On June 3, Silversea Expeditions celebrated 10 years of operation, marking the occasion with a two-day gala voyage between London and Dublin, according to a press release.

The Silver Cloud departed London’s Tower Bridge to honor Silversea Expeditions’ very first voyage, which sailed under Tower Bridge for Svalbard in 2008. 

“We are delighted to be celebrating this important milestone,” said Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, Silversea’s Chairman. “I am glad to see that my vision has been successfully realized and we are now recognized for our destination leadership. Since the launch of our expedition itineraries, we have connected people with the world’s most spectacular landscapes and cultures, and, in the process, we have fostered respect and greater care for our planet and its inhabitants. I am very proud of my team and our mission. We will continue to scout new destinations to bring innovation to the world of expedition cruising.”

Notable items for Silver Cloud’s celebratory voyage included a congratulatory video message from HSH Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco, who had cut the ribbon in Monte Carlo during the naming ceremony for Silversea’s first expedition ship in 2008. Originally named Prince Albert II in tribute to His Serene Highness and his environmental efforts, the ship sails today as Silver Explorer, the company said. 

Silversea pointed to further expedition developments in a news release, including a Northeast Passage crossing, and additional voyages to the Bay of Bengal, the Russian Far East, Antarctica, and Australia’s Kimberley Coast.

Of special note are two Silver Discoverer cruises that depart in summer 2019 for Borneo’s Camp Leakey – a refuge for orangutans.

In the past decade, Silversea has developed innovative strategies – such as a dedicated training academy – to recruit a team of expedition specialists. 

According to Silversea, over the last 10 years, the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability and humanitarian efforts has extended across the globe, in many forms: in the Cook and Phoenix islands in 2015, guests of Silversea participated in a mammal acoustic survey that successfully added three new species of animals to the national registry; in Bangladesh, where Silver Discoverer made the first-ever cruise ship call in 2017, Silversea visited a remote village where guests purchased regional produce to benefit the local community; and in 2017, when Silversea engaged in a partnership with ORCA, one of the U.K.’s leading marine conservation charities, to enable guests to discover incredible marine life and contribute to the charity’s ongoing conservation work. In the Galápagos Islands, where Silver Galapagos inaugurated ultra-luxury expedition experiences in 2014, Silversea will co-sponsor a camp for children to encourage the conservation of marine habitats.