ms La Belle des Oceans

The 1989-built (as "Oceanic Grace") MS La Belle des Oceans cruise ship was until 2019 named "Silver Discoverer" and owned by SunStone Shipc Inc (USA-based shipowner). The boat was previously chartered to Silversea Cruises (operated via the brand "Silversea Expeditions") with fleetmates Silver Cloud (1994), Silver Galapagos (2013), Silver Explorer/Exploris One (2008) and Silver Origin (2020).

In May 2019, CroisiEurope (one of Europe's largest river cruise companies) announced Silver Discoverer's acquisition from SunStone Ships. Joining CroisiEurope's fleet in December 2019, the vessel was renamed "La Belle des Oceans". The French company CroisiMer (subsidiary and brand of CroisiEurope) currently operates two sea-going vessels - La Belle de l'Adriatique (2007-built) and La Belle des Oceans. La Belle des Oceans ship has 62 staterooms (9 with balconies), 1 restaurant, 1 grill, 2 bars; poolside bar, wellness complex (Gym, Beauty Salon, Spa).

History - construction and ownership

Silversea Cruises is a Monaco-based privately owned luxury cruise line. It was established in 1994 by a joint venture of V-Ships, Monaco (known previously as Vlasov Group) and the Lefebvre family of Italy (Rome). Silversea pioneered all-inclusive cruising with the launch of its first ship, Silver Cloud. As of early-2014, Silversea owns eight boutique cruise vessels, each carrying only 100 to 540 guests. Silversea's business model is to operate cruise ships in the small, ultra-luxury, all-suite category. The new all-inclusive fares of the line offer such features as beverages (including selected wines), gratuities (none are allowed), travel insurance, port charges and one or more complimentary shore excursions in every itinerary.

The 128-passenger ship Silver Discoverer was the third expedition vessel in Silversea Expeditions fleet (since March 1, 2014) following an extensive drydock refurbishment that also included hull-repainting - from white to dark blue. The expedition ship is designed for exploring the world's most remote archipelagos. Its small size and low drought allow access to rugged coasts that ordinary ships can't reach.

Constructed in 1989 in Japan, Silver Discoverer has cruised for ten years in Japan as "Oceanic Grace" (NYK Line-owned subsidiary and brand), before it was transferred to Spice Island Cruises and renamed "Oceanic Odyssey". In 1999, Clipper Cruise Line bought the vessel, reflagged it to the Bahamas and deployed it year-round in the Oceania-Pacific Ocean region.

In May 2007, Clipper Adventurer (now Ocean Adventurer) and Clipper Odyssey (later Silver Discoverer) were bought by Danish owners and put under International Shipping Partners (Miami-based company). Zegrahm Expeditions (Seattle-based US company) chartered the vessel for 5-year in April 2008 (through 2013) entering service for Silversea in March 2014 as Silver Discoverer (MMS 309913000, Bahamas-flagged).

The ship's last drydock refurbishment (in October 2016) was focused on public areas. Discoverer Lounge was redesigned and converted from breakfast venue into a premium bar lounge. Explorer Lounge received new furniture and new media (audio-video) equipment. The Restaurant was renovated and modernized. The Pool Grill received new outdoor furniture.

Itineraries

Silver Discoverer itinerary program was based on voyages to exotic island destinations, such as Melanesia, Micronesia, French Polynesia, Russia's Far East, Southeast Asia, Australia New Zealand.

La Belle des Oceans cruise itineraries and launch date were revealed by CroisiEurope on May 22, 2019. Among the planned destinations are Europe/Mediterranean, Indian Ocean islands, Asia, Canada, USA, Alaska. The renamed cruise ship starts operations for CroisiEurope (shipowner) on October 16, 2019. Until December 27, 10x itineraries were scheduled in Southeast Asia (between Thailand and Malaysia). The inaugural cruise for CroisiEurope was scheduled for October 17 to December 28. The 11-day Singapore to Phuket itinerary has planned visits to ports in Malaysia (Klang, Penang Island, Langkawi Island) and Thailand (Koh Muk Island, Koh Lanta Island, Phang Nga Bay).

In January 2020, the vessel returns to Europe via Suez Canal repositioning cruise divided into 4 legs and visiting ports in India, Jordan, Israel, UAE, Cyprus, and Greek islands. In the Mediterranean, the ship's first stopover is in France (Villefranche-Nice) on March 15, 2020. In May, a Transatlantic crossing (via Madeira and Azores) repositions the ship to North America's homeports St Pierre and Miquelon (France) and Quebec City (Canada).

After cruising between homeports Singapore and Phuket Thailand (fall 2019), the cruise liner offers a series of global/repositioning voyages before the summer homeporting season in Canada (starting June 2020).

Open for booking were three global voyages:

• 11-day itinerary (January 11, 2020) Around India and Sri Lanka cruise visits Madras, Colombo, Trincomalee, Cochin, Mormugao-Goa, Mumbai-Bombay, with shore excursion options Mahabalipuram (Madras), Goa's churches and convents, Bombay's Elephanta Island. Prices start at USD 6065 pp (double occupancy cabin rates).
• 9-day itinerary (January 27, 2020) from Abu Dhabi to Muscat, passengers can experience Louvre Abu Dhabi, Oman's fortresses' route, meet with an Omani family in Al Hamra, swim in Wadi Bani Khaled, drive a 4x4 through Wahiba Sands desert, visit Burj Khalifa (aka Burj Dubai skyscraper - currently world's highest tower). Prices start at USD 5237 pp.
• 10-day itinerary (February 17, 2020) cruise through Suez Canal is offered as a relocation from Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. The itinerary visits Jordan, Egypt, Israel, Cyprus Greece. Shore excursions include Wadi Rum desert, Petra, Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Jerusalem, Galilee, Acre. Prices start at USD 6700 pp.

In June 2020, the ship inaugurated a 11-day itinerary in Canada and the French Overseas Territory St Pierre and Miquelon. The voyage was one-way in both directions (between homeports Montreal and Saint-Pierre-Et-Miquelon) and featured navigation on St Lawrence River. The westbound itinerary (St-Pierre to Montreal) visited Gaspe, Quebec City, Tadoussac, Saguenay, Baie-Comeau.

Decks and Cabins

Almost all passenger cabins on La Belle des Oceans (53 out of 62 total) are with large windows, and only 9 suites have step-out balconies (categories VE-Veranda and ME-Medallion). All window suites are located on decks 3-4-5, while all-balcony suites are on deck 6. The ship has no handicap / wheelchair-accessible cabins (for disabled passengers) nor connecting cabins. most cabins are double-occupancy, and only 5 (balcony suites) are triple-occupancy (with convertible sofabeds as 3rd bed) - rooms numbers 601-602-603-604-610.

Each cabin offers as standard (complimentary / ticket-price inclusive) amenities:

• lounge/living area with comfortable seating (3-seater sofa, armchairs, coffee table /convertible to dining table)
• bedroom / sleeping area (Queen-size double bed /convertible to twins, luxury mattresses and bedding sets, pillow menu, duvets), leather headboard, bedside cabinets, wall-mounted reading lamps, interactive HDTV (satellite reception, infotainment system with Internet, on-demand movies, live cam views), quality sound system
• large wardrobe (slide-opening, with shelves and drawers), mirrored vanity table (writing desk with chair)
• mini-bar (refrigerator stocked with complimentary beverages), electronic safe box (in the closet), direct-dial phone (intercom), 110-220 V power outlets, USB charging ports, binoculars, personalized stationery, individually controlled air-conditioning
• marble bathroom (WC-toilet, glass shower, rain showerhead, single-sink vanity, plush robes, slippers, terry towels, hairdryer, premium-brand bath products, magnifying mirror)
• As bath products, CroisiEurope (CroisiMer) passengers may choose from the premium brands Bvlgari, Neutrogena or Ferragamo.

Personal butler service provides dinner and spa reservations, 24-hour room service (in-cabin dining), refrigerator re-stocking, laundry, shoeshine, packing/unpacking. Wi-Fi is with shipwide coverage. Cleaning service is daily, turndown service is nightly.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The Restaurant offers contemporary, international cuisine with impeccable service and sophisticated elegance. Menus feature regional specialties that are unique to the cruise destination.

Follows the complete list of Silver Discoverer restaurants and food bars.

• "The Restaurant" MDR (open-seating)
• The Grill (poolside eatery, transforming into an interactive dining venue "Hot Rock", where prime cuts and fresh seafood are grilled tableside on a volcanic plate)
• The Discoverer Lounge (serving as main Breakfast, Lunch and Afternoon Tea area).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Silver Discoverer has twelve Zodiac boats, a restaurant and pool grill, gym and beauty salon, swimming pool, panoramic lounge and lecture room. There's a spectacular glass-bottom boat created for underwater viewing. As well available is snorkeling equipment and dive programs for advanced divers. Silversea Expeditions' onboard team consists of eleven experts - expedition leaders, marine biologists, and dive masters, as well as geologists, historians, and naturalists.

Additional amenities include a Medical center, complimentary 24-hour Room Service, Butler Service, Internet/WiFi Access. Follows the complete list of Silver Discoverer lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• The Explorer Lounge (live music, lectures, briefings, social gatherings)
• The Library (with audio listening stations and on-demand movies)
• Expedition Boutique (offers the highest quality products: logo items, jewelry, perfumes, souvenirs)
• The Spa at Silversea (features spa therapies including body wraps, massages and facials; sauna and steam rooms)
• Beauty Salon (provides a full range of services: hairstyling, manicures, pedicures)
• Fitness Centre (offers a treadmill, stationary bike, weight machine, elliptical trainer); Jogging track
• Sundeck with a swimming pool.

This mega-yacht type vessel was Silversea fleet's 3rd member - together with Silver Cloud, Silver Explorer/Exploris One and Silver Galapagos). The vessel has been previously operated under the names Oceanic Grace (by NYK Line Japan - via the brands "Showa Line" and "Oceanic Cruises"), Oceanic Odyssey (1998-2007, by Spice Island Cruises), Clipper Odyssey (2007-2014, by Zegrahm Expeditions via the brand Clipper Cruise Line) and Silver Discoverer (2014-2019, chartered from SunStone Ships by Silversea). In May 2019, SunStone Ships (shipowner) sold the vessel to CroisiEurope. The sale price was not disclosed.

On 1 March 2014, the vessel entered service for Silversea, following a rechristening ceremony in Singapore. For Silversea, the ship's Godmother is Elda Turco Bulgherini (Maritime Law professor, "University of Rome Tor Vergata"). The ship was deployed on itineraries in some of the world's most remote regions - Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, Southeast Asia, Russian Far East, South Pacific, Australia-New Zealand. Silver Discoverer's shallow draft allows navigation closer to shore. The ship is equipped with 12x Zodiacs and a glass-bottom boat to explore marine life. The Silversea Expeditions team on board consists of 11 experts (expedition leaders, marine biologists, divemasters, historians, naturalists).

The Panama-flagged Silver Discoverer (MMSI 309913000) was Silversea's first expedition ship to offer itineraries along Western Australia's Kimberley Coast, between homeports Darwin NT and Broome WA. Ship's 2017 Kimberley-based departure dates were March 26, April 6, April 16, April 26, May 6. Its all-inclusive cruise fares started from USD 9,450 per person (double occupancy cabin rates). Following the acquisition, CroisiEurope re-flagged the vessel to Belgium (MMSI 205788000).

Silver Discoverer was last drydock-refurbished in 2016.

La Belle des Oceans' first scheduled drydock was in 2023 (January 4 thru 20) conducted at Astican Shipyard in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The drydocking in 2023 was mainly for regular maintenance works and technical/machinery overhaul.

Next tables show Silver Discoverer's last scheduled cruises for Silversea (2019) with lowest prices per person.

13-day Benoa to Singapore (USD 6980 pp)

20-day Singapore to Cairns (USD 7270 pp)

15-day Cairns to Honiara (USD 5610 pp)

11-day Honiara to Lautoka (USD 4015 pp)

14-day Lautoka roundtrip (USD 5060 pp)

Godspeed!