Boost your cruise confidence with Silversea’s Mission Expedition

Agent insights

A quarter of agents felt expedition cruises were too expensive for their clients, but Peter Shanks, Silversea’s managing director for the UK and Ireland, highlighted the upside. He said: “Selling expeditions is really good for your business. Expeditions are reassuringly expensive and you’ll earn in excess of £2,000 commission on each booking you make.”

The reputation of cruise operators (85%) and the onboard knowledge of expedition teams (76%) were the two most important considerations for agents recommending a cruise line to clients. Shanks added: “You’ll find that many of the guests you speak to have done a lot of research. They will know about these expedition destinations, but they’ll need your expertise to look after everything and get them across the line. Increasing your confidence is what Mission Expedition is all about.”

Training (78%) and better destination knowledge (72%) were key factors in helping agents book more expeditions, which were covered during the webinar led by Pierre Thomas, Silversea’s business development manager for expeditions. Thomas spoke about the destinations Silversea covers, including the Galápagos Islands, Greenland and the Arctic, Antarctica and the Kimberley region of Australia, as well as the company’s fleet and off-ship experiences.

He also highlighted Silversea’s newest product addition. Luxury hotel The Cormorant at 55 South in Puerto Williams, Chile – the southernmost hotel in the world – will be available as part of Silversea’s cruise itineraries from 2026.

Mission Expedition Q&A

Q. What level of mobility do you need for expeditions?
Shanks: “As difficult as it might sound, if people are wheelchair users, it’s not the best holiday for them to go on. It’s down to the physicality of getting in and out of the Zodiac boats which needs to be done safely. If you have clients who can do a 30-minute strenuous walk, then they’ll love an expedition cruise.”

Q. What is the minimum age for children?
Shanks: “My advice would be for clients’ children to reach the age of 10 or 12 years old. We don’t have children’s facilities or clubs on our ships – they go ashore with the adults, take part in the activities and go to the lectures. We do take younger children, but [suggest clients] treat it in the same way as waiting until children are six to eight before taking them to Walt Disney World in Florida. Wait until the right time.”

Q. Are expeditions good for solo travellers?
Shanks: “An expedition is brilliant for solo travellers. There is so much camaraderie. For example, there’ll be 12 of you in a Zodiac and you’ll become a group. You’ll go ashore together, explore together, see the albatrosses together and then have lunch together when you return. It’s a very camaraderie-driven experience.”

Q. Do all guests get their feet on the ground at each destination on a polar voyage?
Thomas: “We normally have landings in, for example, Antarctica and the Arctic and we always try to include at least one continental landing. In those temperatures, we tend to spend around an hour and half on shore, which is more than enough time in those climatic conditions. For polar voyages, we tend to have two disembarkations a day, while in the Galápagos, clients will typically have three activities each day.