Our butler Beejay from the Philippines is really more like a magician. It seems every time I’m thinking of something, he magically appears. On the first night in my suite, I am about to take a shower when the doorbell rings and it’s Beejay asking me if I’d like an infused shower experience. Why not! The Otivm shower experience includes three different infused aromas, citrus, lavender or mint, and the service comes with candles, classical music, a facecloth rolled up with a ribbon and a delicious macaron. I choose the mint-infused shower experience and by the time I leave the bathroom I feel like a giant minty ice-cream Cornetto.
Likewise with the pillow selection. I had actually done a little homework pre-cruise as I was sent an email asking me for my pillow selection. On my second day onboard, Magician Beejay arrives asking if the pillows are up to standard, proffering a box of samples and a pillow menu. I stay with my chosen pillows. Between these and a custom-made bespoke mattress designed exclusively for the ultimate sleeping experience at sea, plus 400 thread-count Egyptian cotton linens crafted for Silversea by Rivolta Carmignani, sleeping onboard is, as you can imagine, heavenly. Silversea, it seems, has thought of everything.
The new Otivm in-suite wellness program offers a range of comforts and indulgences across four tailor-made experiences designed exclusively for Silver Nova, which means you can stay in your suite and enjoy the very best of service and customisation. The in-suite dining menu has what they call ‘nibbles and nips’, which are served under little glass cloches. These exquisite little bites of deliciousness tantalise the tastebuds and it’s fun playing ‘which one next’, lifting each cloche.
If it’s hot and you want to sunbake on your veranda, you can book an ‘Under the Sun’ session. If it’s a bit chilly, the ‘Baby it’s Cold Outside’ brings extra warmth to cold nights with cashmere throws and an indulgent hot chocolate menu. It’s all about personalisation and Silversea, much like the Magician Beejay, seems to know what I want, when I want it, even before I know it exists.
The ship was completed in 2023 and I am sure I can still smell fresh paint, but that could be my olfactory hallucination known as phantosmia playing up. Silver Nova has that wonderful ability of being a large ship of 728 passengers (OK, so not that large really), but while onboard you get a sense of it being much smaller. Clever designers have created open public spaces with wide walkways and there are enough chairs dotted around decks that you could easily play musical chairs and no one would be left standing. Also the self-generating elevators are to the side of the ship, almost hanging out over the ocean, so you get this wonderful feeling of never forgetting you’re at sea as you zoom up and down between decks.
Innovative Design
Due to the asymmetrical layout of the ship there is a sense of spaciousness in both indoor and outdoor spaces. The Nova Class style of ship has a seamless connection to the sea no matter where you are onboard; it seems nothing obstructs your view. Silversea calls it ‘horizontal layout’, meaning the cabins run the length of four decks so that the ceilings can tower across decks in the public spaces, giving the feeling of space and light.
You realise how different the design is when you walk onto the pool deck. The large, horseshoe-shaped area features the largest pool in the fleet and, rather than being centred on the deck as on most cruise ships, it is positioned to the side. Deck 11 has an infinity-style Cliff Whirlpool spa, which is fun to sit in and watch the world float by, as I did on the very last afternoon onboard, watching a rainstorm in the distance off the coast of New South Wales. With suites stretched from forward to aft, there is a greater offering and variety in layouts, with an entirely new category of suites built around the ship’s aft section, complete with views of the wake.
There are 13 different suite categories onboard Silver Nova. They include the new Otium Suites with ‘walls of windows’ offering 270-degree views at the aft starboard corner with a whirlpool and every imaginable premium amenity. Master Suites, also a new concept, have wrap-around balconies at the back of the ship and Medallion Suites are 50 per cent wider than a standard veranda suite with a larger balcony. In my Superior Veranda Suite, the bathroom, lounge room and bedroom are all spacious, as is the veranda. This is what makes Silver Nova distinctive. They call it ‘Whispered Luxury’; I call it an extraordinary experience at sea.
The ship is powered by a trio of sustainable power sources with dual-fuel engines using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the main fuel. Sustainability is very much the key to this new style of ship for Silversea, even down to small details like no plastic bottles onboard. Rather, all guests are gifted their own reusable water bottle. The ship was constructed in Germany at the Meyer-Werft shipyard with a hydrodynamically optimised hull and propulsion design; a bigger hull leaves more room for more suites. Silver Nova and sister ship Silver Ray are the largest ships in the fleet with a crew-to-guest ratio of 1:1.3.
Exceptional cuisine
The standouts on any Silversea cruise are the incredibly attentive staff – and the food. As soon as you’re seated at La Dame, the onboard French restaurant, you can tell you’re going to be in for a special dining experience. Riedel glasses big enough to swim in, a charger plate in black and white with gold trim, and a glass cloche with handmade glass flowers adorn our table, with window seats that look straight out to a dreamy sea and sky.
The mastermind behind the menu is two-starred Michelin chef Jean-Luc Rabanel. The menu itself celebrates nature by embracing plant-based ingredients that deliver flavour and colour on the plate with a punch. For more than 20 years, Rabanel has placed ‘green cuisine’ or, as he calls it, ‘Greenstronomy’, at the centre of his cooking philosophy. Vegetables, roots, plants, leaves, flowers and wild herbs have never tasted so good.
I start with the Notre Caviar Oscietra, farm-raised caviar with egg mimosa, onions, chives, sour cream and blinis. I have never considered French cuisine to be particularly generous in plating, but this dining experience is completely the opposite. My little mother of pearl spoon gets quite a workout as I pile-high caviar from a generous-sized offering with all the finely cut and diced accompaniments. It’s a spectacular way to start our dinner. Next up is Terrine de Foie Gras with an allspice brioche crumble, port wine jelly and shallot jam and truffle. Creatively plated, it tastes as good as it looks.
A champagne lychee sorbet palate cleanser before the main event is spot-on, but my favourite dish of the night is the Monochromie Verte (roasted lobster tail and seafood broth). This gorgeous buttery bowl of heaven delivers on every mouthful. Not only is the lobster tail perfectly cooked, it comes with fresh ravioli parcels of herbs and ricotta, fresh peas, courgettes and sugar snap peas. A salted caramel soufflé with a vanilla cream sauce for dessert, and I’m ready for bed, dreaming of my La Dame dinner.
So much choice
A quick foxtrot around the other distinct restaurants: La Terrazza’s buffet for breakfast or lunch (à la carte for dinner) delivers everything you could imagine or want, especially the stacks of seafood at lunchtime. Other breakfast alternatives, Atlantide and The Marquee, serve à la carte and are a great change from the buffet. For lunch we enjoy Japanese at Kaiseki, a lovely contemporary restaurant that feels like it’s come straight out of Tokyo (the must-try is the hot beef Bau Bun). The best spot for lunch is The Marquee Grill on Deck 10, a very pretty space; while Spaccanapoli serves the best authentic pizza at sea.
We have a fun night out at Silver Note. Our table is positioned around the central piano as jazz singer Blue Rose knocks out smooth jazz classics as we toe tap and sing along to a few familiar tunes. The menu is about tapas-style smaller plates and, while the lighting is all moody and blue, the generous servings are anything but.
A must visit is the Art Café on Deck 4 (next to Reception), open all day and serving light snacks. Like a magnet, I’m there each afternoon for a fruit scone with clotted cream and jam. I’m like one of those pelicans as we left Adelaide – mouth open ready for their next mouthful.
There are bars dotted throughout the ship, which are great places to make new friends onboard. My favourite is probably the relaxed vibe of the S.A.L.T. Bar, where I attend a mixologist class to learn how to make a Negroni and Espresso Martini, which will be introduced this summer at home. Cocktail, anyone?
The Sea and Land Taste (S.A.L.T.) program is a clever initiative that focuses on your destination through taste, by sourcing authentic ingredients prepared with respect and local tradition.
A series of cooking classes, dinners and lectures feature within this unique culinary program, which really does go beyond the tourist once-over-lightly experience.
We have dinner at the Chef’s Table within the S.A.L.T. Lab with an 11-course meal that uses Australian and New Zealand ingredients in a thoughtful way. It is a fun and informative night, as pretty illustrations of local produce are handed out between each course, making me proud to see so many uniquely local ingredients being used – from kingfish crudo with finger lime, to emu pie with shiraz bush chutney and confit kumara, sour cream and caviar.
The menu constantly changes to reflect the culinary practices of the lands the Silver Nova is travelling to and the people they meet along the way. The approach at S.A.L.T. is to always be curious and let the ingredients speak; each has a story to tell, and they are always listening. A lovely philosophy indeed.
The cooking class at the S.A.L.T. Lab is extraordinary in that as soon as we walk in we all agree we want to take the kitchen home. It’s a well-stocked and incredibly designed homage to every chef and home cook onboard. We make grilled octopus with macadamia vinaigrette which, once we cook, slice, dice and arrange it on a beautiful earthenware plate, the end result perhaps could have featured in one of Silver Nova’s restaurants. It doesn’t just look great, it tastes delicious. The local recipe features many local producers and was created by chef Analiese Gregory from Tasmania.
The Otivm Spa has the best views from the sauna, with large windows revealing diving albatross and sea birds swooping up and back along the waves. The thermal pool provides the perfect heated environment to just stop and relax. There is also a steam room. Massages, facials, medi-spa cosmetic treatments, and acupuncture for singles and couples are all on offer, and there’s a fitness centre with every imaginable machine that seems to want you to pull, run or sweat on. There’s also a salon, that includes gentlemen’s grooming. I choose a customised ‘Your Heavenly Journey’ massage, where I am offered a selection of Mediterranean-scented oils, and then a choice of massage techniques. Salt stone is my choice and over the next 75 minutes I seem to disappear into the massage table, dribbling. It really is one of the best massages this side of the Opera House.
On our last afternoon, Beejay the magician arrives at our door saying that, as we had not requested caviar since we arrived onboard, would we like some? Seemed rude to say no. Also, we are just about to watch a movie on our giant screen and I really just feel like some popcorn. So there we sit with our caviar, and all its little well-chopped and diced toppings, a glass of champagne, and a box of popcorn … happy as we ever have been on the ocean.
Sea views from every angle
Silver Nova offers a seamless connection to the sea no matter where you are standing onboard. Cabins run the length of four decks; shared spaces are light and spacious with towering ceilings; and five decks are dedicated to restaurants, bars and spaces for entertainment. This open-plan layout makes spaces easy to access so as to enjoy a lively atmosphere throughout your journey.
S.A.L.T. LAB
In an onboard cooking class, we make grilled octopus with macadamia vinaigrette (below). Created by chef Analiese Gregory from Tasmania, the recipe features authentic local ingredients, which is all part of the S.A.L.T. philosophy. The S.A.L.T. approach is to always be curious and let the ingredients speak. Each has a story to tell, and they are always listening.
The Secret Door
Shhhh! The secret library on Deck 10, within the Observation Lounge, is the best-kept secret onboard. Behind an unmarked door is an excellent range of books and comfortable chairs and sofas around the perimeter of the oval-shaped room. The ceiling is painted in blue and gold and resembles a dusky Renaissance sky twinkling with stars. It is the best place to go and lose yourself in lots of books and no one ever seems to visit!
Sustainable power
The ship is powered by a trio of sustainable power sources with dual-fuel engines using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the main fuel. Sustainability is very much the key to Silver Nova and Silversea’s new style of ships. Even the elevators generate their own power.
