Q: Which Silversea ships are currently in service and where?
We have four ships back so far – Silver Muse is in Alaska, Silver Moon is in Greece, Silver Shadow is in Iceland and Silver Origin is in Galapagos. We will add to that in coming weeks and months.
Q: You must have been thrilled with the recent news around the government lifting the ban on international ocean cruising from England and the FCDO relaxation of its advice?
Very much so – CLIA and all cruise lines have worked very effectively with the UK government on this, and they are impressed with our protocols and with the successful UK-UK sailings already carried out. It adds the confidence we have been waiting for – both for the balance of 2021 and beyond. In many ways, cruise is now leading the way.
Q: Having enjoyed a week on Silver Moon, there were more British travellers than any other nationality! What continued message can agents give other potential British guests?
Our British guests have proved to be very resilient – and thanks to our travel agent partners they are also very aware of the changing travel landscape. We have been delighted with our UK guests so far – both in their resilience and in their future bookings for 2022 in particular.
Q: What are the key highlights for your just-christened ship Silver Moon?
Although a younger sister to Silver Muse, she has a number of enhancements in her space and design. The big winner is S.A.L.T and having now experienced it, it really is a game changer. At Silversea we are all about immersive destinations and that is exactly what S.A.L.T does both on board and ashore. It’s terrific.
Q: Where else will Silver Moon be travelling to for this summer?
Silver Moon will continue to sail on her 10-night Greek itineraries until 16 September and then she will resume her original Western Med itineraries. It’s a great late booking opportunity for our travel agent partners to promote now, and the Greek islands itineraries that offer plenty of small islands to discover are proving very popular.
Q: We were very impressed with the level of inclusivity on the ship – from Champagne in the suite, to all the dining options, even laundry, and an excursion per day. Would you say this remains a key positive sales tool for agents?
All inclusive is now a big thing for Silversea and really appreciated by our guests. It’s not just what we include – it’s also the quality of what we include with fine wines, premium drinks and a shore excursion in every port. Often with mainstream cruise lines – the only thing you don’t pay for on board is oxygen! But our travel agent partners can promote Silversea with confidence knowing that not only do we take care of their guests from “door to door”, but the value for money is outstanding.
Q: Now – we must talk health and safety facts: all guests must be double vaccinated is that right? What do agents need to share with clients in terms of information on this?
All crew and guests have to be double vaccinated on all Silversea sailings. We have a simple form on MySilversea where guests can upload either their Vaccination Card or their NHS App details. Feedback so far is that guests are appreciative of our approach on all aspects of our heathy return to service and it creates a very safe atmosphere on board with guests both following and appreciating our enhanced protocols.
Q: What can guests usually expect in terms of testing and embarkation procedures, say in Athens?
We have a very thorough embarkation process in Athens – and for each of our ships. We have a separate air-conditioned area where all guests have their details checked and have an antigen test carried out by our partners Eurofin. That takes around 15 minutes – with seating and a cold drink – prior to guests then progressing to our normal check-in at the adjoining terminal.
Our butlers will then do a daily temperature check for guests and prior to disembarking the ship, Eurofin will also complete a complimentary antigen test, giving a certificate for guests to use on arrival in the UK; antigen tests are sufficient for re-entry to the UK from Greece, for example. It all works very efficiently. Should any guests require a PCR test instead, then that could also be arranged on board for a small charge.
Q: As part of the Greek islands itinerary, Silver Moon also stopped in Cyprus for a day – did guests have to undergo any other protocols or tests in order to stop here and visit the country?
No – as long as they have the proof of being double vaccinated no other checks were necessary. We keep a very close eye on all the places we visit and should anything change then we will clearly communicate that to our guests.
Q: We also noticed luggage is disinfected before coming onboard, hand sanitizing stations (as ever), mask wearing in public spaces – plus guests are given a hygiene kit in a beautiful Bulgari wallet! What else has been going on behind the scenes to ensure Covid-19 safety?
Along with the Royal Caribbean Group we have built further on the many protocols that have always been a feature of our operation. We have applied just as much effort if not more for our crew and officers – and although there are many additional things going on behind the scenes we have worked hard to make sure guests have the relaxing experience they expect with Silversea. For breakfast and lunch in La Terrazza, we now serve guests from the original buffet arrangement, rather than them helping themselves – and that has turned out to be an enhancement for the guest experience.
Q: For the time being, will it be easier for Silversea to focus on single, or fewer-country, itineraries because of entry restrictions?
We will monitor things very carefully as countries and ports begin to open up in coming weeks and months. One of the beauties of cruising is that we are able to amend itineraries at short notice – and guests are now very aware, flexible and appreciative of necessary changes that may come up.
Q: What promotions are currently in place that agents can tap into?
Our Early Booking Bonus of up to 20% on 2022 Sailings expires on 31 August – and with really strong pent-up demand for 2022, my advice is to secure next year’s holiday as something to look forward to. When I started in travel 40 years ago my advice was to ‘Book Early’ – as we head towards 2022 that advice and advantage has never been stronger!
Q: Do you have any other activities planned for agents?
One of the positive things coming out of the last 18 months has been that we have become so flexible in all we do to support our agent partners. As well as protecting their commission on all cancelled bookings – we have radically improved our digital marketing assets. Our sales team are even more responsive and accessible than ever and happy to jump on Zoom calls at short notice to support our agent partners in any way they can. We have significant growth ahead with two of five new ships delivered so far. We are really keen to find more travel agents in the luxury space too to join that growth with us. Please do get in touch!
Q: What else can we look forward to from Silversea in the coming months?
Silver Dawn, a sister to Moon and Muse, will join the fleet this November. She too will feature S.A.L.T as well as a game-changing approach to her spa and we will be revealing details of that shortly. She will be followed by our next generation of ships in our ‘Evolution Class’ in 2023 and 2024.
Q: What is the roll-out plan for S.A.L.T? Any key highlights to note?
S.A.L.T will feature on Dawn. It is such an exciting concept as it changes wherever the ships are in the world. A S.A.L.T excursion could be to a local farm to see how things are grown, along with tasting those flavours in a local restaurant – and a chance to cook a local dish with our chefs in the S.A.L.T Lab (I made a yummy Moussaka with a Lemon Zest twist when I experienced it recently). There’s also the chance to enjoy an amazing cocktail in the S.A.L.T Bar (I had the perfect Greek Gin and Tonic), all rounded off with some very tasty dishes in S.A.L.T Kitchen for dinner. Perfect – and a proper ‘wow’ and local immersive experience.
