Plans for new build Silversea Ship, eta Dec 2016

Just finished speaking with the General Manger Flavio Gioia, we are now on board the Silver Spirit as we sail towards Apia, Samoa (arrive tomorrow). More Spirit current voyage info on Emtbsam's LA to LA thread (via Auckland)

Scott asked me via Facebook messenger if there is any news on a new ship. Flavio emphasized that these still are plans as the contract with Fincantieri has not been signed yet--hopefully soon.

Plan is for the sixth ship after (Cloud, Wind, Shadow, Whisper, Spirit) to be ready for delivery to Silversea by end of 2016. Also, tentative plans are for the new Silversea ship to be similar in size to the Spirit.

I encouraged Flavio to let corporate/higher authorities (we put this in our end of cruise critique regularly--which is read by the head office) to build the Spa area with at least one dedicated men's shower in the common use spa area and a larger gym indoor class space vs what is now on the Spirit.

Thanks to Scott's ? and Flavio's generosity of sharing (knowing I would post this on Cruise Critic), now y'all have the latest "tentative plans for Silversea's New Build.

If y'all would like to offer your recommendations for the new build on this thread, would be glad to pass on via Spirit channels on our end of cruise critique due on/about Mar 26th (day prior to our disembarkation in LA)

Colonel,you're on another cruise already ? My wife is starting to believe that you're a Silversea mythical figure. LOL ! You are real,aren't you ? Have a nice voyage.

I don't understand how, if contracts have not even been signed, they expect to deliver a new ship by the end of 2016.

Wes, I also think the process must be much further along if they really expect to deliver by the end of 2016. The design would have to be set in stone by now. Sure hope that the new show lounge is along the lines of the other ships, not the one on the Spirit. Also need restrooms near the Observation Lounge and Hot Rocks, unlike the Spirit. Etc.

Dieter

Thanks Wes for posting this information. Greatly appreciate the update.

I'm sure Silversea will announce more details once the contract is signed.

Enjoy the balance of your voyage on the Spirit. Best to Ida, Victoria and Bob.

Warm wishes and kind regards,

ScottToronto

One Spirit is one too many why build another or is it further evidence of the repositioning of SS from quality to quantity .Hope not!

Thanks for the info Wes. This story has now been running for 2 years, and even though there was a report of an $800m USD line of credit from a Chinese bank, I will only believe that they will build a new ship when they sign a binding contract with a shipyard and announce it.

IMHO the company will be sold before that.

No possible way they could deliver a new ship by end of 2016 if the contract hasn't been signed yet. Building started on regent explorer last year, and it is to be finished in July 2016.

Hi, Wes! We'll be on the Explorer in January for an Antarctic cruise, incl. Falklands & So. Georgia. Yes, Carol has finally agreed to go, but I could only entice her on a luxury expedition ship! Hopefully Silversea will have definitive info on a New Build out long before then (for a late 2016 delivery, they better have!).

Regards to Ida,

Gary & Carol

Had it confirmed by a number of crew when on Shadow last week looks like it is happening.

New ship will be for 620 pax but the date not confirmed.

Hi gnld/Gary & Carol, so nice to see y'all posting on the Silversea Cruise Critic board.

Hope y'all enjoy your Silversea expedition cruise in January. We booked a caribbean placeholder on board the Spirit last month to hopefully transfer to a new build itineray in 2017 or nice 2017 itinerary on another SS ship. If there is a new build ready by

early 2017--if y'all book we look forward to having Carol sing for us again :)

Do hope we get an official word soon (via Venetian society, Cruise press, pigeon) on a new Silversea build.

Thanks for your new build update too Eastwood boy.

Had it confirmed by a number of crew when on Shadow last week looks like it is happening.

New ship will be for 620 pax but the date not confirmed.

I hope they are wrong, 620 is way too big!

I hope they are wrong, 620 is way too big!

Only 15% more than Silver Spirit. But, then, some don't like the "large" size of the Silver Spirit!

Still, all the new builds of the luxury lines are getting somewhat larger. Seabourn's two new ones at 604 are about 1/3rd larger than the Odyssey class (458). And Regent's new Explorer at 738 is somewhat larger than the Mariner and Voyager, each at 700.

Gary

One Spirit is one too many why build another or is it further evidence of the repositioning of SS from quality to quantity .Hope not!

We just finished 64 days on Spirit with 150 other cruisers and had a wonderful time, Where are you coming from? We have 500 plus days and love the staff and ship

s

We were told in March 2014 by Flávio, the Hotel Director, of SS plans for a super version of the Spirit, which would address issues that had emerged with the latter. Here we are over a year later and still there are "plans"!

On a cruise on the Wind from which we disembarked this month, we were again told of the "plans". Discussing the situation with other passengers we christened the new ship the "Silver Myth".

In defence of SS, the owners appear to have deployed available capital during the last decade towards creating a fleet of "discovery" ships.

The sharp-eyed amongst SS regulars will have picked up that the first number of the four digit voyage codes relates to the ship, the Cloud being No.1 and the Spirit being No 5. The Explorer is No 7, which means that SS always intended to have another "standard" lifestyle ship.

Regards

Master Echo

We just finished 64 days on Spirit with 150 other cruisers and had a wonderful time, Where are you coming from? We have 500 plus days and love the staff and ship

s

We are coming from 600 + and love the SS staff,Cloud,Wind,Shadow and Whisper.

Oh my, my, shall I enter this contest? Hi, Brimary.

Oh my, my, shall I enter this contest? Hi, Brimary.

Hi Duct Tape,

Last week USAToday had a feature on Cruisers that had been on the different lines for at least 1,000 days. SS had no one featured....... I was disappointed.

Hi Duct Tape,

 

Last week USAToday had a feature on Cruisers that had been on the different lines for at least 1,000 days. SS had no one featured....... I was disappointed.

SS frequent floaters are savvy enough to know that advertising that you are away from your house for weeks or months at a time is not a good thing!

On our recent cruise the Captain did refer to the "new ship". But it was just a reference, nothing definitive.

I also heard that the new ship will not be named after a Rolls Royce model.

So that leaves out Silver Ghost...or the Phantom...

Wraith...corniche...spur...dawn...centenary...camargue.

I do kind of like the phantom or ghost.

Perhaps too evocative of pirates.

Forgot about the seraph.

Like that name too

There is no ship until a deal with a shipyard is signed.

Talk is cheap

Other lines are way ahead in the game.

From the Wall Street Journal last Thursday morning, they have this headline: "Crystal Cruises Eyes Rising Tide of Earnings" with highlights and details for how this cruise aims to be a three-ship cruise operation for the future. One new Crystal ship has been ordered and two more new ones will be built for the future to replace the current Symphony and Serenity ships. There was no exact, specific time-table to build new ships two and three.

Plus, there is the added "wrinkle" of Genting Hong Kong, majority owned by Malaysia’s Lim Kok Thay and connected with Star Lines and NCL, buying this luxury line from NYK for $550 million. The deal is due to close by June 30. Some who have posted on the Crystal CC Board do not hold this new owner in the highest regard for "class" and "quality".

From Crystal COO Edie Rodriguez and other sources, this story notes that there has been: "a turnaround in the company’s earnings, which swung to a profit in the firm’s 2014 financial year from a loss in 2013. In the latest financial year ended March 31, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization doubled and Ms. Rodriguez said she recently told her staff to target a repeat performance, through expense management, increased efficiencies and getting customers to spend more." Ouch!! Not sure folks like to read more on efforts to pushing luxury ship customers (already paying fairly high prices) to spend more and more for "extras".

Here is another WSJ story highlight: "Current owners NYK have spent $120 million over the last couple of years refurbishing the current ships but weren’t willing to fork out the investment required to build a new ship for a unit considered outside their core business of cargo shipping, Ms. Rodriguez said. She said she made plain to her bosses at NYK that 'you have to grow or die'."

WHAT'S THE POINT?: A major luxury competitor, Crystal, is going through major changes AND getting new ships. Crystal has had its struggles financially, based on this story and what some of their passengers have told me. Why would people expect things to be so totally different with Silversea and other lines, especially after the 2008 economic down-swing.

Full WSJ Crystal story at:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/crystal-cruises-eyes-rising-tide-of-earnings-1429788227

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 22,024 views for these postings.

Oh my, my, shall I enter this contest? Hi, Brimary.

Hi Duct Tape,contest over hope you are both well.It is a shame that a genuine held view cannot be expressed without unnecessary sarcasm as to where we are coming from.Interested to see the Spirit was approx 25% full on the voyage referred to which says it all.Do SS need another Spirit ? Economic sense suggests not.Hope we can all continue to enjoy the excellent service SS provide on whichever ship suits each individual's requirements.

Yes!