Cabin 8053 - Owners Suite. We got upgraded to the biggest and most expensive suite on the ship
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The entertainment was loud, well very loud, and very brash. And if truth be told, not very good
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The Chefs Table. An enjoyable evening, but I don't think that I would have paid the $240 a head that they were charging - we got free tickets because of our Venetian status
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There was a Crossing the Equator ceremony, that was a bit contrived. They asked for volunteers, and got the employees and their children to fill the gap left by a dearth of real passengers wanting to take part. The boys got a Certificate each.
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We had a lot of our meals in the Marquee Restaurant, as it was very light during the day, and very atmospheric at night.
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Around and about the ship. no corner is left unexplored.
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There were a lot of dining venues, and we tried them all at least once
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The swimming pool and hot tub - what more to say
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Wine Tastings
There were two wine tastings during the voyage. Oddly they were neither advertised, nor were they well attended. The Head Sommelier had no great knowledge of wine. We paid for it out of the $1000 dollars of "funny money" that we had to spend. The first was a paired food and fine wines, and the second was champagnesClick on thumbnail photo below to get larger photo
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A meal at La Dame. The miserable sods have jacked up the price to triple the pre-Covid price. It was not worth the earlier price, and is certainly not worth the present price , $180 a head. Again ours was free. It is rather nice to eat with solid silver cutlery, but the food is really no better than the Main Restaurant
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Emergency at sea. A passenger had a medical emergency, we never found out what it was. They were stretchered off to a Pilot Boat off Guayaquil. Apart from anything else, what was remarkable was that the couple had 8, yes, 8, suitcases
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Chris' Diary entries for sea days
Thurs December 19 .Fort Lauderdale to boarding the silver ray en route to Lima. A lazy morning at the apartment which we were allowed to keep until 1 pm Chris had two swims during the morning and we got an Uber after 1 pm to Port Everglades, where the Silver Ray had berthed. The boarding experience was good and we found that we have been upgraded to the owner suite, Suite No. 8053 which was three times the size of the cabin we had booked. Congratulations to Carmen. There was a full-size Christmas tree in it plus plants, flowers ,fruit , full bottles of Gin, vodka whiskey et cetera, a wine fridge and coffee and tea machines. Also a chess set , two loungers on the balcony and a huge bathroom. The only downside side was that there were two doors that were difficult to open, one into the bathroom and one between the bedroom and the living room: however the Butler provided to chucks to keep these partially open at least. Once aboard we had lunch in the marquee restaurant and then retired to the suite to unpack and get the iPads and phones working with the ships Wi-Fi. David had to go down to reception for this as they had input Chris‘s date of birth incorrectly onto their computer and for reasons best known to Silverseas, we needed her date of birth to get on the Wi-Fi. After this we went down to the arts café for a cake and a coffee: these were fine but not quite the choice that we have been expecting and also the area was fairly dark for Chris. Later we went to the Dolce Vita for cocktails and canapés here again it was fairly dark But we were delighted to find Alfredo playing the piano there we dined in La Terrassa and this was very impersonal and nothing like the Terrassa on the smaller expedition ships . At 9.30 we went to the show lounge for a show where the cruise director, Ricky, introduced himself and told us the composition of the 660 odd passengers aboard, two of which were Irish , 60 of which were from the UK and approximately 330 from the US. And after this we retired to the panorama lounge for a coffee and grappa. . An interesting day.
Friday, December 20. At sea en route to Aruba. A good night sleep and a swim soon after 8 o’clock, very enjoyable despite a splashing man the pool was really only wide enough for three swimmers at the most. Then breakfast in the lovely surrounds of the Marquee. Service was a bit dubious but the food, full of wellness, was really good . At 11 o’clock I had an hours bridge lesson. Could not really see the examples given but I still think I learnt a little. Back to the suite and then lunch in the Japanese restaurant: this was not really me as I’ve never been that keen on Japanese food but it was still a nice experience. This was followed by a slice of poundcake/chocolate covered pineapple and coffee at the arts café.
At 2 pm there was a bridge tournament for two hours. I ended up playing with Anne and did not do too well I think. We were expecting the Butler, Evan to bring us canapés in the suite at 4:30 but gave up waiting at 4:50 and went to the arts café and brought back some scones to the Suite. We enjoyed these with a glass of pink champagne. Later on the canopies appeared whilst we were out of the suite and the Butler later asked us if we’d enjoyed them! We dined in the Note restaurant this was a lovely atmosphere with jazz being played and sung and we thoroughly enjoyed our small portion meal there, talking to people from the States and from Portugal on either side. We then went to the Captains introduction of his crew followed by a show, various spectaculars that I could not see very well. A really pleasant relaxing day despite the lapses in crews performance.
Saturday, December 21at sea en route to Aruba. Another day in paradise I slept really well and went for a quick swim before breakfast: this was again in the wellness Marquee area and was most enjoyable. At 11 I went to the intermediate bridge lesson again And enjoyed this. Then lunch in the Atlantide restaurant which we enjoyed although they claim they had no fresh fish available!
This was followed by coffee in our suite before the afternoon bridge tournament at 1:45. Despite having expressed doubts to Beverly about my previous partner, I was again paired with Anne from Florida. Yet again, I was unable to get any system agreement out of her and felt slightly frustrated during the afternoon. Back in the suite I watched the archaeological lecture from the previous day, which was on Northern Peru. At 4:30 on the dot, our butler managed to deliver our canapés on time. And we drank some pink champagne with these on the balcony. I then had a short siesta before going down to the Venetian lounge at 6:30 for a show which turned out to be an homage to Whitney Houston, but it was far too loud and we left after 15 minutes.
So we went up to the dusk bar and had a Pisco Sour before going in to the grill around 7:15 pm. Service was exceptionally slow there and we had difficulties extricating ourselves by 9:30 pm to go to the magic show of comedian Mark Merchant which, surprisingly I thoroughly enjoyed.
Sunday, December 22. At sea. Another day in paradise. I went up for a swim but there were several people in the pool , so I went on further to the Jacuzzi for five minutes or so. Returning the pool was almost empty, so I did a few lengths in that as well. Then another wellness breakfast at the Marquee restaurant before a lecture at 10 am on the forts of the Caribbean. This was very interesting although the lecturer was not superb in her presentation methods. At 11 I went for a bridge lesson again and then lunch in the marquee, fish of the day. We then went down to the arts café and got some cheese and a biscuit to have with a coffee in the room.
For the afternoon Bridge tournament I played with Sasha but she was not much better than Anne although it seemed more eager to learn: but she disappeared very quickly at the end which worried me slightly. We went down to the arts café and had a sandwich and a pastry before buying a mohair cardigan for me for $435 with our free "funny money". We also stopped and had a chat with James the future cruise consultant. Then back in the suite we had a glass of Chardonnay and sat on the balcony for awhile before a bath and dressing up to go to the SALT kitchen for their expensive meal there, albeit that this was complimentary for us! There were about 14 people there and some 10 to 12 courses. The food was mostly of South American origin. Thoroughly enjoyed it although not rating either of the food and certainly not the wine as exceptional, but the general atmosphere was very pleasing and we had good chats with our neighbours there. Then a comparatively early night, ready for an early start ashore at Aruba in the morning.
Monday December 23 docked at Aruba
Tuesday December 24 docked at Curacao
Wednesday, December 25 Christmas Day at sea en route to Cartagena. I rang Hazel before going for a swim and a Jacuzzi. Then breakfast in the marquee followed by going to see Santa at 10 am delivering presents to the children aboard down in the Shelter bar. This was followed by a bridge lesson at 11 and then lunch in the marquee where we tried a pizza for the first time. After a coffee on the balcony , there was a bridge tournament at 2 pm where I partnered Joe, the director of the bridge lessons.
Back at base we went to the Arts Cafe and got three cakes. All delicious but no actual British Christmas cake or mince pies were available. We had these on the balcony with a glass of white wine. At 7 pm, we went up to the Salt bar for the first time and I had a caramel cake cocktail there which was a bit like a Baileys. Then the Christmas Gala dinner in the Terazza where turkey plus accompaniment followed by Christmas pudding were on the menu. The food itself was good but the Terraza deco had little to attract us by.
We then went to the show of three divas, but this was all somewhat on the loud side and David left me there and I could not really blame him. Back in the suite we discovered that the boys had received a Christmas panettone and they were at last satisfied that Santa had been after all.
Thursday December 26 docked at Cartagena
Friday December 27 docked at Cartagena
Saturday, December 28. At sea between Cartagena and the Panama Canal. I went for a swim before breakfast in the Marquee for my açai bowl of fruit yoghurt and seeds as delicious as ever, plus the glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. We then watched, in the suite, a replay of yesterday’s lecture which I had missed .Before going to a new lecture given by a lady on the Cultures of the Caribbean at 10 am , then a bridge lesson at 11 am
After that a winetasting which David procured at the last moment for me as a spectator: this was in the La Dama at noon And included a delicious meal that were only seven other people there and David chatted with a couple who were from Woodford and with Patty who had been on board for some time and did not get off until April 1-she was very disillusioned with Silver Sea but had travelled about 2000 nights with them.
I had to rush from the lunch in La Dama to the bridge tournament at 1:45. Here I played with Lily from Canada who had not played bridge for many a moon and was most reluctant to say which cards she was playing for me. I had done very well with Joe in the previous tournament getting 68%. Back in the cabin we went down and got a tart from the arts café and had this with a coffee in the cabin after I had washed my hair.
At 6:30, we went to the Venetian Society reception which was a great disappointment: it consisted of a mini show and then a few presentations for 100 days cruising. Some people on board had done over 2000 nights and an 11 year-old had already been done 100 days. We had dinner in the Salt restaurant with Rico, the Cruise director. David was dreading this but we had a very nice chat to him as just a threesome, others had refused his invitation . Then at 9:30 we went in to the Venetian theatre for a comedians show, we did not find this particularly funny. Then to bed with the thought of getting up early the following morning for the entrance to the Panama Canal.
Sunday December 29 Transiting Panama Canal
Monday, December 30 at sea en route to Ecuador. A very overcast morning and a torrential shower after eight laps of the pool. Breakfasted in the Marquee and the lads were hard at work mopping the floors from torrential rain. Then went down to deck 4 to make an appointment with James the future cruise manager. At 10 we went to a lecture on the Inca Road System, but this was given by the useless lady lecturer who knew little about Incas and had given the pathetic commentary on the transit through the canal the previous day.
A bridge lesson at 11, then back to the cabin to be interrupted by the captain as soon as I started listening to a podcast. Later I learnt that we should not have to listen to this captains diatribe of 15 minutes every day. Meanwhile announcements on short discussions were only delivered to the corridor and had just about finished by the time we had run to the door to listen to them.
Then lunch outside at Terazza , we both had the roast. At two I went for the bridge tournament whilst David went at 3 pm to the champagne wine tasting: There were just seven others at this and the sommelier knew little about the champagne let alone organising sufficient customers for his tastings! I went and chatted to James the future cruise consultant at 5 pm to see if, by chance there were any cruises that might interest David in the future, that David was very disillusioned with the costs cutting all the time by the bean counters in Florida and I think this is a useless hope.
At 7 pm, we went to the Salt bar for a drink and then into La Dame for our special meal. This was a seven course tasting menu which was very pleasant but not exceptional. What was really nice was chats we had with several of the waiters. I was slightly disappointed that there was not a soufflé to end with as we had once had a marvelous one in the Dama on one of the expedition ships. And so to bed very exhausted.
Tuesday December 31 docked at Manta, Ecuador
Wednesday, January 1 2025. At sea en route to Lima I went for a swim at 8:30 after a bad night sleep due to tremendous coughing. The ship stopped near Guayaquil and David realised that there must be a medical emergency: this was announced several minutes later And a lady was taken off with +8 suitcases plus husband plus drip in her arm. We went to talk on catapults throughout history at 10 am and then I went to the intermediate bridge lesson. I once again complained to Reception about the captains message coming into our cabin at full blast volume it got little satisfaction. After lunch in the Terazza and coffee on our balcony, I played bridge and this lasted for three hours as it was a complicated movement. I played with Beverly.
Then we collected two tarts from the art café and went up to the area outside the Panorama lounge to eat them with a peach shake. Then a visit to the boutiques where we spent the remaining $195 of our funny money on a T-shirt for David and perfume for Chris At 6:30 we went to the show but this was far too loud and we retired at 6:45 to the shelter bar to await Diana and Bruce who we were meeting there at seven for dinner. This was a pleasant occasion in the Atlantide restaurant but Chris was feeling very much under the weather and was glad to get to bed by 10 pm.
Thursday, January 2. At sea en route to Lima I had a really bad night coughing incessantly and decided that I was not in a fit state for a swim. David went up to breakfast and brought me back a dish of porridge and a fresh orange juice. Then I dozed until 11 when I went to the bridge lesson but found it difficult to concentrate .David went to an interesting lecture all about music composition. We went up to lunch at 12 in the Terazza and I managed a little roast beef. Then another doze until the bridge tournament at 1:45. But once there for five minutes or so before tables had been finalised, I felt really ill and made an excuse and just managed to get to the nearest washroom. So back to bed for the afternoon David went to a lecture on the Nasca lines.
Soon after seven we went up to the marquee and I managed a little supper. The atmosphere up there was magical although it was a trifle cold. Then back for more dozing.
Friday January 2 docked at Lima
Saturday January 3 docked at Lima