The port docks experienced a spectacular day on Thursday: 19 calls from passenger ships were recorded, six of which were cruise ships. The five terminals of the attached dock were occupied by units from the companies MSC, Costa, Viking and Aida, while in one of the two terminals of the World Trade Center, next to the Grand Marina hotel, the Silver Dawn, Silversea Cruises' brand new ship, was moored on its inaugural cruise after having been christened last week in the port of Lisbon. With its arrival, in addition to a first call, the return of luxury cruises to the Catalan capital is consolidated, but also those of ultra-luxury, a sector of maritime tourism with significant weight for the city's economy.
"Barcelona is very important for our company: as a port of embarkation and disembarkation it is very convenient for our clients," says Roberto Martinoli, executive president of this shipping company since 2016, to The New Barcelona Post. "The important connectivity of the airport, the international routes from El Prat and the high-quality hotel offer of the city make it a magnificent point to start or end our cruises in the Mediterranean or from and to the Atlantic," he acknowledges.
Martinoli also acknowledges that the period 2020 and 2021 has been extremely complicated for the sector and that thanks to the purchase of Silversea by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. it has been possible to continue maintaining the company and its expansion plans. This Miami-based holding is the second largest cruise operator in the world. Under its umbrella are the shipping companies Royal Caribbean International, known for having the largest cruise ships in the world, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea, with which it covers different cruise categories: from the most popular resorts to ultra-luxury ships. In addition to these three, Royal also owns Tui Cruises, a company focused on the German-speaking market.
Ultra-luxury
To put the concept of ultra-luxury cruises into context, let's go back in time to learn the history of the company that symbolizes it. In 1994, at 40 years old, the Italian-Monegasque Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio di Balsorano di Clunieres contemplated with great pride the launching of the first ship owned by his family, the Silver Cloud, 157 meters long.
The Lefebvre family, historically related to maritime law and navigation, fulfilled an objective: to debut as a passenger ship owner after a brief experience managing Sitmar Cruises, a line that ended up being absorbed by the powerful P&O and this in turn by the Carnival Cruises corporation. When the Silver Cloud was still a drawing by naval engineers and the Silversea company was taking its first steps, the Lefebvres had clear values: their company was going to be unique, managed by the family and focused on luxury travel in the European style.
Thus, with its first ship sailing from Venice, Silversea Cruises began its business adventure. At that time, its potential competitors saw no danger in this company, as it was aimed at a very specific and difficult-to-conquer market niche. A year later, the launching of the second ship, the Silver Wind, contradicted the forecasts of other shipowners.
With its first ship sailing from Venice, Silversea Cruises began its business adventureIn its early days, an image was sought that mixed the spirit of Italy and sophistication: Isabella Rosellini was chosen as the face of the company. The actress, model, and businesswoman largely corresponded to the client profile sought worldwide. For the company's advertising campaigns, no expense was spared either, and as the official photographer of the houseFabrizio Ferri was hired, whose photos appeared, month after month, on the covers of Vanity Fair or Vogue.
After six years of experience, the fleet doubled with the incorporation of the Silver Shadow and the Silver Whisper, twins of each other, although with a greater capacity than the previous two, going from 296 to 382 passengers or guests, as travelers on board are officially called. In any case, the ratio between crew and passengers, which is one of the measures of exclusivity on board cruise ships, always approaches one per traveler.
Another measure taken into account is the square meters of public areas such as lounges, decks, restaurants, and leisure areas per passenger, a figure in which this company surpasses its direct competitors. In 2009, the company continued to grow with the incorporation of the Silver Spirit, with 540 passengers at full occupancy and 376 crew members, a figure that has grown in recent ships to reach a maximum of 596 guests in 298 suites with sea views. Of these, 96% have a private terrace and with a crew-to-guest ratio of one crew member for every 1.45 travelers.
The ratio between crew and passengers, which is one of the measures of exclusivity on board cruise ships, always approaches one per travelerThese figures make Silversea a multi-award-winning shipping company by all industry publications and classifications: 24-hour service, permanent butlers, and all cabins considered suites. Except for very exceptional products such as a special vintage wine, an exceptional champagne, or some beauty treatments,everything one can imagine is included in the price of the trip, in which every detail is taken care of: from organizing special events on board or in the ports. In the latter, furthermore, the company's obsession is to find the best possible mooring, a series of details that have a price, which on average is 1,500 dollars per day and passenger.
"Luxury... and in our case ultraluxury is something very subjective. We start from a very high base and then everyone experiences it differently," says Roberto Martinoli. "Beyond offering a series of perfect details, such as the best possible bed, exquisite gastronomy or more than personalized service on board, what we seek to distinguish ourselves is to make travel experiences truly authentic and memorable. Not just exclusive and unique, but real stories," he clarifies.
900 destinations worldwide
The president of Silversea refers to the fact that, for example, their ships reach 900 destinations when those of their immediate competitor do not reach 400. Also, that they have several teams traveling the world constantly looking for stories that can be shared: from a small farm in Empordà to a small school in Mozambique, a kangaroo sanctuary in an Australian park or the vineyards of a winemaker on a little-visited Greek island.
"The world is very big and we have much to discover. Respecting the authenticity, the genuine history of a place and allowing our travelers, in small groups, to truly experience the destination. That is, for us, luxury," says the president, who then emphasizes that one thing does not exclude another. "Just as, with our gastronomic programs, a chef accompanied by 10 or 15 travelers shows a local market on a remote island; others like to spend a day on a golf course, going to the opera in the best theaters in the world, coinciding with a long stopover of our ships, or attending a Formula 1 test. This is the key: being able to choose. It is luxury, ultraluxury," he concludes, also recalling that the ship that is being launched these days is already the tenth and that in ten years the project is for the fleet to double: 20 vessels.
First stop
The Silver Dawn spent 16 hours in Barcelona. Contrary to what normally happens, Thursday's stop was a transit call of a 17-day cruise between Lisbon and Civitavecchia, Rome's commercial port. After passing through Cadiz, Malaga, Cartagena, and Valencia, the ship continued its journey to Palma, on Friday it was in Marseille and this Saturday in Sète. It will then continue its journey to Port Vendres, Saint-Tropez, and Genoa, to then return to Monaco, pass through Livorno, Portofino, and end on the 17th in Rome.
Those who have geography in mind or consult a map will see that the journey through France and Italy does not always go eastward, but rather the ship goes back and forth both clockwise and counter-clockwise, and that is also what maritime tourism is about. One sails on a cruise ship for the mere pleasure of sailing and discovering. And Barcelona remains on the map of these shipping companies where the important thing is the journey... and also the destination.