Silversea, the luxury all-suites cruise line, is getting increased business from Irish travel agents, according to Mike Bonner, General Manager – UK & Ireland. Silversea has also launched its 2016 Voyage Collection that showcases 845 destinations (including 107 new ports) on 272 voyages across seven continents, all now available for reservation.
Speaking to Irish Travel Trade News onboard Silver Cloud, the flagship of the fleet, Mike Bonner said that they were seeing new business from more agents and that business for this year was up on bookings for last year. He pointed out they were introducing shorter duration itineraries as part of the Silver Select offer.
These are perfect for first-time cruisers, or those seeking to experience ultra luxury cruising for a short break.
Some examples of these are a four-day cruise departing from Istanbul to Athens on the 29th September – made all the easier by the fact that Turkish Airlines now fly twice daily direct from Dublin.
There is also a five-day cruise from Athens to Istanbul that departs on the 3rd October. There is special offer on both of these cruises of a two category suite upgrade or $250 per person shipboard credit.
2016 Voyage Collection
From Aberdeen to Zadar, eight intimate ships will showcase 845 destinations (including 107 new ports) on 272 voyages across seven continents in Silversea’s 2016 Voyage Collection, all now available for reservation.
The schedule for Silversea’s five ultra-luxury ocean-going cruise ships will encompass 385 destinations on 177 voyages. Among 19 new ports are Summerside, Prince Edward Island (Canada); Rockland, Maine (USA); Le Marin, Martinique; Shimizu, Japan; Rijeka and Rab Island, Croatia; Bremerhaven, Germany; Ullapool, Scotland; and Kalmar, Sweden. Other classic fleet highlights include:
Venetian World Cruise: Departing Fort Lauderdale on 5th January, this 115-day sailing will visit 51 destinations in 31 countries, following a westward path through the Panama Canal to South America and the Pacific. Guests will explore the island paradises of the South Seas, including Easter Island, Pitcairn Island, Tahiti, and Bora Bora before sailing to the most desirable destinations of New Zealand, Australia, and Asia, including Hong Kong and Singapore, the resorts of Bali and Phuket, and mysterious Myanmar. The odyssey will continue to exotic India, Arabia, and Mediterranean hideaways before concluding with two nights in Venice.
Circle South America: Silver Spirit departs on 15th January on a 66-day roundtrip Grand Voyage from Fort Lauderdale. Highlights include a crossing of the Panama Canal, two days cruising Chile’s fjords, a three-day stopover in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival, plus multi-day calls in Buenos Aires and Callao (gateway to Lima and Machu Picchu).
South Africa: Silver Cloud offers a trio of 10-day voyages showcasing South Africa’s east coast with roundtrip departures from Cape Town in February. The sailings (1603 – 1605) include calls in Port Elizabeth, Durban, East London, Maputo, and an overnight stay in Richards Bay.
Mediterranean, Northern Europe & Baltic: From April to November, four ships collectively will offer more than 80 itineraries revealing the regions’ secluded harbours and fabled cities. These include:
— After a few years’ absence, Silver Whisper returns to the North Cape with a 14-day roundtrip sailing from Copenhagen on 17th June. Voyage 4613 spotlights some of Norway’s most breathtaking scenery and includes a stop in the Arctic village of Honningsvag, gateway to the North Cape, Europe’s northernmost point. Travellers to this region may observe the traditional customs and lifestyle of the indigenous Sami people and spot reindeer during the summer months.
— Silver Spirit’s Voyage 5613, sailing from Barcelona to Rome, will overnight in Cannes on 25th May, during the city’s famous film festival, and also overnight in Monte Carlo on 28th May, during the Grand Prix.
— Silver Wind will sail the River Thames to dock near (or depart from) Tower Bridge in the heart of London on six voyages (2617 – 2622), a journey most cruise ships are too large to navigate.
Alaska: From May through September, Silver Shadow returns to explore the natural wonders of Alaska on 17 seven-day voyages between Seward and Vancouver.
Myanmar: In addition to the Venetian World Cruise, three Silver Shadow voyages (3604, 3609 and 3633) feature multi-day stopovers in Myanmar, where guests can explore its famous golden pagodas and ancient temples in depth.
Kristian Anderson, Silversea’s Senior Vice President and General Manager for the Americas, said: “Traditional cruise enthusiasts will find our five ocean-going ships offer a diverse array of travel choices, including itineraries with multi-day calls and overnight stays, many of which can be combined without repeating ports to create unique and enriching travel experiences. For thrill-seeking adventure travellers, our expedition cruises offer unsurpassed opportunities to discover the amazing natural and cultural treasures of the world’s most remote regions.”
Expedition Cruises
The cruise line’s three expedition ships, Silver Explorer, Silver Discoverer, and Silver Galapagos, will collectively explore over 500 destinations on 95 expedition cruises. Included among 88 inaugural calls are Gough Island, St Helena; Lizard Island, Australia; Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles; Ko Phra Thong, Thailand; and South Cinque Island, Andaman Archipelago.
Silver Explorer’s schedule retains its popular expedition cruises to Antarctica, South and Central America, the British Isles, Northern Canada, Greenland, and Arctic Norway. New itineraries include a 12-day expedition to the White Sea sailing roundtrip from Tromso on 11th June (Voyage 7612), and an 18-day journey (7619) focused on Greenland and the Canadian Arctic, sailing roundtrip from Kangerlussuaq on 22nd August.
Silver Discoverer’s six expedition cruises along Australia’s Kimberley Coast from March to May highlight an exotic programme that encompasses Africa, New Zealand, Indonesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Russian Far East, and remote Alaska. On the schedule is a new 15-day, Phuket-to-Male sailing (9626) departing 2nd December to explore Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Plus, on 17th December, the ship departs Male on a new 17-day expedition (9627) to the Seychelles, Maldives, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Highlighting this voyage is an inaugural visit to Aldabra, a raised coral atoll that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Silver Galápagos will again operate year-round voyages exploring the pristine and biologically diverse islands of the Galápagos.
