Silver Moon

The 2020-built/2021-inaugurated MS Silver Moon cruise ship is of the same design as her sisterships Silver Muse (2017) and Silver Dawn (2021). When the shipbuilding order for Silver Moon was placed, Silversea had a fleet of 9 vessels, with plans to expand to 12 ships.

The vessel (IMO number 9838618) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311000719) and registered in Nassau.

History - construction and ownership

Silversea Cruises is a Monaco-based luxury cruise company and travel brand. It was established in 1994 as a joint venture between V-Ships Monaco (formerly Vlasov Group) and the Lefebvre family of Rome Italy. In 2018, RCCL-Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd acquired two-thirds of the company. Silversea now operates a fleet of smaller boutique cruise vessels with passenger capacity ranging between 100 and 700 guests. The company's business model focuses on yacht-like ships in the ultra-luxury all-suite category. Silversea's all-inclusive fares include beverages (including selected wines), gratuities (no tipping is required), travel insurance, port charges, and one or more shore excursions per voyage.

The 600-passenger Silver Moon is an all-suite, ultra-luxury cruise ship. The shipbuilding contract with Fincantieri was signed on September 11, 2017. The vessel was constructed at the Sestri Ponente shipyard in Genoa Italy. Among the ship's certifications is the "Green Star 3 Design" notation, assigned to vessels specifically designed and equipped with technologies that prevent pollution. Other IMO-related certifications concern the ship's low noise levels (comfort-noise) — "COMF NOISE A" (for passengers) and "COMF NOISE B" (for crew).

Decks and Cabins

Silver Moon staterooms (288 in total) are all categorized as suites, and 96% feature step-out balconies. The ship also has the largest number of connecting cabins in the Silversea fleet. Suite sizes range between 390–1970 ft² (36–183 m²). Silver Suites (increased to a total of 34) are located on the ship's three uppermost decks. The new category 2-Bedroom Silver Suite measures 1120 ft² (104 m²), including the terrace (130 ft² / 12 m²).

The ship has 11 decks, of which 8 are passenger-accessible and 7 contain cabins.

Each cabin features a private step-out balcony, walk-in closet, electronic safe box, chest of drawers, and a marble bathroom (bathtub, separate shower, sink/WC area, plush robes and slippers by Etro, towels, and luxury bath products — Bvlgari by default).

All cabins are fully wireless and equipped with iPod docking stations, hairdryers, alarm clocks, binoculars, and umbrellas. Additional amenities in Owner, Silver, and Grand Suites include 2 hours of complimentary worldwide satellite phone usage, in-cabin dining with afternoon canapés, and private dinners at the officers' table. A dedicated butler and junior attendant are assigned to each suite.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Silver Moon offers 8 dining venues, including 3 al-fresco options. The menus combine creativity with gourmet cuisine. The Hot Rocks grill concept and the robust La Terrazza dinner menu represent Silversea's evolving approach to fine dining at sea. Gratuities are fully included in the cruise fare, and no additional tipping is expected.

Follows the complete list of Silver Moon restaurants and food bars.

• Atlantide (steakhouse and grill restaurant, reservations required; features designer seafood dishes and gourmet fish specialties)
• The Restaurant (open-seating main dining room offering high-quality gourmet cuisine; primarily Mediterranean-inspired dishes with a standard menu and daily specials; breakfast, lunch, and dinner are waiter-served and à la carte)
• La Grande Dame (called Le Champagne on other Silversea ships). La Dame is a 24-seat upscale French cuisine specialty restaurant offering signature dishes by Relais & Châteaux chefs. This is the only onboard restaurant with an additional dining fee. Dinner only and reservations required.
• Kabuki (Japanese specialty restaurant, reservations required) featuring teppanyaki iron griddles for evening meals. Sushi and sashimi are also offered during the day.
• Indochine (Asian specialty restaurant)
• Silver Note (jazz club with live performances) also serving tapas-style dishes.
• La Terrazza (complimentary buffet restaurant) offering indoor seating and an alfresco terrace with interactive food stations (olive oil cellar, mozzarella bar, seafood bar, salumeria, and Italian-style deli). Wine is complimentary, but premium selections from the Connoisseur's Wine List are available for an extra charge. Afternoon Tea is served daily. In the evening (between 7–9:30 pm), La Terrazza transforms into an Italian specialty restaurant (reservations required) with an à la carte menu. During the day it serves buffet-style breakfast and lunch.
• Hot Rocks (alfresco poolside restaurant) is an outdoor steakhouse and seafood venue for gourmet dining under the stars. The venue features Silversea's interactive "Black Rock Grill Experience," allowing guests to cook fresh seafood and prime steaks on heated volcanic rock plates at their table. During the day, Hot Rocks operates as a rotisserie and gourmet salad and burger bar.
• Regina Margherita (outdoor poolside pizzeria) is complimentary and open from morning until late evening, offering pizzas baked in a custom-made wood-fired oven.

Silversea's SALT Kitchen debuted on Silver Moon (Deck 4 aft) and is also available on subsequent newbuild fleetmates. Standing for "Sea And Land Taste," the SALT culinary program was launched in 2019. At the dinner-only SALT Kitchen restaurant, guests enjoy itinerary-inspired regional cuisine reflecting the destinations visited. The rotating menu changes daily. The venue complex includes SALT Kitchen (restaurant), SALT Bar (beverages), and SALT Lab (a test kitchen for cooking classes led by the ship's chefs as well as guest chefs and culinary authors). Silversea also offers SALT-themed shore excursions in many destinations.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Traditional onboard entertainment includes bingo, team trivia, golf competitions, occasional movies, evening Broadway-style productions, and live jazz performances in The Theatre lounge.

Onboard amenities include movies on demand and an interactive TV system. Guests can check messages, review onboard accounts, or select from a large library of recently released movies. Smart TVs use advanced hybrid UHD technology with integrated Internet and interactive features. Cabin TV programming includes CNN International, Fox News, ESPN, and BBC World.

Eight guest laundry rooms are available onboard and are complimentary. Laundry, dry cleaning, and pressing services are also available through the complimentary butler service provided to each suite.

Follows the complete list of Silver Moon lounges, clubs, and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

• Boutique shops (duty-free shopping featuring luxury jewelry and watches, brand perfumes, fashion apparel, designer handbags, photo/video accessories, Silversea-branded merchandise, gifts, and convenience items)
• The Main Bar (lounge with comfortable seating, live music performances, large dance floor, and complimentary cocktails)
• The Theatre (main show lounge for live music and stage productions; daily enrichment programs include trivia games, dance classes, language lessons, lectures, and media presentations)
• Conference Room (for group meetings and conferences) located adjacent to the Card Room and Internet Café
• Swimming Pool (saltwater pool heated during cooler-weather cruises) with sunbathing area featuring teak chaise loungers, 3 whirlpools (Jacuzzis), and table tennis
• Connoisseur's Corner (formerly known as Humidor — cigar lounge furnished with leather armchairs offering premium cognacs, vintage wines, and fine cigars)
• Panorama Lounge (served by its own bar; offers live music and dancing, as well as Continental breakfast and Afternoon Tea)
• Observation Lounge (with 270-degree panoramic views and radar screen; serves early breakfast with coffee)
• Children's Room (kids' play facility with supervised age-appropriate activities and an outdoor area)
• The Library (with audio listening stations and on-demand movies)
• Zagara Beauty Spa (treatment rooms, beauty salon, 2 saunas, 2 steam rooms, and Thermal Suite)
• Beauty Salon (full-service salon offering hairstyling, manicures, and pedicures)
• Fitness Centre (equipped with treadmills, stationary bikes, weight machines, and elliptical trainers). A separate Aerobics Studio hosts fitness classes.
• Power Walking/Jogging Track, Golf Cage, paddle tennis, and golf putting green
• Complimentary 24-hour Room Service and WiFi Internet

Itineraries

Silver Moon's itinerary program is based on summer Mediterranean cruises (Southern Europe) departing from homeports Civitavecchia-Rome, Venice, Barcelona, and Piraeus-Athens. During winter, the ship sails in the Caribbean from homeport Fort Lauderdale (Florida USA). There are also occasional seasonal deployments to Asia and Australia. The liner also operates select Around The World voyages.

Following the Coronavirus crisis, in summer 2021 Silversea scheduled Silver Moon's Eastern Mediterranean inaugural season from Greece (starting July 8, 2021 — Maiden Voyage). The 10-day Greek Islands itineraries (roundtrip from Piraeus-Athens) included visits to ports in Greece (Santorini, Syros, Paros, Patmos, Mykonos, Rhodes, Crete / Heraklion, Agios Nikolaos, Souda Crete, Cyprus / Limassol) and Israel (Ashdod and Haifa).

The ship's rescheduled inaugural cruise program (July 8 through September 25, 2021) included a 7-day repositioning voyage from Piraeus to Venice. On November 1 was scheduled a 16-day Suez Canal relocation voyage from Athens to Dubai.

Silversea's "flight and cruise" package deals (under the company's "Silver Sky" program) include the luxury cruise fare, discounted round-trip Economy Class airfare, and airport–pier–airport transfers.

Silversea's "hotel and cruise" package ("Silver Shore Simply Hotel") offers overnight stays at 5-star luxury hotels with optional transfers or upgrades. The upgraded cruise and hotel package ("Silver Shore Grande Hotel") includes 1–3 nights at landmark or boutique hotels and private transfers (airport–hotel and hotel–pier).

When the Silversea–Fincantieri shipbuilding order for Silver Moon was signed (September 2017), the Italian company had built a total of 78 cruise vessels in the period 1990–2017 (of which 55 were launched between 2002–2017), with another 31 ships being designed or under construction.

The vessel's keel-laying ceremony was held on February 14 (Valentine's Day) 2019 at the shipyard in Ancona Italy. The newbuild is the tenth liner in the Silversea fleet. The ship's launch (float-out from drydock) took place on August 29, 2019. The ceremony was attended by Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio (Silversea's Chairman) and Giovanni Stecconi (Director of Fincantieri's Ancona Shipyard). The ceremony's Godmother was Roberta Bonisiol (a Fincantieri employee).

In early February 2020, the ship's official Godmother was announced as Gaia Gaja (born in Barbaresco, Italy), one of the owners of GAJA Winery. GAJA Winery is a fifth-generation family business and a major producer of fine wines (Piemonte wines from northwestern Italy's Piedmont region) since 1859. The christening ceremony was scheduled for August 5, 2020, to be held in Trieste Italy.

In the period August 8–20, 2020, the cruise ship successfully carried out sea trials in the Adriatic Sea and was officially delivered on October 30. The Galapagos-based fleetmate Silver Origin had joined the fleet earlier on June 3.

On June 18, 2021, Silversea contracted Starboard Cruise Services (a Doral, Florida-based company founded in 1958 and specializing in cruise ship retail programs) to manage Silver Moon's onboard shopping program. For the ship's three boutiques, Starboard Cruise Services developed a Luxury Division concept featuring premium-brand jewelry and watches, fashion apparel and accessories, handbags and shoes, cosmetics and fragrances, and travel essentials.

Silver Moon was officially christened in Port Piraeus (Athens Greece) on July 28, 2021. The naming ceremony was attended by Richard Fain (Royal Caribbean Group's CEO), Roberto Martinoli (Silversea's President and CEO), Jason Liberty (RCG's Executive VP), Luigi Matarazzo (General Manager of Fincantieri's Merchant Ships Division), and Harry Theoharis (Greece's Tourism Minister). The vessel's Master was Captain Chavdar Georgiev (Bulgarian).

Grand Voyage 2022 EUROPE

In late December 2020, Silversea announced a B2B (back-to-back cruise) linking the ship's "Mediterranean Grand Voyage 2022" and "Northern Europe Grand Voyage 2022." The B2B itinerary ("European Grand Voyage") departed from Piraeus-Athens Greece on March 30, 2022, and ended in Stockholm Sweden on June 28.

The "Grand Voyage 2022 Mediterranean" itinerary visited 32 ports in 12 countries, while the "Grand Voyage 2022 Northern Europe" itinerary visited 40 ports in 13 countries. The combined 90-day itinerary included a total of 72 ports/destinations in 22 countries and featured 7 exclusive events, 8 overnight port stays, and 3 unique S.A.L.T.-inspired dining experiences. S.A.L.T. (Sea And Land Taste) is Silversea's culinary program introduced with Silver Moon in 2021.

The program's three new recipes were developed by celebrity chefs and represent traditional dishes from the Faroe Islands (Denmark), Sicily (Italy), and Malaga Spain. In the Faroe Islands, guests were offered traditional roast duck with prunes — a recipe by Teitur Christensen, chef at Futastova and Aarstova restaurants in Torshavn (Streymoy Island). In Sicily (Italy), guests were served Buccellati (fig and nut-filled cookies) created by chef Fabrizia Lanza during calls in Giardini Naxos (April 18) and Palermo (April 19). In Malaga (Spain), during the ship's call on May 3, Malaga-style sardines were prepared by chef Alexandra Raij, owner of three Spanish restaurants in NYC New York.

Silver Moon's "European Grand Voyage 2022" also included a bus excursion to Benanti Winery (from Giardini Naxos, Sicily), where guests explored the vineyards, enjoyed a traditional Sicilian lunch, and sampled some of the winery's finest vintages.

Silversea's other planned 2022 grand voyage was Silver Dawn's "Grand Voyage 2022 South America" (a 75-day itinerary) sailing roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades, Florida USA) and visiting 45 ports in 22 countries.

Inaugural cruise itineraries 2021

In early December 2020, Silversea canceled additional Silver Moon departures scheduled for 2021 (through April 1 — the new Inaugural Cruise date), affecting the ship's South America and Caribbean programs. In early March, six more departures (through May 31) were canceled, and the ship's inauguration was rescheduled for July 8.

(NEW MAIDEN VOYAGE 2021 / first departure) 10-day Greek Islands itinerary from Athens (priced from USD 7800 / EUR 6580 / GBP 5620 per person with double occupancy).

(Inaugural Suez Canal repositioning cruise) 16-day from Piraeus-Athens to Dubai (USD 7110 pp)

(Inaugural Asia cruise) 11-day from Singapore to Hong Kong (USD 4860 pp)

Next tables show some of the cancelled voyages by destination.

(OLD MAIDEN VOYAGE 2021/CANCELLED) 16-day South America from Fort Lauderdale to Callao-Lima (USD 8010 pp)

(around South America) 22-day from Callao-Lima to Buenos Aires (USD 10980 pp)

(around South America) 10-day from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro (USD 5760 pp)

(around South America) 21-day from Rio de Janeiro to Fort Lauderdale (USD 8640 pp)

(Inaugural Caribbean cruise/CANCELLED) 9-day from Bridgetown Barbados to Fort Lauderdale (USD 3960 pp)

(Transatlantic repositioning cruise/CANCELLED) 27-day from Fort Lauderdale to Piraeus-Athens (USD 10300 pp)

Godspeed!

Inaugural cruise itineraries 2020 (CANCELLED)

Next are listed Silver Moon's cancelled maiden voyages as homeports, dates and call ports, with port times and lowest prices per person (double-occupancy cabin rates). Due to the Coronavirus crisis, boat's delivery was delayed and a total of 10 itineraries were cancelled.

The first table shows the originally planned maiden voyage (11-day Adriatic and Mediterranean). Prices started from USD 10600 pp.

The next 5 tables show the 5 other canceled maiden voyages in the Western Mediterranean.

7-day Civitavecchia to Barcelona (USD 5850 pp)

10-day Barcelona to Lisbon (USD 6800 pp)

9-day Lisbon to Barcelona (USD 6480 pp)

11-day Barcelona to Piraeus-Athens (USD 8190 pp)

9-day Piraeus to Venice (USD 7740 pp)

(rescheduled and CANCELLED MAIDEN VOYAGE) 10-day "Inaugural Cruise" roundtrip from Venice (USD 8460 pp)

24-day Inaugural Transatlantic crossing from Europe to Florida USA (USD 11200 pp)

15-day Inaugural Caribbean and South America voyage from Florida USA (USD 7020 pp)

15-day Caribbean roundtrip from Florida (USD 7380 pp, New Year 2020 Cruise)