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News MenuSilversea Takes Delivery of Silver Shadow
GENOA, Italy -- Ultra-luxury cruise line Silversea Cruises today announced that is has taken delivery of Silver Shadow, its new 28,258 grt, 388-guest, state-of-the-art vessel. Delivered on schedule, Silver Shadow officially became the third ship in Silversea's award-winning fleet. The ship completed its final outfitting at the T. Mariotti Shipyard in Genoa.
Silver Shadow will sail from Civitavecchia on September 15 on her maiden voyage through the Mediterranean following the Naming Ceremony and a Gala Inaugural Celebration for guests featuring fireworks and the Rome Philharmonic Orchestra. Highlighted by calls in Livorno, Marseille, and Barcelona, and a two-day overnight stay in Casablanca, this exciting 11-day voyage sold-out mere days after it was announced as the first of Silver Shadow's inaugural season.
Also at the T. Mariotti yard and rising up with equal grandeur is Silver Shadow's sister ship, Silver Whisper, scheduled to debut in July 2001. Designed to take Silversea's standard of excellence into the new millennium, both Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper feature a passenger-to-space ratio unsurpassed at sea, as well as a number of updated amenities and exciting new public areas. A wine and champagne bar -- Le Champagne by Moet & Chandon, a cigar club -- The Humidor by Davidoff, and a larger spa and fitness facility by Bali-based Mandara Spa are a few of the special touches found aboard.
Heralded internationally as one of the best travel experiences in the world, Silversea offers exotic itineraries to the world's most treasured destinations in an atmosphere of refined elegance and sophisticated comfort. The line's award-winning combination of outside suites with private verandas, single seating gourmet dining, unparalleled service and all-inclusive luxuries, have made Silversea the vacation of choice for the world's discerning travelers.
Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper will join Silversea's existing vessels, yacht-like sister ships Silver Cloud and Silver Wind, launched in 1994 and 1995, respectively. At 16,800 grt, and carrying just 296 pampered guests, Silver Cloud and Silver Wind offer imaginative itineraries to the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Far East, Africa and India, the South Pacific including Australia and New Zealand, South America, the Caribbean & Panama Canal, and Canada/New England.
Silversea Cruises Voted World's Best
Small Cruise Line
Outstanding Scores Place Line At Top Of Travel &
Leisure Readers' Poll
The ballots have been counted, the praises have been recognized, and the readers have declared Silversea Cruises the "World's Best Small Cruise Line." After being surveyed on their opinions about food, accommodations, activities, destinations, and value, the readers of Travel & Leisure have awarded the ultra-luxury line the highest score among all 15 cruise lines included in the survey, large and small.
According to President and COO, Bill Smith, "Silversea guests are discerning travelers who enjoy unique vacation experiences and look for impeccable service. To know that they consider our staff and crew to be the best in the industry is an incredible honor. We will continue to dedicate ourselves to providing our guests with the attention to detail that has earned Silversea the distinction as the number one cruise line."
Heralded internationally as one of the best travel experiences in the world, Silversea welcomes travelers into an ambiance of refined elegance and sophisticated comfort. Aboard sister ships Silver Cloud and Silver Wind, the tangibles of ultra-luxury travel -- Christofle silverware, Frette bed linens, Bvlgari bath features and Moet & Chandon champagne -- are subtly blended with an intangible at-your-service atmosphere that caters to satisfying a guest's every desire, 24-hours a day.
The line is further distinguished by its all-inclusive fares, by far the most comprehensive in the industry, which feature all ocean-view suite accommodations (most with private veranda); roundtrip air transportation with upgrades to First and Business Class available; deluxe pre-cruise hotel accommodations; all beverages, including wine, spirits and champagne; all gratuities; all port charges; all transfers and porterage; and the Silversea Experience, a special shoreside event on select itineraries.
In September, Silversea will welcome the newest member of its fleet, Silver Shadow. Approximately 28,000 grt and accommodating a mere 388 guests, Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper, set to debut in July 2001, are the smallest ultra-luxury ships currently under construction. A deliberate decision was made to keep the ships small to maintain the continuity of the line's award- winning fleet.
Remarkable List of 50 Noted and
Complimentary
Wines Offered at No Charge Aboard Silversea
In its continuing commitment to entice and indulge guests with the finest amenities and delicacies, Silversea has more than doubled its complimentary wine selection to feature 25 new white wines and 25 new red wines from around the world. The impressive variety of vintages includes bottles from France, Italy, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Argentina, and the United States, and firmly establishes Silversea's complimentary wine list as the most extensive in the cruise industry.
Just six short years ago Silversea entered the waters with unprecedented all-inclusive fares providing guests with everything from roundtrip airfare to beverages including wines and spirits. The company designed a single, open seating dining policy and a complimentary wine list to accompany the sumptuous cuisine and complement the sophisticated atmosphere of the ships. The wine list, totaling four reds and four whites, offered guests the opportunity to savor the good life in a relaxed, casual elegance among new friends and acquaintances.
"Silversea's complimentary wine and beverage program was a success upon its inception and remains a unanimously popular amenity among our guests and a unique offering in the cruise industry," said Gottlieb Oberweger, Silversea's Director of Food and Beverage Operations. "As our line has continued to mature, so too has our wine cellar, first to 12 whites and 12 reds, and now to a selection of 50 wines from which guests may choose to enjoy with dinner or anytime during their travels."
The new complimentary choices will be a sampling from the leading wine countries of the world, offering guests the option to taste the bouquets of the areas that they are traveling. The prestigious Robert Mondavi and Raymond vineyards will represent the vibrant flavors of California's Napa Valley. A Riesling by Robert Weil, a winemaker revered by Kaiser Wilhelm II, depicts the regal vineyards of Germany. The rich history of Tuscany's wines will be included in a selection from Montepulciano. Also included are red and white wines from the most famous regions in France, Spain and New Zealand; and delicious dessert wines including a Noble One created by De Bortoli.
Connoisseur's List Enhanced by Rare Vintages From Christie's
Accenting the new complimentary wines will be an augmented Connoisseur's List, a premium
for purchase selection designed for guests seeking rare and hard-to-find vintages. The
line recently sent its experts to Christie's in London to acquire vintages for the
Connoisseur's List from the most highly regarded chateaus and vineyards at auction.
Some remarkable vintages added to the reserve include Premium Familiae Vini from Pol Rodgers, Robert Mondavi, and Mouton Rothschild. Many of the rare bottles purchased at the Christie's Auction have just come of age and are at their prime for savoring now, but with an eye towards its prosperous future, Silversea has also purchased a selection of prestigious wines that will reach their maturity within the next several years.
The Most Comprehensive All-Inclusive Value in the Industry
With the launch of its first ship, the Silver Cloud, in 1994, Silversea
inaugurated a new concept of all-inclusive pricing featuring comprehensive travel
arrangements and luxurious amenities unique to the cruise industry. The concept took the
cruise market by storm -- triumphantly answering the naysayers who claimed it could not
work. Both critics and guests have since hailed Silversea as an unforgettable experience.
Silversea's all-inclusive air/sea fares include: all ocean-view suite accommodations (most with private veranda); roundtrip economy air transportation; deluxe pre-cruise hotel accommodations; all beverages, including select wines, spirits and champagne; all gratuities; all port charges; all transfers and porterage; and a special shoreside event on select sailings.
Silversea Voted "World's Best
Small Ship Cruise Line"
For Unprecedented 4 Years In A Row
For an unprecedented fourth year in a row, ultra-luxury cruise line Silversea Cruises has been voted "World's Best Small Ship Cruise Line" in the 12th Annual Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards.
Since the five-year-old company's first year of eligibility in 1996, it has earned the top spot among all small ship luxury lines every year, twice having been recognized as the number one vacation among all cruise lines, hotels, resorts, islands and cities in the magazine's Top 100, another unprecedented accomplishment.
Silversea has swept the Condé Nast awards on both sides of the Atlantic this year, having recently been voted "World's Best Small Ship Cruise Line" in the Second Annual UK Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards (September 1999).
"We are incredibly honored to again receive this award from our valued guests, especially on the heels of our recent award in the United Kingdom," said Silversea President and C.O.O. Bill Smith. "We cater to an international audience of discerning travelers. To receive this prestigious endorsement in our two strongest markets -- North America and the United Kingdom -- lets us know that our efforts to deliver an enriching and exciting vacation that consistently exceeds expectations are right on target. This kind of recognition is extremely motivating to every member of the Silversea team, both on ship and on shore."
The Readers' Choice Awards are derived from the oldest and largest independent poll of consumer attitudes in the travel industry. To achieve the results, Condé Nast tabulated over 25,000 responses to questionnaires that were delivered to randomly selected subscribers in the May 1999 issue. According to the magazine, the Readers' Choice poll is the largest measurement of consumer preferences in the world of travel.
Silversea Cruises to Manage the
World's First
Ocean-Going Luxury Residence:
The World of ResidenSea
William L. Smith, President and COO of Silversea Cruises Ltd., announced that the award-winning, ultra-luxury cruise line has signed a contract with ResidenSea Ltd. to manage the world's first ocean-going luxury residence, The World of ResidenSea, scheduled for delivery in December 2001.
Silversea will have full responsibility for the maritime and hotel management of The World, a $262 million, 40,000 grt vessel comprised of 110 luxurious, privately-owned residences and 88 luxury guest suites. Silversea will be completely responsible for the sales and marketing of the guest suites. The line will also serve as a consultant during the ship's construction at Norway's Fosen Mek Verksteder A/S shipyard in Rissa, near Trondheim.
"The alliance with ResidenSea was a natural one for Silversea to consider," said Smith. "As purveyors of luxury, both companies have a clear understanding of what today's affluent traveler wants, and each approaches the market with innovation and creativity. Our shared high standards of excellence will ensure a dynamic lifestyle for the residents and a unique travel experience for the visiting guests."
Smith continued, "The strength of this alliance introduces a whole new aspect to the cruise industry. The opportunities for the cross selling and marketing of products between Silversea's ships and The World will only serve to expand awareness of the ultra-luxury cruise market."
ResidenSea's Chief Executive Officer, Fredy M. Dellis, said, "Silversea was specifically selected to manage this project because of its stellar international reputation and its commitment to excellent service and attention to detail. Silversea is recognized as an innovator in the ultra-luxury market, as is ResidenSea, and the synergies between the two companies will create a very powerful business partnership."
Conceived by cruise industry veteran Knut Kloster Jr., member of the acclaimed Kloster family that pioneered the modern cruise industry in the early 1960s, The World of ResidenSea is a unique concept that combines all the privacy and pleasantry of traditional luxury resorts with the magical experience of traveling by sea. Forty-three residences have been sold prior to construction start. Some 50 percent of these buyers are European, approximately 40 percent are American, and the remaining 10 percent are from various parts of the world. The majority of buyers are active business people in their early fifties. The residences range in size from 1,106 to 3,242 square feet, and are priced from $2,000,000 to $6,840,000. Guest suites range in size from 258 to 920 square feet, and most have private veranda.
Designed by world-renowned cruise ship designers, Yran & Storbraaten Architects, The World has 12 decks, measures 644 feet long and will offer an entirely new lifestyle -- traveling the world without leaving home. The ship will sail a continuous around-the-world itinerary focusing on extended stays -- a total of 250 days a year in various ports -- and visiting the world's most interesting destinations.
The development of The World has been enthusiastically received by the residents and the potential purchasers, as well as by the international investment community. Silversea is an equity partner in the project, which is now fully financed by prominent investors from the cruise, shipping and hospitality industries including: Mr. Knut Kloster Jr., ResidenSea's founder; Mr. Bryn Skaugen, whose family played a significant role in establishing and developing Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines; Mr. Petter C.G. Sundt, a major owner of Bergesen d.y. ASA, which is among the world's largest operators of oil tankers and gas carriers; Mr. Atle Bergshaven, former Vice President of the Norwegian Shipowner's Association, and owner of one of Norway's leading ship management companies, bearing his name; and Mr. Einar Nagell-Erichsen, a leading Norwegian hospitality and travel industry developer. Further international investment capital has been provided by Continental Casualty Company, one of America's largest insurance companies and a wholly-owned subsidiary of C N A Financial Corporation, as well as an indirect subsidiary of the Loews Corporation.
The company's financial institutions and advisors, West LB and the Centre group, the latter being part of the Zurich Financial Services Group, have jointly arranged and supported the financing.
Ultra-luxury Cruise Line Unveils
Interactive Web Site:
www.silversea.com
Silversea Cruises announces its interactive web site, www.silversea.com, inviting travelers around the globe to step aboard and experience the luxurious, pampering ambiance of the "World's Best" cruise line. The exotic worldwide itineraries of its exclusive sister ships Silver Cloud and Silver Wind are brought to life through dramatic destinational images, descriptive narratives and full-color maps.
Designed as a forum for the interactive exchange of information and ideas with guests and travel partners, the user-friendly site features real-time access to more than 150 of Silversea's worldwide itineraries, allowing users to search for their dream cruise by destination, time of year or voyage number.
silversea.com offers users a fun and informative way to explore the world of the premiere luxury line through a variety of interactive features. Take a Ship Tour and experience the incomparable luxury of an ocean-view Veranda Suite, visit the captain on the bridge, and enjoy "tea time" in the Panorama Lounge. Design Your Day with a trip to the spa, lunch alfresco in the bistro-styled Terrace Cafe and an afternoon dip in the pool. Enjoy An Evening At The Club with cocktails at the ship's magnificent bar, dinner in the six-star Restaurant and an exciting game of chance in the casino. The possibilities are endless...
As a global company in sync with the needs of its international clientele and travel partners, silversea.com features real-time currency conversions for its all-inclusive air/sea fares in eight currencies -- U.S. Dollars, British Pounds, Germany Deutsch Marks, French Francs, Italian Lira, Spanish Pesetas and Swiss Francs. As users click on the icon of a designated country's flag, the page dynamically regenerates to show all pricing in the currency of the country selected.
As visitors navigate silversea.com, eye-catching teasers invite them to cruise with Le Cordon Bleu Master Chefs, travel the world with the daring photographers and journalists of National Geographic Traveler, and hit the Silver Links for golf in all corners of the globe with Silversea's exclusive onboard enrichment programs. The site offers an insider's peek at menus from sumptuous Le Cordon Bleu theme dinners, adventurous itineraries for National Geographic Traveler voyages, and a plethora of possibilities for teeing off at some of the world's most famed golf courses.
"Through careful study, we found that many of our sophisticated cruisers were also savvy Internet users. We then searched for points of convergence between what our customers were telling us they wanted, our corporate strategic vision and emerging technology trends," said Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Janet Burke.
Just as Silversea's yacht-like vessels foster an ambiance of warmth and belonging, silversea.com was designed to convey the relationships and intimacy the line shares with its valued guests. A special section on the site has been developed for members of the line's repeat guest club, The Venetian Society, including itineraries featuring Venetian Society members' savings, special members' only events, and messages from company executives.
Silversea views the Internet as an excellent way to provide yet another level of service to guests and travel agents. This philosophy meets technology in the site's Find A Travel Agent feature. Find A Travel Agent allows users to access Silversea's extensive database to download a list of the line's active travel agents in their own geographic area. Further, the line is finalizing details of the Plan A Cruise feature that will allow guests to automatically email their cruise selection directly to their travel agent.
Silversea commissioned Emerald Bay Technology Group, a Seattle-based, leading Internet consulting and development firm to architect, develop and deploy the new Web Application and assist with all aspects of establishing and positioning Silversea's ultra-luxury cruise brand in the digital marketplace. The result is a database-driven, information packed site that combines the Silversea's signature visual style of simplicity and elegance with navigational clarity and the latest online technology.
Traveling aboard Silversea is a peerless experience, with an atmosphere of sublime elegance and a congenial staff offering unrivaled service. Here, the tangibles of ultra-luxury travel -- Christofle silver, Frette bed linens monogrammed with the Silversea logo, soft down pillows and Bvlgari bath amenities -- are subtly blended with an intangible at-your-service demeanor catering to a guest's every need, 24-hours a day.
It is precisely this attention to detail and refined luxury that have earned the line the industry's highest praise. Most recently, Silversea garnered the top spot in Condé Nast Traveler's elite "Top 100" list of the world's best travel destinations for an unprecedented second time in the magazine's Annual Readers' Choice Awards. Silversea's score of 93.7 outshines the world's leading resorts, hotels, cruise lines, islands and monuments, and earned it the number one spot among all cruise lines, including its small ship competitors Seabourn, Windstar, Radisson Seven Seas and Cunard Sea Goddess.
Golf Cruise Series
For those who share a passion for golf and a love of luxury travel, Silversea Cruises has specially created its "Silver Links" Golf Cruise Series. In 1998, award-winning, luxury sister ships Silver Cloud and Silver Wind offered golf enthusiasts a choice of 12 cruises featuring 49 different courses in 22 countries around the world.
Silversea has teamed up with International Golf Safaris to create a six- star, private golf club at sea. The hassles of packing and unpacking are eliminated as golfers travel the world in the sumptuous comfort of a Silversea suite and play their favorite game on as many as seven different courses in a single cruise.
The itineraries are a dream come true for golfers as Silver Cloud and Silver Wind visit some of the most prestigious courses in the world's most treasured destinations. Silversea guests can play at the visually stunning Ko'Olina Golf Club in Honolulu, Hawaii; tee off in the rainforest on the verdant Cariari Golf & Country Club in Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica; or carve a few strokes off their handicap on the tight Valderrama in Malaga, Spain, the site of the 1997 Ryder Cup.
Silversea's "Silver Links" makes enjoying the game as simple as teeing off at the neighborhood club. Just as the line's all-inclusive cruise fares cover virtually every luxury, so too, do the optional golf packages. Starting at just $995 per guest, the "Silver Links" packages include: greens fees for scheduled rounds of golf; power drive golf carts, caddies or pull carts; gratuities for caddies and golf bag handlers; roundtrip transfers between ship and the courses; afternoon meals when playing golf; bottled water and "19th Hole" refreshments; English speaking guides as needed; golf tournaments and prizes; onboard putting and chipping contests; golf bag to protect personal clubs; shoe bag for spikes, towels, ball and tees; booklet of course descriptions and maps; itinerary of golf events including tournaments; golf hosts to keep you informed of activities; onboard storage for clubs; exclusive Silversea golf bag travel cover; and private parties for golf participants and their travel partners.
"Silver Links" is an experience par excellence, especially for traveling companions who may not share the same enthusiasm for the game. While the golfer enjoys once-in-a-lifetime drives, the non-golfer can indulge in the pampering lifestyle and resort amenities of Silver Cloud or Silver Wind. Aboard Silversea, the tangibles of ultra-luxury travel -- Christofle silverware, Frette bed linens monogrammed with the Silversea logo, soft down pillows and Bvlgari bath amenities -- are subtly blended with an intangible at-your-service atmosphere that caters to satisfying a guest's every desire, 24-hours a day. Whether guests crave champagne and caviar on their private veranda, or an elegant dinner served course-by-course in the intimacy of their suite, they will experience the impeccable service and attention to detail that have earned the line the industry's highest accolades.
Silversea's all-inclusive fares, by far the most comprehensive in the industry, feature all ocean-view suite accommodations (75 percent with private veranda); round-trip air transportation with complimentary or reduced rate upgrades to Business Class available on select itineraries; deluxe pre-cruise hotel accommodations; all beverages, including select wines and spirits; all gratuities; all port charges; all transfers and porterage and The Silversea Experience, a special shore event offered on select itineraries.
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Last Update: 09/23/00
