Silversea takes delivery of second Nova-class ship Silver Ray at Meyer Werft

Silversea has taken delivery of its second Nova Class cruise ship Silver Ray during a ceremony held at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.

Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group’s President and CEO, boarded Silver Ray in Eemshaven to officially accept delivery of the ship along with Bert Hernandez, President of Silversea.

Bernard Meyer, Chairman of the Meyer Group, and Bernd Eikens, the Meyer Group CEO; executives from the Meyer Werft shipyard and Royal Caribbean Group; and Captain Alessandro Zanello were also in attendance for the ceremony.

Silver Ray will spend her inaugural season in the Mediterranean before crossing the Atlantic to the Americas in December 2024. Her maiden voyage will depart from Lisbon on June 15th.

“We are thrilled to take delivery of Silver Ray, the newest ultra-luxury and expedition jewel in Royal Caribbean Group’s game-changing fleet,” said Liberty. “Delivering the best vacation experiences responsibly is at the heart of everything we do.”

“We are fortunate to have the best people working together to dream and create unforgettable experiences for our guests, including the Meyer Werft shipyard team, whose partnership has enabled us to continue pushing boundaries,” he added.

Silver Ray joins Silver Nova as one of the most energy efficient ships ever built, according to the cruise line, while her outward-facing ship design enables greater access and connection for guests to the destinations the ship visits. 

“As far as firsts go, I feel honored that my first delivery as president of Silversea is to welcome Silver Ray to our fleet alongside Jason, my Royal Caribbean Group colleagues, and the wonderful Meyer Werft team,” said Hernandez. “I can’t wait for our guests to experience everything this remarkable ship has to offer.”

Following a conveyance of approximately 40km down the River Ems from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg at the end of April, Silver Ray completed her technical and nautical sea trials in the North Sea on May 8th — under the watch of Captain Alessandro Zanello, the shipyard’s captain and expert local pilots.

In a sign that the cruise industry’s shipyard supply chain delays may be easing, Silver Ray was not delayed like other newbuilds of late, and instead was actually delivered ahead of schedule.

“The delivery of Silver Ray, two days earlier than scheduled, marks an important milestone for us,” said Bernd Eikens, CEO of the Meyer Group. “The entire Meyer Werft team has worked hard with our partners to bring this ship to life and today, we have delivered another great ship to Silversea.”