Cruise Critic Announces Partnership with Silversea Cruises

Launches Meet & Mingle program on Silversea ships

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May 15, 2013, 06:00 ET

PENNINGTON, N.J., May 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Cruise Critic® (http://www.cruisecritic.com), the leading cruise review site, and the world's largest community of cruisers, has expanded its list of Meet & Mingle program partners to include Silversea Cruises. Cruise Critic's popular Meet & Mingle parties provide members with the opportunity to meet fellow cruisers they have connected with on the site's cruise forums.

Meet & Mingle parties are now available on all Silversea sailings, and include a member-exclusive cocktail party, with hors d'oeuvres and a private bar, at no additional cost to attendees. Silversea Meet & Mingle parties are offered to any group of six or more guests who have registered for the event through the Cruise Critic Web site.

"We're thrilled to partner with Silversea to offer Meet & Mingle parties to our members onboard," says Kathleen Tucker, Cruise Critic's President and Founder. "Our members will often chat online for more than a year before they set sail, so an organized meet up is a fantastic way to start their cruise."

Adds Ellen Bettridge, Silversea's President of the Americas, "Meet & Mingle parties are a great opportunity for Cruise Critic members to connect with each other at sea. We're delighted to participate in this program and enhance the cruise experience for our guests who are members of the Cruise Critic community."

This is the fifth cruise line to offer an official Meet & Mingle program to Cruise Critic members. Cruise Critic has similar agreements in place with Azamara, Celebrity, Crystal and Royal Caribbean cruise lines.

About Cruise Critic
Cruise Critic® is an online cruise guide, offering a comprehensive resource for cruise travelers, from first-time cruisers to avid cruise enthusiasts. The site features more than 100,000 cruise reviews and hosts the world's largest online cruise community where travelers share experiences and opinions with fellow cruisers. Cruise Critic was the first consumer cruise site on the Internet, launched in October 1995 by The Independent Traveler, Inc., a subsidiary of TripAdvisor, Inc.

TripAdvisor®, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) manages and operates websites under 20 other travel media brands: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.sniqueaway.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travelpod.com, www.virtualtourist.com, www.whereivebeen.com, and www.kuxun.cn. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 200 million unique monthly visitors*, and over 100 million reviews and opinions.

*Source: Google Analytics, worldwide data, April 2013

Cruise Critic and The Independent Traveler are either trademarks or registered trademarks of The Independent Traveler, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Silversea Cruises
Silversea Cruises, which is chaired by Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, is recognized 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.