Silver Cloud Ship Review

Silver Cloud In Helsinki

Silver Cloud In Helsinki

Silver Cloud Overview

Launched in 1994 as Silversea’s very first ship, Silver Cloud, along with later sister-ship Silver Wind, measures 16,800 gross tons and carries just 296 guests — about half the size of the newish Silver Spirit. Kept up to date through regular extensive makeovers (the latest, in 2009, added a decor similar to Silver Spirit), the ship still merits the highest superlatives, providing a world-ranging luxury experience for the discerning traveler.

Setting the mold for all the Silversea ships that followed, Silver Cloud was designed with the vast majority of her spacious public rooms located between midships and the stern, while staterooms and suites occupy the ship’s forward half.

In the stern on Decks 5 and 6, the two-story show lounge has tiered seating and a profusion of cozy seating clusters. Just outside the show lounge on Deck 5, The Bar is a social hub where a band or DJ provides music for dancing. Farther forward on this deck is a small casino and the ship’s elegant boutiques.

A card room and Internet center are located above on Deck 6, while Deck 8 offers the Panorama Lounge, which by day serves up a continental breakfast, afternoon tea, and phenomenal sea views, and by night transforms into an intimate nightspot for dancing and piano music. Just next door, the Connoisseurs Corner is a dark, cozy spot for cognac and cigars, with buttery leather armchairs.

Outdoors, the resort-like Pool Deck is dotted with teak lounges surrounding a small pool and a pair of hot tubs. Spa treatments can be had at the small Spa at Silversea on Deck 7, which also has men’s and women’s saunas and steam rooms. A separate fitness center is located way at the top of the ship on Deck 9, accessible only from the outside decks.

Dining is one of the ship’s great highlights, with four restaurants from which to choose. The main restaurant, called simply The Restaurant, serves contemporary, international cuisine at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with the latter featuring complementary wines and candlelight to illuminate the classic decor. For a more intimate (and extra-cost) meal, Silver Cloud offers Le Champagne, created in partnership with Relais & Châteaux and serving six-course wine-pairing menus comprised of regionally inspired dishes.

For a casual meal, Le Terrazza serves buffet-style breakfast and lunch with seating both indoors and out. In the evening, it serves an Italian menu created on “slow food” principles — locally grown, sustainable, and fresh.

The Pool Bar & Grill also serves casual lunches and dinners, and offers the fun “Black Rock Grill” experience, in which guests can grill their own meat or seafood at their table on a preheated volcanic rock. Service is doting in all the restaurants, and if you’re not feeling social you can order lunch or dinner served course by course in your cabin, from the day’s menu at the Restaurant.

Staterooms/suites aboard Cloud range from the 240-square-foot Vista Suites (all but two of them are located down on Deck 4) to the 587-square-foot Owners Suites and 1,019-square-foot Grand Suite, the latter two of which offer separate living rooms and bedrooms, large teak verandas, marble bathrooms with whirlpool tubs, and the option of booking and opening up an adjoining standard accommodation for even more space.

The vast majority of accommodations aboard are 295-square-foot Veranda Suites, with private teak verandas, marble bathrooms, and walk-in wardrobes.

All accommodations on board come with butler service, a bar setup stocked with your preferences, wifi access, European bath amenities, fine linens and down duvets, a choice of nine types of pillows, and a choice of aromatherapy fragrances created by Italian perfumer Laura Tonatto.

Suite Life On Silver Cloud

A few photos of suite 605 on Silver Cloud, one of six ships operated by luxury cruise line Silversea Cruises.

Silver Spirits: What Brands Is Silver Cloud Pouring?

As discussed before on Avid Cruiser, Silversea Cruises offers complimentary wine and spirits to guests.

So what exactly is Silversea pouring? Let’s start with the champagne. Silversea’s complimentary pours are Perrier-Jouet, generally preferred by guests from the United Kingdom; Pommery, the preference of many American guests; and Drappier, a new offering for Silversea that is the French president’s preferred brand, according to Tim Donvin, Food & Beverage Controller on Silversea.

House pour wines number about 80 different brands from regions worldwide, says head sommelier Vanja Vrhovac (pictured). Wines are chosen primarily based on Silversea’s heritage (an Italian company) and the regions where the ship is sailing. For example, on sailings in South America, regional wines, such as Malbec, are provisioned.

In addition, Silver Cloud offers a selection of about 50 premium wines, available at an extra charge. One passenger I spoke with said prices for the premium wines were about half of what he paid for the same brands in restaurants in the United States.

Not an oenophile myself, I am content with the complimentary pours. When I ordered white wine with room service earlier this week, the room steward brought along a bottle of Chateau Saint Marie, a Bordeaux blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion and Muscadelle. I had no trouble quaffing a glass of the 2007 vintage.

Starting this month, complimentary wines are being upgraded, Vrhovac says, citing such new brands on board as Conundrum and Caymus, from two of California’s best-known wineries.

House pour spirits include fine brands, but you can cough up a little extra for the best brands if you wish.

Silver Cloud’s guests may also request bottles of wine and spirits to be delivered to their suites.

During a typical 10-day cruise, more than 1,900 bottles of wine and 400 bottles of champagne are consumed along with beer and spirits.

One special wine experience on Silver Cloud is Le Champagne, which offers a Relais & Chateaux dining experience with paired wines. For $200 per guest, the dinner includes a paired wine with each course of the Degustation menu. The menu is offered for $30 without the special pairings.

On this sailing, a Bordeaux menu was featured last night that started with Dom Perignon, followed by Sauternes, which typically costs $140 to $180 a bottle, then a selection of other wines that average around $150 per bottle. For oenophiles, Le Champagne appears to represent a good value.

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