Though cruising has come a long way since masses of tourists started boarding colossal ships to take a sleepy (and buffet-filled) route through the tropics, even today’s best luxury cruises can leave guests wanting more. Silversea—one of the world’s premier luxury cruise lines—is working to remedy this, giving travelers the option to meaningfully explore destinations they would typically just breeze past.
Launching in 2018, the Silversea Couture Collection will feature a lineup of nine pre- and post-cruise itineraries, averaging $34,000 per traveler, that will immerse guests into some of the most far-flung destinations on earth. Ranging from five to 11 nights, the itineraries feature an expert mix of adrenaline-inducing adventure (think trekking to the South Pole and learning to hunt with golden eagles in Mongolia) and the luxurious touches and service with which Silversea has made a name for itself (think private flights and five-star hotel stays).
Though each of the nine land programs can be experienced as stand-alone trips, combining them with specific cruise departures creates the ultimate itinerary. Travelers can kick off or bookend a cruise aboard the luxe Silver Shadow from Tokyo to Hong Kong with a glimpse into the lives of Tibetan monks on one of the Collection’s most notable itineraries. On this five-night journey, guests will be given insider access to the remote destination’s activities—visiting the Jokhang Temple (considered the holiest temple in Tibetan Buddhism), witnessing a debate between monks at the Sera Monastery, and unwinding the mind and soul with a traditional meditation class.
Another standout itinerary is the nine-night expedition deep into the starkly beautiful environment of Bolivia. Guests can either prep themselves for the trek with a plush cruise from Colón to Lima—which will involve hiking through the Atacama Desert, visiting the otherworldly Lake Titicaca, and camping at the bottom of Sajama, Bolivia’s highest peak—or reward the intense exercise of both body and soul offered with a leisurely cruise from Lima to Punta Arenas—one of the southernmost points in South America.
The Couture Collection itineraries can be booked now, with trips departing from January 2018.
