2017 Feb. from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires- BLOG

Hope you took your passports ashore to get an Antarctic stamp in them.

Hope you took your passports ashore to get an Antarctic stamp in them.

They brought the stamp to the ship so everyone who wanted a stamp could come get it at guest relations. I didn't do it, as the last time I got one, the United States (I'm from Europe) declined my work visa application because of a "non official stamp" in my passport. I had to get a brand new passport and redo the whole visa application process.....

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We've left Antarctica and are in the Drake Passage. Last night was pretty rough – had to hold our wine glasses through dinner and we heard a lot of movement (some sometimes even crashing!) of plates in the back. Patch for my husband and a Bonine for me worked perfectly - neither of us felt seasick at all.

Many of us are discussing the schedule. It's important to know that the "Antarctic Experience" is very flexible. Of the nine days to Antarctica including three scheduled sea/travel days, we ended up having four landings, one whale day (amazing), one additional sea day because of bad weather, and three sea days of travel through the Drake passage (one on the way down, two on the way back to the Falklands.) So don't rely on the schedule - weather/safety controls everything. My only complaint is that the crew will double-talk the situation rather than acknowledge the schedule we are given is not correct. (They do say it is subject change in fine print but we get emotionally attached to the printed schedule.) Plus they told us we were very lucky to arrive in Antarctica a day early so we thought that would mean an extra landing. Four landings was great but we were hoping for six.

But looking back, it was all amazing and much better than expected. The expedition crew did an amazing job on whale day which made us feel lucky and privileged. Jan and her staff are always so friendly and warm. Met the captain one night in the Observation Bar - he was very friendly and kind to us - very intelligent and good communicator. Big advantage to this small ship: we got to know a lot of crew, entertainment people, and staff personally. All very friendly- the hosts know everyone's name, the bartenders know our drinks, and we are all in this together. I will not call out the specific names, but many of them feel like family. We have even come to adore the stern ones. Our only real problem (1st world problem!) is Laundry Wars but it's become a game trying to get a machine. [emoji15] (Don't forget to bring dryer sheets.)

Sea days come at the right time- sleeping in, working out, and trying to eat less. Right now listening to a lecture on the Falkland conflict- on our way there...

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Thanks for your write up, it's been interesting reading.

When we were onboard Quest in Dec 2014 we had 5 landings plus one day at 65'10 s where we all did Zodiac tours around the iceberg packed bay, so you did OK with 4.

Safety is paramount, you wouldn't want to end up like the passengers and crew on the MV Explorer in 2007:-

http://www.photobits.com/archives/4

http://maritimeaccident.org/library2/the-case-of-the-little-red-ship/

Unfortunately for you, the news is that you are skipping the Falklands, which is a pity, however that is not that uncommon.

Good morning. We are indeed skipping the Falklands. I'm OK; I have been to Port Stanley twice before. For the Brits onboard it's very disappointing however as for many it's a bucket list destination. Many others had their eyes on the King Penguins. It doesn't help that although the forecast was iffy when the Captain made the decision, in the end today has become a beautiful sunny day with mild winds in the Falklands - according to BBC weather. But it is what it is.

We have been rocking and rolling in moderate sees the past 36 hours but nothing to write home about (12-15 feet waves).

The new "plan A" is to make an extra stop at Punta Del Este, Uruguay on Tuesday. If that doesn't work, we'll arrive a day early in Montevideo and overnight there.

Now that we're well north of the Falklands, the temperature is going up fast. Today's 15c/59f is a big change from 2c/35f just two days ago, and in just two more days it should be 30c/86f!

In the end I made 5 landings on Antarctica. I was very lucky to be in the only group that made it onshore on day 3. Kayaking was less successful. Of the 6 tours I booked (one each day), only 1 was operated. Wind, waves, fog, ice - I found out there are lots of reasons for which kayaking can be cancelled.

As for my overall thoughts - Seabourn delivers a great product but I'm sorry to say I wouldn't book it again and in retrospect I wish I had made a different choice. Small (~100 passenger) expedition ships that make 2+ landings each day, can venture deeper into the fjords and are therefore less impacted by weather/waves are a better fit for me. I understand that for many the luxurious Seabourn suites, the fine dining and the caviar are important, but in the end that's not why I went on an adventure to Antarctica. Seabourn also can't offer many unique experiences other do such as spending a night in a tent on shore, a real polar plunge into the Arctic Ocean as opposed to the pool, etc.

Quest is the largest ship operating landings in Antarctica and this (unsurprisingly) impacts the experience. You only have (if you are lucky) one landing each day, of roughly 90 minutes in total, of which 60 minutes on shore. The other 14 hours of the day you are sitting on the ship. The size of the ship restricts how far it can venture into the sheltered fjords, making landings much more dependent on weather than is the case for smaller expedition ships - and this impacted our sailing. By the time we reach Uruguay, it will have been 11 consecutive days on the ship (Ushuaia to Punta Del Este), of which 5 hours on shore for me (and only 4 hours for most). There are many options out there to get MUCH more effective use of your time in Antarctica and more "expedition" bang for your buck than that - yes, minus the caviar.

Anyway - I'm looking forward to sunshine, warm temperatures and nice Uruguayan reds [emoji3]

Floris

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PS. Captain Dag was asked to extend his contract (don't know why) and has kindly agreed to stay on until Barbados - so he will now take Quest up and down the Amazon as well. There will then be a Captain's change mid cruise on the Manaus to Fort Lauderdale run.

Jim Cannon is taking over from Jan Stearman as Cruise Director in Buenos Aires. I don't know the name of the new Hotel Director (yet).

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Thank you, Florisdekort, Hazelbuttercup and others who are on this sailing or previous sailings, for your many interesting observations!

We join a group of 9 so far booked on the Christmas 2017 Antarctica cruise and will be all the better prepared due to your assistance.

Happy and healthy sailing!

Thank you, Florisdekort, Hazelbuttercup and others who are on this sailing or previous sailings, for your many interesting observations!

 

We join a group of 9 so far booked on the Christmas 2017 Antarctica cruise and will be all the better prepared due to your assistance.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

You *definitely* picked the best itinerary. South Georgia is amazing. The weather is at its finest that time of the year - important on the Drake and for landings. Seabourn does a wonderful job with Christmas and New Year's. Enjoy !!!

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We join a group of 9 so far booked on the Christmas 2017 Antarctica cruise

Markham -- Please join the Roll Call for the Seabourn Quest Dec. 20, 2017-24-day Holiday Antarctica, Patagonia & South Georgia Islands here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2445660

I've been an avid follower of this thread and wonder if Hazel and Floris ever met up. It seems they have a rather different take on the cruise as it was affected by the weather. I also followed Chairsin's blog which took the Quest to South Georgia.

It is a difficult decision about which ship to take. Expedition ships are far more flexible, offer more intimate wildlife encounters. They can also be very slow to go from place to place, they ride rough seas like corks in a waterfall, and they have so little inside and outside deck space they can be claustrophobic. On one cruise, our expedition ship, Island Sky, sailed from Cape Verde down through Ascension, St Helena and Tristan da Cunha. All that went well. Then things went wrong and we failed to make South Georgia so we went for the Falklands and ended up with a full nine days at sea, rocking and rolling, with all passengers locked inside the ship. That was not a happy experience I can tell you. At least with a ship the size of the Quest you have a lot of space.

I'm struggling to make my mind up.

Fletcher,

I totally understand your dilemma as it was something with which we struggled prior to booking Seabourn for this cruise. As you say the two posters on this thread have different perspectives and I think it has been quite valuable to have both views about the same cruse. In the end it comes down to what matters most to you. I fully appreciate that we made compromises vis a vis a true expedition cruise but I also was plea as thy surprised about the expedition aspects to our cruise and have no regrets. There is no wrong answer. No matter whom you chose to go with Antarctica is an amazing experience.

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Fletcher,

I totally understand your dilemma as it was something with which we struggled prior to booking Seabourn for this cruise. As you say the two posters on this thread have different perspectives and I think it has been quite valuable to have both views about the same cruse. In the end it comes down to what matters most to you. I fully appreciate that we made compromises vis a vis a true expedition cruise but I also was plea as thy surprised about the expedition aspects to our cruise and have no regrets. There is no wrong answer. No matter whom you chose to go with Antarctica is an amazing experience.

 

 

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Totally agree! There is no right or wrong answer; it's different for everyone. I would highly recommend Seabourn's Antarctica to some of my cruising friends, but not so much to others. Also note that at 43, I'm the youngest paid passenger currently on Quest - which perhaps also drives how I experience this cruise a little bit.

Good news - we're making an extra stop tomorrow at Punta Del Este, Uruguay from 10 am to 5 pm. I'm looking forward to a regular port after 11 sea days (not counting the short landings on Antarctica as port days), the abundant sunshine and the warmth [emoji3]

Floris

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My husband and I (also the other couple we are traveling with) spent yesterday evening discussing Floris's take (in a good way- we really appreciate his opinion!) Since our goal was to step on Antarctica with the least amount of stress, we are very happy with our choice to come on this Seabourn cruise, even with the unexpected cancellations/changes.

I don't like caviar but I do appreciate the luxury accommodations, food, and service. High-end travel is still new to us so we rarely scrutinize or complain. I'm so happy to have beautifully poached eggs every breakfast, great lunch choices, afternoon latte with a foam ❤️, UNDENIABLY PERFECT scones at tea-tea, amazing fish for dinner. If I'm not-a-fan of something I'm served, it's easily fixed with ordering something else. If I'm still hungry (or even if I'm not), I have my secret ways of getting more food (hint: make friends with the hostess at TK who might help you sneak a couple of their AMAZING cookies. [emoji514])

My husband and I are in our 50s so we feel very young here. Floris, being in his 40s, fit, and adventurous, is definitely in the minority. We think that decisions here are based on the age and fitness of most passengers which means "with an over(?)-abundance of caution." It didn't seem that rough outside when the kayaking was canceled but I guess that's for the best of most passengers. Frustrating sometimes. But as some of you reading this have noted, good to know when making travel decisions.

Perhaps if my husband and I do an Antarctica trip again soon, we may choose an expedition cruise but I don't think I will sleep in a ⛺️. [emoji57]

But we definitely look forward to traveling with Seabourn again.

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Floris- is there a way to send a private message to you? I can't see how in the CC app Forums. We would love to say hi in person.

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I finally got to meet Floris in person! Very interesting to hear about his adventures. I'm really glad he added his perspective to this thread. I was happy to see some great discussions here from many... maybe this might help some people in the future as they chose or prepare for an Antarctica adventure.

Our trip has ended and we are spending some time in Buenos Aires- it's hot and HUMID. Suggested restaurant: Cabaña Las Lillas in Puerto Madero.

SEABOURN QUEST, Final wrap-up- my opinion: I would definitely chose this exact trip again. Seabourn did everything they could possibly do to make it a comfortable, luxurious, educational, busy or relaxing (your choice) and care-free experience. The staff is trained so well to be kind and attentive... I already miss the smiles and hellos from everyone.

PROBLEMS – Sure, everyone is human so if you look for it, you can find something to complain about. But real issues are rare and the staff will go out of their way to fix problems. One morning, the coffee machine was broken. The baristas there were so great, running up to the colonnade to get coffee or do what they could, with smiles and jokes, to all those who had not had their coffee yet.

WISH LIST – If I could ask for any changes about the ship... I wish they had more laundry machines. About our itinerary... I wish they had not been so cautious so we could have had a fifth landing on Antarctica and also made the landing at The Falkland Islands. But the captain made the best calls with the information he had at the time. And now, looking back at my photos and remembering it all, we had a fantastic experience. We walked with the penguins in Antarctica.

SEASON: About the time of year... Since our landings were the last of the season, the snow was melted. We walked on dirt, rocks, sand, and penguin guano. But our benefit was that it was never too cold. Our weather was AMAZING at all of our ports. But if you want to walk on snow, you might want to go earlier in the season. The views of the glaciers, snow covered mountains, icebergs, however, could not have been more beautiful and from other photos I have seen, the views are stunning any time of the year.

PACKING LIST – For women- this is what I would recommend for the main items (especially the stuff I had been fretting about.)

– Warm clothes for Antarctica Landings: Two sets of three layers (I washed the underclothes ever time I wore them because everything was wet or muddy.)

– Jackets/Coats: The orange jacket they give you is the only outer wear you need. It is good for rain and cold. The black liner is very warm and many people wore them at the cold-weather ports. I brought a couple other jackets (rain coat, blazer) but did not need them. I had a sweater and thin jacket that I used around the ship and as layering that were helpful.

– Ship clothes: Comfort and layers are key. Most women seemed to have about five outfits. High fashion is not prevalent at all. For me, black pants (brought only one pair) and a nice top (brought five) was a staple for dinner time.

– Shoes: Think lots of stairs all day long: Comfortable. Flat. One pair of heels for dress-up nights.

– Sea days are very casual. Did I say comfortable yet?

– Dress-up nights: I brought three dresses and used them all. Some brought one dress and used the same one for all three nights. Either way seemed fine. No one notices or talks about clothes. Jewelry is also low-key. Some had a few nice items but put it away for ports.

SUITE LOCATION: We were on the 5th level and I would chose it again. It's a little busy because you pass through THE TUNNEL often where the staff have offices and entrances but it's fun to watch them and get to know many of the crew. It's the level with the laundry rooms. It's close to the levels for disembarkations. We took the "No Elevator Challenge" so it was good exercise to get to the Observation Bar (so we could eat a scone at tea-time.) And it was not as rocky during rough seas.

I could go on but I think I have already lost most who might have started to read this. Feel free to ask any questions in the future and I'll get a notification and try to answer. If you are doing this trip- it really will be amazing. 🐧

I cant disagree with anything Hazel has said. It was a fun well run trip that met Seabourn standards. Our thought also is to go back but on an expedition trip but who knows. It was great to meet and have dinner with Floris, he was also staying on ten. My only parting thought is that if you can get to the Grill more than once a week do it !!

Isn't it great that tastes differ? I thought the TK Grill was a huge disappointment [emoji846]

 

I'm going to give it a second chance but if the experience is the same, I'm not going back. Service was rushed. I still had the last spoon of soup in my mouth when the bowl was already pulled and the main course put down. They had me out the door in just under 70 minutes.

 

As for the food, the Boston Clam Chowder only had large chunks of raw potato in it; there was no fish to be found anywhere. The Dover sole was by far the worst Dover sole I have ever been served; they clearly don't know how to make this dish. On top of that it was totally drowned in a thick, calorie rich sauce.

 

I guess next time I should try the veal, lamb or steak. Perhaps they are better with meat dishes.

 

 

Totally agree with this comment, we were so disappointed that we cancelled our second booking. The clam chowder had 3 bits of potato and 3 bits of what I thought was belly pork, very strange, it was so heavily overdone with wine, we were told that 3 bottles of white wine was reduced to make the soup. Why?

My OH had the Dover sole, it was served as 4 fillets laid on top of each other and then drowned in a very heavy sauce. If you do not enjoy the taste of fish then go for it; but if you would like to taste the fish then ask for the sauce on the side.

We are on next year's early January Quest Antarctica trip and really enjoyed Hazel's and Floris's posts--thank you for sharing. And special thanks for Hazel's wrap up post above--some very useful suggestions.

Delete - posted in error while scrolling!

Suggested restaurant: Cabaña Las Lillas in Puerto Madero.

Thank you for an amazing trip report/live blog. I do hope to experience the Antarctic with Seabourn one day!

And I second your recommendation for Cabaña Las Lillas - it's one of my favorites in Buenos Aires!