Sometimes a ship is born for a destination: it is the case of Silver Origin, the first Silversea unit designed for a specific destination, which will bring the cruise passengers to the heart of the Galapagos islands since the summer of 2020.
Silver Origin will be one of the most environmentally friendly cruise ships ever. And it is pioneeringly designed with exclusive suites for up to 100 guests and full of luxury. As it is customized for the archipelago, together with the know-how provided by Silversea in the Galapagos, it will create the connections between guests and the environment.
In addition to the experiences that guests will receive once they land (guided by the Silversea Expedition Team), the guests can discover and appreciate Ecuadorian culture on board through daily briefings, videos and scientific dissemination conferences.
Another way to get to know the culture of the country is to taste the cuisine, which will be prepared by the local chefs (in two restaurants: The Restaurant and The Grill). The Silver Origin cruise has a series of activities designed to bring guests as close as possible to the authentic beauty of the archipelago without sacrificing comfort and luxury. The ship offers a Zodiac-to-guest ratio of a tender for every 12, 13 passengers.
The interior design is inspired by the sober Italian elegance, a stylistic signature of the Silversea ships with an intimate atmosphere. However, the influence of the Galapagos natural environment will be evident. Silver Origin offers eight different categories of suites. The largest, the Owner’s Suite, will offer a breathtaking view. All suites have a private balcony; some will have a Horizon balcony. Also, for the first time on a Silversea ship, some rooms will include bathtubs and showers with ocean views.
As for the common areas, Basecamp will be an innovative space: a lounge for socializing before and after excursions, connected with the boarding area. Here it will be possible to carry out educational activities, in order to interact with the Expedition Team to learn about the fauna, landscapes and history of the islands. Through an interactive videowall, guests will be able to access multimedia content about the destination. The Explorer Lounge with full-length windows, will host daily briefings and lessons. The Observation Lounge, on the bow, will offer breathtaking views, relaxation and the possibility of reading the library books.
Cutting-edge technologies – such as the dynamic positioning system that will allow the ship to preserve the seabed or freshwater purification systems in each suite can reduce the consumption of plastic bottles – will make Silver Origin one of the most ecological cruise ships ever in the world.
“Silver Origin will raise our offer in the Galapagos Islands, where we are already leaders. We will offer unforgettable experiences with the most absolute comfort,” says Roberto Martinoli, CEO of Silversea, “From the early stages of planning, every decision has been taken to strengthen the connection between our guests and this spectacular and unique destination.”
The ship will have a higher crew/guest ratio (1: 1.16) and the highest ratio of guide/guest (1:10) on the Galapagos Islands, with unprecedented personalized service. This also applies to the experience in suites: Silver Origin, in fact, will be the only Galapagos ship to offer a butler for every room.
