Set sail with our team on Silversea Expeditions

In wake of the cruise line’s 10th anniversary, Silversea Expeditions are an enthralling and enriching cruise experience like no other.

Back in November 2017, two members of our Cruise Concierge team – Emma Taylor and Katie Smith – managed to experience Silver Explorer for themselves. Read on to learn more of this stunning, purpose-built luxury ship and what they had to say about their experience.

Life on-board Silver Explorer

During our time on-board Silver Explorer we sailed from Colon, Panama to Guayaquil, Ecuador. This included a number of excursions and experiences that were unforgettable and the ship experience in itself was incredible, we really couldn’t fault it!

Service

As ever, the service on-board Silversea was nothing short of perfect, the Expedition staff were superb, alongside the other crew. They were all incredibly friendly and attentive. The Expedition team brought a huge added-value with their knowledge of the destinations and surroundings.

Excursions

The excursions are all led in small groups, which allows you more time to explore and ask questions to your guides who are incredibly educated on the regions and activities you take part in.

Some of the main expeditions that we took part of involved meeting local tribes and experiencing parts of the world that most would never explore. Possibly one of the best experiences on-board was the Darien Jungle excursion in Colombia. Here, we sailed in canoes along the mangrove rivers to the local tribes’ home. We were met with their traditional dance and lots of children in authentic dress with body paint on. This experience in itself is unbelievable, as less than 1,000 people are able to visit the tribe each year.

Another experience was the Isla de Plata, where we witnessed blue-footed boobies in their colonies. The region is part of Machalilla Park – Ecuador’s only national coastal park – and takes around an hour to reach via boat. The birds are friendly and you can walk right up to them – making for excellent photo opportunities. Other wildlife here also includes colourful fish, sea turtles and other birds.

Top tip

The days can be quite busy on Expedition, leaving you often feeling tired when you return on-board. Bear in mind that the next day’s activities are briefed in the afternoon or evening beforehand, so ensure you stay awake for these before retiring your achy feet back to your stateroom.

Don’t feel that this trip, or even this cruise line, isn’t for you – Silversea Expeditions are suitable for all ages and abilities. We saw many on ship with varying abilities, all of who enjoyed their time on-board!

Trip highlight

Aside from the amazing experiences we encountered on the excursions, one thing which stood out to us was the Expedition staff. There was a team of eight on-board Silver Explorer, who provided lectures on advice and knowledge of the local area, and answered any questions which were sent their way.

They are happy to sit and spend time with the guests on-board, we even ate meals with them! They are so friendly and informative.

If you’re keen to experience Silver Explorer or even Silversea Expeditions, browse our latest deals with the cruise line at SixStarCruises.co.uk.

Call our Cruise Concierge team on 0808 202 6105 and enjoy award-winning customer service and advice with your booking on-board Silversea.