Two of Silversea’s four luxe all-suite ships are replete with bespoke Davidoff cigar lounges for the ultimate cigars at sea experience

I would be the last person on earth to say a sea cruise was high on my travel wish list. It’s a bias that comes courtesy of my parents, who bemoaned the horribleness of a Princess cruise they took from LA to Cabo in the late ‘70s. So when a couple recommended that my wife and I take a Silversea cruise as part of our summer vacation, I demurred. They were persistent, however (you’d have thought they were on commission). “We’ve been on a dozen cruises,” they said. “Once you cruise Silversea you’re spoiled for life.” And there it was, their compelling précis; nobody loves being spoiled as much as I do, and this particular couple were a genuine pair of bon vivants.

As it turned out, they weren’t just right, but very right. Not only was it the complete antithesis of my parents’ Love Boat From Hell experience, it was also unbelievably cigar-friendly.

Silversea is one of the first ultra-luxury cruise lines; there are nearly as many staff members as there are guests. Our suite also had a private deck, and a private butler who would deliver a bottle of wine and canapés at 5 P.M. after whatever shore exertion. I was spoiled, and it was good.

There are four ships (a fifth is on the way) in the Silversea fleet; two of them, the Silver Shadow and the Silver Whisper, have intimate cigar lounges named The Humidor, clubby rooms done in partnership with Davidoff of Geneva (and offer, unsurprisingly, the finest cigars and cognacs). The older Silversea ships, the Silver Cloud and the Silver Wind, also have intimate cigar accommodations, in the form of the Champagne Room (vintage ports and cognacs: check. Large humidor with Davidoff and Cuban cigars: check). To compliment the cigar/travel experience, Silversea offers Wines Series cruises, all of which explore the great wines of the world (complete with lectures, tastings and guided excursions to renowned vineyards). Epicurean artistry is the focus of Silversea’s Culinary Series, done in association with Relais & Châteaux. For the duffer who likes to smoke on the links, there is also the Silver Links 365 Golf Programme. As a fellow passenger said, life doesn’t get any better than this. I couldn’t agree more.

www.davidoffnewyork.com

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