30 April 2026, embarkation day, with Silversea's Silver Moon alongside at Tokyo's Harumi terminal. For our first dinner, just after six, we chose S.A.L.T. Kitchen — the restaurant whose name stands for Sea And Land Taste, and whose menu is never fixed: it travels with the ship, serving the flavours of wherever she calls.

Inside S.A.L.T. Kitchen: powder-blue banquettes and tables for two run the length of the room, with display shelves at the far end.

Our table: a round marble top, woven placemats, folded napkins and three glasses apiece.

Two menus: Terrain and Voyage

Two menus lay open on the table. The Terrain Menu is inspired by the day's port — Tokyo tonight, its dishes drawn from the port's flavours and seasonal specialties. The Voyage Menu is written for the journey itself, celebrating the North Pacific and the culinary traditions of the region we were about to cross. Even the wine list had a page headed 'WINE LIST / TOKYO', with local wines inspired by the day's port.

The evening's wine list, headed 'WINE LIST / TOKYO', with local wines inspired by the day's port at the top.

The Terrain Menu, built around the day's port — Tokyo.

The Voyage Menu, created to celebrate the North Pacific region of the journey.

The local pours were from Yering Station in Australia's Yarra Valley — the Village 2024 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The bottles were presented at the table first; then the white was poured, crisp and fresh, an easy opening for the seafood to come.

The evening's local pours presented at the table: Yering Station Village 2024 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Glasses and a corner of the wine list — dinner is about to begin.

Bread and starters

The bread service has a rustic charm: sliced bread standing in a terracotta pot, a round loaf in its own little crock, and two orange rounds of spread on a black slate with a small cup of dip — a gentle way to slow down before the meal.

The bread service: sliced bread in a terracotta pot, a round loaf in a small crock, and two orange rounds of spread on a black slate.

Bread and spreads up close, with a small ceramic cup of dip alongside.

The round loaf in its little terracotta crock, its crust flecked with herbs.

A closer look at the bread pot and the two glossy rounds of spread.

We ordered starters across both menus. From Terrain, Tokyo flavours: Negima Yakitori, skewers of marinated chicken and negi with a glossy tare glaze; and Namero Tartare, chopped white fish dressed the fisherman's way, with shiso, lemon and shredded radish — bright and fresh. From Voyage came a taste of where the journey leads: King Crab Legs, Alaskan king crab split open and served with nothing more than a wedge of lemon.

Starter — Negima Yakitori: grilled skewers of marinated chicken and negi, glazed with tare and served with shredded radish and carrot.

Starter — Namero Tartare: chopped white fish tartare with shiso leaf, lemon and shredded radish and carrot.

Starter — King Crab Legs: broiled Alaskan king crab, split open and served with a lemon wedge.

All three starters on the table: skewers, fish tartare and king crab, with the white wine poured.

King crab up close: red shell, white meat, a sprig of dill and lemon.

The yakitori closer: charred edges on the negi and a glossy glaze.

One more Voyage starter: The Salmon Run — lightly poached salmon under a mild horseradish cream, heaped with red salmon roe. The name nods to the salmon's great migration, and the plate is a wash of orange-red; on the fork, the roe pops gently.

Starter — The Salmon Run: lightly poached salmon in a mild horseradish cream, heaped with salmon roe.

The Salmon Run from another angle, a lemon wedge at the side.

Salmon and roe in close-up: cream over the slices, the roe glistening.

A forkful: a slice of salmon crowned with roe.

Mains: clam rice, duck soba and roast chicken

Three mains, each with a story. Fukagawa Clam Rice is an old Tokyo dish from the Fukagawa district: clams stewed in sake and miso, folded through rice with julienned carrot, fried tofu, sesame and scallion — homestyle and deeply satisfying. Duck Nanban Soba lays slices of pink duck breast over soba in a hot dashi broth, the duck's richness meeting the negi; the menu calls it 'a Tokyo classic'. The Voyage Roast Chicken is a golden roasted leg with leek and potato croquettes, asparagus, baby carrots and Brussels sprouts, over a dark, sweet berry jus that cuts the richness.

Main — Fukagawa Clam Rice: clams with julienned carrot, fried tofu, sesame and scallion over rice.

Main — Duck Nanban Soba: slices of pink duck breast over soba noodles in a hot dashi broth.

Lifting the soba with chopsticks, steam rising.

A bite of duck with soba; the duck skin is crisp and golden.

Main — Roast Chicken: a roasted chicken leg with leek and potato croquettes, asparagus, baby carrots and Brussels sprouts.

The roast chicken from another angle; the croquettes are deep golden.

Roast chicken close-up: the dark berry jus pooling on the plate.

Mid-meal: the emptied clam shells gathered on a side plate.

Dessert: a little from both menus

Dessert came from both menus too. From Voyage, the Matcha Mille Crepe — layer upon layer of matcha crepes and whipped cream, with a scoop of matcha ice cream. From Terrain, a Japanese Strawberry Shortcake, genoise, cream and strawberries in neat strata, and a bowl of Anmitsu — vanilla ice cream, red bean paste, fruit and agar jelly under black sugar syrup, crowned with a sesame crisp. Three desserts, four plates: dinner ended sweetly.

Dessert — Matcha Mille Crepe: layers of matcha crepes and whipped cream, with a scoop of matcha ice cream.

The mille crepe closer: fine, even layers of crepe and cream.

Dessert — Japanese Strawberry Shortcake: genoise, whipped cream and fresh strawberries in neat layers.

Dessert — Anmitsu: vanilla ice cream, red bean paste and fruit, crowned with a sesame crisp.

Desserts all together: two matcha mille crepes, the strawberry shortcake and the anmitsu.

After dinner, the café

Not ready for bed, we settled into the café. First came a plate of petit fours — two caramel-toned macarons, four chocolate truffles and a cookie — beside a little faceted-glass lamp. Then two hot drinks: a latte with thick, silky foam, and a matcha latte in distinct layers. Orange armchairs, a pink cushion, the bar's backlit shelves and the espresso machine behind: the ship's evening slowed right down.

A plate of petit fours at the café: two macarons, four chocolate truffles and a cookie, beside a faceted glass lamp.

The same plate from another angle, the café bar shelves behind.

Two hot drinks arrive: a foamy latte and a layered matcha latte.

Our little round table and the bar beyond: orange armchairs, a pink cushion, backlit bottles and the espresso machine.

Coffee and petit fours with the bar softly lit behind.

The café table from another angle as the evening slows down.

Late-night room service

Back in the suite, the day still wasn't over. Close to eleven, room service rolled in a late supper and laid the living-room table properly, white cloth and all: a cheeseburger, a hot dog, a bowl of noodle soup and a crème brûlée, with two cups of tea.

The burger was a sesame brioche with a cheddar beef patty, still pink in the centre when bitten into; the hot dog wore zigzags of ketchup and mustard, with fries and onion rings; the noodle soup was a dark broth with glass noodles, sliced meat and a floating slice of lemon. Finally, cracking the brûlée's caramel shell with a spoon — embarkation day, eaten from dinner to midnight, was truly done.