This New Cruise Send Has an Extraordinary Design, Chic Suites, and ‘Quirky’ Cocktails

On my first shuttle with Silversea, greater than a decade in the past, I cooed over risotto flecked with gold leaf. I swooned when my husband and I have been serenaded via a jazz duo in an intimate supper membership. I liked that the bartenders would be mindful our favourite beverages — every one introduced on linen serviette — and I discovered what it was once love to have a butler who polished my sneakers, seeing that they have been sorely short of a shine.

I additionally famous issues Silversea didn’t have. The ones bartenders didn’t hand me a invoice to signal, no fingers have been out for a tip. There have been no pushy bulletins hawking excursions, buying groceries lectures, or onboard artwork auctions, nor photographers plaintively begging for a pose so they may promote me a snapshot later. There have been, in brief, not one of the annoyances you every so often to find on ships.

So once I boarded Silver Nova in 2023, I had a sense the send could be outlined as a lot via what it didn’t have as via what it did. And, true to that Silversea DNA, I discovered that this vessel gave the impression to virtually disappear. As an alternative, the seagoing enjoy blossomed, as my fellow passengers and I sighted islands and loved the weave of coastlines. A lot of these days’s maximum talked-about cruise ships paintings to focal point our consideration inwards; Silver Nova, against this, reminds us to seem out — and to comprehend the place we’re going.

This little bit of alchemy is all due to the exceptional, asymmetrical design of Silver Nova. This aesthetically pleasurable selection additionally allowed designers to get rid of maximum buildings at the higher decks, permitting the ocean and landscapes to inform their tale. To take only one instance, the pool doesn’t sit down at the send’s centerline, as is not unusual. As an alternative, it unspools alongside the starboard aspect, yielding an openness this is exceptional on a small cruise send. 

“At the open decks of alternative ships you spot a large number of stuff — sights, distractions, a large number of issues that stay your eyes busy,” defined Andrea Tonet, Silversea’s vp of product technique. “We did the other, we got rid of the whole lot that was once now not important, each and every impediment, to create this unobstructed view of the ocean and the vacation spot.”  In consequence, I at all times felt like I had a transparent sense of being someplace whilst aboard. I won a deeper sense of connection to my surroundings.

That stated, Silver Nova is at the greater aspect, a minimum of amongst true luxurious ships, with area for 728 passengers. But it surely additionally has a capacious passenger-to-space ratio that lends the vessel a welcome openness.

A boat of glass and curves, a need to convey the locations to the visitor, and a chart marked for one of the vital international’s maximum interesting puts — this is my evaluation of Silversea’s Silver Nova.

The Staterooms

The all-suite Nova has 9 other stateroom layouts, beginning with same old veranda classes, which make up greater than 75 p.c of the send’s lodging. Those measure 301 sq. ft inside of and have a subdued palette of gray and cappuccino tones. The 54-square-foot teak veranda is huge sufficient for 2 to experience a meal, and marble toilets are provided with a roomy bathe stall (many have each a complete bathtub and separate bathe). All suites come with a walk-in closet, vainness desk, a big TV, and stocked minibar. A butler is to be had in any respect hours, and in-room eating is equipped via lots of the send’s venues.

During, Silversea’s customized mattresses are luxurious and sleep-inducing, with combed Egyptian cotton bedding via Milan’s Rivolta Carmignani. There’s a pillow menu, with feather/down blends, reminiscence foam, and two hypoallergenic choices, medium and company.

Quite a lot of greater suites are to be had, however the celebrity is a couple of Otium Suites, every spanning 1,324 sq. ft and every that includes an enormous wraparound balcony with non-public scorching bathtub. Because of the send’s asymmetrical design, those balconies protrude in some way that permits for 270-degree perspectives.  

Bars and Eating places

Silversea’s culinary program is some extent of pleasure for the logo. Atlantide is Nova’s de facto major eating room, a good-looking venue that gives a collection of steaks, lobster, and caviar in an opulent, relaxed atmosphere. Subsequent door, the formidable menu at S.A.L.T. Kitchen evolves via day, taking inspiration from the vacation spot by which the send is crusing.  As an example, on journeys to Croatia, visitors would possibly to find Dalmatian sardines marinated in lemon; alongside Central The usa you could stumble upon hearty escabeche.

L. a. Terrazza’s menu options Italian specialties, with pasta made onboard, whilst Silver Observe is a swank supper membership, the place gourmand tapas are served in opposition to a backdrop of are living jazz. Situated up best, the Marquee is capped via an ethereal, two-story pergola that dapples the venue with coloration; perspectives from each and every desk are virtually unimpeded.  Complete breakfasts are served on the Marquee, and at lunch you’ll to find an al fresco rotisserie with salads, burgers, and Neapolitan-style pizzas; at evening grill your individual chops.

Even if Silversea is a most commonly inclusive cruise line, 3 of the eating places require a surcharge: L. a. Dame does a collection of French classics ($160 together with wine pairings), and Kaiseki has a full-on Asian menu ($40). S.A.L.T. Chef’s Desk has seating for as much as 24 diners, with 11-course tasting menus decorated with anecdotes concerning the historical past of every dish or signature component ($180 together with wine and cocktail pairings).  

The send has a number of bars, together with Landscape Front room, a retreat discovered aboard all Silversea vessels. On Nova, the bar’s open air terrace features a small fireside, a function I don’t recall seeing on another cruise send.  Additionally of be aware is the Nightfall Bar, which sits aft on Deck 10 and is stocked with fascinating spirits. (I discovered it to be a great place for sundown selfies.) The S.A.L.T. Bar was once most definitely my favourite spot, with sleek open air seating and a menu of atypical cocktails that includes quirky components cued to the send’s regional itinerary. 

The place Silver Nova Sails

Via early 2026, Silver Nova will summer time in Alaska and spend northern hemisphere winters in Australia and New Zealand, puts the place best deck perspectives must end up eternally rewarding.  Within the spring and fall, because the send transits between the 2 hemispheres, wait for voyages alongside the coasts of Asia, together with some circumnavigations of Japan.

Shore Tours

On Nova, a collection of each incorporated and added-cost shore tours are presented. In puts like Alaska, the incorporated excursions quilt a lot of actions, from trainer rides to scenic spaces, whale gazing, e-bike journeys, mountain climbing, and kayaking. In Australia and New Zealand, choices come with kayaking within the Whitsunday Islands, a antique steam educate trip close to Melbourne, and a Maori cultural enjoy. 

In Alaska, helicopter journeys to a glacier the place a dog-sled camp is primarily based, or a non-public fishing and crabbing excursion are a number of the added-cost excursions. In Australia and New Zealand, add-on excursions come with a non-public automobile and information in maximum ports, Hunter Valley wineries via helicopter, and a excursion of the Lord of the Rings filming places and Weta Studios. Different excursions are constructed across the S.A.L.T. program and enthusiastic about regional culinary angles, to be had at additional charge.

Facilities and Leisure

Silver Nova’s asymmetrical design permits for a sublime, expansive pool deck — a grand general of greater than 42,000 sq. ft throughout two decks. With that more or less elbow room, there is infrequently a wish to get up early to assert a deck chair. The swimming pool sits just about the starboard aspect, and the seating and increased walkways round it create an amphitheater-like impact, with a backdrop that may cross on for miles. To me, it felt like being at a supercool rooftop bar or cliff’s-edge lodge — with a landscape that is ever converting.

Silversea’s S.A.L.T. ecosystem, which is on a number of of the road’s ships, merits particular point out as an amenity, too. The acronym stands for Sea and Land Style, and describes a lot of food-focused stories off and on the send. One of the crucial core moments are to be had on the up to now discussed S.A.L.T. Bar, Kitchen, and Chef’s Desk; there is additionally a ravishing S.A.L.T. Lab, an area that permits for hands-on culinary classes. The culinary programming extends to talks and demos held within the send’s Venetian Front room, in addition to on shore tours branded as a part of S.A.L.T. Final analysis, if deep-diving into the delicacies of a particular vacation spot is your function, search for the S.A.L.T. “stamp.”

In different places, the Otium Spa has amongst its includes a steam room and indoor thermal pool with floor-to-ceiling sea perspectives. There’s a health club, and private running shoes are to be had for person or workforce classes.  The spacious Venetian Front room spans two decks — a rarity on a smaller send — with cabaret seating and tiered banquettes for song performances, film screenings, and different workforce methods. A couple of extra intimate areas come with the Gourmet’s Nook, a cigar living room and bar, and the small but pleasant library, tucked in the back of the Statement Front room.  

Circle of relatives-friendly Choices

With out devoted youngsters spaces, Silver Nova was once now not designed for kids. However households who don’t want high-powered diversions to stay youngsters engaged will discover a welcoming surroundings at sea and, all the way through vacation classes, most likely different youngsters to socialise with. Silversea permits youngsters over the age of six months, so long as they’re accompanied via an grownup over the age of 21; babysitting products and services aren’t to be had.

Accessibility

Public spaces of Silver Nova, together with all eating places, bars, and the spa, are wheelchair available. Embarkation and disembarkation also are generally available, with a gangway that is flat sufficient to deal with mobility units; in ports the place stairs are concerned, workforce individuals may give help. The vessel additionally helps to keep some wheelchairs for visitor use.

Nova has braille/tactile public room signage, elevator buttons, staircase handrails, and stateroom numbers.  

The send has six ADA available suites, on more than a few decks, within the Top class Veranda and Silver Suite classes. Each and every is supplied with wider front doorways and suitable paths of shuttle for wheelchairs, scooters, and different mobility apparatus, and every comprises an available toilet and bathe. All spaces inside those suites are reachable with out the desire for added ramps, and contours an available toilet with vainness and separate bathe.