By PAUL RUBIO
Last month I ventured to the Holy Land on the sophomore voyage of the new Celebrity Silhouette (celebritycruises.com) cruise ship. Over 3000 party-hungry men (and 17 brave women) had christened the ship two weeks prior on its maiden voyage from Italy to Israel and back, in association with Atlantis events. Though I chose to set sail on one of the regularly scheduled itineraries rather than indulging in the Atlantis hype, I found the Celebrity Silhouette exceptionally gay friendly, superbly service-oriented, and sensationally fun.
I’m no stranger to cruising but this was my first Celebrity cruise (I am a Carnival and Princess Cruiselines regular). Immediately, I was blown away by the style and sophistication of the ship. Each of the common rooms impressed me more than the next. The ship has a youthful, whimsical and super stylish feel, with sexy interiors highly reminiscent of my favorite “W” hotels.
The first days of the cruise were spent at sea. “Sea Days” tend to be my favorite days on any cruise, allowing me to relax completely without creating minute- to-minute itineraries for thoroughly exploring a new city or island in just a few hours. Sea days were a time to get to know the ship inside and out. My balcony stateroom was spacious and modern, including an extra large bathroom and a priceless view, as we sailed past Sicily and the Greek Islands. A lover of cocktails, I found the Martini Bar and Crush my favorite space on the ship (and the Raspberry Lemonade Martini arguably my favorite drink in the world!). Feeding off a 28-degree concept of deep glacial whites and blues with its Philippe Stark-style mega chairs and sleek chaise lounges, the oval-shaped bar comfortably seats a few dozen, sporting a counter made of solid ice. The Hideaway, two floors above, functions as an eclectic coffee and chill-out lounge area, where both relaxation and good conversation unfold over avante-garde seating areas resembling bird cages and nests.
The world-class Aqua spa is flanked by the most expansive, state-of-the art full-scale gymnasium I have ever seen on the high seas! Quasar, the ship’s main nightclub across from the shopping arcade (which includes Michael Kors and other retail shops) is a pimped out palladium that puts South Beach’s most popular trendsetters to shame!
Besides the constant eating orgies in the regular dining rooms and all-you-can eat buffets, the ship boasts ten – yes ten – specialty-dining restaurants on board, including the interactive Lawn Club Grill (think: upscale BBQ on the top deck where a Celebrity Chef helps grill your selections and you make your own flatbreads) and traditional fine dining at Celebrity’s most renowned restaurant, Murano.
Indeed, my sea days on the Celebrity Silhouette were long and lazy. I’d sleep in, order breakfast on my balcony and then head to the quiet Solstice deck on level 15 for some intense summer sunbathing. I caught up on my favorite magazines in the Library lounge and participated in a workshop or two that peaked my interest – like the Riedel Wine Workshop, which demonstrates how the shape and quality of a wine glass affects taste and smell of various wines and the iMovie workshop, so I could finally learn to use this useful application on my Mac!
Lots of eye candy at the gym meant long hours of cardio and pumping iron to work off the colossal portions I had been consuming. I met some great people – both gay and straight – my first nights at the casino and at the “Friends of Dorothy” meeting, a group that proved to be tons of fun throughout the sailing. Throw some casino time in, lots of drinking, even more eating, late night dancing and some special events with the Captain – I probably would have been more than content with 12 “sea days!” But alas, Greece, Italy and Israel were calling; and our ports of call (including Rome, Santorini, and Haifa), were not to be missed.
To be continued next week with, Celebrity Silhouette Sets Sail, Part II: Ports of Call.
