Five Things to Know About Silversea Cruises' Silver Discoverer Cruise Ship

As stunning as this ship is, a trip on Silver Discoverer is really about what happens off the boat. Experts ranging from marine biologists to historians take small groups via Zodiac to bucket-list sites like the dome-shaped Bungle Bungle mountain range on Australia’s Kimberley Coast and Hanifaru Bay in the Maldives. Don’t worry about packing your gear: snorkels, wet suits, and even a backpack and water bottle are provided.

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No need to agonize over which excursions—or cocktails—to splurge on, since every trip ashore and many wines and liquors are wrapped into the cruise rate. Also complimentary: unlimited WiFi and gratuities.

Dinner at The Restaurant, Silver Discoverer’s main dining room, is a white-tablecloth-and-fine-china, multicourse affair. The menu is a mix of traditional cruise fare and regional dishes, and on sea days, dishes from La Collection du Monde—created by Relais & Chateaux’s grand chefs—also make an appearance. When you feel like dinner outdoors, make a reservation at The Grill. At night, the space is dedicated to Silversea’s signature hot-rocks dining in which guests cook up their own meal on a hot volcanic rock at their table.

When guests aren’t out snorkeling pristine reefs or searching for Alaskan brown bears, they’re on the ship recovering from one excursion and resting up for the next. They might do so while taking in a lecture over cocktails in the Observation Lounge, or by signing up for a mani pedi in the beauty salon or a rubdown in the massage room. Or if the ship is in warmer climes, they might take a dip in the pool, a rarity on expedition ships.

Awash in earth tones, even the smallest 186-square-foot suites onboard feel luxe. That’s because every cabin comes with a flat-screen TV, Pratesi linens, a fridge stocked with your favorite beverages, and, yes, butler service. If you want to splurge, book the Medallion Suite: at 408 square feet with a separate living room, it’s the biggest stateroom on the ship.