Silversea to run 92-day Pacific voyage in 2009

Silversea Cruises is to embark on its first Grand Pacific Voyage in 2009, a 92-day sailing from Los Angeles to Papeete, Sydney and the Far East.

With final stops in Alaska and Vancouver, the ship Silver Shadow will visit 45 ports, 15 countries and both hemispheres on the journey.  
 
Other highlights for next year include return visits to Alaska plus 10 new destinations:  Szczecin, Poland; Malmo, Sweden; Skagen, Denmark; Gozo Island, Malta; Symi, Greece; Koper, Slovenia; Olhahali Island, Maldives; Nemuro, Japan; Visakhapatnam and New Mangalore, India.

The luxury company’s four all-suite ships are set to visit more than 320 different ports in 108 countries on a schedule of over 140 itineraries ranging from seven to 92 days.  

“This is one of our most innovative deployments ever,” said Trudy Redfern, Silversea sales and marketing senior vice president UK, Ireland and Middle East.

“Our 2009 schedule includes several new ports with an array of specially crafted itineraries focused on exploring fascinating destinations as well as some of the world’s most exotic regions.”

Silver Cloud starts the year exploring South America before heading to the Caribbean.  From late May through to September, the 296-guest ship will be positioned in Northern Europe and the Baltic offering 11 cruises of seven to 15 days duration, including several featuring three-day, two-night stopovers in St. Petersburg. The ship returns to the Caribbean and South America for the autumn.

The 296-passenger Silver Wind begins 2009 with cruises to Africa, the Seychelles and the Arabian Peninsula, highlighted by inaugural calls to the uninhabited Olhahali Island in the Maldives and India’s less-travelled Visakhapatnam and New Mangalore, both gateways to important temple sites.  From mid-April to early November, the ship will traverse the Mediterranean on more than 20 different itineraries ranging from seven to 12 days.  The ship repositions to Africa’s east coast and the Seychelles for the autumn.   

The 382-passenger Silver Shadow kicks off the year with a series of mostly nine-day Caribbean voyages before transiting the Panama Canal to Los Angeles to embark on the Grand Pacific Voyage from March to June. On the schedule for the summer is Alaska, with a series of 12 cruises ranging from seven to 12 days, including several round-trip departures from San Francisco and Vancouver.

The 382-passenger Silver Whisper starts the year in Australia, New Zealand, the Far East and South Pacific on eight itineraries, ranging from nine to 18 days. Highlights include extended overnight stays in Auckland, Sydney, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tianjin (Beijing), and Shanghai.  

On a pair of spring repositioning cruises, Silver Whisper will journey from Singapore to Dubai, with an overnight stay in Mumbai, followed by a Dubai-to-Athens voyage that overnights in Dubai and includes overnight visits to Safaga and Aqaba.  An extended summer season in the Mediterranean includes 22 mostly seven-day voyages.

by Phil Davies