Silver Shadow - Silversea Cruises
Fact File
Cruise line:Silversea Cruises
Vessel: Silver Shadow
Star rating: 5 stars
Tonnage: 28,258 GRT
Maximum passenger capacity: 400
Total crew: 295
Entered service: September 2000
Facilities: Most cabins have balconies; there are eight price grades. There are three dining rooms, a cafe where breakfast and a buffet lunch are served, a bar, the Panaroma lounge, showlounge, library, a Mandara Spa-operated day spa and a swimming pool.
Silver Shadow
Attention to detail pays off for Silverseas.
Heads nodded around the table, smiles reflecting in Cristofle silverware, eyes sparkling as brightly as the crystal wine glasses. Yes, we agreed, when you lived in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane as we did, you were often disappointed by what others rated as fine dining. But not tonight. Tonight the Italian dishes served in La Terrazza had exceeded all expectations.
"Better than food I've eaten in five-star hotels," declared one of our party.
"And the wine," ventured a third, "is perfectly matched. The whole experience is faultless."
It was our second night on board Silver Shadow during her Singapore to Sydney voyage. I boarded in Cairns and most were staying on until Sydney but Christmas was only a week away so I was due to leave the ship in Brisbane, after just three nights of Silversea luxury.
On the first night we dined in the elegant main dining room, The Restaurant, and admired the huge chandeliers and sumptuous surroundings. We sipped excellent chicken consomme with matzo balls, nibbled crunchy peach, citrus and walnut salad and chowed down on beautifully roasted veal rack with thyme jus.
The next day after wandering around Townsville's shopping centre, I returned to the ship and joined one of our group for buffet lunch in the Terrace Cafe.
"You'll be pleased the seafood is fresh," he announced.
That had been another topic of discussion - the number of times we'd consumed tasteless prawns, tough calamari and perfectly good fish drowned in oily sauces. But yes, Silver Shadow's executive chef Alejandro Mayer and his team treated seafood with respect. The entire buffet was excellent - salads crisp and imaginative, tasty and tempting hot dishes and an array of desserts to die for.
That's when we decided the test would be La Terrazza and its Italian a la carte menu. And despite enjoying all the meals on board so far, indulging in Pomeroy Champagne, free table wines and drinking too many luscious Silver Wind cocktails, we didn't really expect to be impressed. But we were and by the time the dessert trolley arrived and we discovered we could have a taste of everything on offer, we were in food heaven.
But that's the secret of Silversea's success - great cuisine. There are no extra charges for dining in La Terrazza or the Relais et Chateaux dining room but reservations are preferred in La Terrazza and essential for Relais et Chateaux. There, you experience signature dishes from chef Joachim Koeprper, specially created for Silversea. You also have to order wine from the list, which means it is not included. In all other restaurants you can select from the very good table wines offered, at no extra charge, or from an extensive list of international premium wines, which you pay for.
All restaurants offer open seating and you can elect to dine in an intimate party of two or in much larger groups. The dress code is smart-casual most nights, expect for the formal nights of which there is at least one in every seven-night cruise.
Another essential part of the Silversea experience is personalised service. Although we were only on board for a few nights, our cabin steward still knew our names. And perhaps it was the number of Silver Wind cocktails we ordered but the next time we entered that bar, the bar tender greeted us warmly and offered to make us yet another cocktail.
Silver Shadow has a few drinking spots. The Observation lounge is lovely for morning coffee, you can also have lunch or a drink by the pool, a cocktail in the Panorama lounge or an after dinner drink while you see a show in the Athenian lounge. We enjoyed violin and cello playing duo Brenton (Brenton) and Jacqui Edgecombe in String Fever one night and award-winning New Zealand-born musical theatre singer Derek Metzger on another.
I'm also told that there are great films you can watch in your cabin while enjoying room service, which is available any time, night or day. All cabins are a good size, making spending time in them a pleasure.
My Veranda suite had a queen-size bed, two-seater sofa, built-in desk, dressing table and mini-bar. There was also a spacious bathroom, and a large walk-in closet which made unpacking and luggage storage a breeze.
But what I loved most was the balcony with its two chairs and table. It made the perfect place for doing nothing more than watching the wake disappear - just the sort of quiet time everyone needs the week before Christmas.
Highs: Wonderful food.
Lows: Not being onboard for long enough.
Words Toni Eatts - Issue 26 Summer 2006-2007