Byline: Katie Wood
ABUZZ spread around deck when word leaked out from the Bulgari store that Prada handbags were reduced from 600 to 400. As the news moved around the ship a wave of prostrate, oil-clad women, deep into their Jackie Collins and Joanna Trollope novels rose as one, grabbed their passenger ID cards (for money does not exist in this environment) and sped toward the boutique. "Aren't you coming?" asked my new best friend (as of the previous night), a Mexican millionnairess whose on-ship shopping had so far cost her husband a staggering 35,000. "Eh no, I'll pass. I've plenty thanks." (That's plenty of handbags, not plenty of Prada handbags, you understand.) Relief spread over my husband's face.
Just another ordinary day on board Silversea, perhaps the world's most exclusive cruise line. With everything from champagne to 24-hour room service included in the price of your ticket, the urge to actually spend money seems to overwhelm these material girls and the on-board retailers do a roaring trade. Perhaps they are just looking for a diversion. With nothing more pressing to worry led flexible about than which restaurant to frequent, whether to have a massage before or after cocktails and if there really is enough champagne in your suite, it is no wonder that within a day or two one loses one's grip on reality. Why, I distinctly recall agreeing with my Mexican friend that her 65,000 diamond and amber ring, bought in Gdansk as 'a little souvenir' was a huge bargain. I mean, I actually said that.
Meanwhile my travelling partner (and husband), who loathes cruises, greeted the news that we were putting out to sea with the grumble: "The prospect of being in a confined space with a bunch of food-obsessed geriatrics, and herded everywhere as if lobotomised, does not appeal. Must I go?"
Despite these rather strong reservations about the delights of life on a ship with 350 others, he did come, albeit prepared for a miserable time. And, though we were on board the ship for just four days - he had ensured we only had time for half the cruise - he finally conceded that he had thoroughly enjoyed himself. "Not that that makes me a Monogram Perforation Fake Handbags convert to cruising," he muttered, a little less forcefully. "Don't bother booking me on another. Anyway, once you've been on that ship you wouldn't want to go on any others, would you?"
He has a point. By comparison, all our previous cruising experiences were decidedly declasse.
The ship Silver Whisper is pretty much in a class of her own. With the highest space-to-passenger ratio in the industry and countless unique services, you actually begin to think the $500 per person per day they charge represents good value. Had you but months left to live this would be the trip you'd book.
Having said that, the clientele enjoying this Baltic Cruise on Silver Whisper seemed neither infirm nor especially aged - the average last birthday was 55, not 75. We met some pretty dynamic business people, representing a mix of nationalities. Americans predominated, but there were also some very lively Italians, Germans, Dutch, South Americans and Australians. Undoubtedly they were all seriously wealthy, but there was none of the vulgar showiness often attached to cruising clientele. The acres of glitter blinding me at the captain's cocktail party didn't emanate from sequinned dresses and zircon jewellery; it shone like a lighthouse beam from multi-carat gems on the impeccably manicured fingers of countless trophy wives. The couture on display was strictly the cream of London, Tokyo and New York labels. By and large this was a gentee
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