CRUISE GPS

GLOBAL REACH

JOURNEY TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH WITH SILVERSEA CRUISES.

BY JEN MURPHY

SILVERSEA CRUISES HAS REIMAGINED

POLAR EXPLORATION WITH NEXT-LEVEL

LUXURY EXPEDITIONS TO ANTARCTICA

AND THE ARCTIC. Follow in the footsteps of legendary explorers like Roald Amundsen and Ernest Shackleton without sacrificing an ounce of comfort. Specially designed polar vessels feature spacious, all-suite accommodations with around-the-clock

butler service (an industry first in the Polar regions), plus gourmet restaurants and extensive wine cellars.

Opposite: Kayaking in Antarctica.

Expedition Guides ensure the experience is more immersive than simply viewing icebergs and glaciers from the ship deck, and Silversea has one of the highest expedition staff-to-guest ratios in the expedition cruising industry; every voyage features 14 to 28 qualified specialists. Silversea’s all-star team of biologists, geologists, historians, and photographers enlighten you with their extensive knowledge and enrich the journey with lectures and one-on-one conversations on topics ranging from climate change to polar bears.

Complimentary door-to-door, chauffeured transfers to and from the airport ensure Silversea’s five-star service begins the moment you leave home and continues after you depart the ship. If you’re short on time, fast-track to the White Continent with Silversea’s Antarctica Bridge Program. The novel offering allows guests to bypass the rough seas of Drake’s Passage and instead fly two hours in business-class comfort from Punta Arenas, Chile, to King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland Islands.

Conrad Combrink, the company’s Senior Vice President of Expeditions, masterminded this new initiative to bring Antarctica closer to intrepid travelers. “With the growth of our fleet and the expedition industry, I’m always looking for ways to enhance our product offering and do things differently,” he says. “You have this preconception, this notion that Antarctica is two days by ship, although we sometimes do it in a day and a half with our ships. I looked at fly-cruise and realized there’s not a single luxury operator doing it.”

A partnership with Antarctic Airways allowed Silversea to evolve its Antarctic expeditions into a five-day, jet-set holiday. Flying not only saves a total of four days at sea, but also provides a rare vantage of the continent’s frozen landscape.

Opposite: The village of Kangaamiut, Greenland. Clockwise from top: A zodiac excursion in Scoresby Sound, Greenland; the Northern Lights; a colony of penguins greets the Silver Explorer.

Both poles will inspire a true sense of remoteness and solitude with mind-blowing ice formations and seemingly endless landscapes painted in shades of silver, gray, and blue. The hardest decision you’ll have to make is North or South, as both promise once-in-a-lifetime adventures.

VENTURE NORTHWARD TO THE ARCTIC

Kayak the glacial Arctic waters by day and dine on tagliatelle ragu paired with vintage Barolo by night. Silversea’s extensive variety of itineraries range from a full circumnavigation of Svalbard to crossing the Northwest Passage. The Silver Cloud and the recently refurbished, Silver Wind journey north. Both ice-class ships feature photo studios, spas, fitness centers, and four dining options so you can experience the coasts of Norway, Greenland, Iceland, and Canada’s High Arctic in luxury. Expedition Team Members know every inch of this remote region and will introduce you to uniquely isolated cultures and untamed nature. Each day promises unforgettable adventures, from a Zodiac cruise to an Innuit community to a kayak excursion around Svalbard’s monumental sea cliffs.

JOURNEY SOUTH TO ANTARCTICA

The seventh continent truly feels out of this world. In an age where every place feels discovered, a trip to the least visited place on earth gives you the rare chance to feel like an old-school explorer and set foot where no other man or woman has before. Three iceclass ships, the Silver Cloud, Silver Explorer, and Silver Wind all carry fewer than 300 passengers for intimate experiences on land and at sea. Experts in everything from penguin spotting to glacier photography, Silversea’s Expedition Team make every excursion both educational and exciting. Prep your camera, as you’ll capture photos of brush-tailed penguins diving off icebergs, leopard seals splashing near your kayak, and minke whales breaching in the icy waters.

Pole Position. Visit the website found on the back cover and enter OFFER M23783 for more discovery.

GAME CHANGER

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER WITH UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES. BY MEREDITH DIERS

UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES HAS LONG BEEN COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM, LOCAL COMMUNITIES, AND WILDLIFE. Now, with its MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences, Uniworld is furthering that mission, offering travelers the opportunity to take action and impact communities explored across the globe.

Each offering is selected with care. Employing a propriety assessment tool and endorsed by industry experts, Uniworld ensures MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences directly advance United Nations Global Goals, including quality education, affordable and clean energy, sustainable communities and cities, responsible consumption and production, and climate action, among additional initiatives. The following highlights celebrate unique, intentional travel.

TIMELESS WONDERS OF VIETNAM, CAMBODIA & THE MEKONG

During this multilayered adventure along the Mekong, considered the lifeblood of Southeast Asia, guests will experience the area’s unique charm and social traditions while also learning of its complex history.

As a member of Pack for a Purpose, a charitable organization developed for travelers to expand generosity beyond their own communities, Uniworld facilitates bringing needed supplies to Cambodia. Provided directly by local community-based projects, lists of supplies contribute meaningful local impact—a unique catalyst for Uniworld guests to express appreciation for the experiences and hospitality enjoyed abroad.

Opposite: Exploring Vietnam’s enchanting waterways. Clockwise from top left: The Taj Mahal; local smiles in India; a giant manatee sighting.

INDIA’S GOLDEN TRIANGLE & THE SACRED GANGES

Complex and beguiling, India is a country unlike any other. This adventure by land and river will ignite all senses. Experience Kolkata, where Mother Teresa’s humble home and tomb provide a place of pilgrimage, and where the Rajbari Temples are devoted to the Hindu god Shiva. The Ganges voyage delves deeply into India’s historical and religious heritage, leaving travelers with enduring memories. Two MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences are part of this itinerary.

The NGO “Calcutta Rescue” Visit educates travelers on the impact this mission has made over the last 30 years. It also reveals insights on other projects—all in hopes of attracting donors, volunteers, and global recognition. Serving the area’s underprivileged children, the Rescue provides much-needed services at no cost to underprivileged residents of Kolkata and West Bengal via health clinics, schools, vocational training, and preventative health programs.

A trip to Mother Teresa’s Home and Tomb inspires most who visit. Two decades after her arrival in India in 1929, Mother Teresa founded her own order, the Missionaries of Charity, devoted to the “salvation and sanctification of the poorest of the poor.” Travelers will discover the Mother House, where she lived and worked for decades; see her simply furnished room and the tiny museum devoted to her (where her Nobel Peace Prize medal is on display), along with informative newspaper clippings and photos.

PERUVIAN RIVERS & RAINFOREST DISCOVERY

Peru is a land of mysteries, legends, and ancient cultures. This unique itinerary unveils the diverse landscapes from Lima to the Amazon Rainforest. An exploration of land and sea, the adventure will delight all senses. Manatees in the Amazon face multiple threats, from habitat destruction to hunting. The Amazon Rescue Center, funded by the Dallas World Aquarium Zoo, takes in orphaned calves, rehabilitates them, and then releases them back into the wild. Since their founding, they’ve rescued more than 40 orphaned baby manatees. During a visit to the Manatee Rescue Center, guests will discover these majestic creatures.

Global Impact. Make your dream trip matter by entering OFFER M23784 on the website found on the back cover.

Science at Sea

SETTING SAIL WITH PONANT AND SMITHSONIAN JOURNEYS. BY AMY ROBERTS

WHEN MOST PEOPLE HEAR “SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION,” THEY LIKELY THINK OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, AND HISTORICAL PRESERVATION. It’s doubtful cruises first jump to mind. Yet Ponant, the world leader in small-ship cruising, aims to change that. It recently partnered with Smithsonian Journeys—the institution’s travel program—to bring culture, history, science, inspiration, and intellectual stimulation on board.

Passengers on a Ponant and Smithsonian Journeys cruise engage with and learn from eminent leaders in their field. Antarctica becomes even more awe-filled when astrophysicist Dr. Michelle Thaller, who serves as the assistant director for science communication at NASA’s Goddard Space Center, joins guests for excursions to research stations, volcanic beaches, and nearby icebergs. Dr. Matthew Larsen, director emeritus of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, will make trekking through Costa Rica’s Carara National Park—home to over 10,000 species of plants and hundreds of species of indigenous birds and butterflies—even more fascinating. Boston Pops’ Keith Lockhart and six talented musicians will enchant guests while cruising the St. Lawrence Seaway from Quebec to the Canadian Maritimes.

These luminaries and additional experts, including geologists, historians, ecologists, geophysicists, wildlife biologists, naturalists, and more, will explore core themes of planned destinations to enrich each voyage. Perhaps this is exactly what British scientist James Smithson, whose funds launched the Smithsonian, envisioned when he left his estate to the U.S. government in 1829, with the express wish to create “an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”

Ponant offers over 30 exceptional Smithsonian Journeys destinations, all with itineraries designed to celebrate adventure and draw inspiration from the natural world. Guests can choose from a myriad of year-round options like exploring ruined empires in ancient Greece and UNESCO World Heritage Sites across Europe, sailing the enchanting Arabian Peninsula, earning the ultimate “badge of honor” by crossing the Drake Passage, snorkeling or diving in pristine Caribbean waters, and interacting with curious wildlife across the globe.

Island Lore

EXPLORE TAHITIAN CULTURE WITH PAUL GAUGUIN CRUISES. BY MEREDITH DIERS

USHERING IN A NEW CHAPTER OF POLYNESIAN ADVENTURES, m/s Paul Gaugin’s new décor enriches the guest experience while sailing through the turquoise lagoons of Tahiti, French Polynesia, Fiji, and the South Pacific. Shades of blue, taupe, green, and pearl are intermixed with warm wood finishes, woven textiles, Polynesian motifs, and stylish gold accents.

In 2019, Paul Gauguin Cruises eliminated its use of heavy fuel oil on m/s Paul Gauguin and began to offset 150 percent of the ship’s carbon emissions. In an ongoing effort to minimize impact on the environment, a new water treatment system and energy-saving initiatives have been added to the vessel’s operations.

In addition to the energy-saving and cosmetic updates aboard m/s Paul Gauguin, guests can enjoy decorative screens featuring Paul Gauguin’s artwork throughout the ship, one of which resides in Fare Tahiti, the ship’s museum. Passengers have the unique opportunity to witness 150 Gauguin paintings and read annotations on his work.

TAHITI

Descending from voyagers and sailors, the history of the South Seas is as colorful as the pareos that adorn both locals and guests. Brave, courageous, and daring, the first settlers of French Polynesia navigated stormy seas and uncertain waters to find new land. From the invasion of European explorers to the French Immersion, the bright spirit of the Polynesian people never dulled, and instead transformed into the warm, vivacious culture prevalent today.

Tahitian dance has long been revered in the islands. It serves a variety of purposes, including prayer, storytelling, hospitality, and rivalry, and continues to play an integral cultural role.

In addition to the cultural and historical richness, Tahiti is also home to majestic peaks, thousand-foot drop waterfalls, exotic black sand, and one of the richest, most colorful marine ecosystems in the world.

The perfect introduction—or reintroduction—to the postcard-perfect charms of the South Pacific and the m/s Paul Gaugin is a sojourn to destinations that played muse for author James A. Michener, painter Paul Gauguin, and many more.