FauxNom

Ugh! Sorry to hear this but I do hope you have a great time.

This is such an interesting thread; thanks, all for the insights. My Silversea experience is limited to 4 expedition cruises, the latest in June on the maiden voyage of the Wind as an expedition ship. It convinced me that Silversea's luster was intact despite the pandemic and the inevitable hiccups on a first voyage of a ship that has all new crew, facilities, etc. What keeps me bonded to Silversea are the interesting and lively fellow passengers; the friendly, cheerful crew; the itinerary and enrichment activities; and the food and beverage quality. All those boxes were checked on that last cruise. In a way, my experience keeps getting better. I think I'm learning what standard is reasonable to expect, and how to politely asking for it if service misses the mark. As a retired teacher and parent of two millennials, I don't shy away from teaching opportunities 🙂 After about 3 days, I had the staff in La Terrazza trained to make the perfect Avocado Toast/Eggs Benedict for my daily breakfast. Perhaps they are now convinced of American eccentricity, but they seemed happy to oblige and go the extra mile, which is something I didn't really understand on my first couple of cruises. The executive chef in particular was incredibly solicitous, always ready with suggestions and happy to discuss the menu with an indecisive diner like me. I was completely happy with the food and beverage experience. Happily, my fellow travelers did not disappoint (except that one guy who threw a fit when told he had to wear a mask on the bus). But I wonder if this might be the nature of expedition travel: maybe it attracts people whom I find compatible. And the smaller passenger load is perhaps one of the biggest factors in making a convivial and happy atmosphere. Maybe I should reconsider going on a classic cruise, given the negative experiences I've read about here. But I remain a fan of the Silversea expedition experience.

Find a cruise you're interested in and you can see a description of "included" and "selected" excursions by going to the daily itinerary and clicking on the down arrow for each port. I've done only expedition cruises and I'd say roughly 8 or 9 out of 10 excursions have been really good or great. They recently changed the policy; I think now you can book excursions as soon as you've paid for the cruise (or maybe even just put down a deposit).

Maybe this is when they remove the casino, helicopter, and submarine. I'll be interested to hear from folks who board in November about which of those features are still there.

I wonder if they're leaving time for some charter or industry promotion sailings? The gap seems very intentional.

Gulp. My friend and I just signed up for this cruise. I do think it's tragically expensive, but what an amazing itinerary and gorgeous ship. We did a portion of this route on the Cloud in around 2018 (August/September) and it was possibly my favorite cruise ever. The Northern Lights were so frequent they became old hat! This itinerary goes much farther north, so the chances seem even better. Now if we can add polar bears, walrus, and narwhal, life will be perfect.

I had cappuccino every day at breakfast on the Wind in June. All kinds of espresso drinks available in the lounges as well.

LOL . For some reason people love to opine on this topic. But your actual question was perfectly clear 🙂

We did the opposite routing, and there were no wet landings. We did get the parka, which was handy. You should be fine with some hiking shoes, but I don't think you can count on boots being available to borrow.

I got free laundry in June on a P2P sailing.

If you want Tiki, try the Wind 🙂 There's was plenty to keep me happy in June.

Maybe they didn't tell you about it 🙂. I noticed that my butler and steward kept closing the window if I left it open. I'm sure there have been small catastrophes in the past. I was on the Wind in June this year, and I really loved this suite. I never heard the elevator at all. And the location is great if you like La Terazza or the pool!

The window on the right in the above photo actually does open from the top down, at the touch of a button. It's a great suite!

I think it's unpredictable. When my suitcase was lost (solo traveler) there was a ship-bound couple in the same situation who lost all their bags. Happily all were recovered before the ship left port.

On the Wind in June we could order from the all-around menu or the main Restaurant menu for dinner. I heard mixed things about whether one could order from La Terrazza.

I agree: too tight! But here's a blogger who says 1 hour is enough in Seattle https://www.sanspotter.com/is-1-hour-layover-enough-time-in-seattle/#:~:text=The good news is that,re making an international connection. However, he doesn't address the international to international connection, which is likely more complicated than just staying airside and avoiding security. This page from the airport goes into great detail: https://www.portseattle.org/services-amenities/international-arrivals-and-passport-control

@TER777 You can see the unused air credit by clicking on the icon that says "Economy class flights" in the graphic that looks like this. Same for "private executive transfers". If the price at the beginning of the listing says "air credit included" that means the unused air credit has already been taken account of and you have no provided air options.

On the Silversea website listings for Explorer voyages there's now a blurb about how you are actually booking the Endeavor, starting with the first air-bridge voyage. I agree with @gojirra: this could be a good deal!

I agree that fares might have gone up a lot; they certainly have for trips I'm shopping. But good lord, how can Silversea justify charging a deviation fee when you're paying for arrangements that get you there with a safe buffer? You'd think the company would welcome travelers arriving a day early!

It seems like they ought to add voyages in Australia for the Explorer, since those have been sellling well. Who knows where Endeavor will go after its southern stint? I'm guessing the Arctic.

Found the answer to our collective question @highplanesdrifters From the Silversea blog Silver Endeavour will replace Silver Explorer for this winter’s Antarctic season, sailing all of its Antarctica cruises. Silver Explorer will resume operations for the upcoming 2023 Kimberley season as scheduled, subsequently sailing in the South Pacific before leaving the fleet in November 2023, when her charter agreement ends.

Video announcement I also wonder if the ship will take over the continuation of the Explorer's schedule post-Antarctica. That would be pretty cool since I have a trip in Australia planned for next May.

Are you already covered with one included hotel night and you just want to add a night? If so, find out what hotel Silversea uses and see if you can book a cheaper one nearby. Splitting the hotel stay might be worth it because you would get to keep the transfer to the port from the hotel where you spend the second night, covered by Silversea. The price quoted probably does include a fee for deviation from the scheduled dates, but I think that's about $150 per person. Ask for a breakdown so you can tell what you're being charged for. That would make your decision easier.

I also stayed at the Intercontinental in Lisbon post-cruise in June. A taxi to the airport cost around 12 Euro and the port is close to the hotel. I'm guessing you would save a bundle by booking on your own--either at the Intercontinental or another centrally located hotel.

I think the itinerary might make a difference here. I found the Wind in the Med a bit more dressy than the Cloud in the Arctic, for example. For men, a long-sleeved dress shirt would be worth taking, as a polo might not feel quite up to snuff for dinner in the main restaurant or La Terrazza. Ties/Blazers would be more optional.