Silversea Cruises® operated the only ultra-luxury world cruise in 2022, welcoming celebrated creatives—‘Tale Tellers’—aboard Silver Whisper® to enrich guests’ experiences

Guests travelling aboard Silversea Cruises’ Silver Whisper arrived in Copenhagen on May 22, marking the conclusion of the Tale of Tales World Cruise—the only ultra-luxury world cruise to have operated in 2022.

Roberto Martinoli, Silversea’s President and CEO, and Barbara Muckermann, Chief Commercial Officer, bid farewell to guests at a special gala dinner at Oslo’s historic Gamle Logen on May 18, celebrating the finale of a hugely successful world cruise. Over 138 days, travellers discovered 62 destinations in 30 countries across six continents, journeying from 65° south to 65° north—taking in such contrasting destinations as Antarctica and Iceland, Turkey and South Africa, and South Georgia and the Seychelles.

“We are incredibly proud to have welcomed guests aboard Silver Whisper for our Tale of Tales World Cruise 2022, overcoming many challenges to operate the only ultra-luxury world cruises of the year,” said Roberto Martinoli, Silversea’s President and CEO. “We thank our guests for joining us on this great voyage—their support and enthusiasm encouraged us to push ahead. In the company of some of the world’s foremost creative storytellers, our guests enjoyed some of the most authentic experiences available in the planet’s most enriching destinations—on an itinerary that was mostly unchanged from the original. I must thank our phenomenal crew, who are the unsung heroes of the voyage. Overwhelmingly strong demand for our world cruises in 2023 and 2024 meant that they sold out very quickly, but we will soon unveil more details on Silversea’s innovative world cruise for 2025.”

IN THE COMPANY OF TALE TELLERS

Seven celebrated creatives—Tale Tellers—joined Silversea’s guests aboard Silver Whisper throughout the world cruise 2022, enriching the experience with insightful presentations and interacting with guests along the way. Each Tale Teller will contribute a chapter to the Tale of Tales anthology, which, inspired by their experiences, will be gifted to guests as a keepsake. The Tale Tellers for Silversea’s World Cruise 2022 included:

• Nicholas Crane, former President of the Royal Geographical Society;
• Pico Iyer, global essayist, novelist, and travel writer;
• Monica Hanna, internationally acclaimed figure in the world of archaeology;
• Eamonn Gearon, renowned author, analyst, and public historian;
• Steve McCurry, iconic voice in contemporary photography for more than three decades;
• Asma Khan, celebrated chef, restaurant owner, and cookbook author;
• Christina Franco, pioneering explorer, guide and Polar Race winner.

“Meeting old friends again on the World Cruise, making new ones–and hearing the wondrous stories that almost every guest and crew member seems to offer–was a delight once more,” said Pico Iyer. “As was living in royal splendor amidst the impeccable service and the constant thoughtfulness that mark the Silversea experience. My wife and I have now had the chance to take three Silversea cruises in just over three years–to French Polynesia, Antarctica and now Zanzibar and the Seychelles. How can the rest of life ever compare?”

BESPOKE EVENTS, AN OVERLAND PROGRAMME AND OTHER ENRICHMENTS

As well as an immersive overland experience in Cappadocia, Turkey, guests enjoyed a series of regionally inspired onboard events, a special range of exclusive shore excursions, and bespoke world cruise events ashore. Special world cruise events included:

• Fort Lauderdale – January 5, 2022
  Following a welcome cocktail event with canapes from around the world, a welcome feast was served aboard Silver Whisper on January 5 to mark the commencement of the voyage. Decorations, flags and bunting from the visited countries adorned the ship’s main restaurant, as guests sampled regional cuisine from a selection of destinations. Special entertainment enriched the evening, showcasing performances inspired by local cultures from the sailed itinerary.
• Cartagena, Colombia – January 10, 2022
  Guests travelling aboard Silver Whisper for the Tale of Tales World Cruise 2022 enjoyed an authentic fiesta in Cartagena, Colombia, on January 10, inspired by the rhythm of Colombia’s vivacious music tradition. Folkloric dancers and local musicians entertained travellers with a steel drum performance as they paraded down the city’s cobbled streets – lined with colourful, colonial buildings. Guests sampled regional cuisine and local drinks at the beautiful Casa 1537 for a true taste of Colombia.
• Cape Town, South Africa – February 23, 2022
  An exclusive evening of festivities awaited guests at the disused Hillcrest Quarry in Cape Town, South Africa, on February 23. Accompanied by an orchestra, performers from the Ubuntu Opera and the South African Youth Choir entertained Silversea’s guests, before travellers enjoyed a five-course meal by an award-winning chef under the stars in one of the country’s most unique venues. Among the highlights of the evening was a performance by 18-year-old Thandolwethu Longo, who Silversea will sponsor at Cape Town Opera’s Foundation Studio Programme.
• Seville, Spain – April 21, 2022
  An industry first, Silversea welcomed guests to an exclusive performance of the Carmen Suite at the Cartuja Center in Seville, on April 21 – a one-act ballet created in 1967 by legendary Cuban choreographer, Alberto Alonso, with accompanying music by Rodion Shchedrin. Set in the hometown of Carmen to the music of French composer Georges Bizet, the special performance was preceded by a welcome cocktail and appetisers, and a gala dinner in the main auditorium. Live flamenco Music entertained guests as they dined, before the Carmen Suite ballet performance headlined the occasion.
• Oslo, Norway – May 18, 2022
  Commemorating the conclusion of the Tale of Tales World Cruise 2022, guests attended a farewell gala dinner at Oslo’s famous Gamle Logen banqueting hall—an historic venue that has a rich legacy of entertaining royalty—on May 18. Entertainment was befitting of the nobility who once frequented the venue, channelling the nation’s culture to deliver a memorable evening of musical performance and authentic cuisine. The five-course meal incorporated the freshest local produce, such as lobster tail, seared Frøya salmon, cauliflower soup with king crab, grilled beef tournedos, and handpicked Norwegian strawberries.

CONTROTEMPO WORLD CRUISE 2025

Following exceptionally strong demand, Silversea’s world cruises for 2023 and 2024 are fully booked, and the cruise line will soon share details on its global sailing for 2025. Introduced in brief by Barbara Muckermann at the world cruise’s farewell gala dinner, the ‘Controtempo’ world cruise will set sail in January 2025, unlocking new experiences in iconic destinations during unconventional seasons. Silversea’s well-travelled guests will experience familiar destinations in a whole new light, with immersive moments tailored by the cruise line’s destination experts that best showcase each place’s people and stories.

“Our guests have seen much of the world,” says Barbara Muckermann. “But our Controtempo world cruise in 2025 will unlock new ways of travelling even deeper into the planet’s most familiar, iconic destinations, while also journeying off-beat to all-new places, too. Our close-knit community of world-cruising guests is exceptionally passionate about discovering new experiences and Controtempo will enable them to do exactly this. Silversea has long excelled at delivering unique moments in luxury, but the newest iteration of our flagship voyage will raise the bar to all new heights.”