REVAMPED SILVER SPIRIT WILL BECOME ‘TOP DOG’
Silversea liner’s refit aims to increase passenger capacity, add more features
One of my all-time favourite cruise ships will be getting a makeover by the time you read this. Ultra-luxury line Silversea (cruise.center/silversea) is sending its 540-guest Silver Spirit back to the shipyard in Italy, where it will be cut in half in order to receive a brand new, 49-foot (14.9-metre) long midsection that will increase the overall length to 691 feet (210.6 m) and extend its guest capacity to 608.
The changes are being done to bring the 2009-built Silver Spirit in line with its newer fleetmate, the 596-guest Silver Muse, which entered service last spring.
“Based on the wonderful feedback from guests sailing aboard our beautiful Silver Muse, we believe the comprehensive makeover we have planned for Silver Spirit will enrich the onboard experience and be equally appreciated by guests. They will see many of Silver Muse’s innovations and elevated comforts embodied by our reimagined Silver Spirit,” says Christian Sauleau, executive vice-president of fleet operations for Silversea.
Silver Spirit entered dry dock at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Palermo on March 5, and the ship will remain there until
May 1, with its first post-dry dock revenue cruise taking place
May 6 from Civitavecchia, the port for Rome. While lengthening ships isn’t new, it is a process that is relatively rare for the luxury industry, and a technological first for Silversea.
When Silver Spirit emerges, it will have 34 new luxury suites, as well as a commanding Balsorano Suite, named after Silversea’s chairman, Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio di Balsorano de Clunieres. This super-sized suite features items from his personal collection, and can be booked as either a one-bedroom suite with 1,292 square feet (120 square metres) of space; or with the adjoining Panorama Suite for a combined 1,668 square feet
(155 square metres).
The ship’s existing suites will receive new HD interactive televisions and hand-crafted Savoir beds, along with a sprucing up of soft furnishings.
Plenty of other changes are in store for this attractive ship. La Terrazza, Silversea’s casual buffet eatery and nightly Italian dining venue, will be expanded to include the area formerly occupied by Star’s Supper Club. The latter will be renamed Silver Note, taking up an enlarged residence on Deck 8 that used to be occupied by the long-forgotten casino. The casino will be scaled down and moved to Deck 7, taking the place of the former library and internet café. Deck 8 will also house the fabulous new Arts Café that debuted last year aboard Silver Muse. Offering up lattes, light bites and plenty of atmosphere, the Arts Café will be a welcome addition aboard Silver Spirit.
Big changes are also coming to the ship’s main restaurant, which will be removed and redesigned into two smaller venues known as Indochine and Atlantide. Like their counterparts aboard Silver Muse, these new dining spaces on Silver Spirit will also feature their own dedicated bars for pre- and post-dinner cocktails. The Japanese-inspired Seishin and the Relais & Chateaux dining venue Le Champagne still remain, though the latter’s name will be changed to La Dame.
I’ve always enjoyed sailing aboard Silver Spirit. It’s a luxury ship that’s big enough to offer more space and amenities than most, yet still small enough that nothing ever feels overly crowded. The lone exception to this has always been The Bar on Deck 5, which will be expanded during this refit and renamed Dolce Vita.
That’s a good thing: cocktail hours could get positively competitive in this attractive space. No word yet on whether Silversea will keep the bar’s existing Art Deco-themed interior decor.
Once the refit is complete, Silver Spirit will once again be “top dog ” in the Silversea fleet. Just seven feet shorter than Silver Muse, it will be the largest ship in the fleet by passenger capacity. But don’t expect Silversea’s stellar levels of service to slip; the crew will increase from 376 to 412 members to keep pace with the increase in passenger capacity.
Silver Spirit’s weeklong cruise starting May 6 from Civitavecchia (for Rome) to Barcelona will include ports of call at Porto-Vecchio, Corsica; Livorno; Portofino; Cannes; and Marseilles.
With Silversea now offering prices in Canadian dollars, it’s the best time to try out this revitalized favourite.
Happy cruising.
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