Photogirl

Based on my two week voyage, I would say that I saw more wildlife on the North Central itinerary. The western itinerary seemed to be more geared to scenery, although there certainly was wildlife.

If you have any special needs, wants, desires, contact Silversea well in advance of your cruise and they will do all to meet them. I know they went out of their way to meet my specific bottled water request. I would include specific beer, wine or liquor brands in this. At least, ask if they have what you want on board.

I did not snorkel, but the people who did complained of the cold water and the lack of things to see, with the exception of a single swim with the turtles time. BTW - A number of snorkelers ended up with jelly fish stings. I would definitely ask what I might see before any snorkel and wear something that will protect from the jelly fish.

Now, about Antarctica. If you are going to see icebergs and scenery, the 10 day cruise will work fine. If you want to see different kinds of penguins and other wildlife, I recommend the longer cruise that takes more time in the Falklands, Shetlands, etc.. Also know that the seas around Antarctica can be a LOT more variable than around the Galapagos. Take every seasickness preventative you can to Antarctica. You can end up with smooth sailing, but be prepared for really heavy seas. Definitely take dry bags or something to protect camera gear in the Zodiacs in Antarctica. Take Goretex clothing. I ended up in the bottom of a Zodiac filled with icy water, due to getting hit with a large wave. The Goretex worked to help keep me dry.

Dinner clothing was mostly summer casual dresses. You could tell most everyone took the "pack light" recommendation to heart. One woman wore the same outfit every evening.

As usual, my suitcase was OK for business class, but overweight for the flights to and from Baltra. However, Silversea picks up your luggage at the hotel the night of your departure and you don't see it till you board. It is just like the last night on a cruise. Put your bags outside your door and off it goes. I doubt this batch of luggage gets weighed, so no overweight charges. However, I was told to not put my Pelican camera case out, due to the value of the equipment. But, even that was carried on the flights without a problem, due in part to the assistance of the local Silversea representative.

Evening clothing is not the problem. Day wear can be. Men will sweat and ladies will perspire on the hikes - a lot. Make sure you can easily wash whatever you wear during the day, Things dry a little slower in the humidity, too.

It wasn't my intent to scare anyone about boarding the Zodiacs or the rocky surfaces you will be hiking on. Just calling it as I saw it during my particular two weeks. Remember, boarding a Zodiac is not like boarding a tender. Since there are no sides, you have nothing to hold on to when you move from the platform to the boat or from the boat to the surf at the beach. The crew members are what you hold on to. They are there when getting off the ship. In my opinion, they just didn't do as good a job as the crewmembers who were on my Antarctic cruise. I just didn't feel as confident getting into the Zodiacs, even though I did it all without incident. My recommendation is, if there is no crew member to offer a hand, ask the person who got off before you to give you a hand.

Again, this expedition voyage is truly a great experience. The SG is definitely the best choice in the Galapagos. Just don't go there thinking this is a "cruise".

Liz

Here are a few things about my wonderful two weeks on Silver Galapagos, in no particular order:

- All of the staff must be from Ecuador. First priority is citizens born in the Galapagos, second are naturalized Galapagos citizens, third are citizens born in Ecuador and then naturalized Ecuadorians. The only non-Ecuadorian on my cruise was the lecturer.

- We had a different chef for each of my two weeks. The food the first week was faultless. The second week, there were a couple of misses, but it was still very good.

- Guides contract individually with the cruise companies. Many are on for a week and then off for a week. Some move from boat to boat.

- I had three different butlers over my two week cruise. They ranged from good to great. It seemed like half the crew left after my first week and new bunch got on. I was told this was a normal occurrence. Even the photographer changed.

- The air conditioning was weak when I entered my cabin, but engineering got into the ceiling at my request and it was great from then on.

- If you like lobster, seafood and cerviche, this is the trip for you. The filet mignon I had was also excellent.

- I was told Silversea is planning on tearing out the paneling at the next major dry dock and replacing it with "basic beige". Staff thinks this is not the thing to do. I agree that it will change the ship for the worse. The wood paneling is nice.

- Maintenance on the ship is excellent. Crew was doing continuous painting to make sure every rust spot was redone.

- Only 35 passenger one week and 60 passengers the next. At the prior Silversea passenger get together, there were only two of us.

- This is NOT a cruise for the elderly. Almost every passenger was under 50 and many of them struggled. The ones in their 80's could not do the hikes and ended up staying on board. One lady was injured due to a fall when she tried to hike.

- There are NO real paths on the hikes. There are just black and white marker sticks, meant to keep you away from breeding areas, etc. Plan on walking on lava, stones and rocks.

- Hikes move at a fast pace. Staff would like to start a series of slower hikes for photographers, but they don't think Silversea will go for it. Too bad.

- Was told by one guide to be very careful near one cliff, that six tourists had fallen off during the time he has been a guide.

_ Unlike other expedition ships I have been on, there is no lower stern deck to board the Zodiacs. You have to go down the metal gangway, lowered from the side, to the sea level to board. This was a problem for the elderly. The doctor stood at the top of the gangway at every Zodiac boarding. I wonder why?

- The crew is not as good as what I found in Antarctica in assisting people to board the Zodiacs. One person fell in my lap while trying to step into the Zodiac. At one rough sea Zodiac landing, they forgot to have anyone but the Zodiac driver in the boat. With driver at the motor, there was no one to assist getting out, so people jumped out and some fell. At one boarding the crew member told me to jump, just at the time the Zodiac dropped five feet into a wave trough. Fortunately, I was experienced enough to time my jump when I decide it was best.

- Take bug spray and stay covered up or you will get bitten and burned.

- The Chilean wines are quite good. Don't stick your nose up at them!

- They crew does remember your name quickly and what your preferences are. By my second day, my pre-dinner drink was always at my table without asking. I also only drink bottled water and they made sure to provide it at evey turn.

- The crew is still a little non-Silversea. Found towel animals in my cabin! At one party there was a rousing rendition of YMCA by the staff! The rest of the music wasn't far from that. I found it a lot of fun, but was told that Silversea frowns on this type of frivolity and that, sooner or later, they would have to stop doing this. Is the Silversea target passenger really that stodgy? A shame, in my mind.

- Know that dinner is usually late because of all the hikes and then the evening lecture.

- The gym is surprisingly large and almost totally unused by the exhausted passengers.

- Hot Rocks, like it or not, is not up to the standards I found on other Silversea ships

- The bartenders were not very good with "fancy" cocktails. Stick with the basics.

- I saw most of the other boats that provide expedition trips in these waters. Quite simply, despite any minor issues one may have, there is no other boat that I would rather be on than the SG.

The floor is now open for questions. Pictures will be available later.

Liz

Go to Antarctica, if you have the chance!!! It is not really very cold there during the season when cruises are offered. If at all possible, take an expedition cruise that includes the Falklands and the Shetland Islands. Don't get a balcony, get a mid-ship outside on a lower or middle deck, if you can.

I did an unbelievable three week cruise on the Corinthian through Cruise West a couple of years ago. Like the Explorer, it was an all suite ship and an all inclusive cruise. For me, one of the highlights of the cruise was something that nearly everyone else fears. We had a major storm on the trip from Ushuaia to Port Stanley. High winds, 30+ foot seas. Other ships, like the Celebrity Infinity fled back to harbor. Our little 100 passenger boat went on. They tied safety ropes throughout the interior of the ship. No one was allowed on deck. All the furniture was bolted or tied to the floor. People got dumped out of bed at night. I didn't because I was a single in the middle of a Queen bed. Only three of us had no seasickness problem. We tied ourselves to the bar stools, held tigttly to our drinks and enjoyed the ride. I have pictures of the waves over the decks and up to the bridge. A number of people did get injured, but nothing too serious.

At the table, you had to watch your plate. Things slid around so much you could have someone else's food in front of you, as your meal headed off to the next person. What a ball.

The captain even stopped so we could set foot on the actual Antarctica land mass, something that is not normally done. We also made a sort of illegal trip around Cape Horn, watching for Chilean patrol boats.

The penguins, icebergs and scenery are amazing. The stop at Palmer Station was also great. I now have some souveniers you can't get anywhere else in the world.

Now I want to head back to Antarctica.

Oh well, still here in the warm, humid Galapagos.

Off to see a bunch of Albatross.

Liz

A Galapagos sunset from the SG.

http://www.pbase.com/dpf/image/156277526

My comment to those who are worried about the level of service on the SG - Stop Worrying and plan on enjoying a great adventure!!!

My experience with the Ecuadorian staff is that, despite all the restrictions of the government, they are hard working and do try to please. Just temper your expectations. Expect something like Business Class on a Singapore Airlines, not what you get in Suite Class. If you expect something akin to a personal assistant at your home, forget about it. If you expect someone who will work to provide you with what you have asked for, your expectations will be met.

An example of how well Silver Sea is can handle things - Because two of us did the same morning stop last week on our B2B, they're taking us by private car to somewhere else. that is unexpected service. Same was true in the afternoon a couple of days ago. Got to see Galapagos moonshine being made.

Had a barbeque last night. With music. As I said before, it's like RCCL met Silver Seas. Much more relaxed than what I have experienced on the non-expedition ships and very enjoyable.

Off I go again.

Liz

OK, it is Friday, last full day of my first week on the Silver Galapagos. A few thoughts and observations:

- Ship is not in bad shape at all. Plenty of room in Deluxe Veranda for just me and all my "stuff".

- Western itinerary seems to be more about taking pictures of the scenery than of the birds and animals. I have been told that the reverse is true for next week's northern itinerary.

- Butler tries very hard to please, but I find I have to ask for a lot of things to get them done. No real anticipation of needs or desires. This may improve more over time, if they keep the same staff. I did have to ask that he not clear away my camera gear every day, as I had trouble finding things when they weren't where I put them in the morning. Not much time to download all my cards and set up for the next day. Suite sure was clean though!

- Chef is Austrian and the food, within the limits imposed by the government, has been good. Lobster season, so I have had lobster for both lunch and dinner.

- Tried Hot Rocks last night. Kind of weird in comparison to the other Silver Seas ships. I didn't care for how it was done. Only large groups book tables, so I would have been out of place going alone. I was with one man & 4 women. But who knows what will when I go again next week.

- They had a Disco Party last night. That is so different from the more formal regular Silver Seas cruises. Kind of Carnival meets Silver Seas. Fun for the open minded.

- Unfortunately, the tours are sort of geared for the power hiker rather than the slow, wait for the good shot, photographer like me. As expected, I keep getting left behind.

- Although it is Friday and disembarkation is tomorrow (at 7 AM!!!) they are already starting to clean up the ship for the next passengers. Glad I have another week to get ready for the speed departure from the ship.

- A few of the guides and passengers came down with a flu like illness during the week. I am a hand sanitizer fanatic so, so far, I haven't come down with anything. Hope that holds true through next week.

- They sort of rush us off the beach for the hikes, so it is hard to change into hiking shoes after a wet landing.

- Internet is expensive, so I am not getting it every day. Will restart next Monday.

- As I expected, this is a go, go, go trip, not a "cruise". Definitely will need a vacation after this.

More when I get a chance.

Liz

Hello from Quito.

Flights to Quito were on time and comfortable. Miami to Quito is less than 4 hours flying time, so no flat bed seats, but American does use nice angled flat style seats. Service on flight was very good. Surprise, couple across the aisle are on my June 14th departure.

A & K did a good job with meeting us on arrival and the transfer to the hotel. I was a bit concerned by the number of houses we passed that had walls with barbed wire on top. Then I was told not to take any walks outside the hotel alone at night. Even told not to take large camera out during the day. Not a problem, since I had booked a private tour to the Mindo cloud forest area.

Yes, we are supposed to leave our luggage in the hall before we retire and they will transfer it to the flight and on to the ship. Big worry for me. I don't want to put a Pelican case with thousand of dollars of photo equipment out in the hall! A & K will have a representative at the hotel this evening. Hopefully, I will be back from Otavalo in time to discuss the issue.

More when I get a chance.

Liz

Carefree,

Thx so much for the camera info. Main camera will be a Canon 1DX. Second body will be a 7D or my tiny SL1. Also taking Panasonic FZ200 and waterproof TS5. Lenses include 70-200 f2,8, 70-300, 24-105 and maybe 16-35, Have lots of polarizers. Also carrying laptop with 1TB storage drive, two Hyperdrive Colorspace backup storage devices and a couple of external drives. Lots and lots of cards.

As you can tell, I'm pretty serious about my photography. I only hope the guides give me enough time to get the shots I want before they tell me I have to move along with the rest of the group. I get that a lot. :>)

Liz

msrieski,

All your reports seem pretty good. I will be in the same class of cabin as you were. Yesterday went out and got a new snorkel and mask. Can you tell me how they handle the snorkeling? Do they provide wet suits, if the water will be cold? What about fins? I don't want to add any weight to my already overweight equipment. Is most of the snorkeling off of the Zodiacs, off of the ship, or off of the beach?

I am actually half way packed. That is a record for me, since I usually end of finishing my packing the night before departure.

Liz

joek,

I really don't do any underwater shooting. Not the world's greatest swimmer. However, one of my cameras is a little waterproof Panasonic, sort of a rugged point and shoot, that I use in Zodiacs, etc., when the seas are rough and I don't want to risk the good equipment. Used it in Antarctica a couple of times. The camera is good to a depth of some 40 feet. That's way more than I' m good for. It shoots both stills and video.

Liz

Cruise time is closing in. Off to the scuba store today to pick up a new mask and snorkel. I will probably pick up a snorkel vest. Not much of a swimmer, so the extra buoyancy should help my confidence.

As a wildlife photographer, I'm really looking forward to both the birds of the Ecuadorian cloud forest and all the "residents" of the islands. What I'm not looking forward to is getting all my camera equipment from Quito to Baltra. Don't mind the extra baggage fees, just don't want to see the cameras go missing on the way to the Galapagos. The equipment is all insured, but it would sure mess up the trip to arrive with no cameras.

Have a great trip.

I will be boarding, when you disembark, for the two cruises following yours. Since I am a photographer, but don't expect to return to the Galapagos (too many other places in the world I haven't photographed yet), I decided to see all the islands in one trip.

Sure hope the local crew has had sufficient time to approach Silversea standards for service. My only real concern is whether the old air conditioning can keep my suite cool enough at night for a good sleep. I tend to push hard during the day, spend time downloading and reviewing my day's pictures after dinner and then collapse. Need a cool suite to sleep well and then do it all over again the next day. Probably will need a vacation when I get back from this trip.

Glad to hear the food is good. I have had some worries after reading all of the restrictions the Galapagos has on what can be imported to the islands.

Joanna - You mentioned you are going in June. What cruise are you on. I will be on the June 14th and the June 21st departures. Doing a back-to-back to see all the islands.

Liz

Lauranne,

I will be on Silver Galapagos for two weeks in June. Your posts have been great at giving me a real feel for what to expect. A few of questions.

- How many passengers are on board your cruise?

- Is the air conditioning working well? Some previous reviews said that it could not keep up with the heat.

- When you are in the Pangas / Zodiacs, how many people are in them at a time?

- Can you leave your water shoes in the Pangas and then change to hiking shoes?

- For those times that you went snorkeling, were there other activities available?

Looking forward to more reports.

Liz

I am on the Feb 15th, 2009 NZ/Australia cruise and would love to know the names of the captain and any of the other staff on the Millenium for that cruise. Does anybody who was recently on the Millie have this information, including whether the present personnel will continue through February?

Thanks

Liz