What’s Happening at Silversea Cruises? A Lot!

There is a lot happening at Silversea Cruises. Actually, it would be better to say, “still happening!”

The most notable – at least for me – is that Silversea has continued to expand into the luxury cruise behemoth. Since its acquisition by Royal Caribbean, Silversea has taken on three new ships: Silver Ray (just last week), Silver Nova (just a few months ago), and Silver Endeavour (acquired from the Crystal Cruises bankruptcy). You can read about my recent wonderful cruise on Silver Nova: Silversea Cruises’ Silver Nova – Goldring Travel Checks Her Out: Reflections and fantastic expeditions on Silver Endeavour: Silversea’s Silver Endeavour Arctic Expedition – Part VI and Silversea Silver Endeavour Journeys to Antarctica.  

These ships lean heavily on Silversea’s commitment to modernizing both its ships and its approach to luxury cruise and travel. The Silver Whisper has had its public spaces significantly reimagined, including the installation of the very popular Arts Cafe and a totally new cigar lounge and casino, among other things. The Silver Wind also was significantly refurbished in 2021, with all of the public spaces and suites refurbished. (Note: Goldring Travel’s April 2025 Culinary & Cultural Journey from Cape Town to Ghana is on the Silver Wind). And the list of Silversea’s modernization of its fleet continues. 

Consistent with that, Silversea has just made a move to make the onboard experience more consistent with today’s luxury dress code. Gone are the Formal, Informal, and Elegant Causal!  Now it is simply Elegant Casual and Formal Optional (though on Formal Optional night a men’s jacket is required indoors). Cruises of seven nights or shorter are only Elegant Casual…so if your cruise is a combination of back-to-back voyages, you may forego the jacket entirely. On Expedition, you can dress down even more: Casual and Informal (men’s jackets are required indoors). Note: Silver Origin – which sails exclusively in the Galapagos, is always Casual.

Silversea is also changing up its complimentary champagne upon embarkation; again, a more modern approach to champagne…and a distancing from prosecco (which can be wonderful, but alas, not champagne!).  “[T]here will be three Duval-Leroy Champagnes on Silversea ships. The Duval-Leroy Brut Réserve (the entry Brut cuvée, like all Maisons have), is part of its ‘Classic Range.’ One bottle of Duval-Leroy Rosé Prestige Premier Cru, a wine from the ‘Prestige Range,’ will be offered to all VIP suites upon embarkation (as opposed to the Brut Réserve, which will be offered in all standard suites). Finally, the Duval-Leroy Femme de Champagne 2002 (the current vintage of the Femme on the market), its very top Champagne – it’s superb, really – will also be featured on Silversea’s Connoisseur List (as will the previously mentioned Duval-Leroy Rosé Prestige Premier Cru).”

Along with those changes, there has also been a change at the top of the executive level; and this was a huge surprise. In December 2022, Barbara Muckermann – who was with the company since 2001 and was then Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer and – was named President and CEO.  At the time, I wasn’t sure how she jumped from her beloved marketing position to CEO, but she definitely rose to the occasion. In fact, I heard her speak eloquently and at a very high level at Seatrade in April…only for her to announce she was departing Silversea a few days later. (At the same conference, I saw Mark Conroy, the industry legend, who also departed at the same time, but that had been planned.)

In steps Bert Hernandez, as Silversea’s new president. He has been with the Royal Caribbean Group for twenty years, most recently as Senior Vice President, International, but previously as head of RCI’s China operations and CEO of Azamara Cruises (which I always considered a placeholder for Royal Caribbean’s desire for a truly luxury – not premium – cruise line). I have not met Mr. Hernadez yet, but it would seem he certainly has the experience to continue Silversea’s upward momentum.

And, for me, one of the most important, upgrades at Silversea are its itineraries!  Now sailing eight (8) classic cruise ships with different but still styles and four (4) expedition ships, Silversea has the ability to offer cruises worldwide and with more flexibility as to when and where. 

Another change is in Silversea’s pricing. Recently, Silversea started including select shore excursions and “Door to Door” and “Port to Port” pricing, with the former including air and transfers with a fully refundable deposit. Port to Port discounted the cruise fare with non-refundable deposits but excluded air and transfers. I found them to be confusing and also required guests to pay for shore excursions they didn’t want. (Some love the included shore excursions, but many don’t.) 

But I think Silversea has found a great solution: Door to Door and Port to Port (now fully refundable deposits) and Essential. With Essential, you have the lowest and non-refundable price that you must pay in full at the time of booking, but you don’t have included shore excursions. However, the onboard experience is identical. 

In a world where one of its competitor luxury lines is shrinking its fleet and another is significantly growing the size of its future ships, Silversea has positioned itself as one of the present – and most certainly of the future – top two luxury lines. With diverse ships, even more diverse itineraries, creative pricing structures, and an eye clearly focused on the future, Silversea has come a long way in a very short period of time.

In fact, it has become one of Goldring Travel’s top choices for both classic and expedition cruising.