Silversea’s Silver Spirit was cut in two over the weekend at Fincantieri Shipyard in Palermo as part of her planned lengthening, according to a statement.
A prebuilt 49-foot segment has been inserted and the ship is now being reconnected.
Welcomed by Leoluca Orlando, the Mayor of Palermo, members of the international press, representatives of Silversea and Fincantieri, and other VIP guests were in attendance at two celebratory ceremonies, as the ship’s transformation got underway in Sicily on March 10 and 11.
“Witnessing these breathtaking phases of the Silver Spirit lengthening project has filled us with pride and excitement,” commented Barbara Muckermann, chief marketing officer of Silversea. “This ambitious project will amplify the onboard features that matter most to our guests. We are taking our flagship, Silver Muse – which was delivered by Fincantieri in April last year – as the point of inspiration for a fleet-wide renovation program; the lengthening and refurbishment of Silver Spirit will replicate the modern elegance of our latest vessel to make for a more luxurious travelling experience. We are eager to share the new and improved layout of our cherished ship with our valued guests.”
Over 500 skilled workers will spend approximately 450,000 man hours completing the project, which is due to conclude on May 5, 2018, and will see Silver Spirit lengthened to 691.3 ft. Approximately 846 tons of steel, 360,892 ft. of cabling, and 26,247 ft. of piping will be put to use in the lengthening, as Silver Spirit’s capacity increases by roughly 12 percent, resulting in an overall dining capacity increase of 15 percent and a 20 percent increase in outdoor seating, according to the cruise line.
A new eight-restaurant configuration will replace the existing culinary infrastructure, with varying dining concepts introduced: Atlantide, Indochine, Silver Note, Spaccanapoli, will complement the pre-existing Seishin, La Dame, La Terrazza and The Grill.
Outside, the pool area on the sky deck will increase in length (from 98 to 148 ft.) to offer more space and a new aerobics area will also be created.
Inside, the Zagara Spa concept will be installed, as will a new free weights room which will complement the upgraded fitness center. The Arts Café and Dolce Vita – two new, sophisticated public spaces – will improve the onboard entertainment options. All suites will be refurbished to ensure the trademark Silversea level of quality is maintained.
Midsection Installation:
