ADVENTURES IN ASIA
Silver Shadow puts luxury out front
There are cruises, and then there are experiences. My recent journey with ultra-luxury line Silversea (cruise.center/silversea) definitely qualifies as the latter.
Sailing from Tokyo to Hong Kong aboard the 382-guest Silver Shadow, my voyage was part of Silversea’s new Asian Collection of itineraries that include special on-board features and increased time ashore.
We were treated to overnight calls in Osaka, Tianjin and Shanghai along with a stop in the city of Hiroshima, where the scars of the 1945 atomic bombing are still on display.
In many ways, Japan mirrors Silversea’s standards of excellence. The Japanese commitment to service is legendary, and touring onshore in Tokyo, Osaka and Hiroshima was almost an extension of being on board the Silver Shadow. So gracious and friendly are the locals at every turn that you’ll wonder what magical world you’ve been transported to.
I was able to take several special Silversea shore excursions developed for this itinerary, including a full-day adventure by high-speed Shinkansen (or bullet) train from Osaka to the ancient city of Kyoto; and a thrilling journey from Tianjin to a section of the Great Wall of China, in addition to an immersive tour of China’s capital city, Beijing.
In China, our full day tour of the Great Wall proved to be a rather interesting endeavour; steeper than it looks, it wasn’t so much a walk up as it was a fullblown climb. As dramatic as it is, I found Beijing ’s Forbidden City complex the most awe-inspiring, as was a visit to historic Tiananmen Square.
In Shanghai, our doubleovernight port call allowed me to explore independently, without the fear or stress of needing to return to the Silver Shadow at a set time. I headed into town (via Silversea’s complimentary shuttle bus) for a stroll along The Bund and a full Peking duck dinner before enjoying some jazzy cocktails at the Fairmont Peace Hotel, comfortable in the knowledge that I still had another entire day — and night — to enjoy at my leisure before we departed.
For those who see cruises as not offering enough time in port, this is the itinerary that dispels that myth. On board, I was particularly impressed to see two full evenings of Chinese specialties offered up in the ship’s elegant dining room, prepared exclusively for Silversea by chefs Simon Leung and Johnny Liang of the prestigious Peninsula Beijing hotel.
This complemented on-board Japanese language classes and a pool-deck sushi event featuring local vendors from Osaka.
Another unique feature was the presence of a professional Hong Kong tailor, who took measurements for guests wishing to have bespoke suits, shirts or dresses made. I have a terrible time finding dress shirts that fit properly, so I jumped at the opportunity to have some crafted for me. In true Silversea fashion, I found them delivered right to my suite when we arrived in Hong Kong.
With a late-evening return flight from Hong Kong to Canada, I took advantage of Silversea’s Silver Shore Privato service for the first time, with provides a private luxury sedan and your own personal driver and guide for the day. My guide, Veronica, whisked me to some of Hong Kong ’s most important sights, including Victoria Peak, Stanley Market, the Chi Lin Nunnery, and the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter and floating village before depositing me at Chek Lap Kok Airport for my flight home.
The best part of this exotic journey, though, may have very well been coming home to the Silver Shadow each and every evening. Silversea’s ability to welcome you warmly, not as a guest, but as a cherished friend, was the icing on the cake.
Happy cruising. Visit portsandbows.com, sponsored by Expedia CruiseShipCenters, 1-800707-7327, cruiseshipcenters.com, for daily updates on the latest cruise news, best deals and behind-thescenes stories from the industry. You can also sign up for an email newsletter on the site for even more cruise information. Aaron Saunders may be contacted directly at portsandbowsaaron@gmail.com.