Chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, President and CEO Roberto Martinoli, SVP Hotel Operations & On-Board Revenue Damien O’Connor and Chief Marketing Officer Barbara Muckermann attended the handover.
Silver Origin will take over from Silver Galapagos, which began sailing in the archipelago in 2013.
'Nothing can compare'
'There is no comparison between Silver Origin and whatever else you can find in the Galápagos,' Lefebvre enthused during a webinar today that showed off the elegant, spacious, 100-passenger ship.
It offers all balcony suites, light-filled interiors and 'whispered' elegance. 'We don't want to shout,' Martinoli said. The design and colors are 'extremely conducive to a very relaxing vacation.'
Basecamp comprises a large portion of the lowest deck where passengers embark and will go to meet their expedition leaders. There, an expansive, interactive LED screen is loaded with images, videos and information from the Galápagos National Park and the Royal Geographic Society of London.
There is plenty of dining capacity for everyone indoors and out, with 120 seats in The Restaurant and 100 in the top deck Grill, where screens shelter diners from wind. Ecuadorian cuisine will be featured in line with Silversea's immersive S.A.L.T. culinary concept, and the Grill will offer hot rocks cooking.
Fire pit
The 112-seat Explorers Lounge is Silver Origin's 'living room,' with intimate seating groupings, a fire pit powered by liquefied petroleum gas, a library, grand piano and terrace. Lectures and briefings will be held here, taking advantage of a large video wall and HD screens in the seating areas. The Observation Lounge provides a hideaway with 180-degree views.
Technogym equipment is featured in the fitness center, which has floor-to-ceiling windows. Alongside are a spa and beauty salon.
New peek-a-boo suite features
The suites include features new to Silversea like windows in the bathrooms or shower stalls with glass walls or doors to the balcony, depending on the category. ('We just hope our guests will remember to put a robe on,' Muckermann quipped.) The owner's suite measures 160 square meters/1,722 square feet and has a whirlpool tub with ocean views.
Silver Origin will never go alongside
The 5,800gt Silver Origin is too large for any piers in the Galápagos so it will never go alongside but will use dynamic positioning to stay in place. Passengers will embark in Zodiacs from the aft Marina. Silver Origin has eight Zodiacs, or one for every 12 people, a 1:1 crew to guest ratio and one guide for every 10 guests.
Wet suits and snorkeling gear will be provided. There are eight double sea kayaks for guests and two kayaks for guides.
Martinoli thanked De Hoop Shipyard, which 'overcame many challenges to complete the ship,' including voluntarily working through the COVID-19 shutdown. Low water and high water conditions were other challenges.
'It has been extremely rewarding to work on this project, and we are proud for having been able to deliver the ship in spite of the external challenges,' De Hoop CEO Patrick Janssens said.
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