ABOARD THE SILVER MUSE -- In a news conference aboard
Silversea Cruises' first new luxury vessel in eight years, company chairman
Manfredi Lefebvre d'Olvidio sounded optimistic that the 596-passenger Silver
Muse would eventually be joined by one or more sister ships, to reach an
eventual goal of a 12-ship fleet.
"What is a fact is that we have three options for three
identical ships, at incredibly good terms," Lefebvre said.
He said the options are for ships to be delivered in 2020,
2021 and 2023. He also said that puts Silversea in a good position, given the
recent flood of ship orders that has created a backlog at shipyards.
"Now company policy is we announce things when we do
them. When we say we're going to build a ship, it's going to happen,"
Lefebvre said. He did not have any announcements about exercising the options.
Silversea chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, left, with president Roberto Martinoli on the Silver Muse. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst
The company's next project after taking delivery of the Silver
Muse is the conversion of its first ship, Silver Cloud, to do expedition
cruising, including trips to Antarctica.
Lefebvre said the company has earmarked $170 million for
upgrading its fleet. "If it's necessary to do more, we'll do more. If it's
not necessary, we will not. But we have a goal. We will proceed immediately
with the Cloud. Hopefully another ship will be announced soon to have a massive
refurbishment and renovation," he said.
The 596-passenger Muse, delivered on April 3 by the
Fincantieri shipyard, has eight restaurants but no main dining room.
"This ship for us sets a new standard. And, of course,
it gives me the problem now that I will have to invest more money in the rest
of the fleet," Lefebvre said.
Silversea plans a global brand campaign starting this
summer, related to some product announcements, chief marketing officer Barbara
Muckermann said.
Muckermann told a group of agents on the ship in a
presentation that Silversea's target market are baby boomers, and that most of
the millennial generation has yet to build the wealth needed to cruise on
Silversea.
Lefebvre said that travel agents will play a key role in
Silversea's eventual growth to 12 ships, telling them,"If you help me fill
this ship, I will build three more of these."