Silversea has unveiled plans for a new wellness concept on board forthcoming ship Silver Dawn, as the line gears up for one of its largest-ever marketing drives this autumn.
Silver Dawn is due to launch on November 12 and will become the 10th ship in the ultra-luxury line’s fleet. It will be the first to feature wellness programme Otium, which focuses on relaxation and indulgence rather than traditional health or fitness goals.
Chief commercial officer Barbara Muckermann said: “It’s a completely new approach to health and fitness. It allows for chocolate, champagne and cream.
“There will be treatments with honey and sugar. It’s very indulgent and decadent. Otium is really a platform to explain and bring the luxury of Silversea to the next level.”
Muckermann said the name was drawn from a Roman concept reflecting the decadent lifestyle of the patrician class and was an effort to “stop pretending” that health and wellness meant forgoing indulgent food and drink.
It will also extend to a “revamped” suite experience featuring new mattresses, pillow and scent menus, and creative in-suite dining options.
Speaking on board Silver Moon, which was christened in Athens this week, Muckermann added: “We are seeing a constant trend of demand strengthening. If conditions continue to improve, by the fall we will have one of the largest marketing pushes we have ever done.
“If we look at our capacity between Silver Moon, Dawn and [new ship] Evolution, we are basically going to double capacity by 2026, and the only way to do it is through our amazing partnerships with travel advisors.”
UK and Ireland managing director Peter Shanks also thanked travel agents for their support and said they were a key part of the trend towards guests “trading up” from mainstream ships to the ultra-luxury line.
He said: “Demand for 2022 is incredibly strong. It’s no surprise there’s pent-up demand, but it’s stronger than we thought.
“For Silversea, the really impressive thing – and that’s due to the support of our travel agent partners – is that over half of our bookings next year are from first-timers to Silversea.
“We think that is people understanding how we bring destinations to life. I think people are trading up now. They’re seeing the benefits of ultra-luxury – the space you get on an ultra-luxury ship and the all-inclusive value – so we’re seeing a lot of people who are first-timers to Silversea but not necessarily first-time to cruising.”