THE ARCTIC UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH SILVERSEA'S PRINCE ALBERT II

On a recent Arctic adventure, guests aboard Silversea's state-of-the-art expedition vessel Prince Albert II were treated to this extraordinary sighting of a family of polar bears. Watching in awe from their zodiac boat, the group felt privileged to witness such an intimate encounter with the King of the Arctic.

The 132-guest Prince Albert II is small enough to explore some of the world's most pristine and fragile landscapes up close. The vessel has been based in the Arctic since June, exploring the Svalbard archipelago, Iceland, Greenland and the Canadian Arctic, with the season finishing in September. Prince Albert II will then embark on three Central American expeditions, followed by the Antarctic season which runs from November to February 2011, with 8 round-trip Ushuaia voyages navigating Drake's Passage and the Antarctic Peninsula.

Silversea Expeditions aboard Prince Albert II bring an elegance to expedition cruising. Guests enjoy the largest all ocean view accommodation of any expedition ship, with butler service across all suite categories, and all wines and drinks, gourmet Relais & Châteaux meals and gratuities included. An onboard team of naturalists and special guest lecturers enhance the experience and zodiac boats provide opportunities for thrilling up-close explorations.

For more information please contact Silversea Cruises on +61 2 9255 0600 or toll free 1300 306 872 (Australia) or 0800 701 427 (New Zealand), or visit www.silversea.com

Silversea Cruises is recognised as an innovator in the luxury cruise line industry, offering guests large-ship amenities aboard its intimate vessels, Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper and the new Silver Spirit, all designed to offer an atmosphere of conviviality and casual elegance.  With the inclusion of the regal expedition ship Prince Albert II, Silversea Cruises' itineraries encompass all seven continents and feature worldwide luxury cruises to the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Asia, Caribbean, Antarctica and the Arctic and over 400 fascinating destinations in between. Silversea has been named Best Cruise Line by readers of Luxury Travel Magazine Australia for the past six years. For two consecutive years Silversea has been named 'Best Luxury Cruise Line' in the TravelWeekly Asia Awards and for nine consecutive years "Number One Small Ship Line" in the Readers' Choice survey conducted by Condé Nast Traveler magazine in the USA. In 2007 Silversea was the only cruise line named in the UK edition of Condé Nast Traveller's "Top 100 Luxury Travel Experiences", at the same time topping the Small Cruise Line award for the eighth time. Silversea has been selected as "World's Best Small-Ship Cruise Line" seven times in the Travel + Leisure (USA) readers' poll and was rated Number-One luxury cruise line by high-net-worth consumers in the 2008 Luxury Brand Status Index.