Entertainment & Activities

Daytime Fun

Cruising on Silver Moon, the destination is the star, and the ship serves as a refined background. As such, most people spent their days ashore, often taking part in a Silversea shore excursion. Shore excursions run the gamut from historic walking tours to ATV excursions and SALT experiences. Most excursions are included in the price of your cruise, but you'll pay more for the premium experiences.

Additionally, Silver Moon provides a shuttle into city centers when necessary, and passengers tend to spend time shopping and dining in ports.

Onboard, the activities are more muted, with an array of port, food and cultural lectures as well as trivia events.

Because most excursions are half-day tours, guests often venture off in the morning, then return in the afternoon for lunch and pool time. Silver Moon's pool, on Deck 10, is big and deep, with a large area for sitting in a few inches of water to cool off without taking the plunge. In the morning, ambitious guests can actually do laps (albeit short ones) as the sun rises.

Lounge chairs surround the pool, and there's a sitting area to the back of the pool that includes cushioned chairs and sofas. At the edges, you'll find tables for dining; the port side is open to smokers, and smoke does carry some. There isn't a lot of lounging space in the shade, so if you would rather skip the sun, you'll likely have to sit at a table or in the chairs and sofa area.

A deck up, guests have sunbeds and additional lounge chairs.

SALT Lab offers several sessions a day. This is the ship's test kitchen/tasting experience, where chefs, SALT hosts and guest instructors guide passengers through meals. A number of stovetops and prep areas are available, though it's more a light cooking experience. Guests might chop and stir, following along as instructors tell the stories behind the food. You don't have to pay extra for the classes, but reservations are required because of limited space. On our sailing, classes were well-attended, and waitlists were full. Sessions changed daily, so many attended several, learning about making Mediterranean meze or traditional wedding rice from Crete.

At Night

The bulk of the action onboard Silver Moon takes place before dinner, when passengers head to the various lounges for pre-dinner drinks with new friends made onboard. After dinner, guests might head to the show or back to the bars for live music. Lounges will stay open until passengers turn in for the night, which happens fairly early most nights, as excursions take place early the next day.

The Venetian Lounge All of the ship's big entertainment takes place in the Venetian Lounge. Here, you'll catch the Voices of Silversea performing several shows per cruise. They're best when they're performing within their wheelhouse, which is opera.

When the Voices of Silversea aren't performing, you can catch performances by comedians and magicians.

Casino A small casino is located on Deck 6. Because the ship is in port most days and stays late into the evening, the casino's hours are fairly limited. (Casinos -- and boutiques -- generally aren't permitted to be open on ships when they're in ports.)

Bars & Nightlife

The choice for lounges on a ship so small is surprising. Silver Moon has taken a something-for-everyone approach, offering large spaces and intimate venues. We were impressed with the local spirits and beers available at all of the bars during our Greek cruise; these options allowed us to explore small batch and craft options.

Our Picks

Heart of the Action: Panorama Lounge, on Deck 9, is bustling from just before dinner till late. You can grab a drink inside, sit at the bar or enjoy a libation outdoors. One quibble: Smoking is permitted outdoors, and it permeates.

For Live Music: Silver Note is mostly a dining venue, but it's also a great place to catch jazz each night. The bar has several signature cocktails worth trying. (Give the citrus-and-mint high note a shot.)

For a Casual Gettogether: Dolce Vita sits in the middle of the ship on Deck X. It features a large central bar and lots of seating at small tables, and a pianist or musician performs in the evening. It's busiest in the hour or so before dinnertime.

For Something Different: For the latest in trendy cocktails that feature local spirits, SALT Bar is your spot. This tiny venue is popular right before and after dinner at SALT Kitchen or Atlantide.

For the Cognac Lover: Part bar, part cigar lounge, the Connoisseur's Corner offers up cognac and a casual club atmosphere for enjoying cigars. The best part is actually the outdoor venue, which includes a faux fireplace and lazy ceiling fan over intimate conversation areas.

Spa & Fitness

Spa

Zagara Spa is located on Deck 6. It has a modest footprint, offering treatment rooms and a beauty salon. Passengers can treat themselves to a range of facials, massages and medi-spa treatments, like Restylane filler and skin tightening. On the more "out there" end of the scale are sound treatment healing sessions. A tiny sauna and steam room are available to all passengers.

Silver Moon also has a thermal suite, which includes padded lounge chairs and a small outdoor thalassotherapy pool. You can buy a weekly pass or one per day. You get a discount if you purchase a weekly couples pass.

Fitness

The ship's fitness center is located on Deck 6, adjacent to the spa. Most of the space is taken up by cardiovascular machines, with a small area for free weights, benches and weight machines. There's also a studio where classes are held in the morning. A walking/running track is found on Deck 11.

Personal training is available for a fee.

For Kids

Families including young children are rare, as Silver Moon's ambience is more suited to adults. Still, children ages 6 months and up are welcome onboard, though there are no dedicated spaces for kids. Those children who do sail with Silversea tend to be mature and accustomed to spending time with adults. Silver Moon doesn't offer specific suites for families, though many will accommodate third berths.