Luxury Travel Advisor - May 2008 - (Page 59)

LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR sailed along the Panama Canal (above) aboard Silver Shadow (opposite). TWO ROYAL SUITES (number 702' s living room is shown right) feature luxe amenities and exclusive, personalized services. OUR SUITE: We loved the view from our closet, of all places, which enabled us to gaze up at the San Diego skyline (top photo, opposite page) while we were in port. We also adored sprawling about in our spacious living room (left photo, opposite) and cozying up to our very own swanky bar, which has its very own mini-fridge (opposite, right). Hint: Royal Suite guests automatically get to enjoy predinner canapés, but tell your clients to let their butler know their preferences. Several nights, we ordered fresh berries in addition to the normal canapés that typically are delivered. One evening, we savored a lovely plate of prawns, but then asked Nalin if it was possible to receive our favorite gorgonzola cheese for the next evening' s canapé selection. He said ª certainly,º so we assumed that our request would be honored the next evening. But 30 minutes later, the doorbell rang and there was Nalin again, gorgonzola in hand. The suite' s spacious parlor has two upholstered chairs, a large pull-out couch and a chaise lounge. With work to be done, we booted up our laptop on the parlor' s ample writing desk and immediately appreciated the easy-to-use Wi-Fi. When it was time for a break, we enjoyed a high-tech CD system and a large flat-screen wall-mounted plasma TV with a DVD player. We admit that we found the all-in-one electronics control frustrating to operate, but Silversea promises new ones soon. The showpiece of the parlor was the lovely bar area with marble countertops, three high stools, a glass backdrop for displaying crystal glassware and liquor bottles and an under-thecounter mini-fridge. To us, it all conjured up swanky images of Daniel Craig as James Bond, sitting on the stool in a crisp suit asking for a martini ª shaken, not stirred.º Despite the excellent fare in the ship' s main restaurant and its alternative venue, La Terraza, we enjoyed eating in our en-suite dining area and on our outside balcony table. Hint: During regular dinner hours, clients may order from the room service or dining room menus. Alternatively, you can tell clients to simply ask their butler 24 hours in advance if they wish to order a special dish that' s not on the menu. Nalin arranged for us to receive a personal favoriteÐex tra-hot-and-spicy chicken curry. Guests also may draw upon the expertise of the ship' s sommeliers; on our cruise, that was Marcello from Italy. Among Silversea' s complimentary wines are a light, crisp Pinot Grigio Santa Margarita from Italy, which we particularly enjoyed. Other options include another excellent white, the Leon Beyer Riesling from Alsace and a lovely red, the Château des Mille Agnes Cuvee Mozart 2002 from France. ª Cocoon-likeº is a good description for the Royal Suite' s sleeping quarters; a separate bedroom with a king configuration that can be split into two twins. We ª oohed and aahedº each night over the 320-thread count, 100% Egyptian-cotton linens; new, fluffy, goose-down duvets and a selection of pillow types. Note: We hear that the bedroom' s TV, a bit dated, was replaced with a new flat-screen TV system during a recent drydock. Fluffy spa robes hung in the adjacent walk-in closet awaiting our use, slippers graced the floor and the closet armoire boasted multiple drawers, a powerful hair dryer, lint brush and safe. And from our ª now-I' ve-seen-every- thing-on-a-cruiseº file, the walkin closet had a high window. As we unpacked on embarkation day, we could stand in the closet and view the skyline of San Diego looming above! In the stunning marble master bath, your clients will appreciate not two, but three separate sinks. And while we envisioned playing Cleopatra and eating grapes while enjoying the inviting, deep whirlpool tub, we opted for the separate glass-and-marble shower. Our suite ranked among the cleanest we' ve ever had on a cruise. Renee Perry, our cabin stewardess, from New Zealand, and her assistant, Gemma Palabasan, from the Philippines, kept things perpetually spotless. Another convenient perk bestowed upon guests of the Royal Suite is complimentary laundry service; a particularly lovely touch, our lingerie arrived back to us on a tray, neatly folded, wrapped in tissue paper and tied with a bow. www.luxuryta.com May 2008 | LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR 57

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Luxury Travel Advisor - May 2008 Contents Publisher's Letter Editor's Letter Park City Riviera Maya Italian Castles Rotorua China Villa Retreats The Ritz-Carlton, Powerscourt Rancho Bernardo Port Ghalib Dead Sea Spas Silversea The Professor The Pulse Jetset Report Sightings Source List

Luxury Travel Advisor - May 2008

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