Silversea's newest luxury cruise ship has set sail — see how it's trying to attract wealthy cruisers willing to pay over $500 a day
Silversea Cruises' newest vessel, the Silver Nova, has set sail.
Its least expensive itinerary starts at $500 a day for a seven-day cruise.
See how Silversea is trying to break through the luxury market with its latest 728-guest ship.
Silversea, Royal Caribbean Group's luxury brand, has a new floating resort that has officially set sail, wooing wealthy travelers with its diverse selection of suites, redesigned pool deck, and itineraries that start at $500 a day.
The luxury cruise industry has been having an action-packed month: As The Points Guy called it, it's now a "luxury cruise war." And if you're a well-off traveler, it may seem like you have plenty of new options to pick from.
In early August, MSC Group's new luxury cruise brand Explora Journeys began revenue sailings.
About a week later, Crystal — now owned by travel group Abercrombie and Kent — announced a 2025 world cruise aboard its newly refreshed cruise vessel.
To add to this list, on Monday, Silversea's new Silver Nova set sail from Venice, Italy on its first seven-day roundtrip maiden sailing.
The ship is Silversea's 12th and the first in its new Nova class.
The ultra-luxury brand's ships all have high-end amenities like butlers and suites, most with balconies.
And this new ship is no exception.
The Nova is sailing with a 1:1.3 crew to guest ratio.
The ship can accommodate a total of 544 crew members and 728 guests.
These lucky guests will get to vacation in one of the ship's 13 suite categories — the most of any Silversea vessel, according to the brand.
No need to fear dingy windowless staterooms: All of these accommodations have verandas.
The largest of these hotel rooms at sea is the 1,324-square-foot Otium suite.
It comes complete with expansive windows, a dining room, and a 431-square-foot outdoor space with a hot tub.
The Otium also shares the same name as the vessel's spa.
To compare, the smallest suites ring in at 357 square feet.
But don't let its size deceive you. These suites still include glass doors that open onto the balcony, double vanities, and a walk-in closet.
Dining will be just as luxurious as these hotel rooms at sea.
The ship's nine floating restaurants include a "chef's table" — a popular addition on newer ships — and an eatery with a menu that reflects the itinerary and local ports.
Both venues fall under Silversea's "S.A.L.T" program, which draws culinary ideas from the cruise ship's destinations.
But if you prefer the casual classics, you'll be delighted to learn about Marquee.
Marquee is a new-to-brand concept combining the brand's existing grill and pizza venues into one open-air eatery.
Besides this, the ship's redesigned bi-level pool deck with Silversea's largest pool yet and the casual al fresco Dusk Bar are both a first for the cruise line.
Other than Dusk Bar, the ship has nine other bars and lounges.
For the more sophisticated traveler, there's the Arts Cafe lined with books about artists. Travelers craving a cultural immersion can instead head to S.A.L.T. Bar for drinks.
Despite Silversea's parent company, the Silver Nova is not nearly as large as the mega cruise vessels that have been coming from Royal Caribbean.
The Nova has a gross tonnage of 54,700. To compare, Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas — the next world's largest cruise ship — will clock in at 250,800 gross tons.
The cruise line says the Nova has sustainable features like the use of liquefied natural gas and battery power.
After the Silver Nova completes its inaugural sailing, the vessel will stay around the Mediterranean before beginning itineraries in the Caribbean and South America.
On January 4, 2024, the vessel will then embark on a 71-day roundtrip cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Silversea says this itinerary will hit 38 stops across 18 countries.
But don't expect affordable fares like a mass-market cruise ship.
The least expensive sailing starts at $3,500 for a seven-day cruise from Panama City to Peru, according to Silversea's website.
This price then jumps to $50,900 for the aforementioned 71-day cruise.
The cost of the next most expensive itinerary drops to $23,100 for a 34-day cruise from Japan to Australia.
The ship's upcoming sailings into early September have since accumulated a waitlist, according to Silversea's website.
If you can wait out this demand, in the summer of 2024, the cruise line will launch the Nova's sister ship, the Silver Ray.
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