Silversea held an intimate ceremony in Fort Lauderdale on 4 January to formally christen the ‘Ship of Light’ Silver Nova, ushering in a new age of nautical luxury. The event honoured maritime traditions and welcomed the ship to Silversea’s fleet. Royal Caribbean International’s continued dedication to providing the most luxurious holidays on earth is shown by the 728-guest Silver Nova, the most ecologically responsible ultra-luxury ship ever built.
As the ceremonial bagpipes, a traditional instrument of the Royal Caribbean Group, resounded triumphantly through the Silver Nova’s theatre, the atmosphere was filled with emotion. Following that, Rachel York sang an emotional performance of the national anthem of the United States, and an exclusive screening of a commemorative video in celebration of Silversea’s 30th anniversary was held. The Brand will commemorate this milestone this year.
Rabbi Adam Watstein and the Reverend Sanford Sears blessed Silver Nova. Silversea President Barbara Muckermann and Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty welcomed Brand’s extended family members. They introduced the ship’s Godmother, Nina Compton, a renowned chef, restaurateur, and TV personality.
The event ended when Compton, with the help of Captain Cosimo Pontillo, officially christened the ship Silver Nova. To celebrate the occasion, Compton smashed a magnum bottle of champagne against the ship’s hull before Liberty then led the guests in a toast to mark the occasion.
“After years of research, development, and collaboration, we are all incredibly proud to officially welcome Silver Nova into Royal Caribbean Group’s fleet. Silver Nova is a game changer, a new vision for the ultra-luxury travel experience,” said Jason Liberty. “We will continue to push boundaries and innovate the vacation experience in 2024 with our three global brands that, together, turn the vacation of a lifetime into a lifetime of vacations for our guests around the world.”
“It is fitting that we officially named Silver Nova – a truly pioneering ship – in the same year Silversea celebrates its 30th anniversary: the ship connects our history with our tomorrow, striking a perfect balance between our Brand’s refined heritage and the future of ultra-luxury cruise travel,” said Barbara Muckermann.
“Launching this pioneering ship would not have been possible without the invaluable support of Jason Liberty and all involved at Royal Caribbean Group, Silversea, and Meyer Werft. A strong expression of our brand positioning, Silver Nova will immerse guests into the world’s most enriching destinations, championing human connection and cultural discovery. For this reason, Chef Nina Compton is the perfect fit for the ship’s Godmother – her values perfectly align with those at the heart of our S.A.L.T. culinary program, and I have no doubt she will inspire our guests to engage meaningfully with the planet and its people.”
Born in St. Lucia, a resident of New Orleans, and trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Nina Compton is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, and TV personality. Her values of human connection, cultural discovery, and the honouring of heritage, tradition, and identity align with those of Silversea’s S.A.L.T. culinary program.
The owner of two restaurants in New Orleans, Compton is a leading practitioner and passionate advocate for the food of the Caribbean and was named a Culinary Ambassador for her home country of St. Lucia, where her father served as the island nation’s first Prime Minister.
“I am honoured to have been named Godmother of Silver Nova,” said Nina Compton. “Throughout my life, I have explored how the world’s cuisines – especially that of my home nation, St. Lucia, and the Caribbean more broadly – strengthen human connections, facilitate cultural discovery, and honour heritage, tradition, and identity. I believe food and drink have the power to bond people, providing insight into a community’s customs as a unifying language. I hope that my journey inspires Silver Nova’s guests to connect meaningfully with the destinations they visit and their people, forging strong relationships, broadening horizons, and providing self-enrichment.”
Silver Nova is a revolutionary new approach to luxury on board and the most eco-friendly ultra-luxury cruise ship ever constructed. Her groundbreaking design prioritises transparency above symmetry and uses an unparalleled amount of glass—about 4,000 square meters—to provide visitors with panoramic views of the destination from almost every room and event.
Her new outdoor venues, the Marquee and the Dusk Bar, and her revamped pool deck that faces the water on her starboard side are the finest examples of her distinctive hospitality to the location. The Silver Nova boasts the greatest space-to-guest ratio in Silversea’s fleet at 75 GRT per guest, making it one of the most spacious cruise ships ever built.
A crew-to-guest ratio of 1:1.3, including butler service for all suites, allows her to provide one of the most personalised sea service levels. She has the most suite varieties in Silversea’s history, with 13 distinct types, and can accommodate up to 728 passengers in some of the most spacious rooms on a cruise ship. A private veranda is available to guests in every suite.
On 14 August 2023, the Silver Nova set sail from Venice on her inaugural trip. Now that she has completed her Naming Ceremony in Fort Lauderdale, she sets sail on her maiden Grand Voyage, the Grand Voyage South America 2024. This 71-day voyage will take her across the South American continent, calling in 38 ports in 18 countries.
The post Silversea Officially Names Silver Nova in Fort Lauderdale first appeared on Stray Nomad Travel News.
