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Luxury cruise leader, Silversea Cruises, is commemorating the much-anticipated inaugural arrival of its iconic flagship Silver Muse to Australian waters with a campaign to support Australia’s drought-stricken farmers and their families via Rural Aid.  The cruise line’s partnership with Rural Aid aims to raise both awareness and funds for the drought. 

Silversea is raising awareness of this worthy cause by releasing new photography depicting the drought currently experienced in Australia, captured by Silversea’s photographic ambassador, Steve McCurry.  To encourage further donations, the cruise line is also launching a competition to win a Silversea cruise and a copy of one of the new Steve McCurry photographs. 

Ahead of Silver Muse’s arrival, Silversea deployed Steve McCurry, one of the world’s most celebrated and renowned photographers, to the Australian outback.  During his visit to South Australia in July 2018, Steve took a series of powerful images capturing one of the worst droughts in Australia’s history.

New Silversea donors to Rural Aid, that enter the Silversea competition, will go into the running to win a Silversea cruise, plus a copy of a selected image of Steve’s photographs from his new Australian collection of the farmer’s drought.  The incredible, 18-day Silversea Cruise from Singapore to Sydney on board Silver Muse for two people is valued at over AUD$24,000 and departs on 18 November 2019.  To donate and enter the competition, visit www.silversea.com/lp-silver-muse-in-australia.html.  

In addition, Silversea made a cash donation of AUD$20,000 to Rural Aid, in lieu of a fireworks display, which was originally planned for Silver Muse’s maiden arrival into Sydney on 6th January 2019.  Silversea will also make an extra contribution for every new booking made in January and is encouraging its already-booked guests to donate to Rural Aid directly.

Adam Armstrong, Managing Director – Australia and New Zealand, Silversea Cruises, said,

“As a cruise line, we are blessed with bountiful water on which our ships sail.  Our partnership with Rural Aid aims to build both awareness and funding for inland areas of Australia which have been badly impacted by the drought.  By launching this competition as we introduce Australia’s latest cruise ship, we are encouraging people to donate to support Australia’s farmers, a cause that is close to all of our hearts.

“Our photographic ambassador Steve McCurry has the ability to capture the authenticity of a place and express it with clarity and emotion, which he certainly achieved on his recent visit to South Australia.  This reflects Silversea’s ethos of bringing our guests not just to the coastlines but closer to the authentic heartlands.  We aim to provide a deeper understanding of the destinations to which our ships sail.”

Following her departure from Bali on 21 December 2018, the iconic, Silver Muse arrived in Darwin, her first Australian port, on 26 December 2018 and her new home of Sydney on 6 January 2019. Silver Muse will remain in Australia and New Zealand until March 2019, when she departs on her Grand Asia Pacific Voyage (Sydney to Tokyo – 74 days).  Silver Muse will return in 2019/20 and stay for over four months (late November to end of March) – twice the length of her current season.

To learn more about Steve’s distinguished career and partnership with Silversea Cruises, visitsteveandsilversea.com.