Silver Muse, Sydney to Cairns: A taste of the Succession lifestyle
By Brian Johnston
Silver Muse: Onboard butlers mean you won't have to think about a thing.
I'm sitting on the terrace of the Panorama Lounge at the rear of Silver Muse, nine decks above the water. A waiter has delivered a Moscato the way I want it, two ice cubes and no other fuss – well, apart from two elegant canapes stuffed with foie gras.
The ship, heading up Australia's east coast, is sailing out of Newcastle, which from my perch is a fine panorama of beaches and forts and redbrick buildings topped by a squat cathedral.
Over the next few days I revel in the choice of places aboard Silver Muse in which to kick back in salty breezes and squint at blue horizons. I like perching in pizza joint Spaccanapoli above the pool deck. I like the buzz of the pool deck itself, where Europeans tinkle costume jewellery and cocktail ice cubes.
Arts Cafe: Stiff, over-the-top afternoon teas aren't served on this ship.
Most of all, I like the tiered terraces of the ship's rear, whose awnings spread like the ruffled feathers of a swan. One terrace extends from the cheerful Arts Cafe. Stiff, over-the-top afternoon teas aren't served on this ship, I'm glad to say. A tart is just enough: perfect short pastry and sweet meringue, counterbalanced by a sharp lemon filling. The Illy coffee is great, although the Illy cups have handles almost impossible to use.
The coffee cups are one of few flaws in function on this ship, despite its many Italian flashes of style. Silversea was an Italian family business until taken over by Royal Caribbean Group in 2020. Graceful European chic remains in oodles, but everything is easy. If coffee-cup handles are the only thing to complain about, life is good.
Everything works on Silver Muse except (mysteriously) the clocks in the lift lobbies, where it's perennially 20 past four. That might be apt. Guests on cruises are in a state of suspended animation with nothing to think about, least of all a schedule.
Atlantide: Dishes lean towards salads and lighter fare at lunchtime, richer multi-course delights for dinner.Credit: Silversea
That's why I'm here, cruising from Sydney to Cairns. It's a modest itinerary for an Australian, but there are times to dismiss long-haul flights and international uncertainties and enjoy the pleasures of home.
This is a cruise for pure I-deserve-it indulgence, and Silversea provides. I've barely boarded when my butler Lori Basco is asking me whether I want my evening shoes polished, and from then on, I know I won't have to think about a thing.
A luxury cruise offers the chance to live the billionaire lifestyle, even if briefly. On the obvious level Silver Muse ticks that box: caviar on demand, orchids erupting from pots, gushing showers, dry wines, fat sofas.
But what billionaires really enjoy, that the rest of us don't, is never having to move a muscle. This is where Silversea excels. Every time I lift my phone, somebody answers. Towels are replenished, curtains drawn, books neatly piled on my bedside table.
I express vague resentment at the beer in my minibar and find it replaced by Leffe. I wrinkle my nose at the perfumed Bulgari toiletries and they're replaced too. And when I ask Lori for a box of tissues it doesn't just arrive: she opens it and pulls the first tissue out.
Lori wafts around my suite, unflappable and quiet. Soon she works out that I'm an early eater, and when I get back from dinner everything has been turned down, tidied up and made over. Now I know how the rich and royal live.
Silver Muse isn't the most obviously out-there luxury ship. It has no bling or brashness, barely a hint of gilding, and the muted decor barely moves beyond a palette of browns, taupes and latte creams.
Formal nights are a flash of necklaces and long dresses, and some bowties appear in a throwback to the glamour days of cruising. That's it for the razzmatazz, though.
Silver Muse teaches you that luxury isn't about show, but about having everything done for you. A white chocolate martini? Coming up, sir. A shore excursion on Fraser Island? Of course. An evening piano player, a sultry singer, a deckhand with a mop, a head waiter, a butler with a pillow menu? I feel like Aladdin with his lamp.
Not that I'm constantly ambushed by staff. Silversea has old-school European service that emphasises efficiency and politeness rather than American chattiness. That's fine by me. There are times when I want peace, and Silver Muse has plenty of it. This mid-size ship has generous proportions, and seldom feels crowded.
Dolce Vita Lounge, quiet during the day, is a lovely space in browns and blues, with superb lighting, snuggle-worthy sofas and a hint of art deco metalwork. For even more peace, I find nowhere better than Tor's Observation Library, reached down a disorienting corridor of top suites, and consequently rather overlooked.
During the day, picture windows provide sunny warmth and seascapes. In the evening, a small bar opens, but conversation remains muted. Below on deck 10 is a hidden hot tub and lounge pods that nobody seems to know about: heaven on an evening sail out of Townsville and Port Douglas.
I never feel cramped on this ship, least of all in my large Superior Veranda suite, chic as a boutique hotel room, with good mood lighting, swathes of luxurious fabrics, a walk-in wardrobe and fine lounge. The bathroom is expansive enough for a full-length tub and generous shower space; the shower itself, for heat and vigour, must be the best at sea.
The only thing I miss is a desk chair – there's only a makeup stool – although I bet if I asked Lori for one, it would appear. But this is a subtle, sophisticated ship, and I feel there's no point in pushing demands. I can do without a desk chair. I don't have time for emails anyway: I'm about to ring for some caviar and vodka.
THE GOURMET LIFE
Silver Muse has the most varied dining choices of any luxury cruise ship, with eight restaurants and a cafe for 596 passengers. Here are five top choices.
ATLANTIDE
Though Silver Muse dispenses with a main restaurant, this is essentially it, and one of the best at sea. Dishes lean towards salads and lighter fare at lunchtime, richer multi-course delights for dinner such as Baltic salmon with caviar and capers, smoked duck caesar salad, and an excellent prime angus strip steak. The only disappointment is the unchanging dessert menu, though you couldn't get tired of the apple-and-walnut sable.
THE GRILL
Sit on the pool deck under the stars and cook your own fish or meat (or if you insist, stuffed mushrooms) on a hot rock. Tiger prawns, Berkshire pork chops and chunks of prime steak are accompanied by sides of salad, baked potatoes, fries and vegetable skewers. The venue is exempt from formal nights, making it the choice for those keen to avoid holidaying in a tuxedo.
LA TERRAZZA
Though somewhat unvarying, buffet breakfasts are top quality and buffet lunches unstinting in inclusions such as seafood, roast meats and berries. The salads remain remarkably fresh throughout the voyage. In the evening, a la carte Italian cuisine opens with antipasti plates and continues over several flavoursome courses. The pasta is excellent, especially the pappardelle with duck ragout.
SPACCANAPOLI
Sometimes you want simplicity, and this casual outdoor venue delivers by offering nothing but pizza – though if you're kind to waiters, they'll run downstairs for a salad. Traditional toppings are minimal in proper Italian style. The diavola with spicy salami and fior di latte are the most popular choices, but the puttanesca pops with black olives, capers and anchovies.
ROOM SERVICE
Is this a dining experience? At this level, yes. The indecisive will be lost in pages of choice that draw from the ship's restaurants. Indulge in smart canapes with champagne, tofu burgers or filet mignon, or a full three-course meal served by your butler. No extra charge, and delivered anywhere on the ship 24 hours a day in case you're overcome by midnight munchies.
THE DETAILS
MORE
CRUISE
Silver Muse cruises the world, and spends the rest of this year in Alaska and Asia before returning to Australia in November 2023. It then sails several New Zealand itineraries such as a 14-day Auckland to Sydney cruise departing on January 3, 2024 and priced from $13,700 a person twin share. See silversea.com
The writer travelled as a guest of Silversea.
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