WHEN given recently the opportunity to take an 18-day ocean cruise beginning in Egypt and ending in the Port of Dubai, we jumped (correction: Leaped!) at this chance of a lifetime.
We knew this would be a cruise with all the amenities, but we were unprepared for the degree of luxury and service that awaited us aboard the ship that would take us to these hospitable and exotic destinations.
The SS Silver Whisper is one of the four ships in the fleet operated by Silversea Cruises, and offers on-deck services for the rarest of traveler: The luxury cruise passenger.
The beautifully appointed ships of Silversea Cruises are the antithesis of the 3,000-cabin behemoths that routinely serve cafeteria-quality meals, and treat their passengers like a group of freshman in a college-orientation process.
Silversea was christened by its founders to be an entirely new class of ocean-going luxury with smaller, intimate cruise ships. In this case, size does matter: The smaller ships can land at more ports-of-call than their larger cousins, which require deepwater ports.
Within hours of coming aboard, it seemed that the entire crew knew our names. A quick check with our fellow passengers confirmed they also had similar experiences with the crew. Did they spend their free time studying our photos (which are taken when you board) to match our names?
“You are our guests,” one crew member told us. “Of course we know who you are!”
Silversea ships offer enormous ocean view cabins — all accommodations, which the cruise line calls “suites,” face seaward. Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors open onto private verandas — perfect for the morning cup of room-service coffee and juice before repairing upstairs for a sumptuous breakfast at the Panorama Lounge, which offers excellent views of the passing scenery while dining.
Aside from the gourmet cuisine, luxury amenities and superb service, one feature aboard the Silver Whisper that particularly made our cruise enjoyable was the company’s generous interpretation of the term “all inclusive”.
This meant all our meals (including unlimited, 24-hour room service) and all our beverages, including their house special, Perrier-Jouet, which was ever-present in our in-cabin mini-frig.
Tipping the staff is also included, thus alleviating that nagging concern that often besets travelers regarding gratuities. On Silversea, the only additional costs are for shore excursions and spa treatments.
Sharm El-Sheikh: The City of Peace
The first full night and day when we steamed south on the Suez Canal, we felt like voyeurs looking into the villages and government outposts that slid by on the starboard bank.
The pale-pink sand dunes lining each shore (excavated by hand 138 years ago by French and Egyptian contractors) and rose-hued mountains in the distance are of course the reason why this body of water is called the Red Sea.
Queued in front and back of us at comfortable distances were a string of cargo ships. All of us were moving southward at a steady rate toward our first destination: The Egyptian port of Sharm El-Sheikh.
Hours after we docked, we were comfortably speeding across the Sinai Desert in a luxury motor coach on our first shore excursion to St. Catherine Monastery, a 1,500-year-old edifice perched amid craggy terrain at an elevation of 7,400 feet.
Set beneath Mt. Sinai, the mountain where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments, St. Catherine Monastery has been one of the world’s great centers of religious pilgrimage since the 6th century AD. Within its imposing walls resides a soaring citadel, rich in important religious and historical artifacts.
A mosque also lies within the compound. A shining example of co-religious peaceful existence, the mosque is still used by the local Bedouin who have helped maintain the monastery grounds for centuries.
Returning to our ship after a surprisingly good luncheon at the monastery’s adjacent hotel restaurant, our dining experience quickly became a pleasant ritual — and the selections on the menu met every personal need: Low carbohydrate diets, low calorie diets, even delicious dishes for vegetarians. The menu caters to gourmet tastes, particularly dishes innovated by Relais & Chateaux, a name synonymous with haute cuisine.
These details helped us understand why, for the seventh year Silversea Cruises was named the “Number One” small-ship line in the 2006 “Readers’ Choice” survey conducted by Conde Nast Traveller (UK) magazine.”
Aqaba: The City of Palms
The morning after our departure from Sharm El-Sheikh, we docked at Aqaba, Jordan, known in ancient times as the “City of Palms.” Here we opted for a full-day shore excursion to Petra.
Having last visited Petra together 15 years earlier and we were impressed by how much excavation has since been done by the Jordanian government. Even so, over 90 percent of this ancient Nabataen city has yet to be excavated. (Madain Saleh, located in northwestern Saudi Arabia, was home to the Nabateans in winter.)
Film buffs frequently make the trip to Petra just to see the Roman “Treasury” building, which is first glimpsed after making the long winding trek through the narrow entry canyon that would have made this treasury a very difficult one to loot. This architectural masterpiece, intricately carved out of the side of a narrow canyon, has been the backdrop for many films.
An excursion the next day to Wadi Rum would largely focus on the beauty of this desert canyon, and how it figured in the Arab Revolt during World War I.
T.E. Lawrence, the British military advisor made legendary by his book and by actor Peter O’Toole, would help turn the tide of the war when he lead Arab forces through Wadi Rum and overran the Turkish-held port of Aqaba. Forty years later, movie director David Lean would film much of “Lawrence of Arabia” in Wadi Rum.
Cruising Into Safaga
After another night of cruising, which included a screening under the stars of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”, we prepared ourselves to tour the Valley of Kings where Silversea naturally booked its passengers into the best hotel at Luxor: The Sonesta St. George, where the rooms offered splendid balcony views of the Nile River.
After touring Luxor all day, we re-visited the Temple of Karnak at night to see the disappointing “Sound and Light” show: The Egyptian government has not bothered to update the program since it was created 30 years ago, and had all the style this insinuates. For many of us, the evening show at Karnak was an involuntary opportunity to catch up on our sleep.
Arising early the next morning, we went straight to the region’s shining gem: The Valley of the Kings. A total of 62 tombs have thus far been discovered in this rugged burial ground. In the interest of preserving murals and decorative paintings, only four or five tombs are open to visitors at any one time. Arrive early to beat the hordes of tourists, and the heat.
Returning to the ship from a day searing heat, dust, and oppressive sunshine, we greatly appreciated the thoughtful ritual at the Silver Whisper gangway by smiling crewmen who handed us refreshments and rose-scented terry washclothes.
Four Days of Ocean Cruising
Our four-day respite from shore activities also made us realize that our enthusiastic appreciation of shipboard cuisine necessitated some time at Silver Whisper’s gym.
Fortunately, Silversea caters to today’s health-conscious travelers with a complete “Wellness Program” that fully integrates classes in nutrition and exercise, fitness activities, spa therapies, and healthy dining options help rejuvenate both mind and body.
By now our “routine” was divided between sunbathing on our veranda, meeting new friends around the pool, fine dining, and, of course, exercise.
Salalah and Muscat
After four days of a leisurely cruise down the Red Sea and around the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, we arrived in Salalah, the southern-most tip of the Sultanate of Oman.
For almost 5,000 years, Salalah was one of the key exporters of frankincense (a dried sap derived from indigenous plants) that was once traded and whose value is still equal — ounce for ounce — to gold.
We chose a shore excursion that included a quick tour of the shopping district of Salalah, plus a visit to the 16th Century Portuguese-built Mirbat Castle, north of Salalah.
The old incense port of Mirbat is remarkable for being the site of one of the last battles in the world involving conventional attack and defense of a fortress. A fiercely fought battle at Mirbat Castle was a milestone in the Dhofari insurrection of the mid-1970’s, and is credited with saving both the port and the town of Salalah.
On our way back to the ship, we stopped at the newly opened “Museum of the Frankincense Land,” a state-of-the-art facility whose imaginative exhibits chronicle the history of Oman from pre-historic times to the present.
Back on board, we had another day of cruising before arriving to Muscat — Oman’s capital and one of the region’s key shipping centers.
Here we availed ourselves of the complimentary shore transportation Silversea offers its passengers at each destination. The cruise ship docks at Muscat are conveniently located near the old souq (market) with its shaded and pleasantly aromatic labyrinths lined with every kind of imaginable shop, including establishments that sell antiques, gold jewelry, and silver daggers.
Journey’s End in Dubai
Our hearts were slightly heavy as we prepared for our next port of call because this was our final destination: Dubai.
Approaching Dubai by sea, the skyline looming on the horizon is reminiscent of the Port of New York. In fact, the skyscrapers lining Sheikh Zaid Road are often referred to as “Little Manhattan.”
Today, the most famous glass-and-steel edifice is the sail-shaped Burj al-Arab Tower, a 54-story, 5-star hotel that has become so popular that one must make an advance reservation to have mere a cup of tea. Construction of the Burj al-Dubai skyscraper will soon make this amazing city home to the world’s tallest building.
We chose to tour Dubai’s old sector, whose architecture reflects a strong Persian influence.
Also in the old quarter is Dubai’s national museum, largely located below ground. This delightful museum contains life-size reproductions of street scenes from old Dubai, and educational dioramas that cleverly explain the roots of Islam, regional architecture, water conservation, astronomy, pearl diving, and dozens of other aspects of life in the Arabian Gulf. It puts to shame any other museum we’ve seen in the region.
The next morning, we reluctantly disembarked one final time from the Silver Whisper.
Suffice to say, we became so enamored with the Silversea experience that we are now dreaming of our next voyage.
For more information:
Silversea Cruises
77/ 79 Great Eastern Street
London EC2A 3HU
Phone: +44 (0) 870 333 7030
Fax: +44 (0) 870 333 7040
US: (800) 722-9955
On the web: www.silversea.com