Boston Herald
January 3, 2002
The Silver Chichi Shadow

On the Silver Shadow, guests don't line up for a look at an ice
sculpture or a slice of pepperoni pizza on route to St. Thomas or
Nassau, they sip a '98 Bordeaux with their filet de boeuf in truffle
sauce while sailing to Buenos Aires or the Seychelles, and help
themselves to a complimentary cigar from the walk-in humidor and
a snifter of cognac after dinner in the candle-lit cigar club, before
retiring to a suite with a marble bathroom big enough to sleep in.
They sip Moet & Chandon champagne from the unlimited bottles stocking
suite mini-bars and order jumbo shrimp cocktail from the room service
menus. On the 382-passenger Silver Shadow, there are no midnight
buffets, roaming photographers, assigned dinner seating, or many
of the other typical cruise ship trappings, but instead, doting
service, excellent food and wine, and a calm, elegant retreat to
call home for a week or two.

The year-and-a half-old Silver Shadow, along with twin new Silver
Whisper, is a classy ship with deep Wedgwood blue and golden peach
fabrics and carpeting, along with warm caramel wood tones. Old-style
wooden chaise lounges padded with royal blue cushions line the open
decks, though like many new ships, some decks are covered with a
jolting grass green astro turf in lieu of beautiful teakwood. Private
balconies are attached to three-quarters of the plush staterooms,
which have a walk-in closet, mini bar, sitting area, and huge marble-covered
bathroom with double sinks, Bulgari toiletries, and a separate shower
stall and extra-long bathtub. The vast majority of the suites measure
287 square feet, while the largest of the four two-bedroom Grand
Suites measures 1,435 square feet and comes with three bathrooms,
a pair of walk-in closets, entertainment center, two verandahs,
living room and dining area.

These princely accommodations, and just about anything else you
could pine for, are covered in Silverseas' all-inclusive rates,
only Seabourn offers a similar system, though its ships lack stateroom
balconies and Silversea's rich decor. Excellent wines, top-shelf
spirits, tips, transfers, a hotel night before or after the cruise,
and in most cases airfare are all covered in the rates, extras high-end
peers Crystal and Cunard don't include.

Besides the great accommodations and globetrotting itineraries,
you choose a Silversea cruise for the food. Hit it on a sunset departure
from port, and the candle-lit windowed Terrace CafÈ alternative
restaurant becomes a window to the passing scenery and haven for
some of the best food at sea. Reservations are required for the
fixed theme menu that's offered most nights, with the Asian night
starting with sushi and sashimi, while a French feast begins with
foie gras and two excellent French wines, and is followed by a scallop
and ratatouille salad, beef tenderloin, and a warm chocolate tart
with raspberries. These theme meals begin in the adjacent Le Champagne
lounge at about 7:30pm, where canapÈs like fresh parmagiana cut
from the wheel and prosciutto are served along with cocktails while
the sous chef introduces the evening's meal and a sommelier discusses
the featured wines. Tables for two are never a problem in the Terrace
CafÈ and usually not in the larger main restaurant either, though
you may have to wait for one. A live trio plays romantic oldies
in the main restaurant and guests are invited for a spin around
the small dance floor. While not as impressive as the Terrace CafÈ,
there's more choice and entrees like a pan-fried filet of lemon
sole and roast lamb saddle with artichoke-garlic stuffing are very
good.

Burgers and sandwiches are served poolside at lunchtime in addition
to service in the other two restaurants, and once per cruise passengers
are invited into the galley for the traditional galley brunch which
features more than 100 delectable dishes, from stone crab claws
to pickled herring, Hungarian goulash, Rabbit a la Provencale and
German Bratwurst.

When you're not eating or on shore touring, the Shadow's Balinese-inspired
Mandara spa beckons with it's flower-strewn copper foot bowls and
warming massage rocks. Unfortunately, waiting in line for an hour
to sign up for the overpriced $185 hot lava rock massage or one
of the other pricey treatments sure wasn't very relaxing on a recent
cruise.

It's far more satisfying to hit a wine-tasting seminar or one of
the enrichment lectures Silversea prides itself on, which have included
people like Fred McLaren, a retired Navy captain and professor,
who did a slide-show and talk on his adventures diving 12,500 feet
down in a Russian MIR submersible to explore the remains of the
Titanic. Lighter pursuits include a dip in the pool or two hot tubs,
or a visit to the golf driving net, Internet center, or the Bulgari
boutique, which on a recent cruise was complete with $1,600 pink
leather purses and a snooty clerk to match. For evening entertainment,
there's a small casino, a duo entertaining evenings in the Panorama
lounge, and dozens of in-cabin movies including oldies and current
films. The two-level Athenian show lounge with its plush burgundy
velvet is very attractive, though the quality of the song and dance
revues on a recent cruise sure didn't knock anyone's Gucci socks
off; low-brow Carnival or Royal Caribbean do much better at Vegas-style
entertainment. It's the non-standard stuff Silversea excels in.
Popular theme cruises from time to time feature classical music
performers, golf experts, and guest chefs from Relais & Chateaux
hotels and restaurants conducting demonstrations.

All of this decadence doesn't come cheap, though. Count on spending
$500-plus per person a day for a Silversea cruise (including spirits,
tips and airfare). While most cruises are 10- to 16 nights long,
Silversea's handful of shorter 7-, 8- and 9-night Caribbean and
Europe cruises make the prospect more realistic. The down side to
a short itinerary, though, is you're left much less time to enjoy
the ship, a destination in and of itself.

A recent six-night cruise on the Silver Shadow, from Civitavecchia,
Italy, to Villefrance on the French Riviera, included one sea day
and four culturally rich and beautiful ports of call: Livorno, Italy
(for Florence and Pisa tours); Alghero, Sardinia; Calvi, Corsica;
and Tunis, Tunisia. Shore excursion groups were small and tour buses
were purposely not filled to keep things as comfortable and personal
as possible.

While Silverseas' typical passenger mix is 60 plus, shorter cruises
skew the mix younger, adding at least a handful of 30- and 40-something
couples to the pot. Typically about 85% of passengers are American
and they're well traveled, well heeled, well dressed and not afraid
to flaunt five-carat diamonds and gold Rolexes the size of Texas.
Many have cruised with Silversea before.

In addition to the new Silver Shadow and Whisper, the fleet includes
the 296-passenger Silver Cloud and Wind, built in 1994 and 1995
respectively. Due to the threat of terrorism, like most lines, Silversea
has adjusted some of its itineraries for 2002, canceling calls to
ports in Egypt and Israel, for instance. The Shadow will be spend
early 2002 in the South Pacific, Far East, and Africa, while the
Whisper cruises South America and South Africa, and the Cloud embarks
on its world cruise between Ft. Lauderdale and Monte Carlo. All
three ships will spend the summer in the Mediterranean and northern
Europe, and the fall in the Americas. The Silver Wind has been taken
out of service entirely for 2002, as Radisson Seven Seas is doing
with the Song of Flower for several months, in anticipation of decreased
bookings due to world events.