EXPEDITION AMERICA An expedition along the east coast of America is a journey among civilisations old and new— and spectacular natural wonders. WORDS: RODERICK EIME
W
hen the first European visitors explored the east coast of North America some 500 years ago, their reports told of lands of great riches and beauty. With so many hardships across the Atlantic in the Old World, it was no surprise that many were ready to risk everything to start new lives in the New World, despite the hazards of ocean travel in the 15th and 16th centuries. Today, we see the legacy of those intrepid souls in a thriving and prosperous civilisation that stretches from Canada to the Caribbean. Great cities such as Quebec, New York, Charleston and Baltimore reflect the rapid expansion of immigrants who made full use of the abundant resources of the new territories. Sea travel has come a long way since that time; from the tiny, cramped ships that took weeks to toil across the ocean to the robust, supremely comfortable vessels of today—such as Silversea’s boutique adventure ship Silver Cloud. The ship was rebuilt and enhanced in 2017, turning it into one of the preeminent vessels of its type currently sailing the seas. Guests will appreciate the difference between larger cruise liners and the intimate luxury of Silver Cloud. Each of her oceanview suites comes with a personal butler service, and you can refresh in the pool or pamper yourself 24 WINTER 2018
FACT FILE Cruise line: Silversea Vessel: Silver Cloud Maximum guest capacity: 254 Crew: 223 Facilities: pool and jacuzzis, 4 restaurants, 3 lounges, theatre, library/observation lounge, photo studio, beauty salon, fitness centre, spa, boutiques, Zodiacs and kayaks for shore excursions. Atlantic puffins cliff top congregate on a
in the onboard beauty salon. Mix, mingle and relive the day’s experiences over complimentary cocktails at Dolce Vita before dining at Silversea’s signature Grill or at La Dame by Relais & Châteaux. Silver Cloud is set to retrace the steps of seafaring pioneers as she sails from historic bilingual metropolis Quebec City in Canada to Fort Lauderdale in
the formerly Spanish territory of Florida over 16 nights from September 25, 2019. During this maritime journey, Silver Cloud visits ports including Halifax, Portland and Newport, where Silversea’s experienced lecturers will recount some of the great stories of North American history. This voyage is also an ‘expedition’, in the sense of getting back to nature. You can expect to see Humpback whales, White-beaked
