Roadtrippin 2024: What is Ultra-Luxury?

VANCOUVER, Wash. (KTUU) - The Silversea Silver Nova is a new cruise ship, less than a year old, and in May 2024, made her first voyage to Alaska, billed as “ultra-luxury.”

“This more is about an elegant experience,” JP Almon, cruise director for the Silver Nova, said. He says sometimes you need to pamper yourself.

“We have to be realistic with paying for college and those things, but sometimes you have to think, ‘Let’s splurge and give something to ourself and pamper ourself a little more,’ and have an experience like this,” Almon said.

On board the Silver Nova, every room is a suite, and every suite has a balcony. And for the ultimate ultra-luxury experience, every suite also has a butler.

“We have the butler service for every suite, and we are 24 hours,” Senior Butler Mostafa Mahmoud said. “We are nonstop. Of course, there is some rotation with the crew, but as a butler service, 24 hours for the guest’s needs. Anything. We [are] always there for them.”

“Obviously, I’ve never had a butler before,” passenger Graham Counsell said. “You’re asked if you want a particular drink, or a bottle of wine or some fresh fruit, and it just appears as quick as that.”

Even for those who have cruised before, the Silver Nova is special.

“I’ve been on a few of the ships, Royal Caribbean, you know, probably some of the better ones I have been on,” Graham said, “but this surpasses those.”

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