Silversea Cruises has revealed it will offer its first “expedition world cruise”.
The 167-day sailing from Ushuaia to Tromso will call at 107 destinations, in 30 countries —including six new ports of call for the line (Naxos, Folegandros, Nafpaktos, Ksamil, Bejaia, and Fort William).
It is one of two globe-spanning sailings for Silversea in 2021 with an exclusive pre-sale to world-cruising guests of 2019 and guests booked on its world cruise in 2020 opening today, with the itineraries going on general sale in March.
Silversea has described its expedition world cruise as an "uncharted world tour... unprecedented with regards to the scope of immersive experiences”.
Departing Ushuaia on January 30, 2021 onboard Silver Cloud, guests will journey between Antarctica’s highlight destinations, before setting course for Chile’s Valparaiso via the Chilean Fjords.
Subsequently, guests will sail for Papeete, Tahiti, via Easter Island and the Pitcairn Islands, before voyaging towards Lautoka, Fiji.
The sailing features calls in a number of other destinations in Oceania – including stops in Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Guests will later arrive in Cairns, leading to the Kimberley Coast. Various destinations in Indonesia will also be visited before the ship arrives in Singapore.
Next, Silver Cloud will set sail for Sumatra and Cochin, India, prior to reaching Piraeus (Athens), Lisbon, and Reykjavik ahead of an “emphatic conclusion” which sees guests explore the highlights of Iceland, ahead of calls in the Svalbard Region and the voyage’s conclusion in Tromso on July 16, 2021.
The ship’s two-bedroom Owner’s Suite is offered at a price just short of $1 million for the whole sailing.
During the voyage, guest will have the opportunity for “hands-on exploration and immersive shore excursions” as well as lectures from Silversea’s Expedition Team and a host of adventurous special guests.
They include polar explorer Felicity Aston – the first and only woman to cross Antarctica alone.
Silversea’s senior vice-president of expedition and destinations experiences, Conrad Combrink, will also feature as expedition leader for part of the voyage.
The line’s other globe-spanning voyage for 2021 is its “The Finest World Tour” sailing, offering guests “authentic beauty of the world at a relaxed pace”.
The 54-port, 150-day, 34-country itinerary onboard Silver Whisper will begin from Fort Lauderdale on January 7, 2021, and will conclude in New York on June 6.
Guests have the chance to indulge in a ‘meal on us’ at fine restaurants in their choice of two of four cities, with bespoke menus and wine pairings.
Silversea’s Your Day Your Way concept will also enable guests to "travel deeper" on their own or with friends, accompanied by English-speaking guides.
Also, as part of its bespoke events, guests will enjoy a traditional Venetian masquerade ball in the Italian city and a night at the races in Hong Kong.
Silver Whisper will depart Fort Lauderdale to begin the World Cruise 2021, before visiting Central America. After transiting the Panama Canal, guests will reach Callao (Lima), before enjoying Easter Island and various other highlights of the South Pacific region, and subsequently arriving in Auckland.
From New Zealand, the cruise will continue onto Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns and Darwin, before reaching Benoa in Bali. Various stops throughout the Philippines, Taiwan and South Korea precede the ship’s arrival in Tokyo.
After Kagoshima, guests will travel around Asia visiting locations such as Shanghai, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Yangon, Colombo, and Mumbai.
Guests will then sail for Piraeus and Lisbon, before crossing the Atlantic to New York.
Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, Silversea’s executive chairman, said: “By operating two world cruises in 2021, we are increasing the offering for our guests, pushing boundaries in the world of travel. With a passion for sharing the authentic beauty of our planet, we are enabling our guests to discover the world on their own terms.”
Roberto Martinoli, Silversea chief executive, added: “Building on our already remarkable world cruise offering, Silversea will become the first-ever cruise line to launch an expedition world cruise in 2021.
“This momentous voyage is the result of 10 years of experience and industry-leading knowledge – qualities which enable us to unlock remarkable travel experiences for our guests and have contributed to our reputation as the industry leader.”
Since becoming the world's first luxury cruise line to launch a range of expedition voyages in 2008, it's paved the way with pioneering itineraries, expert expedition teams and a fleet of deluxe, intimate ships.