Slated to launch in summer 2023, the ground-breaking 728-passenger Silver Nova will be Silversea's first Nova Class ship. Featuring an all-new "horizontal" design for the line and all-balcony cabins, the eco-friendly vessel is powered by hybrid technology that includes using shore-side power when docked. Silversea says Silver Nova will be the first cruise ship to be totally emission-free in port.
Read on for all the details you need to know about the latest addition to the luxury cruise line.
## Silver Nova Deck Plans Include All-Balcony Cabins and Innovative New Layout
Silver Nova is the first ship in the Silversea fleet where every cabin will have a balcony. Carrying 728 passengers, the ship will also be the largest in the fleet -- the 608-passenger Silver Spirit is currently the biggest. Silver Nova will also be the most spacious with the highest tonnage-to-passenger ratio (75 gross tons per passenger) in the Silversea fleet, as well as a 1.3:1 passenger-to-crew ratio.
With 364 cabins across 13 stateroom categories, Silver Nova will also offer the largest choice of suites. These include the new 270-degree view Otium Suite measuring 1,323 square feet and with a 431 square-foot balcony with a whirlpool. The suite is located in an aft corner position and has a living area, separate bedroom, walk-in closet, and a bathroom with a whirlpool and shower.
Silver Nova will also be the first ship in the fleet to feature a horizontal design. All of the current Silversea ships have the cabins located toward the front of the ship and the public areas at the back. This was originally done because the line wanted to reduce noise by situating cabins farthest away from the engine room. New technology has solved this problem, and most modern ships are now built in a horizontal design with cabin and public areas spaced throughout the length of the ship.
To create openness and spaciousness, large areas of glass have been incorporated into the deck plan design, including elevators with glass walls overlooking the ocean. Instead of having an enclosed swimming pool traditionally situated in the middle of the pool deck, the pool will be open to one side of the ship to create an area with unobstructed views.
Silver Nova will have eight restaurants and include the line's S.A.L.T. culinary program that showcases the food and wine of destinations visited.
## Silver Nova Will Be An Environmentally Friendly Cruise Ship with Sustainable Green Technology
Silver Nova is the first Silversea vessel to be constructed at Germany's Meyer Werft shipyard. It is expected to achieve a cruise industry first: emission-free operation in port by using fuel cells and batteries.
Shore power will allow the ship to shut down its main generators at select ports and plug into the onshore energy supply, thereby cutting onboard local emissions to zero. Silver Nova will use liquefied natural gas, the cleanest fossil fuel, as its main fuel. This hybrid technology will allow the vessel to achieve an overall 40 percent reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions per double suite when compared with its previous Muse Class vessels.
Other new features on Silver Nova -- and all future Nova Class vessels -- include technology to reduce the volume of onboard waste, resulting in lower incineration emissions. Additionally, the Nova Class ships are expected to achieve an Energy Efficiency Design Index rating that will be about 25 percent better than requirements set out by the International Maritime Organization.
The ship has a large hydrodynamically designed hull to further reduce fuel consumption.
## Silver Nova Will Offer Eight Signature Restaurants
With a total of eight restaurants, Silver Nova will offer diverse dining selections, from intimate venues to spacious, open-seated options. On Deck 10, the ship’s pool deck, Silversea will introduce The Marquee – an al fresco dining venue with capacity for up to 220 guests. Incorporating previous Silversea mainstays - The Grill and Spaccanapoli - in one place, The Marquee is set to offer a relaxed atmosphere where casual fare can be enjoyed during the day and dinner under the stars at night.
Silver Nova will also house Sea and Land Taste (S.A.L.T.), the signature culinary program launched in 2021 on Silver Moon. The program features three dedicated venues – S.A.L.T. Kitchen. S.A.L.T. Bar and S.A.L.T. Lab. Of the three, S.A.L.T. Kitchen offers the traditional dining experience with destination-inspired menus specific to whichever port the ship visits. Silver Nova will
Silver Nova guests can also count on enjoying Silversea’s signature restaurants onboard. Hallmark Italian restaurant La Terrazza will be located on Deck 4 and will be able to accommodate up to 340 people – the highest capacity of all eight Silver Nova restaurants - with indoor and outdoor seating for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Deck 4 will also feature La Dame, Silversea’s premium haute-cuisine restaurant. Rounding up the eateries on this Deck will be Kaiseki, accommodating up to 40 guests in a minimalist, Japanese-inspired setting. Though the menu prioritizes Japanese fare, Kaiseki will also offer Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, Korean and Chinese a-la-carte options.
Sharing Deck 3 with S.AL.T. Kitchen, Atlantide will be Silver Nova’s most spacious restaurant. The venue will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and will accommodate to 270 passengers. On Deck 5, Silver Note caps off the list of restaurants onboard Silver Nova. The intimate setting emulates the jazz clubs of the 1920s – complete with a central stage that will host a piano for live musical performances.
## Want to Be One of the First Onboard? Silver Nova's Maiden Voyage Is August 2023
Silver Nova will enter service in 2023 with the first sailing August 14 out of Venice. The maiden voyage is a seven-night cruise, roundtrip from Venice, and it stops in Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro.
## What Are the Itineraries For Silver Nova?
During the inaugural season, Silver Nova will offer 20 sailings in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and South America -- including a transatlantic crossing -- and visit more than 100 destinations in 50 countries. In 2024, the ship will sail in South America, the Caribbean and Central America with departure ports including Fort Lauderdale, Lima, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Bridgetown.
## Silver Nova Specs
Silver Nova will be 54,700 gross tons and carry 728 passengers at full capacity, with 556 crew members.
