Silver Nova Review

A cruise line long known for its understated approach to luxury, Silversea Cruises’ whisper-of-elegance approach is beautifully amplified on Silver Nova. Debuting in 2023, the ship is visually stunning, is environmentally friendlier than the rest of the fleet and ultimately finds a way to connect guests with the sea.

The hallmarks that keep Silversea Cruises fans loyal – exceptional dining, intuitive service and butlers and suites for all who sail – are still in place, but the ship itself includes features, like an asymmetrical design, that are completely new to the cruise line. That unique, unbalanced approach creates a beautiful pool deck that includes a deep pool, space for lounging and nooks galore for shade and private conversation. It looks like a rooftop pool at a swanky hotel. In fact, most of the ship has that feel, thanks to excellent use of natural light throughout and deep art collection.

The S.A.L.T. program, which is based on the promotion and integration of local food into a cruise, has found its groove on Silver Nova. There's an expanded S.A.L.T. Lab cooking experience, strategically placed the space to the top of the ship, as well as a senses-challenging 11-course Chef’s Table dinner added to the dining options.

This ship is ideal for foodies as well as guests looking to connect more deeply with the sea and the people and places they visit. It moves Silversea Cruises into its own class of luxury.

Asymmetrical Silver Nova Deck Plan Opens Spaces, But Can Be Confusing

Silver Nova features an asymmetrical deck plan, essentially meaning the ship isn’t a mirror image from the port to starboard side. That translate into more wide-open spaces that face the sea, higher ceilings and the creation of lots of nooks so guests can feel like they’re sailing on their own personal ship.

You’ll notice the asymmetry to the Silver Nova deck plan most when you’re on Deck 10, the pool deck. Here, the long, deep pool runs on the starboard side, and lounge chairs fill the space portside facing the pool and the sea. Deck 11 offers seemingly unlimited sun loungers and includes a “Cliff Whirlpool” that is enclosed by glass on the side facing the sea. The midship of the deck is open on the starboard side, providing gorgeous pool views. The overall effect of the design is breathtaking.

Deck 11 also features the S.A.L.T. Lab, a large modern space that doubles as the spot for cooking classes and the Chef’s Table dining experience. The ceilings are extra high, and doors can be opened to the fresh air, which makes it inviting for either experience. Adjacent to that is the S.A.L.T. Bar, where bartenders create innovative craft cocktails inspired by the destinations the ship visits using local spirits. New to Silversea is the Dusk bar, located aft on Deck 11. This open-air sky bar is oriented toward the port side and offers magnificent views in a relaxed atmosphere.

Inside, the design creates a three-deck atrium and sweeping views through giant windows. Moreso than on any other ship in the fleet, the atrium feels like the ship’s heartbeat. Here, you’ll find the Arts Cafe coffee shop, Dolce Vita lounge and The Shelter, a new-to-fleet Champagne bar.

Restaurants are mostly tucked away inside the belly of the ship, with all of them on decks 3 and 4; only the Chef’s Table, and The Grill and Spaccanapoli (both housed in The Marquee) are located on Deck. 10.

The design makes for lots of great conversations spaces all over the ship, but it also does mean it can take you a couple of days to get a grip of how Silver Nova is laid out. It took us a bit of time to find La Dame, and we completely missed the ship’s library, all the way forward, on Deck 10 in the Observation Lounge.

Silver Nova Cabins All are Spacious, Come with Butlers

All Silver Nova cabins are considered suites, and all guests who stay in them get the suite experience, though that, of course, varies depending on what stateroom category you book. For starters, all cabins are assigned butlers, who will do things like pack and unpack your suitcases, ensure you get the pillows that you want, pour your Champagne, arrange reservations and more. (Want to know more about this unique service? Check out our article on What Cruise Ship Butlers Will Do for You?)

Suites start at more than 300 square feet, and balconies for those cabins are 53 square feet. This is about the size of a nice boutique hotel room in New York City and large by cruise ship standards.

New to the fleet is the Otium Suite, based on Silversea’s Otium spa concept, which emphasizes indulgence and wellness at every turn. These Silver Nova rooms are the largest on the ship, and both of them are located on the starboard aft corner (one on Deck 6, another on Deck 7), which means they have oversized balconies – again, thanks to the ship’s asymmetrical design. These cabins also come with hot tubs on those balconies.

In between are a whole host of beautifully appointed cabins that offer smart design and comfortable amenities. Silver Nova is the first ship in the Silversea fleet to offer aft-facing cabins, and we love that it’s not devoted just to the bigger suites – eight Premium Veranda Suites and one Classic Veranda Suite are available facing aft.

While there aren’t any cabins to avoid on Silver Nova, those who get seasick should book cabins lower on the ship and closer to the middle, as these are less prone to motion.

Food on Silver Nova Ranges from Humble Locally Inspired Dishes to Fancy

Food on Silver Nova is top-notch, in no small part because of the line’s commitment to introducing and immersing its guests in local food and the way it connects to culture. Onboard, the best spot to see this in action is the excellent S.A.L.T. Kitchen, which serves a different menu every night focused on the port the ship visited that day. In some cases, ingredients for an evening menu are literally brought onboard during the day from that port. This local story continues in the S.A.L.T. Lab, where cooking classes focus on local dishes and the ingredients that make them special.

Silver Nova also offers more traditional upscale options at its diverse variety of restaurants. Several of the restaurants do double-duty, offering one experience during the day and a different experience for dinner. All of the cruise line’s favorites are onboard Silver Nova, including La Dame (French), Kaiseki (Japanese), La Terrazza (buffet during the day, Italian at night), Atlantide (MDR) and The Grill and Spaccanapoli (casual and pizza by day, pizza and hot rocks grilling at night).

While Kaiseki and La Dame always have come with an additional surcharge for dinner on other Silversea ships, they are significantly more expensive on Silver Nova. The culinary team chalks it up to better ingredients, an elevated menu and premium wines and spirts. The new S.A.L.T. Chef’s Table also comes with a big price tag for the multicourse, immersive meal. Foodies might find all three experiences worth the fee – we loved our dinner at Kaiseki and found the Chef’s Table to be innovative – but those who don’t live for food will be very happy at the ship’s included restaurants.

Dress Code on Silver Nova is Different than on Other Silversea Ships

Through the years, Silversea has traditionally stuck with a fairly strict, high-end dress code, with men wearing jackets and women dresses or dressy trouser/blouse combos to dinner at night.

On Silver Nova, the dress code is slightly more relaxed. Silversea calls the new guidelines “Elegant Casual.” For men, it means jackets aren’t required at dinner (except if they’re dining at La Dame). For women, the guidance is “trousers, blouses, skirts or casual dresses.”

Cruises of longer than seven nights also have at least one “Formal Optional” evening, where guests can choose to go more formal: evening or cocktail dresses for women, tuxedo, dinner jacket or suite with tie for men. while gentlemen can opt for a tuxedo, dinner jacket, or dark suit with a tie. On that evening, passengers can go Elegant Casual instead, though men are required to wear jackets in all indoor spaces.