Silver Ray is one of Silversea’s brand-new ships and was launched in June 2024. A modern ship with pure luxury decor and service welcoming a maximum of 728 guests on board with a 1-2-1 guest to staff ratio, giving customers the ultimate cruising experience. Included in the Silversea cruise fare are; Premium drinks (including champagne), free wi-fi, butler service, a la carte dining and daily excursions.
DAY 1 – Split, Croatia
We joined the stunning Silver Ray in Split – The port of Split is right in the centre, a 5-minute walk from the old town of Split, which is made up of a lot of small narrow lanes with ancient buildings, and filled with markets, shops, bars and restaurants. Along the front is a blue flag beach with crystal blue seas, lots of stops for taking a dip in the sea!
Further along from the old town, there is a marina filled with private yachts and marina-front bars to relax and unwind, whilst taking in the views of split.
The afternoon was at our leisure when we joined the ship, which meant we got to explore the ship at our own pace and start our ‘holiday’ the Silversea way. We were welcomed to our cabins by our very own butler who greeted us with a bottle of champagne on ice and ensured we had everything we needed whilst we were on board, along with taking note of our favourite tipple! The cabin (Superior Veranda Suite) was INCREDIBLE – luxury cosy cabin, modern decor throughout with a double or twin beds, a sofa seating area, dressing table, walk in wardrobe and a double bathroom and 5m2 teak balcony which came with 2 chairs and table.
In the evening, we met for pre-dinner drinks at the Dusk bar which was situated at the aft of the ship on deck 10 – an open-air sky bar with panoramic views, which was stunning as we watched the sunset. This was followed by dinner at the Hot Rocks Restaurant (The Grill), a casual dining BBQ concept with a laid-back atmosphere where you could cook your own steak / fish on a hot stove to make a completely different dining experience.
The evening finished with a dance and sing along at the Panorama lounge – There’s a DJ every night until the early hours (or until the last guest heads to bed).
DAY 2 – Hvar, Croatia
We docked in Hvar, a gorgeous harbour-front filled with a huge range of bars, restaurants, shops and markets – this was a tender port with a luxurious tender boat with padded seats which takes 10 minutes from the cruise ship.
This was a day of leisure to enjoy Hvar and the pool area on board the ship.
We started the morning with breakfast at the stunning Marquee restaurant – An outdoor dining venue, and the healthy a la carte breakfast option on board.
During the evening, we enjoyed a pre-dinner drink at the S.A.L.T bar on board; cocktails made using local port ingredients. The cocktail (Selene Moon) was amazingly presented and certainly had the WOW factor.
Lastly, we dined in the Atlantide restaurant, a traditional on board a la carte dining option which incorporates the best the sea has to offer.
DAY 3 – Zadar, Croatia
The day started off at my favourite stunning breakfast restaurant – the Marquee, for poached egg and avocado on toast and a healthy detox smoothie.
Zadar was the port for the day, with a shuttle going direct to the centre frequently which takes 30 minutes. It’s a gorgeous ancient town with a stunning seafront. This is where you can hear the famous architectural sound art, the ‘Sea Organ’ which plays music by way of sea waves and tubes located underneath a set of large marble steps.
During the afternoon we were welcomed to join the onboard interactive cooking class at the S.A.L.T lab (sea and land taste), allowing us to cook a local port recipe in a small group and understanding the food heritage of each ingredient. I think I did well at this considering I normally burn a pizza – This is a free class open to all guests on board to experience once per stay.
The night ended with a dinner at the Italian restaurant ‘La Terrazza’ which was amazing and certainly left me feeling full! followed by the evening theatre show – New York favourite musicals, the show was brilliant and did not disappoint – just like a West End show!
DAY 4 – Ship Day
As it was my final full day on board, I decided to opt for the in-cabin dining option (you can place your breakfast order up until 2am and pop it outside your cabin ready for the morning with a selected time). 8am on the dot, my doorbell rings and my butler comes in with my silver service breakfast, allowing me to have the morning to relax and have breakfast on my balcony as we sail into Trieste – all included in the cruise fare!
Today was spent relaxing and exploring the last of the ship; the on-board spa (Otium) and gym, which is all included whilst on board, with running & bike machines facing out to the sea, a private gym room for you to select an on-screen workout of your choice in private to the relaxing jacuzzi looking out to the sea and sauna. For an extra fee, they also have onboard treatment rooms, hair & beauty salon and facial treatments too.
The final dinner on board was at the S.A.L.T kitchen restaurant, a fine dining restaurant, the place to be when it comes to enjoying the local cuisine, culture and rich culinary heritage of your voyage. The food was amazing!
Our final goodbyes were spent in the Dolce Vita bar/lounge where the onboard singer/pianist played every evening between 6pm-8pm & 10pm-12am. Alfredo was his name, and his voice was unbelievable and made everyone totally relaxed whilst they enjoyed a drink with friends/family.
I LOVED every minute of this trip and would highly recommend Silversea to anyone aged 50+ who likes the finer things in life, ultimate luxury or for any celebrating a honeymoon or anniversary!