Silver Cloud in Antartica
History
Operator	Silversea Cruises
Port of registry	Nassau,  Bahamas
Launched	6 March 1993
Maiden voyage	2 April 1994
Identification	Call sign: C6MQ5 IMO number: 8903923 MMSI number: 309027000
Status	In Service
General characteristics
Type	Cruise ship
Tonnage	16,800 GT[2]
Length	514 ft (157 m)[1]
Beam	71 ft (22 m)
Decks	9 total, 6 for passengers
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h)
Capacity	296 passengers
Crew	222

Silver Cloud is a small cruise ship operated by Silversea Cruises, the luxury brand of the Royal Caribbean Group conglomerate of cruise lines. She entered service in 1994 as Silversea's first ship. Her sister ship is the Silver Wind, launched in 1995.^[3]

Silver Cloud formerly sailed on European itineraries (both the North Sea and the Mediterranean) in summer. In winter, she cruised in the Caribbean and South America.^[3] Since the ship was ice strengthened in 2017, itineraries have concentrated on polar regions, with visits to less common cruise destinations on transfers between the Arctic and Antarctic.

History

As of 2008^[4] the ship cruises the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean with stops at the Bahamas and in the Caribbean Sea, as well as journeys to the Atlantic coast of South America. Some cruises take passengers through the Mediterranean Sea. She also transits the Suez Canal with cruises through the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf calling at ports along the route that normal tourists seldom visit, such as Jeddah^[5][6] in Saudi Arabia.

The Silver Cloud has been home to both the United States men's and women's national basketball teams during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Brazil.^[7]

In 2017, the ship underwent a comprehensive rebuild to bring her up to ice class, with the addition of a fleet of zodiacs added to the tops decks.^[8] The interiors also received a refit, with a reconfigured observation lounge and refurbished public spaces.^[9] The hull was repainted a dark blue to distinguish it as part of the expedition fleet. The is livery was later changed to match the grey hull of the rest of Silversea fleet. The ship primarily sails on expedition cruises, including polar regions.