Silversea Cruises today announced Silver Galapagos as the name for the cruise line’s second expedition ship launching in late 2013 with sailings to the titular Galápagos Islands. Silversea will offer a pair of luxurious expedition ships when the new vessel comes online alongside the already operating Silver Expedition (seen above in Antarctica).
The all-suite ship – currently named Galapagos Explorer II – will accommodate 100 guests and has already received a coat of dark blue paint that perfectly matches her expedition sister ship. The bulk of her refurbishments will occur in September of 2013 at which point she will also take her new name and then begin operating voyages to the UNESCO World Heritage SIte.
The luxury-category Silver Galapagos will join competing ships like Celebrity Cruises’ premium-category Celebrity Xpedition in the region, becoming as Silversea states, “the only luxury expedition ship offering socially and environmentally responsible ecotourism to the Galápagos archipelago.” Silversea Cruises’ two available 7-day itineraries will go on sale in the middle part of this November and are described by the cruise line as follows:
Sailing Saturday to Saturday roundtrip from Baltra Island, Silver Galapagos will trace a path across the western, southern and eastern islands, including Santiago, Bartolomé, Isabela, Fernandina, Floreana, San Cristóbal, and Santa Cruz.
Sailing Saturday to Saturday roundtrip from Baltra Island, this itinerary encompasses the northeast, central and southeast islands of Santa Cruz, Genovesa, Seymour Norte, San Cristóbal, Española, and Plazas Sur.
Dining Onboard Silversea Cruises (Copyright © Silversea Cruises)
Passengers on these voyages will bask in the luxury that Silversea is widely known for while simultaneously being afforded the wild opportunity to adventure out into the Galápagos. Guests will be well pampered with top-notch cuisine, butler service and all-inclusive benefits including complimentary beverages and gratuities amidst jaunting out to explore the pristine flora and fauna of these famous islands made famous by evolutionist, Charles Darwin.
“The program,” according to Silversea, “also offers opportunities to swim and snorkel in tranquil clear waters, witness unique highland ecosystems, hike through lush mangrove forests and across volcanic fields, explore natural lava tunnels, watch for wild flamingos (in season), read cave inscriptions from the 1800s, and learn about conservation efforts at the Charles Darwin Research Station.”
For more information and to book these itineraries as they become available, visit the Silversea Cruises website here.
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HEADER IMAGE SOURCE: SILVERSEA CRUISES