Silver Wind, 24 May 2009

Silver Wind

IMO 8903935
Built 1995, Soc. Esercizio Viareggio, Italy (hull), T. Mariotti Genoa, Italy (superstructure), Cant. Nav. Visentini Donada, Italy (outfitting)
Tonnage 16 927 GT
Length 155,81 m
Width 21,40 m
Draft 5,30 m
315 passengers
2 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 10 600 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 17,5 knots

Silver Wind was the second ship completed for Silversea Cruises, which in itself is a joint venture between Lefebvre and V-Ships. Unusually the Silver Wind and her older sister Silver Cloud were built at three different shipyards, one building the hull, the second the superstructure and the third being responsible for the outfitting. Externally the ships have an attractively simple yet streamlined design. The external design was further refined in Silversea's next two ships Silver Shadow (2000) and Silver Whisper (2001), and Radisson Seven Seas Cruises' 2003 newbuilding Seven Seas Voyager also bears affinity to the first Silver sisters' design. Sadly, with their newest ship Silver Spirit Silversea have abandoned the attractive common exterior design of their ships.

Internally the Silver Wind has a somewhat unusual arrangement with cabins in the forward sections of the ship (furthest from engine noise) and public rooms aft. This arrangement was popular in ferry design during the late 1970's and early 80's (and it was used in a handful of cruise ships of the time as well), but since then it has largely fallen to disfavour - except on Silversea's ships. Unsurprisingly considering the company's Italian origins, the interiors are decorated in Italian modern style and the company has an Italian Heritage theme (seriously, how many Italian Style cruise lines do we need?).

Photographs below show the Silver Wind at Monte Carlo roads on 24 May 2009, photographed from onboard MSC Sinfonia. Click on the image(s) to view full size.

In the morning mists of Monaco on the day of the 2009 Monaco Grand Prix.

And in the mid-day sun.