shipsmail Posted May 8, 2018 #1 Share Posted May 8, 2018 Experiences with the CLOUD from Ushuaia to Cape Town in March? We are considering to book this cruise next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigman_12 Posted May 8, 2018 #2 Share Posted May 8, 2018 Cape Town one of prettiest places in the world... !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill B Posted May 9, 2018 #3 Share Posted May 9, 2018 I can't answer, but will say I booked the cruise last fall. It's my retirement present to myself, and will be my last 'big trip'. I love ships (ex-fisherman/Coast Guard) and have done many 'mainstream' line cruises (mostly Princess). However, cannot express in words my disgust, revulsion and loathing of: airlines, airports and the whole flying experience. :mad: The reason I booked the cruise is to see South Georgia. With very few ships visiting, research lead me to conclude this cruise offered the best value for the money. Shackleton has been my hero since childhood and I want to pour a wee dram on his grave. I'm going to make the trip worthwhile and strike Machu Picchu off my 'bucket list' before making my way to Santiago on March 6. This means I have to get to Lima from Saigon (I live in Vietnam). The 'best' one-way, economy flights take 34 friggin' hrs. and cost $1500. However, HAL's Volendam leaves San Diego on Feb. 2 for Lima (15-day cruise), and I can fly from Saigon to San Diego in 16 hrs. for $800 on JAL. In effect, this means I can more than halve :) my long-haul, trans Pacific airline 'Hell' ... and knock $700 off the price of the HAL cruise. I'll get to Lima on Feb. 17, have plenty of time to: go to Cuzco, Machu Picchu etc., and make my way to Lake Titicaca, La Paz, and across the Altiplano - see Uyuni salt flats/lakes - ending up in San Pedro de Atacama with a short, cheap flight to Santiago on March 6. I've never been to Cape Town so will spend a few day there; then, some 'Safari' travelling in South Africa/ Botswana i.e. see Victoria Falls, maybe Etosha, Namibia too (don't know exactly - haven't got that far in the planning yet), before more airline 'Hell' :rolleyes: making my way back to Saigon and ultimately home to Vung Tau. Hope to see you on board the Cloud. :D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Fletcher Posted May 10, 2018 #4 Share Posted May 10, 2018 That's an impressive trip Bill B. Santiago to Ushuaia will be at least 12 hours overnighter I guess with a change in Buenos Aires or possibly Mendoza. Flights down there are notoriously subject to delays and cancellations so I'd try and get to Ushuaia a day early if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony & Trevor Posted May 10, 2018 #5 Share Posted May 10, 2018 We did this cruise in February / March this year and it was truly excellent. The scenery was surreal. Would certainly recommend to those who like adventure in comfort. Kind regards, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill B Posted May 10, 2018 #6 Share Posted May 10, 2018 Fletcher, The 'cruise' starts with an overnight stay in Santiago March 6 -7 at the Sheraton San Cristobal Tower; and a charter flight from Santiago to Ushuaia on the morning of the 7th (after which we embark the ship). Three transfers are included: airport to hotel, hotel to airport (in Santiago) and airport to ship (in Ushuaia). In other words, I only have to worry about getting to Santiago on the 6th (not to Ushuaia on the 7th). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Fletcher Posted May 10, 2018 #7 Share Posted May 10, 2018 Ah . . . all sorted then. An amazing trip - you get to go to Tristan da Cunha as well as South Georgia and the Falklands. In years past I would say chances of landing at Tristan were less than 50 percent but now they have improved the little harbour so the chances have improved quite a lot. Even the Seabourn Sojourn landed tenders there this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jpalbny Posted May 11, 2018 #8 Share Posted May 11, 2018 I would dearly love to do this trip some time. Have looked at this itinerary longingly for years. Before the Cloud started doing it, Silver Explorer would do this route about every other year. A few years back, Explorer rescued a bunch of sailors from a sinking ship while doing this cruise. Synopsis of the story; there may be others out there: http://www.cruisemapper.com/accidents/Silver-Explorer-805 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer Posted May 11, 2018 #9 Share Posted May 11, 2018 A few years back, Explorer rescued a bunch of sailors from a sinking ship while doing this cruise. Synopsis of the story; there may be others out there: http://www.cruisemapper.com/accidents/Silver-Explorer-805 Fascinating. Thanks. This episode must have been very disruptive for the Silversea guests, whose cruise progress was presumably interrupted. They may have even missed a port or a zodiac landing. And the zodiacs were apparently soiled in the process. I trust that the guests demanded -- and received! -- considerable compensation from Silversea for this indignity. ;):D:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare drron29 Posted May 11, 2018 #10 Share Posted May 11, 2018 If there is a Force 12 gale you won't be landing at Tristan.that is what happened to us last year. Next year the Cloud is spending 3 days in the vicinity so a reasonable chance of getting into Tristan. here is my report. https://boards.cruisecritic.com.au/showthread.php?t=2557909&highlight=cape+to+cape Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipsmail Posted May 11, 2018 Author #11 Share Posted May 11, 2018 Thanks for your infos. We will book this cruise now after your positive feed back! Because Santiago is more complicated to fly there from my country, we will do our own flights to Buenos Aires instead and then directly to Ushuaia, which is a 3,5 hrs flight only. Silversea will give a credit for not using the flight package, hotel stay and transfers. It is a VS cruise and we can book onboard, which will make the fare more attractive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony & Trevor Posted May 11, 2018 #12 Share Posted May 11, 2018 shipsmail We British and did our own flight package down to Ushuaia as we did a mini cruise beforehand around the Patatgonian Fjords. On the morning of embarkation we did a morning tour and then we were taken to a delightful hotel with amazing views of Ushuaia for lunch followed by a nature walk. We met up with the SS reps there. The passengers that took the SS flight arrived for lunch after us as there was some delay at the airport. We had a short journey to the port and arrived at the ship mid afternoon. The ship was excellent and we had very informative lectures and briefings. The weather was generally good but it did deteriorate after leaving South Georgia so we headed for Tristan on our first ( of three ) days in that area. The island was amazing. Just a word on currency as many passengers asked regarding this. As the Falklands, South Georgia and Tristan are all British they obviously use the 'pound sterling' but they do take dollars and credit cards. Small change is handy for the British Post Offices on all three islands for post cards etc. I presume you are from the USA but apologies if you are not for mentioning the money. I'm sure you will have a most surreal time. Kind regards, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipsmail Posted May 12, 2018 Author #13 Share Posted May 12, 2018 shipsmail We British and did our own flight package down to Ushuaia as we did a mini cruise beforehand around the Patatgonian Fjords. On the morning of embarkation we did a morning tour and then we were taken to a delightful hotel with amazing views of Ushuaia for lunch followed by a nature walk. We met up with the SS reps there. The passengers that took the SS flight arrived for lunch after us as there was some delay at the airport. We had a short journey to the port and arrived at the ship mid afternoon. The ship was excellent and we had very informative lectures and briefings. The weather was generally good but it did deteriorate after leaving South Georgia so we headed for Tristan on our first ( of three ) days in that area. The island was amazing. Just a word on currency as many passengers asked regarding this. As the Falklands, South Georgia and Tristan are all British they obviously use the 'pound sterling' but they do take dollars and credit cards. Small change is handy for the British Post Offices on all three islands for post cards etc. I presume you are from the USA but apologies if you are not for mentioning the money. I'm sure you will have a most surreal time. Kind regards, Tony Thank you so much for the additional info. We are from Germany. Two years ago we enjoyed the fjords in Patagonia after a Antarctica cruise on Seabourn. We now look forward to South Georgia and the Transatlantic to Cape Town. As mentioned we will organise our flight via Buenos Aires to Ushuaia and then stay two nights in a hotel close to Ushuaia to recover from the long flights. We are on the CLOUD now and also learnt from the crew, that your cruise USH to CPT was pleasant with nice landings and we do hope for the same next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jpalbny Posted May 12, 2018 #14 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Hi shipsmail, I don't know where you are in Germany, but in case you did not know, LATAM airlines has a flight from Frankfurt direct to Santiago. It makes one stop in Madrid but you do not change planes. It looks like they fly a 787 Dreamliner on this route. We have flown LATAM to Easter Island on their 787 and the business class cabin is really quite nice. Something to consider, if you have not already. But your plan to fly to BA is certainly good too. Lots of choices! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Fletcher Posted May 12, 2018 #15 Share Posted May 12, 2018 We flew British Airways Business Class from Santiago to London last January and it was quite the worst experience we've ever had in Business. The configuration is terrible wherever you sit. On check-in we asked if we were sitting together and the guy said yes but in fact my wife was seated next to a woman with a five-year-old son, and my wife said it was like sharing a bed with a total stranger. The seats themselves were very comfortable. But the service director said they always get complaints on that route and it will change in a year or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer Posted May 12, 2018 #16 Share Posted May 12, 2018 We flew British Airways Business Class from Santiago to London last January and it was quite the worst experience we've ever had in Business. The configuration is terrible wherever you sit. This has been my experience as well. Business class seats in 2018 should all allow direct access to the aisle. One shouldn't have to climb over seat mates. Unfortunately, BA still does not provide this modest amenity. I will take a flight with a connection on another carrier to avoid BA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipsmail Posted May 14, 2018 Author #17 Share Posted May 14, 2018 We had considered the BA flight via LHR but had only heard bad reviews about BA First and Business. Now we booked LH from Frankfurt to Buenos Aires non-stop. This flight arrives in the early morning. We have to change in Buenos Aires from EZE airport to AEP airport and the next flight from AEP to USH starts at 3 p.m. only. It is a long layover, but better than missing a short connection between these airports. Any ideas how to spend these hours admitting we have much luggage for the three weeks cruise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jpalbny Posted May 14, 2018 #18 Share Posted May 14, 2018 You could consider a half-day tour. Have a guide pick you up at EZE, spend a few hours in BA, and then drop you and your luggage off at AEP. Or if you are too tired for that much activity after your long flight, get a day room and nap. Many airport hotels offer that option. We did that once when we had a 10 hour layover in LAX, coming home from Australia. It's been a few years since we visited BA so I don't have specific recommendations for these activities. Trip Advisor may have more specific ideas. Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer Posted May 14, 2018 #19 Share Posted May 14, 2018 I was confronted with a similar situation in BA -- wanting a guide with transport for a brief tour. Someone on Cruise Critic recommended Pedro Werberg. I had several email exchanges with him and was very impressed and hopeful about the tour. In the event, I had to cancel the tour in order to attend a meeting in BA. However, you might want to contact him. He apparently hires a taxi or van for the tour, so he could probably accommodate your luggage. Here's the website: http://www.amigodebuenosaires.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlinet Posted January 15, 2019 #20 Share Posted January 15, 2019 For anyone that was on this cruise in 2018 and can possibly help.... I am on the the upcoming March 2019 cruise from Ushuaia to Capetown. Does anyone know if if we are going to be making wet landings and need boots? Have tried multiple times to get info from Silversea with no luck. Don't want to waste money renting or buying if they aren't needed. Also for any 2019 booked cruisers - would be interested in any meet and greets or social activities especially since I'm traveling solo. Thanks for any assistance with boot issue. Carla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill B Posted January 16, 2019 #21 Share Posted January 16, 2019 I see you found the Roll Call and posted there as well. I'm on the same cruise (Mar. 7 - 28, 2019). There will be wet landings and boots are needed. However, there are apparently quite a few pairs on board to be had for free; but, of course they can't guarantee your size. How about a 'meet-up' on March 8, 10:00 am at the Panorama Lounge? Any one else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Fletcher Posted January 16, 2019 #22 Share Posted January 16, 2019 11 hours ago, Carlinet said: I am on the the upcoming March 2019 cruise from Ushuaia to Capetown. Does anyone know if if we are going to be making wet landings and need boots? Your cruise will be visiting the Falklands, South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha's outlying islands such as Nightingale. There will be wet landings at all of these places. Possibly very wet, depending on the wind etc. Take waterproofs for wearing over your pants/trousers which you will place outside your wellington boots. On parade at Ushuaia today are (from left to right) the Silver Cloud, Stella Australis and Orion. I've been on the Cloud and the Orion. https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/argentina/tierra-del-fuego/ushuaia/ushuaia.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterZZ Posted January 16, 2019 #23 Share Posted January 16, 2019 Will also be on this trip. March 7 to 28, 2019 - so very much looking forward to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antarctica19 Posted February 25, 2019 #24 Share Posted February 25, 2019 Hello 👋 We’ll be onboard too, we’re quite new to CC but found it helpful FOR EXCURSIONS on last months 14N Armchair Antarctica cruise on Celebrity Eclipse, looking forward to meeting everyone. We’ve done GREENLAND with SS b4 & very keen to get back to SGSSI after 10 years, we’re first timers to Tristan Da Cunha the other reason we’re on board, can’t wait 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archipelago Posted October 10, 2019 #25 Share Posted October 10, 2019 Am considering this too. Are there formal nights on these voyages ? Is it best to bring our own waterproof boots ? Wondering where to get waterproof for over slacks etc. Is there a lot of uphill hiking ? Anything would be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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