Silversea's first destination-specific ship, the Silver Origin, has left dry dock at the De Hoop shipyard in Lobith, the Netherlands. The 100-guest, all-suite vessel first touched water on December 30, 2019. Silversea has begun the countdown to the ship's inaugural season. When the Silver Origin welcomes guests to the Galápagos Islands on July 18, 2020, it will be the most elegant ship ever to sail the region.
“This is a significant milestone for our company; it further strengthens our leading offering in the Galápagos,” said Roberto Martinoli, President and CEO of Silversea. “When Silver Origin welcomes guests in July 2020, it will be the most elegant ship ever to sail the Galápagos. While the final stage of Silver Origin, ensuring the ship exceeds Silversea’s signature level of comfort, we are also preparing our expedition team, who will be responsible for delivering their enriching and memorable expedition experience to our guests.”
UNMATCHED DESTINATION EXPERIENCE
Guests traveling on Silver Origin will enjoy the highest crew-to-guest ratio in the Galapagos Islands. Part of the ship's crew is comprised of a team of expedition experts who will lead immersive land-based experiences for guests. In addition to guided Zodiac excursions, hikes, and nature tours on land—all included in the fare—these passionate and knowledgeable professionals will offer lectures, discussions, and briefings on board at Silver Origin. Silversea takes this opportunity to introduce the Expedition Team that will welcome guests aboard Silver Origin beginning in July 2020*:
Aura Banda, environmental manager and naturalist guide
Her first camera was a piece of wood cut by her grandfather on Floreana Island in the Galápagos, where she dreamed of communicating the fragility of nature through images. To achieve this goal, she studied photography, languages (French and Italian), and natural sciences, earning a degree in Environmental Management. In 2005, she settled in the Galápagos and began working as a naturalist guide and photography instructor.
Paulina Aguirre, biologist and naturalist guide
Aguirre grew up in Quito, Ecuador, where she earned her university degree in Education. After working as a crew member on yachts that sailed around the world, she moved to the Galápagos Islands, where she had often spent vacations with family who lived there, and trained to begin a new career as a naturalist and guide. Since then, she has been guiding and living on the islands with her daughter and her husband, who is also a naturalist guide.
Nicolai Bølling, biologist and naturalist guide
Born in Norway, Bølling was already skiing with his father through the forest before he could walk. Since then, he has continued to love exploring the wilderness. He studied biology and earned a master's degree focused on the environmental health of the North Sea, which allowed him to spend considerable time on a research vessel. While visiting the Galápagos Islands, he had an accident, and a local woman helped him recover; six years later they married, and today they both work for Silversea.
Bernardo Gálvez, architect and naturalist guide
Gálvez grew up in Guayaquil, Ecuador, a city nestled within mangrove estuaries. The dichotomy between natural and built environments was evident to him from a young age and provided a unique setting for appreciating nature. After studying architecture and urban planning at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, he divided his time between Germany and Ecuador. Now a resident of the Galápagos Islands, he still looks to nature for inspiration for his designs as he walks the trails and dives underwater as a naturalist guide.
Leandro Vaca, biologist and naturalist guide
Vaca lives in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the capital of the Galápagos province, located on San Cristóbal Island. During his childhood, he had the privilege of being surrounded by nature and soon fell in love with it. He studied biology at the University of Guayaquil, where he focused his thesis on the diverse fish species of the Galápagos. After 10 years, he brought his experience and biology degree back home to the Galápagos, where he worked to develop his skills as a naturalist and wildlife interpreter.
Jason Heilmann, Naturalist Guide
Growing up in Northern California, Heilmann was surrounded by the unparalleled wilderness of the Pacific Northwest. While pursuing higher education there, he met his future wife, an Ecuadorian woman who convinced him to live in one of the most revered natural environments on Earth: the Galápagos Islands. After becoming a certified naturalist guide with the Galápagos National Park, he spent time working as a naturalist in Alaska, British Columbia, and Cuba. He currently resides in Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands with his wife and son.
Jeffo Marquez, Naturalist Guide
Born and raised in the Galápagos Islands, Márquez was inspired by his father's work as a Galápagos herpetologist, which gave him the opportunity to participate in numerous expeditions, working with Galápagos reptiles alongside his father. This certified Galápagos naturalist guide, with experience in environmental management, has also worked as a wildlife photography instructor and professional photographer in wildlife-rich locations such as Costa Rica, Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Baja California, and the upper Amazon.
ALL-INCLUSIVE GALAPAGOS PACKAGE
Passengers booking their Galapagos cruise with Silversea will have round-trip flights between Ecuador and the Galapagos included; a two-night pre-cruise stay in Quito; transfers between the airport, hotel, and ship; and an immersive “Quito by Night” tour. Guests booking before February 29, 2020, will enjoy complimentary economy class flights from Madrid and Barcelona to Ecuador for selected Galapagos expeditions.
Guests sailing aboard the Silver Origin will travel in a luxurious enclave of ocean-view suites, enjoy sumptuous cuisine, and receive personalized butler service. Enhancing the experience are all-inclusive amenities such as complimentary fine wines, premium spirits, and soft drinks served throughout the ship; an in-suite minibar stocked with local snacks; 24-hour room service; complimentary Wi-Fi; and complimentary expedition gear including a waterproof backpack, raincoat, and premium metal water bottle.
The Silver Origin will continue the award-winning legacy of the now-retired Silver Galapagos, alternating between two seven-day, Saturday-to-Saturday itineraries between Baltra and San Cristóbal. On both itineraries, guests will spend their days exploring Darwin’s “Living Laboratory of Evolution,” where they can see giant tortoises, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and sea lions.
The Silver Origin will not only be the most elegant vessel ever to sail the pristine archipelago, but it will also stand out for its respect for the environment. Built specifically with the environment in mind, the innovative new vessel will feature a dynamic positioning system, which will be used when the vessel is positioned over delicate seabed ecosystems to prevent the anchor from causing damage; it will incorporate freshwater purification systems in the suite that drastically reduce the use of plastic on board; and it will meet the highest energy efficiency standards in its segment.
