There are many options for expedition cruising in the polar regions these days. So it comes down to preferences in style and substance (I.e. soft vs full on adventure). While not the newest ship, Silver Cloud punched a big hole in comfort, quality, and overall amenities that set the bar very high.
From a one guest to staff ratio to it’s spaciousness; from its ice class 1 hull to the observation lounge on deck 9, this vessel is cozy on cold nights, open and bright on sunny ones with tons of deck space to view wildlife, and powerfully stable to navigate open ocean. In other words, the perfect ship for this type of expedition. I already miss her!
Attention to detail abounds everywhere. From Sunday December 3rd onward, the Christmas spirit was everywhere on the ship. Before that, even though guests were from 4 continents, the crew acknowledged US Thanksgiving with a lovely turkey dinner. As about half of the guests were from mainland China, on a few nights, the La Terrazza Italian became an ad hoc Chinese restaurant for private functions. every detail was thought of, all the way to mandarin guides and announcements.
I will admit that there was a bit of a cultural clash aboard as a result of the guest mix. Be it because of language barriers or because they didn’t want to listen, we had some “interesting” moments ashore and aboard. Most evident was the breakfast and lunch settings where the buffet looked like a bomb raid had happened after each wave of Asian guests passed through. It also made for some good laughs along the way when, for example when a Chinese guest ignored warnings before being chased by a fur seal.
As far as dining venues are concerned, the ship offers many venues. The main dining room; la Terrazza (buffet breakfast and lunch- sit down Italian at night); the pool grill with its hot rock dinner setup; and La Dame French with a small premium. Then of course, is 24-7 room service which we used frequently for peaceful breakfast and movie night dinners. all in all, no desire was left unfulfilled. Highlight was my birthday dinner at La Dame which was a delightful feast for the eyes and senses. Enjoy the visuals!
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