For centuries, merchants and visitors looking to marvel at its wealth, architecture and maritime prowess have made similar approaches by sea, no doubt welcomed by these guardians of the city who look up and offer a friendly wave.

Granted, much has changed since the days of the grand republic, but the grandeur of sailing into Venice remains eternal. It also helps that I’m onboard the Silver Nova, Silversea’s new class of ultra-luxury ships, ahead of what is to be her maiden voyage down the Adriatic Coast.

Walking around the ship, I catch my first glimpse of the pageantry to come on this short three-day preview sail that has us darting from Venice to the Croatian port of Zadar, before sailing to Trieste and back to Venice once more. A draught of butlers in their livery assemble in a squadron on the pool deck for one last inspection before being dispatched to guests in one of the ship’s 364 suites below, the largest of which, the Otium Suite (there are two), has its own hot tub. 

All suites sport private balconies and include a 24/7 on-demand caviar and Champagne service, which my butler insists I take her up on after spending the day exploring the busy canals and laneways of Venice. The luxuriously subdued interiors of my verandah suite help to instinctively focus your gaze on the ever-shifting view through floor-to-ceiling windows while the plush custom-made bed and capacious walk-in shower (with room to fit at least four of me) make an alluring case for spending the day watching the world go by from here, were it not for the daily pangs of morning hunger or sense of adventure in exploring a new port. 

Taking its name from the Latin word for ‘new’, the Silver Nova is a ship of firsts. Designed to be an amphitheatre to the destination she visits, the sheer openness of the ship is the genius result of breaking free from one of the key tenets of cruise ship design – symmetry. It’s a bold move that allows for floor-to-ceiling glass windows in every suite and most open spaces, including La Terrazza, the ship’s Italian restaurant that, beyond its sprawling breakfast buffet, serves 270-degree views of the surrounding vista. 

Of the ship’s nine restaurants and 10 bars onboard (from the Japanese washoku-inspired menu at Kaiseki to the ritzy 1920s jazz club Silver Note), none is more dazzling than the open-air Marquee. It’s the place to go for Neapolitan-style pizza following a day spent drinking French 75s by the pool, or come dinner, whole prawns grilled table-side on ‘hot rocks’, served simply with lemon and butter under the light of the stars. 

Silver Nova also expands Silversea’s popular S.A.L.T (sea and land taste) program conceived by former editor-in-chief of Saveur magazine, Adam Sachs, with a new nightly chef’s table experience reserved for 18 diners at the S.A.L.T lab, which doubles as a test kitchen by day. The tightly choreographed 11-course menus offer a deep dive into the regional cuisine of the destinations visited, which, on this voyage, includes a striking scarlet red prawn crudo made with artichokes and grapefruit, poached monkfish served on a bed of just-cooked black venus rice, and cardamom-rich Zucca-infused ice cream with roasted pumpkin seed oil from Slovenia. 

Shore excursions follow suit, with experiences designed to highlight the culinary culture with local experts. While in Trieste, this calls for a day trip to Collio, near the Slovenian border, to visit L’Argine a Vencò, the Michelin-starred restaurant of Antonia Klugmann. Housed in a restored old mill and overlooking an heirloom orchard, vegetables and ingredients are foraged daily to create a six-course menu, served with low-intervention wines focused on indigenous varieties.

Back on board, my hedonistic indulgence continues with a visit to Otium, Silver Nova’s spa, based on the rituals and practices of ancient Roman baths. While more decadent experiences can be found in the form of a warm salt-stone and cold mask therapy inspired by Apollo (the god of healing) or, for those so inclined, a treatment of dermal fillers, I opt for a soak in the indoor pool, taking in the sights of Venice unfurling before us.

Returning to my suite, I find my bags deftly and intuitively packed by my butler, ready for disembarking, but not before I agree to caviar and Champagne on my balcony one last time. If this is where ultra-luxury cruising is heading, I’m on board. 

More information

Silver Nova is now sailing to New York, Central America and the Caribbean, before ending the year in South America.

She will reach Australia in 2024, where she’ll be homeported out of Melbourne, with fares starting at AUD$16,500 per guest (prices valid until November 30, 2023, but may increase before and are subject to availability). 

For more, see silversea.com

The writer travelled as a guest of Silversea.