Are luxury cruise ships worth the money? We did the math for Silversea's Silver Nova.
Luxury travel can mean several different things to every person you ask. To me, luxury travel is meant to be seamless. I just want to point to a destination and have someone else figure out every little detail for me.
For many others, luxury travel requires luxe accommodations and high-quality food – which a luxury cruise line includes, but more on that later.
"Cruising has changed. Today really represents an incredible value, independently from which segment you decide to join," Silversea Cruises President Barbara Muckermann told USA TODAY during a press preview of Silver Nova earlier this month. "The kind of luxury cruise service you get here – and you can decide to compare to whatever luxury establishment it is – but I assure you it can be 30% to 40% cheaper here. Still offering the same, if not better, service."
A price tag can be intimidating. So I decided to do (rudimentary) math on services offered by an upcoming Silver Nova sailing.
What is included in Silver Nova’s door-to-door Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro sailing?
One of Silversea's two booking options is a door-to-door experience, which coordinates transportation from your home to the airport and overnight stay before your cruise.
? Transfer to the airport from home (private executive).
? International flights (economy).
? Airport transfer.
? Hotel night.
? Food and beverages for nine days.
? Shore excursions.
? Airport transfer.
? International flights (economy).
? Transfer home from the airport (private executive).
The line also offers a port-to-port experience where you are responsible for your transportation to and from the port of embarkation.
As mentioned, to me, luxury is seamlessness. Aside from logistics coordination, the crew on Silver Nova is equipped with Silversea proprietary technology, registering passenger preferences and ensuring there's rarely a need for you to "check in" to a class, dinner, or event reservation.
What else does the fare include on the ship?
Like other upscale, all-inclusive cruise lines, the fare includes gratuities, food and beverage (including select wines and spirits), Wi-Fi, and shore excursions. Unlike other cruises, all Silver Nova elevators are glass, reminding you at every turn where you are in the world.
Something that Andrea Tonet, Silversea’s VP of Product Strategy, pointed out that I hadn’t noticed on the ship was that, unlike most cruise ships that center the pool on the top deck, Silver Nova’s asymmetric design makes it so every pool lounger has a view of the destination rather than other passengers.
"Even if the ship is a little bigger, thanks to the asymmetric design, you have all these smaller spaces, so it never feels crowded," Muckermann added.
How much is the Silver Nova Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro sailing?
For the Feb. 5-14 itinerary on a Classic Veranda Suite, the cheapest suite on the ship (all Silver Nova cabins come with a balcony and personal butler service), the door-to-door option leaving from Washington, D.C., and embarking from Buenos Aires, the total comes to $18,800 for two people – or $9,400 each.
How much would a land-based luxury vacation in Buenos Aires cost?
"When it came to designing (Silver) Nova, we knew we were going to take the traditional luxury cruise route," Muckermann said, explaining that Silversea custom designs their new ships according to their itineraries. "So, who are the main competitors? It's really, land-based resorts."
She explained that Silver Nova's purpose was to, indeed, compete with land resorts in classic itineraries for cruises, including the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, North Europe and Alaska.
"For us, it's easier because we move and we're small," Muckermann said of concerns about overtourism in remote or popular destinations, adding that Silversea works with local ports to strive to be the only ones docking that day.
That being said, from Feb. 5-14, staying only at the Four Seasons Buenos Aires, and factoring the same items on the door-to-door Silver Nova sailing, the total comes to $19,258 for two people.
Caveats:
? My estimates only included roundtrip economy flights from Washington, D.C., to Buenos Aires, only settling in one destination rather than Silver Nova’s nine. Flights came to around $1,895.
? Transportation to and from home airport on Uber Black was about $177, without tip (tip your drivers, please).
? Transportation between Buenos Aires airport and the hotel was about $50, without tip.
? I conservatively factored three meals a day for two people for nine days, giving them an average of $100 for meals, without tips or alcohol, which is included on the ship, for a total of $5,400.
? Excursions can vary widely depending on destination and preferences, but I budgeted an average of Silver Nova’s excursion offerings in Cancún and Key West of $125 for eight, for a total of another $2,000.
? A stay at the Four Seasons Buenos Aires for the same dates, came to an estimated total of $9,736.
I tried to be conservative with my estimates on food and excursions and didn’t include alcohol since that varies from person to person. However, if you want to do a nightly order of caviar and champagne on Silversea, you can at no extra cost. Once I passed the threshold of Silver Nova's $18,800, I stopped adding, but there are many included benefits, like seeing more than one destination without having to do connecting flights and packing up every few days, that could be added to the total.
Things to note on Silver Nova:
? Silver Nova is designed with accessibility in mind. So much so, that it sometimes forced design tweaks, like placing the heater in the ocean-view sauna in the middle of the room to allow space for mobility. There are also accessible cabins in different categories.
? Your cabin butler pays attention to your preferences, from the side of the bed you sleep in, to whether you prefer a bath or a shower, to anticipate your needs. Needless to say, they are trained hospitality professionals.
? There's a dress code, but it's not stringent. If you're not a dress-up person like myself, it can be daunting, but most people are on the more relaxed end of that dress code. "We were successful in using the dress code as a unifying versus a separating tool," Muckermann said, explaining that guests would sometimes feel excluded when they didn't know what was the vibe for different events. "It's one of those things that feels like a rule, but it actually helps with the atmosphere."
Not to be redundant, but luxury travel is a luxury and a privilege. For those who have the means for an international luxury vacation, Silversea’s Silver Nova offers a more complete experience for less than what it would cost to do the same itinerary on land.
Sailing a luxury cruise line, might not be a yearly occurrence for many (certainly not me), but I see it as a great option to celebrate life milestones. Birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, whatever it may be, a luxury cruise line can have a butler bring you caviar and champagne at any moment at no extra cost.
Editor’s note: The reporter on this story received access to this expedition from Silversea Cruises, which is owned by Royal Caribbean Group. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of reviews.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Comparing a Silver Nova cruise itinerary with a luxury land vacation
