I recently returned from a 10-night Caribbean voyage Silversea’s Silver Spirit which was a fantastic experience. Most guests on our voyage were 60+, however there was 1 toddler and a few teens. Even though the ship was completely full, it didn’t feel crowded. Information below is based on my personal experience and what I observed from other guests. I highly recommend Silversea if you prefer the intimate, small ship experience with intuitive service

Our butler and suite attendant were fantastic and were always eager to assist with any or our requests.   We were confirmed in mid ship balcony suite #723.  Suites are well appointed with plenty of storage for suitcases, clothes and personal items, walk-in closet, big bathroom with separate tub and shower (nice water pressure) however, the lighting is not good for applying makeup.  There were a few days where the spray from the ocean made it not very enjoyable to sit on the balcony, in addition to making the furniture feel sticky.

As I had been to most of the islands on our itinerary, I did not take any of the organized shore excursions, however I did get off in St. Kitts which is a port where the ship was anchored.  Passenger safety is always the first concern for the cruise line, but I would highly recommend in using extra caution when getting on/off the tender.  I did not realize that the floor of the tender was wet, I slipped and twisted my knee.  (It’s a good idea to be familiar with the location and staffed hours of the infirmary for any unexpected events.)

The food was very good and in some cases exceptional.  Menu items were very similar from day to day, especially for breakfast and lunch which was a concern for some guests.  The response was that these were new changes from the corporate office that started with the Spirit and would be incorporated into the remaining ships. Alternate (off the menu) items didn't appear to be offered as an option.  Food service was very slow especially in the restaurants and there seemed to be limited Gluten Free or Vegetarian food items.  

Specialty restaurants are very small and I would recommend that clients make reservations in advance as they can always be changed later.  Stars Supper Club is a nice concept with the live music but the food is offered on a set menu and each item is prepared in a tapa or bite-size portions.  Shishen does have an additional charge to dine there for dinner but not for lunch. Nice selection of menu items and the soup and sushi we had was very good.  The Grill offers you an option to cook your own dinner on a lava stone or have the chef prepare it for you.  Keith opted for the chef but I decided to cook my filet on the lava stone.  This was not a great experience for me.  The only instructions provided were to cook it for 3 minutes (or whatever time they provided) and then turn it over (I did not have a timer).  Due to the thickness of the steak, it was a little challenging for me to get it cooked in the middle.  I ended up cutting it up into smaller pieces in order to cook it properly.  It was one of the best aged filets I’ve had in a long time, tender and cooked to perfection.  Hats off to the chef!   

Unlike some cruise lines that will remove items from unused deck chairs, this is not Silversea’s policy.  We heard guests complaining that shaded deck chairs by the pool were being hogged by someone with a backpack, but yet you rarely saw anyone sit there. This was the case every day with the same backpack.  Keith and I went to the restaurant for lunch and when we returned, our towels and newspaper had been removed, go figure.  For shaded lounge chairs, my recommendation is to pick a spot on the side of the ship.  You will still have beverage service and a nice breeze as a bonus.

We purchased the unlimited Wi-Fi package and very glad we did as the internet service was VERY slow. If we had purchased another other internet package offering a certain number of minutes , we could have easily blown through them waiting for connection.  If internet access is important, I would recommend the unlimited package.