3 minute read
Life of luxury in a day aboard the Silver Muse
GEOFFREY THOMAS enjoys Silversea’s impeccable service
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As the day dawns, there is a hint of light through the double curtains. On the Silver Muse, our spacious suite has a set of heavy drapes that divide the room, allowing an early riser — me — to watch the dawn from our lounge while not disturbing “her ladyship”, as my wife Christine now wants to be called.
It’s a quiet time to jot down thoughts about the journey so far. I wish this ship would slow; I am no hurry to get to Fremantle.
Christine gets up sometime later and it’s time to freshen up for breakfast. Our bathroom is huge for a ship, with a spacious shower and separate bath and all the fittings are topclass, something we have come to expect of Silversea. Everything is firstclass.
This morning we decide to have breakfast at La Terrazza, at the stern. We score a table outside as some folks finish up. This is a great space. We are off Exmouth and the ocean is the most beautiful blue with a few white caps dancing across the water.
The swell is from the south and a moderate 2m,and the ship’s motion is barely noticeable. The moment we take our seats overlooking the wake, coffee is poured by one of the many attentive staff. We are not big fans of buffets and this is only one of two on this ship, but it is magnificent with all the health protocols and screens in place.
The selections are amazing and the smoked salmon and smoked trout are lovely. We are having breakfast here tomorrow for sure.
Back to our cabin for some chillout time. Christine immerses herself in complex crosswords and smiles as I suggest if she needs my help, she should just sing out.
The wifi is excellent and the standard free package is ideal for most needs. But for those who need to work on large files quickly, there is an upgrade which costs $157 for a sevenday package.
Lunchtime swings around quickly and our favourite venue is Hot Rocks, on the pool deck — deck 10. It’s openplan but under cover, with views of the ocean from every angle. The waiters know us, and champagne arrives along with the menu.
What culinary delight should we choose? The menu, like all on this dream ship, is expansive. We opt for corn chips and salsa — a selection of dips to go with the corn tortilla chips.
To follow, it’s a grilled salmon wrap with some delightful New Zealand Marlborough Sound sauvignon blanc.
We follow this with a stroll on the highest deck, with its walking track — though we don’t do justice to the intent of the carefully laidout path. This is about taking happy snaps with the deep blue of the Indian Ocean as the backdrop.
We are amused by the sloshing pool below, which is really the only indication of the ship’s movement.
But that “onboard swell” is not bothering the two ladies frolicking in nature’s wave machine.
This afternoon we decide to take in a lecture by American journalist Terence Smith, who covered five US presidents — Nixon, Carter, Regan, Clinton and George W Bush — and four wars.
Smith is a double Emmy awardwinner and worked at The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, The New York Times, CBS News and Huffington Post.
It is a riveting lecture with tales of intrigue matched with some humour.
Smith confirms that Nixon was indeed tricky, Carter had great ideas but couldn’t work with Congress, Nancy, not Ronald, ran the White House, and George W left too much to others.
We return to our cabin and our butler, Joseph, is laying out our table for afternoon canapes and champagne.
I muse that Christine had better not get use to this Lotto life.
This evening we have booked the Silver Note restaurant, a small intimate hideaway. Before it opens at 8pm, we spend an hour in the ship’s Panorama Lounge at the rear of the ship chatting with passengers from around the world.
All are excited about their first visit to WA and bombard us with questions about Perth and Fremantle, Margaret River, Busselton and Albany — places they will soon visit. We leave them a tad wiser and no less excited about what to see and experience.
The Silver Note does not disappoint. The menu is a take on tapas, with some fascinating dishes like the beehive, which is a taste explosion of a host of different raw fish with dips.
The service is subtle but attentive, with an empty wine glass staying that way for only seconds.
Somehow the waiters know what wine each passenger has selected from the host of offerings.
Lobster, lamb and beef follow — all cooked to perfection — but we pass on dessert and cheese.
Bed beckons. There is something about the sea air, not to mention the indulgence, that brings on the desire to rest and plan tomorrow.
