Future luxury cruise ship reaches a newbuilding milestone

Ultra-luxury line Silversea Cruises marked a milestone in the construction of its newbuild Silver Ray with a keel-laying ceremony at the Meyer shipyard in Papenburg on 24.

A centuries-old maritime tradition, the laying of the keel marks the beginning of shipbuilding. As part of the custom, a commemorative coin was placed inside the ship to guarantee good luck to her captain and crew.

Beginning of the Silver Ray kit

Built by Silversea Cruises Silver Ray will now be in full swing after the ship’s keel laying ceremony was celebrated by cruise line and shipyard representatives along with select members of the trading community.

Silver Ray is the line’s second Nova-class ship and is scheduled to debut in summer 2024. Steel was cut for shipbuilding in November 2022.

Silver Rays Launch follows the first Nova-class ship, Silver Novaunder construction at the same shipyard and scheduled to enter service in August 2023. Originally planned for July 2023, Silver Novas The delivery was delayed by a month due to problems in the supply chain, the line said.

Silversea Cruises, a luxury brand operated by Royal Caribbean Group, designed both Nova-class ships to be low-emission vessels, using fuel cells, batteries and dual-fuel LNG (liquefied natural gas) engines, allowing them to operate with zero emissions while in port. Hydrodynamic hull designs contribute to their fuel efficiency.

Meyer Werft Managing Director Jan Meyer said: “The Nova class will set new standards on the way to zero-emission travel. We are therefore pleased to be taking another symbolic step in the construction of the Silver Ray today with the laying of the keel. I am sure that the ultra-luxury ship will meet the high demands of its guests and will delight them with its innovative design.”

Both ships are expected to weigh 54,700 gross tons, making them the largest ships in Silversea Cruises’ fleet. Silver Ray And Silver Nova will each accommodate up to 728 guests and 556 crew members.

Barbara Muckermann, President and CEO of Silversea Cruises said: “There is growing anticipation for the launch of our groundbreaking Nova Class ships, with the Silver Nova joining the fleet this summer.”

“Not only are the Nova class ships two of the most sustainable ultra-luxury cruise ships ever launched, they will introduce an asymmetric design and horizontal layout for the first time in our cruise line’s history, as well as all-new public venues among the most spacious at sea”, Muckermann added.

Nova class ship routes

After their debut in June 2024 Silver Ray will operate a Series of Mediterranean and Adriatic cruises between Venice, Rome and Athens. Her first cruise is described on Silversea Cruises’ website as a 12-day voyage from Southampton to Lisbon, Portugal, departing 3 June 2024.

The ship will operate two more cruises, Lisbon to Rome and Lisbon to Venice, before relocating to the Eastern Mediterranean and Adriatic in July 2024.

Silver Novas The new inaugural cruise will be a 7-night round-trip cruise from Venice, departing 14 August 2023, calling at ports of call in Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro. Silver Nova will offer several more cruises from Venice and Rome, as well as voyages from Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Lisbon, before making her first transatlantic crossing in early November 2023.

In addition to the two Nova Class newbuilds, Silversea Cruises is also poised to launch one Major overhaul of one of his expedition ships, Silver Effort.

Launched in 2021, the ship was built by Crystal Cruises ahead of its financial collapse in 2022. The Royal Caribbean Group bought the ship with the former name Crystal Endeavorfor its Silversea brand.

A dry dock renovation will begin April 3, 2023 at the San Giorgio del Porto shipyard in Genoa, Italy, adding 10 suites to the ship’s existing 100 cabins. Two new suite categories, Master and Signature Suites, are created.