NEW YORK -- Silversea Cruises has run into a challenge in launching its expedition cruise ship, the Prince Albert II: The luxury line has to educate Silversea fans that this is an expedition ship and not just a more intimate Silversea ship.
Onboard the luxury line's latest acquisition, docked here en route to Fort Lauderdale and then through the Panama Canal, Silversea executives, including President Amerigo Perasso and Chairman Manfredi Lefebvre, greeted their most loyal passengers, prospective guests and top producing travel agents over two days.
The Prince Albert II is the former World Discoverer, which Silversea acquired in October in order to enter the expedition cruising market.
The 175-passenger World Discoverer was downsized through a major refurbishment to 132 passengers, becoming Silversea's smallest ship (its four other vessels range from 296 to 382 passengers.)
The line is hoping to entice both Silversea fans and new passengers, those who want to see hard-to-reach places in the world but then return to bathrooms stocked with Bulgari toiletries and fine dining provided by Relais & Chateaux-trained chefs.
That message was clear in a video shown during the event to showcase the Prince Albert II experience; passengers bundled in parkas on the ship's bow sipped champagne as they watched polar bears romp on an Arctic ice cap.
"So many of our Venetian Society [Silversea's past passenger program] guests want something different and to explore the most remote places, but don't want to rough it," said Marilyn Conroy, Silversea's senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Americas. "This is a vessel of Silversea standards in the most remote parts in the world."
Silversea is marketing the ship under a new sub-brand, Silversea Expeditions, in part to help solidify the message that passengers who don't want to get off the ship and explore might be better off choosing another Silversea vessel.
One Venetian Society member onboard, who has taken 10 Silversea cruises, had already made her decision.
"Getting in and out of Zodiacs is not for me," said the woman.
Her friend, a seven-time Silversea alum, might go without her.
"I've done a lot of expedition," he said. "I think this is beautiful. I believe in luxury of any kind."
Conroy said the ship had the largest accommodations of any exploration ship in the industry.
The most common cabin onboard is the 200-square-foot Vista suite. Suites go up to 675 square feet, with marble bathrooms and walk-in closets; several categories boast separate living areas. Six cabins have balconies, and 14 have French balconies that a person can walk out onto.
It also has some areas many expedition vessels don't, like a small spa and fitness center. The ship doesn't have a pool, but it has two hot tubs on each corner of an outdoor grill and bar.
Per diems currently run about the same on the Prince Albert as on other Silversea ships
"There is a huge demand for this kind of travel from sophisticated travelers of all ages," said Perasso.