Five expedition cruise ships have been named in ceremonies in the past few days – four of them taking place in Antarctica.

Silversea Cruises has named Silver Endeavour by hosting ultra-luxury cruising’s first Antarctica naming ceremony on November 19.

The line held an expedition-style celebration in the Lemaire Channel, Antarctica, to inaugurate Silver Endeavour that had started life as Crystal Endeavor of collapsed Crystal Cruises as the 11th ship in its fleet, broadening the most diverse polar offering in ultra-luxury travel. Executives from Silversea Cruises, the ship’s Godmother Felicity Aston MBE, and select members of the cruise line’s extended family were in attendance as an ice-sculpted champagne magnum smashed against Silver Endeavour’s hull to mark the cruise line’s third naming ceremony in just nine months.

Celebrations began at an intimate blessing ceremony, held at the Cape Horn Sub-Antarctic Center in Puerto Williams, on November 15. Local dignitaries from Puerto Williams joined the festivities, which honored maritime traditions. After the parent company Royal Caribbean Group’s customary bagpipe performance, singers sung the Chilean and American national anthems, a video depicted a religious figure blessing the ship, and Felicity Aston was formally introduced as the vessel’s Godmother.

Captain Niklas Peterstam on one of the ship’s outer decks to trigger an ice-sculpted, magnum-sized bottle to smash against the hull. Guests, including Barbara Muckermann and other Silversea executives, witnessed the historic moment from Zodiacs in the 11km-long, cliff-lined stretch of water. ‘Champagne on ice’ took on a new meaning, as guests raised a glass to toast to the occasion.

"We are excited to officially welcome Silver Endeavour to the Royal Caribbean Group fleet, bringing our global fleet to 64 ships," said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. "Silver Endeavour will continue to strengthen Silversea's position as the leading ultra-luxury and expedition cruise line, allowing us to grow capacity while building upon Royal Caribbean Group's mission of delivering the best vacations in the world, responsibly."

Atlas Ocean Voyages names two ships

Atlas Ocean Voyages celebrated a milestone weekend with naming ceremonies for its new World Traveller and World Navigator. The latter ship has been in service since last year but was never formally named due to Covid restrictions. The ships were named in the fjords along the Beagle Channel’s Glacier Alley.

“Both yacht-style vessels specialize in expeditions to some of nature’s most spectacular destinations,” said James Rodriguez, Atlas’ president and CEO. “What a historic weekend for Atlas! It was inspiring to name these two spectacular ships surrounded by majestic glaciers.”

VIP guests at the dual naming ceremonies included travel advisors, shareholders, media and dignitaries from Argentina and Chile. World Traveller was named November 19, followed by Zodiac sightseeing of Pia Glacier. In the evening the portraits of the godmothers were unveiled at a gala welcome reception prior to dinner. The naming festivities for World Navigator took place on November 20, preceded by a celebratory luncheon on that vessel.

Both expedition ships are Polar Category C- and Ice Class 1B-certified and cater to curious, global travelers with a passion for exploring both iconic and off-the-beaten-path destinations. The stylish and intimate vessels offer every five-star comfort, from an all-inclusive onboard experience and luxurious accommodations to in-depth excursions and customized private tours for a truly personalized voyage.

Seabourn Venture named at Antarctica

Seabourn that is part of the Carnival group said the line’s first purpose-built expedition ship,  Seabourn Venture, has made its first-ever visit. “The ship marked the inaugural voyage to the “Great White Continent” with the official naming ceremony on Sunday, November 20, 2022, when the ship came to a stop in the fast ice of the Weddell Sea, part of the Southern Ocean,” Seaboirn said in a statement.

Seabourn Venture’s guests, serving as honorary godparents, joined the ship’s godmother, global adventurer, mountaineer and polar-explorer Alison Levine, who carried out her ceremonial duties virtually, to wish Seabourn Venture many blessings and extraordinary expeditions to come. The onboard team released a bottle made of ice that was broken against the ship, a time-honored ship naming tradition. The ship's guests and team were all smiles throughout the ceremony, warmed by their complimentary Seabourn expedition-grade parkas while toasting Seabourn Venture.

Following the ceremony, Robin West, Seabourn’s Vice President of Expedition Operations, spoke about the expedition legacy of the Seabourn brand and shared the excitement he has for the adventure-driven voyages to come. Luciano Bernacchi, Seabourn Venture’s Expedition Leader, praised Captain Stig Betten for finding the perfect location for the ceremony, which was met with calm winds and beautiful blue skies.

“We’ve eagerly awaited Seabourn Venture’s maiden voyage to Antarctica since the moment the ship debuted earlier this year,” said Seabourn President Josh Leibowitz. “The extraordinary continent encapsulates exactly what we hope to bring to guests who sail aboard our new ship: adventure, discovery and awe-inspiring wonder. With the beauty of the Antarctic landscape and scenery in the background, it truly was the perfect place to name the most luxurious expedition ship, Seabourn Venture.”

Ocean Odyssey enters service with Vantage Deluxe Travel

Meanwhile, Vantage Deluxe World Travel, has introduced Ocean Odyssey, built for global luxury expedition travel. “The ship’s inaugural cruise departed Aqaba, Jordan on course around the Arabian Peninsula bound for Dubai, UAE, on November 20. Ocean Odyssey and its sister ship Ocean Explorer will navigate worldwide with 48 itineraries that will bring travelers to all seven continents,” the company said in a statement.

“The maiden voyage of the Ocean Odyssey marks yet another way travelers can indulge in far-flung adventures as big as the globe with the award-winning, elevated experience of a small ship environment," says Deirdre Dirkman, EVP Worldwide Operations & Marketing at Vantage Deluxe World Travel. “At Vantage, we provide the ultimate in small-ship luxury experiences and set the standard for women’s solo travel.”

In 2023, Ocean Odyssey will operate small ship discovery ocean cruises in Asia, the British Isles, the Mediterranean and Scandinavia, with plans to add Morocco, the Canary Islands and expedition cruising in Iceland in 2024.