The wonders of Vietnam on Silversea
This was my first time on Silversea so I wasn't sure of what to expect. The embarkation process was smooth and in no time at all we were welcomed on board with a glass of champagne by smiling cheerful crew members who provided first class service throughout the cruise. Silver Shadow carries 382 guests and features one of the highest space-to-guest ratios in cruising with butler service for all suites. Silversea is an all-inclusive product which includes gourmet dining, drinks & gratuities. Upon being shown to our cabin where a bottle of champagne on ice & Pierre Marcolini chocolates awaited our butler introduced himself and presented us with a nine pillow type menu & a choice of Bvlgari, Ferragamo or hypoallergenic bath amenities. We were also offered a choice of spirits for our in-suite bar and asked if we would like him to unpack for us! We had a Veranda Suite which was very spacious featuring a marbled bathroom with double vanity, separate shower and full-sized bathtub, sitting area & a teak veranda. Silversea have open-seating dining so you can chose to dine alone or with new found friends and offer various dining choices including the main restaurant, La Terrazza - authentic Italian dishes, Le Champagne - the only Relais & Chateaux restaurant at sea and the Pool Grill which is transformed into The Grill in the evening for alfresco dining where we could grill our steaks at the table on a heated volcanic rock plate. There was a show each evening in the show lounge or the option of chilling in the bar listening to the band & for those feeling lucky the casino which got rather lively at times.
We were transported through the fascinating country of Vietnam, rich in natural beauty enjoying scenery as diverse as traditional Pagodas, colonial style buildings & breath taking beaches. Our first stop took us on a journey through the beautiful islands of Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO world heritage site. The name means "bay of the descending dragon" and here 2000 islands emerge from the jade waters offering a surreal and magical vision. We took an excursion on a junk boat to a floating village which we Kayaked around, seeing how the locals live watching them fishing and selling fruit, such a calm, carefree experience. In Chan May we took the free shuttle bus to Lang Co Beach Resort and had a lazy day on the wide sandy beach then on to Nha Trang for another beautiful beach day and a trip to the market mostly selling souvenirs, leather goods and replica designer bags. The ship stayed overnight in Ho Chi Minh City also known as "the pearl of Vietnam" where French influence can still be seen in the wide boulevards and beautiful architecture of the Saigon Opera House. We went on an excursion to the Cu Chi tunnels, a network of underground tunnels used during the Vietnam War and even got to crawl through a small section which was more than enough for me! Back to the city for a drink on the roof terrace of the Rex Hotel which is famous for being a favourite haunt of US officers during the Vietnam War. You really experience a sense of calm being away from the manic beeping of scooters down below. The ship hosted an evening BBQ on deck whilst in port and there was a great party atmosphere amongst guests.
We had an overnight stay in Singapore at the Shangri-La which was great with relaxing foot massages on offer around the pool. We made the most of our time visiting Clarke Quay, sampling the popular dish chilli crab in Chinatown food street, a trip to Raffles to have a famous Singapore sling & a taking The Night Safari at the world's first nocturnal zoo - what a magical experience.
This was a truly memorable trip which I wouldn't hesitate to recommend!