The Silver Cloud was the first ship in the Silversea luxury fleet. She set new standards in guest accommodation and service, so much so that loyal guests return year after year. The recent refurbishment has brought the Cloud into the 21st century with upgrades of rooms, bathrooms, bars and restaurants.

The first thing you’ll notice when boarding the Silver Cloud is the sense of intimacy. It feels more like entering an exclusive club than a cruise liner and that sense embodies the entire ship.

The Silver Cloud re-entered service after its 2012 renovation to much acclaim. All areas of the ship received varying degrees of attention, in particular the Cloud’s Silver Suites.

The suite review

Silversea’s Silver Suites are regarded by many small ship devotees as the best value rooms afloat. Onboard the Silver Cloud there are 3 Silver Suites located directly above each other, midship on levels 5, 6 and 7. Each Silver Suite boasts 42m² (449ft²) of indoor space with a double verandah of 8m² (92ft²). These suites include and entry hall, separate lounge/dining area, one bedroom, a bathroom and of course the famed teak veranda.

During the 2012 refurbishment the Silver Cloud Silver Suites bathrooms receive a make-over including the installation of new rainwater showers. The bedrooms received plush new bedding with leather bedhead and upgraded decor including indoor and outdoor furniture, fresh carpets and wall papering.

The Silver Suite’s lounge area consists of a 3-seater sofa (which can be converted to a double bed), coffee table and two comfortable arm chairs. There is also a writing desk, Illy Espresso machine and an enclosed entertainment unit complete with flat-panel TV and DVD player.

The dining area boasts a large table with seating for 4 and (at the time of writing), a Bose Wave sound system with iPod adapter set atop the sideboard. The power outlets in the Silver Suite are the two-pronged European standard, so be sure to bring adaptors should you need them.

Both the dining and lounge areas have direct access to the enormous teak veranda via floor-to-ceiling glass doors. The veranda accommodates a large table with seating for 2 as well as a sun lounger and ottoman.

Adjacent to the dining area and behind a set of french doors is the bedroom. The queen-sized bed features Silversea’s signature Pratesi® sheets. Guests may choose a soft or firm mattress thanks to a clever flippable bed design. A flat panel TV, ample shelf storage and vanity mirror complete this restful sleeping area.

A large walk-in wardrobe is located next the bedroom and accessed via the entry hall.

Also accessed via the entry hall is the marble bathroom. It is attractive and functional, however it is worth noting is that the Silver Cloud Silver Suite bathrooms are no larger than those offered in the Veranda Suites. That is to say they consist of a single vanity, a rainwater shower and toilet. Storage space in the bathroom is limited. Guests may choose either hypo-allergenic, Ferragamo or Bvlgari bathroom products. Plush bathrobes and slippers are also supplied. The small size of the bathroom is the only drawback of this room category.

However, guests who book a Silver Suite enjoy perks offered to those who book the top-of-the-line Owners Suite: Welcome chocolates and champagne, afternoon canapés and cocktails, dinner at the officers table at least once per voyage and free laundry!

For their position in the ship and their value for money we recommend the Silver Cloud Silver Suite.

Dining review

The Silver Cloud offers 4 dining options (depending on the time of day). These include Le Champagne, The Restaurant, La Terrazza and The Grill.

All received a make-over during refurbishment, however one of the most outstanding new feature onboard the Silver Cloud is the remodelled Le Champagne. Gone are the soft beige hues, replaced by a contemporary palatte, dark leather clad booths and exquisite Venetian red glass chandeliers. Le Champagne is the only Wine Restaurant by Relais & Châteaux at sea. As you’d expect the menu remains outstanding and includes such favourites as caviar, gold leaf risotto and breast of forest pigeon with artichoke and morel ragout.

We recommend seeking the expert advice of the sommelière at Le Champagne when selecting wines. They will be happy to match wines to your various courses or help you select something special from the excellent connoisseur’s wine list.

Le Champagne has limited seating and remains very popular, so we advise you to make reservations prior to boarding to ensure you don’t miss out. You can do so via the Silversea website.

The Restaurant is located next to Le Champagne. It is the main dining venue onboard and while considerably larger than Le Champagne it manages to retain an intimate, club-like feel. Reservations are not required at The Restaurant, guests can dine when they like, with whom they like – from a romantic table for two by the window to a memorable party of 8 or more! The menu in The Restaurant changes daily and is largely French-inspired. The food presentation and quality is exceptional.

La Terrazza is the Silver Cloud’s signature Italian restaurant. It is located at the rear of the ship on deck 7. Weather permitting, guests can dine al fresco under the stars. La Terrazza celebrates the ‘slow food’ movement and embraces Silversea’s Italian heritage. The à la carte menu features authentic recipes and we recommends sampling the house made pasta.

When the sun goes down the pool deck is transformed into The Grill restaurant. The Grill is all about casual, relaxed dining. Pre-heated volcanic rocks are brought to the table allowing guests to cook steak, veal, lamb, pork or seafood to their liking. A selection of delicious sauces prepared by the Silver Cloud’s chefs make a great accompaniment. We recommend The Grill if you simply don’t feel like getting dressed up to dinner!