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Q&A

Q&A

Brendan Maguire

Managing director

If Only

 

Maguire was one of almost 100 UK travel professionals invited onboard for the shakedown cruise.

was this your first time on a Silversea ship? I had been on two Silversea ships before – but only in port. I’ve only ever been on one cruise, with another line, and I was unimpressed. Silver Muse struck me as more contemporary than others in the fleet and just the perfect size. If their goal was to offer discerning guests the ultimate in luxury and comfort, they have succeeded. I absolutely loved the experience.

What were your favourite elements of Silver Muse? Service. Despite being a six-star product, there was no question of the experience being “stuffy” – quite the reverse. All the staff were extremely accommodating without ever being obtrusive.

Do you think muse will appeal to the UK market? Absolutely – because of the sublime furnishings and luxurious surroundings, the excellent staff who gave the impression that they felt honoured to work for Silversea, the exquisite food and wines and the general ambience.

Does this change how much cruise If Only will feature? Cruising is a relatively modest part of our portfolio but this is an area of the market we had been looking to expand in. Based on my recent experience, this is now a given.

Comment: April Hutchinson

Comment: April Hutchinson

There is little to make the ship stand out from what’s come before in the ultra-luxury sector, but everything screams quality nonetheless – interiors are calm and classy on this beautiful ship, but there’s no immediate wow moment as you enter. That's no bad thing though, and the 600 pieces of art on the ship have wow-factor of their own. And in my suite, I sank into Pratesi linens, showered with Bulgari amenities, wrapped up in an Etro robe and marvelled at the TV cleverly installed behind the giant smoked-glass mirror.

The line could have taken the opportunity to make the suite wider, however. Of course, larger categories suffer no such affliction and I especially liked the Silver Suites. When it comes to dining, gone is the large main restaurant; instead, Atlantide and Indochine are split to offer two options for larger-scale fine dining, which seems a good move. They share a foyer with Kaiseki (the teppanyaki option at night has a $60 charge) and La Dame (also $60 per diner), with its Relais & Chateaux affiliation.

The supper club, Silver Note, made for a nice evening, mixing a Peruvian ceviche with Nordic raw cuisine and the sounds of a jazz vocalist. I also enjoyed the Arts Cafe on Deck 8, with its books, pieces by Italian artists and Illy coffee. Silversea boss Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio says Silver Muse is an “evolution” not a revolution. I think he’s chosen the right manifesto.

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