Swan Hellenic christens SH Minerva

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 23 November 2021 23 November 2021

Today, Tuesday the 23rd of November 2021, Swan Hellenic announced the christening of its new ship SH Minerva at the Helsinki Shipyard during a small private ceremony this afternoon with godmother Johanna Mäkelä, Finland’s first professor of food culture and wife of Helsinki City Mayor Juhana Vartiainen. Mayor Vartiainen was also present, along with Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito and Helsinki Shipyard CEO Carl-Gustaf Rotkirch with top management.

The celebration follows global supply chain disruptions and recent spikes in COVID-19 cases in Finland, which caused Swan Hellenic to take the difficult decision to delay the start of Minerva’s inaugural season, preferring to cancel its first two cruises rather than risk in any way compromising the highest standards of quality and safety.

SH Minerva is scheduled to depart the shipyard early next week.

At the christening, Helsinki Shipyard Project Manager Jonas Packalén commented: “We are glad to see this day finally, following the many global challenges that made our task far from easy. Our special thanks to everyone involved in the project for their unstinting dedication and superb work!”

Swan Hellenic CEO Andrea Zito added: “I, too, would like to congratulate everyone at Helsinki for their impeccable work in difficult circumstance and the tight safety measures which have kept SH Minerva a safe environment at all times. The vessel has been completed after only 26 month from the signing of the contract which is a remarkable achievement. We now very much look forward to taking our guests to see what others don’t, exploring in exceptional comfort and style.”

Silversea leads return to ultra-luxury expeditions to Antarctica

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines

Published: 20 November 2021 20 November 2021

Silversea's Silver Explorer has launched the return of ultra-luxury expedition cruising to Antarctica, setting sail from her new departure port of Puerto Williams, Chile, on November 10. Silver Cloud subsequently joined her fleetmate in Antarctica, sailing from Punta Arenas, Chile, on November 14.

"We are proud and excited to be at the forefront of the comeback of ultra-luxury expedition cruising in Antarctica," says Roberto Martinoli, Silversea's President and CEO. "Accompanied by our seasoned team of expedition experts, our guests will not only be in awe of the authentic beauty and unique wildlife of the White Continent, but they will also enjoy the signature distinctions that have made Silversea the leader in luxury expedition cruising."

“We are making history. By embarking on a private, direct flight from Santiago to Puerto Williams, we are unlocking a flight path that has not been operated for more than 30 years - and never in such luxury - to deliver comfort and convenience to our guests,” says Conrad Combrink, Senior Vice President of Expeditions, Turnaround Operations and Destination Management, Silversea Cruises. “I am thrilled to launch our 2021-22 Antarctica season from the Chilean port of Puerto Williams – the southernmost town in the world – which is a first for Silversea. For their unwavering commitment to resuming expeditions to this unique part of the world, I would like to extend my gratitude to the respective authorities in Chile; the Mayor of Punta Arenas, Claudio Radonich; the Mayor of Puerto Williams, Patricio Fernández Alarcón; the Governor of Antarctica Chilena province, Nelson Cárcamo Barrera;Nicolas Pivcevic and the team at DAP Antarctic Airways; and my colleagues at Silversea Cruises.”

Partnership with DAP Antarctic Airways

For the first time, Silversea’s guests are discovering Antarctica from Puerto Williams aboard Silver Explorer. DAP Antarctic Airways is providing Silversea’s guests with private, round-trip flights between Santiago and Puerto Williams. DAP Antarctic Airways is also the carrier selected to provide the flight component of Antarctica Bridge®, Silversea’s new fly-cruise program that provides the fastest, most direct route to Antarctica.

Offering a diverse range of itinerary options, Silver Explorer and Silver Cloud will unlock the White Continent for guests through March 2022. Several itineraries focus on the stunning pristine wilderness of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, while others include visits to South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, where opportunities abound to witness bustling penguin colonies and other amazing wildlife. Silversea will inaugurate its Antarctica Bridge fly-cruise option on December 11, 2021, enabling guests to skip the Drake Passage and fly in comfort straight to Antarctica to start their cruise. Another season highlight, a special Deep South Expedition voyage will spend 20 days tracing a path beyond the Antarctic Circle, attempting to reach a latitude of 69 degrees south, beginning January 27, 2022.

Silver Wind leaves drydock

Silversea’s third ice-class ship, Silver Wind, has now left the drydock at the Remontowa shipyard in Gdańsk, Poland. Expanding the range of voyage options for Silversea's expeditions, Silver Wind will debut as an expedition ship in May 2022 in the Mediterranean, before heading to Northern Europe and the Arctic for the summer season.