Some exciting news from Silversea.

Silversea Cruises' parent company, Silversea Cruises Group Ltd., has purchased the expedition ship World Discoverer. The company took delivery of the 6,072-ton vessel in Singapore on Sept. 17. The ship will undergo a multi-million dollar refurbishment before it begins service in spring 2008.

Earlier this year the company finalized plans to purchase one 36,000 ton, 540-guest vessel from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri with delivery scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2009. The line has also signed an option for a sister ship with the same shipbuilder.

"We're very excited about this acquisition, as it means we'll be able to further tap that segment of the luxury travel market that is adventure driven," said Manfredi Lefebvre, Silversea's chairman. "We have been looking into this segment for quite some time. When we were informed about the opportunity to buy World Discoverer, we took immediate action in a matter of days. We believe that exploration cruises can combine extremely well with an utterly exclusive product. With the addition of World Discoverer, our current fleet increases to five ships and to six in 2009, offering a more-expansive cruise schedule that encompasses all seven continents."

The ship originally sailed with the now defunct Society Expeditions to Antarctica and other exotic destinations. "We will be unveiling more details about World Discoverer, including the new name, in the next few weeks, when all the elements of the project will be finalized," said Ameriga Perasso, Silversea president, adding that the refurbishment will extend to virtually every area of the ship.