Aboard Silver Spirit with Silversea Cruises
Cruise Overview
Like jade-coloured jewels in the Indian Ocean, the more than 100 Seychelles Islands are often regarded as the Garden of Eden.
Lying just four degrees south of the equator, the Seychelles are some 1,000 miles (1,610 km) from the nearest mainland Africa.
Little more than 200 years ago, all 115 islands were uninhabited.
Then in 1742 a French ship dispatched from Mauritius sailed into one of the small bays.
Captain Lazare Picault was the first to explore these unnamed islands.
He encountered breathtaking vistas of rugged mountains, lagoons, coral atolls, splendid beaches and secluded coves.
After Picault sailed away, the islands remained untouched for the next 14 years.
Then France took possession of the seven islands in the Mahé group.
During an expedition Captain Morphey named them the Sechelles, in honour of Vicomte Moreau de Sechelles.
This name was later anglicised to Seychelles.
The first settlers arrived at St.
Anne’s Island in 1770; 15 years later the population of Mahé consisted of seven Europeans and 123 slaves.
Today there are about 80,000 Seychellois, the majority of whom live on Mahé; the rest are scattered in small communities throughout the archipelago.
The people are a fusion of three continents - Africa, Asia and Europe.
This has created a unique culture and the use of three languages - Creole, French and English.
Mahé is the largest island in the archipelago and the location of the capital, Victoria.
Ringed by steep, magnificent mountains, few capitals can claim a more beautiful backdrop.
The town features a mixture of modern and indigenous architecture; it is the centre of business and commerce thanks to the extensive port facilities.
Noteworthy sites in Victoria are the museum, cathedral, government house, clock tower, botanical gardens and an open-air market.
The major attractions are found outside of town where the island’s quiet, lazy atmosphere delights visitors.
With 68 pristine, white sand beaches, Mahé boasts more beaches and tourist facilities than any of the other Seychelles Islands.
Beautiful and remote Mahé with its green-clad mountains and palm-fringed beaches is indeed an island of abundance; pleasant surprises are around every bend in the trail.
Come ashore and discover for yourself this marvellous island paradise.
This ancient isle once ruled by sultans and slave traders served as the stepping stone into the African continent for missionaries and explorers.
Today it attracts visitors intent on discovering sandy beaches, pristine rain forests, or colorful coral reefs.
Once known as the Spice Island for its export of cloves, Zanzibar has become one of the most exotic flavors in travel, better than Bali or Mali when it comes to beauty that’ll make your jaw drop.Separated from the mainland by a channel only 35 km (22 miles) wide, and only 6 degrees south of the equator, this tiny archipelago—the name Zanzibar also includes the islands of Unguja (the main island) and Pemba—in the Indian Ocean was the launching base for a romantic era of expeditions into Africa.
Sir Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke used it as their base when searching for the source of the Nile.
It was in Zanzibar where journalist Henry Morton Stanley, perched in an upstairs room overlooking the Stone Town harbor, began his search for David Livingstone.The first ships to enter the archipelago's harbors are believed to have sailed in around 600 BC.
Since then, every great navy in the Eastern Hemisphere has dropped anchor here at one time or another.
But it was Arab traders who left an indelible mark.
Minarets punctuate the skyline of Stone Town, where more than 90% of the residents are Muslim.
In the harbor you'll see dhows, the Arabian boats with triangular sails.
Islamic women covered by black boubou veils scurry down alleyways so narrow their outstretched arms could touch buildings on both sides.
Stone Town received its odd name because most of its buildings were made of limestone and coral, which means exposure to salty air has eroded many foundations.The first Europeans who arrived here were the Portuguese in the 15th century, and thus began a reign of exploitation.
As far inland as Lake Tanganyika, slave traders captured the residents or bartered for them from their own chiefs, then forced the newly enslaved to march toward the Indian Ocean carrying loads of ivory tusks.
Once at the shore they were shackled together while waiting for dhows to collect them at Bagamoyo, a place whose name means, "here I leave my heart." Although it's estimated that 50,000 slaves passed through the Zanzibar slave market each year during the 19th century, many more died en route.Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged in 1964 to create Tanzania, but the honeymoon was brief.
Zanzibar's relationship with the mainland remains uncertain as calls for independence continue.
"Bismillah, will you let him go," a lyric from Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," has become a rebel chant for Zanzibar to break from Tanzania.Zanzibar Island, locally known as Unguja, has amazing beaches and resorts, decent dive spots, acres of spice plantations, the Jozani Forest Reserve, and Stone Town.
Plus, it takes little more than an hour to fly there.
It's a popular spot to head post-safari.Stone Town, the archipelago's major metropolis, is a maze of narrow streets lined with houses featuring magnificently carved doors studded with brass.
There are 51 mosques, 6 Hindu temples, and 2 Christian churches.
And though it can rightly be called a city, much of the western part of the larger island is a slumbering paradise where cloves, as well as rice and coconuts, still grow.Although the main island of Unguja feels untouched by the rest of the world, the nearby islands of Pemba and Mnemba offer retreats that are even more remote.
For many years Arabs referred to Pemba as Al Khudra, or the Green Island, and indeed it still is, with forests of king palms, mangos, and banana trees.
The 65-km-long (40-mile-long) island is less famous than Unguja except among scuba divers, who enjoy the coral gardens with colorful sponges and huge fans.
Archaeology buffs are also discovering Pemba, where sites from the 9th to the 15th century have been unearthed.
At Mtambwe Mkuu coins bearing the heads of sultans were discovered.
Ruins along the coast include ancient mosques and tombs.
In the 1930s Pemba was famous for its sorcerers, attracting disciples of the black arts from as far away as Haiti.
Witchcraft is still practiced, and, oddly, so is bullfighting.
Introduced by the Portuguese in the 17th century, the sport has been improved by locals, who rewrote the ending.
After enduring the ritual teasing by the matador's cape, the bull is draped with flowers and paraded around the village.Beyond Pemba, smaller islands in the Zanzibar Archipelago range from mere sandbanks to Changu, once a prison island and now home to the giant Aldabra tortoise, Chumbe Island, and Mnemba, a private retreat for guests who pay hundreds of dollars per day to get away from it all.
This ancient isle once ruled by sultans and slave traders served as the stepping stone into the African continent for missionaries and explorers.
Today it attracts visitors intent on discovering sandy beaches, pristine rain forests, or colorful coral reefs.
Once known as the Spice Island for its export of cloves, Zanzibar has become one of the most exotic flavors in travel, better than Bali or Mali when it comes to beauty that’ll make your jaw drop.Separated from the mainland by a channel only 35 km (22 miles) wide, and only 6 degrees south of the equator, this tiny archipelago—the name Zanzibar also includes the islands of Unguja (the main island) and Pemba—in the Indian Ocean was the launching base for a romantic era of expeditions into Africa.
Sir Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke used it as their base when searching for the source of the Nile.
It was in Zanzibar where journalist Henry Morton Stanley, perched in an upstairs room overlooking the Stone Town harbor, began his search for David Livingstone.The first ships to enter the archipelago's harbors are believed to have sailed in around 600 BC.
Since then, every great navy in the Eastern Hemisphere has dropped anchor here at one time or another.
But it was Arab traders who left an indelible mark.
Minarets punctuate the skyline of Stone Town, where more than 90% of the residents are Muslim.
In the harbor you'll see dhows, the Arabian boats with triangular sails.
Islamic women covered by black boubou veils scurry down alleyways so narrow their outstretched arms could touch buildings on both sides.
Stone Town received its odd name because most of its buildings were made of limestone and coral, which means exposure to salty air has eroded many foundations.The first Europeans who arrived here were the Portuguese in the 15th century, and thus began a reign of exploitation.
As far inland as Lake Tanganyika, slave traders captured the residents or bartered for them from their own chiefs, then forced the newly enslaved to march toward the Indian Ocean carrying loads of ivory tusks.
Once at the shore they were shackled together while waiting for dhows to collect them at Bagamoyo, a place whose name means, "here I leave my heart." Although it's estimated that 50,000 slaves passed through the Zanzibar slave market each year during the 19th century, many more died en route.Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged in 1964 to create Tanzania, but the honeymoon was brief.
Zanzibar's relationship with the mainland remains uncertain as calls for independence continue.
"Bismillah, will you let him go," a lyric from Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," has become a rebel chant for Zanzibar to break from Tanzania.Zanzibar Island, locally known as Unguja, has amazing beaches and resorts, decent dive spots, acres of spice plantations, the Jozani Forest Reserve, and Stone Town.
Plus, it takes little more than an hour to fly there.
It's a popular spot to head post-safari.Stone Town, the archipelago's major metropolis, is a maze of narrow streets lined with houses featuring magnificently carved doors studded with brass.
There are 51 mosques, 6 Hindu temples, and 2 Christian churches.
And though it can rightly be called a city, much of the western part of the larger island is a slumbering paradise where cloves, as well as rice and coconuts, still grow.Although the main island of Unguja feels untouched by the rest of the world, the nearby islands of Pemba and Mnemba offer retreats that are even more remote.
For many years Arabs referred to Pemba as Al Khudra, or the Green Island, and indeed it still is, with forests of king palms, mangos, and banana trees.
The 65-km-long (40-mile-long) island is less famous than Unguja except among scuba divers, who enjoy the coral gardens with colorful sponges and huge fans.
Archaeology buffs are also discovering Pemba, where sites from the 9th to the 15th century have been unearthed.
At Mtambwe Mkuu coins bearing the heads of sultans were discovered.
Ruins along the coast include ancient mosques and tombs.
In the 1930s Pemba was famous for its sorcerers, attracting disciples of the black arts from as far away as Haiti.
Witchcraft is still practiced, and, oddly, so is bullfighting.
Introduced by the Portuguese in the 17th century, the sport has been improved by locals, who rewrote the ending.
After enduring the ritual teasing by the matador's cape, the bull is draped with flowers and paraded around the village.Beyond Pemba, smaller islands in the Zanzibar Archipelago range from mere sandbanks to Changu, once a prison island and now home to the giant Aldabra tortoise, Chumbe Island, and Mnemba, a private retreat for guests who pay hundreds of dollars per day to get away from it all.
Lying just four degrees south of the equator, the Seychelles are some 1,000 miles (1,610 km) from the nearest mainland Africa.
Little more than 200 years ago, all 115 islands were uninhabited.
Then in 1742 a French ship dispatched from Mauritius sailed into one of the small bays.
Captain Lazare Picault was the first to explore these unnamed islands.
He encountered breathtaking vistas of rugged mountains, lagoons, coral atolls, splendid beaches and secluded coves.
After Picault sailed away, the islands remained untouched for the next 14 years.
Then France took possession of the seven islands in the Mahé group.
During an expedition Captain Morphey named them the Sechelles, in honour of Vicomte Moreau de Sechelles.
This name was later anglicised to Seychelles.
The first settlers arrived at St.
Anne’s Island in 1770; 15 years later the population of Mahé consisted of seven Europeans and 123 slaves.
Today there are about 80,000 Seychellois, the majority of whom live on Mahé; the rest are scattered in small communities throughout the archipelago.
The people are a fusion of three continents - Africa, Asia and Europe.
This has created a unique culture and the use of three languages - Creole, French and English.
Mahé is the largest island in the archipelago and the location of the capital, Victoria.
Ringed by steep, magnificent mountains, few capitals can claim a more beautiful backdrop.
The town features a mixture of modern and indigenous architecture; it is the centre of business and commerce thanks to the extensive port facilities.
Noteworthy sites in Victoria are the museum, cathedral, government house, clock tower, botanical gardens and an open-air market.
The major attractions are found outside of town where the island’s quiet, lazy atmosphere delights visitors.
With 68 pristine, white sand beaches, Mahé boasts more beaches and tourist facilities than any of the other Seychelles Islands.
Beautiful and remote Mahé with its green-clad mountains and palm-fringed beaches is indeed an island of abundance; pleasant surprises are around every bend in the trail.
Come ashore and discover for yourself this marvellous island paradise.
This ancient isle once ruled by sultans and slave traders served as the stepping stone into the African continent for missionaries and explorers.
Today it attracts visitors intent on discovering sandy beaches, pristine rain forests, or colorful coral reefs.
Once known as the Spice Island for its export of cloves, Zanzibar has become one of the most exotic flavors in travel, better than Bali or Mali when it comes to beauty that’ll make your jaw drop.Separated from the mainland by a channel only 35 km (22 miles) wide, and only 6 degrees south of the equator, this tiny archipelago—the name Zanzibar also includes the islands of Unguja (the main island) and Pemba—in the Indian Ocean was the launching base for a romantic era of expeditions into Africa.
Sir Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke used it as their base when searching for the source of the Nile.
It was in Zanzibar where journalist Henry Morton Stanley, perched in an upstairs room overlooking the Stone Town harbor, began his search for David Livingstone.The first ships to enter the archipelago's harbors are believed to have sailed in around 600 BC.
Since then, every great navy in the Eastern Hemisphere has dropped anchor here at one time or another.
But it was Arab traders who left an indelible mark.
Minarets punctuate the skyline of Stone Town, where more than 90% of the residents are Muslim.
In the harbor you'll see dhows, the Arabian boats with triangular sails.
Islamic women covered by black boubou veils scurry down alleyways so narrow their outstretched arms could touch buildings on both sides.
Stone Town received its odd name because most of its buildings were made of limestone and coral, which means exposure to salty air has eroded many foundations.The first Europeans who arrived here were the Portuguese in the 15th century, and thus began a reign of exploitation.
As far inland as Lake Tanganyika, slave traders captured the residents or bartered for them from their own chiefs, then forced the newly enslaved to march toward the Indian Ocean carrying loads of ivory tusks.
Once at the shore they were shackled together while waiting for dhows to collect them at Bagamoyo, a place whose name means, "here I leave my heart." Although it's estimated that 50,000 slaves passed through the Zanzibar slave market each year during the 19th century, many more died en route.Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged in 1964 to create Tanzania, but the honeymoon was brief.
Zanzibar's relationship with the mainland remains uncertain as calls for independence continue.
"Bismillah, will you let him go," a lyric from Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," has become a rebel chant for Zanzibar to break from Tanzania.Zanzibar Island, locally known as Unguja, has amazing beaches and resorts, decent dive spots, acres of spice plantations, the Jozani Forest Reserve, and Stone Town.
Plus, it takes little more than an hour to fly there.
It's a popular spot to head post-safari.Stone Town, the archipelago's major metropolis, is a maze of narrow streets lined with houses featuring magnificently carved doors studded with brass.
There are 51 mosques, 6 Hindu temples, and 2 Christian churches.
And though it can rightly be called a city, much of the western part of the larger island is a slumbering paradise where cloves, as well as rice and coconuts, still grow.Although the main island of Unguja feels untouched by the rest of the world, the nearby islands of Pemba and Mnemba offer retreats that are even more remote.
For many years Arabs referred to Pemba as Al Khudra, or the Green Island, and indeed it still is, with forests of king palms, mangos, and banana trees.
The 65-km-long (40-mile-long) island is less famous than Unguja except among scuba divers, who enjoy the coral gardens with colorful sponges and huge fans.
Archaeology buffs are also discovering Pemba, where sites from the 9th to the 15th century have been unearthed.
At Mtambwe Mkuu coins bearing the heads of sultans were discovered.
Ruins along the coast include ancient mosques and tombs.
In the 1930s Pemba was famous for its sorcerers, attracting disciples of the black arts from as far away as Haiti.
Witchcraft is still practiced, and, oddly, so is bullfighting.
Introduced by the Portuguese in the 17th century, the sport has been improved by locals, who rewrote the ending.
After enduring the ritual teasing by the matador's cape, the bull is draped with flowers and paraded around the village.Beyond Pemba, smaller islands in the Zanzibar Archipelago range from mere sandbanks to Changu, once a prison island and now home to the giant Aldabra tortoise, Chumbe Island, and Mnemba, a private retreat for guests who pay hundreds of dollars per day to get away from it all.
This ancient isle once ruled by sultans and slave traders served as the stepping stone into the African continent for missionaries and explorers.
Today it attracts visitors intent on discovering sandy beaches, pristine rain forests, or colorful coral reefs.
Once known as the Spice Island for its export of cloves, Zanzibar has become one of the most exotic flavors in travel, better than Bali or Mali when it comes to beauty that’ll make your jaw drop.Separated from the mainland by a channel only 35 km (22 miles) wide, and only 6 degrees south of the equator, this tiny archipelago—the name Zanzibar also includes the islands of Unguja (the main island) and Pemba—in the Indian Ocean was the launching base for a romantic era of expeditions into Africa.
Sir Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke used it as their base when searching for the source of the Nile.
It was in Zanzibar where journalist Henry Morton Stanley, perched in an upstairs room overlooking the Stone Town harbor, began his search for David Livingstone.The first ships to enter the archipelago's harbors are believed to have sailed in around 600 BC.
Since then, every great navy in the Eastern Hemisphere has dropped anchor here at one time or another.
But it was Arab traders who left an indelible mark.
Minarets punctuate the skyline of Stone Town, where more than 90% of the residents are Muslim.
In the harbor you'll see dhows, the Arabian boats with triangular sails.
Islamic women covered by black boubou veils scurry down alleyways so narrow their outstretched arms could touch buildings on both sides.
Stone Town received its odd name because most of its buildings were made of limestone and coral, which means exposure to salty air has eroded many foundations.The first Europeans who arrived here were the Portuguese in the 15th century, and thus began a reign of exploitation.
As far inland as Lake Tanganyika, slave traders captured the residents or bartered for them from their own chiefs, then forced the newly enslaved to march toward the Indian Ocean carrying loads of ivory tusks.
Once at the shore they were shackled together while waiting for dhows to collect them at Bagamoyo, a place whose name means, "here I leave my heart." Although it's estimated that 50,000 slaves passed through the Zanzibar slave market each year during the 19th century, many more died en route.Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged in 1964 to create Tanzania, but the honeymoon was brief.
Zanzibar's relationship with the mainland remains uncertain as calls for independence continue.
"Bismillah, will you let him go," a lyric from Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," has become a rebel chant for Zanzibar to break from Tanzania.Zanzibar Island, locally known as Unguja, has amazing beaches and resorts, decent dive spots, acres of spice plantations, the Jozani Forest Reserve, and Stone Town.
Plus, it takes little more than an hour to fly there.
It's a popular spot to head post-safari.Stone Town, the archipelago's major metropolis, is a maze of narrow streets lined with houses featuring magnificently carved doors studded with brass.
There are 51 mosques, 6 Hindu temples, and 2 Christian churches.
And though it can rightly be called a city, much of the western part of the larger island is a slumbering paradise where cloves, as well as rice and coconuts, still grow.Although the main island of Unguja feels untouched by the rest of the world, the nearby islands of Pemba and Mnemba offer retreats that are even more remote.
For many years Arabs referred to Pemba as Al Khudra, or the Green Island, and indeed it still is, with forests of king palms, mangos, and banana trees.
The 65-km-long (40-mile-long) island is less famous than Unguja except among scuba divers, who enjoy the coral gardens with colorful sponges and huge fans.
Archaeology buffs are also discovering Pemba, where sites from the 9th to the 15th century have been unearthed.
At Mtambwe Mkuu coins bearing the heads of sultans were discovered.
Ruins along the coast include ancient mosques and tombs.
In the 1930s Pemba was famous for its sorcerers, attracting disciples of the black arts from as far away as Haiti.
Witchcraft is still practiced, and, oddly, so is bullfighting.
Introduced by the Portuguese in the 17th century, the sport has been improved by locals, who rewrote the ending.
After enduring the ritual teasing by the matador's cape, the bull is draped with flowers and paraded around the village.Beyond Pemba, smaller islands in the Zanzibar Archipelago range from mere sandbanks to Changu, once a prison island and now home to the giant Aldabra tortoise, Chumbe Island, and Mnemba, a private retreat for guests who pay hundreds of dollars per day to get away from it all.
Cruise Itinerary
Aboard Silver Spirit
Launch Year: 2009 Length: 211 Width: 27 Currency: USD Capacity: 608 Crew Count: 411 Deck Count: 8 Cabin Count: 270
Fully refurbished in 2018 for a superlative onboard adventure, the all-new Silver Spirit has never looked better nor felt cosier.
Silver Spirit offers its guests one of the most complete cruise experiences available. With one of the highest space-to-guest ratios in the business and eight superlative luxury dining options, she retains our world-famous service standards and home away from home feel. Spacious decks leave plenty of room for relaxation, yet the cosy niches make sure that there is something for everyone. Meet like-minded friends, enjoy first-class dining and relax on our original Silversea flagship.
Refurbished and remodelled in 2018, Silver Spirit is the epitome of Silversea elegance. Her guest capacity of 608, her large, open spaces, her many dining options and her all-suite accommodation make her a modern answer for ultra-luxury cruising. View the deck plan here.
Silver Spirit Facilities
Silver Spirit Includes
Cabin Details
Silversea’s suites offer one of the highest space-per-guest ratios of any luxury cruise accommodations. All Silversea suites have ocean views, and most include a private teak veranda so that you can breathe in the fresh sea air simply by stepping outside your door. And regardless of the ship or suite category, all guests will be pampered with the personalised services of an attentive butler.
For a truly personal experience, customise your suite with an abundance of thoughtful options and luxurious amenities from Bulgari toiletries and personalised stationery to a bar with your favourite wines and liquors. Settle in with a complimentary movie or choose instead to simply watch the ocean swim by. You can even have dinner in-suite served course by course by your butler. Then, when it’s time to retire, curl up beneath Egyptian cotton linens and a fluffy duvet, with your choice of nine different pillow types. The ultimate in luxury cruise accommodations, Silversea’s suites are your home away from home.
