July 2024 made Maureen van As, the Cruise Specialist of Untamed Travelling, a very special four-day cruise. The trip went from Dubrovnik to Corfu, with intermediatestops in Bari and Kotor. Doel was om het splinternieuwe cruiseschip Silver Ray, de jongste aanwinst van de luxe rederij Silversea te leren kennen. Read all about Maureen’s journey below, about the beautiful cruise ship Silver Ray and get an immediate insight into the versatility of a Silversea cruise.
Day 1 – A very different world
In the morning we got on the plane and by 1:30 a.m. we were already on the pier in Dubrovnik. That is the advantage of traveling in Europe: you are there in no time and you land in a totally different world full of sun, sea and Mediterranean atmosphere, fantastic! Much to our delight, we see the brand-new cruise ship Silver Ray already “shining” in the bay. The Silver Ray is a relatively small cruise ship and can therefore anchor in the bay near the pier, where the ship’s fast tender boats (shuttles) are already busy sailing to and fro.
The small scale is immediately a big advantage of the Silver Ray: where the larger cruise ships have to dock at the cruise terminal far outside the city, we can take a tender to the ship from Dubrovnik, but later be dropped off back in town. So we immediately take the tender to check in on board and meet our fellow travelers. The moment you approach the ship you get a very special feeling: the ship exudes “dignity” on all sides. The Silver Ray may be a relatively small ship, but when our tender comes alongside, you feel very small.
The check-in process is smooth and in no time I am in my suite. I take in the space, the luxury, the opulent furnishings, the warm chic colors, the huge bathroom…. I am already at a loss for words! Each suite also comes with its own butler and cabin steward. Since the ship will not leave the bay until 9:30 p.m., we take the tender back and immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of Dubrovnik’s beautiful old town.
After a nice walk through the city, we return to the ship. After a drink with the other fellow travelers, we had some time to freshen up and got ready for a delicious dinner at restaurant the Marquee, one of Silver Ray’s seven excellent restaurants. The dinner was truly amazing and even at the subsequent drinks, no one could stop talking about the quality and opulence in which we found ourselves. As the ship set course for Italy I fall asleep; tomorrow we will open our eyes in Bari.
Day 2 – Bari and a tour on the Silver Ray
We begin the morning with a tour of the ship and are immediately presented with some facts: on the Silver Ray there is room for 728 passengers and as many as 544 crew members. Spring 2024, the Silver Ray emerged from the dock at the Meyer Werf in Papenburg; sister ship Silver Nova was delivered in 2023. During the tour, we visit all 11 decks, four of which are reserved for suites. We also visit the outside decks and the seven restaurants: Atlantide, La Dame, La Terrazza, S.A.L.T. Kitchen, Kaiseki, Silver Note. The Marquee and the bar, of course, I knew from last night. Each restaurant has its own atmosphere, is more formal or casual, with indoor and outdoor spaces, a more open interior or private and intimate. Opening hours are such that at any time of the day there is somewhere you can settle down for a small meal or where you can enjoy exquisite dishes with equally fine wines.
La Terrazza is casual and ideally suited for snacks and drinks during the day. In the evening, top Italian dishes are served here in a more formal setting. Kaiseki restaurant’s menu features outstanding Japanese dishes, as well as culinary arts from Vietnam, Thailand, India, Korea and China. The entrance to the restaurant symbolizes the gateway to Japan, and the decor, featuring authentic washi paper, marble and traditional wooden materials, evokes a calming atmosphere. Totally different is La Dame restaurant, where French cuisine takes center stage and the decor contains many hints to France, such as Lalique’s Masque de Femme panels.
Silver Note takes you back to the 1920s. It is both a “supper club” and a jazz cafe, with live performances. There is a piano in the middle, the tables are arranged so that everyone can see the performances clearly. Naturally, there are several bars, again each with its own ambiance. Connoisseur’s Corner has an atmosphere of cigars and cognac, and I personally feel more at home in the Panorama Lounge overlooking the sea.
There are no simple cabins on the Silver Ray, just various types of suite, all of which have enormous space compared to other cruise ships. The level of luxury and comfort is particularly high, with a beautiful color palette and design, modern bathrooms with high-quality materials. Real class, as we have come to expect from Silversea.
Then we get to visit the bridge, which is quite extraordinary. Here we see a mega high technology piece that I am deeply impressed by. We get a lot of explanations. Unbelievable how complex the instruments and the work are, which is something you just don’t think about. Really great to see this once of course.
We don’t skip all the other facilities on the ship either so we check out the pool, theater, gym, spa, library…there is so much to see! But enough about that, let’s go ashore and see some of Italy.
Excursion to Castel del Monte
Silversea always includes an excursion as standard. Usually you can choose from two or three options. We want to go to Castel del Monte, one of the best-preserved medieval castles in southern Italy, which is not to be missed when you are near Puglia. The long but beautiful drive goes through the southern Italian countryside, which is looking pitch dry because of the heat, and then they have several hot summer weeks ahead of them! As soon as we pass Bari we see the perfectly built octagonal castle appear, lonely but dominantly overlooking the plain near Ruvo di Puglia. It is a mystery to me (and our private guide) why this masterpiece was built here of all places, on a five hundred and fifty meter high rocky point and some fifty kilometers from the coast. We returned to “our” ship around six o’clock and got ready for cocktails at the S.A.L.T cocktail bar and subsequent dinner. S.A.L.T. is unique in that it is the only truly regionally oriented restaurant in the cruise world. The menu is completely customized to the ship’s location at the time. The dinner was truly fantastic and a superb ending to a blissful day.
Day 3 – to Kotor (Montenegro)
Moored in Kotor, we gathered after a delicious breakfast for the next excursion: a beautiful ride along the Montenegrin coast. A feast of recognition for me, as I had been here before. We drive up to Budva, where we take a city tour with our guide and visit the local museum. And….it’s hot, very hot! After a snack and drink at a local restaurant in the harbor, we return. In Kotor, we decide to stroll around the city, have an ice cream and a terrace and enjoy the southern European coziness. Kotor is beautiful, atmospheric and really a town to spend longer. Back on board, we sail in the late afternoon – but still in daylight – through the beautiful fjords: definitely one of the highlights of this cruise! Our photos can’t actually capture how beautiful this is. So on our last evening, we somewhat melancholically enjoy yet another fantastic dinner, this time at the Atlantide Restaurant. The wine flows profusely, the food is blissful and the company completes this evening. How much I am going to miss this!
Day 4 – to Corfu
After a final communal breakfast, despite the heat, I take the opportunity to take a tour of Corfu town. It is (too) hot but yes, this is my chance to taste some Greek atmosphere. At 1 p.m. I am back on board for disembarkation and goodbye to my fellow travelers. Already I look back with melancholy on a fantastic trip on the Silver Ray, several days of ultimate luxury with plenty of pampering. Thanks to Silversea!
Would you like more information about the Silver Ray, or about Silversea’s other ships and unique itineraries? Then don’t hesitate to contact me: after this trip I can advise everyone with even more enthusiasm, also about pre- and post-tours put together by Untamed.
