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THE EXPERIENCE:
I have been on other ships, about the same size as 
Sunning in Thorshavn, Faroe Islands |
The Shadow, that hold 1,200 passengers. The fact that this ship accommodates only 380 means that there is a LOT of space. There is never any crowding and never any lines for anything (with the exception of the computers in the Internet center, but the waits aren't overly long.) The open decks for walking or lazing are spacious and elegant; the teak chairs and cloth covers are comfortable and redolent of an earlier time. When the weather is nice the decks are splendid, as is the pool area, which was closed for much of our trip. We were surprised at the scope of video offerings in The Library, which also has an impressive number of books in several languages. It's all done on the honor system; there is no attendant, no "library hours," no check in/check out procedure. It's very grown-up and respectful. As a result, the guests are respectful as well, returning videos rather than hording them, returning books when they are done. Some of the magazines say "do not remove," but most guests take them outside or to their suite, read them and return them. Newspapers from the visited ports are stacked up in the library for guest use as well. THE SHADOW'S DIVERSE ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS
INCLUDED AN OPERA STAR, A JUGGLER
AND A CONCORDE CAPTAIN GUEST-LECTURER
We were lucky enough to have opera diva Cecilia Bartoli perform on our sailing. The theatre on The Shadow (and the Silver Whisper) is large and impressive for a ship that holds so few guests. The chairs are clubby and comfortable and there is almost no obstruction. The accoustics are terrific, too, which I found surprising. When you have an artist of Ms. Bartoli's calibre performing, distortion can be lethal, but while the sound might not have been Carnegie Hall-worthy, it was surprisingly pure.
We also enjoyed a cabaret show, a "performed art" show that equates to "Cirque du Soleil Lite," a juggler/comedian, and a magician who, while performing on roiling seas that had him sliding all over the stage, wasn't really at his best. Half of his tricks didn't come off as planned, but he and his wife (his assistant) were laughing with the rest of us.
On board also was a British Airways Concorde captain who gave a series of lectures about the aircraft, the accident in July 2000, what was done to correct the problem that exacerbated the catastrophe, the Concorde experience and the future of the company. Because I have spent many years working in the airline industry I found it fascinating, but so did many of my fellow guests. Silversea excels at providing both educational and entertaining diversions: A Concorde captain, an opera star, cabaret shows, a magician and a juggler all on the same cruise.
Early and late evenings were enhanced by Bazz Norton, the pianist who for 12 years was the house pianist at The American Bar at the Savoy in London, and by Moya Ruskin, his vocalist, whose jazz stylings are impressive.
Both Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Jewish Day of Atonement) fell during the period of our cruise. Silversea thoughtfully provided a rabbi to perform services on Saturdays and on the High Holy Days.
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