Latest news with #Silversea
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Travel + Leisure
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Travel + Leisure
This Luxury Ship Feels Like a Stunning Mediterranean Resort, With a Gorgeous Pool Deck and Top-notch Cuisine
The ship's overall light and airy ambience, which puts the focus on what's happening outdoors. Top-end suites equipped with wraparound balconies and private whirlpools. A culinary program that brings local tastes and libations on board, through menus, cooking classes, and themed cocktails. Sustainability features include the use of cleaner-burning liquefied natural gas, or LNG. With the Spanish city of Cadiz in full view, I was gleefully dancing around an expansive, resort-like pool deck like it was the 1980s. A live British band was playing George Michael, the Eurythmics, Tears for Fears, and even David Bowie. I only wished I had packed bigger shoulder pads. When I took a break, it was for sips of complimentary Champagne because this was no high-end night club but rather a luxury cruise ship—one that offers all its amenities as part of the package. Want your butler to deliver caviar with all the trimmings? You got it. In fact, my butler thoughtfully added a bottle of Champagne. Or you might ask for a trendy cocktail to sip with endless views. Or you could ask for the surf and turf, embellished with foie gras—or get some fantastic vegan cuisine. Whatever your version of excess and decadence might be, odds are good you can find it on the over-the-top Silver Ray , a 364-cabin ship with a crew of 544. Like its sibling vessel, Silver Nova , which debuted in 2023, Silver Ray is one of the largest operated by Silversea, the luxury line. Still, it's comparatively small by cruise standards, with a distinctive design that emphasizes views of the gorgeous coastlines this ship tends to frequent. My take? The Ray is big enough to not feel crowded, with places to get away and pretend you're on your own yacht. There is also beauty at every turn: a stunning pool on one side of the ship, open-air dining areas, plush fabrics that make you mushy with delight. While on board for a four-day preview cruise in Portugal and Spain, I relished in the niceties and appreciated the less-formal atmosphere on board. Opportunities to indulge aside, this ship is a more comfortable approach to luxury cruising. Like DeBarge sang in the 1980s: 'I Like It.' You really can't go wrong: every suite on Silver Ray has a veranda and butler service. Entry-level accommodations start at 301 square feet, large enough to feel like a nice hotel room, with a table and chairs on the veranda, a walk-in closet, and a marble bathroom with either a large glass shower with a sitting bench or a glass shower and separate tub. The minibar is stocked, the Egyptian cotton bedding is from Milan's Rivolta Carmignani, and the pillow menu has several choices, including hypoallergenic options. If money is no object, the best digs are two aft-facing Otium Suites, which clock in at 1,324 square feet, each with a 421-square-foot wraparound veranda with private whirlpool. La Terrazza. Courtesy of Silversea Cruises Food is part of the pampering, and so are free drinks. There are eight restaurants on board, and while many are free, reservations are recommended. I was a fan of the Italian restaurant, La Terrazza, which introduced a new menu of contemporary Italian cuisine while I was on board. The S.A.L.T. Restaurant, named for Silversea's culinary program Sea and Land Taste, has an ever-changing approach that tailors menus to the destinations the ship is visiting. I was impressed by the Cadiz menu on offer when we were visiting that Spanish city. The Marquee is a pergola-topped, open-air casual venue serving things like pizza and salads. For me, one highlight was the S.A.L.T. Chef's Table, a tasting-menu experience that was limited to 18 guests. Mine was 11 courses of exquisite bites such as a confit of piquillo peppers and salt cod topped with burnt onion, accompanied by the stories of João Sá, who has garnered a Michelin star for his Lisbon restaurant, Sála. Though Chef's Table comes at a hefty additional charge, I thought it was well worth it. The S.A.L.T. Chef's Table. Courtesy of Silversea Cruises Also at extra cost are a Japanese restaurant, Kaiseki, and La Dame, which offers both a classic French menu and a new tasting menu by French chef Jean-Luc Rabanel, who is known for vegetable-forward, Michelin-star gastronomy. (I found it odd, then, that the ship-board menu was heavy on meat.) The S.A.L.T. Bar, with indoor and outdoor seating, was serving Spanish gin and other local beverages on our sailing and became my go-to among several lounge choices. The outdoor terrace of the Panorama Lounge is another good option. For a pick-me-up or quick meal, I really enjoyed Arts Café, which has perfectly foamy lattes and vegan tofu breakfast sandwiches, among other selections. Silver Ray is sailing in the Mediterranean for much of 2025, with trips that range from 6 to 16 nights, many of them hitting the big cruise cities of Barcelona, Civitavecchia (near Rome), Lisbon, and Monte Carlo. The ship heads to Fort Lauderdale in mid-November for the 2026 Caribbean season, before returning to Europe in late March. Fares include a shore excursion in every port, though they tend to be straightforward: a visit to a famous palace, a guided stroll through a city center. I opted for a couple of the at-extra-cost offerings that are part of the S.A.L.T. program. One was a tour of the westernmost vineyard in Europe, Casal de Santa Maria, where I found myself sipping wine and slurping oysters with Baron Nicholas von Bruemmer, whose Latvian grandfather founded the place. The Silver Ray pool deck. Courtesy of Silversea Cruises The chic pool deck is a focal point for the whole ship, surrounded by two decks of open space with fabulous views. There's a cushy lounge chair for everyone and, as I mentioned, room to dance too. Elsewhere, at the ship's Roman-inspired Otium Spa, I indulged in a soothing and energizing four-technique massage. In between treatments and dips in the spa's small hydrotherapy pool, you can sip champagne. At a cooking class in the S.A.L.T. Lab, I learned to make Portuguese cream tarts (though not, alas, Lisbon's famous pastéis de nata ). Otium Spa. Courtesy of Silversea Cruises A lively group fills the ship's small casino. Jazz fans head to the supper club for small bites served with a dose of Cole Porter. And those who find shopping for vintage Hermes and Chanel bags a form of entertainment will find that option onboard, too. In the impressive, two-story show lounge, singers and dancers perform and you can also catch a lecture. Silversea says kids are welcome as long as they're older than 6 months, but the vibe on board is pretty adult: there's no kids' pool, no kids' club, no babysitting offered. That being said, the ship has an assortment of connecting suites, including a two-bedroom Master Suite that connects for up to six guests. Silver Ray has four wheelchair accessible Premium Veranda Suites and two, larger wheelchair accessible Silver Suites. Public areas of the ship are accessible, and crew can provide assistance on the rare occasions that ports require stairs (rather than ramps) to disembark. I also noticed braille signage in public rooms, staterooms, and in elevators—which is something not all cruise ships have.
Travel Weekly
7 days ago
- Travel Weekly
A satisfying extended taste of Tallinn with Silversea Cruises
TALLINN, Estonia -- I zoomed down the street, carefully skirting the edge of Rannamagi, a lush green space straddling the old and new parts of town. It was my second day here, and after a full 24 hours spent soaking up the history on a walking tour and meandering around the medieval cobblestone streets of Old Town, it was time to explore the more modern side of the Baltic capital. When I woke up that morning, I had no solid plans on the best way to do that. But that was the beauty of the Silversea cruise I was on, a uniquely immersive sailing on the Silver Dawn that spent multiple days in each port, which gave me the chance to be spontaneous. It was at breakfast, looking out over the city while enjoying a strong cappuccino and a crispy hash brown, that my plan came into focus: We were going to rent scooters. The idea had come from one of our servers who had done the same the day before and highly recommended it. Crew members would often leave the ship to explore, and trading anecdotes became a favorite pastime over our week onboard. I never felt rushed over the two full days we spent here or in any other city we visited, a novelty considering most cruises spend just a few hours in each port. That was by design. "Overnights and multiday port stays create opportunities for deeper exploration. It also allows for more flexibility in how guests explore -- whether through in-depth excursions, relaxed independent exploration or a mix of both," said Walter Barinaga, the senior director of destination management at Silversea Cruises. "We believe it's an authentic, enriching way to travel and aligns with the expectations of our guests today." The colorful streets of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town in Tallinn, Estonia. Photo Credit: Alison Fox Putting free time to use Daytrips may still be the norm industrywide, but longer port stops and overnights are becoming more common. Cruise lines like Azamara, for example, make it a point to build evening experiences into their sailings. For Silversea, travelers are more likely to find overnight stops on Grand Voyages and World Cruises. (Our trip was a segment of a world cruise, which can be booked separately from the entire voyage.) These trips, Barinaga said, are "designed to offer a slower, more immersive experience and bring guests closer to the destination." That day in Tallinn, we took the complimentary shuttle into town, selected a couple of scooters and zoomed off toward Telliskivi, an art-centric neighborhood just outside of the Unesco World Heritage-listed Old Town. We spent hours browsing the stalls at the multilevel Balti Jaam Market, sampling chocolates and marzipan and hopping around the once-industrial area now teeming with energy. Once back on the ship, we indulged in a late lunch on the pool deck, taking one last look at Tallinn before heading off toward Stockholm. Colorful flowers come to life in Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens during spring. Photo Credit: Alison Fox We had started our journey in Copenhagen, where we spent two full days enjoying the rides at Tivoli Gardens, marveling at the colorful buildings of Nyhavn and sampling beer at the Carlsberg brewery. We had sailed to Helsinki and Tallinn before finally ending the week in Sweden with a flaky, cinnamon bun-fueled fika, loading up on sweets in a pastel-hued Swedish candy store and collecting coasters in discontinued prints at a pop-up Ikea museum as souvenirs. In each city, we would take our time, only heading back to the ship when we were hungry for dinner or too tired to continue. There is plenty to do on the Silver Dawn from trivia and bingo to watercolor classes. Photo Credit: Alison Fox Painting and pampering Onboard, we delighted in creative smoke-bubble cocktails, competed in trivia, tried our hand at watercolor painting inspired by the cities we visited and indulged in silky bowls of aglio e olio, truffle popcorn and endless caviar -- it became a running joke we had to order the delicacy on something at least once each day. Over the course of the week, we learned how to cook local dishes like karbonade with a velvety mushroom sauce in the S.A.L.T. Lab (Silversea's Sea and Land Taste program) and were pampered endlessly by our butler, who delivered canapes to our room and even insisted on cleaning my sister's glasses when he noticed they were foggy. In the end, the ship felt like the best of both worlds, becoming the ultimate luxury, floating five-star hotel we could hop on and off as we pleased, with the added benefit of visiting multiple destinations -- and only having to unpack once. When asked if there were plans to expand these overnight offerings, Barinaga was coy: "We are continually evaluating our destination experiences to ensure we offer the most enriching offerings to our guests."
Forbes
07-06-2025
- Forbes
Silversea Cruises Comes Ashore To Bring Music To Ancient Aegean Ruins
For cruise ship lines, providing an outstanding passenger experience on-board is job one. Because of this focus, shore excursions are typically handed off to trusted vendors, who pick up the passengers near the dock and transport them to the bus tour, bike ride, restaurant tasting, museum or other activity. But sometimes, cruise companies put together their own special events for guests. We experienced this on in an ancient amphitheater on the west coast of Anatolia, modern-day Turkey. Silversea put on a concert and special event for its passengers at the ancient city of Ephesus that blended the best in ancient and modern culture. At the end of April, my wife and I took a Silversea Aegean cruise from Athens to some storied outposts of Greek civilization, including Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos and Ephesus on the Turkish coast. I had been somewhat concerned about visiting Turkey with the turmoil in the Middle East but felt secure on our one-day visit. Ephesus is on the west coast of the Turkish mainland, about 11 miles from the present-day resort and port town of Kusadasi, the 'place of birds.' Ephesus is considered one of the most significant archeological sites in the world. Once a thriving port city, Ephesus is thought to have been originally settled around 1200 BCE, towards the end of the Bronze age. From its Greek founding to its Roman take-over, its thousands of meters of stone blocks, column and tiles tell a compelling story of families and empires rising and falling. A walk along its long stone road takes you past the Library of Celsus, a well-preserved library with a reconstructed façade (no books, of course), and the Roman Temple of Hadrian from the 2nd century, put back together from fragments. Ephesus is primarily known as a Ionian Greek city, but it was later conquered and rebuilt by the Romans. For many years a major city in Asia Minor, Ephesus was an important city for early Christianity, as the apostle Paul's 'Epistle to the Ephesians' I found the Terrace Houses, a complex of six Roman residences, fascinating. The wealthy homes were unrestored, but the unearthed mosaics and frescos were beautiful. Excavations showed that Ephesus boasted two agoras, one as a marketplace, the other for state business. Ephesus also includes the remains of the Temple of Artemis (or Diana) a huntress and goddess of fertility. The temple was built by Croesus, famed for his wealth, about 550 BCE. This Greek and later Roman temple was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World for its enormous size and magnificent artwork. It was destroyed by invading Goths in 262 and never rebuilt. The area also includes the Basilica of St. John, believed to be the burial site of St. John the Apostle, and the Virgin Mary's House, thought to be the last residence of Mary. The ancient city also had a Great Theater on the slope of Mt. Pion. The theater was 100 feet high and held up to 25,000 people. Much of the theatre survives. If you look at it, then close your eyes, you can imagine actors on the stage, a gladiator battle, or even the Apostle Paul, preaching to the Ephesians condemning pagan worship. We spent four hours on an expertly-guided tour of the area during the day, dodging the occasional stray cats and dogs. The Ephesus Museum just outside the excavated city held many of the artistic and sculptural treasures salvaged from the ruins, kept safe from local tombaroli inside. As part of our tour we walked by the Odeon of Ancient Ephesus, also known as the Small Theater, without paying too much attention. What we did not realize that the Odeon would be the site of a classical concert, staged by Silversea under the stars and amongst the ruins. After the tour, we had a couple of hours on the ship. We were running late for our show, but as in exclusive restaurants, the managers would adjust the dining schedule to accommodate guests. We arrived late for dinner at 6:40PM as we had to run out for the Silversea concert at Ephesus at 7PM. Nonetheless, the crew managed to feed us a mahi-mahi and a healthy stuffed cabbage along with a beautiful Caprese salad. Well-fed, we disembarked to the buses with our fellow 21st century voyagers. We returned to the ancient city as the light started to fail. In the ruins of Ephesus, well-dressed 21st century passengers departed from their advanced cruise ship, equipped with the most modern technology for navigation and passenger comfort. They were guided by Silversea employees to a spot for a photograph that would later be presented to them as a beautiful print. A few steps away Silversea crew had set up a red-carpet reception with wine and snacks. After we drank and walked among the ruins, we were ushered into the Odeon. The intimate crowd of about 100 fit snugly on the lower level of an amphitheater built for 1500. The Odeon was built in the 2nd Century for musical events and meetings of the aristocratic council. We sat on the stone benches in the gathering darkness, like audiences had for 19 centuries. In front of the steeply raked seats, a group of smartly-dressed musicians from Turkey played the music of another century, the greatest hits of Beethoven, Mozart, Vivaldi and other classical composers. Flickering candles revealed the shapes of columns and stone walls as they provided light for the intimate concert in the ancient city. 'At Silversea, we're focused on creating memorable experiences that let our guests explore the world in new and exciting ways,' says Bert Hernandez, president of Silversea. 'Whether it's exploring historic sites or enjoying exclusive events through our unique land programs, our broad land experience offerings bring guests closer to the heart of every destination.' The concert was romantic and special. In the chill of the evening, we held hands and headed back to the ship, lost in our thoughts.
Tatler Asia
05-06-2025
- Tatler Asia
What makes Antarctica a Heaven at the end of the Earth?
The next day, we boarded a business-class flight with Antarctic Airways bound for King George Island: just two hours long, though the view below suggested a far rougher alternative. As we soared above the choppy seas, cruise ships below bobbed wildly, their passengers doubtless wishing they had chosen the sky route. As our 'penguin plane' began its descent, the first glimpse of Antarctica was nothing short of cinematic. Sunlight glinted off monumental icebergs beneath a piercingly clear blue sky. Mountains stood swathed in snow, overseeing a ragged, ice-bitten coastline. Having grown up on the stories of heroic (and sometimes tragic) explorers such as Scott of the Antarctic, I found it hard not to be moved. The word 'Arctic' is rooted in the Greek arktos , meaning bear—a neat mnemonic, as the Arctic is home to polar bears while Antarctica is not. Yet the southern pole holds its own distinctions: it spans 8% of the Earth's land mass, shelters 26 quadrillion tonnes of ice, contains 70% of the planet's fresh water, and sees record temperatures plummet to -93°C, with gales reaching speeds of 320 km/h. And of course, it's the realm of penguins. It is the coldest, highest, driest and windiest continent on Earth, so it's little wonder that barely a sliver of humanity has ever set foot there. From the fur traders and whalers of the 19th century to the fortunate few of today, fewer than a million souls have traversed this otherworldly expanse. King George Island is home to Antarctica's largest settlement, a small 'metropolis' of 150 inhabitants. For a continent nearly twice the size of Australia, it's a sobering reminder of just how remote we truly are. This icy outpost also hosts a band of charmingly mischievous, slightly aromatic, endearingly clumsy penguins—nature's most entertaining welcoming committee. They're the first to greet us as we step off the plane onto the waiting Zodiac, en route to the Silver Endeavour, our sun-drenched floating haven for the days ahead. Read more: Shy escapes: 9 quiet destinations for introverts who love to travel With capacity for just 160 guests and a dedicated crew of 200, the Silver Endeavour is a ship purpose-built for the poles—and indisputably the most luxurious of its kind afloat. That much was clear the moment Terrence, our impeccably mannered Filipino butler, whisked us to our suite on the eighth floor. Spacious enough to rival any city hotel, it came with an added flourish: humpback whales gliding past just beyond the private veranda. The suite itself was all understated opulence—cool marble in the bathroom, an elegant dining area, a plush sitting room, and a king-sized bed facing sweeping views through floor-to-ceiling windows. A fridge brimming with champagne and fine vintages completed the picture, all courtesy of Silversea's generous all-inclusive approach. Above Silversea Cruises' Silver Endeavour, purpose-built for polar voyages Onboard, a stellar expedition team awaited—leading scientists and researchers in disciplines as diverse as marine biology and glaciology. Each briefing was delivered with precision: maintain a respectful five-metre distance from wildlife, leave absolutely no trace, and follow strict disinfection protocols at every embarkation and return. Captain Kai Ukkonen, a genial Finn with decades of polar experience, welcomed us warmly. Then came a rousing declaration from Expedition Leader Jamie Watt: 'The adventure begins here, at the end of the world. Awaken your inner penguin and bring the Discovery films to life.' And he was right. What followed over the next six days was, quite simply, the most extraordinary voyage of our lives. Read more: The oldest restaurants in Asia: Where every meal is a taste of living history Within just 20 minutes of setting sail for Charlotte Bay, we were graced by two enormous humpback whales, each as heavy as five adult African elephants, surfacing just metres from our balcony. Their breath—a deep whoosh like a great leather bellows—echoed through the icy silence. It was a moment so mesmerising, so pure, it brought out the wide-eyed child in us all. Happily, their numbers in the Southern Ocean have rebounded to 110,000, more than before the onset of commercial whaling. Above A humpback whale makes a surprise appearance Each day began with a Zodiac cruise. After donning our gear, we would stop by the boot room. Silversea thoughtfully provides heated air vents to dry and warm footwear between outings. One morning took us to within 20 metres of a pod of humpbacks; another saw us meet the famously social chinstrap, gentoo and Adélie penguins. On the craggy shoreline of an abandoned Argentine research station, flanked by sheer cliffs, every surface was liberally coated in guano. But the scent was soon eclipsed by the absurd joy of penguin antics: slipping, tumbling, waddling along their icy 'highways', jostling each other and flinging themselves into icy puddles. They are, in every way, comedy in feathers. Above The Silver Endeavour's cosy interiors offer the comforts of a luxury resort, even at the ends of the Earth On other days, our Zodiac drifted through vast, glacial fjords in near-total silence—disturbed only by the eerie crack of ice fracturing off ancient glaciers. These thunderous ruptures, sudden and theatrical, occasionally sent small tsunami-like waves our way, leaving us both exhilarated and on edge, glancing nervously for signs of a 40-tonne humpback surfacing nearby. Our first steps on the Antarctic continent took place at Neko Harbour, a pristine amphitheatre of ice, home to hundreds of gentoo penguin pairs nestled into snow. We climbed gently uphill, passing Weddell seals snoozing in the cold, while giant storm petrels and polar skuas circled above. The latter are formidable hunters, and the Antarctic cycle of survival revealed its harshest face when we watched two skuas snatch a penguin egg. The distressed cry of the mother still echoes—a visceral reminder of nature's rawest realities. Above Stunning views from the Silver Endeavour In the days that followed, we met titanic elephant seals, some weighing up to four tonnes, lounging on ice floes before inelegantly flopping into the sea. More ominous were the killer whales—sleek, black, and hunting in disciplined pods like silent submarines. One passenger managed to capture a shocking moment on camera: a seal hurled metres into the air by these apex predators. Thankfully, the surrounding waters are meticulously tested to ensure they're safe before a few fearless guests attempt the infamous 'polar plunge'—a headfirst dive into the icy deep, secured by rope just in case nerves get the better of them mid-swim. Above Explore the icy waters of Antarctica After each invigorating outing, the ship awaited like an old friend. A martini or caipirinha in hand, we prepared for dinner at one of the ship's three impeccable restaurants. The cuisine was consistently sublime. A bowl of cacio e pepe, for instance, rivalled anything I'd sampled in Rome just weeks before. No mean feat at the edge of the Earth. The most transcendent moments often involved the icebergs: colossal ones the size of football pitches drifted past like frozen cathedrals, while smaller bergs, floating serenely in luminous aquamarine pools, provided peaceful perches for weary penguins. On our penultimate morning, we awoke to what could easily be mistaken for a digitally rendered dreamscape: the entire Antarctic panorama mirrored in a motionless sea. Once again, Antarctica had reminded us of her greatest gift—reflections so pure they border on the surreal. Article published from the original feature in Tatler Vietnam, March 2025 issue NOW READ How to spend 48 hours in the ancient capital of Hue Hoi An's shadow in a heritage coffee space Discover the world of Louis Vuitton trunks: Heritage, innovation and the art of living
Irish Examiner
30-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
Voyages beyond the ordinary
Luxury cruise travel is among the most enriching ways to explore the world. A celebration of slow travel and multi-destination exploration, cruise holidays are designed for those who want to experience more, with variety and ease, in a more relaxed way to see the world. With Oroko Travel, Ireland's leading luxury travel specialists, you'll not only enjoy an opulent voyage but also chart your own course with an itinerary tailored entirely to you. From pre- and post-cruise stays to private excursions and cultural experiences, Oroko Travel's expert team tailors every detail. 'Today's traveller wants to reset and reconnect,' says Brendan Breen, managing director at Oroko Travel. 'It's not about doing more, but doing it the right way, in a sequence that makes sense, with experiences that feel truly personal.' 'Our clients expect the same care and precision at sea that they receive on land,' Breen continues. 'That's why we partner with luxury providers like Silversea, because their on-board experience mirrors our own commitment to bespoke luxury.' In partnership with the world's leading cruise providers, Oroko has curated a selection of tailored voyages, inviting you to discover the world on your doorstep. Cruise Alaska's icy waterways in Silversea luxury Witness incredible moments of nature, like a long grizzly standing in the river at sunset, framed by dramatic mountains Few places on Earth rival Alaska for scale and spectacle. Where thunderous glaciers crash into the sea, whales breach in icy bays, and eagles soar above indigenous forests. In partnership with Silversea, Oroko has tailored a luxury expedition cruise holiday to Alaska where the cinematic drama of the landscape is matched only by the detail of world-class service. The journey begins in Anchorage, continuing by car or rail along the Turnagain Arm, one of North America's most scenic coastal routes, before boarding the cruise in Seward. Over the coming days, guests sail southward toward Vancouver, passing mighty fiords and along the face of the Hubbard Glacier. They trace Gold Rush stories in Skagway, kayak past the blue walls of Mendenhall Glacier, and experience the Tlingit culture and totem pole heritage of Ketchikan. The journey ends in Vancouver, a cosmopolitan city that beautifully bridges wilderness and worldliness. This route is a favourite among Oroko customers for good reason. It delivers grandeur and authenticity in equal measure. Oroko enhance each trip with thoughtful extras, whether that's a guided biking tour in Vancouver, a wildlife excursion in Anchorage or a post-cruise rail journey into the Rockies. Timeless Mekong: Vietnam and Cambodia by river For those drawn to culture and colour, a luxury Mekong river cruise holiday offers a spellbinding journey through southeast Asia. Here, life is lived on the water; fishermen cast nets at sunrise, children wave from sampans, monks chant in golden temples. Partnering with Uniworld, Oroko offers an immersive experience that begins in Ho Chi Minh City and meanders through the storied Mekong Delta, ending with a cultural deep-dive into Angkor Wat and historic Hanoi. Experience boutique luxury on the water, with Uniworld's beautifully appointed ships offering elegant dining, attentive service and indulgent spa treatments. Stay in luxury suite accommodation on the water, with spacious terraces and elegant interiors Your travel specialist will personalise your journey with thoughtfully tailored experiences: perhaps a private food tour by Vespa through the lantern-lit streets of Hoi An, a guided sunrise visit to Angkor Wat, or a few days of barefoot luxury on the beaches of Phu Quoc. Forests, fiords and fairy-tale towns In Norway, nature is the protagonist. Towering fiords, alpine peaks and storybook towns create a backdrop unlike anywhere else. In the summer months, there's a particular kind of magic to Norway. 'The light stretches long into the night, the air feels fresh and clean, and when travelling by water, you can see a whole spectrum of landscapes in just a few days,' says Breen. Experience the cinematic beauty of Norway's landscapes by luxury cruise including Sognefjordan and Bergen, the city of the Seven Mountains Oroko has partnered with Silversea to offer two tailored Nordic voyages: one beginning in Bergen, the other in Copenhagen. Both journeys celebrate Alpine beauty, Viking heritage and true, Nordic wilderness. Each holiday can be personalised to reflect the client's interests. 'With no two holidays the same, you get to experience the Norway that's uniquely yours,' says Breen. 'Some clients want back-to-back excursions; others prefer a gentler pace. We account for all of that. It's what makes the experience truly bespoke.' Egypt: Cruising the treasures of the Nile From the mighty pyramids to the mummified remains of King Tutankhamun, Egypt holds a spellbinding history To cruise the river Nile is to journey back in time – to an era of ancient pharaohs, queens and the Great Sphinx. Oroko tailors luxury cruise holidays in Egypt that combine private land touring with an intimate river voyage, guided by expert Egyptologists and hosted aboard elegant, small-capacity ships. Your boutique accommodation on the water offers the perfect balance of cultural discoveries and relaxation The journey begins in Cairo, with visits to the Great Pyramid and the Egyptian Museum, before continuing to Alexandria and then on to the Nile by way of Luxor or Aswan. Over four leisurely nights, travellers explore temples, tombs and sacred riverbanks. Each element of the journey is finely tuned, says Brendan. 'It's the ideal balance of depth and relaxation,' he says. 'You cover extraordinary ground, but with time to absorb and reflect.' For those seeking a beach element, Oroko can also arrange a stay along the Red Sea, ideal for unwinding at the end of a culture-rich itinerary. For adventure seekers, Oroko tailor luxury Cruise holidays to destinations like Greenland (above), Antarctica and Alaska These four journeys offer just a glimpse into Oroko Travel's tailored cruise portfolio. Whether you're dreaming of the Mediterranean, Antarctica, the Indian Ocean or further afield, the expert team can design your ideal luxury cruise holiday, anywhere in the world. With sailings available globally through 2025, 2026 and beyond, let Oroko tailor your next voyage. Visit call 01 2600 240 or email info@
