Silversea Cruises officially launched the Silver Endeavour, formerly Crystal Endeavor, the world’s most luxurious expedition ship, on 19 November in the first-ever naming ceremony for an ultra-luxury cruise ship in Antarctica.
“I would like to thank Captain Niklas Peterstam and the ship’s crew, the entire Silversea team, Jason Liberty and everyone involved in reaching this important milestone. Silver Endeavour reinforces our position as the industry’s leading cruise line, expanding our diverse polar offerings for the enjoyment of our guests,” said Roberto Martinoli, President and CEO of Silver Cruises.
The ceremony took place in the Lemaire Channel, one of the continent’s most scenic straits off the Antarctic Peninsula. The ship’s godmother Felicity Aston – polar explorer and climate scientist -, famous for being the first woman to cross Antarctica on skis alone in 2012, cut the ribbon and then, as maritime tradition requires, broke a magnum carved in the ice against the hull to bless the vessel.
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Luxury to the end of the world
Built to PC6 polar class specifications, the Silver Endeavour is designed for polar exploration. She is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including an industry-leading dinghy-to-guest ratio, kayaks and the latest navigation and exploration technology, including a remote gimbal camera system that can capture high quality images from 5km away.
With a capacity of 200 guests, she maintains Silversea’s signature level of comfort, with a crew-to-guest ratio of 1:1, and offers all of the company’s premium services, including butler service, included for every suite, as well as the most spacious accommodations on expedition cruises. Onboard amenities include four restaurants, a range of bars, a full-service spa, an enclosed pool, a library and a fitness room.
Unique cruises on both poles
The inaugural voyage following the ceremony is part of the Antarctica Bridge offering with a programme that includes a visit to the Antarctic Strait, where passengers will be able to explore the landscape, with hikes, Zodiac and kayak tours led by the ship’s expedition team.
The Silver Endeavor is also expected to explore the Antarctic Peninsula, with wildlife sightings of penguin colonies and other wildlife including whales, birds and seals.
The ship also plans to call at the South Shetland Islands, before returning to King George Island, where passengers will fly back to Punta Arenas in Chile.
As part of its inaugural season, which will run until March 2023, Endeavour will offer 11 additional Antarctic voyages with five to 20 day expeditions from King George Island and Puerto Williams, Chile.
The ship will then explore the Northern Hemisphere in the summer of 2023, with a series of itineraries to the British Isles, Iceland and the Arctic – including Greenland, Svalbard and the Canadian Arctic, before returning to Antarctica for the 2023/2024 winter season with 14 voyages of discovery.
Source: Silversea Cruises
