By
Rebecca Barnes |
When Bert Hernandez joined Silversea as president in 2024, his initial remit was to develop an intimate understanding of the product, its many nuances and the 12 classic and expedition cruise ships in the all-suite, luxury fleet.
Having held various positions within Royal Caribbean Group, Hernandez knows the importance of guest feedback in building a successful cruise brand. Together with his team, he took a data-driven approach to analyse their needs and what they value most.
“I read all surveys and guest comments to understand opportunities to enhance our offerings,” he says. “Based on this, we identified several areas in which we could make meaningful changes.”
These areas spanned everything from cuisine to pricing and deployment. A stronger food and beverage leadership team now focus on driving culinary innovation, including the S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste) programme, which is designed to be enjoyed by both casual diners and connoisseurs. It allows guests to explore a destination’s cultural identity through its cuisine, local ingredients and time-honoured techniques.
Onboard improvements include ‘The Silversea Way’ – a more personalised service with new standards and initiatives, from the Champagne Welcome to afternoon tea, elevated service in venues like La Terrazza and the Arts Café, and evenings under the stars.
New wellness, entertainment and sports offerings include pickleball courts and two industry firsts: amp, an artificial intelligence-powered strength training system, and Off the Deck’s SeaDrivePro, a portable golf simulator designed for superyachts.
The cruise line is enhancing its S.A.L.T. culinary programme to further immerse guests in the cultures of the destinations they visit
Beyond the ships, one of the biggest projects for Silversea in 2026 is opening The Cormorant at 55 South. Located in Puerto Williams in Chile, it is both the first hotel for Royal Caribbean Group and the southernmost hotel in the world. The property will serve as a seamless gateway for Silversea’s Antarctica Fly Cruise programme.
“The hotel is a perfect example of how we are expanding our leadership in polar regions by managing the entire guest journey from start to finish,” says Hernandez. “I have been closely overseeing the final development stages and the hotel is set to be completed in March, then open in October 2026 in time for the start of our 2026-2027 Antarctica season.
“We have also added new charter flights from Santiago to Puerto Williams, and having visited the site myself, I am personally focused on ensuring this becomes the most seamless journey to Antarctica in the industry, and one our guests truly enjoy.”
Discerning guests now have more choice than ever before, thanks to Silversea’s largest Voyage Collection to date, which features 414 new cruises across 600 destinations. This means the brand now offers itineraries to more than 900 destinations in total. “We are focused on offering once-in-a-lifetime, exclusive events and providing exclusive access to the best of the global cultural calendar,” says Hernandez.
“We have expanded our seasons in the Mediterranean to offer voyages beyond the peak summer heat and crowds, along with an extended season of voyages in Japan. In addition, we’ve aligned 127 regional voyages with major events like the Monaco Grand Prix, the solar eclipse and traditional festivals.”
Shorter, combinable sailings have also been implemented to offer guests longer sailings without any port repetition. “We refined our deployment to ensure every destination was vetted by our destination experts, and that the experiences were aligned with the expectations of our guests,” he says.
Silversea’s all-suite, luxury vessels are some of the newest in the cruise industry
Hernandez believes Silversea remains uniquely positioned in the luxury cruise sector because of its expertise in both classic and expedition itineraries.
“We allow guests to tailor their journey through a flexible pricing structure, while maintaining the most inclusive onboard experience at sea, complemented by a nearly 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio and our signature butler service for every suite,” he says.
“By combining remote, remarkable destinations with an incredible standard of service, we ensure a Silversea cruise is not just a way to see the world, but a unique way to experience it that stays with our guests long after their voyage ends.”
Discover more insights like this in the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of Cruise & Ferry Review. Don’t miss out – subscribe for FREE and get the next issue delivered straight to your inbox.