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Silversea: Leader in luxury cruise sector

Each autumn for several years now, we have had the pleasure of welcoming Silversea’s Silver Whisper to the waters of the Saint Lawrence. In 2017, the all new Silver Muse also sailed into port at Montréal in September on an inaugural visit to our shores, plus the Silver Explorer has called at Iles de la Madeleine this fall. Renowned for offering luxury cruise experiences second to none, Silversea is a young company owned by the Lefebvre family based in Rome. Founded in 1994, Silversea ranks as one of only a few privately owned cruise lines in the world.

The company is known for smaller sized cruise ships featuring lesser numbers of passengers than ships of comparable size. Indeed, the company currently operates eight ships — soon nine — either recently retrofitted or built in the last year. Silversea offers two types of cruises: traditional luxury cruises and luxury expedition cruises. Five ships (Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper, Silver Muse and Silver Spirit) make up the list of traditional style ships, while four others (Silver Explorer, Silver Galápagos, Silver Discoverer and Silver Cloud) are dedicated expedition cruise vessels.

In all cases, luxury amenities include suites with balconies, onboard butler service and all-inclusive or nearly all-inclusive guest packages. The ratio of crew members to guests is generally 1:1 which begets a highly personalized, exceptional onboard service experience.

During the 2018 cruise season, the following Silversea ships are scheduled to sail the waters of the Saint Lawrence:

• Silver Spirit (608 passengers): Departs from New York on 25 September 2018 to Montréal with en route stops, among others, at Saguenay, Québec and Trois-Rivières. The ship will subsequently depart Montréal on 6 October for New York, calling in at the Saint Lawrence ports of Québec, Saguenay and Baie-Comeau. A repeat of these voyages to and from Montréal and New York is scheduled later in the season.
• Silver Wind (294 passengers): Departs from Reykjavik on 29 September 2018 with planned arrival at Montréal on 9 October 2018, making stops at Havre Saint-Pierre, Sept-Îles, Baie-Comeau and Québec. The ship will then travel to New York via Saguenay and Baie-Comeau. She will subsequently make a return voyage from New York to Montréal, followed by a Montréal to Fort Lauderdale sailing.
• Silver Cloud (254 passengers): During a voyage starting and ending at St John’s, Newfoundland, this expedition class ship will call in at the Magdalen Islands, Gaspé and Havre Saint-Pierre.

Destination Saint Lawrence doubtless has much to offer passengers travelling aboard these ships. Port of call diversity, greeting quality and authenticity, and the breadth of products and experiences on offer — which range from breathtaking naturescapes to beguiling cityscapes —constitute major assets for travellers. We look very much forward to welcoming these ships to our shores in 2018.