Silver Cloud

Silver Cloud entered service in April 1994 as Silversea's first ship, an Italian built hull of 16,800 gross tons and 514 feet. In 2017 that conventional luxury vessel was rebuilt to ice class, and Wikipedia records a 1C rating, Zodiacs added to the top decks and a reconfigured observation lounge. Cruise Critic dates the relaunch to November 2017 and puts the work above 40 million dollars. Capacity fell accordingly: a ship listed at 296 guests now carries 254, and 200 on polar itineraries, against a crew of 222. Butler service and the all suite layout stayed.

The public rooms are still a luxury ship's. Cruise Critic places Dolce Vita on deck 5, the Explorer Lounge on deck 6, the Panorama Lounge and Connoisseur's Corner on deck 8, and Tor's Observation Lounge on deck 9. Deck 8 also holds a heated pool, two whirlpools and the Pool Bar, which Cruise Critic calls a rarity among expedition ships. Zagara Spa and the library sit on deck 7. The expedition kit runs to 16 Zodiacs carrying twelve guests apiece, 10 kayaks, a photo studio and 22 expedition staff on polar sailings.

Age shows through the refit. Cruise Critic's cabin editor calls the marble and granite bathrooms untouched and in need of updating, and member review titles pair a strong expedition team with a very tired ship and poor customer service. Tor's Observation Lounge, reachable only from outside, is cut off whenever high winds close the open decks, a design flaw the editor singles out. Premium dining and spa treatments cost extra on a luxury priced fare. The editorial verdict is glowing, calling the ship the standout of the expedition fleet, while member sentiment across Silversea averages 3.8 from 1,604 reviews, with 194 poor and 104 terrible ratings.

The ship suits travellers set on Antarctica, the Arctic or remote coastlines who will not give up butler service, a heated pool, a spa and a real choice of restaurants. It suits poorly anyone expecting current hardware for the money, anyone travelling with children, given no family facilities and infants under one year barred, and anyone wanting a full onboard programme when weather cancels the landings.

**What this means for choosing a cabin.** Vista Suites run 240 square feet without a veranda, Veranda Suites add a 49 square foot terrace, then Medallion at 437 square feet, Silver at 541, Owner's at 587, Royal at 736 and Grand at 1,019. Roughly 80 percent have verandas, all have butler service, and Royal and Grand connect to an adjacent Veranda Suite. At 16,800 tons this is a small hull in polar swell, so lower and midship suites ride most steadily, and anything under the deck 8 pool deck or the deck 9 jogging track sits beneath the busiest open air traffic. A veranda earns less in freezing air, which makes the windowed Vista the value pick.