Cruise Holidays Irish Cruise Blog

Silversea Launches New Fares and Business Class Flights Offer

Leading cruise operator Silversea, renowned for its ultra-luxurious ships and exotic destinations, has announced new fares on select voyages sailing from March to November 2012.

The new fares, which start from UK£2,299, will be available on voyages spanning the globe from Africa, Alaska and the Americas to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe and include generous onboard spending credits.

The credits can be used towards a wide range of onboard purchases, including shore excursions, spa treatments and dining.

Also new for 2012 is the offer of complimentary Business Class return flights on a selection of Silversea’s Mediterranean and Northern European voyages throughout 2012.

The offer will ensure that guests feel rested, relaxed and completely pampered before even boarding their Silversea ship. Having arrived at the departure destination in true style, guests will step on board for an elite and intimate Silversea experience with fewer passengers and superior levels of personalised service.

Award-winning all-suite accommodation, butler service and all-inclusive indulgences, such as gourmet cuisine inspired by Relais & Châteaux, combine with itineraries to the most vibrant and intriguing of destinations. Silversea’s smaller ships allow access to rarely seen harbours off the beaten track and can also dock right in the heart of a city rather than anchoring offshore, allowing guests more time to explore.

Silversea’s complimentary Business Class flight offer is available with select voyages from various U.K. gateways for a limited time only and subject to availability.

 

Silversea’s announces 2012 schedule

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

Silversea's 2012 schedule contains more than 200 voyages! They'll visit some 450 destinations in more than 100 countries on seven continents.

The 381-passenger Silver Whisper will conduct a 115-day world cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Monte Carlo, via South America, Africa, the Far East, Arabia, and Europe.

The 296-passenger Silver Cloud will spend the summer in Northern Europe and the fall in the Med.

An Alaska summer series awaits the 382-passenger Silver Shadow and a 64-day circumnavigation of South America opens the year for the 540-passenger Silver Spirit.

Exciting stuff,  anyone planning a cruise holiday for 2012 yet?

Silversea launches biggest ever enrichment programme

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

 

Silversea Cruises has announced details of what it describes as its "most expansive and varied enrichment programme ever offered in a single year".

More than 160 of the operator's 2011 voyages will feature nearly 200 guest lecturers, chefs and destination experts.

Steve Tucker, Silversea's vice president of field sales for North America, said: "Our Silver Perspectives enrichment programme offers travellers interesting journeys hosted by noted historians, political analysts, bestselling authors and other esteemed experts.

"And many of these voyages will feature several guest lecturers teaming up to host a broad range of entertaining and enlightening presentations on a single itinerary."

 

Silversea to feature cooking schools

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

Silversea Cruises has announced that it will operate ten voyages this year featuring the Relais & Chateaux L'Ecole des Chefs cooking school.

Through its partnership with Relais & Chateaux, Silversea offers programmes that invite cruise holiday guests to boost their skills in the kitchen and attend a range of events hosted by culinary trainer David Bilsland.

Educated in classic French cooking, Bilsland's career includes several years as a chef instructor at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in London. He will present a programme developed in collaboration with Jacques Thorel, the owner of L'Auberge Bretonne and a Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux.

Highlights of the activities on offer include cookery demonstrations with wine pairings, competitions, question-and-answer sessions and workshops covering topics such as basic knife skills, kitchen terminology and baking.

Also offered on certain voyages, when the itinerary permits, is a “Market to the Plate” experience that provides an escorted tour of a local market followed by a cooking class and a “Culinary Outing”, an instructor-escorted excursion to a local restaurant hotel or other venue where guests can enjoy a unique culinary exploration.

Each curriculum is designed to complement the itinerary on which it is available.

Rudi Scholdis, Silversea's director of culinary development, said: "Our new L'Ecole des Chefs cooking school has generated such great feedback from guests that we're pleased to expand the programme into 2011.

"This is a really fun enrichment programme that lets guests discover new cooking techniques and sample dishes that highlight the culinary traditions of the ship's itinerary."

Travellers will be able to take part in the special events on Silversea voyages including a cruise from Athens to Dubai departing on November 11th and a trip from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego setting off on March 24th.

 

 

Escape to paradise with Silversea in 2012

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

If all this snow is making you think of your next holiday then why not consider booking a cruise with Silversea for 2012.

All their voyages for the season are now on sale with their six ships offering over 200 cruises to nearly 450 destinations in all seven continents.

Travellers are invited to see everything from the fjords of Chile and the historic Russian city of St Petersburg to Australia's Great Barrier Reef and the French Riviera.

Highlights of the 2012 sailing programme also include Silver Whisper's amazing 115-day round-the-world voyage and eight new destinations for the cruise line - Santander, Spain; Porto Novo, Cape Verde; Larnaca, Cyprus; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Sihanoukville, Cambodia; Christiansted, St Croix; and the Irish ports of Foynes and Killybegs.

Silversea's vice president of field sales in North America, Steve Tucker, said: "The world is an amazing place and it's our goal to create opportunities for travellers to explore its marvels in exceptional style and comfort.

"Our 2012 schedule has been carefully designed to offer a broad range of travel choices, including multiple-day calls and overnight stays showcasing traditional must-see destinations, as well as journeys to remote regions that are inaccessible to mega-ships."

European ports more popular with cruise passengers

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

European ports are becoming increasingly popular with cruise passengers it seems. Last year there were 23.8 million visits to ports across the continent, according to the European Cruise Council (ECC).

Nearly five million people in Europe booked a holiday at sea last year too which accounts for 30 per cent of the world's cruise passengers.

Greece and Italy remained the most popular destinations in 2009, both holding 21 per cent of the market, while Spain had a 17 per cent share.

Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, chairman of the ECC and deputy chairman of Silversea Cruises, said: "2009 was an unprecedented year, with all holiday sectors being affected by the economic downturn.

"Therefore it's particularly rewarding that these latest figures show the resilience of the European cruise industry, which is outperforming other holiday sectors."

The report revealed that 152 cruise liners were operating in the Mediterranean last year, with a further 95 sailing in northern Europe .

 

 

Luxury for Singles

 

---

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

 

Single people will be happy to hear that Silversea has decided to lowering their single occupancy fares.

 

Typically most cruise lines aren't single-friendly and charge a 100% premium for a cabin designed for two. Silversea now has a range of double occupany cabins where the single occupancy fee will be just 10% of the base on four upcoming voyages. They are also reducing the single supplement to 25% of the fare on nine more sailings.

In a statement, Silversea vice president Steve Tucker said: "These special rates make it easier for our single guests to make vacation plans without having to worry about finding a travel companion to keep the costs down."

 

Cruise your way to a new you

Posted by Susan O’Driscoll

 

Silversea has recently announced a new attraction for customers looking to return from their holiday not only feeling revived but also looking 10 years younger.

Starting from £500, the Medi-Spa aboard the Silver Spirit, offers treatments including Restlayne wrinkle-fillings and teeth-whitening. The treatments are all performed by a qualified doctor.

 

The spa also will have an Oriental Medicine Program with acupuncture therapy from accredited acupuncturists, designed to aid weight loss, relieve stress and manage pain. A beauty salon, fitness centre and nine spa treatment rooms also make up the luxurious onboard spa experience.