This is my first attempt at writing a review--hope it will convey how much we loved this trip! This was our first time on Silversea... had been on the Voyager last year LA to Sydney. So I can make comparisons here and there as I write.

Embarkation: This was not a high point of the trip! The water taxi dropped us off at the pier closest to the ship and there was no one there from Silversea to take our luggage. Apparently we were supposed to be dropped off at another place but this was not made clear to us. After a few minutes of just standing there wondering what to do, a nice young Silversea staffer showed up and encouraged us to go into the terminal to wait and she would watch our luggage. We put our trust in her and went in...we were early (embarkation was from 3:00 on and we showed up at 2:00). Well, 3:00 arrived and nothing was happening...passengers were all grumbling and milling around, no one seemed in charge. Silversea staff looked embarrassed. We were finally led to the embarkation area and stood around some more--apparently the Italian customs people were having problems with the xray machines. Finally at around 4 or later, we started to go through to board. People were not happy...past passengers said this is very untypical for Silversea, so not sure what happened. But as soon as we got on the ship and were handed champagne and smoked salmon canapes and had our pictures taken and were escorted by a smiling stewardess to our cabin, all the hassles were forgotten.

Cabin: We were in a deck 5 vista suite with a common veranda. I think this is a great compromise if you are not inclined to spend a good deal more for a verandah suite. We loved being able to just open the door and go out on deck even if you couldn't sit out there. The cabin is the same as on Voyager--double sinks though, which was nice. The Shadow had been in wet dock the day or two before we boarded and new DVD players were installed (however there were no DVDs yet in the library, just some very old VCR tapes--the DVDs will be arriving very soon, we were told).

Ship: Silver Shadow is so much like the Voyager that we felt very much at home right away. Deck 4 was closed for replacement of carpets so ship was not at capacity. Never seemed crowded anywhere or any lines at any time. Plenty of deck chairs, and not only around the pool. Also on jogging deck and outside of lounges on upper deck. Computer lounge on the Voyager is definitely superior...these computers were not equipped with any photo editing software and the IT person assigned to help was not always there.

Staff and service: This is where I think Silversea shines...did not experience one moment of less than gracious service...waitstaff in the Restaurant remembered your preferences even if you had been served by them just once or twice. Maitre d's in Restaurant and Terrace Cafe were outstanding in their desire to please.
Of course, there is no one like Captain Dag...we missed his daily poems and interaction with the passengers. This captain was not as fluent in English and tended to let the Cruise Director make the announcements. But the Captain was flexible enough to give us a ride all around the island of Capri as we passed by one day at lunchtime. Definitely a lunch to remember!

Entertainment and casino: can't comment on these areas but those who did go to the shows seemed very happy with them. We did get a taste of one show (mini Las Vegas review)during the deck bbq--lots of energy, pretty girls in skimpy costumes (my husband seemed very entertained by this:) The best entertainment though was the fabulous fireworks display that same night in Valletta (Malta) which went on for hours. The captain delayed our departure so we could watch most of it...unforgettable!

Dining: I would say that the Voyager did a better job at breakfast time in the Cafe in terms of the variety and presentation of their
buffet but at the other meals I think that the Shadow would be the winner. This might be matter of personal taste but as a sushi lover, just having that platter of sushi on the buffet at lunch everyday was a high point for me. Really a nice variety of offerings at lunch, not just salads recycled from what was served for dinner the night before. The Terrace Cafe had theme nights with a set 5 course dinner and we thought the food was outstanding there (almost like a private party and the chef was cooking for you and a few friends). We did not try the Champagne restaurant--menu didn't appeal to us. Since we are not big drinkers (boy,do we sound boring!), can't say that the all-inclusive was that big a deal, but it was nice not to have to think about extra costs for anything.

Passengers: This was definitely a younger crowd than those on the segment of the Voyager world cruise that we were on. Almost all the shore excursions involved extensive walking and this particular itinerary might not appeal to those less active. People were friendly, very well-dressed, and having a good time. Large group from Naples FL were clients of a private bank so they really were enjoying the perks of a free cruise.

Itinerary and shore excursions: Ports were Venice,Rovinj, Split, Dubrovnik, Siracusa, Valletta, Taormina, ending in Rome. We did not see another large passenger ship in any of these ports while we were there...I think RSSC has a more knowledgeable tour staff though. I missed the slide shows that we had on the Voyager which really prepared you as to what you were going to see. Not much help for independent sightseeing. Ship sponsored tours were good, depending on which guide you had, and groups were kept very small, sometimes only 15 people on a large bus. For me, the most outstanding ports were Dubrovnik and Taormina, just for the stunning beauty and history.

Disembarkation: Now this was handled beautifully...we relaxed by the pool until our group was called. Escorted by staff to find our bags and then onto the bus to the airport. The only negative here was the charge of $90 per person for a 45 minute trip to the airport. We might have done better pre-arranging a taxi.

This is just a basic review--I would be glad to answer any questions. For any one hesitating on whether or not to try Silversea, I say go for it...if you love RSSC, you will be very happy with Silversea as well.

Susan