Going Transatlantic on the Silversea’s Silver Dawn
Crossing the Atlantic on an Upscale Floating Day Camp on Silver Seas Dawn
By Captain Tab Hauser
Senior Writer and Photographer
It was on a repositioning voyage between Barbados and Portugal that I celebrated my tenth anniversary away from the business world with my first transatlantic cruise. The ship I was aboard, the Silver Dawn, was also celebrating her first birthday in service taking 12 leisurely days for the crossing.
Cruising transatlantic is different than going port to port each day. The Dawn did not see land for seven calm days.
For sea days, many guests just disconnect and “veg out”. During our crossing, I saw people who parked themselves on lounge chairs by the pool and watched the big open ocean go by.
Their objective was to read and snooze. Stuart Hill, a Miami real estate expert said “It is about total relaxation at sea… yes, I will check email, but I do a lot of deleting. At sea my cell phone is off and I read trashy novels to unwind”.
Adult Day Camp with Cocktails
While many guests like to relax, others like to keep busy. During sea days there were so many activities aboard, that the Dawn felt like a fun floating adult day camp. (That is, a day camp with cocktails included and no curfew).
Activities started at 7:30 AM and ended at 5:30 PM. Except for the cooking classes, sign-up was not needed. Guests were able to drop in and out of an activity as they pleased.
Lectures on the Silver Dawn
Of the activities, lectures aboard were given twice a day. Topics included photography and their cell phone app use, crime solving, music, and other cultural topics.
There were also a few entertaining cooking lectures that discussed and prepared the food of the regions visited with a matched cocktail.
My favorite activity was a Silversea exclusive called the S.A.L.T. Cooking Laboratory. S.A.L.T. stands for Sea and Land Taste.
It is here that a dozen guests, get hands-on experience in a professional kitchen. Recipes used were from the regions that the ship calls on.
The class is for people looking to try a new recipe. Also, if you are “kitchen challenged”, this is the place to get out of your comfort zone and try something new with no pressure.
Trainer-Led Sunrise Walk
For the body, guests can start their day at 7:30 AM with the trainer-led sunrise walk followed by yoga, Pilates, and seminars on different health topics. For working out, the Dawn has a large, fully equipped gym.
Guests can continue their wellness at the Roman-inspired Otivm Spa. Taking up a roomy 8500 square feet in the aft section, you will find single and couples treatment rooms, a steam and sauna room, a salon, and an indoor and outdoor relaxation area.
On board, there were old fashion shipboard activities. These included friendly competitions in the daily trivial pursuit, bingo, ping pong, putting, and shuffleboard for prize points. The casino also held tournaments. Movies were shown daily.
The card game bridge was also offered. Each day at 10 AM beginners were encouraged to learn. At 11 AM it was the intermediate lessons, with advance play in the afternoon. I found this game challenging to the brain and fun.
For the artist in you, there was a watercolor class at 11 AM every morning. Each day another theme was presented to paint.
Guests ranged from artistic to “artistically challenged”, but all had fun. Everyone’s artwork was exhibited at the end of the cruise in the main bar.
Lunch and Learn
A one-time informative and tasty activity was the executive chef’s gourmet wine “lunch and learn” for 24 guests at $69.
While sipping a 2012 Dom Perignon Champaign the chef prepared an appetizer of green asparagus salad with Mascarpone perfumed with white truffles.
For the entrée, it was a honey-spiced duck. The dessert was a crispy Chocolate Tart with Hazelnut ice cream. Each dish was paired with fine premium wine presented by the head sommelier.
My time at sea was a mix of activities, catching up on my travel writings, photo editing, and relaxing.
Late afternoons found me in the pool or one of the ship’s two hot tubs, with a cocktail in hand watching the ocean go by.
Captain’s Noon Time Chat
At noon each day the ship’s horn would get our attention and Captain Samuele Failla would give us a daily briefing. This included the Dawn’s location, speed, miles traveled, sea conditions, wind, and weather.
This was followed by an interesting five-minute nautical talk of the day. Topics included the use of flags, sailor superstitions, and the history of the christening of ships. (FYI: Sophia Loren holds the record with 33)
The Perfect-sized Ship
The Silver Dawn was the 10th ship in the Silversea fleet launched in March of 2022. While it is 698 feet long, it is considered a small ship as she carries 596 guests and a crew of 411.
This means there is a lot more space per person than similar-sized ships that carry more passengers. You see this space in the suites, bar/lounge areas, gym, spa, pool, and the roomy dining rooms.
I found the Dawn the perfect size because it is large enough to have eight restaurants and nightly entertainment.
It was also nice to be just a few minutes from my suite or anything else aboard. Aboard I never felt crowded or rushed.
The Butler Did It
Silversea is an all-inclusive up-scale experience. Suites come with a shared butler who takes care of anything you require.
This can include unpacking your luggage to bringing Champagne and Caviar to your suite.
He made sure our mini bar was always stocked with Champagne, snacks, beer, water, and soft drinks that were included.
Every four days he delivered a box of fine chocolates that were in addition to the chocolates left at turn down.
He helped with laundry, confirmed excursions, made dinner reservations, arranged room service, and worked well with the cabin attendant. When in the hallway, he was always quick to open our door.
Top Shelf Beverages on Board
Drinks aboard are included and are top shelf. You can try a different high-end gin, vodka, aged rum, bourbon, or whiskey each day for a week. (Guests drinking G & T’s can get them with Fever Tree tonic)
There is a menu of craft cocktails and they have distilled non-alcoholic spirits. At the pool, you can hear the whirl of blenders in the background serving up frozen drinks.
For lunch and dinner, there was a wide variety of wines to choose from. If you did not care for what was served, guests could ask for a different varietal.
During our 12-day, 3308 nautical mile crossing, Dawn’s 460 guests consumed 1100 bottles of Champagne and 4141 bottles of wine.
Suites
Because of Dawn’s size-to-guest ratio, she can afford to be an all-suite ship rather than have cabins.
All suites have ocean views and bathrooms with a separate shower and bathtub. 95% of the suites have balconies and start at a spacious 387 square feet.
This is 40% larger than balcony suites on many of the larger ships.
My veranda suite had a partition that could separate the sleeping area from a comfortable seating area. There was also a walk in closet.
Incredible Food
The Dawn has eight restaurants. This includes an Italian, Continental, French, a dinner jazz club, Asian / Sushi, SALT for regional cuisine, and an outdoor grill.
Each restaurant was excellent. Both the Italian and Continental restaurants reminded me of the fine dining places I enjoy on Long Island’s North Shore or any other place known for good food I have been to.
Worthy for an extra mention were the Italian meals at La Terrezza that always started with a charcuterie and Prosecco. Their veal Milanese was as good as I enjoyed in Milan.
The pasta is made in-house and is excellent. Alantide, the continental place, specialized in different fish and aged steaks. Guests could have lobster almost any night upon request.
The French restaurant, La Dame was the only upcharge at $60. The food and service here are worthy of a Michelin star.
S.A.L.T.’s regional menu changed every two days. The intense flavors made it a favorite place.
All of the restaurant managers were polished and knew your name by the second visit. They were also easy to work around if you had any food allergies.
Also aboard was an excellent cafe serving any kind of coffee with snacks all day. For a little privacy, 24-hour room service was available. Food and bar service throughout the cruise was flawless and personal.
A Night of Chocolate
Late one evening, the Executive Chef and his pastry chefs showed off with a chocolate feast. Every table that evening was decorated with large chocolate statues and figures.
To bake and prepare for this very calorie-worthy event, the chef in his presentation stated they used 180 pounds of chocolate, 65 pounds of sugar, 75 quarts of cream, 720 eggs, 100 pounds of flour, and 30 pounds of butter.
The chef was clear to say that guests thinking they were gaining weight aboard were mistaken for the “salty air that tends to shrink clothes”.
Extra Amenities
For each day ashore in Santa Cruz de la Palma and Funchal, Madeira, guests were entitled to choose one excursion from a long list.
On the night before the first excursion, our butler came around with a complimentary Silversea backpack, a premium beach-type bag, and bottles of water.
My Take
At first, I was a little apprehensive about being on a ship for so many days. I wondered if I could relax or if I would be bored. I can say with no hesitation I did relax and I was never bored.
The ship’s layout, the ultra-professional crew, and having less than 500 guests made my time aboard very worth repeating.
For information go to https://www.silversea.com/
Pre-Cruise Hotel in Barbados
For the pre-cruise hotel, we stayed two nights at the Crane Beach Hotel located just seven minutes from the airport. Built-in 1887, it is said to be the Caribbean’s oldest continuous hotel.
This five-star luxury resort is spread over 40 acres. The center of this gated-like community has a “village” look to it.
Here there are five restaurants, a café, gym, coffee shop, boutique, and a convenience store. The 1887 Bar is a rustic-looking pub that has evening music.
The resort is beautifully landscaped with ponds, bridges, and shrubbery. There is a 1.5-acre swimming area with two attached pools and a large spa. A separate adult only pool overlooks the ocean below its cliff.
Crane Beach is 500 to 600 feet of soft sand with a pink hue. Guests access it via a glass elevator or 98 steps. The beach has complimentary loungers and a beach bar.
Depending on the wind direction, sargassum seaweed can be a problem.
The hotel offers transportation to other beaches a few days a week when needed. (I recommend spending the day at Pebbles Beach for its calm clear water, beach bars, and food truck)
While standard suites are roomy. We upgraded to a large one-bedroom apartment complete with a balcony, marble bathroom, and whirlpool tub and laundry machine. https://www.thecrane.com/
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April 28, 2024 @ 8:58 pm
Please send itinerary for transatlantic crossing
I am a Venetian club member
December 5, 2023 @ 9:59 am
This looks amazing! Cruising like this is the ultimate luxury and I am into that. A little jealous of Tab’s life…happy to hear all about it in his great articles.
September 24, 2023 @ 12:29 pm
We have done multiple transatlantic cruises and it has become our preferred way to travel to or from Europe whenever possible. We find that there are enough activities on board to enjoy during the day along with a fun party atmosphere at night. When we arrive on the other side of the ocean by ship, we experience minimal jet lag…so unlike many flight experiences. We are now excited to look for transatlantic cruises on the Silver Dawn thanks to this informative and fact-filled article. We found the wine and champagne consumption information especially enticing.
May 25, 2023 @ 4:26 am
Another interesting article by Tab. We sailed on Silver Dawn in November 2022 and found her a wonderful ship. We particularly like the circular bar in the Dolce Vita. We are booked on her in March 24 in the Caribbean.
May 15, 2023 @ 3:50 pm
Great article as always! This would be a perfect trip for my brother and sister in law to celebrate his upcoming retirement!
May 12, 2023 @ 2:10 pm
Been cruising often in recent years, but never considered a 12 day cruise – until your story Tab!
You almost made it sound like 12 days wasn’t enough! We’ll definitely try and follow your lead and book the same cruise and won’t let the 12 days scare us!
May 12, 2023 @ 11:03 am
Really enjoyed reading this informative story! Sounds like the perfect trip and would love to experience this!
May 12, 2023 @ 10:32 am
As a cruiser with more than 30 sailings under my belt, I have always shied away from transatlantic sailings. You have reminded me of some of the many reasons I enjoy cruising so much and why I should consider a TA sailing. The venues, activities, shows and of course the food. There really is something for everybody. Relax and chill or be as active and involved as you want. I would imagine that you need to do your research especially if you are travelling with children. You certainly would need to match the proper ship to your groups needs. Thanks for a great report on Silver Dawn and for forcing me to rethink a future Transatlantic voyage.
May 11, 2023 @ 7:20 pm
My husband and I have enjoyed cruising in Europe, in the Caribbean, on the West Coast to Mexico and the East Coast to Canada, but we have never cruised across an ocean. Tab Hauser details an entertaining and an enjoyable voyage on the Silver Dawn. There is a choice of both relaxation as well as many opportunities for interesting activities. The cruise would be a really fun day camp for adults with so many activities that I always wanted to try, but have never before been able to fit into my schedule. And they are included. Wow! The high staff to passenger ratio and the many comfortable touches make a trip on the Silver Dawn even more special. Thank you Tab for writing such a descriptive and detailed article. I now want to cruise on the Silver Dawn for my next vacation.
December 4, 2023 @ 10:12 pm
I have been on several cruises to different ports, but a repositioning cruise is something I have been thinking of doing. I like the author’s thoughts on relaxing on a beautiful Silverseas ship and deciding on what activities to enjoy, or just do absolutely nothing!! Silverseas sounds like it lives up to its upscale reputation. I especially like the idea of disembarking in a country, such as Portugal, where you can enjoy the rest of your vacation, in sight seeing mode. Thanks for the great article!
May 11, 2023 @ 1:34 pm
Lots of useful information about the SilverSea Dawn in this enjoyable article. Thanks for the inside view of an ocean crossing!
I prefer smaller expedition ships to island and other locales, but the variety of on board activities, dining options and wellness features are certainly attractive.
May 11, 2023 @ 8:43 am
Love reading the stories for ideas for our future travels.
May 10, 2023 @ 8:17 pm
Thank you Tab for another engaging and highly informative article on your travel experiences!your articles help your viewers pre visualize a prospective trip/experience , & assess the suitability. Some people like to relax in the lap luxury, some like intensive history & culture, and some like skiing in Gstaad , scuba diving , archeology, or climbing Mt Everest! Some like it all – and these preferences can change and coexist. For those looking for relaxing in unrelenting luxury and being pampered, this cruise experience is perfect! All aboard!
May 10, 2023 @ 3:27 pm
No one reports like Tab Hauser. So many write ups are edited so what might be important to some is left out and you don’t go! Not only does Tab tell all — he actually gives you almost a minute by minute itinerary! For me that’s the secret sauce. I don’t want to plot a diagram. I will use his!
Silver Dawn— I am coming!!!!! Can’t wait! Just trying to find my yoga mat and brush up on my crafting and no cooking!!!!!! Just eating everything yummy with no dishes!
May 10, 2023 @ 4:56 am
Great story! This would be the perfect venue for me and my girlfriend as she loves to be lazy on vacation and I love to be busy. We would both love that champagne and caviar!
May 10, 2023 @ 4:04 am
Very much enjoyed reading this with all the information & making it all come alive & alluring. Will be something I will now look into.
Thank you for all insights.
May 9, 2023 @ 11:02 pm
I wouldn’t normally consider a transatlantic voyage, but can see how this might work out great for my family. Some can relax and meditate while viewing the open seas and others can be active and adventurous as they try new activities or recipes. Everyone can design their own adventure on a luxurious vacation. Perhaps this seagoing daycamp is something to add to my bucket list.
May 9, 2023 @ 10:31 pm
This sounds very intriguing to me as I’m all about rest, relaxation, and enjoying the scenery while my husband is looking for adventure. Thank you, Tab, for what looks to be a perfect fit for the two of us.
May 9, 2023 @ 9:20 pm
What an amazing transatlantic cruise for all to experience! Great article and pictures outlining the entire first class voyage!
May 9, 2023 @ 8:55 pm
Sounds amazing. Will have to put this cruise on my bucket list!
May 9, 2023 @ 8:51 pm
I love vivid Tab Hauser’s travel diaries, which immediately transport me back on one of many wonderful Silversea cruises. I never thought I would consider crossing Atlantic on a ship, but I think I just changed my mind . Thank you Tab for taking me on this incredible journey for few minutes , and transporting me from dreary ciry life, to the world of adventure and pleasure
May 9, 2023 @ 8:48 pm
What an entertaining & detailed article! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Tab’s experiences while aboard the Silversea Dawn. I too recently left the business world and look forward to traveling (maybe not as extensive as Tab!) and will definitely put this cruise on my bucket list.
May 9, 2023 @ 8:17 pm
that sounded amazing. Just up my alley. 7 days away from the world looking at the ocean with a myriad of interesting activities to do if I so chose. sounds better than going from port to port. the boat seemed like a very nice place to spend some time.
Great article Tab. your life sounds pretty good.
May 9, 2023 @ 7:13 pm
Article is well written. It will make me look up the cruise and boat and see if that cruise may be something my wife may do.