A Culinary Deep Dive

Silversea Cruises’ new culinary program is designed to appeal to foodies who want to experience the ingredients and culture of destinations, tasting foods beyond what a celebrity chef would bring to an onboard specialty restaurant.

New Point of View

“Our brand position is to travel deeper,” said Barbara Muckermann, chief marketing officer. “Our customers are travelers and they might have already been in a destination, but we feel as a brand our role is to allow them to learn a destination again, maybe using a different point of view.”

And that viewpoint very likely is the cuisine, ingredients and traditions of a place. The new Sea and Land Taste (S.A.L.T.) program will offer excursions such as walking in the Balinese countryside, along rice paddies and next to duck pens, to see where a local chef gets ingredients such as palm sap, honey and wild herbs.

August 2020 Launch

The program doesn’t officially launch until August 2020, when the Silver Moon enters service, but AGENTatHOME was among the media invited to try out sample excursions in Asia.

“We have three main demographic groups, and what they all have in common is a profound interest in food,” Muckermann said. “They’re enjoying food and using food as a key to understanding the culture.”

Silversea’s primary target is Baby Boomers, born from 1946 to 1964, according to Pew Research Center. The others are the Silent Generation, born 1928-1945, and Generation X, 1965-1980.

Menu of Offerings

Muckermann believes many passengers will select a S.A.L.T. excursion or two, while diehard foodies may choose to go on every single one during a cruise. “We see it as a menu offering,” she said. The company has not determined yet if there will be fees for S.A.L.T. activities.

The S.A.L.T. program is overseen by Adam Sachs, the former editor-in-chief of Saveur magazine and a three-time winner of James Beard Journalism Awards for food writing.

When the S.A.L.T. program officially launches on the new Silver Moon, the ship will undergo some changes from its sister ship Silver Muse.

The spot occupied by Indochine on Muse will be taken over by the new S.A.L.T. Kitchen and the adjoining S.A.L.T. Bar. Also, La Dame, the gourmet French restaurant, will move into a larger space on Deck 8, making way on Deck 4 for the S.A.L.T. Lab, which will host workshops, tastings and demonstrations.

Selling Tips

—Attract first-timers by comparing the cost of Silversea to a suite on a premium line, adding in the price of drinks, specialty restaurants and gratuities – all of which are included on Silversea, said Barbara Muckermann, chief marketing officer.

—Plus, shore excursions cost extra on most ships but are included on Silversea luxury expedition ships.

—Compare the size of the premium suite with the Silversea suite, figuring in the value of butler service, a stocked mini-bar and a smaller, more luxurious ship.

—If you’ve already sold Silversea, invite your sales rep and past passengers to a gathering of Silversea prospects. Let the past guests share their experiences on Silversea. “People who have done it can best sell our product,” Muckermann said.

—She suggested inviting people with a connection to your Silversea clients – perhaps they belong to the same country club or live in the same ZIP Code. “Knowing current Silversea customers is a great predictor to find your next Silversea customers,” she said.