Expedition Cruises: what's your favorite itinerary?

[FauxNom]

1 hour ago, jpalbny said:

Cloud (and Wind) were always our favorite classic ships. I think that Cloud made a really good transition to an outstanding expedition ship, and hoping the same is true for Wind. Though that does mean that we'll have to try some of the larger classic ships...it's a sacrifice we're willing to make.

Ha ha! I could think of worse things. JP, having been to Antarctica/S. Georgia on the Cloud, do you sense any drawbacks to the Cloud over the Explorer in terms of getting in to places you want to go? I was worrying about whether the Wind would be a good expedition ship, but it really is comparable to the Cloud's size, no?

[Lirio]

Antartica w/South Georgia and the Artic to see polar bears were great, Galapagos was nice. We are considering going on Explorer to NZ subantartic islands next December.

[FauxNom]

30 minutes ago, Lirio said:

Antartica w/South Georgia and the Artic to see polar bears were great, Galapagos was nice. We are considering going on Explorer to NZ subantartic islands next December.

Thanks, Lirio! Seeing polar bears was such a thrill for me. The NZ sub-antarctic sounds very exotic.

[57 varieties]

The trip to Russian Far East sailing from Sapporo in Hokkaido, northern Japan was fabulous.  When we travelled in 2017, it was on Silver Discoverer which SS no longer have.  She was quirky but we enjoyed her.  The embarkation pontoon was easier than on the Explorer as it was on the stern of the ship.  We visited many isolated places around the Sea of Okhotsk and the scenery, wildlife, expedition staff and fellow passengers were wonderful.  So many whales of so many breeds, birds, bear hunts (we didn’t spot one but were told they were nearby), Russian folklore and the best female Captain in the World.  The Kuril Islands on the edge of the Ring of Fire are incredibly beautiful and we were blessed with sunny weather and calm seas.

[RachelG]

20 hours ago, FauxNom said:

Ha ha! I could think of worse things. JP, having been to Antarctica/S. Georgia on the Cloud, do you sense any drawbacks to the Cloud over the Explorer in terms of getting in to places you want to go? I was worrying about whether the Wind would be a good expedition ship, but it really is comparable to the Cloud's size, no?

I know you asked JP, but having been on Explorer many many times and Cloud 3 times, we LOVE the Cloud.  I detected no difficulty in getting to the places we wanted to go.  The cabins on the Cloud are so much nicer, you actually have dining options, and there are real lounges.  She is right now our favorite expedition ship. We have cruises in 2021 on Origin though and on the new Crystal Endeavor, so we will see.  We probably would not go back on the Explorer at this point.

 

I know you asked JP.  Above is just my 2 cents worth.

[FauxNom]

16 hours ago, 57 varieties said:

The trip to Russian Far East sailing from Sapporo in Hokkaido, northern Japan was fabulous.  When we travelled in 2017, it was on Silver Discoverer which SS no longer have.  She was quirky but we enjoyed her.  The embarkation pontoon was easier than on the Explorer as it was on the stern of the ship.  We visited many isolated places around the Sea of Okhotsk and the scenery, wildlife, expedition staff and fellow passengers were wonderful.  So many whales of so many breeds, birds, bear hunts (we didn’t spot one but were told they were nearby), Russian folklore and the best female Captain in the World.  The Kuril Islands on the edge of the Ring of Fire are incredibly beautiful and we were blessed with sunny weather and calm seas.

 

This sounds amazing, 57! I was drawn to that one for awhile but now the ports on the current itineraries don't seem as heavy on the Russian Far East. But I will keep monitoring.

[FauxNom]

5 hours ago, RachelG said:

I know you asked JP, but having been on Explorer many many times and Cloud 3 times, we LOVE the Cloud.  I detected no difficulty in getting to the places we wanted to go.  The cabins on the Cloud are so much nicer, you actually have dining options, and there are real lounges.  She is right now our favorite expedition ship. We have cruises in 2021 on Origin though and on the new Crystal Endeavor, so we will see.  We probably would not go back on the Explorer at this point.

 

I know you asked JP.  Above is just my 2 cents worth.

I'm very happy to have you answer, Rachel. I also think the Cloud is a joy to cruise on, so it's good to hear you didn't notice any "tight squeeze--can't do it" situations. I felt like the Cloud handled rough seas really well, too, so that's a plus!

[highplanesdrifters]

On 4/23/2020 at 8:31 PM, RachelG said:

I know you asked JP, but having been on Explorer many many times and Cloud 3 times, we LOVE the Cloud.  I detected no difficulty in getting to the places we wanted to go.  The cabins on the Cloud are so much nicer, you actually have dining options, and there are real lounges.  She is right now our favorite expedition ship. We have cruises in 2021 on Origin though and on the new Crystal Endeavor, so we will see.  We probably would not go back on the Explorer at this point.

 

I know you asked JP.  Above is just my 2 cents worth.

Just curious why you would not go back to the Explorer. We are booked on it next February, Dunedin to Melborne. It includes Mcquarie and other sub antarctic islands. Seems like the best ship which goes to that area, along with many more remote destinatios that Cloud doesn't cover.  Is the Explorer really that awful? Any other Explorer veterans care to chime in?  Yes, I know she's a bit tired. Just want to know what to expect. 

 

Antarcticia was amazing. Loved South Georgia and would like a trip that focuses on that and the South Sandwich. Faroe Islands. Almost any place in the South Pacific.

Going back to Greenland next summer, loved the ice. A few pics included. Trying the new Seabourn Venture...if its built by then!

 

A regular on the Silversea/Seabourn circut, but I am but a newbie to the expedition ships. Always looking at the comfort/thrill ratio. And is some cases is the price really worth it? Many of the trips seem to be expedition lite and better achieved on something like Seabourn Quest. But we've done almost all of those and looking for the next thing.

 

So thanks to Fauxnom for starting this thread and everyone else for all your tips about the real Expedition cruises. Especially  57 Varitiea - Russia far east, philipb - Cape to Cape, and of course Fletchers list. Jland - wish us luck on the Mcquarie Island trip, hope we make it. 

[labrasett]

We too were on the "ill fated" cruise to Patagonia (Chilean Fjords) on the Explorer this Spring.   We thoroughly enjoyed the cruise albeit cut short by three days due to quarantining in cabin but even that was well managed although became rather tedious.   The scenery and the trips out were wonderful including a couple of great zodiac cruises.    The wild life was as expected with added Condors.   Time spent on the Explorer is always good, food very good, service outstanding and everyone so cheerful.   The return was a little hectic due to the local authorities being somewhat dischuffed with the fact we had offloaded a passenger with Coronavirus into one of the small local towns but SS did a wonderful job, in the face of very considerable adversity, secreting us away from the area on a zodiac, a ferry and then a flight from a local airfield to Sao Paulo.   They arranged aircraft to take pax to US, to Oz and to Europe (London).   Not the easiest of journeys but certainly so much better than being stuck in Chile either on the ship or on the land for weeks as many other cruise pax have experienced with other cruise lines.   A month or so on and we still await our bags which are still on the Explorer moored off Panama but no doubt they will come in due course.  We love the expedition format particularly on the Explorer.   We have done several trips on her including Antarctica, Panama down to Valparaiso and Cape to Cape.   We have also done Cape to Cape on Silver Cloud which is more of an adventure than an expedition experience with more pax, slightly less time in zodiacs and on shore and a slightly different clientele (not the more rugged types of a proper expedition cruise).   South Georgia is a destination that everyone should visit at least once in their lives, at least that is my view.

[FauxNom]

54 minutes ago, labrasett said:

We too were on the "ill fated" cruise to Patagonia (Chilean Fjords) on the Explorer this Spring.   We thoroughly enjoyed the cruise albeit cut short by three days due to quarantining in cabin but even that was well managed although became rather tedious.   The scenery and the trips out were wonderful including a couple of great zodiac cruises.    The wild life was as expected with added Condors.   Time spent on the Explorer is always good, food very good, service outstanding and everyone so cheerful.   The return was a little hectic due to the local authorities being somewhat dischuffed with the fact we had offloaded a passenger with Coronavirus into one of the small local towns but SS did a wonderful job, in the face of very considerable adversity, secreting us away from the area on a zodiac, a ferry and then a flight from a local airfield to Sao Paulo.   They arranged aircraft to take pax to US, to Oz and to Europe (London).   Not the easiest of journeys but certainly so much better than being stuck in Chile either on the ship or on the land for weeks as many other cruise pax have experienced with other cruise lines.   A month or so on and we still await our bags which are still on the Explorer moored off Panama but no doubt they will come in due course.  We love the expedition format particularly on the Explorer.   We have done several trips on her including Antarctica, Panama down to Valparaiso and Cape to Cape.   We have also done Cape to Cape on Silver Cloud which is more of an adventure than an expedition experience with more pax, slightly less time in zodiacs and on shore and a slightly different clientele (not the more rugged types of a proper expedition cruise).   South Georgia is a destination that everyone should visit at least once in their lives, at least that is my view.

 

labrasett - Hello, fellow Explorer, and thanks for the good description of the ill-fated trip. I too enjoyed the trip, but possibly have a less rosy memory of the final days due to our coming down with the virus. Still, totally agree about the miraculous repatriation effort Silversea had to undertake. We feel very lucky! I'm glad to see you give South Georgia the thumbs up.

[FauxNom]

57 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Just curious why you would not go back to the Explorer. We are booked on it next February, Dunedin to Melborne. It includes Mcquarie and other sub antarctic islands. Seems like the best ship which goes to that area, along with many more remote destinatios that Cloud doesn't cover.  Is the Explorer really that awful? Any other Explorer veterans care to chime in?  Yes, I know she's a bit tired. Just want to know what to expect. 

 

 

 

Wow, great ice photos, highplanesdrifters! Greenland is one of my best travel memories, and these photos show why.

 

I don't think the Explorer is awful at all! It's just a lot cozier than the Cloud--more like traveling with a small group of family and friends. Everything and everyone becomes familiar within a few days, and I love that kind of atmosphere. 

 

I've sailed the Cloud once and Explorer twice. To me, the intimacy of the Explorer is a major plus, and it's less of a production to get everyone out on Zodiacs, so the excursions probably go more quickly. That likely makes it easier for expedition leaders to make game-time decisions in favor of taking spontaneous Zodiac trips. The food was superb on both trips.

 

The Cloud's main advantages, in my opinion:

• nicer and larger cabins (at least at the lower price point, which is where we stay)
• more options for dining (I really like the lunch setup with buffet and regular dining options)
• more room in the lounges and public areas
• a very stable ride (which could certainly be explained by different sea conditions)
• a fitness center that's not on full display to everyone headed to the dining room

I would happily sail on either ship!

[RachelG]

FauxNom summarized everything that I like about the Cloud over Explorer.  I don't hate Explorer--we have sailed over 75 nights on her, but Cloud is just more comfortable and on longer voyages, the dining options really are appreciated.  Going to the same dining room every meal, even when it is very good, just gets monotonous after a couple of weeks.

 

Plus Cloud has a proper walking track, which is a big deal to me.

Edited April 24, 2020 by RachelG

[highplanesdrifters]

 

Thanks FauxNom and RachelG for your perspectives. You have described exactly what I was expecting. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. I have always liked the ships in the 200-500 passenger range for the comfort and options they provide. They just don't go where I want to go now!  

 

We did take a lovely trip on the 18 person Fiordland Jewel with Fiordland Discovery in Milford Sound. Milford while breathtaking is rather small but they had Kayaks and a zodiac which made it worth it. They offer more extensive trips to Dusky, Doubtful and Stewart. Will use them again.

 

RachelG - I see you don't  consider The Grill a restaurant, not my favorite either.

 

[RachelG]

12 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

 

 

 

RachelG - I see you don't  consider The Grill a restaurant, not my favorite either.

 

Problem is that in cruises to places that are cold, it is just not very comfortable.  I might eat there once a cruise at most.

[Fletcher]

If I could chip back in about the size of the ships and their suitability for various itineraries . . . I see the Cloud is scheduled to sail from South America to Papeete via Juan Fernandez and Pitcairn Island.  Whereas the Explorer stops at Henderson Island and Ducie Island in the Pitcairn group, the Cloud does not because, frankly, it is too big.  Henderson is the UNESCO World Heritage Site and Ducie is a vast bird colony which also offers world class snorkelling.  It would be a pity to miss these rarely visited islands. 

[tgh]

Both ships have unique features and both find passionate advocates.

I prefer the Explorer, a classic small expedition ship over the "softer" crossover Cloud.

Each ship inculcates the Silversea vibe and to that end either ship is fine for the right Itinerary.

[FauxNom]

9 hours ago, Fletcher said:

If I could chip back in about the size of the ships and their suitability for various itineraries . . . I see the Cloud is scheduled to sail from South America to Papeete via Juan Fernandez and Pitcairn Island.  Whereas the Explorer stops at Henderson Island and Ducie Island in the Pitcairn group, the Cloud does not because, frankly, it is too big.  Henderson is the UNESCO World Heritage Site and Ducie is a vast bird colony which also offers world class snorkelling.  It would be a pity to miss these rarely visited islands. 

Very helpful, Fletcher. Thanks for info that's very hard to come by out on the general internet!

[Lirio]

Now that my cruise from Dublin to Reykjavík is canceled we are considering Dunedin-Dunedin on December 2020. Does anyone have experience with NZ subantartic islands and Macquaire Island?