The Grouch on Seabourn Quest January 12, 2020 San Antonio to Buenos Aires via Antarctica

[SLSD]

6 minutes ago, TylerRose said:

TY for sharing your journey. We are 4 star Mariners looking forward to our first Seabourn adventure in 2 weeks. Your descriptions will be very helpful in our final preparations.

I know you are going to love Seabourn (from one Tyler Rose to another). 

 

[markham]

Here's something about Seabourn you won't find on HAL: maple syrup. Mass market lines offer corn syrup in little packets. Yech!

 

"You get what you pay for" is the saying, but it doesn't apply on HAL whose larger cabins are often more expensive than those on Seabourn and, of course, HAL in not all inclusive re alcohol and tips.

 

Enjoy your first Seabourn cruise - even more than you may recognize already.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[margbem]

Your blog has been the highlight of my day for the many days that you have been sailing. Thank you so much for the descriptive, funny account of your trip to Antarctica. We can only hope that we enjoy ours next January. Hope you are home safe and sound!

[Fairgarth]

Many thanks, Whogo, your posts have been highly entertaining.  We have both enjoyed your great sense of humour.  We have not been on Seabourn since they got rid of the triplets but reading this, we think it is time to go back, even if we are still not the right people.

[Hanoverian]

Fairgarth, our last cruise on Seabourn was on the Pride in 2012.  We did not resume cruising again until 2018 and returned to Seabourn aboard Ovation to the North Cape in June, 2019.  That was one of our best cruises ever and we believe that Seabourn has not lost a step since the Sisters.  Anyone who appreciates what Seabourn delivers is the "right kind of people".  I hope that you find an itinerary that you will enjoy and do decide to go for it.  

[Fairgarth]

Many thanks, Hanoverian, very kind of you.  Yes, we are now actively rethinking Seabourn and looking for something that appeals.  Always good to have something in the works to look forward to.

[MMastell]

Thank you for sharing this. We will be doing Antarctica in January '21.  It was very informative and I love your humor.  My wife and I are long time cruisers with over 60 sailings under our belts. Antarctica will be our last continent to visit. We have sailed on many lines and book aft balconies or suites but this is our first "ultra luxury" experience and, mostly my wife, worries about not fitting in or spending $5,000 for more clothes. We dress according to the dress code, converse on most topics and know the difference between a salad fork and dinner fork. 🙂 I know we will have a great time and I'll be the one in the "off the rack" suit or blazer. My wife will probably go out and spend the $5000 + for new outfits. 🙂                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Mike

[jozi]

51 minutes ago, MMastell said:

Thank you for sharing this. We will be doing Antarctica in January '21.  It was very informative and I love your humor.  My wife and I are long time cruisers with over 60 sailings under our belts. Antarctica will be our last continent to visit. We have sailed on many lines and book aft balconies or suites but this is our first "ultra luxury" experience and, mostly my wife, worries about not fitting in or spending $5,000 for more clothes. We dress according to the dress code, converse on most topics and know the difference between a salad fork and dinner fork. 🙂 I know we will have a great time and I'll be the one in the "off the rack" suit or blazer. My wife will probably go out and spend the $5000 + for new outfits. 🙂                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Mike

Don’t let the brochures intimidate you!

[Fletcher]

2 hours ago, MMastell said:

My wife will probably go out and spend the $5000 + for new outfits. 🙂                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Mike

Just make sure she buys some waterproof pants for wet landings, a merino sweater, thermal underwear and liner gloves. All the rest is superfluous.  

Edited February 7, 2020 by Fletcher

[MMastell]

5 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

Just make sure she buys some waterproof pants for wet landings, a merino sweater, thermal underwear and liner gloves. All the rest is superfluous.  

We live in Minnesota and we'll enjoy the 35F January temperatures in Antarctica. Cold weather gear is not a problem. 🙂

Edited February 7, 2020 by MMastell

[Walfam]

Whogo - thank you for all your posts on this trip.  I enjoyed reading every one of them; funny and educational. 

[whogo]

On 1/12/2020 at 8:23 PM, whogo said:

Lovely cabin, plenty of room for all our stuff with room left over.

[whogo]

On 1/15/2020 at 3:03 PM, whogo said:

Church of San Francisco is wooden, covered in zinc, according to the literature, assume it is galvanized steel. Painted yellow. The curved ceiling makes it look like it was built by ship builders. Sorry I do not have the architectural vocabulary to describe it.

Castro, Chile

 

[whogo]

On 1/15/2020 at 3:03 PM, whogo said:

Wednesday, January 15, 2020. Castro, Chile. 42°29.33'S, 73°44.76'W

 

Planned a pedestrian tour to the Castro attractions, boarded a tender about 9:30...

 

Headed on to a viewpoint to see the palafitos, colorful stilt houses...

 

 

 

 

[whogo]

On 1/17/2020 at 3:18 PM, whogo said:

Friday, January 17, 2020. El Bruho Glacier and Sarmiento Channel.

The low clouds and light rain were typical for this area, still a wonderful view of waterfalls, steep mountains, and some snow on the higher rounded tops. I do not have the skill to describe it all. We hung a left into an even narrower channel, pretty cool to have the ship in such a confined space. Soon saw my first floating ice of the trip, looked white, mostly, figured the dark ones had picked up some detritus. Nope, an expedition team member explained that the ice was clear, I was seeing the color of the water right through it. Reached some bigger “bergie bits” that looked blue, as did El Brujo glacier when it came into view and we slowly sailed closer and closer.

 

The glacier is two kilometers wide and hundreds of feet tall, not that I could tell it. I have no way of judging the scale of things at sea. Put a man on the glacier and I'd think, “Wow, that's big”.

 

 

[whogo]

On 1/19/2020 at 5:57 PM, whogo said:

Sunday, January 19, 2020

 

I was out on deck at 6:20 AM, today. Headed east on the Beagle Channel... An expedition team member brought around a little diving petrel that had ended up on the ship. Unable to stand on land (or ship), he/she/it (did not find out what gender it had chosen) was released into the air.