Ship Godmother and British polar explorer Felicity Aston MBE is an author, speaker, and student research scientist. She is the Godmother to the Silver Endeavour. In 2012 she became the first woman to ski alone across Antarctica. It was a journey of 1744km that took 59 days to complete, and which gave her a place in the book of Guinness World Records.

Built to PC6 polar class specifications, Silver Endeavour is designed for polar exploration. She carries state-of-the-art amenities, with an industry-leading Zodiac-to-guest ratio; kayaks; and cutting-edge navigation and exploration technology, including a remote gimbal camera system, which can capture high-quality images from 5km, among other amenities. She will maintain Silversea’s trademark level of luxury, with a crew-to-guest ratio of approximately 1:1. The ship has a submarine, that is expected to be replaced with a bigger seven-person sub.

“One of the most luxurious expedition ships afloat, Silver Endeavour will accelerate our strategy of growth, enriching our offering to unprecedented levels and reaffirming our position as the leading ultra-luxury expedition cruise line,” said Roberto Martinoli, President and CEO, Silversea Cruises. “The expedition cruising industry is poised to resume accelerated growth, driven by demand among high-end, affluent customers for travel to remote and hard-to-access destinations. Silver Endeavour will strengthen our polar offering, further diversifying our broad-ranging product. With the ongoing support of Royal Caribbean Group, we are enhancing the cruise experience for our guests, unlocking the world’s most rewarding destinations in a way that only Silversea can.”

Spread over eight public decks, the all-suite Silver Endeavour offers guests the most spacious accommodations in expedition cruising, upholding Silversea’s trademark level of comfort; multiple restaurants, bars and lounges; an expansive spa; a two-storied solarium with a swimming pool and whirlpool; and an array of indoor and outdoor observation areas. She fosters an intimate onboard atmosphere, enabling guests to discover destinations like Antarctica in depth, with great interaction between travellers and Silversea’s expedition experts.

Felicity Ashton’s Polar career began in the year 2000, when she travelled to Antarctica for the first time with the British Antarctic Survey as a Meteorologist. Age 23, she spent a continuous period of two and a half years (including two consecutive winters) at Rothera Research Station on the Antarctic Peninsula to monitor climate and ozone.

Felicity went on to organise and lead numerous expeditions to remote places around the world, but particularly to the Polar Regions. Her expeditions have included the first British Women’s crossing of Greenland, a 6000km drive to the South Pole, a 36,000km drive to the Pole of Cold, and leading international teams of women on ski expeditions to both the North and South Poles.

“To honour the spirit of expedition travel, we have renamed the ship Silver Endeavour—paying testament to one of history’s most famous vessels,” said Barbara Muckermann, Chief Commercial Officer, Silversea Cruises. “Aboard Silver Endeavour, travellers will channel the same sense of discovery that guided pioneering explorers, such as James Cook, in bygone eras.”

As part of the ongoing RCL Cares program, Royal Caribbean Group will protect the deposits of guests who were originally booked on Crystal Endeavor and make a new booking on one of the Group’s global brands – Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises.

“We are delighted to offer an additional incentive to all guests who were booked on the former Endeavor to experience the Silversea difference. They are invited to sail on any Silversea ship from our beautiful fleet of 11”, said Roberto Martinoli.

Join our new Expedition Group chat – it might be a slow burner compared with some of our cruise groups – but please post your pictures here