How many times in life do you get a chance for a do-over of an entire day, particularly a wonderful one?
On Silver Muse en route from Siberia to Alaska when Tuesday ends, Tuesday begins again. The time warp happens because we’re crossing the imaginary mid-Pacific International Date Line. If you cross it heading west on a Tuesday, the next day is somehow Thursday. If you cross it in the direction we’re going, from west to east, the day after Tuesday is still Tuesday.
It’s confusing fun and on Silversea Cruises’ elegant flagship, it’s an unexpected extra day at sea to relax and party.
A question many people who have never cruised ask is: what do you do on a day at sea? For those who are regular cruisers, the question becomes: why don’t we have more sea days? Now we have two of them to enjoy. Here’s a look at how to relish the fun of free floating:
Tuesday, part one
On a day at sea, you can set your own agenda and on Silver Muse, there are myriad possibilities. The morning of the first Tuesday starts out with a leisurely breakfast in the La Terrazza Café, at the stern of the ship, with its wraparound view of the North Pacific.
There’s a morning lecture on the lives and loves of brown and black bears of Alaska that I want to see, but first a stop in the mid-ship Dolce Vita lounge where there’s a demonstration of how to conjure up decorative froths on cappuccinos, along with a lesson in basic Italian phrases. They may not come in handy on this trip from Siberia to Alaska, but Italian is so lyrical.
On deck there’s whale watching. We’re in the realm of whales migrating north for the summer as well as pods of dolphins and massive flocks of seabirds. Anna and Sheena, two experts from the British wildlife foundation ORCA are on board taking shifts scanning the horizon sunrise to sunset. It’s part of a partnership between ORCA and Silversea surveying sea life in oceans that Silversea sails.
A lookout post on the top deck features a tote board of the many blue whales, humpbacks, minkes and orcas we’ve sighted so far. A briefing reveals in detail how they follow the food, managing to migrate thousands of miles every year from as far south as Hawaii in the winter to the Arctic Circle in the summer.
Can it be lunch time already? Today’s is a Russian-themed buffet to celebrate our recent visit to Petropavlovsk on Siberia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, with a big vat of borscht, caviar and vodka on ice.
The afternoon program for those who want to work off a few calories includes a salsa dance class or pilates. Less physical pursuits include team trivia, a blackjack tournament or a fascinating hands-on demonstration by a guest health and wellness expert on the healing power of touch, Perhaps it’s the soothing words and the personal attention in the session, but we all come away with smiles on our faces.
A popular gathering place for an afternoon pick me up is the Arts Café which features tempting pastries . On Silver Muse which carries a maximum of 598 guests, you can easily fall into conversations with many of your fellow guests.
And that leads to a plan for a dinner party at the stylish Atlantide Restaurant with two other couples this evening. Because everything including high-quality wines and spirits is included on Silversea, it’s simple to invite a group to join you for cocktails and then dinner.
Returning to our suite, Francis, our butler, stops by to remind us it’s a formal evening—one of three on this two-week cruise–and he offers to press our clothes and shine our shoes for the evening. The Silversea crowd gets dressier than on most other cruise lines and I’ve brought my tux for the gala evenings.
We start first for a sunset cocktail in the Panorama Lounge and then on to dinner in the classy Atlantide Restaurant, where caviar with all the accompaniments is on the menu every night.
Afterward, another stop in the Arts Café, where mounds of dark chocolate truffles and other goodies are at the counter to accompany an after-dinner drink with a view of the sun still hanging on the horizon at nearly 11 p.m.
Another day, and it’s still Tuesday
Good morning. What day is it? Oh yes, Tuesday again. Is it really after 9? Oh well, there’s no tour to go on today. No agenda at all really, except to luxuriate in time. If it seems later than usual, it’s because we lost an hour last night, but we’ve been doing that ever since we left Japan. On this cruise, there are eight straight evenings where the clock gets turned forward an hour to make up all the time difference crossing the time zones between Asia and Alaska.
After a morning coffee delivered by the butler, this morning starts with a visit to the gym for a stretch and a hop on a treadmill with a view of the north Pacific. Then a slide presentation on the fishing fleets from Dutch Harbor, Alaska, our next port of call, which inspired the TV series The Deadliest Catch.
A pub-themed lunch is on today, with free flowing Pimm’s Cup or Guinness or Boddington’s, or whatever. The usual pub grub including mushy peas and steak and kidney pie are on offer, but there are some not so British options as well, How many pubs have you ever been to that serve crab legs at lunch? The house trio is on hand playing medleys that are thankfully more varied than the normal Pig and Whistle ditties and for fun there’s a Name that Tune contest.
Afternoon options include a talk by a volcano expert on the Ring of Fire we’re sailing around, and another wellness demonstration by the health expert. There’s also a blackjack tournament in the casino and a galley tour. But my choice is the ultimate luxury, an afternoon nap.
Through it all, it’s been easy to keep in touch with e-mails and the news. Something that used to be a feature of sea days on a cruise was being out of touch. In today’s busy world, being able to put out the do not disturb can still be a blessing. But these days, you can be as connected as you want with the ship’s satellite television and internet reception. While Wi-Fi at sea is slower than at home, it’s always available, even this close to the top of the world.
Tonight we have reservations in Silver Note, Silver Muse’s supper club that’s so intimate it only seats 40. The room with a pianist and singer and dance floor is a perfect setting for a toast with the excellent Champagne that comes complimentary on Silversea Cruises.
Returning to our suite, Francis the butler has drawn a candle-lit bubble bath in our tub. It’s been a remarkable double Tuesday. And Wednesday will be yet another day at sea.
I could really get used to this.
