 Silver Endeavour in Gerlache Strait - Antarctica | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Bahamas | |
| Name |
|
| Namesake | HMS Endeavour |
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry | 2021–present:Nassau, Bahamas |
| Ordered | August 19, 2016 |
| Builder | MV Werften |
| Cost | € 350 million |
| Laid down | February 9, 2018 |
| Launched | December 22, 2019 |
| Christened | June 26, 2021[1] byManuela Schwesig |
| Completed | June 29, 2021 |
| Maiden voyage | July 17, 2021 |
| Identification | |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Megayacht |
| Tonnage | 20,449 GT |
| Length | 164.5 m |
| Decks | 10 decks |
| Ice class | Polar Class 6 |
| Installed power | 4 × Wärtsilä 6L32E/E2 (4 × 13,020 kW kW) |
| Propulsion | Diesel-electric; twoABBAzipod D propulsion units[2] |
| Speed | 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Capacity | 200 passengers |
| Crew | 209 crew |
| Notes | [3][4] |
Silver Endeavour (formerlyCrystal Endeavor) is acruise ship operated bySilversea Cruises. Originally built forCrystal Cruises byMV Werften inStralsund,Germany, she was laid down in 2018 and completed in June 2021. She is the world's largestice class expedition yacht, bearing aPolar Class rating of PC6.
Following the success ofCrystal Esprit, the Crystal Cruises built the world's first purpose-builtPolar Class megayacht for the luxury cruise market. Her namesake isHMS Endeavour, CaptainJames Cooks' research ship, which discovered Australia and New Zealand; and the new vessel was designed for global expeditions in theArctic andAntarctic as well as in tropical conditions.[5] The ship included first-of-its-kind features for a cruise line including aU-Boat Worx Cruise Sub 7-300, and a remote-operated vehicle with an underwater camera to feed images back to screens in suites.[6] While also being the world's largest ice-class megayacht gaining aPC6 rating.[7]
On June 26, 2021, she waschristened atMV Werften shipyard, byManuela Schwesig prime minister ofMecklenburg-Vorpommern.[8]
The ship's maiden voyage began July 17, 2021, with a 10-night circumnavigation ofIceland.[9]
Crystal Endeavor's focus was on Arctic voyages toIceland, calling atWestfjords inPatreksfjörður, theArctic Circle onGrímsey Island, and Zodiac cruising inDjúpivogur, along with Antarctic voyages within theAntarctic Peninsula.[10][11] During her first year she also visited theFaroe Islands as well as theOrkney andShetland Islands andFair Isle in Scotland; then aCaribbean season before heading for Antarctica.[12]
Following the collapse of parent companyGenting Hong Kong in January 2022,Crystal Endeavor completed her last Antarctic cruise in February, atUshuaia, Argentina and was then laid up atMontevideo, Uruguay under arrest.[13][14] In March she was moved toGibraltar for judicial auction.[15]
On June 14, 2022, it was first announced thatCrystal Endeavor had been apparently sold toSilversea Cruises. In the weeks prior, Silversea had trademarked the names "Silver Endeavor" and "Silver Endeavour".[citation needed] However, it was further reported on June 28, that both The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and the former owners of Silversea, Heritage Cruise Holding (which recently purchased Crystal's two ocean-going cruise ships and the entire brand) were still interested in purchasing the vessel as well, with the former submitting the highest bid. Royal Caribbean had yet to confirm or deny if they had made the purchase at that time.[16]
On Monday July 18, 2022,Royal Caribbean Group announced they received court approval to buy the "ultra-luxury" megayachtCrystal Endeavor for $275 million. The company said the purchase was being made "significantly below" the cost of construction, with the purchase fully financed through a 15-year term loan. The megayacht would be renamedSilver Endeavour when it officially joined the fleet of Royal Caribbean'sSilversea Cruises.[17][18] Prior to her maiden voyage it was intended to refit the ship, but due to scheduling and supply chain issues, only minor modifications were made with venue names and signage. Following the Antarctic season several substantial changes were made to theSilver Endeavour including: converting the casino into crew cabins and an infirmary, removing the current infirmary and converting into four balcony suites, and removing the helicopter bay on Deck 8, and remodeling it into six suites, since Silversea has no plans to utilize the two helicopters that Crystal had on order for the ship.[19]
TheSilver Endeavour was christened inAntartica on November 19, 2022 by godmotherFelicity Aston MBE, a polar explorer and climate scientist. This was the first ship ever to be named in theLemaire Channel, with an ice-sculpted magnum bottle smashed against the hull.[20] The maiden voyage under Silversea was scheduled for November 28, 2022.[21]