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SHIP REVEW CELEBRITY CRUISES


CELEBRITY SILHOUETTE Ship Review...


BY LYNN HOUGHTON CHRISTENING AND LAUNCH: Hamburg, Germany, July 21 2011 SIZE AND LENGTH: 122,000GT, beam 36.8m; length 315m CABINS: 1443 PASSENGERS: 2,886 CREW: 1223 THE CRUISE Two-night taster cruise


OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO BRITS Michael's Club has an international selection of quality beer including an Imperial India Pale Ale, Mexican beers such as Corona, old favourites like Guinness and sparkling beer from Belgium called DeuS. Brits can also catch major sports events


on plasma TV screens while learning how to pour the perfect draft. At the other end of the scale, Champagne High Tea at Murano is a white- glove service that offers 'traditional sandwiches' (cucumber, curried chicken and roast beef), a selection of loose-leaf tea and rather gorgeous teeny pastries as well as petit fours – all topped off with a glass of champagne. This is the life!


ENTERTAINMENT AND ACTIVITIES The Lawn Club – 22,927sq ft. of green grass – is on Deck 15. Guests can play croquet, bocce and bowls; not ideal in the rain, but I still took part. There are huge deck Adirondack chairs, just for fun, and eight cabana-style areas called The Alcoves that accommodate two to four guests and are available to rent. You can order themed picnic baskets and there is an à la carte beverage menu. I tried out the Language Learning


Beginning Spanish, which is sponsored by Rosetta Stone. The Art Studio allows guests to participate in hands-on drawing, painting, beading and even culinary-themed classes such as mixology (learn to make the perfect Pimms!).


EATING PLACES Outdoor dining on Celebrity Silhouette is something special. The Porch serves breakfast and lunch al fresco. At the new concept Lawn Club Grill, you cook your own steak on an outdoor BBQ with the help of a celebrity chef or have it grilled to order. The Mast Grill and Bar is a casual pool-side eatery with food grilled to order. The Ocean View Cafe buffet style


restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and


"There are huge deck Adirondack chairs and cabana-style areas called The Alcoves for four to eight guests"


dinner. I recommend asking for food to be prepared to your specification (pre- prepared dishes left under the hot lights can, unfortunately, be over-cooked). Bistro on Five is a creperie and Cafe al Bacio and Gelateria specialises in Italian gelato (ice cream) at an extra charge. The Grand Cuvee is the main restaurant


with excellent food and wine. It has a two- storey high wine tower! Speciality restaurants are Tuscan Grille-Italian Steakhouse for Italian inspired steaks and Murano for contemporary continental cuisine. Qsine offers a unique experience with nostalgic and modern samplings of food - all ordered from an I-pad. Blu is the Aqua Class restaurant serving healthy food.


LOUNGES AND BARS My favourite lounge was The Hideaway, open 24 hours. It has coffee- and tea- making facilities (very handy) and the décor is 1960’s style with enclosed, round chairs and enormous egg-shaped rattan hanging hammocks. The Cellar Masters has wine in techno dispensers so customers can help themselves. The Martini Bar is incredibly popular


with lots of impressive bar acrobatics from bartenders doing fair impersonation of Tom Cruise in Cocktail – but be prepared for the crowds. Quasar is a stylish nightclub with a DJ playing dance music into the small hours.


The Verdict


Celebrity is an award-winning cruise line (Conde Nast Traveller Reader’s Choice Awards' 'Best Mega cruise line') that has pulled out all the stops for Celebrity Silhouette. The ship itself is a destination, with so much to do that you would never have to go onshore. Just the one negative – extra charges can be expected for speciality restaurants. but adding automatic gratuities at the spa and salon was an unwanted surprise.


EXCEPTIONAL LOVED IT! PASS FARCE


www.sellinglonghaul.com • Autumn 2011 23


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