Silversea Cruises has taken delivery of its first destination-specific ship, Silver Origin, from Dutch shipyard De Hoop.

The first in-person ceremony since the outbreak of coronavirus promoted a global lockdown was held on Wednesday 3 June.

Silversea top executives – including chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, president and CEO Roberto Martinoli, SVP hotel operations & onboard revenue Damien O’Connor, and chief marketing officer Barbara Muckermann – attended the ceremony in Rotterdam.

Joined by representatives from De Hoop Shipyard, they were given a tour of the completed ship for the first time and were present for the official flag ceremony.

The luxury all-suite, 100-guest ship is due to commence sailings in the Galapagos Islands from August 2020.

Lefebvre d’Ovidio commented: “It was a very proud moment for me to attend Silver Origin’s official delivery ceremony in person, and to welcome Silversea’s first-ever destination-specific ship to our fleet. I am very grateful to all involved in the build, especially the professionals at De Hoop Shipyard.

“In September 2013, Silversea became the first cruise line to launch an ultra-luxury ship in the Galapagos Archipelago. We have invested our accrued know-how into the design of Silver Origin.

“Every element of the ship has been designed with the destination in mind and tailored to enhance the experience for travellers, while fostering a deep sense of respect for this magnificent ecosystem and everything that inhabits it.”

Silversea pesident & CEO, Roberto Martinoli, said: “We welcome the beautiful Silver Origin to our fleet as the first ship since the start of our collaboration with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

“The ship demonstrates how fruitful our collaboration has been, while providing an indication of the great success to come.

“With Silversea’s destination expertise and the invaluable support of the RCL group, we have pushed the boundaries of ultra-luxury travel in the Galapagos with Silver Origin.

“I want to extend my gratitude to all those involved, including my colleagues at both Silversea and RCL, but especially to the De Hoop Shipyard who overcame many challenges to complete the ship.”

CEO of De Hoop Shipyard, Patrick Janssens, said: “It has been extremely rewarding to work on this project, and we are proud for having been able to deliver the ship in spite of the external challenges.

“The delivery ceremony marked a momentous moment for both parties, and delivering Silver Origin to Silversea’s Executives here in Rotterdam was a great pleasure.

“We wish the cruise line every success for the future and we look forward to seeing this beautiful ship in the Galapagos Islands where she belongs.”

Visit silversea.com/ships/silver-origin.html for more information.