Silver Ray is a cruise ship designed to appeal to both classic and modern luxury travelers. Whether you love it or not will depend on your definition of luxury at sea and whether you can find your happy place on board.
On the old-school side of things, the ship still embraces Silversea Cruises‘ commitment to fine dining, all-inclusive beverages, a tuxedoed butler in every suite (all cabins are suites) and attentive-yet-formal service. Silver Ray’s design aesthetic is understated luxury. In most public areas and suites, the decor is elegant and rich but not cutting-edge or designed to wow. (There are a few exceptions.)
On the modern side, the ship has traded formal afternoon tea and a classic-style pool deck for restaurant menus that reflect today’s culinary trends in Italy and France, a resort-inspired sun deck with an offset pool facing the ocean and a craft cocktail bar outside a high-tech demonstration kitchen. The ship’s physical layout, which embraces light-filled spaces by placing venues and elevators along the sides of the ship rather than in the center, is revolutionary but won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.
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I was on board for five days during a preview sailing before the ship set sail on its maiden voyage, so I could not ask any actual Silversea guests how they felt about Silver Ray, though it is identical to the 2023-debuted Silver Nova. While guest demographics will vary — a weeklong summer Mediterranean cruise will always attract a different crowd from a 70-night South America voyage — my take is that the ship’s amenities can appeal to both the retiree crowd and middle-aged and even millennial affluent travelers.
You just need to know which menus to choose and which spaces to make your own.
Overview of Silver Ray
The 728-passenger, 54,700-ton Silver Ray is small by today’s megaship standards, but it’s packed with 10 restaurants and eight bars and lounges, a demonstration kitchen for cooking classes, a spa and fitness center, and two levels of sun deck with a pool and hot tub.
Fares are all-inclusive, so all drinks, most restaurants, standard Wi-Fi and crew gratuities are included in the price of your cruise. Certain fares also include airfare and port transfers; you can pick how inclusive you want to go.
The luxury cruise ship has an especially high space-to-passenger ratio. Silver Ray is about 34% bigger than Silversea’s previous class of ships — Silver Muse, Silver Moon and Silver Dawn — but it holds only about 22% more passengers. Executives claim that if every passenger during a sold-out cruise were on the pool deck, they’d still have plenty of space to themselves. Even the smallest suites are large, with huge bathrooms, walk-in closets, full living areas and plenty of space to walk around.
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With 544 crew members, the ship also has a crew-to-passenger ratio of 1:1.3, which leads to a high level of service on board. Crew members make a point to learn your name and preference, and every suite is attended to by a formal butler.
What sets this ship (and its sister Silver Nova) apart from other luxury ships is what the line refers to as its asymmetrical design. That means that many key elements of the ship are offset from the center. For example, instead of putting the standard elevators in the middle of the ship with corridors to the left and right, Silver Ray has two all-glass elevator banks on the exterior of the ship, with one on the port side and the other on the starboard side. The pool is not in the middle of the sun deck, but placed on the starboard side; the infinity-style hot tub, one deck up, is on the port side. So is the ship’s smokestack — it’s not centered as it would be on every other ship you’ve sailed. All of the deck chairs are oriented toward the sides of the ship rather than facing in toward a central pool.
Combine these elements with the ship’s extensive use of glass windows, and the result is an abundance of spaces with sea views. When you’re in the pool, you’re looking out to sea or at the port where you’re docked. When you’re riding the elevator, you’re staring at the world beyond your ship.
These design changes follow from Silversea’s commitment to delivering an immersive destination experience for its passengers. Instead of cocooning in a shipboard world (like you might on some of sister cruise line Royal Caribbean’s attraction-laden cruise ships), Silver Ray encourages guests to explore the world beyond the vessel. The aim is to accomplish this predominantly with food through the line’s Sea And Land Taste program. S.A.L.T. has many elements, including hands-on cooking classes at S.A.L.T. Lab, regionally inspired meals and craft cocktails at S.A.L.T. Kitchen and S.A.L.T. Bar, and shore excursions that introduce participants not only to local flavors but to the people who produce them.
The ship was also built to be more energy efficient. Its snub-nose hull design alone reduces fuel needs by 15%. It’s a hybrid vehicle which uses liquefied natural gas power but also has batteries built in. The ship has also eliminated most single-use plastics. You won’t find disposable water bottles on board, but you will find reusable ones in your cabin, as well as bottle-filling stations throughout the ship.
Silversea executives hope that Silver Ray’s modern style will attract younger guests, but Silversea passengers are generally affluent retirees. Children are welcome, but there are no spaces dedicated to them. However, if a higher-than-normal number of kids are sailing, the ship’s activities staff will transform a small room off the tender-boarding area on Deck 2 into a play space and lead the young cruisers in games and age-appropriate activities.
Related: The best luxury cruise lines for elegance and exclusivity
What I loved about Silver Ray
I stayed in the smallest suite — and it was still huge
My Deluxe Veranda Suite was not the lowest-category room, but only because of its central location. It was still the smallest-sized suite on board. Even so, it was enormous, with a whopping 357 square feet of space, including the 56-square-foot balcony. Consider that many megaship balcony cabins are around 200 square feet, and mine was nearly double that size.
The extra space was especially appreciated in the bathroom, with its wide glassed-in shower (I didn’t bang my elbows against the wall once!) and generous floor space that could easily accommodate two people getting ready at once. Both the desk and the sofa were full-sized, with plenty of space to sit or store items. A walk-in closet had all the drawer, shelving and hanging space I could need, and a separate vanity area meant I did not have to put on makeup on top of my laptop.
The ship’s design brings light into every space
I appreciated Silversea’s use of glass everywhere to bring views and light into spaces that don’t always have them. The sauna and spa pool in the Otium Spa have floor-to-ceiling windows for sea or port views while you relax. Thanks to an entire back wall of windows, I could watch the sunset during my Chef’s Table dinner at the S.A.L.T. Lab cooking class and dining space. Even waiting for an elevator is pleasant because you can look outside through the glass exterior walls.
I loved the views for days I could get on the pool deck. The way the pool bar is oriented, you can see through to the sea beyond no matter which side you’re sitting on. And, of course, it’s lovely to gaze out to sea when you’re floating in the pool or sitting in the hot tub. (If I come back on vacation, I would take my Kindle to the Orangerie, curl up on a plush, oversized patio chair and face the ocean while I read.) I also loved the alfresco dining and drinking spaces of the Marquee Restaurant and Dusk Bar. I didn’t want to be anywhere else when the weather was nice.
Related: 7 extremely decadent things you can do on a luxury cruise vacation
What I didn’t love about Silver Ray
Navigating the ship is harder than it should be
The asymmetric design has unintended consequences. It makes the ship more difficult to navigate than I’d expected.
The ship has a frustrating number of dead ends; often, I’d go one way around a stairwell and end up at a wall. I could never figure out which way was forward or aft, and often would walk through a bar or lounge only to realize I was going the wrong way and have to retrace my steps. (Lest you think I just have a bad sense of direction, I can tell you that I mastered the world’s largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, in just a few days.)
I was completely mystified about which way to turn toward my suite when I exited the elevator banks. It should have been easy because there were large photographs at each entrance, but I got confused because no matter which photo I was at, my cabin was to the right. It took a few days for me to realize that the two elevator banks are on opposite sides of the ship, not the same side as it would be in a symmetrical design with two corridors, not one, of rooms on each deck. The positioning of the elevator banks made me confused about forward and aft on other decks, as well.
Not related to the ship design but also unnecessarily confusing in cabin hallways is that the room numbers are misaligned. They do go up by twos if you’re just looking at the odd or even side of the corridor. But because numbers aren’t skipped when there’s a suite on one side of the hallway and not on the other, the cabins across from each other don’t match. For example, I was in cabin 8022 and the cabin across the hall was not 8021 but 8039. If I wasn’t paying attention and was looking at the odd-numbered side, it was easy to walk right by my cabin.
To top it all off, you can’t find deck plans on your in-cabin TV or informational tablet, nor does Silversea hand out little cards with the decks marked. You can find the layout of each floor on the wall by the elevators, but that doesn’t help you know whether you’re at the correct elevator bank for your destination on another deck.
Service was uneven
Service is never 100% up to speed on a shakedown cruise, but its unevenness was especially noticeable because attentive service is a hallmark of Silversea.
Every suite has a butler, and I’ve never gotten a great one on Silversea. My interactions with my butler on Silver Ray were always awkward. One morning, we had agreed he was going to set up the Otium shower experience (with candles and scented shower bombs), but I called twice to request it and he never picked up or called me back. Another time, when I was running late and asked him to pick up my laundry from the launderette, his response was passive-aggressive; first, he said he couldn’t do that for me, then said he would make an exception just this once, leaving me uncertain as to whether I’d put him on the spot somehow.
But also, I never saw him in the hallway (my room stewards on Carnival — a much less pricey line — have always been more friendly, attentive and present), whereas butlers for my friends’ suites would materialize out of nowhere to open their doors for them whenever they returned to their suite.
In addition, the reception desk staff not only did not know the answers to most of my questions but also had trouble understanding what I was asking. I imagine this would be a liability when you have demanding, paying passengers on board who will get frustrated and impatient easily.
On the other hand, sometimes the service was simply too much. At the buffet, there was always someone hovering at my elbow, asking to take my plate or escort me to my seat. Yet it took a long time for them to bring me tea or notice that my water needed refilling.
I realized that Silversea’s formal style of service might simply not be my cup of tea. I prefer the friendliness of Viking or Carnival crew members, even if they don’t provide all the services Silversea’s crew does (or is supposed to). Still, I found the service lacking compared to its reputation, and I hope the staff will be able to work the kinks out after a few more sailings.
Silver Ray cabins and suites
Every cabin on Silver Ray is a spacious suite with a private balcony, palatial bathroom, walk-in closet and separate sleeping and living areas. Given that the smallest suite is a generous 357 square feet (megaship cabins are commonly smaller than 200 square feet), you won’t feel cramped in any suite on the ship. That said, I toured some of the larger suites, including the top Otium suite, and while they are sizable, they don’t have the wow factor of a Royal Caribbean Loft Suite or Regent Seven Seas Cruises Regent Suite.
Unlike older Silversea ships, where there are suites on nearly every deck, Silver Ray consolidates all its guest rooms on decks 6 through 9.
I stayed in a Deluxe Veranda Suite, which is different from the Classic, Superior and Premium Veranda Suites mainly by location. The Deluxe Veranda Suites are centrally located, while the Classic and Superior are farther forward and back. The Premium suites are either midship or at the very back of the ship with wake-facing balconies.
The layout of my balcony suite is the standard cruise ship one. The bathroom is just to one side as you enter, backed up to the closet, with a sleeping area then a living area then the balcony. But Silversea enhances that basic design with its own luxury touches.
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Deluxe Veranda Suite on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
The first thing I noticed when I stepped inside was how spacious the room was. It didn’t have that tight, everything-squeezed-together feeling you sometimes get when you first enter a cruise ship cabin. The corridor from the door into the sleeping area is wide, with enough room for a mirrored vanity across from the bathroom door. Don’t get so distracted by your gorgeous face in the full-length mirror behind the vanity that you miss the mirrored doors that hide a narrow cupboard with useful shelving and a pull-out laundry hamper.
All suites on Silver Ray have a walk-in closet with both half- and full-height hanging closets, large open shelves and drawer space. In the Veranda Suites, the entrance is angled to give more space between the closet and the bed. In the closet, you’ll find thick Italian cotton terry cloth robes and slippers, an umbrella, a soft throw blanket, sewing kit, shoe mitt and lint brush. The safe is hidden in a drawer; I searched and searched for the number pad to set a code, only to discover that it lights up only when you touch the “enter” button on the lid of the safe.
The queen-sized bed, which can be split into twins, has cool soft sheets and a duvet that feels silky on my skin every time I slide into bed. Apparently, the mattresses are custom-made for Silversea.
Ask your butler to show you the pillow menu, which is not a piece of paper but a box of mini pillows; you can choose from a selection of five down, hypoallergenic and memory foam pillow options. (Honestly, they were all nice and I’m not sure I could tell the difference.) You can even ask for an extra-soft mattress to replace the standard one.
The bed is flanked by marble-topped nightstands with three open shelves, bedside lamps and reading lights, and a U.S. 110-volt, European 220-volt, USB-A and USB-C plug on each side. A phone is set on one of the nightstands.
The living area is separated from the sleeping area by a curtain you can pull across should you have a third guest sleeping on a sofabed. The sofa can fit at least three people and has a movable ottoman to seat a fourth or to prop your feet on. A marble-topped table is wide enough for in-room dining and is set with real orchids and a basket of fresh fruit.
Across from the sofa, the desk area, also marble-topped, is wide. Here, you’ll find a phone, more outlets (U.S., European and USB) and a tablet with ship information and settings for your suite’s lighting. My butler would leave the tablet on my bed at night to indicate tomorrow’s schedule was now available; call me old school but I miss the paper newsletters.
The desk has four drawers, one with divided sections and another with leather padding to protect your delicate belongings. A minifridge is stocked with soda, beer and water, and you can request to have your favorite drinks added. (You could also ask for a bottle of complimentary liquor or wine from your butler, but it won’t be set up for you when you arrive.)
Above the desk is a large TV that can swivel to orient toward the bed or toward the couch. In addition to live TV and a large movie selection, it has interactive elements for viewing your onboard bill, dinner and shore excursion reservations, messages and other ship information. Additional shelving includes a cabinet with a bottle opener-corkscrew and glassware.
My 56-square-foot balcony had two upright metal-and-mesh chairs and a small round drinks table that didn’t strike me as overly luxurious.
My bathroom was huge; it was bigger than my master bathroom at home (which, notably, is small). It has a spacious glassed-in shower with a rain showerhead and wand; select Veranda Suites across categories come with bathtubs. The bench in the shower is a nice touch for storing toiletries, or for shaving or washing while seated.
In the shower, you’ll find a clothesline and full-size bottles of Silversea’s own Otium brand of shampoo, conditioner and body wash. I have curly hair and never use cruise ship-provided hair products, but know that you can request high-end Bulgari or allergen-free Sebamed toiletries from your butler if you prefer those brands.
The long marble-topped bathroom vanity has a wide sink with two faucets (instead of two separate sinks), two deep drawers with sliding dividers (one contains the hair dryer) and four glass shelves. The bathroom is stocked with bar soap, Otium body lotion and liquid soap, makeup remover pads and wipes, cotton buds, a loofah bath pad and shower cap. The outlet in the bathroom is for shavers only. Two hooks and a full-length mirror are set on the back of the door, so if you hang your towel up, you can no longer check your reflection.
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Bathroom of Deluxe Veranda Suite on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
As I said, all suites come with a butler to service them, as well as a room attendant who will clean your cabin daily. Butlers can help you unpack and bring you special treats like truffle popcorn when you want to watch an in-room movie, hot chocolate to enjoy on the balcony, or a shower bomb for an aromatherapy shower without trekking to the spa. A friend even asked her butler to bring her Champagne and caviar daily at 5 p.m., and this request was happily fulfilled.
As I mentioned previously, I didn’t feel that having a butler enhanced my cruise when he mostly brought me room service. I could have asked him to make dinner reservations or shore excursion changes for me. But those desks never had long queues, so it was simpler to talk to those folks directly than explain a complicated request to my butler. Call me a control freak, but I like to unpack and pack my suitcase myself — another job my butler would have happily undertaken.
If you want even more space in your suite, you have several options, ranging from 528-square-foot Medallion Suites (essentially a wider version of the Veranda Suite with extra lounge space and actual walls to divide up the room) to the two 1,326-square-foot Otium Suites. These top suites are located at the aft corners of Deck 6 and 7 and feature an in-suite library, spacious living and dining areas, a huge marbled master bathroom, and two balconies, one with a Jacuzzi tub and padded outdoor lounge furniture.
For family groups, Silver Ray offers connecting cabins, both between like-category cabins and between larger and smaller suites.
Only Veranda and Silver Suites come in wheelchair-accessible versions. Accessible cabins mainly have showers, but a few also have tubs. They feature wider doors and floor space to accommodate wheelchairs and scooters. All areas of the suite are accessible without a need for ramps.
Related: 7 compelling reasons to book a luxury cruise
Silver Ray restaurants and bars
Book a long cruise if you wish to try all of Silver Ray’s restaurants because the ship certainly has more options than I could try in a five-night trip. With Silver Ray’s debut, Silversea has updated the menus of longtime favorites, La Dame (French) and La Terrazza (Italian), to include more modern dishes, as well as old standards. In addition, the line’s S.A.L.T. program (which stands for Sea And Land Taste) brings the culinary experience from your cruise region on board with two dining options tailored to the ports of call, a bar and cooking classes and lectures.
Cruisers familiar with other luxury lines might be surprised to find that several of Silver Ray’s restaurants come with hefty cover charges. Never fear — you’ll still get a high-end dining experience with the included venues.
Restaurants
Silver Ray’s two main complimentary dining rooms are located side by side on Deck 3. Atlantide is the more traditional restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, while S.A.L.T. Kitchen offers regionally inspired menus for dinner only. These restaurants are where you’ll want to go for that classic three-course cruise ship meal. Unfortunately, I was unable to eat in these venues on my sailing, other than a christening dinner in Atlantide with a special one-time menu.
If you’re in the mood for a leisurely, waiter-served breakfast, Atlantide will serve you all the eggs and omelets, pancakes, waffles, pastries, cereal, yogurt and fruit you can eat. Hours are limited, so check the schedule before you go.
For lunch, Atlantide offers a small menu of starters, entrees and desserts. You might start with a Nicoise salad or scallop ceviche, enjoy beef tenderloin medallions or a vegetable biryani for your main course and indulge in a chocolate mille feuille or fruity meringue for dessert.
The dinner menu is more robust, with starters followed by vegetarian, fish and meat options for your main courses and a dessert menu that includes a cheese course, gluten- and sugar-free desserts, ice cream and sorbet, as well as a selection of tarts, pastries and other treats.
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Atlantide Restaurant on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
The S.A.L.T. Kitchen menu is divided into two sections. Part of the menu showcases dishes from your cruise region and stays the same the entire voyage. The other part changes daily to reflect the cuisine of that day’s port of call. For example, the day we were docked in Cadiz, Spain, the menu featured Spanish dishes such as tortillitas de camarones (shrimp fritters), pollo a la canilla (chicken with rosemary potatoes and garlic mushrooms) and baked figs made with locally produced sherry.
Aft on Deck 4 is La Terrazza, the restaurant you’ll likely frequent the most. It serves as the ship’s buffet venue for breakfast and lunch with indoor and outdoor seating.
Breakfast features all the standards: a bread and pastry counter; hot dishes like pancakes, eggs and breakfast meat; fruit, yogurt and muesli; even a congee station. You can also request eggs cooked to order from your server.
At lunch, you’ll find a make-your-own salad bar plus premade salads, meats and cheeses, and a selection of breads. Hot dishes range from fine meat-based entrees (lamb chops, lobster tails, filet mignon, herb-crusted chicken) to vegetarian dishes such as a vegetable stew or Indian aloo gobi. You’ll also find a carving station, pizza and an impressive spread of seafood and sushi. Your waiter will inform you about the pasta of the day. The large dessert spread includes a pudding (or other scoopable option), small cakes and pastries, and five flavors of ice cream and sorbet.
Gluten-free dishes are marked.
I enjoyed the one breakfast and lunch I ate at La Terrazza, though service at breakfast was slow and I had to wait longer than expected for my tea and my eggs, given how few guests were dining at the same time. The servers and I also had different ideas about how to approach a buffet; I wanted to make a plate and then find a seat, but they preferred to escort me to a table, which I then had to leave to get my meal.
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La Terrazza on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
In the evening, La Terrazza becomes a sit-down Italian restaurant with a two-part menu. The Quintessence Menu features the restaurant’s historically most popular dishes, such as gnocchi with Parma ham, fresh pasta with tomato sauce and fried eggplants and stuffed calamari. The Adventure Menu showcases modern Italian cuisine, including a leek and goat cheese risotto and a grilled sea bass with stuffed cabbage and anchovy prosecco sauce. You can mix and match dishes from both venues.
Desserts include the fan favorite affogato (gelato with an espresso pour-over), a cheese plate, tiramisu and a gelato and sorbet menu.
Forward of La Terrazza is Kaiseki, Silver Ray’s Japanese restaurant. Come for lunch and you can gorge yourself on sushi and sashimi (as well as beef bao buns and two types of ramen) for free. In the evening, you’ll pay $80 per person for a six-course Omakase menu or a la carte dining. The menu includes a tempura shrimp and vegetable platter, enoki mushroom soup, wagyu beef steak served with a grilled lobster tail and chicken katsu.
Silversea’s longstanding date night restaurant, the French La Dame, received a menu update in time for Silver Ray’s debut. The regular menu highlights traditional French dishes made with expensive ingredients. For $160 per person, you can indulge in foie gras terrine, leek and potato soup with truffle shavings and caviar, lobster and cognac bisque, pan-fried dover sole, filet of grass-fed Limousin beef and a salted caramel souffle.
If that sounds too rich for your liking, you can opt for the new signature degustation menu, created in partnership with chef Jean-Luc Rabanel, who specializes in plant-forward “green cuisine.” The menu is not vegetarian but it emphasizes quality produce as the star of most dishes.
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La Dame on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
The seven-course meal will leave you feeling more than satisfied because you consumed a lot of food and wine, not because the dishes are exceptionally rich. You can taste reasonably sized portions of a mille-feuille of mushrooms with seared duck foie gras, seabass cooked with artichokes and fennel, rack of lamb with creamy polenta and Provencal vegetables, and a pavlova with goat cheese and watermelon and tamarind jam. Each course is paired with wine, either from the complimentary menu or from the premium menu for an upcharge of $90 (wine) to $140 (Champagne) per person.
My degustation meal was delicious, especially since I’m always searching for more vegetables in cruise ship dishes. However, for $160 a head, you’ll get more bang for your buck ordering all the lobster and caviar dishes from the regular menu.
When you need a break from formal dining and heavy multicourse menus, Silver Note on Deck 5 is your antidote. The intimate supper club is one of the few onboard restaurants with a bar in it because it’s half meal, half entertainment. A pianist and jazz singer entertain while you dine on Mediterranean small plates. The dishes are innovatively styled and presented and appeal to more curious palates. If you prefer a plate of meat with a side of veg, stick to Atlantide.
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Silver Note on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
The Silver Note menu is divided into six sections with music-themed names, but there aren’t obvious starters and mains. Pick and choose three to four of your favorites — plus dessert! — and request them to be served in any order you like. I giggled when the tuna ceviche I ordered arrived in a sardine can and my chocolate Black Swan dessert came styled like a swan with chocolate neck and wings. Do not miss the beef tenderloin tournedos, which were soft and buttery, unlike my more chewy lamb.
The new venue on this class of ships (it debuted on Silver Nova), Marquee is the place to be when the weather is warm and sunny. The open-air restaurant is located on the pool deck, Deck 10, and is gorgeous, with blossoming trees sprouting from the seating areas and a lattice-style covering above your head. Sea views abound.
Marquee changes its menu personality based on the time of day. In the morning, it serves lighter fare, such as an acai bowl, pumpkin pancake, avocado on sourdough toast and the more adorable “rainbow mosaic” of five sweet and savory bites on whole wheat brioche (think peaches and cream cheese and prosciutto with fig chutney).
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Marquee restaurant on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
At lunch, you have a choice of two menus. Spaccanapoli serves Neopolitan-style pizza, and the ship has the proper pizza oven to satisfy all the Italians on board. The Grill menu has all your lunchtime favorites: burgers, hot dogs, steak sandwiches and fish-and-chips among them. But you’ll also find poke bowls, pumpkin and chickpea salad, falafel wraps, and a grilled fish of the day. Go as heavy or light as you like. I split a pizza with a friend, and we each ordered a salad starter; it was the perfect alfresco lunch.
Marquee was my favorite of all the restaurants on board due to the beautiful alfresco location and wide-ranging menu of both hearty and light dishes.
In the evening, Marquee transforms again to serve its signature “hot rocks” meals. Pick your favorite high-quality protein — prawns, filet mignon, prime rib-eye steak, New York Strip steak, lamb chops — and you’ll receive it raw … with a hot stone to cook it on. You can also order a signature pizza or cooked-for-you items from the grill. Most passengers enjoy the novelty of the cooking experience at this fan-favorite restaurant, but you can also ask your server to handle the meat for you so you don’t over or undercook your dinner.
Also new on Silver Ray is an expansion of the S.A.L.T. dining experience with the Chef’s Table, which takes place in the S.A.L.T. Lab on Deck 10. The cooking stations are transformed into 18 place settings for an 11-course meal, with cocktail and wine pairings, again celebrating the cruise region of your sailing.
A chef emcees your meal, explaining the highlighted ingredients and their relevance to your cruise region’s food culture. Our chef, German, was funny and engaging and added a lighthearted spirit to a lengthy three-hour meal. The Chef’s Table is a great choice for meeting your fellow food enthusiasts, though the U-shaped seating area means you can only really converse with folks to your immediate left and right. It’s an intriguing dinner option for cruisers looking for a meal that’s modern and inventive; traditional cruise diners should splurge on La Dame instead.
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Chef’s Table on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
Reservations are only taken on board and the cost is $180 per person, making it the most expensive dining experience on the ship.
You do not need reservations for Atlantide, Chef’s Table, lunch at Kaiseki, or breakfast and lunch at Marquee and La Terrazza. You will want to make reservations for La Dame, Silver Note, the Chef’s Table and dinner at Kaiseki, Marquee and La Terrazza.
Silversea takes in-room dining to new heights, with both an extensive room service menu and special Otium in-suite dining experiences. Order a meal to your room, and you won’t be eating off a tray. If you’re not in a suite with a dining table, your butler will place a special table-topper on your coffee table to expand it into a larger dining surface, spread it with a white tablecloth and lay out place settings as if you were eating in a restaurant. Allow 40 minutes for orders to arrive.
The breakfast menu is a full one, with all your breakfast breads and pastries, yogurts and fruit, but also eggs, meats, pancakes and other hot items.
The all-day menu features starters (vegetarian spring rolls, Caesar salad, beef empanadas), wraps and sandwiches (club sandwich, tuna wrap, tandoori vegetable roti), mains (pasta, burgers, butter chicken) and dessert (creme brulee, fruit plate). You’ll even find a children’s room service menu with chicken nuggets, fish fingers, spaghetti with meat sauce, hot dogs, pizza and ice cream sundaes among the offerings.
Of course, you can order Champagne and caviar to your room at any time. However, you cannot order off the Atlantide menu for in-suite dining; you must stick to the official room service menus.
The options continue with the Otium nibbles and comfort food that your butler can also deliver to your cabin, perhaps to enjoy on your balcony. The nibbles include a selection of chocolates or macarons and truffle popcorn (perfect for a relaxing movie night) and special hot chocolates and Otium cocktails (both alcoholic and non). The comfort food menu is only available from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and is decadent; you could indulge in foie gras mousse, lobster ravioli, truffled potato croquette and a salted caramel mousse.
Related: Cruise ship restaurant nirvana: The 10 best meals you can have at sea
Bars
All but the most premium of drinks are included on Silver Ray, so the ship has a convivial culture centered around its many bars. Each has its own menu of signature drinks, though, of course, you can order your favorites around the ship. Look to the last page of each menu for interesting nonalcoholic cocktails.
In the evenings, many of the bars play host to the ship’s musicians. On my cruise, a pianist, violinist and saxophone player made the rounds.
You might not notice Deck 3’s The Shelter on your first day on board because this Champagne bar is tucked away in a corner that you won’t pass through if you aren’t trying to find it. However, it’s the closest bar to the main restaurants, Atlantide and S.A.L.T. Kitchen, so is ideal for a pre- or post-dinner drink. You can taste a variety of fine Champagnes by the glass here.
The hub of the ship is the Deck 4 Arts Cafe, the coffee bar situated midship along a major thoroughfare and next to the Reception and Shore Excursions desks. It was one of my favorite spots to grab a quick bite. You’ll find not only coffee and tea drinks but healthy infused waters, smoothies, parfaits and pastries at breakfast and small sandwiches, scones and small desserts in the afternoon. A small business area with two computer stations and a printer is also in this area.
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Shelter Bar on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
Fans of Silversea’s waiter-served afternoon tea on its older ships might be disappointed to learn that it is not offered on Silver Ray (or sister Silver Nova). Instead, you can order tea, scones and treats every afternoon at the Arts Cafe, but you won’t get white-glove service or an artful presentation of goodies.
Immediately above the Arts Cafe on Deck 5, Dolce Vita is a popular spot for pre- or post-dinner drinks and a menu of classic drinks. A waiter might even stop by with pre-dinner hors d’oeuvres.
All the way forward on Deck 5 is the Panorama Lounge, with indoor and outdoor seating. It’s open from the afternoon into the evening, and there’s always something going on here, whether midday bingo, cocktail hour music or a late-night DJ. It’s got a fun drink menu, as well.
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Connoisseur’s Corner on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
The Connoisseur’s Corner cigar lounge is next door if you need a drink and a smoke; an outdoor cigar smoking area is adjacent. A DIY bar features complimentary drinks, but you can also order premium whiskeys, cognacs and cigars for an extra fee.
Restaurant Silver Note, also on Deck 5, has a small bar where guests who are not dining there can enjoy a beverage and live music. The cocktail menu here leans into the 1920s prohibition-era vibe. Between the dinner crowd and the live music, Silver Note is loud; it’s not the bar for easy conversation.
The drinks are flowing on Deck 10 with four bars. The pool bar has all your refreshing sunny day drinks, like pina coladas, but the Dusk Bar is a lovely spot to enjoy a sundowner or aperitif and gorgeous wake views. Just note that one corner is the smoking area. Personally, I loved the vibe of the Dusk Bar and wished I could spend each evening there.
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Pool Bar on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
The Observation Lounge loses some of its impressiveness on a ship with tons of glass and sea views everywhere, but it does double duty with a collection of games and a self-serve coffee and tea bar. It’s a lovely spot to while away a sea day afternoon when the weather is cool or rainy.
If you want something stronger than coffee, you’ll need to meander over to the adjacent S.A.L.T. bar just outside the S.A.L.T. lab. It specializes in craft cocktails inspired by the ports of call on your itinerary, which means the drink menu here might change a few times during the course of your cruise. If you like trendy drinks made with the most current cocktail techniques and a more intimate vibe than a large lounge, the S.A.L.T. bar will be your go-to spot.
Silver Ray activities
My preview cruise on Silver Ray did not have a typical schedule, but you can expect activities like trivia, arts and crafts, guest lectures, and shuffleboard or golf putting competitions on deck.
Silver Ray’s signature space is the resort-inspired pool area on decks 10 and 11. The ship’s asymmetrical design is most evident here, where the ship’s only pool is off to one side of the ship rather than in the center. It’s surrounded by loungers, all oriented to face the sea rather than the pool. An infinity-style hot tub is above on Deck 11 port side.
You might be surprised at how light and airy the pool deck feels but not know why. It’s because the only thing above the pool is the sky, rather than an oval deck above closing in the space. The deck 11 lounge area runs down the middle of the deck, over the pool bar, instead.
Adding to that resort feel are some shady outdoor lounge areas where you can read or chat in the fresh air, even when a splash and a tan aren’t your top priorities. I especially loved the Orangerie area, forward of the pool deck, with a faux orange tree surrounded by cushy seating and double day beds.
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Silver Ray pool deck. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
A jogging track circles half of Deck 10 between the pool and the Dusk Bar. (The glass elevators mean no wraparound promenade on Deck 4.) Mixed in with the sunbathing areas are a series of games (golf putting, giant chess and tic-tac-toe) at the very front of Deck 11.
The Otium Spa on Deck 5 forward keeps the ship’s sea-view theme going with floor-to-ceiling windows in the two-room fitness center, salon and thermal areas. Treat yourself to a massage, facial, wrap or scrub. The Otium experiences are the ultimate treat; let someone massage you into bliss for 100 minutes, though expect to pay hundreds of dollars for these top-end treatments.
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Otium Spa on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
To counteract that splurge, you can enjoy the ship’s thermal areas for free. Both the men’s and women’s dressing rooms have complimentary steam rooms and dry saunas; in between is a shared spa pool. Both the pool and the sauna have windows, so you can watch the world go by. Complimentary scrubs are available; rub them on your body before you get into the steam room, then enjoy your super-soft skin once you’ve showered off.
The fitness center is impressive for a small ship, with plenty of treadmills, elliptical machines and stationary bikes; a collection of free weights and resistance machines; and a room for exercise classes, with both in-person and digital options on a large-screen TV. You won’t find bottles of water, but you will find a water bottle filling station.
The Venetian Lounge on decks 4 and 5 is a full two-story theater, unlike the one-deck, cabaret-style show lounges you’ll find on older Silversea ships. Entertainment will be a mix of song-and-dance shows by the ship’s onboard performers, guest entertainers and local acts brought on board when the ship stays late in port. Other lectures and events also take place here.
If you haven’t parted with enough money yet, you can go on a shopping spree at the ship’s boutiques on decks 4 and 5 adjacent to the Venetian Lounge. The shop on Deck 4 sells sundries, Silversea logowear, some regional items and children’s gifts, while the Deck 5 boutiques sell high-end perfumes, purses, resortwear and jewelry. The lifelike mannequins posed around the shops might cause you to do a double-take when you first glimpse them — you’re not the only person to have that reaction.
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Venetian Lounge on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
A tiny casino across from the Deck 5 shops is easy to miss, but you can also get rid of excess cash (or perhaps win some shopping money) at the few gaming tables and slots open when the ship is at sea.
On the other end of Deck 5, an adorable little library has the cutest Instagrammable reading nooks. Below it, on Deck 4, just outside of Kaiseki is a photo gallery of art by renowned photographer Steve McCurry, who partners with Silversea. You’ll find his photographs in other corridors, as well.
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Reading corner on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
Like libraries? There’s a hidden one within the Observation Lounge on Deck 10. Look for the door on your lefthand side as you round the corner toward the back of the ship. Inside is a gorgeous wood-paneled room with comfortable seating and a ceiling lit to resemble a starry sky.
A Silversea beverage manager told me that the library will soon feature a mystery cocktail experience. Hidden within the regular books you can borrow will be special hollow books with an empty glass and a mini cocktail menu inside. You’ll bring the book back to the adjacent S.A.L.T. bar to get your drink made.
Silver Ray’s culinary focus and S.A.L.T. program extend to onboard activities as well. Deck’s 10 S.A.L.T. Lab is a demonstration kitchen with 12 work stations that can be shared by two people and gorgeous prep spaces and flat-screen TVs to watch the chefs work. An onboard chef will lead hourlong cooking classes that introduce guests to recipes of the cruise region. We made Portuguese tarts and a trifle with egg custard, and our chef instructor was sassy and fun. Classes are complimentary but you must sign up in advance.
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S.A.L.T. Lab on Silver Ray. ERICA SILVERSTEIN/THE POINTS GUY
Take your treats out the glass doors of the lab to some alfresco dining tables just behind.
In addition, passengers can attend S.A.L.T. food-and-wine-oriented talks by onboard and guest lecturers to learn more about the culinary culture of the places they’re visiting on vacation.
Silver Ray does not have a kids club, though its activity staff will put on kids programming on itineraries with a higher-than-usual number of children. They use out-of-the-way spaces on the ship, such as a little room off the tender boarding area on Deck 2 or the forward sun deck area on Deck 11 with the outdoor games.
The ship might not always cater to young cruisers, but it does employ gentleman hosts on longer sailings to accompany single ladies to dinner and dancing in the evenings. The line clearly knows and understands its core demographic.
Related: 5 best Silversea Cruises destinations
Silver Ray itineraries and pricing
Silver Ray will spend its summers in the Mediterranean and its winters in the Americas. The ship debuts in Europe and will sail five- to 12-night Eastern and Western Mediterranean cruises through the fall. It will then cross the Atlantic and sail around South America, including an epic 71-day round-South America cruise from late January to early April 2025.
The ship will return to the Mediterranean for the summer of 2025, crossing back to Fort Lauderdale at the end of November 2025. In winter 2025-2026, Silver Ray will explore the Caribbean and Central America before returning to Europe in early April 2026.
Fares start at $4,800 per person, based on double occupancy, for port-to-port fares (no flights) or $6,700 for door-to-door fares (flights and transfers included) for a six-night Mediterranean cruise in 2025 in a Classic Veranda Suite.
A seven-night South America cruise starts at $4,300 (port-to-port) in a Deluxe Veranda Suite in January 2025. (Door-to-door fares are not available for this cruise, and lower-category cabins are waitlisted.)
An 11-night Caribbean cruise in December 2025 starts at $5,800 per person (port-to-port) or $7,000 per person (door-to-door) in a Classic Veranda Suite.
What to know before you go
Required documents
Most of Silver Ray’s itineraries depart from overseas ports, so guests will need a valid passport to travel. It’s your responsibility to check if the countries you’re visiting require an additional visa or that your passport is valid for three to six months beyond your visit.
You will also need to fill out preboarding documents online before your cruise.
Gratuities
Silversea’s all-inclusive fares cover all crew gratuities, and tipping is neither expected nor required. The only exception on board is spa treatments, where an 18% gratuity is baked into the price and you are not asked to tip extra.
You should also bring cash to tip luggage porters and tour guides in port.
Wi-Fi
All passengers can access the ship’s Wi-Fi for free. Passengers in Veranda Suites receive unlimited standard internet (basic browsing, messaging and emailing) on one device and passengers in higher-category suites get unlimited premium internet access (streaming and video calling) on multiple devices. You can upgrade one device for $29 a day, or you can purchase a package at a discount. On my five-night sailing, I paid $145 to upgrade from standard Wi-Fi on one device to premium Wi-Fi on four for the duration of the cruise.
Silversea cautions that it might restrict certain sites for bandwidth reasons.
Carry-on drinks policy
All drinks are complimentary on Silver Ray, with the exception of the most expensive wines and liquors. However, if you are particular to certain brands, you can bring on board an unlimited amount of wine and liquor, both on embarkation day and in ports of call, and you do not have to pay a corkage fee.
Smoking policy
Smoking is only permitted in select locations on Silver Ray. Guests may not smoke in public areas, suites or private balconies. The only locations on Silver Ray where passengers may light up are in the Connoisseur’s Corner cigar lounge and the outdoor space adjacent to it, and on the port side of the outdoor Dusk Bar. Cigar and pipe use is only permitted in the Connoisseur’s Corner.
Laundry
You have two options for doing laundry on Silver Ray. You can take the lazy vacation option and pay for the ship’s laundry team to wash, press or wet clean your clothes. Leave your dirty clothes for the butler who will whisk it away and return your items impeccably folded.
Or, you can take the economical, self-service route and do your own washing and ironing in the ship’s complimentary launderettes, found in suite corridors near the forward stairwells on decks 6, 8 and 9, and aft on Deck 7. Detergent is available, as are ironing boards and a utility sink. Don’t believe the time the machine tells you your wash will take; it was off by a factor of two when I did laundry on board.
Passengers in the higher-category suites (Medallion and up), as well as select Venetian Society loyalty program members, receive complimentary laundry service.
Electrical outlets
Suites feature 110-volt (U.S.), 220-volt (European), USB-A and USB-C outlets both by the beds and by the desk.
Currency
The onboard currency is the U.S. dollar regardless of where Silver Ray is in the world. The ship operates on a cashless system. You will use your cruise keycard to pay for all purchases, and then receive a final bill at the end of the cruise. You can pay that bill with a credit card (Visa, Mastercard or American Express) that you’ve registered with the ship or with cash.
You can request a cash advance on board, but will be charged a 2% fee on the amount.
Drinking age
The minimum drinking age on Silver Ray is 21. The ship’s crew can also refuse to serve alcohol to anyone they deem excessively inebriated or a danger to others on board.
Dress code
Pack for your cruise like you would for a stay at a high-end resort. During the day, you’ll want casual outfits suitable for the day’s weather and activities, including appropriate cover-ups for swimwear and comfortable shoes for walking. Guests tend to be stylish and elegant even when dressed casually.
In the evening, after 6 p.m., guests should adhere to Silver Ray’s posted dress code, though casual attire is permitted in outdoor venues. The dress code falls into two categories:
Elegant Casual: Think date-night dress. Women will want to pack casual dresses or blouses to pair with skirts or nice trousers. Men should wear slacks and open-collared shirts; jackets are optional.
Formal Optional: On these nights, passengers can stick with Elegant Casual attire or take their attire up a notch; however, men are expected to wear a jacket indoors. Ladies may wish to don cocktail dresses, evening gowns or dressy pants suits, while men should consider a tuxedo or dark suit with a tie.
When dining in La Dame, men are required to wear a jacket, regardless of the evening’s dress code. Also, after 6 p.m., passengers should refrain from wearing jeans, shorts, sneakers or flip-flops indoors.
Crew members will enforce the dress code. If you do not feel like dressing up, you can order complimentary room service or dine in the ship’s outdoor restaurant, Marquee.
Bottom line
Silver Ray is a ship with the potential to appeal to a wide swath of luxury travelers. Older travelers who prefer the classic cruise dining experience, formal service and an evening spent chatting over drinks with a pianist or violinist playing in the background will find all of that on board. Younger (or young-at-heart) explorers will gravitate toward the more edgy dining venues and modern menus, craft cocktails at the S.A.L.T. Bar and the resort-style pool deck. Anyone looking for a high-end cruise experience will appreciate Silver Ray’s spacious cabins and views for days as they travel the globe.
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