Who Owns Silversea Cruises

Silversea Cruises is owned by Royal Caribbean Group, the second largest cruise ship operator in the world.

Royal Caribbean took a majority stake in Silversea in 2018 and completed full ownership in July 2020, making the luxury line a wholly owned brand of the publicly traded group.

Silversea itself is known as an ultra luxury line, blending traditional formal cruising with a growing expedition division that sails to the Arctic and Antarctica.

Its all inclusive fares cover gratuities, beverages, and many shore excursions, positioning the brand well above mainstream pricing.

Royal Caribbean Group is a major force in global tourism, headquartered in Miami, Florida, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol RCL.

The group operates several cruise brands spanning mainstream, premium, and ultra luxury travelers.

Have you ever wondered how a family run Monaco based luxury line ended up owned by the same company that built the largest cruise ships ever constructed?

In this guide we will cover who owns Silversea Cruises, how ownership changed between 2018 and 2020, what other brands its parent company owns, and how Silversea compares with rival luxury lines.

Lets take a closer look.

What Is Silversea Cruises?

Silversea Cruises is an ultra luxury cruise line known for all inclusive fares and a strong expedition travel division.

The brand was founded in 1994 as a joint venture between Vlasov Group of Monaco and the Lefebvre family of Rome, led by Antonio Lefebvre d Ovidio.

Its first ship, Silver Cloud, entered service in April 1994, quickly establishing the line as a leader in small ship luxury cruising.

The company is based in Monaco, with sales operations headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Who Owns Silversea Cruises?

Silversea Cruises is a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group, a publicly traded corporation.

Royal Caribbean Group does not have a single controlling owner, since it trades openly on the stock market.

Ownership instead spans large institutional investment firms, descendants of Royal Caribbean founding families, and everyday public shareholders.

How Has Silversea Ownership Changed Over Time?

The Lefebvre d Ovidio family led and owned Silversea for roughly twenty four years after its founding in 1994.

In June 2018, Royal Caribbean purchased a majority stake of about two thirds from Manfredi Lefebvre d Ovidio for approximately 1 billion dollars, with the deal closing in July 2018.

Royal Caribbean completed full ownership of Silversea in July 2020, acquiring the remaining shares through a stock and cash transaction.

What Other Cruise Lines Does Royal Caribbean Group Own?

Royal Caribbean Group owns three cruise brands outright.

These are Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea, alongside a fifty percent joint venture stake in TUI Cruises.

Each brand keeps a distinct identity and fleet while reporting to the same public parent company.

Silversea Cruises Fleet

Silversea operates roughly a dozen ships split between classic luxury cruisers and dedicated expedition vessels.

The Evolution class, made up of Silver Nova and Silver Ray, represents the newest and largest ships in the fleet, entering service in 2023 and 2024.

Expedition ships such as Silver Endeavour sail to remote regions including the Galapagos Islands, the Arctic, and Antarctica.

What Is Silversea Known For?

Silversea is best known for pairing traditional formal luxury cruising with genuine expedition travel to remote destinations.

All inclusive fares typically cover butler service, beverages, and many shore excursions across the fleet.

The brand targets affluent, well traveled guests who want both classic elegance and access to harder to reach destinations.

Royal Caribbean Group reported total full year 2025 revenue of 17.9 billion dollars across its full brand portfolio, including Silversea.

Because Silversea does not report separate public financial results, its individual contribution is folded into the wider Royal Caribbean Group figures rather than disclosed on its own.

How Does Silversea Compare With Other Luxury Cruise Lines?

Silversea competes directly with other ultra luxury lines including Regent Seven Seas and Seabourn.

Compared with sister brands Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, Silversea sails much smaller ships with a far higher staff to guest ratio.

Compared with Seabourn, Silversea operates a larger and more varied fleet, including dedicated purpose built expedition ships.

Customer Service And Official Contact Information

Guests with booking questions or onboard concerns should start with Silversea official channels rather than third party booking sites.

The official website is silversea.com, which lists current phone support, live chat, and travel advisor resources.

For background on how other cruise companies are structured, see WhoMakeThis guide to who owns Royal Caribbean and the related breakdown of who owns Azamara.

Frequently Asked Questions About Silversea Cruises

Who owns Silversea Cruises?

Silversea Cruises is wholly owned by Royal Caribbean Group, a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol RCL.

When did Royal Caribbean buy Silversea?

Royal Caribbean purchased a majority stake in Silversea in 2018 and completed full ownership in July 2020.

Industry wide standards for luxury and expedition cruising are tracked by the Cruise Lines International Association at cruising.org.

Who founded Silversea Cruises?

Silversea was founded in 1994 as a joint venture between Vlasov Group of Monaco and the Lefebvre family of Rome, led by Antonio Lefebvre d Ovidio.

How many ships does Silversea have?

Silversea operates roughly a dozen ships across its classic luxury and expedition divisions, including the newest Evolution class ships Silver Nova and Silver Ray.

Additional company history is available on Wikipedia.