Silversea Cruises has introduced new direct private charter flights for 28 Arctic and Greenland sailings in 2023 and 2024. In some regions of the remote Arctic, Silversea has even enlisted local high schools to facilitate with the transportation of guests aboard school buses.
Guests sailing on select Silver Endeavour, Silver Wind, and Silver Cloud voyages will benefit from a more seamless journey via London, New York, Montreal, and Oslo to some of the Arctic’s most remote destinations – such as Longyearbyen, Kangerlussuaq, Pond Inlet, and more. The latest innovation from Silversea Cruises enhances ultra-luxury cruising’s most diverse and extensive Arctic offering, which comprises 37 itineraries to over 110 destinations between 2023 and 2025.
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As part of the most complete and seamless journey to the Arctic, Silversea’s guests can enjoy private executive transfers to and from the airport. Guests opting for both Silversea’s door-to-door and port-to-port offerings will fly to the Arctic on private charter flights, with enhanced service throughout, a superior culinary offering, premium beverages, and bespoke in-flight entertainment. When required by the itinerary, overnight luxury accommodation will be included as standard with both port-to-port and door-to-door fares. Once in the Arctic, guests will be transferred to their luxury vessel rested and ready to explore.
“Building on our all-inclusive expedition offering—which is the most comprehensive in the industry—we are pleased to introduce new private charter flights to the Arctic and Greenland to enhance the seamlessness of our guests’ journeys,” said Massimo Brancaleoni, SVP Global Sales at Silversea Cruises. “Silversea is committed to innovation and we are always looking for ways to enhance the travel experience for our guests, including the pre- and post-cruise journey. Not only do we unlock the Arctic’s most remote regions with unique destination expertise and some of the most luxurious ships at sea, but we do so in unparalleled comfort and convenience.
“Complementing our private executive transfers between home and the airport, our new offering of private charter flights will allow our guests to focus on enjoying their Arctic adventure from the moment they leave their homes,” Brancaleoni said.
High school basketball team and school buses
While in Australia last month talking to travel advisors, Conrad Combrink, Silversea’s Senior Vice President of Expeditions, Tour Operating and Destination Management, detailed the operation in Pond Inlet, which Silversea is using as a turnaround point for Silver Endeavour.
Pond Inlet is a remote Inuit community at the top of Baffin Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region in the province of Nunavut, Canada, at the entrance to the Northwest Passage. To access the town, guests on the voyages will be flown into Montreal where they stay overnight. The following day, guests fly on two chartered Boeing 737s to Iqaluit where Silversea has booked out the community’s two hotels.
Comrbrink said that in Iqaluit, Silversea has recruited the high school’s basketball team, who will be luggage handlers, and is utilising school buses to transport guests to and from the airport to the hotel. The following day, six Canadian North ATR-72 turbo-props have been chartered to fly guests 2.5 hours further north to Pond Inlet. From there, guests will either walk down to the awaiting Silver Endeavour on foot, or utilise a chartered school bus.
The 10-day voyage operating roundtrip from Pond Inlet departs 10 August 2023 and is priced from AU$25,000 per guest (door-to-door) or $17,350 (port-to-port). For more info on the sailing, click here.
For more information on Silversea’s Arctic and Greenland voyages, go to silversea.com/destinations/cruises-arctic-greenland.html