Silversea has acquired a new expedition cruise ship and a Galapagos-based Ecuadorian tourism company.
The ultra-luxury line has bought the 100-passenger, 4,077-ton expedition ship Galapagos Explorer II and upmarket Ecuadorian tourism company Canodros.
The ship will continue to operate as Galapagos Explorer II until September 2013, when it will be refurbished to Silversea standards and renamed.
The ship will fall under the Silversea Expeditions brand, and will complement its other expedition ship, Silver Explorer. The purchase is part of Silversea's long-running desire to expand further into the expedition market. It will also mean the line can offer Galapagos itineraries for the first time.
Steve Odell, Silversea's Senior Vice President, UK, Europe and Asia Pacific, told Cruise Critic: “This has been in the making for several months and this is one of the areas that we have been keen to expand into. No one is offering a luxury cruise experience to the Galapagos Islands of the standards of Silversea.”
Galapagos Explorer II is a former Renaissance ship and already has 50 suites, all of which have ocean views, and 24 of which will have private balconies. Public spaces include a restaurant, piano bar, library and internet station, main lounge, outdoor bar, two outdoor whirlpools and a marine observation deck.
Odell said the ship would be refurbished to Silversea standards and would include butler service for all the suites, but that structurally it would stay the same:
“We will have to take it out [next September] to do some technical work and soft furnishings. But it's a lovely ship, an old Renaissance one, so we won't change the size of the suites.”
The ship sails under an Ecuadorian flag and has an all-Ecuadorian crew. It's not clear how long the ship will be out of service, nor what its new name will be at this stage.
Looking for the latest FABCruise offers on a wide range of cruise holidays let FABTHINGS2do help you.
Showing posts with label Silversea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Silversea. Show all posts
Friday, 22 June 2012
Wednesday, 6 June 2012
Cruising From UK On The Rise
Cruising from UK Ports has never been so popular – more than 650 cruises are due to depart from ports in these fair isles this year -- and small ports are playing an increasing role in this growth.
The growing popularity of regional ports such as Liverpool, which has just been granted turnaround status and welcomed its first cruise ship departure on Thursday 31/5/12, Portsmouth and tiny Kirkwall have helped to fuel a nearly-20 percent increase in ex-U.K. cruising this year.
Cruise & Maritime Voyages, for example, made history on Thursday as the first cruise ship in 40 years to use Liverpool to embark passengers. Unfortunately, however, it soon ran into difficulties when an engine lost power in the Irish Sea, according to the Daily Mirror's cruise blogger Capt. Greybeard.
The ship was forced to make an unscheduled stop in Anglesey where engineers restored power, and it has now resumed its eight-night Jubilee Voyage to Scotland.
Seabourn Sojourn made its inaugural call to the Port of Tyne last week. Passengers were taken to see Hadrian's Wall, and Alnwick Castle and Garden (aka Hogwarts, for Harry Potter fans).
The call was a first not only for Sojourn, but for Seabourn as a line. Other firsts this season have been the inaugural calls to Dover two weeks ago of both Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas and Azamara Club Cruises' Azamara Journey.
“The main departure ports continue to be Southampton and Dover,” said Kate O'Hara, chair of CruiseBritain, which champions ex-UK cruising.
“But it is good to see the growth of the profile of ports such as Harwich, Tyne and Portsmouth. Passengers have more choice than ever before and this reflects the diversity of British attractions and the options that the country offers to cruise lines.”
The number of ex-UK cruises represents an increase of 17 percent over 2011, while there are more than 100 actual round-Britain cruises scheduled for 2012, an increase of a third over last year.
The growth can be put down to a number of factors. More and bigger ships sailing from the U.K. to the Mediterranean, the Baltic and beyond; a desire on the part of British cruisers to avoid the misery and cost of flying; and a genuine effort by a range of cruise lines, including Silversea, Noble Caledonia, Seabourn and Crystal Cruises, to bring more passengers to explore ports around Britain and Ireland on voyages that circumnavigate both countries.
Looking for the latest FABCruise offers on a wide range of cruise holidays let FABTHINGS2do help you.
The growing popularity of regional ports such as Liverpool, which has just been granted turnaround status and welcomed its first cruise ship departure on Thursday 31/5/12, Portsmouth and tiny Kirkwall have helped to fuel a nearly-20 percent increase in ex-U.K. cruising this year.
Cruise & Maritime Voyages, for example, made history on Thursday as the first cruise ship in 40 years to use Liverpool to embark passengers. Unfortunately, however, it soon ran into difficulties when an engine lost power in the Irish Sea, according to the Daily Mirror's cruise blogger Capt. Greybeard.
The ship was forced to make an unscheduled stop in Anglesey where engineers restored power, and it has now resumed its eight-night Jubilee Voyage to Scotland.
Seabourn Sojourn made its inaugural call to the Port of Tyne last week. Passengers were taken to see Hadrian's Wall, and Alnwick Castle and Garden (aka Hogwarts, for Harry Potter fans).
The call was a first not only for Sojourn, but for Seabourn as a line. Other firsts this season have been the inaugural calls to Dover two weeks ago of both Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas and Azamara Club Cruises' Azamara Journey.
“The main departure ports continue to be Southampton and Dover,” said Kate O'Hara, chair of CruiseBritain, which champions ex-UK cruising.
“But it is good to see the growth of the profile of ports such as Harwich, Tyne and Portsmouth. Passengers have more choice than ever before and this reflects the diversity of British attractions and the options that the country offers to cruise lines.”
The number of ex-UK cruises represents an increase of 17 percent over 2011, while there are more than 100 actual round-Britain cruises scheduled for 2012, an increase of a third over last year.
The growth can be put down to a number of factors. More and bigger ships sailing from the U.K. to the Mediterranean, the Baltic and beyond; a desire on the part of British cruisers to avoid the misery and cost of flying; and a genuine effort by a range of cruise lines, including Silversea, Noble Caledonia, Seabourn and Crystal Cruises, to bring more passengers to explore ports around Britain and Ireland on voyages that circumnavigate both countries.
Looking for the latest FABCruise offers on a wide range of cruise holidays let FABTHINGS2do help you.
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
Silversea confirms collision of luxury cruise ship
Luxury cruise ship Silver Shadow, which ran into a local vessel in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, on March 16, sustained only "limited minor dents," according to Silversea Cruises. The line reports that the incident is under investigation
Silversea Cruises has launched an investigation after one of its luxury vessels collided with a cargo ship off the coast of Vietnam.
The company confirmed in a statement that the 382-passenger Silver Shadow collided with a local container ship on Friday morning as it was approaching Ha Long Bay in Vietnam.
It dismissed the collision as a "minor incident" but said it was carrying out a full investigation.
No passengers were injured and the ship, which suffered only "minor dents", according to Silversea, continued to Ha Long Bay and then on to Hong Kong, as per the itinerary.
Silversea, which acknowledges in a statement that "there was contact between Silver Shadow and a local commercial vessel," says "guests' safety was never compromised." The ship, which was on a nine-night cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong, reached the port of Ha Long Bay, where tours took place as scheduled. A Silversea spokesman commented that the ship remains fully operational and is embarking on its next itinerary from Hong Kong today. No itineraries will be impacted.
Although the spokesperson did not address the reasons behind the incident, A client who was onboard reported, "Today, in Gulf of Tonkin in dense fog the ship had a mild collision with a small freighter. No great damage and only a 90-minute delay reaching destination."
Silversea Cruises has launched an investigation after one of its luxury vessels collided with a cargo ship off the coast of Vietnam.
The company confirmed in a statement that the 382-passenger Silver Shadow collided with a local container ship on Friday morning as it was approaching Ha Long Bay in Vietnam.
It dismissed the collision as a "minor incident" but said it was carrying out a full investigation.
No passengers were injured and the ship, which suffered only "minor dents", according to Silversea, continued to Ha Long Bay and then on to Hong Kong, as per the itinerary.
Silversea, which acknowledges in a statement that "there was contact between Silver Shadow and a local commercial vessel," says "guests' safety was never compromised." The ship, which was on a nine-night cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong, reached the port of Ha Long Bay, where tours took place as scheduled. A Silversea spokesman commented that the ship remains fully operational and is embarking on its next itinerary from Hong Kong today. No itineraries will be impacted.
Although the spokesperson did not address the reasons behind the incident, A client who was onboard reported, "Today, in Gulf of Tonkin in dense fog the ship had a mild collision with a small freighter. No great damage and only a 90-minute delay reaching destination."
Friday, 1 January 2010
How was 2009 for Cruising?
2009 was the busiest year in cruising history. A 2009 Cruise Industry Review.
The cruise industry must be doing better than most people expected. Carnival Cruise Lines just ordered a brand new ship, a third sister ship in the Carnival Dream class, and Royal Caribbean just announced that the financing for Allure of the Seas, the sister ship to Oasis, is already 80% in place with another loan guarantee (up to 95% of $1.13 billion) from Finnvera, the Finnish export credit agency.
In the latest Carnival Corp earnings statement CEO Micky Arison said "We weathered the most challenging economic environment in the company's history exceptionally well. In 2009, Carnival was the most profitable leisure travel company, which is testament to the strength and quality of our global portfolio."
2009 brought us several brand new ships of significant size and evolution in design; starting with Seabourn Spirit, the first of the next generation of luxury cruise ships carrying as many as 450 passengers without changing the spacious cabins and personalized service. Celebrity Equinox arrived last summer, the sister ship to the Solstice-class from Celebrity. In November Carnival launched their largest ship ever, Carnival Dream. Just two weeks later we saw Oasis of the Seas arrive from Royal Caribbean.
January 20th, 2010, Silversea Cruises, arguably the most luxurious cruise line in the world - the line for people who want the best at any price - will introduce their brand new 450-passenger ship, Silver Spirit, in Fort Lauderdale. The ship has six different restaurants onboard plus full room service where your butler will bring your entire dining room meal to your suite, if you wish, set up a table with linens and serve it to you course by course.
There will be a spa on Silver Spirit where you can actually get Botox and other surgical enhancements and recover in privacy. They also offer unique eastern medicine treatments such as acupuncture and bamboo massage. The ship's first cruise after her inaugural is a 91-day circumnavigation of South America, and is already nearly sold out.
Reports come in to Holidays Online that certain kinds of cruises are still doing remarkably well. River cruises in Europe, for example, are more popular with Americans than ever before due to a realignment of focus towards the American audience. They now offer a larger variety of shore excursions, which they are making longer than before instead of rushing back to the ship for lunch every day, a practice the Europeans expect but Americans view as an annoyance. Since these riverboats now sail with almost 90% passengers from the United States, there is no longer any reason to take up valuable time translating lectures or having different shore tours for different languages. In addition, the new riverboats are beautiful, with actual balconies for fresh air in every stateroom and even free Internet access available via Wi-Fi throughout the boat.
In fact, computer use onboard ships is finally emerging as a real priority. Carnival Dream has a "FunHub" where cruisers can log in for free at several stations onboard and leave messages for other passengers. Brad Ball from Silversea Cruises tells me more people are coming on cruises and continuing to do their work; almost as if they never left land. As long as they have their computer and Blackberry they are essentially just as connected at sea as they are in the office. Cruising has become the preferred vacation for people who need to work while they play. Although Internet access isn't free on any cruises other than riverboats yet, I personally see this as a very big future draw and I predict that the first cruise line to offer unlimited Internet access for a reasonable fee will find that to be a highly attractive option to draw new business.
One thing that has proven itself is that veteran cruisers will still pay a premium to go on the newest and nicest ships; just for a chance to see something different with all of the latest enhancements.
Meanwhile, the cruise lines also continue to upgrade their older ships by re-decorating them and adding more amenities such as Wi-Fi, new restaurants, new rooms for onboard enrichment such as computer classes and additional places to eat more varieties of food. Holland America has spent more than 500 million dollars now to upgrade their entire fleet by continuing the "Signature of Excellence" campaign started in 2004. Carnival upgraded all of their Fantasy class ships over the last four years to include new water parks for kids, serenity areas for adults, more varieties of food onboard, better Internet access and nicer pool areas with hot tubs and cabanas.
Even the luxury cruise lines are enhancing their older vessels. Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn and Crystal have all announced significant upgrades to their older ships during the last year, making them all highly attractive and utile vessels.
In the long run, while the economy has slowed down consumer spending, it doesn't mean the cruise industry has gone into any kind of suspended mode by any means. Unlike previous economic downturns or interruptions in travel, such as 9/11, this recession has not had the effect of putting any cruise lines out of business or even in the position where they have had to cut back on their plans to continue to grow and improve their fleets.
The only exception was the decision of NCL not to go forward with building two of the F3-class of new vessels, the first of which will debut in June 2010 with Norwegian Epic. So they are only building one instead of two; if the economy gets better and Norwegian Epic is as well received as we predict it will be they can always change their minds again. After all, no one expected Carnival to order a brand new ship just two weeks ago, and yet they did.
It is surprising, in fact, how little effect this recession has had on the continuing plans of the cruise lines. Cruise fares are down so cruising has never been more affordable, and with all of the continuing upgrades we have seen throughout the cruise industry you can truly say that cruising is a strong industry with a proven track record of financial stability. If you believe Micky Arison, CEO of Carnival Corp, cruising is arguably the strongest leisure travel industry in the world right now.
The cruise industry must be doing better than most people expected. Carnival Cruise Lines just ordered a brand new ship, a third sister ship in the Carnival Dream class, and Royal Caribbean just announced that the financing for Allure of the Seas, the sister ship to Oasis, is already 80% in place with another loan guarantee (up to 95% of $1.13 billion) from Finnvera, the Finnish export credit agency.
In the latest Carnival Corp earnings statement CEO Micky Arison said "We weathered the most challenging economic environment in the company's history exceptionally well. In 2009, Carnival was the most profitable leisure travel company, which is testament to the strength and quality of our global portfolio."
2009 brought us several brand new ships of significant size and evolution in design; starting with Seabourn Spirit, the first of the next generation of luxury cruise ships carrying as many as 450 passengers without changing the spacious cabins and personalized service. Celebrity Equinox arrived last summer, the sister ship to the Solstice-class from Celebrity. In November Carnival launched their largest ship ever, Carnival Dream. Just two weeks later we saw Oasis of the Seas arrive from Royal Caribbean.
January 20th, 2010, Silversea Cruises, arguably the most luxurious cruise line in the world - the line for people who want the best at any price - will introduce their brand new 450-passenger ship, Silver Spirit, in Fort Lauderdale. The ship has six different restaurants onboard plus full room service where your butler will bring your entire dining room meal to your suite, if you wish, set up a table with linens and serve it to you course by course.
There will be a spa on Silver Spirit where you can actually get Botox and other surgical enhancements and recover in privacy. They also offer unique eastern medicine treatments such as acupuncture and bamboo massage. The ship's first cruise after her inaugural is a 91-day circumnavigation of South America, and is already nearly sold out.
Reports come in to Holidays Online that certain kinds of cruises are still doing remarkably well. River cruises in Europe, for example, are more popular with Americans than ever before due to a realignment of focus towards the American audience. They now offer a larger variety of shore excursions, which they are making longer than before instead of rushing back to the ship for lunch every day, a practice the Europeans expect but Americans view as an annoyance. Since these riverboats now sail with almost 90% passengers from the United States, there is no longer any reason to take up valuable time translating lectures or having different shore tours for different languages. In addition, the new riverboats are beautiful, with actual balconies for fresh air in every stateroom and even free Internet access available via Wi-Fi throughout the boat.
In fact, computer use onboard ships is finally emerging as a real priority. Carnival Dream has a "FunHub" where cruisers can log in for free at several stations onboard and leave messages for other passengers. Brad Ball from Silversea Cruises tells me more people are coming on cruises and continuing to do their work; almost as if they never left land. As long as they have their computer and Blackberry they are essentially just as connected at sea as they are in the office. Cruising has become the preferred vacation for people who need to work while they play. Although Internet access isn't free on any cruises other than riverboats yet, I personally see this as a very big future draw and I predict that the first cruise line to offer unlimited Internet access for a reasonable fee will find that to be a highly attractive option to draw new business.
One thing that has proven itself is that veteran cruisers will still pay a premium to go on the newest and nicest ships; just for a chance to see something different with all of the latest enhancements.
Meanwhile, the cruise lines also continue to upgrade their older ships by re-decorating them and adding more amenities such as Wi-Fi, new restaurants, new rooms for onboard enrichment such as computer classes and additional places to eat more varieties of food. Holland America has spent more than 500 million dollars now to upgrade their entire fleet by continuing the "Signature of Excellence" campaign started in 2004. Carnival upgraded all of their Fantasy class ships over the last four years to include new water parks for kids, serenity areas for adults, more varieties of food onboard, better Internet access and nicer pool areas with hot tubs and cabanas.
Even the luxury cruise lines are enhancing their older vessels. Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn and Crystal have all announced significant upgrades to their older ships during the last year, making them all highly attractive and utile vessels.
In the long run, while the economy has slowed down consumer spending, it doesn't mean the cruise industry has gone into any kind of suspended mode by any means. Unlike previous economic downturns or interruptions in travel, such as 9/11, this recession has not had the effect of putting any cruise lines out of business or even in the position where they have had to cut back on their plans to continue to grow and improve their fleets.
The only exception was the decision of NCL not to go forward with building two of the F3-class of new vessels, the first of which will debut in June 2010 with Norwegian Epic. So they are only building one instead of two; if the economy gets better and Norwegian Epic is as well received as we predict it will be they can always change their minds again. After all, no one expected Carnival to order a brand new ship just two weeks ago, and yet they did.
It is surprising, in fact, how little effect this recession has had on the continuing plans of the cruise lines. Cruise fares are down so cruising has never been more affordable, and with all of the continuing upgrades we have seen throughout the cruise industry you can truly say that cruising is a strong industry with a proven track record of financial stability. If you believe Micky Arison, CEO of Carnival Corp, cruising is arguably the strongest leisure travel industry in the world right now.
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
Silversea Cruises to bring luxury to expedition market
Silversea Cruises is introducing luxury to the expedition market with a new ship that will sail its inaugural cruise from London in June.
The cruiseline has bought the World Discoverer from Society Expeditions to sail polar itineraries
The ship, which has yet to be named, will be in London for inaugural events on June 12, It will then sail to the Orkney, Shetland and Faro Islands and Jan Mayen, before touring the Arctic Circle and Greenland for the summer. It will reposition to South America and then Antarctica for autumn and winter.
Find out more about Silversea cruises with Hays Travel Cruise - The Cruise experts.
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
Silversea announce 2009 worldwide schedule
Ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises has announced its 2009 worldwide voyage schedule. The company's four award-winning, all-suite ships are set to visit over 320 different ports in 108 countries on a diverse schedule of over 140 itineraries ranging from seven to 92 days.
Of special note is the company's first-ever Grand Pacific Voyage, a 92-day extended odyssey that explores the azure waters and pristine beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Following a diverse route from Los Angeles to Papeete, Sydney and the Far East, with final stops in Alaska and Vancouver, Silver Shadow will visit 45 ports, 15 countries and both hemispheres on this epic journey.
Other highlights include return visits to Alaska plus 10 new destinations: Szczecin (pronounced Stettin, as it was once known), Poland; Malmo, Sweden; Skagen, Denmark; Gozo Island, Malta; Symi, Greece; Koper, Slovenia; Olhahali Island, Maldives; Nemuro, Japan; Visakhapatnam and New Mangalore, India.
SILVER CLOUD
Silver Cloud starts the year exploring South America before heading to the most exclusive destinations of the Caribbean. From late May through to September, the intimate 296-guest ship will be positioned in Northern Europe and the Baltic offering 11 cruises of seven to 15 days, including several voyages featuring three-day, two-night stopovers in historic St. Petersburg. Other highlights include Voyage 1920, offering inaugural calls to Szczecin, Poland, once considered the "Paris of the North"; Sweden's beautiful Malmo, home of famous 15th-century Malmohus Castle; and Skagen, Denmark, a picturesque resort town and 19th-century colony for artists and writers. The ship heads back to the Caribbean and South America for the autumn.
SILVER WIND
The 296-guest Silver Wind begins 2009 with cruises to Africa, the Seychelles and the Arabian Peninsula, highlighted by inaugural calls to the sunny beaches of uninhabited Olhahali Island in the Maldives and India's less-travelled Visakhapatnam and New Mangalore, both gateways to important temple sites.
From mid-April to early November, the ultra-luxury ship will traverse the Mediterranean on over 20 different itineraries ranging from seven to 12 days.
Of special interest to Formula One racing enthusiasts is a Voyage, which overnights in Monte Carlo during the Grand Prix. Other highlights include return visits to Israel's popular coastal cities of Haifa and Ashdod, also on offer is the new destination of Gozo Island, second largest of the Maltese Islands, known for its impressive citadel and the Ggantija prehistoric temples. The ship repositions to Africa's east coast and the Sechelles for the autumn.
SILVER SHADOW
The 382-guest Silver Shadow kicks off the year with a series of mostly 9-day Caribbean voyages before transiting the Panama Canal to Los Angeles to embark on its 92-day Grand Pacific Voyage from March to June. Of special interest to nature-lovers is an inaugural call on May 18 to Nemuro, Japan, home of the magnificent Shunkunitai Wild Bird Sanctuary. On the schedule for the summer is Alaska, with a series of 12 cruises ranging from seven to 12 days, including several round-trip departures from San Francisco and Vancouver. During the balance of the year, Silver Shadow transits the Panama Canal and continues on a course exploring the warm waters and sunny beaches of the Caribbean.
SILVER WHISPER
For the 382-guest Silver Whisper, the year opens with the sights, sounds and flavours of Australia, New Zealand, the Far East and South Pacific featured on eight itineraries, ranging from nine to 18 days. Highlights include extended overnight stays in Auckland, Sydney, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tianjin (Beijing), and Shanghai. On a pair of spring repositioning cruises, Silver Whisper will journey from Singapore to Dubai, with an overnight stay in vibrant Mumbai, followed by a Dubai-to-Athens voyage that overnights in Dubai and includes overnight visits to Safaga and Aqaba, gateways to some of the world's most treasured archaeological sites.
An extended summer season in the Mediterranean offers the opportunity to explore the region in absolute luxury with 22 mostly seven-day voyages, many of which can be combined for a more expansive journey without duplicating any ports. Highlights include two new destinations for Silversea: the Greek island of Symi, renowned for its picture-postcard beauty, and Koper, Slovenia, famous for its medieval architecture and fascinating Postonja Caves.
Silver Whisper wraps up the year exploring the Arabian Peninsula, India, Australia and New Zealand.
Find out more about Silversea Cruises with Hays Travel the cruise experts
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)