Luxury line Silversea Cruises is launching
itself into the expedition sailing sphere with the acquisition of
the 175-passenger World Discoverer cruise ship.
"We'll be able to
further tap that segment of the luxury travel market that is
adventure driven," Manfredi Lefebvre, Silversea's chairman, said in
a statement. "We have been looking into this segment for quite some
time."
The vessel, which
has an ice-strengthened hull, opens the door for Silversea to offer
Antarctica voyages.
The line's parent
company, Silversea Cruises Group, purchased the 6,072-ton World
Discoverer from a company owned by Singapore's Sembawang Shipyard.
The ship had been anchored there since being reclaimed by the yard
in 2004 from Society Expeditions, an expedition cruise line that
closed its doors in 2004. Silversea would not divulge what it paid
for the 18-year-old ship.
The vessel's new
moniker and itineraries will be announced in the coming weeks.
Silversea spokesman Brad Ball confirmed that "Antarctic voyages
will definitely be part of the ship's cruise schedule."
The ship will
undergo a multimillion-dollar refurbishment before beginning
service in the spring, the line said. In a statement, Silversea
President Amerigo Perasso said that the refurbishment would bring
the ship up to Silversea standards, "but with some modifications to
better adapt the ship for the special needs of expedition
cruises."
With the purchase,
Silversea joins companies like Regent Seven Seas, a luxury line
that offers expedition sailing to Antarctica. Regent charters the
12,500-ton Explorer II for Antarctica sailings; the ship is
operated in a partnership with Abercrombie & Kent.
"We are having
great success," Mark Conroy, president of Regent, said of the
Antarctic charters. "There is a large segment of the luxury
department who loves to explore, and Antarctica and the Arctic are
two areas that few have seen."
To
contact reporter Johanna Jainchill, send e-mail to [email protected].