New Ships

Enjoy a sumptuous spa on Silversea’s Silver Dawn, foodie fun on Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady and a home-from-home on Arena River Cruises’ long-awaited Arena with our reviews of the latest ship launches

Clockwise from above: from above: Otium-branded Otium-branded products; products; relaxing on the relaxing on the balcony; Otium balcony; Otium spa; dining on spa; dining on deck; enjoying deck; enjoying indulgent treats indulgent treats

SILVER DAWN

Spoil yourself with the new spa concept from Silversea Cruises, which puts the emphasis on indulgence, writes Jane Archer

Well, this is di erent! Usually after a spa treatment, the therapist instructs you to drink only water for the rest of the day to allow the toxins she has released to fl ow away. But I’ve just been escorted to the relaxation room on Silver Dawn, where Sandra, my masseur, treats me to lemongrass rum and chocolates as I listen to classical music instead of the usual whale sounds.

Welcome to Otium, a new way of spa-ing inspired by the Romans’ love of pleasure and indulgence rather than the modern notion of abstinence, now available on the latest ship launched by luxury line Silversea Cruises. The Latin name Otium was picked as it loosely translates as ‘do nothing’.

That’s rather fi tting because the moment you step on board for the fi rst time, you are overwhelmed by a desire to do just that. Nothing. Especially when greeted by a butler who even o ers to unpack your suitcase.

Silversea has been setting the tone for luxury since it was founded in 1994, but has honed the sybarite lifestyle to a T with this ship. It’s not just having so much included that you never have to think about price, but also the decor, which is elegant and gentle on the eye, and the feeling of space, which is surprising on a small ship that holds just 596 passengers.

For one so small, there is an amazing choice of restaurants serving everything from Argentinean steaks and Japanese teppanyaki to homemade Italian pasta. La Dame is the place for French fi ne dining, while the Salt Kitchen serves food favourites of the places being visited.

Going local is part of another new Silversea initiative that connects passengers to places through food and drink. Next to the Salt Kitchen (the acronym stands for Sea and Land Taste), try local cocktails in the intimate Salt Bar and cook regional favourites in the Salt Lab while learning how dishes developed.

As befi ts a vessel of this class, all cabins are suites and almost all have a balcony. Book an Owners’ or Grand

Suite and you get something akin to an apartment, with a bedroom, a sitting and dining room, huge bathroom and walk-in wardrobe. The other rooms are none too shabby though, with lots of space, big balconies, showers, baths and walk-in wardrobes. All suites come with WHEN YOU STEP ON BOARD that welcoming butler, who YOU’RE OVERWHELMED BY exclusively on Silver Dawn has a few Otium treats up his A DESIRE TO DO NOTHING immaculately pressed sleeves. Fancy relaxing in a candlelit orange blossom bath while nibbling on caviar and macaroons? How about hot chocolate with rum on the balcony while swaddled in a cashmere blanket? Indulgent? You bet. But that’s what Otium is all about. 

GETTING THERE

A seven-night cruise from Civitavecchia (Rome) to Barcelona departing August 4, 2022, costs from £4,100 per person including home-toairport chau eur, businessclass fl ights, overseas transfers, drinks, shore excursions, most dining, tips and Wi-Fi. Find out more at silversea.com

VALIANT LADY

Virgin Voyages’ second ship brings the Branson-owned line’s playful style to the high seas once again, fi nds Katie McGonagle

When business-savvy superstar Jennifer Lopez gives a brand her seal of approval, you know it must be doing something right, so Virgin Voyages’ latest move – to bring J-Lo on board as an investor and director of the line’s lifestyle and entertainment programme – is set to introduce the brand to an entirely new audience.

When it burst onto the scene with its fi rst ship, Scarlet Lady, Virgin Voyages promised to throw out the rulebook and reinvent the cruise experience afresh, casting bu ets aside in favour of funky street-food markets and even introducing the fi rst-ever tattoo parlour at sea.

Two years later, second ship Valiant Lady incorporates that sense of playfulness with a food, fi tness and entertainment-focused vibe that will suit a work hard, play hard clientele. The adult-only ship is packed full of instantly Instagrammable spots, from the cabanas on the sun deck to the mirrored, fairylightfi lled entrance to nightclub The Manor, where you can’t

THE VIBE ON VALIANT LADY WILL SUIT A WORK HARD, PLAY HARD CLIENTELE

help but feel glitzy and glamorous as you gear up for an evening of entertainment.

Food and drink are the serious standouts here, with nine restaurants and six bars on board, and clever design o ering plenty of tucked-away little nooks to enjoy a quiet drink à deux. There’s relaxed dining in street-food hall The Galley, Korean barbecue at Gunbae and Mexican favourites at Pink Agave, along with energetic venues such as Razzle Dazzle where you’ll fi nd vegan options and fun-fi lled drag brunches, with all dining included in the cruise fare.

I opted for the tasting menu in The Test Kitchen, where the only clue of what’s to come is an open kitchen and a pared-back list of ingredients, relying instead on the chef explaining the elements of each dish one course at a time. We feasted on rich and earthy mushroom mousse, scallops with salty prosciutto and venison with a sharp blackberry sauce, followed by mandarin sorbet and a chocolate fondant so perfectly gooey it would put many a MasterChef contestant to shame. But what really stood out was the incredible value for money in this top-quality tasting menu, presented without any fussiness.

Cabins are comfortable and Sea Terrace and above feature a balcony with a hammock, ideal for swaying the day away on sunny voyages, and are kitted out with the latest tech including a tablet that operates everything in the room.

Fitness is also a key feature here, with multiple gyms boasting long rows of treadmills, a resistance studio with weights and even a boxing gym and athletics course out on deck. The same fun and fl air extends to the exercise o er as well, with retro ’80s-style aerobics and sunrise yoga on the sun deck among the classes – plus healthy juices and snacks at the Gym and Tonic bar to enjoy afterwards.

Valiant Lady is sailing in Europe this summer with holidays in Spain, Portugal, the Mediterranean and the Greek islands, promising a neverending supply of entertainment both on board and ashore. 

GETTING THERE

The Irresistible Med, a sevennight itinerary round-trip from Barcelona, starts at £804 per person for an Insider cabin or £1,032 in a Sea Terrace with balcony, based on a June 26 departure. Find out more and book at virginvoyages.com Clockwise from far left, top: Yoga class; cabin interior design; dinner on the terrace of a Massive Suite; Valiant Lady; guests can control the TV, lighting and order room service via a tablet; sauna in Redemption Spa

ARENA

Enjoy an affordable escape on Europe’s rivers with the much-anticipated launch of this Arena River Cruises ship, writes Jeannine Williamson

For British cruisers, Arena is a very cosy and welcoming home-from-home. The breakfast bu et has everything you need for a satisfying ‘full English’, there’s daily afternoon tea and the dessert menu features traditional treats such as bread-and-butter pudding.

Delayed for two years due to the pandemic, Arena River Cruises’ 192-passenger fl agship fi nally set sail in March and is the fi rst of two vessels being introduced by the UK line in 2022. On European rivers that are already awash with self-styled, fi ve-star luxury ships, it fi lls the gap for anyone looking for a value-formoney river cruise, maybe as a second holiday or as a fi rst-time river cruiser.

Arena might lack the bells and whistles of swish ships with butlers and an array of dining venues, but it excels in o ering a very comfortable and relaxed vibe with no formal dress code, friendly crew members, a ordable fares and some pleasant surprises along the way.

For example, most river ships have lower ‘duck level’ cabins that are just above the water line and have fi xed windows that don’t open. Arena’s cabins – which are all the same size – have fl oor-to-ceiling windows that slide open onto a Juliet balcony, where you can lean out over a railing rather than step out. They also tilt open to provide fresh air. As well as making cabins very light, it’s a nice touch that you would normally associate with more expensive vessels. There’s even a small gym and sauna, too.

Built in 2005 and previously sailing for another line under a di erent name, Arena was given a complete makeover before being launched by Arena River Cruises, which caters only for English and Irish passengers.

The panoramic lounge is the hub of the ship. Again, it has large windows so you don’t miss any of the passing views. There’s a bar, resident keyboard player and dance fl oor, and on each cruise you can expect a couple of quiz nights run by the a able British cruise directors.

Bu et breakfast and lunch, and an

à la carte dinner, are served in the one main restaurant and drinks are not included unless you buy the good-value €20 per day premium package, which includes other perks. It’s worth noting the ship doesn’t have any lifts so is not suitable for wheelchair users. ARENA EXCELS IN OFFERING Arena sails on the Dutch A RELAXED VIBE AND SOME waterways, Rhine, Moselle and Danube, including

PLEASANT SURPRISES themed spring bulbfi elds trips, expert-led itineraries that this year include gardeners Charlie Dimmock and Helen Yemm, and Christmas market sailings.

GETTING THERE

A seven-night Danube cruise on Arena, departing on August 16, 2022, and sailing roundtrip from Passau, starts from £1,195 per person including coach travel and ferry crossing plus a one-night pre and post-cruise B&B hotel stay in Germany. For more details visit arenarivercruises.com Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Arena’s bar and lounge; gardening expert Helen Yemm; cruising the canals; cabin interior; Charlie Dimmock Above (left): Arena sailing on the Rhine (right) Church of St Peter, Bacharach, Germany