Silversea Takes Guest Experiences To New Heights
Demonstrating the broad range of experiences on offer with the cruise line, Silversea Expeditions recently unlocked two standout travel experiences in vastly different marine environments – guests on Silver Cloud reached a remarkable 82 degrees north amid icy conditions, while guests on Silver Discoverer were able to swim with whale sharks in the warm waters of Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua.
Silversea’s Silver Cloud reached its highest ever latitude on June 25. The expedition ship made it to within approximately 480 nautical miles from the North Pole, to the great delight of the cruise line’s guests who gathered at the ship’s bow. The significant moment occurred on the second day of a 12-night voyage between Longyearbyen and Kristiansund, Norway. In foggy conditions and icy waters, and with a light wind of 0-10 knots, the ice-class crossover ship reached the Arctic Ice Edge in the Arctic Ocean. The ship’s exact co-ordinates were recorded at 82° 55.5’ N, 017° 45.7’ E.
Since being converted to an ice-class expedition ship in November 2017, Silver Cloud best represents the union of adventure cruising and ultimate comfort that characterizes Silversea Expeditions. It has unlocked many of the world’s remotest destinations for guests as Silversea Expeditions’ flagship.
Silver Cloud offers large, luxurious suites, four fine dining options, a heated swimming pool, 16 zodiacs, 10 kayaks and the highest space-to-guest and crew-to-guest ratios in expedition cruising. It will spend the summer months cruising in northern Europe, the Arctic, Greenland and Canada. Later in 2018, it will cruise in Antarctica.
Also, near the equator on July 1, Silversea’s Silver Discoverer detoured from its planned route between Cairns and Darwin to facilitate a rare interaction with wildlife: with care and respect for the animals, guests enjoyed the opportunity to snorkel with a school of whale sharks.
Silversea’s Expedition Team launched the ship’s fleet of Zodiac craft in order to reach the sharks, following Expedition Leader Dominic Del Rosario’s decision to change the ship’s itinerary after hearing of the opportunity. Flexibility has become a key characteristic of Silversea Expeditions’ voyages; adapting itineraries often enables guests to enjoy such extraordinary experiences as swimming with whale sharks.
“Silversea Expeditions is working hard to push the boundaries of exploration,” says Conrad Combrink, Silversea’s SVP Strategic Development Expeditions and Experiences. “Our goal is to deliver exceptional travel experiences to our guests in ultimate luxury; the unparalleled knowledge of our Expedition Team enables us to do exactly this. These two rare encounters exemplify the breadth of unforgettable, bucket-list experiences that are on offer.”
