Silver Spirit

IMAGE AVAILABLE: Silver Spirit Image

(Miami Beach, FL -- March 11, 2008) Today at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention in Miami Beach, Florida, Silversea Cruises announced that its newest all-suite ship will be named Silver Spirit. Currently under construction at Fincantieri's Ancona shipyard, the 540-guest vessel is scheduled to join the fleet in late 2009. Renowned Italian architect Giacomo Mortola is overseeing the design of the 36,000-ton, ultra-luxury vessel. The company also revealed a number of architectural details.

"Silver Spirit's design will mirror the distinctive silhouette of our existing ships and will offer the same standards of luxury that our guests have come to expect," said Manfredi Lefebvre, Silversea's chairman. "But there will also be several significant enhancements, including a new supper club, an Asian-themed restaurant and an expanded spa facility that will rival the best spas on land."

Added Silversea president and CEO Amerigo Perasso, "Like our other ships, Silver Spirit will be a work of art for the most discerning eye. It will be a further testament to our chairman's vision of creating a travel experience of unsurpassed quality by melding together the finer elements of authentic luxury -- starting with the signature grace and elegance of our ships' Italian design."

With a total of 270 all ocean-view suites, the new ship will maintain the line's reputation for intimate yet spacious ships and will increase the number of accommodations in the most popular suite categories. Silver Spirit will feature more of the quick-to-sell-out Silver Suites, with a total of 26, and more Veranda Suites, 222. There will also be six Grand Suites and two Owner's Suites. All but 12 suites will have verandas.

When the newest addition to Silversea's fleet sets sail, the ship's privileged complement of guests will not only experience the line's hallmark easy-going luxury, warm Italian hospitality, highly personalized service and all-inclusive amenities, but also a few innovations that will raise the bar in luxury travel. Plans call for an exciting new supper club, offering sumptuous gourmet cuisine served in an intimate, club-like ambiance, and a new Asian restaurant.

The new ship will also feature those dining venues that have become favorites of Silversea guests, such as The Restaurant, the elegant main dining room; The Wine Restaurant, where the menu celebrates the most rarefied vintages; and the Pool Grille, offering casual poolside dining.

SPACIOUS NEW SPA

The new Spa at Silversea, which premiered aboard Silver Shadow's World Cruise last year, will be rolled out aboard the new vessel in grand style with dramatically more space available to incorporate new design elements. Guests will enjoy an aesthetically pleasing sanctuary where they can relax, de-stress and detox with an expanded menu of treatment options.

And Silver Spirit will feature many of the same public lounges found on the line's existing ships, including an Observation Lounge, Vista Lounge (similar to Panorama Lounge on current fleet), Show Lounge, Humidor and Pool Bar, plus a new Lobby Bar styled along the lines of a European hotel, featuring Italian coffees complemented by champagne, wine and spirits -- all served at no charge.

Thanks Dan,

I couldn't help chuckle at

"The new ship will also feature those dining venues that have become favorites of Silversea guests,such as The Restaurant" :confused:

Well I guess that we need to eat somewhere. :)

Thank you kindly Host Dan. Now when can we see the deck plans and cabin measurements?

P.S. The drawing resembles an enlarged Silver Shadow. It looks like "Yran and Storbraaten" has been canned?! Do you know why?

I can't help but wonder what the other new ship's name will be...

Silver Dawn?

Silver Wraith?

Silver Seraph?

I can't help but wonder what the other new ship's name will be...

 

Silver Dawn?

Silver Wraith?

Silver Seraph?

If this is to be the Silver Spirit I'd imagine the 2nd ship would either be the Silver Pride or the Silver Legend! :D

What about "The Silver Service"

This morning, Silversea made the same announcement which our very helpful Host Dan posted on this thread yesterday. (His posting has the added advantage of a much enlarged "artist's rendering" of the newbuild not available on the Silversea site.) Furthermore, it announced the major refurbishment of the Cloud and the Wind

http://www.silversea.com/silversea.aspx?id=1020&menu_id=10&page_id=aboutsilversea&page_type=Press&menu_off=1

That refurbishment is tantamout to partial reconstruction, including adding new cabins and facilities and the changing of all cabin bathrooms in a substantial upgrade. So it is quite clear that Silversea will not sell those two smaller ships and will operate half a dozen ships including the newbuild and the second hand expedition ship.

The article also mentioned that the newbuild will be "delivered" in December, 2009, i.e. previous forecast of its carrying paying passengers before the end of 2009 will likely be slightly postponed. Now it looks like the first quarter of 2010, realistically.

I've contacted Silversea, and asked for more information regarding suites, inineraries, and inaugural plans for the Spirit. I'll post whatever, if anything, I find out!

Host Dan

Thank you so much Host Dan, we will look forward to those!

Only a cat's guess:

Looking at the picture and the bits and pieces of information on the newbuild, the deck plan will likely remain single aisle, with one cabin on each (port and starboard) side. As the new ship's beam will be about 5 ft wider, the new cabins are likely 2'6" longer. In order not to increase the standard cabins footage and carry a maximum number of passengers without sacrificing cabin comfort, the new cabin will likely be 6" narrower.

This should still offer a full 3' of clearance between the end of the bed and the wall, ample for walking around the bed, with the "make-up module" moved to the wall between the side of the bed and the walk-in closet (which will benefit from the increase in cabin length). That being the case, the side of the bed facing this module will naturally be for the ladies, no matter which side she sleeps on in her own home, that should still be tolerable, I guess!

So the present Shadow/Whisper standard cabin is 35.5'x9.7' (including balcony) for 345 sq.ft., the newbuild's standard cabin will likely be 38'x9.2' (including balcony) for roughly 350 sq.ft. It will likely still have separate tub and shower, double sink, walk-in closet, and an arguably more conveniently placed make-up module. It may look a bit more longish, they will likely keep the elegant and space efficient curved and veneered furnishings. Perhaps the sofa will look a bit more modern to save on "protruding" space in the sitting area, which will share with the sleeping area in the overall 2.5' increase in length of the cabin. Perhaps Host Dan can tell whether this cat is right!

Silversea got back to me, and unforunately there is no additional information, other that what was presented in the press release. I will post anything new, when I am contacted in the future!

Host Dan

And the ship's official drink will be...

...the Silver Spritz?

I think that they have made a BIG mistake in the name!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whenever I refer to a ship I usually refer to the "Shadow" or the "Cloud" or "Wind" Inasmuch as there is a Seabourn Spirit... I truly believe that there will be confusion???????? Hopefully I am wrong..

I think that they have made a BIG mistake in the name!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whenever I refer to a ship I usually refer to the "Shadow" or the "Cloud" or "Wind" Inasmuch as there is a Seabourn Spirit... I truly believe that there will be confusion???????? Hopefully I am wrong..

Don't worry,it may be just a Floridian thing. :)

Don't worry,it may be just a Floridian thing. :)

I don't understand your response, is it a "British" thing????

Don't worry,it may be just a Floridian thing. :)

Please explain your response..it is a bit vague in meaning

Hi Chelonia,

I see your point in the comparisons when shortning the names, but l don't think it will make that much difference really.

Don't forget there are other Legend's, Pride's, ect like "Pride of Aloha" "Legend of

The Sea".

If you pop up to the other relevant boards you will see them refered to in the shortend versions as well and that has not caused that much confusion.

But l do see your point when both luxury lines are so close.

Perhaps because the Seabourn Legend is the oldest of the Seabourn fleet. there has been talk of the retirement of at least some of the triplets when the Oddessy and her 2 new sisters come into life over the next 3 years maybe thats what silversea is taking into account, but thats only a guess.

I just think "Lord" was having a bit of fun and not being too serious.

Cheers,

Colin.......................

Sorry, but Seabourn Pride was the first of the triplets launched, in 1988. Seabourn Spirit was second, in 1989 and Seabourn Legend did not join the fleet until 1992, after sailing with Royal Viking as the Royal Viking Queen.

Don't be sorry! & yes you are right the Spirit was the first, my mistake. I always thought it was the other way round.

Cheers.........

I don't understand your response, is it a "British" thing????

Yes,it is

This cat has tried hard to get the most from Host Dan's posted rendition of the Silver Spirit (it can be enlarged tremendously, and it is an architect's rendition rather than an artist's rendition). There are no words of explanation, and I just have to make the best out of the picture, using fuzzy logic. I assume the two sides (port and starboard) of the newbuild are the same. This new ship has 11 decks to the Shadow/Whisper's ten.

Decks 1 to 3, for crew and storage, etc.

Deck 4 ... front 2x6=12 vista suites

mid The Restaurant

back galley (kitchen) etc

Deck 5 ... front 2x14=28 verandah suites

mid shops, reception etc

Deck 6 ... front 2x16=32 verandah suites

mid 2x12=24 (midship) verandah suites

2 small life rafts (1 on each side)

2 life boats (ditto)

2 tenders (ditto)

2-storeyed theatre at back of decks 5 & 6. The above same as Shadow/Whisper

Deck 7 ... front 2x1=2 grand suites, 2x17=34 verandah suites

mid 2x12=24 (midship) verandah suites

back 2 specialty restaurants one each side, both with inside/outside sections (perhaps Asian and Italian)

Deck 8 ... front 2x1=2 grand suites, 2x16=32 verandah suites

mid 2x7=14 (midship) verandah suites, 2x1=2 owner's suites

back unknown, perhaps bar/lounge/library/gymnasium

Deck 9 ... front 2x1=2 grand suites, 2x15=30 verandah suites

mid pool

back Terrace buffet with inside/outside sections

Deck 10 ... front Bridge, 2x6=12 silver suites, officers' suites or spa

mid walking track

back like deck 9 on Shadow/Whisper

Deck 11 ... front Observation lounge (with inside/outside space) 2x7=14 silver suites

back chimney

All six grand suites are at the very front (just like Shadow/Whisper) in the front corners of decks 7, 8 and 9. All silver suites are on the top two decks 10 and 11, and in the front of the ship, unlike the Shadow/Whisper. (I hope their occupants are seasickness resistant!) The two owner's suites are still right in the middle of the ship (for the particularly rich). All the verandah suites add up to 218, four shy of the claimed 222, though it is plausible that these are hidden as second bedrooms inside those grand/owner's suites.

The silver suites remain double the size of the verandah suites, and unlike RSSC, you will have a fairly simple complement of suite types (floor plans) and categories. I would think the deck plans will be very similar too (and with all guest rooms in front to midship, and all function rooms at the back and midship). The newbuild looks just like an enlarged version of the Shadow/Whisper. It appears that the Italian marine architect can just take the blue print of Yran & Storbraaten and just make rather systematic modifications (which is very wise of them, because the Shadow/Whisper are close to ideal as they are!)

This present posting, together with the earlier one on this same thread about cabin design, is as far as we cats can make from the existing information available on the internet!

Host Dan: Any updates in the last three months? Thank you.

From our faint memory reading old Silversea brochures quite a few years ago, the Cloud/Wind were 16,800 gross tonnes (volume) with 296 passengers, that was a space ratio of 57. When the Shadow/Whisper were built in 2000/1, they started as 25,000 tonnes and 388 passengers, that was a space ratio of 64. Then without any changes, they revalued the Shadow/Whisper upwards to 28,258 tonnes and 382 passengers, with a new recalculated space ratio of 74, and they claimed that those two ships were the most spacious at sea.

Now, they start by claiming the newbuild Spirit at 36,000 tonnes and 540 passengers, that is a space ratio of only 67. So the newbuild is not only more "populous" by 41% (and being populous is a real detriment to a luxury line, unless there is substantial "redeeming grace" to it), and the space ratio declines by 10%. To make matters worse, Seabourn's old triplets have been having a space ratio (10,000 tonnes/200 passengers) of 50, but their newbuild, the Odessy has a space ratio of (32,000 tonnes/450 passengers) of 71, topping the Spirit by 6%.

That will conceivably be difficult for Silversea to swallow. I will not be surprised, if after the necessary "registrations" are completed (for better rates across the Canal or perhaps docking fees), Silversea might (like in the case of the Shadow/Whisper) revalue the Spirit's tonnage up to perhaps 39,900 tonnes (to be just under 40,000 tonnes) and therefore a recalculated space ratio of 74, on par with the Shadow/Whisper and again above Seabourn Odyssey. Do you think something along that line is going to happen? Let us wait and see!

There is plenty of space ratio per passenger on all Seabourn and Silversea ships. Personally, I couldn't care less what the number is. It's the service that counts.

In view of the poor economy and the Seabourne new ship starting to carry passengers next Summer, is there any possibility that the Spirit may be delayed, to say some time in 2010? There has been no news on that newbuild for quite a few months!