Christy Johnson

In October 2022 I had the opportunity to experience my first Silversea Cruise. Some of the things I experienced during that cruise were due to the lingering COVID pandemic, but hopefully that will soon be behind us so I don't want to dwell on those policies.

I was a bit surprised at the cruise terminal, though, as all the processing for the embarkation was done outdoors and in groups of about 30 people. I'm not sure if this was a protocol by the authorities in Athens, or if it Silversea's standard method. The whole process of being cleared to board took about an hour. Arrival times at the pier started at 2pm, which is when we arrived and we were put into Group 6.

When we boarded at 3pm we were advised our rooms would be ready at 4:00. They escorted us to an elevator where we were told which decks to visit for lunch. We chose deck 9 - Pool Deck and we ate at the Grill. My husband ordered a burger and fries with some chips and salsa as an appetizer. My lunch was the Jalapeno Steak with a side lettuce salad. Oil and vinegar are staples on the dining tables, but you can always request a different salad dressing. We both agreed the food was quite good.

Since alcohol is included along with other beverages, we each ordered a cocktail. Throughout lunch we enjoyed live music from a small band of three musicians at the Grill. 

My gluten allergy is noted on my record and although I ordered the chips and salsa, I was advised upon delivery that the chips were not gluten-free. 

When we arrived in our stateroom we were pleasantly surprised by the chilled bottle of champagne and fresh flowers that were waiting for us.

Later on, I realized that there was an invitation on our television asking me to meet with the head chef and the restaurant manager to discuss my food allergy. I missed that appointment but went to the restaurant anyway and still had a moment to talk with the gentlemen who assured me that I wouldn't have to tell all the servers about my gluten intolerance since it was noted on my account. (That was one of the best things for me on this cruise - I could order what I wanted and the servers could tell me whether or not it could be modified for me. I never worried about being "glutened" and had no problems with this although we ate in all the different restaurants.)

Dinner that evening was at Indochine - an Asian-fusion restaurant on board. I enjoyed the best lobster tail I'd ever had in the restaurant that night. The food on this ship was SO much better than I've had in a long time on any of the contemporary cruise lines. And when we ate in the buffet for breakfast or lunch the experience was very different as well. There were no lines, for one. If you wanted an omelette, a smoothie, or a pasta dish you simply ordered it from your waiter and it was delivered to you when it was ready. 

The service onboard was superior as well. Each suite had a butler and a room steward. They were there to help with so many details. I felt they could read my mind and know exactly what I wanted or needed, sometimes even before I knew what it was myself.

The mini bar is our room always had a couple carafes of water which the butler would refill often. We didn't even touch the other beverages in the mini refrigerator because we got our fill about the ship. 

When we left our sunglasses out on the desk, the butler wrapped them in a soft cloth for cleaning the lenses. When we used the bath bomb in the tub, the room steward replaced it the next morning. When the cotton balls in the bathroom jar were used up, he filled it up the next day.

At the pool, the lounge chairs were monitored closely and when someone would leave the area, the pool attendants would promptly dispose of the used towels and place a rolled towel in wait on the lounger. 

The ship also had self-service laundry rooms with complimentary detergent. I have been on 30 cruises and never did laundry onboard, but this was a longer cruise and I did spend one sea afternoon using this feature. Being a sea day, there were several people with the same idea and it so happened that the laundry room on my deck was out of service. However I did find availability on another deck.

There is so much I could go on about regarding this cruise experience. Please, if you have any questions just reach out to me. I am looking forward to doing another Silversea cruise in my future.