Press Release Published on: January 19, 2009

Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC) has completed the first phase of its most ambitious refurbishment program ever. The line’s 700-guest Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner completed dry-docks just in time to debut on their 2009 World Cruises. The refurbishment program cost approximately $40 million -- the largest investment on existing tonnage ever by RSSC. The ships’ public spaces feature new furnishings, carpeting and accents.

“Both ships have never looked better, they are nothing short of stunning,” said Mark Conroy, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “Seven Seas Voyager and Mariner each set the benchmark for ultra-luxury cruising when they were introduced. They are now setting new standards and are now undoubtedly the most beautiful vessels in the industry.”

Highlights of the refurbishment on both ships include the creation of Prime 7, a steak and seafood restaurant; the re-design of lounges and public rooms to create more spacious areas for relaxation; the creation of new lounge and dining areas around the Pool Grill; new carpeting, wallpaper, upholstery, light fixtures, and drapes in most public areas and guest suite accommodations; more casual dining options with the installation of a pizza oven and ice cream bar; and the addition of an extended coffee and snack bar area on Seven Seas Voyager, similar to the Coffee Connection on Seven Seas Mariner.

Reaction to the new look and feel of the ships has been positive from guests and travel agents alike, according to RSSC. Members of RSSC’s newly formed Regent Seven Seas Council, comprised of the line’s top-producing travel agents, last week visited Seven Seas Voyager in Los Angeles. “I have always sold RSSC to my clients with confidence,” said Greg Nacco of Cruise Specialists, a council member. “But now, with the recent refurbishment and the free shore excursions, I am even more passionate about the product. We’ve had a number of clients already return from their cruises raving about the changes.” The second phase of the refurbishment program, a similar makeover for Seven Seas Navigator, is scheduled to take place in April 2010.

For more information, contact our agency at 281-351-9150 or visit www.rssc.com

Published on: January 8, 2009

Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC) announced that free shore excursions will be included on 35 voyages as part of its new “ultra-inclusive” cruise pricing initiative. For a limited time, guests on select 2009 voyages can choose from a selection of complimentary shore excursions, a value of up to several hundred dollars per guest. Guests will also save from $5,995 to $23,250 with free airfare and two-for-one cruise fares on select 2009 voyages. “We are delighted to be able to offer our valued guests even greater value with a Regent experience that now encompasses both the ship and the destination,” said Mark Conroy, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “At a time when travelers are seeking greater value and unique vacation opportunities, we offer a spectacular array of voyages that offer more value and more luxury than ever before.”

With offers of free airfare, cruise fares that begin at $3,995 and free unlimited shore excursions, the company expects that these voyages will be in great demand. On each of the select cruises, guests can participate in at least one complimentary shore excursion in each port where excursions are offered. These excursions are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability. Guests with deposited reservations can pre-request their excursions online starting 120 days in advance of their sailing date. In addition to the free excursions, there will be a number of Regent Choice excursions that will require payment of a supplement.
Voyages featuring the included shore excursions include the Seven Seas Voyager’s Baltic cruises departing June 26, July 24, July 31, Aug. 7, Aug. 14, Aug. 21 and Aug. 28 and a seven-night Sept. 25 Mediterranean cruise from Venice to Istanbul. Complimentary shore excursions in the Baltic include an evening at the ballet, a visit to Hermitage museum, or a tour of Peterhof Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia; a walking tour and concert or a countryside fishing and lunch tour in Tallinn, Estonia; and a city tour by sea and visit to Fortress Island, or a sailing tour in Helsinki, Finland.

Also eligible for free shore excursions are the Seven Seas Navigator’s Mediterranean and Western Caribbean cruises departing July 10, July 17, July 24, July 31, Aug. 7, Aug. 14, Sept. 4, Sept. 11, Sept. 28, Oct. 16, Oct. 30, Nov. 8 and Dec. 18. Among the complimentary excursions are a visit to Pompeii or a Riviera tour from Sorrento, Italy; a tour of Ephesus from Kusadasi, Turkey; a tour of Sicily; a tour of ancient Rome from Civitavecchia, Italy; a tour of Mayan ruins and river cruise in Belize; a visit to Q’eqchi indigenous river community in Guatemala; and a stingray sandbar swim in Grand Cayman.

Free shore tours are also offered on Seven Seas Mariner’s Alaska and Asia Pacific cruises, including seven-night cruises between Vancouver and Anchorage departing June 3, June 10, June 24, July 1, July 8, July 15, Aug. 26 and Sept. 2. Other eligible departures are Sept. 16, 14 nights, Anchorage to Osaka; Oct. 1, 16 nights, Osaka to Hong Kong; Oct. 17, 15 nights, Hong Kong to Singapore; Nov. 1, 17 nights, Singapore to Sydney; Nov. 18, 14 nights, Sydney to Auckland; and Dec. 2, 19 nights, Auckland to Los Angeles. Complimentary tours include a native canoe adventure or an adventure hike to Mendenhall Glacier from Juneau; a zipline tour or a ride on the White Pass Scenic Railroad in Skagway; a sea otter and wildlife quest in Sitka; a tour of the Peace Park in Nagasaki, Japan; a full-day tour to Hanoi from Hong Gai, Vietnam; a kangaroo and koala tour in Melbourne, Australia; a Maori cultural experience in Wellington, New Zealand; and an off-road adventure in Bora Bora.

To take advantage of this offer, bookings must be made and deposited by March 31. RSSC cruises also include all-suite accommodations, gratuities, all soft drinks, premium wines and spirits, and up to four open-seating gourmet restaurants. For more information, call our agency at 281-351-9150 or visit www.rssc.com.

Silversea Cruises enhanced its Early-Booking Incentive and Advance Payment Bonus programs for voyages in 2010. The new savings are designed to reward travelers who plan, book and pay for their vacations a year early. The company’s current Early-Booking Incentive ranges from 10 to 30 percent off the published cruise fare, while the Advance Payment Bonus provides an additional 5 percent savings for guests who make full payment six months prior to sailing. Starting with voyages in 2010, the Early Booking Incentives will range from 15 to 35 percent and a new Extended Advance Payment Bonus will offer a second savings level of 15 percent for payments made in full one year prior to sailing.

“We recognize that given the current economic environment, travelers may be tempted to postpone their purchase decisions, including vacations,” said David Morris, Silversea’s executive vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. “Yet it is times like these when people are most in need of an uplifting diversion, so we want to encourage travelers by offering our best deals early. Our enhanced Advance Payment and Early Booking programs are designed to help consumers firm up their travel plans as early as possible in order to take advantage of very generous fare discounts. When guests book and pay in full a year before sailing, they can enjoy savings of up to 50 percent and better appreciate the tremendous value of an all-inclusive, ultra-luxury cruise experience. Ultimately, our goal is to reduce or eliminate the need for additional tactical promotions like our ‘Silver Sailings’ discount program.”

Silversea will announce its 2010 schedule shortly and start accepting reservations on Jan. 12, following a private presale this week to members of the company’s Venetian Society past-guest club. For guests seeking the new Extended Advance Payment Bonus on voyages departing during the first quarter of 2010, an introductory grace period will allow them to receive the 15 percent savings on top of the applicable EBI discount, provided they make full payment by March 31. For more information, call our agency at 281-351-9150, Silversea at 877-215-9986 or visit www.silversea.com.

Published on: January 7, 2009

Silversea Cruises’ new Silver Spirit will operate a 91-day “Grand Inaugural Voyage” departing on Jan. 21, 2010. The long voyage follows an 11-day “Holiday Spirit” maiden voyage sailing from Barcelona on Dec. 23, 2009, to Lisbon, and a 16-day “Maiden Crossing” departing Lisbon on Jan. 3 to Fort Lauderdale. After completing its inaugural season, Silver Spirit will spend the summer in the Mediterranean and then reposition to the Caribbean for fall and winter cruises.

The “Grand Inaugural Voyage” will sail from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles and twist back to New York. The ship will visit Rio de Janeiro in time for Carnaval, journey around the Cape Horn, explore the Mexican Riviera, transit the Panama Canal and conclude with a Statue of Liberty event in New York Harbor. The voyage will visit more than 45 ports in over 20 countries and island destinations across two continents, with overnight stays in Fort Lauderdale, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Punta Arenas, Lima, Acapulco and Los Angeles. In addition, guests on the full voyage will be invited to attend the naming ceremony, a gala dinner event on the eve of departure with accommodations aboard ship, exclusive shoreside events, and a VIP evening at the Rio Carnaval. Also included are commemorative gifts and a $2,000-per-suite onboard spending credit. A complimentary business-class air upgrade is also available for guests who purchase Silversea’s optional air program.

Silversea will begin accepting reservations on Jan. 12 (January 5 for Venetian Society Members). An area of the company’s website is now dedicated to Silver Spirit. “As the New Year begins and the construction of our new ship moves forward steadily, I am delighted we’re able to reveal some of the highlights of her much anticipated inaugural season,” said Amerigo Perasso, Silversea’s president and CEO. “When Silver Spirit sets sail, she will embody the hallmarks of Silversea’s understated elegance and distinct luxury with even more spacious suites, expansive spa facilities and enticing epicurean venues.”

Fares for the full Grand Inaugural Voyage start at $39,187 per person, double occupancy, and include “Extended Voyage Savings” of 5 percent, plus enhanced “Early Booking Incentive” and new “Extended Advance Payment Bonus” discounts applicable to voyages in 2010. (The company plans to announce more details about these new savings options shortly.) The 36,000-ton Silver Spirit will accommodate 540 guests. Ninety-five percent of the suites will feature a private veranda. The ship will boast one of the highest space-to-guest ratios at sea today, 67. The onboard décor will lend a sophisticated 1930s Art Deco ambience to the public spaces, highlights of which include an indoor/outdoor spa measuring 8,300 square feet, three whirlpools, and six dining venues including Seishin, a Japanese restaurant, and the Stars Supper Club, featuring live music, dancing and nightclub-style entertainment. A new full-color, 36-page brochure showcasing Silver Spirit’s inaugural season will be available in the coming weeks. Contact your travel agent or Silversea at 877-215-9986 or visit www.silversea.com.

Published on: December 11, 2008

Silversea Cruises has just put the finishing touches on a multimillion-dollar renovation of Silver Wind. Undertaken over the past month during a dry-dock at the San Giorgio shipyard in Genoa, Italy, the refurbishment of Silver Wind included a refreshed décor with touches of natural cherry wood, russet and golden tones. A centerpiece of the project was the addition of a 60-seat Observation Lounge, spa, beauty salon and fitness center on the forward section of Deck 9, altering the ship’s exterior appearance with floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap around the new space. A new two-floor, glass-enclosed elevator was also installed connecting Decks 8 and 9.

“We’re delighted with the results of this major renovation,” said Amerigo Perasso, Silversea president and CEO. “Silver Wind has a refreshed look and feel, yet the ship retains her elegance and charm throughout. The company has made an important investment to bring this vessel in line with the style and design themes that are planned for our new ship, Silver Spirit, currently under construction. With these enhancements, our guests are sure to enjoy a renewed sense of luxury and comfort aboard Silver Wind. Despite the challenging economic environment, our company is showing a strong commitment with this important investment. This is clearly a difficult and unpredictable time and while our business is not immune, we have the strength of our assets, brand and management team that position us well in the long term.”

Accommodating 298 guests, Silver Wind’s 149 ocean-view suites range in size from 240 to 1,314 square feet with 80 percent now featuring a private veranda. Suite modifications include four of the always-in-demand Silver Suites added on Deck 8, an Owner’s Suite with a connecting second-bedroom suite added on Deck 7, one Medallion Suite added on Deck 7, one Vista Suite added on Deck 7, fixed queen beds in larger suites have been replaced with convertible twin-to-queen beds, custom-built TV cabinets added to all Vista and Veranda Suites and new flat-screen TVs. All suites also received new sofas, armchairs, desks, vanity, night tables, headboard, carpets, drapes and bed coverings. The bathrooms were updated with new fixtures, bathtubs, new marble countertops, walls and flooring.

The new spa, which encompasses the beauty salon and fitness center, occupies over 650 additional square feet following the renovation. The expanded spa features a reception area, four massage rooms, one body treatment room, one dry sauna and one steam sauna. The new fitness center includes a body-building room and separate aerobics room, both offering ocean views. Other ship enhancements include new upholstery, curtains, wall treatments, carpets and/or flooring in the restaurants, public lounges, lobbies, stairs and corridors. The first guests to experience the Silver Wind enhancements are sailing on a Dec. 2 Las Palmas-to-Cape Town cruise, an 18-day voyage calling in the Cape Verde Islands, Dakar, Banjul, Bom Bom Island and Walvis Bay. For more information, call 877-215-9986 or visit http://www.silversea.com.