Silver Moon, the 596-passenger cruise ship from luxury line Silversea, has successfully completed her sea trials.

The trials were carried out between 8 August and 20 August, with the ship journeying between Fincantieri’s shipyards in Ancona and Trieste, Italy. She then spent a week in the dry dock in Trieste.

Set to carry 411 crew members, only 320 were on board for the trials due to precautionary health protocols.

Silversea’s senior officers, external engineers and representatives from Fincantieri and the Royal Caribbean Group were also on board the ship, carrying out tests such as noise and vibration tests.

In the dry dock, stability tests were performed and the ship’s public areas were inspected. Engineers also applied the finishing touches to the ship’s exterior, including the cleaning and painting of the hull and polishing of the brass propellers.

Speed tests were then carried out on the return trip to Ancona, with work now having commenced on the ship’s interior.

With sea trials out of the way, Silver Moon is now one step closer to welcoming passengers on board.

According to the cruise line, the ship is set for delivery on 30 October 2020, following the delivery of Silver Origin on 3 June.

Silversea captain Alessandro Zanello, soon to be of Silver Moon, said: “As my third with Silversea, I must say that Silver Moon’s sea trials felt a little surreal after everything that happened in the months prior.

“At the end of the sea trials, we shared a celebratory glass of prosecco with the team from Fincantieri. The ship is coming on nicely and she really is looking spectacular. This is a momentous occasion for all of us; we have worked very hard to reach this point.

“One of the most special moments for me was going into the dock to see the ship’s hull, before and after the painting. A small tradition of mine: I like to take a photo in front of the bulbous bow, when a fresh coat of paint glistens on the hull.”

Silver Moon chief engineer Guido Capurro added: “Approximately half the number of people were on board compared to regular sea trials.

“Nevertheless, we were able to carry out all tests successfully. These were my first sea trials with Silversea and it is always spectacular to see the ship at its peak performance, and to see how the automation and safety devices react to the sudden change in demand.”