If you’ve always wanted to explore remote regions, but never had the opportunity to set sail to the Arctic Circle, Iceland, Greenland or Tahiti, Silversea’s Prince Albert II is your ticket to fun exploring with a luxury cruise line.

The cruise routes of the ship will focus on polar adventures in Antarctica and South Pacific voyages in Tahiti. I recently had the opportunity to sail on the Prince Albert II in a repositioning cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Belize and became more acquainted with the ship. Being accustomed to sailing on large cruise ships, I was impressed with the many amenities on this 132-guest expedition vessel. The Prince Albert II, formerly the World Discovery II, boasts the largest average size accommodations of any expedition ship. Suites were redesigned and fashioned from two staterooms and feature marble bathrooms with bathtubs and showers, walk-in closets, flat screen televisions and a living room with a dressing table in addition to the bedroom which also contained a large make-up area and for my wife, the more than ample drawer space. This much storage space is not often available on ships twice its size. Some of the suites are fashioned with French balconies and large private verandas.

The ship has a spiral staircase in the dining room that leads upstairs to a lounge area where a pianist entertains nightly. Adjacent to the lounge is a glass-enclosed room called the Humidor, where guests can enjoy vintage cognacs and cigars. The lounge does double duty in the daytime, serving tea and tapas. There is a large bar and well-stocked library in the lounge. The ship also has an internet café and library with warm and inviting comfortable easy chairs to relax and enjoy a good book. The library is supplied with books on the destinations that the ship plans to explore.

The ship also has a fitness room, beauty salon and spa. A sundeck with two whirlpools and an outdoor grill offers an additional lunch option during days at sea. The elegant Observation lounge offers guests a panoramic view of the many destinations.

Meals on the ship have been designed by Relais and Chateau. Need I say more? Expect to find sushi, lobster tail, filet mignon and caviar on every cruise. There is open seating dining and for those who have dietary restrictions, vegan, low calorie, low carb and vegan options are available.. The presentation was fabulous and so was the taste. For those with a sweet tooth who are watching their weight and still want to indulge, there are fabulous 30 calorie desserts.

The theater with its excellent audio and video equipment was used nightly for informative lectures about the destinations that the ship planned to visit the following day. Most shore excursions are included in the all-inclusive price. Guest lecturers are experts in their fields. On my voyage there were several outstanding scientists in the fields of biology, geology and archaeology. These experts accompanied passengers on the shore excursions and their presence and commentary made the destinations even more exciting and meaningful.

Traveling to unknown areas with experts in a Zodiac boat was an experience I will never forget. These exploring rubber boats can explore regions that big ships simply can’t reach. The ship has eight inflatable Zodiac boats. They are designed to reach destinations where there are no piers and for islands surrounded by shallow waters. The rigid boats are specifically designed for nature study, and are very rugged, as well as safe, sturdy and durable. They were easy to board and are operated by a highly trained crew. Guests receive a Zodiac familiarization session upon embarkation and the crew was very helpful to passengers who were disabled or had difficulty climbing into or out of the zodiac.

I especially enjoyed the all-inclusive policy offered to all guests on the Prince Albert II because I never had to sign a bar tab and had a selection of fine wines, spirits, champagnes, soda, and bottled water throughout the ship. The service was also extraordinary on the vessel. The crew knew each passenger’s name and their specific needs in a short period of time. I am looking forward to my next exploration on the Prince Albert II. This is the way to explore exciting destinations with experts in the field, without the hassle and commotion of a larger ship.

Photos by Phyllis Steinberg

For more information on the Prince Albert II, call 877-215-9986 or go to www.silversea.com.