SILVERSEA ADDS TO ITS VESSEL, ITINERARY LINEUP
It’s shaping up to be a big year for Silversea (silversea.com), as the luxury line gears up to take delivery of a brand new ship, convert an existing ship into an ice-strengthened expedition vessel, and debut a host of new itineraries and improvements to its existing fleet.
I flew down to Florida a few weeks back to check out the elegant, 382-guest Silver Whisper, which was fresh from a stint in dry dock in the Bahamas on the eve of her 2017 World Cruise that began in early January from San Francisco; another first for the line.
Unlike many refits these days, the details aboard Silver Whisper are subtle. You’ve got to really look for them to notice the work that was done over seven frantic days — or, as Mark Conroy, Silversea’s managing director for the Americas, told me, “12 days of work crammed into seven.”
The refit replaced and reconditioned much of the flooring aboard the ship, whether it was refinishing the existing wooden dance floor in the Panorama Lounge or replacing the carpeting in all suites. Wall and window treatments were added, furniture was reupholstered, and the ship’s decking replaced.
In the end, strolling around the decks of the Silver Whisper on a humid day in Port Everglades felt much like my past experiences on the ship — with the exception that the ship looked like she was brand-new again.
“Our goal with this refurbishment was to refresh Silver Whisper’s signature style and honour her superb legacy of hosting our iconic world cruises by revitalizing the on-board experience for our guests,” said Roberto Martinoli, Silversea’s chief executive. “Silver Whisper’s enhancements are a perfect complement to the superior level of personalized service and warm hospitality that our guests receive on every voyage, whether it’s a seven-day Mediterranean sailing or an around-the-world adventure.”
The refit is part of Silversea’s US$170-million commitment to refurbishing its existing fleet of classic and luxury expedition ships. The largest investment here is going to come this fall, when the Silver Cloud — Silversea’s first ship — will be converted into a luxury expedition vessel that holds just 260 guests, or 200 in Antarctica. The line is going to give her more large suites, add inflatable Zodiac rafts, create an observation lounge, and outfit the ship with a special mud room for boots and jackets.
Silversea very much pioneered the concept of luxury expedition cruising when it acquired the Silver Explorer (then known as Prince Albert II) back in 2007. At the time, other luxury lines were skeptical of the idea. Now, the competition is playing catch-up — and Silversea is out ahead. The debut of Silver Cloud Expedition in November of this year will bring the line’s total luxury expedition fleet to four vessels worldwide.
Of course, the other big news this year is Silver Muse. Silversea’s newest luxury ship will debut this April, when she is christened in Monte Carlo, home of Silversea’s corporate headquarters. She is the first new build that Silversea has launched since the 540-guest Silver Spirit debuted in December 2009, and in many ways, Silver Muse can be thought of as Silver Spirit 2.0: bigger, better, and with plenty of new features.
One of the most interesting aspects of the new, 596-guest Silver Muse will be Silversea’s approach to dining. There will be no main restaurant for guests to dine at. Instead, the line has created a series of dining venues (eight in all) that are more intimate than the sprawling, one-room-fits-all approach. Cuisines from around the world, including Japanese, Pan-Asian, French and Italian will be on offer, along with more casual fare like Silversea’s super-fun, doit-yourself outdoor grilling experience known as Hot Rocks.
Silver Muse sets sail in April in the Mediterranean before heading over to Western Europe, Northern Europe, and will cross the Atlantic to Canada’s East Coast and New England before wintering in South America.
As for the totally refreshed Silver Whisper, you can catch her this spring when she returns from her World Cruise, or hop aboard one of her shorter World Cruise segments; some suites are still available. But save room for her Canada & New England voyages from Montreal this fall; they’re the best way to experience this great ship closer to home.
Happy cruising.