Silver Explorer
{{Short description|Expedition ship}}
| {{Infobox ship begin |display title=ital}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image= Silversea Silver Explorer at Monacobreen Glacier, Svalbard, Arctic (20096910900).jpg |Ship caption= Silver Explorer in the Arctic in July 2015 }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship name=*1989–1990: MS Delfin Clipper
|Ship owner=*2002?–2007: Society Expeditions
|Ship operator=*2002?–2007: Society Expeditions
|Ship registry=Bahamas |Ship route= |Ship ordered= |Ship builder=Rauma-Repola, Rauma, Finland |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number=304 |Ship laid down= |Ship launched= 3 February 1989 |Ship completed=June 1989 |Ship christened= |Ship acquired= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship identification=*{{IMO Number|8806747}}
|Ship fate= |Ship status=In service |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship tonnage={{GT|6,072}} |Ship displacement= 1905 MT |Ship length=*{{convert|107.9|m|ftin|abbr=on}} (overall)
|Ship beam={{convert|15.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught={{convert|4.38|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship depth={{convert|6.9|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship decks=7 (5 passenger) |Ship ice class=Swedish/Finnish Ice Class 1A (DNV) |Ship power=Wärtsilä diesel engines (2 × 2250 kW) |Ship propulsion= |Ship speed={{convert|14|kn}} |Ship capacity= 144 passengers |Ship crew= 118 crew |Ship notes= }} |
Silver Explorer was an expedition ship operated by Silversea Cruises, now owned and operated by Exploris, a French Expedition cruising line under its new name Exploris One. The ship typically hosts cruises to Norway, the South Pacific, and Antarctica. It is the first ship of Silversea involved in expedition cruising.
Design and construction
File:Silversea Silver Explorer, Alkhornet, Svalbard, Arctic (20289815861).jpg.]]
Silver Explorer is a 1A ice-rated vessel.{{cite web| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS154554+07-Mar-2008+PRN20080307| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912100935/http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS154554+07-Mar-2008+PRN20080307| url-status=dead| archive-date=12 September 2012| publisher=Reuters Press Release| title=Allin Interactive Television Selected by Silversea Cruises for Prince Albert II| date=7 March 2008| accessdate=2009-08-09}} She carries up to 144 passengers in 72 cabins. The ship was built by the yards of Rauma-Repola, of Rauma, Finland, and launched on 3 February 1989. She operated under several names before being acquired by Society Expeditions, who operated her under the names World Adventurer and World Discoverer.{{cite web| url=http://www.scottsdaleluxurycruises.com/Cruise%20Lines.htm| title=2008 News| publisher=Scottsdale Luxury Cruises| accessdate=2009-08-09}} {{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
She was purchased by Silversea Cruises in autumn 2007, and underwent a multimillion-pound refit at Fincantieri, Trieste. In June 2008, at a ceremony in Monte Carlo attended by Prince Albert II of Monaco, she was re-christened Prince Albert II.{{cite web| url=http://www.travel-lists.co.uk/headarch08b.html| title=Silversea's first expedition ship departs London on her maiden voyage| publisher=Travel Lists| date=13 June 2008| accessdate=2009-08-09| url-status=dead| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201080251/http://travel-lists.co.uk/headarch08b.html| archivedate=1 December 2010}} She then sailed to London to embark passengers for an inaugural cruise.{{cite web| url=http://www.monstersandcritics.com/lifestyle/travel/news/article_1415831.php/New_expedition_ship_Prince_Albert_II_begins_first_voyage| title=New expedition ship Prince Albert II begins first voyage| publisher=Monsters and Critics| date=9 July 2008| accessdate=2009-08-09| url-status=dead| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905020142/http://www.monstersandcritics.com/lifestyle/travel/news/article_1415831.php/New_expedition_ship_Prince_Albert_II_begins_first_voyage | archivedate=5 September 2008}} Silver Explorer was refurbished in 2017, expanding its passenger capacity to 144 in 72 cabins,{{cite web |last1=Anderson |first1=Scott |title=FIRST LOOK AT REDESIGNED SILVER EXPLORER |url=https://www.theluxurycruisecompany.com/articles/article/first-look-at-redesigned-silver-explorer |website=Cruise News |accessdate=15 August 2019}} While on 21 April 2020, Silversea launched a new measures for the ship to offer unprecedented flexibility to the passengers.{{Cite web|url=http://famagusta-gazette.com/2020/04/21/silversea-cruises-launches-new-measures-to-offer-unprecedented-flexibility-to-travelers/|title=Silversea Cruises launches new measures to offer unprecedented flexibility to travelers – Famagusta Gazette}}
Prince Albert II was renamed Silver Explorer in late April 2011 in order to align with the fleet's other vessels which all have the word Silver in their name.{{cite web| first=Linda| last=Garrison| url=http://cruises.about.com/b/2011/04/20/silversea-prince-albert-silver-explorer.htm| title=What's in a Name? Silversea Prince Albert II Gets a New Name| publisher=About.com Guide| date=20 April 2011| accessdate=21 April 2011| archive-date=29 April 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429010837/http://cruises.about.com/b/2011/04/20/silversea-prince-albert-silver-explorer.htm| url-status=dead}}
Silversea launched an event Sell and Sail Free promotion, inviting also U.S. and Canada travel agents in February 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/22505-silversea-sell-and-sail-free-program-for-expedition-cruises.html|title=Silversea: 'Sell and Sail Free' Program for Expedition Cruises|first=C. I. N.|last=Staff|date=February 25, 2020|website=www.cruiseindustrynews.com}}
Service
Silver Explorer operates polar adventure cruises lasting between 10 and 27 days. In the summer she cruises in the Arctic Circle and the Northeast Passage with calls at the Svalbard archipelago, Iceland and Greenland. During the northern hemisphere autumn and winter, she cruises off South America and Antarctica.{{cite web| url=http://www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?id=80705&nav=5&suc=&cid=&email=&news=| title=More than half of Silversea Cruises guests are newcomers| publisher=Travel Blackboard| date=7 August 2008| accessdate=2009-08-09}} She is the world's first ultra-luxury cruise ship to sail to Antarctica.{{Cite web|url=https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2019/12/22/silversea-worlds-first-ultra-luxury-fly-cruise-to-antarctica/|title=Silversea: World's First Ultra-Luxury Fly-Cruise to Antarctica - Modern Diplomacy|website=moderndiplomacy.eu|date=22 December 2019}}
In 2018, the ship anchored at Coos Bay and docked in North Bend, chartered by a group of 130 golfers.{{Cite web|url=https://theworldlink.com/news/local/cruise-ship-silver-explorer-finds-its-way-to-coos-bay/article_8f91aa42-b4a5-53cd-864b-4436a1722b76.html|title=Cruise ship Silver Explorer finds its way to Coos Bay|first=NICHOLAS A. JOHNSON The|last=World|website=The Coos Bay World}} In 2019, the ship was successful for crossing the Northwest Passage for the first time in Arctic pack ice, being also accompanied by a Russian icebreaker.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cruisetradenews.com/watch-silversea-crosses-northwest-passage-first-time-in-history/|title=WATCH: Silversea crosses Northwest Passage for first time in cruise line's history|date=September 23, 2019|website=Cruise Trade News}} In December 2019, the ship made a maiden voyage to Sokcho, South Korea as the first Silversea ship to visit the port.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/20901-silver-explorer-makes-maiden-call-to-sokcho.html|title=Silver Explorer Makes Maiden Call to Sokcho|first=C. I. N.|last=Staff|date=May 21, 2019|website=www.cruiseindustrynews.com}}
In January 2022, the ship was sold to the expedition cruising company Exploris.{{cite web|url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/exploris-des-anciens-de-ponant-lancent-une-nouvelle-compagnie-de-croisiere-francaise|title=Exploris: des anciens de Ponant lancent une nouvelle compagnie de croisière française|publisher=meretmarine|access-date=14 January 2022}} It was transferred to Exploris in September 2023 to begin sailing in December 2023.{{cite web |url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/26689-silver-explorer-to-sail-for-new-cruise-line-exploris-from-2023.html |title=Silver Explorer to Sail for New Cruise Line Exploris From 2023 |website=cruiseindustrynews.com|date=31 January 2022 |access-date=23 February 2022}} Silver Explorer completed its final cruise for Silversea on 19 November 2023.{{cite web|access-date=2023-12-08|date=2023-11-23|title=Silver Explorer Completes Final Cruise for Silversea|url=https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2023/11/silver-explorer-completes-final-cruise-for-silversea/}}
Incidents
In June 2019, after the ship was sailing into Bering Sea it entangled in a fishing net which caused propeller damage, forcing them way to drydock for repairs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Fishing-net-sends-Silver-Explorer-into-drydock-for-repairs|title=Fishing net sends Silver Explorer into drydock for repairs: Travel Weekly|website=www.travelweekly.com}}
On 15 March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships, the ship docked in Castro, Chile, with 111 passengers and 120 crew, after an 83-year-old man fell ill and tested positive for COVID-19.{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/cruise-ships-stranded-coronavirus-trnd/index.html |title=Multiple cruise ships are left stranded as coronavirus cases increase |last=Zdanowicz |first=Christine |work=CNN |date=17 March 2020 |access-date=23 March 2020}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://www.expeditioncruising.com/2024/01/former-silver-explorer-begins-new-life.html Transfer to new owner]
{{Silversea ships}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Silver Explorer}}