Press Release: Silversea Cruises
December 1, 2000
NAPLES, Italy -- At the Relais & Chateaux 2000 Congress, ultra-luxury cruise line Silversea Cruises and international
boutique hotel association Relais & Chateaux yesterday announced plans for an exclusive alliance featuring
a signature collection of land programs, culinary cruises, and reciprocal marketing benefits. This partnership
between the world's leading small ship cruise line and the association of the world's most intimate and distinctive
hotels and restaurants is unparalleled in the hospitality world, bringing together two of the most internationally
lauded travel entities to create unique and memorable experiences for today's luxury traveler.
It is the customized collection of pre- and post-cruise land programs linking some of Relais & Chateaux's worldwide
properties together with Silversea's global itineraries that really sets this partnership apart. Discussions are
currently underway and plans for developing these specially tailored land programs will be a main focus of the
Silversea/Relais & Chateaux relationship in 2001.
A cornerstone of the alliance will also be the culinary program found aboard the ships of Silversea featuring the
critically acclaimed chefs of Relais Chateaux - Relais Gourmands. Rising stars of the culinary world will join
Silversea's award-winning team of chefs to offer entertaining and educational cooking demonstrations, host shopping
tours in local markets around the world (where feasible), and create La Collection du Monde, a sampling of specialty
dishes to be featured regularly on all Silversea cruises. Additionally, visiting chefs will showcase the favorite
dishes from their respective Relais & Chateaux - Relais Gourmands restaurants the world over.
The final element of the alliance involves reciprocal partnership benefits to Silversea cruise guests and Relais
& Chateaux hotel guests. Special value- added programs have been developed to provide Silversea Venetian Society
(past guest club) members with special value and recognition when they book their stays at select Relais &
Chateaux properties. Similarly, guests of select Relais & Chateaux hotels will receive special value and recognition
aboard Silversea's ultra-luxury ships.
``This relationship was a natural for us and we are thrilled to be the only cruise line to partner with this special
association,'' said Silversea President and C.O.O. Bill Smith. ``The Silversea cruise guest and the Relais &
Chateaux hotel guest share a singular passion for collecting unique personal experiences that take them away from
the crowd and off the beaten path. This partnership opens up a world of new opportunities to create customized
land and sea programs for today's discerning traveler.''
``We couldn't have dreamt up a better association than with Silversea Cruises, which is the epitome of fine living
and dining,'' said Relais & Chateaux President Regis Bulot. Comprised of 452 independently owned hotels and
restaurants in 47 countries around the world, Relais & Chateaux is widely recognized as the mark of excellence
for fine boutique establishments providing outstanding service in a refined and yet, comfortable atmosphere. Membership
is denoted by the emblem of a fleur de lys, signifying a commitment to excellence which unites each and every property
as outlined in the Relais & Chateaux Quality Charter, also known as the five C's -- Character, Charm, Calm,
Courtesy and Cuisine.
``The member properties of Relais & Chateaux share a belief that charm has no price, and we agree,'' said Smith.
``Charm is not something that can be bought, it is an intangible by-product created by blending casual elegance,
intimate atmosphere, tranquility, and the enjoyment of gourmet food and wine in an unassuming environment. This
is the experience we create for our guests, and we look forward to working with Relais & Chateaux to continue
infusing these ideals into all aspects of select pre- and post-cruise hotels stays and land programs.''
Setting the culinary standard for Relais & Chateaux are the Relais Gourmands, 125 member restaurants all prestigiously
rated by Michelin -- many located in member hotels. From the 100-year-old culinary heritage of 34-room Auberge
du Pere Bise in the Savioe region of France, to Restaurant Gualtiero Marchesi located in the ancient manor L'Albereta
in Italy's Alpine forelands, the settings and culinary creations of the Relais Gourmands is without compare.
Relais & Chateaux properties are known for offering a unique and authentic experience -- imaginative cuisine
and charming surroundings that incorporate indigenous elements of local culture and custom and provide a meaningful
and memorable encounter for their well-traveled guests. Similarly Silversea guests want to savor the finer things
in life, but in their own time, on their own schedule, not walking to the beat of any drum but their own. Providing
guests with programs and personalized services that cater to individual needs is a hallmark of the Silversea experience.
Aboard Silversea, the tangibles of ultra-luxury travel -- Christofle silver, Frette bed linens monogrammed with
the Silversea logo, soft down pillows and Bvlgari bath amenities -- are subtly blended with an intangible at-your-service
atmosphere that caters to satisfying a guest's every desire, 24-hours a day. Whether guests crave champagne and
caviar on their private veranda, or an elegant dinner served course-by-course in the intimacy of their suite, they
will experience the impeccable service, attention to detail and refined luxury that have earned the line the industry's
highest praise.
Silversea's elegant all-suite ships navigate the world's most intimate waterways and explore the world's most exotic
destinations. The line's far- reaching itineraries include the sun-washed Mediterranean; the imperial grandeur
of Northern Europe; Africa, India and the Red Sea; the South Pacific including Australia and New Zealand, the fabled
Far East; the colorful cities of South America; and the autumn beauty of the Canadian and New England coastline.
In 2001, Silversea will also feature its first-ever World Cruise, a 126-day journey from Los Angeles to London,
from January through May.
Silversea's all-inclusive, value-priced air/sea fares, by far the most comprehensive in the industry, feature:
roundtrip economy air transportation with upgrades to First and Business Class available; deluxe pre-cruise hotel
accommodations; all beverages including an extensive collection of wines, spirits and champagne; all port charges;
all transfers and porterage; and a special shoreside event, ``The Silversea Experience,'' on select sailings.
For a complimentary Silversea brochure, please dial (800) 774-9996. View our worldwide itineraries, take a virtual
tour of the ship and plan a cruise online at www.silversea.com.
SOURCE: Silversea Cruises