From the moment I arrived at the dock in Southampton it was obvious that Silversea Cruises had the ‘wow’ factor.  The two ships, Silver Cloud and Silver Whisper, sat impressively alongside each other for the first ever time. Designed for the ultra-luxury cruise market, I was expecting an exceptional level of comfort and sophistication and,when they served champagne and canapés on arrival, I knew I wasn’t going to be disappointed!

Silversea Cruises have 5 ships, plus the expedition ship, visiting over 450 destinations and over 80 countries.  On the scale of cruise ships, they are all relatively small; specifically designed to get into the more exotic ports of call off the beaten track. The Silver Cloud and Silver Wind take only 296 passengers, the Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper 382 and the Spirit just over 500. This creates a real feeling of space and makes the service highly personalised.

Every ship has all-suite ocean view accommodation, with over 85% having verandas and all having butler service. They are truly all inclusive – no tipping, no bar bill – and they offer a ‘Passport to Luxury’ which is given to guests as on board spending credit.  This can be up to USD1500 per suite and can be used against more or less anything such as shore excursions or spa treatments.

Silversea Cruises has announced that Silver Cloud has a dry dock refurbishment planned for May 2012, but everything still looks very smart and glamorous – lots of gold and crystal chandeliers. The small theatre was well kept and the bar very tastefully furnished. All the suites were traditionally furnished in dark wood and ochre and cream tones.  Every suite has a television, CD player and iPod dock as well as a constantly replenished mini bar where all drinks are free of charge – you can request your favourite drink to be waiting for you on arrival in your suite every night.

The Silver Whisper is slightly larger than the Cloud; it takes 90 more passengers and feels a lot more spacious. The Whisper was refurbished in 2010 and has been decorated in subtle, natural tones. The pool area is quite a lot larger than the Cloud and has plenty of sun loungers and huge wicker beds around the deck. The dining is a real experience with all ships offering a minimum of 4 restaurants. Wine lovers will enjoy Le Champagne, the only Relais and Chateaux restaurant at sea.  You can taste some of the world’s finest wines expertly chosen to go with the six course ‘menu de degustation’. All the restaurants offer superb cuisine and exceptional service with open seat dining options.

With a staff to guest ratio of nearly one to one, you can understand why 60% of clients are repeat guests with Silversea Cruises.  Most of these belong to the Venetian Society Club, where members receive many benefits including discounts on future sailings. Silversea Cruises' Italian heritage and English speaking crew really do deliver the ultra-luxury cruising experience. I personally preferred the Whisper but I would not hesitate to recommend either of them.

Some cruising ideas from Silversea Cruises:-

Alaska - a 7 day cruise from Seward to Vancouver.  Maybe extend to include Vancouver or the Rocky Mountaineer.

Africa – a 10 day cruise from Mauritius to Cape Town. Perhaps add a stay in Mauritius or a safari in South Africa.

Roundtrip Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia – 7 days cruise.

Antarctica on board the Silver Explorer (formerly Prince Albert II). The Explorer only takes 132 guests and books up very quickly, so guests need to book a year ahead. Next year celebrates the 100^th anniversary of Scott’s voyage to the South Pole so it is an extremely popular choice.