So Ken and I boarded the Silver Ray yesterday. Some of our clients have been raving about the two new Silversea ships, the Ray and the Nova. Asking me to check these ships out. So I got approved on the Ray last week and here I am sitting in my cabin which is VERY nice.

First Impression overview after just 24 hours - lot to learn still.

Regent new ships are American with the WOW factor with lots of glitz.
• Entry - Greeted by high ceilings and a beautiful chandelier and magnificent stairs, lots of marble.
• Main dining room. A different wow factor with each ship – the Grandeur is stunning with the fabulous white tree ceiling.
• Higher ceilings in the public areas
• Lots of glitz in the restaurants, lounges
• Standard F & E suites have a bigger closet, both shower and bath, bigger sq.ft.

Silversea is European with the conservative classy style, soft subtle colors in most areas.
• Entry, just enter into the ship at the stairway.
• Lower ceilings on the ship no high ceiling areas, except the main show lounge with upstairs seating.
• Main dining room dark colors like an old time steak house restaurant
• Elevators are on the outside of the ship where you can see the sea - thats neat.
• The four lower priced suites are exactly same. Priced based on location. Extremely well designed, smaller but do not feel smaller.
I will take photos as we go. Some have a shower and some have a bathtub.

I was told initially the food was not as good on Silversea but I think the ships are equal on the food. Both ships have pros & cons on this subject. There are two additional cost restaurants on Silversea.

I will keep updating this thread as we will learn more as we continue the cruise.

OBSERVATION LOUNGE - having some issues posting these pictures. Will do my best and will get them up when I can.


This is the Library in a room off the Observation lounge, with the stunning ceiling which is carried through to the Observation lounge in the carpet. The Observation lounge has two areas. The bar where there are lots of chairs and groups of chairs. Then you go through a door to a different area that is shown on the following pictures.

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There is a nice coffee / tea self serve area in the middle of this part of the lounge


Singular groups of chairs along the window.


The "games" area is at the end of the circular windows chairs.

Thank you Ngaire.

Going on a tour tomorrrow but if I have time in the afternoon I will share the pictures of the suite, all of the four types of suites are the same just location on the ship determines the pricing.

Will be interested in seeing the pictures.

The ladies vanity. Notice the drawer and all the dividers.



Bathroom is large. On each side of the main counter top there is a deep drawer that has a sliding part in the drawer that moves from front to back. Making storage capacity huge! Unique idea and this is in place in the desk with the TV as well. The dividers are fantastic. The shower is large has a rain shower and the hand held. There is a bench to sit on in the shower.

There are many drawers we did not use them all.









The closet is not as big as Regent but it has a long hanging bar and then a two tier hanging bars right inside the door. Plus a safe and 3 drawers and 4 shelfs. Worked just fine for us.



I love the two desk areas. The vanity I am using for my desk and Ken is using the other desk. It is a well designed suite. Feels bigger than the quoted square footage. Two full length mirrors. One in the bathroom and one in the main cabin.

This cabin does not have all the glasses that fill up a lot of the space on the main cabinet area. Just two champagne and two drinking glasses.

This glass piece is in La Dame. Picture does not do it justice.


Kaiseki the Asian restaurant.


The Arts Cafe (like the coffee corner) This was on boarding. Still have nice things but not like this on every day.


Atlantide the main restaurant no reservations required.

SOME QUICK COMPARISONS

Tough Choice - Regent or Silversea. Both are excellent cruise lines things are just a little different between the "American" concept and the "European" concept. .

Dinner - Silversea has 2 pay restaurants at night. La Dame $160pp and Kaiseki $80 pp. More international dishes in the main restaurant.
Regent has a different menu each night and also at dinner they have the "Always Available" menu which offers something for everyone.Both great with a nod to Regent.

Breakfast and lunch about the same on both ships. Buffet bigger on Silversea but not necessarily better. If you like pizza there are tons of options on Silversea.

Cabins - both great! Silversea great design, Regent 100 sq ft bigger.

Staff outstanding on both lines. Silversea has more staff from all over the world. Regent has more Filopino's.

Guests - Silversea has a lot of Europeans and Regent has mostly English speaking guests, changes the atmosphere a little.

Silversea Arts Cafe - fancier than the coffee corner with lots of cakes and cookies. Seating on lush couches and chairs with tiny tables. Very European. Regent Coffee Corner different concept. Looks like a coffee shop. Chairs and tables which to me is more comfortable when eating and drinking. Very American. Some will like the Art Cafe some will like the Coffee Corner.

Tours - Silversea has at least one tour in each port included in your fare. Least expensive tour was around $60 pp. But many were very expensive. I was told that Silversea has guests meet in different shipboard locations for tours so not the "big" Regent crowd in the theatre. I thought that was a good idea. HOWEVER on this cruise all tours met on the dock. First day light rain and heavy wind. Today a really heavy wind and everyone was blown to pieces. They stood out there for a long time. Seems to me meeting on the ship is better even if it is a big crowd.

Laundry - Silversea for a charge. After 100 nights on Silversea you get free laundry. Regent laundry is free for everyone.

Butlers - Silversea has a butler for all cabins and only one room steward. Regent has two room stewards and only has butlers for large suites only. Personally I do not need and do not like having a butler. On rare occassions it has been helpful to have a butler IT ALL DEPENDS on the Butler.

WHAT IS BETTER - SILVERSEA OR REGENT?

SILVERSEA: Not all inclusive - costs for tours, restaurants, no laundry. Wines are mostly European. Ship is nice with an understated decor I am sure less expensive to build than the Regent ships. Diverse passengers create a different atmosphere. I have been on other Silversea ships but the RAY and NOVA are quite different. Both identical except interior finish out.

REGENT: True All Inclusive. Built with focus on first class with "everything" the new ships have the "wow" factor. I am sure they are more expensive ships. Free tours, free laundry, all restaurants included. Primarily Amercian, Canadian & Australian and English speaking guests.

Any questions? Post on LCT or email me at keene@keenetravel.com

I am not doing anymore Silversea Expedition Cruises. Been almost everywhere Expedition ships go. So I am looking at Silversea classic cruises now with a few options with a lower price point for any one who wants to try out Silversea. Under consideration now is the following. I will decide for sure and send out a flyer when I get back.

SILVER RAY - 4/16/2026 to 4/27/2026 - 11 days - Spain and a day in Morroco
Barcelona - Ibiza - Plama de Mallorca (2 days) day at sea - Cadiz - Tangier, Morroco, Malaga - Carttagena, Valencia, Barcelona

Port to Port starts at $5,950 per person - that puts the fare at $540 per person per day.
Remember the four regular cabins are identical, location dictates the price.

MISSED ONE DETAIL THAT IS GREAT

EMBARKATION ON THE SHIP IS ON DECK 2 OR DECK 3 - NO BIG LONG GANGWAY TO WALK UP TO GET ON THE SHIP.
JUST BOARD FROM THE DOCK OR A SLIGHT RAMP TO GET INTO THE SHIP NOT STEPS. SO SENSIBLE!!!!!

Interesting reading on the comparison between the two cruise lines. Thank you for taking the time to do that.
The one thing you did not mention was a comparison on the dress codes. Does Silversea still require the men to wear jackets for dinner at all restaurants?
June

Only has to wear a jacket on FORMAL nights - no tie required just a jacket. Every other night is like Regent.

June,
Also, jackets are required for men when dining in La Dame. Looking forward to seeing you and Ralph in Stockholm!

Hi there
Ralph and I are looking forward to seeing you and Alice again in August on the Stockholm to Hamburg and beyond cruises.
Thanks for the info on the men’s jacket query. Ralph probably can’t remember the last time he wore a jacket !
June

Hi June.. we’ve recently done 2 cruises on the Silver Nova which is much the same as the Ray. Really enjoyed the different experience. Dress code is exactly like Regent except jacket for men on formal night in most of the restaurants but many who didn’t want to do this ate at the Marquee, a beautiful indoor outdoor casual dining area open all day and evening. It’s where you can do the Hot Rocks if you wish. We went there several times for dinner and enjoyed the ambience. Another dining venue we enjoyed very much was Silver Note, a nightclub atmosphere with dining and piano player and singer.

Ngaire, thanks for sharing all this useful information and photos.

RIVERSIDE CRUISE - NUREMBERG to BUCHAREST

Sorry I have not had time to do posting on 4 nights in Prague and then our Riverside cruise from Nuremburg to Bucharest.
Our room in Prague was HUGE. The Julius Hotel. Kitchen area with dishwasher, microwave and then a sitting area next to that.

The bedroom was large and more closets and drawers than anyone could use. Everything was first class. A his and hers, sink areas in different rooms and one shared toilet. Closets and drawers impossible to fill if we were there for a year!

We did guided tours with an excellent guide. I will post some pictures once I do the write up.

First place we went was to Karlovy Vary. This is a spa town and I had no idea why they were taking us there and it was about a 2 hour drive from Prague. Turned out to be incredible, stunning buildings on a canal one of the most beautiful places we have been. There were running mineral waters running that you could taste. Not tasty at all.



Next day a castle, Karilstejn. Not great certainly have seen better castles.



Then on to Kutna Hora. But overall, the two days were great with an outstanding guide.





Some quick details. Ship is great and the food is fantastic, the staff is outstanding. The tours have been very good with knowledgeable guides. Everyone is happy! Lots of beautiful churches and towns.

HIGHLIGHTS ON THE RIVERSIDE DEBUSSY
Lots of options for tours that included towns and churches. Too many details so will just do the highlights.

Bavarian Home Visit in Germany, Passau .

This picture below was after the hike up to the house then the final steps.



Not what I expected.

Met by the home owner who walked us up a very steep hill then lots of steps to her home. It was at the very top of the hill with medieval type turret. After we finally got there then they had us walk down on the other side of the house to a canal. Beautiful spot with locals walking their dogs. Then a climb back up to their house.



She served us some refreshments then suggested we walk up to the turret. Three levels of windy stairs. We expected a beautiful site but there was a tiny window that you could not reach due to all the items in the small turret area.

Overall, I think it was probably the best excursions even with all the big steps with no handrails. She had tons of energy and her husband was a doctor that had a car he had and old he completely renovated, a Peugeot. They had two dogs that wanted to play with you. Definitely memorable.



MELK ABBEY. The most absolutely stunning Abbey Not supposed to take pictures but Ken took this one before he saw the NO PICTURES sign just a tiny picture of the mist beautiful abbey I



[b]VIENNA - GREAT PLACE TO VISIT.

We went on a tour to the Hofburg Palace that also included the treasury with so many incredible items. More than the brain can absorb, crowns, garments, jewels. It was absolutely amazing. The Hofburg Palace also included the museum of SiSi one of the most famous Queens in history. I have seen three films about SiSi so I found this fascinating. Vienna is a stunningly beautiful,



That night we had a special event in the Belvedere Palace[/b]. We were the ONLY people in the building which was closed to the public. We saw many classic paintings including the original “Kiss” which was on display.



After the paintings and beautiful building we were treated to a classical concert with a quite large group of artists and two incredible opera type singers that were really good. A spectacular night.

[img]https://i.postimg.cc/SqD8X9m0/IMG-0430.jpg[/img]

[b]BUDAPEST
Today we are in Budapest and about half our group is leaving today. We will miss them all the dinners and gatherings have been so delightful. Only about 45 people on board and we were over 50% of the guests.

This is a fantastic product but have confusing rules on the categories of pricing. First level just room and board with the only drinks included water, tea and coffee. Next level board and unlimited drinks, third level the whole package. Room, drinks and excursions. Once you get over that complicated process the food and service is outstanding and the guides and tours have been great.

The staff are mostly the same staff that were on these ships when Crystal owned these river boats. They need to make booking simpler and advertise their product more which is outstanding. So today we said goodbye to about half of our group as we head toward 6 more days onboard ending in Budapest.

Unfortunately I have had trouble getting on LCT. Finally this morning we have access but it is slow.

Things continue to be outstanding. The big thing is the food. The range of food on the breakfast buffet along with egg orders cooked exactly as you like is great. Lunch is again full of so many varities of foods and dinner never fails to please. It is really amazing. Everything is FRESH no long term storing of food. It arrives at most ports. It seems like they cook what they get and seldom is the same dish served a second time.

THe cabins are reallly well designed. Nice desk space (once you remove all the items offered like coffee machine, hot water , ice bucket etc.) we had them take it all away. A self service fancy coffee machine and snacks area is open 24 hours a day on deck 2 and all types of teas are available. Two sinks, well sized bathroom with drawers and a shelf for your products. THe shower is set ot the perfect heat (you can change the temperature to your liking) just touch the button and the hot water is there. An overhead shower and a hand held shower that is in a holder. I never move it the hand held in perfect location for me. THe service and warmth of the crew if fantastic.

THe lack of a balcony is nothing. All that extra space is in the room and the top area of the panoranic window goes down with the push of a button. That panoramic window is great. Love watchng the view without a door in the way. Makes the cabin feel so spacious. Been a while since i have been on a river boat and i am in love with this product.

Tours have been very good with outstanding guides. I think this is easier to do in Europe and harder when you travel the world like Regent does and the quality of guides varies so much. THey have bought on the boat at night some local entertainment . Once was a soprano accompanied by a harp, last night after dinner a group playing popular music. Of course we had the concert at night in Vienna.

Just ALL GOOD!

So we lost a lot of friends in Budapest. Quiet without the gang.

SORRY MY PICTURES REFUSE TO LOAD. WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL I GET BETTER INTERNET.

Our first stop was in a small town MOHACS with an unusual custom. Once a year they dress up as monsters and have a party. Reason for this makes no sense. Picture with monster will follow.


Next stop NOVI SAD. We visited an artist high above the river. Terrific viewpoint. He never wears shoes and has an abundance of sculptures and paintings.

On to BELGRADE. Took a walking tour with an excellent guide. The church was “mind blowing” I have seen a lot of churches in my time. This is all mosaic. No way you could remember all the stunning aspects of this church. No seating standing only during services. We then went to a delightful town.





DONJI MIANOVAC - Serbia
A World Heritage Center. Amazing discovery and in a large enclosure there are graves dating back thousands of years. Really an amazing visit. It was a huge complex.

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VIDIN - a mid sized town and a huge castle type fortress to stop invaders. Lots of
weapons were on display. I met a girl from RIVERSIDE STAFF on the tour and we started talking. She asked my name and immediately got it. Which seldom happens. She lives in Germany. I asked her if she was born there she said “I was born in New Zealand”. Also lived very close to where I lived. That’s why she got my name immediately. Super lady.

THE IRON GATES. A lot to see in the river to the iron gates. Old monasteries, rock carvings, great scenery. Unfortunately we went through the iron gates at night. But it was all lit up so we could see the process.



BUCHAREST - RAIN, RAIN, AND MORE RAIN. We checked into the JW Marriott. Fabulous hotels with many food option. Dick and Kate were with us. The hotel had a pizza restaurant and we ordered two pastas and it was enough for the four of us and very inexpensive. They drive like maniacs here thought we would be “dead on arrival”.

GREAT TRIP - GREAT SHIP - OUTSTANDING FUN GROUP - EXTREMELY GOOD FOOD - GREAT STAFF. [img]http://[/img]