10 Years of Silversea Expeditions
On 3rd June Silversea Expeditions celebrated 10 years of luxurious expedition cruising, marking the occasion with a two-day gala voyage between London and Dublin. On this momentous day, the ultra-luxury Silver Cloud departed London’s Tower Bridge to honour Silversea Expeditions’ very first voyage, which sailed under Tower Bridge for Svalbard a decade ago to the day. Silver Cloud was the company’s first vessel and underwent a transformation to an elegant ice-class expedition ship in late 2017.
Aboard Silversea's fleet of four purpose-built expedition ships, guests enjoy ocean-view suites, gourmet cuisine, the personalised service of a butler, and a generous selection of all-inclusive shipboard amenities, including complimentary beverages served throughout the ship, a stocked in-suite beverage cabinet, and unlimited free Wi-Fi. On each expedition voyage, teams of up to 28 experts conduct immersive destination experiences for guests. These passionate and insightful professionals offer informative lectures and discussions on board, in addition to Zodiac excursions and nature walks ashore – all of which are complimentary.
Over the last decade, the company's commitment to environmental sustainability and humanitarian efforts has extended across the globe. In the Cook and Phoenix islands in 2015, Silversea guests participated in a mammal acoustic survey that successfully added three new species of animals to the national registry. In Bangladesh, where Silver Discoverer made the first-ever cruise ship call in 2017, guests visited a remote village and purchased regional produce to benefit the local community. In 2017, Silversea engaged in a partnership with ORCA - one of the UK’s leading marine conservation charities - to enable guests to discover incredible marine life and contribute to the charity’s ongoing conservation work. In the Galápagos Islands, where Silver Galapagos inaugurated ultra-luxury expedition voyages in 2014, the cruise line co-sponsors a camp for children to encourage the conservation of marine habitats.
Looking ahead, the future of ultra-luxury expedition cruising is in safe hands with Silversea. With a Northeast Passage crossing planned and additional voyages to the Bay of Bengal, the Russian Far East, Antarctica, and Australia's Kimberley Coast, among others, the cruise line will continue to push industry boundaries. Of special note are two Silver Discoverer cruises that depart in summer 2019 for Borneo's Camp Leakey – a renowned refuge for orangutans, to which the cruise company enjoys exclusive access and has made various donations to support the protection and research of the primates. For more details about expedition cruises to some of the most beguiling places on our planet, speak to our experienced team on 0800 484 0370.
Gary Buchanan
- 30th July 2018
Gary Buchanan
Edinburgh-born Gary Buchanan has been a travel writer for over 30 years. He has been a specialist cruise writer for 25 years contributing to leading British publications including national newspapers and consumer magazines. He is the author of five books about cruising and spends over seven months every year at sea sailing the world’s oceans.