Silver Cloud accidents and incidents

February 2022Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

(Coronavirus) On February 11, 2022, an anonymous employee on Silver Cloud reported that a total of 72 crew (out of 230) tested COVID-positive. The cases were discovered during routine onboard testing. The infected, along with a total of 29 other crew (close contacts) were quarantined to their cabins.

COVID cases among the passengers were not reported.

The outbreak occurred during a 12-day Antarctica Cruise (itinerary Feb 8-20) roundtrip from homeport Punta Arenas Chile (via the Drake Passage) that visited destinations in the UK's South Shetland Islands (Greenwich Island) and the Antarctic Peninsula.

04 February 2020Other Incidents

On February 4, 2020, Silver Cloud met the fleetmate Silver Whisper in Antarctica. Both vessels anchored at Wilhelmina Bay located between Reclus Peninsula and Cape Anna (west-coast Graham Land, Antarctica).

Silver Cloud was on a 10-day itinerary ("Antarctica with Silver Cloud Expedition", February 8-18) roundtrip from Ushuaia Argentina. Silver Whisper was on World Cruise 2020 (139-day itinerary "Legends of Cruising", Fort Lauderdale to Amsterdam, January 6 through May 25) and cruising along Antarctic Peninsula between February 4-7.

20 November 2017Propulsion / Power Loss

On November 20, 2017, in the afternoon, engine failure (fuel pump) resulted in power/propulsion loss and drifting en-route to Antarctica. The accident occurred during the ship's inaugural/first Antarctic cruise. The voyage was cancelled due to mechanical problems.

The scheduled departure from Buenos Aires (Nov 15) was delayed by a day due to harsh weather with severe winds (over 45 mph / 75 kph) and swells (over 25 ft / 8 m). The cruise's expedition leader announced that Port Stanley (Falklands) will be dropped from the itinerary.

After 2 days into the voyage, in call port Puerto Madryn (Peninsula Valdes), due to heavy seas, the ship had to wait in port. On Nov 20, after a few hours at sea and before entering the Drake Passage, the fuel pump failed, leaving the vessel adrift.

After ~1 hour, engineering crew managed to restore power and the ship returned to Puerto Madryn for repairs. On Nov 21, in the evening, became clear that the fuel pump part can't be replaced in time.

The ill-fated Antarctica cruise cost around GBP 12,000 (~ USD 16,000) per person. All passengers were fully refunded. Silversea also organised and paid for all flights back to Buenos Aires and to passengers' airports of origin. Also offered were complimentary overnight hotels in Buenos Aires, refunds of outward airfares, future Silversea cruise booking discounts.

The 16-day itinerary (Nov 15 - Dec 1) had scheduled visits in Falkland Islands, South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula, starting and ending in Argentina (from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia). The next table show's the original itinerary's ports of call and scheduled port times.

August 2016Other Incidents

During "2016 Summer Olympics" in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), for the period August 5 through 21, this Silversea cruise vessel was fully chartered to serve as a hotel ship for USA's men and women basketball teams. A second / bigger liner (NCL's Norwegian Getaway) was also chartered as a hotel ship and was anchored alongside Silver Cloud during the games.

The NCL ship provided lodging for the "Olympic Family" and was booked with passenger capacity 3957. On Getaway, 90% of the ship was reserved for the "Olympic Family" (Rio Host Committee, International Olympic Federation, National Organizing Committees, as well as for all the Olympic’s corporate sponsors). The remaining 10% staterooms were sold as cruise tour packages by Tam Viagens (Brazilian tour company).

The Silversea ship (housing the NBA players, along with their families and friends) was booked with passenger capacity 296. Its last regular itinerary was in the Mediterranean (June 2016) before the Transatlantic crossing to Brazil.

The reason for chartering cruise vessels as hotels were security. The anchored ships' location (Port Rio's Pier Maua) was not disclosed during the games.