Silversea reports new-to-brand boost as it releases 2025 World Cruise
Silversea Cruises has reported a surge of new-to-brand customers booking for its sailings as it put its 2025 World Cruise on sale.
For the new round-the-world itinerary, the line has replaced the 392-passenger Silver Whisper with the larger Silver Dawn. The 596-passenger ship launched in spring this year.
The Controtempo World Cruise 2025, from Tokyo to New York, lasts 136 days and calls into 59 destinations.
UK and Ireland managing director Peter Shanks told a Travel Weekly webcast today the line was “in the market” for passengers who wished to cruise around the world in “a larger ship”.
He said: “We’re seeing people coming to us for the first time, which is clearly a great opportunity for our agent partners.”
Shanks said 50% of Silversea’s current sales were new to the line, up from 40% pre-Covid.
“We thought it would be our [past guests] coming back,” he said, adding: “We’ve been pleasantly surprised over the last 12 months that 50% of our guests are new to Silversea.”
Asked where the new customers were coming from, he explained how he believed agents were “trading up” customers from regular cruises who recognised the “value” of all-inclusive as well as space and comfort.
“They want a bit more space around the pool, they want more space in restaurants,” he said. “And that’s what’s ultra-luxury cruise lines deliver.”
He added agents with customers who go on safari were the “perfect audience” to talk to about cruises in Asia, the Galapagos, the Arctic or Antarctica.
Shanks pointed out Silversea was “the only cruise line that actually went round the world in 2022” before adding the world cruises in 2023 and 2024 were both sold out.
The Controtempo World Cruise features 19 ports of call that have not been included a world itinerary by Silversea before, such as Kagashima, Naha and Beppu, all Japan; Naples, Italy; and Greek ports Thessaloniki and Volos.
Shanks said the 2025 world cruise is priced from £70,000.
He estimates the wider 2024-25 programme, released last week, is “54%” larger in size, thanks to its 341 itineraries, compared with the line’s 2020 programme.
On Silversea’s 2024-25 programme, Shanks added: “It’s a magnificent programme. The biggest ever with nearly 700 destinations.
“We’re maintain that policy of its all about the destination. We don’t do track itineraries that go round and round the same itinerary. Week after week, every one’s different.”
He went on to say that “15% to 20%” of bookings for Silversea’s cruises were from customers who were combining “more than one sailing”.
“They want to be away for longer,” he explained. “From a travel agent perspective, it’s a better booking value for the guests and in terms of the amount of commission they earn.”
Find more about the Controtempo World Cruise 2025