MS Prince Albert II
Encyclopedia
M/V 'Silver Explorer is an expedition ship currently operated by Silversea Cruises
.
, and launched on 3 February 1989. She operated under several names before being acquired by Society Expeditions, who operated her under the names World Adventurer and World Discoverer.
She was purchased by Silversea Cruises
in autumn 2007, and underwent a multi-million pound refit at Fincantieri
, Trieste
. In June 2008, at a ceremony in Monte Carlo
attended by Prince Albert II of Monaco
, she was re-christened Prince Albert II. She then sailed to London
to embark passengers for an inaugural cruise.
Prince Albert II will be renamed Silver Explorer in late April 2011 in order to align with the fleet's other vessels which all have the word Silver in their name.
with calls at the Svalbard
archipelago, Iceland
and Greenland
. During the northern hemisphere autumn and winter, she cruises off South America
and Antarctica.
Silversea Cruises
Silversea Cruises is a luxury cruise line that operates six luxury, all-suite cruise ships that sail itineraries all around the world throughout the year. The line maintains branch offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Singapore...
.
History
The ship was built by the yards of Rauma-Repola, of Rauma, FinlandRauma, Finland
Rauma is a town and municipality of ca. inhabitants on the west coast of Finland, north of Turku, and south of Pori. Granted town privileges on May 17, 1442 , Rauma is known of its high quality lace , and of the old wooden architecture of its centre , which is a Unesco world heritage...
, and launched on 3 February 1989. She operated under several names before being acquired by Society Expeditions, who operated her under the names World Adventurer and World Discoverer.
She was purchased by Silversea Cruises
Silversea Cruises
Silversea Cruises is a luxury cruise line that operates six luxury, all-suite cruise ships that sail itineraries all around the world throughout the year. The line maintains branch offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Singapore...
in autumn 2007, and underwent a multi-million pound refit at Fincantieri
Fincantieri
Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A. is a shipbuilding company based in Trieste, Italy. It was formed in 1959 and is the largest shipbuilder in the Mediterranean, and one of the largest in Europe...
, Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
. In June 2008, at a ceremony in Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
attended by Prince Albert II of Monaco
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the head of the House of Grimaldi and the ruler of the Principality of Monaco. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and the American actress Grace Kelly...
, she was re-christened Prince Albert II. She then sailed to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to embark passengers for an inaugural cruise.
Prince Albert II will be renamed Silver Explorer in late April 2011 in order to align with the fleet's other vessels which all have the word Silver in their name.
Service
M/V Silver Explorer operates polar adventure cruises lasting between 10 and 21 days. In the summer she cruises in the Arctic CircleArctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
with calls at the Svalbard
Svalbard
Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic, constituting the northernmost part of Norway. It is located north of mainland Europe, midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The group of islands range from 74° to 81° north latitude , and from 10° to 35° east longitude. Spitsbergen is the...
archipelago, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
. During the northern hemisphere autumn and winter, she cruises off South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and Antarctica.