this unhurried environment. Good documentation is provided before your cruise, all of which comes in a high-quality document wallet.

An elegant, announcement-free onboard ambience prevails, and there is no pressure, no hype, and an enthusiastic staff to pamper you, with a high ratio of Europeans. Insurance is now extra (it was included when Silversea Cruises first started). All drinks, gratuities and port taxes are included, and no further tipping anywhere on board is necessary (though it is not prohibited). This ship is perhaps ideal for those who enjoy spacious surroundings, excellent food, and some entertainment. It would be difficult not to have a good cruise holiday aboard this ship, albeit at a fairly high price.

Silversea Cruises has come a long way since it began in 1994 and, after 10 years, has re-invented itself, with a more defined and refined product, and its Italian Heritage theme. The company’s many international passengers react well to the ambience, food, service and the staff, most of whom will go out of their way to please.

Silversea Cruises has “all-inclusive” fares, including gratuities (they do not, however, include vintage wines, or massage, or other personal services), but they do include many things that cost extra aboard the ships of many other cruise lines. The passenger mix includes many nationalities, which makes for a more interesting experience, although the majority of passengers are North American (children are sometimes seen aboard, although they are not really welcomed by most passengers, who enjoy cruising without them). The onboard currency is the US dollar.

In 2002, Silversea Cruises introduced “Personalized Voyages” whereby you choose the port of embarkation and disembarkation and the length of cruise you want (minimum is five days). While this is a flexible feature, the onboard programming is already set, so you may be joining and leaving in the middle of a “normal” cruise.

Few ships make it to a five-star Berlitz rating today, but Silversea Cruises has earned an enviable reputation for high quality, particularly when it comes to cuisine. Although the ship is showing signs of wear, the actual onboard product delivered is very good, particularly with regard to the ­cuisine and its presentation. Shuttle buses are provided in most ports of call, and all the little extras that passengers receive aboard this ship makes it an extremely pleasant cruise experience, in surroundings that are very comfortable and contemporary without being extravagant, with open seating dining and drinks included, cold canapés and hot hors d’oeuvres served in the bars in the pre-dinner cocktail hour, a captain’s welcome aboard and farewell cocktail party and other niceties.

Some vibration is evident when bow thrusters or the anchors are used, particularly in the forward-most cabins. Plastic sunloungers and drinks tables do not indicate a luxury product. The self-service launderette is poor and not large enough for longer cruises. Crew facilities are minimal, leading to a high crew turnover which undermines service.

Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2008