Silver Wind is a boutique cruise ship owned by luxury cruise line, Silversea. She was built in 1995 and can accommodate 296 guests.
Silversea are famed for all-inclusive, boutique cruises with excellent service. We sent four of our cruise concierge for a cruise on Silver Wind, so that they are able to advise any customers who are interested in sailing with Silversea. Here, they report back on what they thought of the ship.
Embarkation
Boarding the ship was very smooth. We were welcomed with a glass of Champagne when checking in, and there was a chilled bottle of Champagne waiting for us in our suite.
Decor
Silver Wind is a very traditional ship. The colours are subtle and in keeping with its character. Some areas look a little worn, the sunbeds were a bit faded and some door handles were slightly rusty. However, the ship is entering dry dock for an extensive refurbishment in October 2016, so will be in perfect condition for anyone sailing after that date.
Accommodation
Our suite was of a reasonable size and would be adequate for 3 people sharing. A privacy curtain was available to divide up the room in the evening, which would be good for families. Every suite has a butler. Ours was extremely attentive and replenished the mini bar daily. There was also a printed newspaper each day, which gave highlights of the news in the UK – other countries are also available.
Entertainment
The entertainment was relaxed and intimate – usually a vocalist. It was available every evening from 10pm and lasted about an hour. The performers engaged with the audience throughout each show, which was nice. If you prefer large scale musical shows, this probably isn’t the ship for you.
Dining
The food on-board Silver Wind was absolutely out of this world! It was some of the best we’ve ever experienced, and we’ve been on a lot of ships! There are four dining locations on-board – The Grill, The Restaurant, La Terrazza and Le Champagne. All are complimentary except for Le Champagne, which has a $40 cover charge.
In the Grill, you can cook your own food on Hot Rocks, which is entertainment in itself. The dress code is casual and the seating is outside on deck – perfect for summer evenings.
The Restaurant is more formal – with what must surely be the best waiter service in the world. The food was exquisite.
La Terrazza is an Italian inspired restaurant. Recommended wines are paired with each course. There was a large selection of pasta dishes available, and the chef was on-hand to interact with the guests.
La Champagne is extremely intimate fine dining – with only six tables in the restaurant.
Service
We all felt that Silver Wind provided some of the best service we had experienced on a ship. The majority of waiters remembered our names and drinks. They would often appear out of nowhere with Champagne Belinis! We never had to wait for anything, and nothing was too much trouble.
Atmosphere
This ship is small, but doesn’t feel crowded at all. The atmosphere is very relaxed, and not as formal as we thought it would be. There were a variety of passengers on-board, from young professionals to retired couples and even a few families. However, we feel that this ship is most suited to retired couples who are looking for excellent service, world-class food and interesting itineraries.
What’s Included?
Silversea is an all-inclusive cruise line. You’ll find your meals, all drinks including Champagne, all gratuities, butler service and complimentary shuttle buses in each port are included. The things that aren’t included are dining in Le Champagne, excursions, spa treatments and hairdressing.
Our Verdict
We highly recommend this ship. The service and food could not be faulted. She was only let down by the slightly dated decor, but as the ship is being refurbished in October 2016, this won’t be an issue for future cruisers. The ship is small and intimate – anyone looking for the same service but on a larger ship with more facilities, should consider Silversea’s Silver Muse, which launches in 2017.
If you’d like more information about Silver Wind or any other cruise ship, our concierge team will be happy to advise. Just give us a call on 0207 980 2848.
