In late October luxury cruise operator Silversea hosted travel industry advisors and partners from Hong Kong aboard its Silver Muse.
The wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean was the first
international operator to restart cruises from Hong Kong in January
2023, and with the return of barrier-free travel it plans to continue
its expansion in Asia Pacific.
“Hong Kong is always a very important destination for us. We have an
average of 13 calls per year, with about half of them turnaround,” says
Barbara Muckermann, president and CEO of Silversea, in welcoming the
return of the cruise line to Hong Kong’s Ocean Terminal.
Currently, Sliversea’s largest market remains North America, which
represents 55% of its business, followed by the UK at 18%. In third
place is APAC at 17%, which Muckermann hopes to expand significantly in
the coming years.
Asia Pacific is the growth market. We’re investing significantly in the region to make sure it becomes our second largest market in the next couple of years. We like to be at the top of the funnel in awareness: starting with making sure people know we are an experiential brand.– Barbara Muckermann, president and CEO, Silversea
“Asia Pacific is the growth market. We’re investing significantly in
the region to make sure it becomes our second largest market in the next
couple of years. We like to be at the top of the funnel in awareness:
starting with making sure people know we are an experiential brand,” she
says.
“We’re in our infancy in APAC. We’re not as visible as in the
Caribbean, where ships are cruising all year round, and for the last
three years this part of the world has been closed. But we expect to see
similar adoption to what we’ve seen in other markets.”
Travel advisors remain fundamental to its strategy and are Silversea’s primary distribution point.
Those expansion plans include the launch of the 12th ship in Silversea’s fleet, the Silver Nova, in August 2023. The Silver Cloud also began sailings from Australia (Kimberley) in summer 2023.
Muckermann calls the 728-passenger Nova groundbreaking, and
points out it is most sustainable luxury cruise ship on the water. The
multi-hybrid ship boasts an interior steel structure and a glass
exterior to ensure ocean views all around.
In Asia, Silversea Cruises is seeing strong interest from millennials for its Antarctica sailings, according to Muckermann.
Goldjoy Group executive director Frederick Yip says Silversea’s “much
stronger focus on the environmental and sustainable design of their new
ships” will pay off in the long run. “Although not apparent now, this
will pay out when attracting younger, educated and affluent travellers
in the decade to come,” he says.
On 1 November, Silversea started sales for its winter 2025/26 season.
Muckermann is philosophical about who comprises the burgeoning APAC
market, and admits its diversity demands partnerships that can educate
travellers about the product. “Silversea is not a product for families,
but we do see different demographic clusters. In APAC we see a lot of
millennials, which is unheard of, because we do fly-and-cruise to
Antarctica, which millennials really want to see,” she says.
As Muckermann sees it, the all-inclusive door-to-door itineraries are
an easy sell, and Goldjoy’s Yip notes cruising was one of the fastest
growing tourism sectors in APAC pre-pandemic.
“I expect this to also be the case going forward, when more and newer
ships return to Asia,” he says. Separating mega-cruising from
Silversea’s experiential product is also a crucial part of positioning
itself and growing the Asian market. Curating new experiences with a
focus on dining and scouting new locations is its calling card.
“What we find Silversea does best is that they are able to take
guests to the most remote destinations of the world without compromising
on that ultra-luxury comfort experience. This unique combination
enables us to offer it to clientele that had previously shown interest
but hesitated in visiting those destinations. We are seeing stronger
demand than ever before, and we expect to double the segment in this
coming year,” Yip adds.
Whether or not Silversea increases its calls in Hong Kong depends on
seasonal itineraries and shifting demand, particularly from China, as
well managing its airlift commitment with many airlines operating under
capacity. Singapore to Hong Kong is still among its best sellers, and
deployment from Japan is increasing, which Muckermann theorises might
lead to a rise in sailings around Southeast Asia if its ships are
already operating in the region.