According to Carolina Gomes, Silversea Cruises’ charismatic S.A.L.T. host, when Greek Governor Ioannis Kapodistrias first offered potatoes to the Grecians in the late 1820s, they were hesitant to accept something freely given to them, even though it was presented as a healthy means to fight hunger. Amusingly, only when Kapodistrias placed armed guards around the crop and made it forbidden, did the citizens actually begin to desire it, thus making the humble root vegetable as popular as it is today.
Onboard Silversea’s new Silver Moon, which recently debuted after COVID-19 delays, the luxury line’s long-gestating S.A.L.T. (Sea And Land Taste) program has finally sprouted, and it’s fascinating stories like this one that bring cuisine to life on and off the ship in fresh and exciting ways.
Silver Moon's S.A.L.T. Culinary Program
Potato was one of the ingredients we used in the S.A.L.T. Lab to learn how to make Greek moussaka at one of nine cooking stations. Guests can reserve spots for several different complimentary, one-hour sessions during a cruise. But that’s only one component of the fantastic program, which also includes the ship’s S.A.L.T. Kitchen and S.A.L.T. Bar, as well as special tours onshore.
Cooking classes take place in the S.A.L.T. Lab.
Credit: 2021 Jason LeppertIn Santorini, for instance, a small group of passengers enjoyed a delicious six-course, wine-paired lunch at Vezene — named after celebrated chef Ari Vezene — at the cliffside Cavotagoo hotel overlooking the island’s famed caldera. Learning about local wines and diving into the dishes amid such a backdrop was definitely an epicurean treat.
Back onboard the elegant, 596-passenger Silver Moon, the S.A.L.T. Kitchen is one of seven dinner options and also showcases regional cuisine. The bright venue is decorated with colorful artifacts from around the world, while the S.A.L.T. Bar is a darker, delightfully moody complement for expertly crafted cocktails, local wine and beer.
Restaurants Onboard Silver Moon
S.A.L.T. alone would provide plenty of culinary choices, but the ship doesn’t stop there. Atlantide serves as a wonderful main dining room, which, along with the Kitchen, is available for open seating without reservations.
Requiring reservations are smaller venues such as the Silver Note supper club, carried over from previous ships for cleverly plated tapas-size courses set to live jazz music, and the Hot Rocks experience at The Grill, an alfresco favorite that invites guests to cook their own fine cuts of meat.
La Terrazza serves buffet-style breakfast and lunch and a la carte Italian cuisine for dinner. But the most coveted dining rooms are Kaiseki and La Dame. The first serves complimentary sushi and sashimi for lunch, but both incur a surcharge (a nominal fee, given their culinary excellence) for dinner. Imagine the mouthwatering likes of Maine lobster tail and Wagyu surf and turf, or perfectly prepared Nantucket king sea scallops.
Suites, Public Spaces and Other Ship Features
Silver Moon features enlarged public space for outdoor activities and indoor social gatherings, including a pool that is impressively long for a ship of this size. Central to the ship, Dolce Vita is a handsome lounge with a shiny reflective bar at its core. The Panorama Lounge at the stern is equally large, and both host everything from talented musicians to trivia games. The Venetian Lounge is also well sized for presenting enrichment lectures and Voices of Silversea shows.
Silver Suites feature a separate living and dining room.
Credit: 2021 Jason LeppertOnly the Observation Library seems a bit too small, with too few wraparound windows for its scenic purposes.
Silver Moon does not offer the largest luxury suites available at sea, but it really doesn’t need to. Accommodations start at a sizable 334 square feet (Vista Suite) and go up to 1,970 square feet (two-bedroom Grand Suite). I found my 786-square-foot Silver Suite to be the sweet spot in between, with a full living and dining room separate from a plush bedroom. The master suite, in particular, is outstanding thanks to a dedicated toilet and sink compartment in addition to double wash basins, a Jacuzzi bathtub and the largest walk-in shower I’ve ever enjoyed on a cruise ship.
For even more pampering, every suite is attended to by a butler, and the spa and beauty salon offer a typical array of treatments, a thermal suite, saunas, steam rooms and an aft spa pool that is free to use.
It’s all really a testament to the exceptional experience from Silversea.
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