Silver Moon

What is the line? Silversea
Name of ship? Silver Moon
Passenger occupancy? 596
Itinerary? Ft. Lauderdale to Guayaquil, Ecuador

Silver Moon may lack the revolutionary Otium spa on Silver Dawn and soon-to-debut Silver Nova, yet its existing all-inclusive amenities and über-popular S.A.L.T. programs provide top-tier luxury and include the white-gloved butler service for all passengers that makes Silversea a standout among competition.

Start out with the big picture—what is this cruise line known for?

Silversea is known for its all-inclusive luxury, with all-suite accommodations, tux-clad butlers for all passengers, diversified and mostly complimentary dining venues, complimentary wine and spirits (except the premium list), complimentary caviar service, gratuities and many shore excursions. Door-to-door bookings include economy airfare with discounted business class upgrades, and roundtrip transfers between home and airport and airport to ship. Passengers may only pay extra for spa, boutique and cigar purchases.

Enthusiastic well-traveled cruisers, primarily 55+, sail Silversea. Many are repeat passengers. Some even sail a duplicate itinerary and could care less; they adore the ship and the cruise line. Although the passengers are primarily American, a notable number are from the U.K. and Europe, as well as a sprinkling from other countries. Silver Moon definitely vibes international.

Tell us about the ship in general

The 596-passenger Silver Moon was built in 2020, and is the first Silversea ship to debut the much-heralded S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste) programs now de rigueur on all new Silversea ocean liners. Multi-layered S.A.L.T consists of a complimentary restaurant with an ever-changing menu reflecting the cruise itinerary, bar showcasing regional cocktails and spirits, shore excursions devoted to the cuisine and culture of the destination and a hands-on culinary school spearheaded by a chef instructor teaching local recipes. This well-rounded ship also offers a fitness center, spa, library and multiple lounges. No surprise, the expansive pool and whirlpool deck is a passenger mecca.

Who is onboard?

If seeking an international sophisticated sailing crowd of a certain age, you’ll find your tribe onboard Silver Moon. Count on mostly couples, often traveling with friends and some solo cruisers. Single travelers feel particularly comfortable on Silversea, thanks to near-nightly hosted cocktail parties on all sails, and gentleman hosts on some cruises.

Describe the cabins

I sailed Silver Moon in January 2022, when COVID variation Omicron was topping the headlines, and received an unexpected upgrade to a Grand Suite. About 1,500 square feet including the veranda, this neutral-hued residential abode features a separate bedroom with a king-size bed, living and dining areas and a spacious granite bath with two sinks. Since it’s one of the ship’s largest suites, it includes special amenities such as complimentary La Dame dinner, espresso machine and complimentary laundry. Its location is all the way forward, offering major privacy to occupants. Did I love it? Of course. I got goosebumps every time I walked in the door, overwhelmed at my luck. Silver, Royal and Owner’s Suites are the other largest accommodations with separate bedrooms and more perks.

Veranda Suites are the most numerous, and therefore, most popular category. I’ve stayed in a Veranda Suite on another Silver Moon cruise and find them really comfortable. They begin at 387 square feet including a veranda and sizeable marble bathroom with a separate tub and shower. Bulgari toiletries, plush bathrobe and a pillow menu are among many amenities reminding you of your luxury-travel status.   

Tell us about the crew

Silver Moon’s crew is generally a polite, more formal bunch, except for the more relaxed servers at outdoor dining venues. With a large crew-to-passenger ratio, it’s fairly easy to  receive prompt attention. This detail feels particularly important at the Reception and Shore Excursion desks, where so many details of voyaging arise. The ever-smiling staff never makes you feel rushed.

All passengers enjoy butler service, even in entry-level suites. These men and women, primarily from the Philippines and India, are formally dressed and deliver formal service with a smile. This service style seems fitting for a luxe ship; I felt more than a little like a one percenter.

Although you will share a butler with several other suites, you never feel as if they’re rushing handling your requests. When I asked my butler to cancel a shore excursion and decided to dine in last minute, I never felt any annoyance on his part. I love how butlers take the time to set a beautiful table in your suite, spreading out and smoothing wrinkles from a crisp cloth, lining up gleaming silverware just so and setting out a fresh flower vase, for instance.

What food and drink options are available on board?

Foodies will love this ship. Caviar devotees, rejoice: Complimentary Ars Italica Oscietra caviar service is offered anytime, anywhere. Silver Moon also offers 24-hour room service and a “dine-around” menu, where passengers can order plates delivered pretty much anywhere. Only two restaurants, La Dame and Kaiseki, charge dining fees; $60 and $40, respectively. (At lunchtime, Kaiseki is complimentary.)

Dinner reservations are required for La Dame, Kaiseki, Silver Note tapas and jazz club, the Grill for hot rock cook-it-yourself poolside dining and the Italian La Terrazza. La Dame proves the hardest reservations to score; book before sailing as soon as they’re available. With ships now sailing back to pre-pandemic levels, it’s wise to pre-book all dining reservations (spa, too, for that matter). You can always make changes onboard.

S.A.L.T. Kitchen’s menu showcases flavors of the cruise itinerary. Chefs stay tuned to the soul of local dishes – impressive for an ever-changing menu. On my Latin and South America cruise, I could really taste the cumin and achiote marinade permeating charred octopus. A Honduran beef turnover and a cinnamon-y Panamanian bread pudding looked as homey as they tasted – far more authentic than being gussied up for a luxury ship.

Atlantide, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, feels special despite its “main dining room” status. No doubt, in part, due to servers’ diligent attention, the ability to ask the kitchen to personalize dishes and that ingredients like primo beef and lobster lavish the sophisticated menu.

It’s easier to devour the Neapolitan pizza in Spaccanapoli than pronounce the al fresco eatery’s name. Blistery, chewy-crusted pies with bubbling San Marzano tomato sauce are topped with premium ingredients such as 26-month DOP parmigiano Reggiano, porcini mushrooms and mozzarella di bufala.

What’s really cool is that with advance notice, you can order a complimentary Indian extravaganza for service in Atlantide or in-suite. The many Indian cooks onboard ensure an authentic feast laden with aromatic spices. As an obsessive Indian food devotee, I can promise you it will be delicious.

I didn’t dine at Silver Note (the tapas menu isn’t my thing), but I often visited after dinner for excellent jazz and blues, usually a singer and pianist. Arts Café is my other favorite, with its stunning small plates changing throughout the day, from breakfast to after-dinner dessert. They pull a mean espresso here and pour plenty of bubbly.

Is there a spa on board and is it worth visiting?

At Zagara Beauty Spa, the forerunner to Silversea’s Otium, passengers can indulge in a myriad of treatments. Facials, massages, body wraps and even acupuncture are offered. Men’s and women’s sauna and steam room use are complimentary. My aromatherapy massage was great. The hard part was getting off the table. I also really like the dedicated whirlpool and loungers just outside the spa; post-treatment, this area is a must hangout to continue the chill vibe. Zagara Beauty Salon, adjacent to the spa, delivered the usual manis and pedis plus hairstyling. I had a pretty perfect pedi touchup by a friendly technician.

Activities and entertainment

Activities and entertainment lean low-key. Until nightfall, the biggest lure is the large pool and two whirlpools, with surrounding loungers and a pool bar. I scored satisfying workouts at the Fitness Centre with its free weights and varied Technogym equipment.

Pre-dinner, the best place to meet fellow travelers is Dolce Vita lounge, where bartenders expertly mix martinis and a singer and pianist might perform. Post-dinner, most passengers head to the Venetian Lounge for musical revues by the singers and dancers of The Voices of Silversea, guest artists like comedians or musicians or for feature film viewing. I’m not big on revues, but I did enjoy a guest pianist. Some guests head to the Panorama Lounge either after dinner or after a Venetian Lounge show, for live late-night music. Others frequent the casino, which wasn’t particularly buzzy on my sail. 

How was the experience for families?

Silver Moon is typical Silversea; children are rarely seen onboard. If sailing, they lean older and well-behaved. (The minimum age to sail is six months.) Christmas and Easter promise some kid activities run by a youth counselor.

Where did it sail and how were the excursions? Did anything stand out?

My cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Guayaquil, Ecuador was long – 16 days – providing the opportunity to dip a toe in many countries. It was quite the cool itinerary, transiting the Panama Canal and visiting Panama City, Roatan, Honduras, Belize City, Belize and Cozumel, Mexico. Silversea did the utmost to deliver safe quality shore excursions despite the pandemic peak. All local tour guides were masked and vaccinated. What a thrill to ride a riverboat along the Belize River, spotting spider monkeys and other wildlife along the way.

A S.A.L.T. excursion exploring the cuisine and culture of the Garifuna on Roatan Island was simply amazing. A historian explained that the Garifuna arrived here centuries ago, and are descended from Carib and Arawak Indians and indentured Nigerians who intermarried on St. Vincent in the Caribbean islands. Closely identified with music and dance, local Garifuna performed for us in colorful costumes. Then we devoured a delicious lunch of fish soup and handmade casaba bread, fried fish and spicy rice and beans, prepared by a noted Garifuna chef.

Are there any stand out sustainability or green initiatives about this cruise?

I didn’t notice any, but Silver Nova, the first of a new Silversea ship class debuting in April 2023, leans hard into green initiatives with advanced hybrid technology utilizing fuel cells and promise zero port emissions.

Anything we missed

Perhaps the most memorable moments of my cruise came in those quiet moments reflecting on my joy of voyaging once again despite the pandemic’s latest surge. The eager-to-please crew seemed so grateful to be working. Their happiness mingled with mine until we all seemed to experience this harmonious high at once. I’m not sure who felt like they were floating higher in the clouds, the crew or me.

Finally, give a sentence or two on why the cruise is worth booking.

Silver Moon provides an excellent foray into luxury cruising, including superb cuisine and crew pampering, and compelling itineraries exploring the world.