TORONTO — A select group of Ensemble members has returned from their trip to the moon – the Silver Moon – with Silversea Cruises.

The 10-day trip to Iceland aboard the Silver Moon was part of Ensemble’s new FAM program, ‘Further Your World; Exclusive Educational Trips.’ 

Among the itinerary highlights were a visit to the Faroe Islands as well as to Akureyri, located just 60 miles from the Arctic Circle where participants marvelled over the Godafoss Waterfall and soaked in the Myvatn Nature Baths. Members also had the opportunity to visit the town of Siglufjogur, made famous as the location for the TV show ‘Trapped,’ and also spent time in the capital city of Reykjavik where they enjoyed everything from hiking to soaking in heated geothermal pools.

Participants in the onboard S.A.L.T Lab for an interactive cooking experience

While onboard, Ensemble members took full advantage of the many amenities, facilities and programs onboard the Silver Moon, including the S.A.L.T program (Sea and Land Taste), designed to give passengers access to authentic local flavours at ports of call. In addition to sipping Icelandic-inspired cocktails at the S.A.L.T Bar, members also enjoyed a dinner with dishes inspired by Iceland’s heritage as well as a S.A.L.T excursion in Heimaey to a family-operated Slippurinn restaurant to harvest and forage Arctic Thyme and other indigenous plants.

In keeping with the objective of providing in-depth product knowledge, the FAM also included two onboard training sessions along with opportunities to connect with other members through organized group dinners and receptions.

“We are so grateful to our partners at Silversea for hosting our first Further Your World FAM and to our members who embraced every aspect of this journey bringing back a wealth of knowledge and deeper understanding of the destination that can be shared with clients whose bucket list includes a cruise to Iceland,” said Jenn Kotacka, Senior Director of Training and Development for Ensemble. “The response and feedback we’ve had perfectly synthesizes what we hoped the trip would be.”

Sandra Brown, owner of Travel Dreams by Sandra who participated in the FAM, said: “The ‘Further Your World’ program is top shelf and I highly encourage other members to take advantage of these opportunities to participate and learn more about the partners we work with as members of Ensemble. The experience was wonderful all the way around, including the breathtaking scenery around Iceland and the Faroe Islands.”

Laurie Bohn-Isaure, Senior Director of Naitonal Accounts for Silversea Cruises, said the travel advisors came fully prepared for the adventure with the required pre-education, training and seminars. “These agents are now experts in all aspects of Silversea and I do believe this experience will stay with them for a very long time, ultimately enabling them to sell Silversea more confidently than ever before.”

Ensemble has four other fam trips planned for 2023, including: 

• AmaWaterways (September), featuring a cruise along the Mekong River through Cambodia and Vietnam
• Egypt&Beyond (September), an immersive experience to learn about ancient Egypt
• G Adventures (October), an exploration of the culture, nature and people of Ecuador with an optional extension to the Galapagos
• Intrepid (December), an Antarctica adventure

A schedule for 2024 ‘Further Your World’ FAMS will be announced later this year.

Dinner at Silppurinn restaurant, from l-r – Claudia Wisdom-Good, Travel Edge; Martina Mizzi, Travel Only; Laurie Bohn-Isaure, Silversea, and her husband Lauran