On 28th July, Silversea Cruises’ latest ultra-luxury cruise ship ’Silver Moon’, was christened in Piraeus.
‘Silver Moon’s’ official naming ceremony was attended by guests, including Richard Fain, Royal Caribbean Group, Chairman and CEO; Roberto Martinoli, President and CEO of Silversea Cruises; Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group, Executive Vice President and CFO; Capt Chavdar Georgiev; Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager of Fincantieri’s Merchant Ships Division; and Greece’s Minister of Tourism, Harry Theoharis, among others.
Claimed to be the first ultra-luxury cruise ship to sail following the pandemic, ’Silver Moon’ embarked upon her inaugural season from Athens on 18th June, undertaking a series of 10-day voyages around the Greek Isles.
Reverend Father Ioannis Patsis, Vice President of Caritas Hellas, blessed the vessel, before the ship’s Godmother, Gaia Gaja – of the Italian Gaja Winery – broke a bottle of champagne on the ship’s bow. Guests viewed the event on screens throughout the ship and members of Silversea’s extended family streamed the broadcast online, as ’Silver Moon’ officially became the ninth ship in the ultra-luxury cruise line’s fleet.
“Witnessing the official naming of ’Silver Moon’—the first of Silversea’s christenings as part of Royal Caribbean Group—was a very proud moment indeed,” said Richard Fain. “I commend Silversea’s leadership team, Capt Georgiev and ’’Silver Moon’s’ crew, the team of Fincantieri, and everyone involved in the ship’s launch for their tireless efforts in bringing this long-awaited milestone to fruition.”
“This is an extraordinary milestone in the history of our cruise line,” added Roberto Martinoli. “We have christened ’Silver Moon’ as the ninth ship in our fleet, marking an evolution in 21st-century luxury travel. As the first ultra-luxury cruise ship to set sail this year, ’Silver Moon’ leads the way in the return of ultra-luxury cruising. She represents our industry’s strength and resilience.
“On board the newest addition to our fleet, our guests will re-discover the world in unrivalled comfort and whispered luxury. I extend my gratitude to the Royal Caribbean Group, Fincantieri, Capt Georgiev and the ship’s crew, as well as our teams ashore, for making this momentous occasion possible,” he concluded.
“It was an honour to cut the ribbon and signal the official naming of ’Silver Moon’ as the ship’s Godmother,” said Gaia Gaja. “Launching Silversea’s new S.A.L.T. programme, ’Silver Moon’ embodies the core values that my family’s winery shares with this cruise line: a reverence for tradition, a commitment to unwavering quality, and a deep respect for cultural values. I look forward to journeying on board this beautiful ship to dive deep into the Greek Isles’ celebrated culinary cultures.”
At 40,700 gt and with a maximum capacity of 596 guests, ’Silver Moon’ is the cruise line’s second ‘Muse’-class ship in its fleet. Built by Fincantieri at its Ancona shipyard, ’Silver Moon’ is an evolution of her sister ship ’Silver Muse’. The ship benefits from re-imagined public spaces, butler service in all suite categories, a nearly 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio, and Silversea’s hallmark small-ship intimacy.
The launch of Silver Moon also marks the debut of Silversea’s revolutionary new culinary programme, the propietry Sea and Land Taste (S.A.L.T). Three new on board venues form a hub of culinary discovery for guests: in Silver Moon’s S.A.L.T. Kitchen, S.A.L.T. Lab, and S.A.L.T. Bar, guests are invited to delve deeper into each region’s cuisine and culture with regionally-inspired dishes, drinks, and demonstrations. Special S.A.L.T. shore excursions enable travellers to experience the food and drink cultures of each destination first hand.
The first of two ships in Silversea’s fleet to have now returned to service, ’Silver Moon’ is joined by new ship ’Silver Origin’—now sailing on all-new itineraries in the Galapagos Islands. ’Silver Muse’ will also become the first ultra-luxury ship to set sail for Alaska when she departs for the region’s glaciers from Seattle on 29th July.
In addition, beginning 30th July, ’Silver Shadow’ will undertake all-Icelandic circumnavigations out of Reykjavik. Other Silversea ships are expected to sail in the near future and Silversea’s third new ship since 2020, ’Silver Dawn’, is scheduled to depart on her maiden voyage in November, 2021.
‘Silver Moon’ is one of six Silversea ships—others include ’Silver Muse’, ’Silver Origin’, ’Silver Shadow’, ’Silver Whisper’, and ’Silver Explorer’—to have recently earned Certification in Infection Prevention for the Maritime industry (CIP-M) from the classification society, DNV.
These certifications highlight Silversea’s commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of guests, crew, and the communities it visits as part of the company’s healthy return to service, the company said.
