Interested in a Silver Explorer live report?

[DPWnRBW]

We decided to purchase our own gear prior to the trip. As Maureen said, we found much better value shopping locally. Also, we wanted to be sure everything fit and have it laundered before using it. As to boots, we are going with the Silver Explorer's stock of loaner boots. We sail in 18 days, so I don't know at this point if we made the right decision. I'll let you know when we return.

[jpalbny]

We have borrowed boots from the ship on each of our expedition cruises without a problem. And it is borrowing, not renting. No additional fee.

 

To reiterate: penguin guano is tenacious! You do NOT want that stuff on you own personal boots - and you probably do not want those guano-marinated boots sitting in your suitcase, along with your clothes, for the trip home. Gross!:eek:

[DPWnRBW]

We have borrowed boots from the ship on each of our expedition cruises without a problem. And it is borrowing, not renting. No additional fee.

 

To reiterate: penguin guano is tenacious! You do NOT want that stuff on you own personal boots - and you probably do not want those guano-marinated boots sitting in your suitcase, along with your clothes, for the trip home. Gross!:eek:

 

I hadn't even considered the "penguin poo". Glad we chose to borrow. Both of us have average sized feet. My wife wears a 7 and I wear a 10. Shouldn't be a problem.

[xcountry]

Just out of curiosity, did anyone happen to see a good assortment of kids size boots for loaners on board? How do the loaners work on board -- do you need to tell them in advance or do you just pick and choose once you get on board?

[jpalbny]

How do the loaners work on board -- do you need to tell them in advance or do you just pick and choose once you get on board?

 

On the first sea day on the Drake, they call you to reception by floor number, and the naturalists are all waiting for you there. They ask you what size you wear, then they bring you a pair of boots, and you try them on. If they don't fit, they find you another pair. Repeat until proper fit. Then you keep the same pair for the duration of the journey. You store them in your suite after fitting, but after your first landing, you store them in a numbered spot on a shelf in the mudroom. No penguano in the suites, please!

[Elsie_T_Roohls]

Maureen, thanks for your wonderful reports.

 

We board tomorrow; finally, after all this time. We had originally thought of booking this ship in 2002 (when it was Society Expedition's World Discoverer).

 

I am always a bit concerned when I see long shopping lists for this voyage. We bought $20 waterproof rain pants and are just planning on using regular gear for the rest. Temps should be between 20s and 40s; not too bad.

 

Again, thanks for all your (ok, Garrits and Tristans) insight.

 

Elsie

[NCCruzQueen]

Elsie, See you tomorrow on the plane or ship!!!

[mringenoldus]

I can't wait to hear all about your trip! Have a wonderful time.

Maureen

[Ms Understood]

What did your boys think of their cabin? We are booked in 404 for the Arctic trip in AUg 2013. Went to Antarctica with Regent on the (now) Minerva a few years ago and agree it is truly the trip of a lifetime. Hope the Arctic (and Silver Explorer) compares!

-----------------

Helen

[ttalbcr]

mringenoldus

Maureen, could you please ask Garrit if there was a need for ski poles on any of the landings. I read that there were some on ship to borrow .

[mringenoldus]

Tristan called from Germany today! He and his dad agree that their cabin was very comfortable and looked the same as those with a verandah. Tristan told me to pass on that he couldn't imagine why anyone would elect the expense of the verandah as it was largely unusable.

 

Tristan also felt that the only missing thing was some type of entertainment btween excursions and dinner and on the sea days. He suggested pub trivia as the passengers on the ship well very well informed people and it would be so simple for the crew to provide. I think that's a great idea. Had I known I would have sent a daily trivia quiz with them that they could have organized themselves - and a little "end of the cruise" prize for the team with the most points. Maybe someone on a future cruise would think this might be fun...it's a great way to visit with other passengers.

 

I know from his photos that they used poles - but I will have to ask him if there were any available on ship. Eddire Bauer sells a great collapsable pole. Garrit brought two. All the Eddie Bauer outerwear and cold weather items are greatly discounted right now.

[Older Party]

Tristan called from Germany today! He and his dad agree that their cabin was very comfortable and looked the same as those with a verandah. Tristan told me to pass on that he couldn't imagine why anyone would elect the expense of the verandah as it was largely unusable.

 

Tristan also felt that the only missing thing was some type of entertainment btween excursions and dinner and on the sea days. He suggested pub trivia as the passengers on the ship well very well informed people and it would be so simple for the crew to provide. I think that's a great idea. Had I known I would have sent a daily trivia quiz with them that they could have organized themselves - and a little "end of the cruise" prize for the team with the most points. Maybe someone on a future cruise would think this might be fun...it's a great way to visit with other passengers.

 

I know from his photos that they used poles - but I will have to ask him if there were any available on ship. Eddire Bauer sells a great collapsable pole. Garrit brought two. All the Eddie Bauer outerwear and cold weather items are greatly discounted right now.

 

I've been thinking of trying the Explorer, save for the fact I can't talk my travel partner into it ... YET! But does the Explorer not have a Cruise Director?

[ttalbcr]

Maureen,

Thank you for your quick response. Another question-will hiking poles do or should they be ski poles?:confused: We have collapsible hiking ones.

[jpalbny]

I've been thinking of trying the Explorer, save for the fact I can't talk my travel partner into it ... YET! But does the Explorer not have a Cruise Director?

 

Keep at it!

 

There's no dedicated CD per se - only an expedition leader who functions as such. But they're busy consulting weather maps, planning the next day's landing with the captain, driving zodiacs, watching out for you on shore, and leading the nightly briefing. No time for more traditional CD activities onboard.

 

We found that there really wasn't much time to miss any "entertainment" on our Polar cruises. If we had extra time in the evenings, we'd wander up to the bar for drinks, dancing, conversation with fellow passengers and/or staff, etc... But you don't want to stay up too late in the bar - otherwise you make silly promises like volunteering to do the Polar plunge, for example... ;)

[Older Party]

Keep at it!

 

There's no dedicated CD per se - only an expedition leader who functions as such. But they're busy consulting weather maps, planning the next day's landing with the captain, driving zodiacs, watching out for you on shore, and leading the nightly briefing. No time for more traditional CD activities onboard.

 

We found that there really wasn't much time to miss any "entertainment" on our Polar cruises. If we had extra time in the evenings, we'd wander up to the bar for drinks, dancing, conversation with fellow passengers and/or staff, etc... But you don't want to stay up too late in the bar - otherwise you make silly promises like volunteering to do the Polar plunge, for example... ;)

 

OH this sounds SO enticing to me. It's on my bucket list for 2013! :)

[mringenoldus]

ttalbcr - Garrit used hiking poles. He said that it would have been better to have the ski pole with the basket on the bottom. His just sunk into the snow. He also said you will want to have them for some of the stops. There were none available to borrow on the ship.

[ShyOne60]

For those you who used or wish you had used hiking/ski poles on the Silver Explorer Antarctica cruise, which specific ones would you recommended to bring, and is it recommended that only two poles be brought to share between a couple?

[jpalbny]

For those you who used or wish you had used hiking/ski poles on the Silver Explorer Antarctica cruise, which specific ones would you recommended to bring, and is it recommended that only two poles be brought to share between a couple?

 

We brought our collapsible Komperdell poles that we've taken just about everywhere. We get them from Sierra Trading Post for $30-40 a pair whenever they go on clearance. We brought one pair so that each of us could have one pole, I think.

 

We didn't bring them to Svalbard, and actually missed them a little bit. Funny how you get used to them!

[ShyOne60]

Thanks for the information!

[ttalbcr]

ttalbcr - Garrit used hiking poles. He said that it would have been better to have the ski pole with the basket on the bottom. His just sunk into the snow. He also said you will want to have them for some of the stops. There were none available to borrow on the ship.

 

Again, thank you for the information. :) I called Silversea and was told that ski poles are available on a first come request, we have to request them from our butler. Do not want to take the chance that there will be none available, so have bought snow baskets for our hiking poles to take with us. Another question- how slippery were the outside decks on ship? Wondering how much shoe sole traction is needed?:confused:

[mringenoldus]

Garrit wore a light hiking boot and had no problems with the deck. He didn't hear of anyone slipping in any type of footwear.....unlike our Playa del Carmen trip when the terrazzo floors turned into ice skating rinks when wet!

[RachelG]

Just getting back and getting caught up after our Panama Canal cruise. Glad you mentioned hiking poles as I will definitely bring ours now. I am still wondering about the boots as we are on the Reykjavik-Longyearbyen trip in June, and it is the first one to the Arctic that season. I am thinking they probably have to discard the boots from Antarctica and start over. Does anyone know? If yes, we will definitely bring our own boots. I saw on the Silversea website that you could rent them, but the cost was more than just going out and buying your own. Also, do you think ski mask is needed or would just a good pair of polarized sunglasses work?

[Lirio]

We went on the last trip to Antarctica in 2010. All the ship boots were donated to some charity organization in Ushuaia, as advised by SS.

[RachelG]

We went on the last trip to Antarctica in 2010. All the ship boots were donated to some charity organization in Ushuaia, as advised by SS.

 

That is what I suspected.

[NCCruzQueen]

I just got off the Silver Explorer today and it was the most wonderful cruise I have ever taken. I think it was one of those frozen in time cruises where we had perfect weather and only one day between South Georgia and Elephant Island that was rocky. The Drake was a lake, got to step foot on Elephant Island (the exact same place that Shackelton and his men did) and visited the chinstrap colony of Baileyhead on Deception Island. We were very fortunate in every way, but doubt others will experience what we did.