Inside Silversea’s Otium: A Boldly Indulgent Wellness Program
What if a wellness program emphasized indulgence instead of self-sacrifice? If, besides the spa, you could extend the concept to your own suite, via the veranda, living room, in-suite dining, bedroom and bath? What if incorporating a wellness theme into your vacation focused on joy and serenity rather than calorie counts and step-tracking?
Silversea’s Otium, a Roman-inspired creation for Silver Dawn and Silver Nova, is designed for those for whom the idea of wellness, particularly on holiday, is more about indulgences, large and small, than sacrifice. The idea, which was inspired by the pandemic, is all about instant gratification: Champagne and chocolate, and there’s not going to be any sweating.
It’s about seeking balance, however you want to achieve it. And who doesn’t need it these days? “We take care of everybody else, all the time,” says Mary Jean Tully, founder and CEO of Tully Luxury Travel, who has sampled the spa. “This time we get to make it completely about us.”
What is Otium, exactly?
Finding new ways to pamper Silversea guests
Silversea’s interpretation of Otium is inspired by the Romans.
It’s the history of indulgence. Looking back at the Roman empire, you will see how it was absolutely customary for Romans to spend a day in the Otium state. It was all about indulging in social activities, listening to poetry or music, enjoying the incredible food and wine of the region – or just going to the Roman baths and having wonderful treatments.
This is why Otium is just the perfect word to explain the amazing program.
What is core to the program is that indulgences onboard Silver Dawn and Silver Nova will include the spa but go well beyond it, too. The program’s key, wherever you enjoy it, is that one’s wellness is a sense of being cared for and of pampering.
Naturally, a wellness program should start with a good night’s sleep
Did you know that you spend about a third of your time onboard…in bed?
To start, there are new, tailor-made mattresses, featuring Soft Touch technology that enhance softness and comfort. (If you care to geek out on the details, there are twin system springs, 400 springs per square meter, and Myform Memory Air® foam inserts, on top, to relieve pressure on bothersome backs.) Bedding is complemented by Milan’s Rivolta Carmignani, using combed Egyptian cotton with the all-important 400-thread count.
All guests are presented with a pillow Menu, with five different types of pillows. You can choose from several feather/down blends, memory foam, and the hypoallergenic Fairfax option in medium and firm varieties. Better yet, you can choose them all….
The art of the bath – and then some
On Silver Dawn, sumptuous bathrooms with separate showers and bathtubs are available in every category of suite, and even the most avid shower fan may want to take time to smell the roses (or vetiver, orange, or fig and cedar, all varieties of bath salts). On any day – and why not try it a couple of times? – butlers will, on request, draw you a bath. Besides the scented salts, we loved the battalion of (battery-operated) candles placed around the tub’s ledge, offering a glowing ambience.
A teak tray is outfitted with just enough diversions (a macaron for the peckish, a glass of Champagne or any other beverage you’d prefer, fresh flowers and a book-stand holder; the book is optional). Don’t miss out the loofah sponges, harvested from the Mediterranean. Ours had the faint, fresh smell of the sea.
Otium transforms your veranda, too
Perhaps we’re all most accustomed to using our private verandas for lazy, long afternoons reading a good book, watching the sunset over a cocktail or waking up to coffee as the ship sails into scenic ports. The Otium-inspired verandahs take it up a notch.
On our Greek Isles cruise, we asked for the Otium treatment. What I loved was the balance of wellness, from a dedicated sea-inspired cocktail menu and a trim box of Pierre Marcolini chocolates to a tray of water-misters and exotic sun-protection creams (encouraging you to care for your skin) and even aloe vera gel, just in case.
The Otium-inspired verandah ha two seasons. If you’re traveling in warm weather destinations, as we were, it’s more tropically influenced. And if you are cruising in polar and other cold weather places, you’ll instead find cashmere blankets, hot nibbles and the most decadent freshly made hot chocolate, available with – or without – your favorite dram.
Comfort food with a gourmet touch
Imagine you’ve spent a day trekking the medieval city walls that surround Rhodes, on a hot day, as we did on our Greek Isles cruise. Returning to the ship, feeling pleasantly exhausted, we just wanted to stay in, wear pajamas and watch a movie.
Peace and serenity are just as much a part of Otium as is indulgence and pampering. The Otium tie-in to our suite’s living room went beyond the always-available in-suite dining menu to a menu of indulgent comfort foods, from a foie gras burger to the most delicious lobster roll, and, afterward, an order or two of truffle popcorn to accompany the flick.
Socializing at the spa: It’s the Roman way
The spa services menu for Otium-influenced treatments will include massages using Roman ingredients, from honey to Argan oil, yet there’s much more to the spa experience than just a rubdown. Even basic treatments, such as manicures and pedicures, offer an Otium twist, such as a glass of Champagne (a common practice at European salons) while you’re buffed and soothed.
Afterward, guests can gather at a secluded, aft-facing nook just beyond the spa, enjoy a cocktail, play board games and, otherwise, just stay off the so-called-grid – as long as possible.
Otium’s evolution aboard Silversea’s new Silver Nova
On Silver Nova, the line’s newest ship that debuted in summer 2023, you’ll find an evolved Otium Spa.
Among the enhancements? It’s Otium Suite a new suite category on the vessel. The spacious (1,324 square feet) and the pair are the largest accommodations onboard. They’re in prime aft corner spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows, décor influenced by the spa’s Roman-themed art and a complimentary treatment.
Silversea has expanded Otium’s bathing ritual to include a dedicated shower experience, where essential oils flow out of shower steamers. New amenities are also on tap; signature products, developed with La Bottega – inspired by the Mediterranean, include such fragrances as include sun-ripened orange, tangy lemon, bergamot, grapefruit, patchouli, amber and ambergris.
And on Silver Nova, the 3,638-square-foot Otium Spa, tucked into the ship’s bow, features an indoor relaxation pool, beauty salon, fitness center, treatment rooms and a tranquil relaxation area.