Lefebvre to agents: 'Fill Silver Muse and I'll build three more'

They were invited to wear the hard hats to the main lounge welcome event hosted by Silversea chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio—to remind everyone it's a shakedown and not everything may be perfect.

But at first glance, at least, Silver Muse appears remarkably shipshape.

Expressing his joy to have 'this fantastic ship,' Lefebvre told the agents: 'If you help me fill the ship, I will build three more of these.'

The company has options for deliveries in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Lefebvre recounted how he'd started in the cruise industry as a young boy. He was 14 when he visited a Sitmar vessel. That was before his family took control of the company, and subsequently built the first three modern modern-era ships at Fincantieri, which would go to Princess Cruises when Sitmar and Princess merged.

Lefebvre recalled how he'd asked his father what he would love to have before dying? Twelve ships was the answer.

With Silver Muse, Silversea is up to nine. Lefebvre said his father was able to visit the company's last newbuild, 2009's Silver Spirit, before his death.

Lefebvre told his guests that Silver Muse was built to his taste. It's elegant, but discreet. 'You're not overwhelmed,' as he put it.

The Silversea chairman talked more about family, referring to the team he considers a family, with his childhood schoolmate Roberto Martinoli now ceo; long-time friend Mark Conroy, md the Americas; Conroy's wife Marilyn, who worked for Lefebvre; and Martinoli's wife Barbara Muckermann, chief marketing officer, who's in her third employ with him.

'It's a family,' he said.

Monday was also Martinoli's birthday, and he was happy for the Silver Muse hand-over to coincide. A veteran of many deliveries in a career that has stretched from his own ship management company to senior roles at Costa, Carnival, Norwegian and Grande Navi Veloci, Martinoli called it 'the best delivery I've ever seen.' He thanked everyone involved.

Mark Conroy, another cruise veteran, has had a hand in 12 vessel deliveries in his career, 'and I've never been on a ship that looks as good as this does just out of the shipyard,' he told the crowd.