Alastair Bruce, historical advisor for 'Downton Abbey,' to share royal insights

(12 February 2013) Recognising the importance of mind-enriching experiences for luxury cruise guests, Silversea Cruises has again signed up an impressive array of renowned authors, historians, diplomats, political analysts and other cultural experts to host the line's popular Silver Perspectives^® enrichment programme this year.

Fans of the hit television series Downton Abbey will be pleased to know that British royalty expert Alastair Bruce of Crionaich, OBE, a consultant to the programme (which airs on ITV in the UK and PBS in the US), will be returning to Silversea this year as a Silver Perspectives host.

And among the dozens of other prominent guest lecturers who have been invited to share their views and thought-provoking outlooks are such notables as Leeza Gibbons, longtime US television personality and author; Brian Hoey, British author, broadcaster and monarchy expert; Rick Senat, former London-based head of business affairs for Warner Brothers; Wendy Leigh, New York Times bestselling celebrity biographer; William Gurstelle, bestselling science and technology author named to Wired magazine's Smart List; Tim Hughes, PhD, political analyst and BBC consultant; and Patricia Schultz, #1 New York Times bestselling author and travel journalist.

Ellen Bettridge, Silversea's president of the Americas, said: "We are honoured to feature such a distinguished group of international guest speakers as part of our enrichment programme this year. They will offer insights into a wide range of topics, and their talks just might inspire our guests to see the world from a whole new perspective."

Following is a small sampling of guest lecturers with abbreviated biographies and their respective voyages in 2013:

Silver Spirit - 29 April  - Voyage 5311 (Monte Carlo to Venice)
WENDY LEIGH: The New York Times bestselling British author of Prince Charming: The J.F.K. Jr. Story, The Secret Letters of Marilyn Monroe and Jacqueline Kennedy - also a play, which premiered in the US - and True Grace: The Life and Times of an American Princess. She is also co-author of Life with My Sister Madonna.

Silver Shadow - 11 July - Voyage 3320 (Vancouver to Vancouver)
WILLIAM GURSTELLE: Named to Wired magazine's Smart List, Gurstelle is a bestselling author, engineer, and professional speaker. The author of Backyard Ballistics, Absinthe and Flamethrowers, and seven other books, he is recognised for his particular talent for making science and technology accessible, intriguing, and – most of all – fun to all readers and audiences. 

Silver Spirit - 26 July  - Voyage 5322 (Venice to Athens)
LEEZA GIBBONS : She is currently co-host of America Now, the nightly syndicated TV news magazine, and the TV show My Generation (on PBS stations). Gibbons also served as executive producer of her talk show, Leeza, which debuted on NBC in 1994 and continued nationally through 2000. She garnered 27 Daytime Emmy nominations, including both Outstanding Talk Show and Outstanding Talk Show Host, and won three.

Silver Cloud - 14 August  - Voyage 1323 (Southampton to Monte Carlo)
BRIAN HOEY: This author and broadcaster has written 26 books about the British royal family, including the official biography of Princess Anne and the official history of the royal yacht Britannia. He also wrote the first guide to Buckingham Palace when it opened to the public in 1993. He was the first host of the BBC Wales TV news programme Wales Today in 1962 and he was also a television commentator at the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales in 1969.

Silver Whisper - 26 August  - Voyage 4322 (Copenhagen to Stockholm)
TIM HUGHES, PhD: Hughes has been a consultant to the BBC since 1994, working as an advisor on national elections, Zimbabwe and Nelson Mandela in particular. A member of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) since 1989, he has written a book on South Africa's foreign policy in the post-apartheid period, and is the editor of some 22 publications on Africa.

Silver Spirit - 19 September  - Voyage 5329 (Athens to Istanbul)
PATRICIA SCHULTZ: She is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. A veteran travel journalist with 25 years of experience, Schultz has written for guides such as Frommer's and Berlitz and periodicals including The Wall Street Journal and Every Day with Rachael Ray.

Silver Spirit - 9 November - Voyage 5335 (Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale)
ALASTAIR BRUCE OF CRIONAICH, OBE : A descendant of Robert the Bruce, he is the author of numerous books on British royalty and a commentator for Britain's Sky News and the BBC. He is also a documentary filmmaker and was historical advisor to recent award-winning films such as The Young Victoria and The King's Speech, as well as the ITV/PBS television series Downton Abbey.

Silver Cloud - 26 November  - Voyage 1332 (Barbados to Rio de Janeiro)
RICK SENAT : A 40-year film industry veteran, Senat was a London-based senior business affairs executive for Warner Brothers for 25 years. He has worked with many prominent filmmakers and is associated with several important movie projects including Harry Potter, Greystoke, Batman and Superman films.

For a complete list of upcoming guest lecturers, including their photos, biographies and voyage dates, go to http://www.silversea.com/life-onboard/enrichment/guest-lecturers/.

About Silversea Cruises
Silversea Cruises, which is chaired by Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, is recognised as an innovator in the luxury cruise line industry, offering guests large-ship amenities aboard its intimate, all-suite vessels: Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper and Silver Spirit – all designed to offer an atmosphere of conviviality and casual elegance. With the inclusion of the expedition ships Silver Explorer and Silver Galapagos (debuting late 2013), Silversea Cruises' itineraries encompass all seven continents and feature worldwide luxury cruises to the Mediterranean, Caribbean, both polar regions and over 500 fascinating destinations in between.

In the US, Silversea has been voted "World's Best" by the readers of Condé NastTraveler (nine times) and Travel + Leisure (seven times), and awarded "Best Luxury Cruise Line" by CruiseReport.com (2012). International awards include "Five Star Diamond Award" from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (2013); "Favourite Cruise Line - Small Ships" in the Readers' Choice survey conducted by Britain's Condé Nast Traveller magazine (2012); "Best Luxury Cruise Line" by Australia's Cruise Passenger magazine (2012); "Best Small Luxury Cruise Line" by China's Travel + Leisure (2012); and "Best Luxury Cruise Company" according to the Scottish Passenger Agents' Association (2012).

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For more information on Silversea Cruises, please contact a travel agent. 

For a complimentary brochure, please call toll-free (US) 877.215.9986 or visit www.silversea.com.

Pictured above: Alastair Bruce

This press release was accurate at the date of issuance. It is the reader's responsibility to verify its continued accuracy, as information contained in the release may have changed.

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Brad Ball
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Gina Finocchiaro 
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