SILVERSEA CRUISES RENEWS AGREEMENT WITH RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX

Press release: 18 April 2008

SILVERSEA CRUISES RENEWS AGREEMENT WITH RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX, ITS PREFERRED CULINARY PARTNER

Ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises has renewed its culinary and marketing partnership with Relais & Châteaux, the prestigious international association of boutique hotels and fine dining restaurants, through 2009.
 
Highlighting the partnership, now in its eighth year, will be the creation of new signature dishes for La Collection du Monde, a sampling of specialty dishes featured regularly on all Silversea cruises created through the collaboration of Jacques Thorel, Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux of L’Auberge Bretonne (La Roche-Bernard, Brittany) and Silversea’s own master chefs.  

Other enhancements will include new wine-inspired menus for Silversea’s Wine Restaurant by Relais & Châteaux, new cross-marketing initiatives, and the development of programs to ensure the highest quality gourmet dining experience for Silversea guests.  Both organisations will work closely together to design a collection of unique shore experiences with a culinary and wine focus.

A cornerstone of the alliance is Silversea’s popular Culinary Arts program, showcasing the culinary artistry of Relais & Châteaux Grand Chefs.  Under the agreement, Silversea guests can expect to see additional new rising stars from Relais & Châteaux join an already impressive roster of acclaimed guest chefs that includes such luminaries as Anne Desjardins of L’Eau à La Bouche (Ste-Adèle, Québec) and Eyvind Hellstrøm of Bagatelle (Oslo).

In addition to informative and entertaining cooking demonstrations hosted by the Relais & Châteaux guest chefs, the Culinary Arts enrichment voyages also feature escorted provisioning trips to international markets (when the itinerary permits), food and wine pairings, creative regional dishes, and a five-course grand gourmet dinner. Throughout these special voyages, the featured guest chef and Silversea’s executive chef are on hand to share their culinary expertise and answer any questions.

“We are very pleased with our Relais & Châteaux alliance,” said Silversea president and CEO Amerigo Perasso.  “Our two organisations share a passion for quality and excellence achieved through exacting standards and this partnership allows us to work together to create new and innovative programs that will further enhance the cruise and dining experience for our guests.”

For Jacques-Olivier Chauvin, CEO of Relais & Châteaux, “Our partnership with Silversea continues to be an excellent arrangement for us as both organizations are strongly committed to presenting a level of luxury, charm and hospitality that is unsurpassed.  We look forward to continuing to work together.”

Relais & Châteaux is an exclusive collection of 475 of the finest hotels and gourmet restaurants in 55 countries. Established in France in 1954, the Association’s mission is to spread its unique art de vivre across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character. From the vineyards in Napa valley to the beaches in Bali, from the olive trees in Provence to the lodges in South Africa, Relais & Châteaux offers a chance to explore the Route du Bonheur and discover a special place in a variety of destinations.

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 recognized as an innovator in the luxury segment, offering guests large-ship amenities aboard four intimate vessels, Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, and Silver Whisper, all designed to offer an atmosphere of conviviality and casual elegance.  With the addition of the regal expedition ship Prince Albert II in 2008, the company’s itineraries encompass all seven continents.  Silversea has for the past four consecutive years been named Best Cruise Line by readers of Australia’s Luxury Travel and Style magazine.  For nine consecutive years, Silversea has been named “Number One Small Ship Line” in the Readers’ Choice survey conducted by Condé Nast Traveler magazine in the USA and in 2007 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 Line” in the US Travel + Leisure readers’ poll for the past eight years.

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