One of the world’s most luxurious new cruise ships, Silversea Cruises’ flagship Silver Spirit, which joined the fleet just over 12 months ago, is set to visit Singapore for the first time in April 2011, as part of her inaugural 119-day World Cruise, began in Los Angeles, USA.

Sailing from Bangkok, Thailand, the 540-guest, all-suite Silver Spirit will arrive in Singapore on 3 April 2011, docking at 08.00. A plaque exchange will take place at 11:00 aboard the ship with Silversea Captain Sangiacomo and Singapore Tourism Board.

Guests will spend one day exploring the sights and cultural attractions of Singapore, before departing at 18.00 for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as part of a longer voyage returning the ship to Southampton,UK.

To arrive in Singapore is to step into a world where the call to prayer competes with the bustle of capitalism; where old men play mah-jong in the streets and white-clad bowlers send the ball flying down well-tended cricket pitches; where Chinese fortune-tellers and high-priced management consultants advise the same entrepreneur. This great diversity of lifestyles, cultures, and religions thrives within the framework of a well-ordered society.Singaporeis a spotlessly clean, modern metropolis surrounded by green, groomed parks and is populated by 4.6 million well-mannered regulated people, including many foreigners.

At the southern foot of the island is Singapore city, with its gleaming office towers and working docks. Of Singapore's total land area; more than half is built up, with the balance made up of parkland, farmland, plantations, swamp areas, and forest. Well-paved roads connect all parts of the island, and Singapore city has an excellent public transportation system.

The heart of Singapore's history and its modern wealth are in Colonial Singapore. The area stretches from the skyscrapers in the financial district to the 19th-century Raffles Hotel and from the super modern convention centers of Marina Squareto the Singapore History Museum and Fort.Canning.

Steve Odell, Silversea’s Senior Vice President Asia Pacific commented: “We are delighted to be introducing our beautiful new flagship to Singapore. The Art Deco-inspired Silver Spirit sets new standards in luxury cruising and guests onboard will enjoy an unmatched level of pampering and personalised service. Singapore is one of the port highlights of this sector of the World Cruise and we know that our guests will relish the chance to explore this beautiful city.”

Built in the Fincantieri Shipyard in Ancona, Italy, Silver Spirit was designed by architect Giacomo Mortola ofGenoa,Italy. At 36,000 tons, the vessel has a length of 198.5 metres, a width of 26.2 metres and a draft of 6.2 metres. 376 European officers and European-trained international staff are onboard, providing a guest-to-crew ratio of 1.4 to 1, and guests enjoy one of the highest space-to-guest ratios in the industry today, with 6700 cubic feet of space per guest.

Over its eight decks, Silver Spirit offers the distinctive luxuries and celebrated lifestyle of other Silversea ships, plus new enhancements including glamorous Stars Supper Club dishing up tapas-style cuisine and live jazz; Asian-fusion restaurant Seishin; a 8,300-square-foot spa offering pampering and the latest Medi-Spa treatments; a resort-style pool with four whirlpools, and the largest suites in the Silversea fleet, 95 per cent with private teak verandas.

Guests enjoy the personalised service of a butler assigned to every suite; complimentary beverages, wines and spirits served throughout the ship; 24 hour room service; stocked in-suite beverage cabinet, and all gratuities. There are numerous onboard activities to enjoy including an enrichment programme with fascinating speakers, from marine biologists and archaeologists to art historians and eminent broadcast journalists.

This second leg of the full World Cruise takes in ports in the Far East, the Middle East and the Mediterranean, finishing in Southampton, UKon 19 May. As well as Singapore, Silver Spirit’s inaugural world tour will include calls at Malaysia (4-5 April); Phuket in Southern Thailand (6 April); Sri Lanka (9 April); India (11-14 April); Oman (20 April); Egypt (26 April- 1 May); Greece (3 May); Italy (5-7 May); Monaco (8 May); Spain (9-12 May); Portugal (14 May); Channel Islands (18 May).

About Silversea Cruises

Silversea Cruises is recognised as an innovator in the luxury cruise line industry, offering guests large-ship amenities aboard its intimate, all-suite vessels: Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper and Silver Spirit – all designed to offer an atmosphere of conviviality and casual elegance. With the inclusion of the regal expedition ship Prince Albert II, Silversea Cruises’ itineraries encompass all seven continents and feature worldwide luxury cruises to the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Asia, Caribbean, Antarctica and theArctic and over 400 fascinating destinations in between.

In the U.S., Silversea has been voted "World's Best" by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler (nine times) and Travel + Leisure (seven times), and rated Number-One luxury cruise line by high-net-worth consumers in the 2008 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI). International awards include "Best Innovation in Products and Services" from the Italian Innovazione Marketing Oggi Awards (2009); "World's Leading Small Ships Cruise Line" from World Travel Awards (2009); "Five Star Diamond Award" from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (2010); "Number One" small-ship line in the Readers' Choice survey conducted by Britain's Condé Nast Traveller magazine (2010); "Best Luxury Cruise Line" Excellence Award by Spain's Cruise News Media Group (2009); "Best Luxury Cruise Line" by Australia's Luxury Travel & Style Magazine (2010); and "Best Luxury Cruise Operator" according to Travel Weekly China (2010).

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