Operating in partnership with the marine conservation organization ORCA, Silversea's recent whale-watching cruises saw a total of 1,076 marine mammals, including blue whales, killer whales, humpback whales, sperm whales, minke whales, Pacific white-faced dolphins, and more. ORCA conservation experts traveled aboard Silversea's Silver Muse to share their knowledge with guests on the cruises from Tokyo to Seward and from Seward to Vancouver, which concluded on June 6, 2019.
The following day, at 4:30 a.m., as the sun rose, dozens of Silversea guests gathered on deck and in the voyage-long observation lounge to witness the abundance of marine life from the ship. Throughout both voyages, virtually all guests attended lectures, workshops, and/or participated in whale-watching activities to learn more about marine life and the conservation of these remarkable regions. The marine wildlife-related land-based experiences enriched the experience, allowing guests to delve deeper into the subject. The data collected by ORCA and Silversea guests will contribute to conservation efforts, and each guest will receive a certificate as an ORCA Ambassador.
Some of the highlights of the two trips included sightings of four blue whales, the largest animal on the planet; more than 420 Pacific white-faced dolphins over the course of two hours; three killer whales as they approached Hubbard Glacier; large numbers of humpback whales along the Alaskan coast; northern sea otters feeding on crabs and sea cucumbers; and a multitude of birds, including bald eagles, tufted puffins, horned puffins, and three different species of albatross, among others. While the number of sightings demonstrated the great success of the two whale-watching trips, it was the enthusiastic feedback from guests that truly confirmed the success of the experiences.
“The feedback from all the sailors was overwhelmingly positive,” says Anna Bunney, ORCA’s Education Coordinator, who traveled aboard Silver Muse, along with ORCA’s Shenaz Khimji, for both voyages. “I believe we brought a completely different dimension to the passengers’ experiences in these regions. Many acknowledged that our presence onboard and the knowledge we provided enhanced their experiences on land, as they already had a wealth of wildlife knowledge. Both cruises were a great success in terms of both the amount of wildlife seen and the engagement of the guests. It was an honor to share such incredible wildlife experiences with such enthusiastic guests aboard Silver Muse.”.
As part of an industry-leading offering that includes more than 900 destinations, Silversea's voyages to the Russian Far East and Alaska were ideal for the whale watching project. These two regions were shortlisted as ideal destinations for whale watching trips due to the abundance and diversity of marine life inhabiting their waters.
“The beautiful thing was that we were able to study a wide variety of different habitats, which means the diversity of species was enormous,” Bunney continues. “Alaska is one of the best places in the world to see whales, when you encounter many of them during their migration (like humpback whales), and the food in this area is also extremely abundant. Our partnership with Silversea gives us unique access to some of the richest habitats on the planet. By visiting these areas, we can monitor the different species that call these remote corners of the world home, study their population sizes, and identify trends or changes that could affect our ability to protect them. This crucial information is key to helping governments around the world create effective marine conservation policies, so we can create safer spaces for whales and dolphins worldwide.”.
Silversea's voyages to remote destinations, from pole to pole and almost everywhere in between, are truly unique: aboard Silversea's intimate ships, guests can travel deeper into each destination in superlative comfort, enjoying an intimate onboard atmosphere and numerous luxuries, including personalized butler service; complimentary drinks throughout the ship, as well as an in-suite bar stocked with guests' preferred beverages; and superb cuisine inspired by the region being sailed, among other all-inclusive luxuries.
“We are delighted that our partnership with ORCA is enriching the cruise experience for our guests,” says Barbara Muckermann, Silversea’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Our guests enjoy traveling deeper into the destination. The insights of ORCA representatives allowed our guests to develop a profound understanding of marine life before witnessing some of the ocean’s most incredible animals firsthand.”.
