Dressed up in hard hats and protective footwear, we ventured on to the ship, where a team of 2000 (far more than will ever be on board the ship when she is in operation) are hard at work to complete the eleventh ship to join the Silversea fleet. Bare metal, hanging wires and temporary flooring mean that your imagination has to work overtime, but we were able to see the bare bones of what will be a very special ship, and an occasional flash of 'in the flesh' completed areas, including a couple of suites.
The ship will carry up to 728 guests in spacious suite accommodation - even the entry level classic verandah suites boast 355 square feet of comfortable private space including a spacious marble bathroom with shower including a bench, well designed walk-in wardrobe, living area featuring a three seater sofa, and a roomy teak verandah of 50 square feet.
Silversea speak with excitement of the innovative asymmetrical design, but it is not until you see it in real life that you register how that works. On the pool deck the pool is located on the starboard side, with extensive views and lots of space, whilst on the port side is an additional deck where there will be a bar, and an infinity pool/jacuzzi with views in the other direction.
The cruise line refer to a 'horizontal layout' which is new to Silversea: regular Silversea guests will know that historically a Silversea classic vessel has all the accommodation at the front of the ship, with the public areas laid out vertically to the aft. On Silver Nova, decks 3,4,5 10 and 11 feature all the public areas, with the suites located on decks 6-9. This allows for an attractive passenger flow through the lounges, bars, and restaurants, higher ceilings than you are used to on the lower decks, and expansive indoor/outdoor areas to watch the wake.
After the amazing success of the S.A.L.T. programme on Moon and Dawn the Nova features an upgraded S.A.L.T. Lab and Bar on deck 10, and we think the pretty Dusk Bar will be another hidden gem.
Because of the size and design, Silversea have been able to feature our favourite Verandah, Medallion and Silver Suites, and introduce some new categories such as the lovely Signature Suites, at 700 square feet.
Extensive dining options include all our favourites such as Silver Note for dinner and dancing, the very special La Dame for contemporary French cuisine, Asian flavours in Kaiseki, and casual options like the Grill (with Hot Rocks), La Terrazza and Spaccanapoli.
Butler service in every suite and an amazingly high crew to guest ratio will ensure you are exceptionally well looked after on board.
As the most exclusive member of the Royal stable, Silversea falls under the parent company's five pillar environmental, social and governance framework, and is therefore the most sustainable luxury ship ever launched, working closely with the yard to achieve lower emissions, better waste and water management, improved energy use and more.
There is still a little bit of space available in the Mediterranean this summer, before Nova sails for New York and on to the Caribbean, and we thoroughly recommend the grand South American cruise from Fort Lauderdale on January 4th to really make the most of this fantastic ship.
