Embarkation went smoothly. The transfer from Cape Grace Hotel to Silver Whisper was so efficient that I was onboard before official embarkation time. I sneaked down the corridor to my Vista Suite to drop off my carry-on bag then went up to the Viennese Lounge. The classic Silversea hospitality had begun.

Cape Town is a marvelous port for a 5-day visit before departing South Africa. Signal Hill, with the noon-day gun is a fine local tradition and the impressive Table Mountain looms over the harbour making the departure especially beautiful. In a stunning coincidence, Saga Ruby the ship was tied up at a wharf in Cape Town Harbor.

It is always a treat to open the door of a Silversea suite and see again the handsomely decorated large suite, even at steerage level. My requests for fresh fruit and bottled water with a full ice bucket were waiting for me thanks to my excellent butler, Reynaldo, who anticipated my needs before I knew what I wanted. For the first time in decades of cruising, early in the cruise, I woke up at 2:00am thinking I was starving. I called Room Service which promptly brought a marvelous club sandwich and chips to my suite. Read more