Silversea Cruises christened its second Muse class ship, Silver Moon, at a ceremony in Athens, Greece on Wednesday [28 July 2021], from where the ship has been operating since the second half of June 2021.
Held aboard the ship in the port of Piraeus, Silver Moon’s official naming ceremony was attended by guests, including Richard D. 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; Captain Chavdar Georgiev; Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager of Fincantieri’s Merchant Ships Division; and Minister Harry Theoharis, Greece’s Minister of Tourism.
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Following maritime traditions, the ultra-luxury ship was blessed before the Godmother Gaia Gaja – of the renowned Italian Gaja Winery – broke a bottle of champagne on Silver Moon‘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 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 D. Fain. “I commend Silversea’s leadership team, Captain 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,” remarked Roberto Martinoli.
“We today 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.”
Godmother Gaia Gaja said it was an honour to cut the ribbon and signal the official naming of Silver Moon.
“Launching Silversea’s new S.A.L.T. program, 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 aboard this beautiful ship to dive deep into the Greek Isles’ celebrated culinary cultures,” Gaja said.
At 40,700 gross tons and with a maximum capacity of 596 guests, Silver Moon is Silversea’s second Muse-class ship in its fast-growing fleet. Constructed 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 the cruise line’s new culinary program, Sea and Land Taste or S.A.L.T. Three new onboard 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 firsthand.
S.A.L.T. Kitchen
The first of two ships in Silversea’s fleet to have returned to service, Silver Moon is joined by new ship Silver Origin – now sailing in the Galapagos Islands. Silver Muse will become the first ultra-luxury ship to set sail for Alaska when she departs for the region’s glaciers from Seattle on 29 July. Beginning 30 July, Silver Shadow will undertake all-Icelandic circumnavigations out of Reykjavik. Additional Silversea ships are expected to set 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.