Silversea Cruises has opened reservations for its collection of 2017 voyages. Voyages for Silver Muse, scheduled to debut in early 2017, will open for reservations in the coming weeks. Here are the highlights:
Ocean Cruises
New Ports of Call: Among several new ports are Sassnitz, Germany; Galway, Ireland; Bodø, Norway; Geraldton, Australia; Ilhabela, Brazil; Fredericia, Denmark; Gisborne, New Zealand; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; and Sir Bani Yas Island, UAE.
World Cruise 2017: Departing San Francisco on January 6, 2017, this 116-day ocean voyage to Monte Carlo will visit 62 destinations in 25 countries. Following a westward path, Silver Whisper will sail through the islands of Hawaii and cross the International Date Line to the South Pacific, New Zealand, and Australia. Then, weaving its way through Bali and Sandakan, it will arrive at the shores of Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore, before setting a course for India, the Middle East and the capitals of the Mediterranean.
Circle South America: Silver Spirit departs January 16 on a 63-day roundtrip Grand Voyage from Fort Lauderdale. Highlights include a crossing of the Panama Canal, two days cruising Chile's fjords, a two-day stopover in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival, plus overnight calls in Buenos Aires and Callao (gateway to Lima and Machu Picchu).
South Africa: Silver Cloud offers a series of four 10-day voyages showcasing South Africa's east coast with roundtrip departures from Cape Town. The sailings include calls in Port Elizabeth, Durban, East London, Maputo, and an overnight stay in Richards Bay. A 14-day voyage includes an overnight stay in Walvis Bay, Namibia.
Mediterranean, Northern Europe & Baltic: From the Greek Isles to the British Isles and Scandinavia, dozens of voyages, ranging from seven to 17 days, offer a variety of options for travelers.
Alaska: Silver Shadow returns to explore the natural wonders of Alaska on 16 seven-day voyages between Seward and Vancouver.
Myanmar: Two Silver Shadow voyages (3702 and 3705) offer multi-day stopovers in Myanmar, where guests can explore its famous golden pagodas and ancient temples in depth.
Expedition Cruises
Silversea's luxury expedition fleet will expand to four ships in November 2017 when Silver Cloud joins Silver Explorer, Silver Discoverer, and Silver Galapagos. Featured among dozens of inaugural calls are such places as Ampangorinana, Nosy Komba (Madagascar); Aride Island, Seychelles; Maheshkhali Island, Bangladesh; Makura Island, Vanuatu; Isle of May, Scotland; and Grimsey Island, Iceland.
Fresh from an extensive refurbishment and conversion to an ice-class expedition ship, Silver Cloud launches a series of Antarctica voyages in November and December, featuring itineraries from 10 to 19 days, and sailing mostly roundtrip from Ushuaia.
Silver Explorer's schedule retains its popular expedition cruises to Antarctica, South and Central America, the British Isles, Northern Canada, Greenland, and Arctic Norway. Of special note is a 15-day expedition (7719) focused on Greenland and the Canadian Arctic. Sailing August 31 from Kangerlussuaq to St. John's, the voyage includes a rare visit to Canada's remote Torngat Mountains National Park, renowned for its spectacular natural scenery.
Silver Discoverer's six expedition cruises along Australia's Kimberley Coast from March to May highlight a program that encompasses Madagascar, Seychelles, Indonesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Russian Far East, and remote Alaska. On the schedule is a new 16-day, Colombo-to-Kolkata sailing (9704) departing February 11 to explore the Andaman Islands and make the first-ever cruise ship visit to Bangladesh, with explorations of Chittagong, Maheshkhali Island, and the Sundarbans, one of the world's largest mangrove forests and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Silver Galapagos will again operate year-round voyages exploring the pristine and biologically diverse islands of the Galápagos.
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