Silversea Cruises unveiled its line-up of senior officers for the Silver Nova’s maiden voyage departing on August 14.

Sailing roundtrip from Venice, Silversea’s 12th ship will visit ports in the Adriatic, including Piran in Slovenia; Zadar, Dubrovnik, Split, and Rovinj in Croatia; and Kotor in Montenegro. 

“I am incredibly proud to take the helm of Silver Nova for her maiden voyage,” said Captain Cosimo Pontillo, master of Silver Nova. “Having been with Silversea Cruises for almost 30 years, I have witnessed the evolution of the fleet first-hand. Silver Nova represents the pinnacle of ultra-luxury cruise travel and I am excited to welcome our guests aboard to experience her many innovations. I am grateful for the opportunity to celebrate this important milestone and give thanks to Barbara Muckermann, Silversea’s President, for bestowing this honor upon me, as well as my colleagues at Silversea Cruises and Royal Caribbean Group for their precious collaboration in launching this beautiful ship.”

Captain Cosimo Pontillo – Master

Joining the team for the launch of the Silver Nova is Cosimo Pontillo. In his early career, he worked aboard frigates in the Navy for one year and studied submarine rescue techniques for 6 months. He then began his career as a deck cadet on different cargo ships around the world. In 1994, he joined Silversea Cruises for the launches of the Silver Cloud and the Silver Wind, later becoming Staff Captain. After a six-year absence, he returned to Silversea and was promoted to the rank of Captain.

Lester Woodfall – Hotel Director

Lester Woodfall worked in various five-star hotels in the Arabian Gulf. His international career started in Bahrain, after which he moved to the United Arab Emirates and worked at a number of five-star resorts. He joined the cruise industry in 2001 and later became the Food and Beverage Manager. He will now assume the role of Hotel Director on the Silver Nova’s maiden season. 

Vicki Van Tassel – Cruise Director

Vicki Van Tassel began her career at sea with Silversea in 2011, performing as a vocalist on three World Cruises and many Grand Voyages. In 2015, she joined Silversea as a Cruise Director. Since then, she has held that position on almost every ship in Silversea’s fleet. Now, Van Tassel will serve as Cruise Director for the opening of the Silver Nova.