Silversea Silver Ray, the Luxury Fleet's Newest Addition

Anyone summering in the Greek Islands this year might gaze out to sea from their villa terrace and spot a sleek ship gliding across the bay. It sports the familiar profile of a cruise ship, with elegant tiers of decks layered like tiramisu, capped by jaunty, aquiline funnels — all gleaming white against the unruffled blue of the Aegean. Those onboard, on the other hand, will barely be aware of the ship around them; instead, they will be looking intently out from the spacious cabins and wide-open decks at the wraparound, uninterrupted views of hillside villages the colours of confetti, mountains smudged by haze, sea-sculpted caves and green olive groves.

Launching in June, Silversea’s Silver Ray connects with its destinations in a way quite unlike any other ship afloat — with the exception of its sister, Silver Nova, which made its maiden voyage from Venice to sail around the Adriatic last August. Together they comprise the new Nova class, which embodies Silversea’s vision for the 2020s and beyond, pushing the boundaries of experiential, luxury cruising for seasoned ocean-goers and new-wave travellers alike.

Stepping aboard, you’ll be struck by the sheer openness of the ship’s design — a revolutionary approach that blurs the distinction between inside and outside space. Natural light shimmers in from all angles, through glass facades, elevators and wide-open decks. Cabins are set behind floor-to-ceiling windows, with 270-degree views from bedroom and bathroom; restaurants, bars and other gathering points are all focused towards the sea, while decks are stripped back and uncluttered to provide unimpeded vistas.

It’s a literal attempt to break down the traditional barriers between cruise passengers and their ports of call, turning the ship into one big prism for encounters with landscapes and cultures. “When we set out to design the new Nova class, the starting point was: ‘How can we really define a sense of openness and give passengers a real connection with a destination?’,” says Andrea Tonet, the Italian-born, Monaco-based vice president of product strategy at Silversea Cruises. “With more than 4,000 square metres of glazing, the windows are a major part of the story, but you get incredible views wherever you are on the ship. On a lot of other ships, there are design elements and visual clutter that keep your attention on the ship itself. We wanted to remove anything that was superficial and non-essential, and direct the focus to whatever scenery lies outside.”

Tonet describes sailing into a port on Silver Nova — Trieste, for example, or Dubrovnik — as feeling like being on the  
roof of a boutique hotel, looking down on all the sights of the historic town, almost close enough to touch. “There’s always the sensation of being in the destination rather than on the ship,” he says. “And the sheer amount of space is remarkable; it never feels crowded on board. I worked out that if we took all 728 passengers to the panoramic deck between decks 10 and 11, everyone would still enjoy five square metres of personal space.”

Another groundbreaking design feature for both Nova ships is the horizontal distribution of cabins. Whereas vertical designs place cabins on every deck in the centre and forward, the asymmetric, horizontal design here means cabins occupy the entire sixth to ninth floors, freeing up upper and lower decks for public spaces. “It gave us more freedom to play with height, so we have the atrium soaring up between the third and fifth decks,” says Tonet. “It also meant we could be more creative with suites, which are among the most spectacular in the Silversea fleet. Having cabins in the stern is unusual, but meant we could design eight corner suites that really make the most of their position, with window placement that maximises the views.”

The designers may have stripped away everything superficial, but they haven’t skimped on luxury. There’s a clean, contemporary Italian aesthetic throughout, with cabins furnished using ceramics, porcelain and natural fabrics, along with sofas and ottomans from north-west Italy.  The two Otium Suites, unique to the Nova class, are the largest rooms on board, with hot tubs on their teak verandas.

Each of the many restaurants has a distinct personality, from the French-accented La Dame, with its beautiful Masque de Femme panels by Lalique, to the Japanese washi-and-wood interior of Kaiseki and the Art Deco glitter of the Twenties-inspired jazz bar Silver Note. “Personally, I love The Marquee, which is outside on deck nine,” says Tonet. “You can drop by for a morning coffee or an aperitivo before dinner — it reminds me of one of those little cafés you find in southern Italy where you can sit and watch life unfolding throughout the day.”

And while there are infinity views all around, you’ll also find hidden nooks to cosy up in, such as The Library and Connoisseur’s Corner, for a glass of vintage Champagne, or the intimate spaces dotted around The Pool Deck. Cabaret and theatre shows are performed on stage in the jewel-box space of the Venetian Lounge, while the Otium Spa’s Roman-inspired wellness approach permeates around the ship with its bespoke sleeping scent, bath and pillow menus, and sun-protection creams.

The real focus, however, is on connecting passengers with the destination, and the most flavoursome way is through food. Silversea’s S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste) programme — curated by Adam Sachs, the former editor-in-chief of Saveur magazine — has pioneered the art of deep diving into a region’s food history and culture.

Passengers can join small excursions to meet chefs, farmers and food producers to learn about traditions, then return to the ship for cooking classes and daily changing menus using ingredients from the destination. “The Greek Islands are a perfect fit for a ship like Silver Ray in that way,” says Tonet. “You have those beautiful, warm waters in summer, the ever-shifting scenery and the sheer abundance of Mediterranean food culture. And S.A.L.T. is so multidimensional — you get serious foodies who sign up to everything, and more casual guests who are just curious about trying a few menus.”

When Silver Ray launches in June, those widescreen views will take in the volcanic landscape and whitewashed villages of Santorini, the olive groves of Corfu and the beaches and windmills of Mykonos, as well as the medieval walled city of Kotor in Montenegro, and Dubrovnik, Athens and Bodrum. Highlights of Silver Nova’s voyages for 2024 and 2025 include close-up views of Alaska’s mighty Hubbard Glacier, where guests can also listen out for the crack and creak of calving ice, and try to spot orcas and bears. For Australasian cruises, the views will encompass the Art Deco architecture of Napier in New Zealand and the high sea cliffs and deep forests of Tasmania, among other unforgettable sights.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Silversea Cruises, which made its debut in 1994 with the world’s first all-inclusive cruise ship, Silver Cloud, and a pioneering commitment to intimate, luxury sailing with all-suite accommodation and gourmet dining. That ethos continues to this day, but while the 1990s may feel like a recent memory to some — an era of oversized Balenciaga blazers, Bill Clinton and Jurassic Park — the cruise scene has steamed several leagues ahead since.

“Back then, cruising was about seeing the world but staying safely behind the ship’s walls,” Tonet says. “Luxury meant all the obvious, visible signs such as Champagne and caviar, marble and silk, and the same reassuringly familiar menus no matter where you were in the world. In 2017, we made the decision to make the destination the focus, not the ship, and we haven’t looked back.”

With the launch of Silver Ray, there are now 13 ships in the Silversea fleet. There are small, agile vessels such as Silver Origin, carrying just 100 passengers, and Silver Dawn, which will embark on an epic 136-day world cruise in 2025 that visits 30 countries across four continents. Larger vessels include those in the Millennium class and Silversea’s first Expedition ships, launched in 2008 with the aptly named Silver Explorer. The Muse class features Silver Muse and Silver Moon — the latter having introduced the culinary S.A.L.T. programme to the waves.

Now the Nova class has drawn together all the best elements from the Silversea collection, polishing them to a high shine while being among the most sustainable ships at sea (powered by liquified natural gas, and 40% more efficient than previous launches). With the launch of Silver Ray, Silversea is moving forward once again, setting its own course with its eyes wide open to the infinite tapestry of the world.

Silver Ray launches in June 2024, sailing from Lisbon to Civitavecchia, Rome.

silversea.com