The Silver Endeavour recently completed its fifth year of service, after originally debuting for Crystal Cruises in June 2021.
Part of an expansion project for the luxury brand backed by Genting Hong Kong, the expedition ship was built at the MV Werften shipyard in Stralsund, Germany.
Delivered amid the pandemic, the Endeavor was named during a special ceremony at its building yard on June 26, 2021.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig served as the godmother of the vessel as part of an event that took place on the ship’s helicopter deck.
Then described as an expedition yacht, the Endeavor entered service as the ninth ship of Crystal Cruises, welcoming its first guests on July 17, 2021.
The 200-passenger ship spent its inaugural season in Iceland, offering ten-night cruises departing from Reykjavik.
After repositioning to Ushuaia, the Endeavor embarked on its first expedition to Antarctica on November 19, 2021.
The ship was scheduled to operate a five-month season in the region, offering 11- to 19-night itineraries that included visits to the South Shetland Islands, the Weddell Sea, South Georgia and more.
With Crystal suspending its operations due to financial problems, the season was cut short in early February.
The company was later shut down and its assets, including the Crystal Endeavor, were sold a few months later.
In July 2022, Silversea announced plans to acquire the 19,800-ton vessel for $275 million, renaming it the Silver Endeavour.
The ship entered service for the Royal Caribbean Group brand on November 19, 2022, following a christening ceremony at Antarctica’s Lemaire Channel.
Taking over the itineraries of the Silver Explorer, the Endeavour continued to sail in the region during its inaugural season before repositioning to the Arctic for the summer of 2023.
Alternating between seasons in Antarctica and the Arctic, the ship has been mostly sailing in polar regions since being acquired by Silversea.
Spending the summer in the Arctic, the Endeavour is currently offering itineraries to Spitsbergen and Greenland.
In late October, the vessel arrives in King George Island for fly-cruise expeditions to Antarctica as part of its 2026-27 season.
