Silversea Cruises has confirmed the delivery of its new expedition ship, the Silver Origin. Its maiden voyage is currently scheduled for August 22.
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 52 – June 2020
The Silver Origin was being built at the De Hoop shipyard in Lobith, a relatively isolated corner of the Netherlands. After numerous difficulties, construction was able to continue during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, and the ship successfully completed sea trials at the end of April.
The Silver Origin is one of the most environmentally friendly cruise ships ever designed and was built specifically for Silversea's prestigious Galapagos Islands itinerary. This 100-passenger ship will offer guests unique onshore experiences led by Silversea's expedition team, who are certified by the Galapagos National Park
In the words of Roberto Martinolli, CEO of Silversea, "From the earliest stages of its design and planning, all decisions regarding Silver Origin have been made to strengthen the connection between our guests and this spectacular and unique destination.".
This ship offers an immersive experience of Ecuadorian culture through daily information sessions, lectures, videos, and scientific presentations. Authentic local cuisine prepared by expert Ecuadorian chefs will also be available. Meals will be served in two distinct restaurants: The Restaurant and The Grill, a sophisticated open-air restaurant that can be partially enclosed for your comfort and exclusivity.
The interior of the Silver Origin combines the understated elegance that permeates the entire Silversea fleet with influences from the natural environment of the Galapagos Islands, that is, vibrant colors and natural fabrics.
Among the public spaces is Basecamp, an elegant lounge where guests can socialize before or after excursions. It connects to the ship's Zodiac boarding area, which will host educational activities supported by a large interactive video wall.
Daily briefings and conferences for the ship's expedition team will be held in the Explorer Lounge, which features floor-to-ceiling windows for panoramic views. The space includes a large video wall and HD screens, as well as a piano bar perfect for relaxing.
The Observation Lounge, a wonderful hideaway at the bow, is the perfect spot with incredible views, next to a library with an exquisitely curated collection of books, many of them about the Galápagos Islands. What more could you ask for?.
Comfort is also part of this expedition ship's luxury. There are eight different suite categories, the largest of which is the Owner's Suite. However, all of them feature a private balcony and butler service.
Certain suite categories will enjoy an innovative Horizon Balcony, a balcony that can be transformed into a covered, enclosed area with a floor-to-ceiling window, becoming a better shelter from the elements.
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.
An expert expedition and nature team
travels aboard the Silver Origin, organizing onshore experiences for guests. In addition to guided Zodiac excursions, hikes, and nature tours, these passionate and knowledgeable professionals will offer lectures and discussions at the innovative Basecamp.
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, a biologist and naturalist guide
, grew up in Quito, Ecuador, where she earned her university degree in Education. After working as a crew member on yachts sailing around the world, she moved to the Galápagos Islands, where she had often spent vacations with family residing 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, a biologist and naturalist guide,
was born in Norway. He 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
, grew up in Guayaquil, Ecuador, a city nestled within mangrove estuaries. The dichotomy between natural and built environments was evident to him at 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 in his designs as he hikes the trails and dives underwater as a naturalist guide.
Leandro Vaca, a biologist and naturalist guide,
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 Galapagos Islands, Marquez was inspired by his father's work as a Galapagos herpetologist, which gave him the opportunity to participate in several expeditions, working with Galapagos reptiles alongside his father. This certified Galapagos naturalist guide, with experience in Environmental Management, has also worked as a wildlife photography instructor and professional in wildlife-rich locations such as Costa Rica, Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Baja California, and the upper Amazon.
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 ship 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.
Silversea continues with its expansion program.
The delivery of Silversea's other new ship, the 596-passenger Silver Moon, will also be delayed because the Fincantieri shipyard in Ancona, Italy, had to close on March 16.
However, Silversea's Chairman and CEO, Roberto Martinoli, has stated that all future projects will not be affected.
“We have and will continue to have five firm orders: the Origin will be operational very soon, and the Silver Moon will begin operations in October, followed by the Silver Dawn, which will be operational next year and delivered in Ancona after the summer.
Finally, there are the two Evolution-class ships, which are being designed and built in Germany, so in terms of firm orders, there are no changes.”
The Galapagos Islands are among the most sought-after destinations for Silversea customers. There is no doubt that the Silver Origin will be a flagship ship in the fleet.
Exotic destinations have very strict visitor protocols, but visiting these places also offers the advantage of less contact with other visitors. This is a very important consideration going forward.
Silversea is already well-positioned in terms of social distancing, as the cruise line boasts one of the highest space-to-passenger ratios. At the time of publication, Silversea had not confirmed a definitive date for its return to operations.
The Silver Origin is one of the most environmentally friendly cruise ships ever designed and was built specifically for Silversea's prestigious Galapagos Islands itinerary. This 100-passenger ship will offer guests unique shore experiences led by Silversea's expedition team, who are certified by the Galapagos National Park.
