Antartica Expedition Questions

[pvbmom]

I am new to SilverSea Cruise Line, but a veteran cruiser (usually Celebrity).   We will be on the Silver Wind in Feb.  I have always been so impressed with how helpful other cruisers are on this website.  We are a 3 couples (2 are newbies) traveling and have many questions about the Line and how Antartica expeditions work.

1.  For the actual expeditions, I understand we are put in groups, do they keep traveling parties together?  

     Does it work that one group stays on board and one goes ashore at the various landing spots?

     Approximately how long are the adventures?

     As the ship carries 260 (ish) passengers were there 3 groups?  Were you able to make most of the landings?

     Are the landings mostly "wet", or "dry"?

2.  When were the briefings usually held?    Approximately how long did they last?  

      Based on the briefing lengths, what time would you recommend to make dinner reservations?

3.   The Grill sounds very interesting for dining, is it very cold to be dining outside?  (Are there heat lamps or cafe style heaters?)

4.   We have the packing lists, is there anything additional that you wish you had brought or found you did not need?

       Did you find the pants were helpful to rent, - are they insulated?  I have a good pair of ski pants - would they protect as well?

       Did you find walking sticks were necessary or not?

5.   Silly question but am having difficulty finding the info, for anyone who has traveled there recently, what was your weather and about when does the sun set (if at all)?    

       Once you are in the Antartica Sound is the water fairly calm?

6.   Silly question #2, is there a mudroom where you keep your boots and "going ashore" clothes?

I am so sorry to have so many questions, but truly appreciate all your insight.  Thank you in advance!

     

 

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, pvbmom said:

I have a good pair of ski pants - would they protect as well?

Do your ski pants protect you when snow skiing on cold days?  If not, then no, they will not magically protect you in Antarctica.

[pavementends]

4 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Do your ski pants protect you when snow skiing on cold days?  If not, then no, they will not magically protect you in Antarctica.

 

True, but it may not be really cold. We are talking about the summer season down there. On a trip to the Arctic, I found it cool but not really cold and that was closer to the pole than OP will go in Antarctica. Having said that, ski or goretex climbing pants help enormously in keeping warm.

 

For packing at least, for my cruise (not Silversea) a suggested packing list was provided.

[Stumblefoot]

3 hours ago, pavementends said:

For packing at least, for my cruise (not Silversea) a suggested packing list was provided.

They’re provided for SS too.

[scottjeanne]

1. You are put into groups for the zodiac tours.  You have the same group for the entire cruise.  They do keep people who are traveling together in the same group.  We had 138 passengers and there were 6 groups.  They rotate the times you go to the zodiacs.  For example group 1 is first on the first day, group two is second.  The next day group two is first, group three is second etc.  So you do not always have the crack of dawn start time. 

Since we had a small number of passengers, anyone who wanted to go on the excursions could go.  No one had to remain on the ship.  We had two per day, one in the morning and you returned to the ship for lunch.  The ship then change locations and you had the opportunity to go out in the afternoon.  There was also the opportunity to kayak, which was great. 

There is a mud room next to where you board the zodiacs.  Your boots stay there.  You must thoroughly clean them after each excursion so you are not contaminating Antarctica.  The time on shore varied.  Usually once on shore, you could stay as long or as little time as you like.  They let you know when the last zodiac transfer was leaving.  You did not have to return with your group.

All landings were wet.  There are no docks. The zodiac pulls onto the land, sometimes a beach"ish" area, sometimes just rocks.  You slide to the front of the Zodiac and you are helped out into the shallow water and you walk to dry land.

2.  The briefings were in the early evening before dinner.  Usually about 6 pm before dinner.  They last between 30 to 60 minutes.  They give great information about the days sites and what they anticipate for the next day.  It does change due to weather conditions.

3.  The Grill has amazing quality food.  They will cook it for you if you are not interested in grilling yourself.  There are space heaters and lap blankets.  We were often warm enough without our parkas.

4.  There are many packing lists that are very helpful.  I will emphasize that the outer pants you wear (whether rented or your own) are water proof.  Not water resistant, water proof. You will get wet on the zodiacs and during the landings. 

I found I had too many layers, but it was easy to peel them off. 

The one thing I took and was very happy with was shower slide shoes.  You will wear heavy socks (sometimes two pair) and you have to get from your cabin to the mudroom to get your boots.  My street shoes would not fit over the socks.  And it is cumbersome and awkward to try and put on boots with all your gear and life vest on.  Slip on rubber shoes were great.

5.  It was never pitch black, though the sun was down for a few hours.  It seemed to hover on the horizon.

4. I did not use walking poles.  I did have removable crampons for my boots which was helpful for the time of year we went (February and March 2022).  The snow was slushy and slippery. 

5. Weather is going to vary.  The Drake passage going over was very rough.  Lots of people sick.  the seas were very calm on the return a week later.

 

I hope this was helpful.  Please enjoy.  It is truly amazing.

[sherylc]

We are just off the Cloud (the Wind’s sister ship).
Excursions for us were usually either a 45 to 90 minute zodiac ride or about a 2 hour landing. Who went first varied to make it fair, but people typically jumped back on a zodiac when they were ready to return to the ship. Always felt like we had plenty of time. 

I would recommend snow trekking poles if there will still be snow at landing sites. Most used them for our landings. Neck gaiters were super useful. Waterproof pants absolutely essential. Can be rain or ski but must be truly waterproof. 
mud room only held boos. You got all your other gear on in your suite including parka and life vest before you were called down for your turn. Put on boots and off you go. We brought crocks which were great to put on before and after boots (with thick socks)

We dressed with wool thermals, a fleece layer and then the parka/rain or snow pants. Waterproof gloves important. Don’t forget sunscreen!!

I didn’t enjoy the Drake, but water in Antarctica was very protected. 
Enjoy.  
by the way there is tons of information on this topic on a site that rhymes with “SpaceHook”

[pvbmom]

Thank you for such great information!  So very helpful!

[Stumblefoot]

3 hours ago, sherylc said:

by the way there is tons of information on this topic on a site that rhymes with “SpaceHook”

I motion that we change the name of the website which cannot be named from Voldemort to SpaceHook.  Do I hear a second?

[cruiseej]

 

I'll just try to add on to the great replies you've already received...

 

On 1/4/2023 at 1:06 PM, pvbmom said:

1.  For the actual expeditions, I understand we are put in groups, do they keep traveling parties together?

 

You will arrive and find you have been pre-assigned, but on that first day, you can get them to re-assign you so you're all in the same group -- no problem.

 

I will note that you may still up on different zodiacs at times. Its gets crowded on the deck where people are going to/from the mudroom and zodiacs, and sometimes they will grab the next 8 people waiting and put you in a zodiac; if someone in your group is still getting their boots on, you may end up in different zodiacs. So if you definitely want to be in the same zodiac, stay in the mudwoom until all are ready to go... but it can get cozy int here if people are suiting up and others are returning. 

 

On 1/4/2023 at 1:06 PM, pvbmom said:

As the ship carries 260 (ish) passengers were there 3 groups?  Were you able to make most of the landings?

 

We just had 205 on the Cloud. I don't think they carry as many as 260 for the Antarctic trips. Since they can only have 100 ashore at a time (by international convention), I think they keep the ships to about 220 maximum, so there will be only two cycles to get everyone ashore.

 

On 1/4/2023 at 1:06 PM, pvbmom said:

Does it work that one group stays on board and one goes ashore at the various landing spots?

 

Yes, exactly. They might have groups 1, 2 and 3 get the first call, and 4, 5, and 6 will get called about 75 minutes later as the first groups start to return.

 

And the only thing you can count on is that things will change! Timings may change, earlier or later. If the sea is a bit choppy and loading is taking longer, they might call group 4, wait 5 minutes, call group 5, wait 5 minutes, and call group 6. If the ship arrives at a landing spot early, they may start calling the first groups 15 minutes before the stated time. As our expedition leader said on the first day, when revealing to some groans that the first departures would be at 6:45 the next morning: "this is an expedition ship!"

 

On 1/4/2023 at 1:06 PM, pvbmom said:

Are the landings mostly "wet", or "dry"?

 

There are no docks in Antarctica! So they're all wet landings, with the exception of Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands, if your trip goes there.

 

On 1/4/2023 at 1:06 PM, pvbmom said:

When were the briefings usually held?    Approximately how long did they last?  

      Based on the briefing lengths, what time would you recommend to make dinner reservations?

 

For our trip last week, briefings were as early as 6:15 and sometimes as late as 7:00, depending on what was happening. On two days, there was a briefing mid-day because the afternoon excursions wouldn't be returning until 7:00. For the restaurants which required reservations, we asked for 8 pm to have flexibility to shower and sometimes have a pre-dinner drink; if you like to eat earlier, 7:30 will generally work.

 

On 1/4/2023 at 1:06 PM, pvbmom said:

The Grill sounds very interesting for dining, is it very cold to be dining outside?  (Are there heat lamps or cafe style heaters?)

 

Yes, there are heat lamps.... and yes, it's cold outside! Most people wore their parkas, and they have blankets. In my opinion, it's an interesting experience worth trying at least once, but it's not the same as a relaxing multi-course meal in the other restaurants. Some people are fine with the cold; some not as much. And the weather may vary depending on where you are (Falklands versus Antarctic peninsula) and time during the season. The most important factor is probably that it's not too windy.

On 1/4/2023 at 1:06 PM, pvbmom said:

Did you find the pants were helpful to rent, - are they insulated?  I have a good pair of ski pants - would they protect as well?

 

Lightweight waterproof pants over middle layer hiking pants and a base layer works great for most people. Most ski pants may be warm and water-resistant, but not completely waterproof. You will be stepping into icy water -- you really want waterproof pants which fit over the waterproof boots, and you won't get cold or wet.

 

On 1/4/2023 at 1:06 PM, pvbmom said:

Silly question but am having difficulty finding the info, for anyone who has traveled there recently, what was your weather and about when does the sun set (if at all)?

 

Last week the sun set for about two hours. It will be getting a little longer now that days are getting shorter. On the Antarctic peninsula, our daytime temperature was generally about freezing (32 F/0 C), plus or minus a few degrees. But it's the wind which will get you if it's blowing.

 

On 1/4/2023 at 1:06 PM, pvbmom said:

Once you are in the Antartica Sound is the water fairly calm?

 

It depends. It can be windy and choppy and landings can be canceled, or it can be like a glassy lake. We were fortunate on our cruise to have 0 missed landings. Our expedition leader said the average is about 80% successful landings. But one trip on another ship around the same time as ours had a bunch of missed landings due to weather. So the answer to your question is: it depends. 😉

 

If any of this sounds very cold or daunting, what I'll say is that if you follow people's suggestions for layers and the right types of clothing, you won't be cold and you won't get wet. 

 

[taxatty]

The rotating early zodiac start times mean that you'll probably want to order quite a few of room service breakfasts. On our Cloud sailing, they were always promptly and cheerfully delivered with the hot items hot, the cold items cold, with lots of variety and universally delicious--one of the constant highlights of the trip. The only issues were that the table in a standard suite to hold everything is a bit small, and it's too cold to eat on a balcony if you have one. Neither one of those bothered us.

Edited January 6, 2023 by taxatty

[cruiseej]

15 hours ago, taxatty said:

The rotating early zodiac start times mean that you'll probably want to order quite a few of room service breakfasts.

 

The other option we ended up doing most days we had an early excursion was to get up, dress, go on the excursion, and then enjoy breakfast after returning to the ship. (If you have a 6:45 excursion, you'll likely be back onboard by 8:15; plenty of time to change and go for breakfast.) We did the room service breakfast before an early excursion twice, but found we had to get up even earlier, rush to eat and get dressed, and maneuver around the table of food while putting on our layers of clothing. We generally at dinner late enough that we didn't wake up hungry, so the excursion-before-breakfast approach worked better for us.

[scotlandyard1985]

I am also going on my first expedition with SS and find those questions very good to know.

I have an extra question 🙂 i was looking for the size table for pre order the coat. Are the size falling big? Because when I measure and size look bigger then my normal (female) size

[sherylc]

2 hours ago, scotlandyard1985 said:

I am also going on my first expedition with SS and find those questions very good to know.

I have an extra question 🙂 i was looking for the size table for pre order the coat. Are the size falling big? Because when I measure and size look bigger then my normal (female) size

I measured and ordered the large (usually wear a women's size 10) -- tried it on and switched to a medium. Still able to fit thermals and a fleece shirt under the jacket. The sizes are definitely unisex (meaning men's sizes). Hope this helps. 

[Jonesy333]

Hello,

I have a question did anyone hire boots , we are coming from Australia we have no need here for such items so we are going to hire, what are sizes like allowing for thick socks as well ??

Our cruise is not till January 24 but we have birthdays etc that we can ask for various items useful for trip I was thinking .

All the above info is very useful we have sailed Explorer July last year around the Kimberly region so we used Zodiacs every day sometimes twice a day but of course the Antarctica is completely different . Although we had wet landings it was crocodiles we had to watch out for and getting wet was pleasant because it was hot . I became a Zodiac fan very quickly every chance I could I was out exploring loved them !

I will continue to absorb as much advise and info from this link while planning our holidays .

 

Happy Sailing

Jacqueline 

[taxatty]

9 hours ago, cruiseej said:

 

The other option we ended up doing most days we had an early excursion was to get up, dress, go on the excursion, and then enjoy breakfast after returning to the ship. (If you have a 6:45 excursion, you'll likely be back onboard by 8:15; plenty of time to change and go for breakfast.) We did the room service breakfast before an early excursion twice, but found we had to get up even earlier, rush to eat and get dressed, and maneuver around the table of food while putting on our layers of clothing. We generally at dinner late enough that we didn't wake up hungry, so the excursion-before-breakfast approach worked better for us.

Some of those morning excursions were strenuous. You must have been the guy at the La Terrazza breakfast buffet with a stack of six pancakes and a pile of bacon.

[sherylc]

16 hours ago, Jonesy333 said:

Hello,

I have a question did anyone hire boots , we are coming from Australia we have no need here for such items so we are going to hire, what are sizes like allowing for thick socks as well ??

Our cruise is not till January 24 but we have birthdays etc that we can ask for various items useful for trip I was thinking .

All the above info is very useful we have sailed Explorer July last year around the Kimberly region so we used Zodiacs every day sometimes twice a day but of course the Antarctica is completely different . Although we had wet landings it was crocodiles we had to watch out for and getting wet was pleasant because it was hot . I became a Zodiac fan very quickly every chance I could I was out exploring loved them !

I will continue to absorb as much advise and info from this link while planning our holidays .

 

Happy Sailing

Jacqueline 

We hired boots for the Cloud. Wore them every excursion even if just a Zodiac ride (kept the feet nice and toasty warm!). You only need one pair of warm socks inside the boots so I would go with your normal size, maybe going up rather than down if you are on the half size.

[cruiseej]

16 hours ago, taxatty said:

Some of those morning excursions were strenuous. You must have been the guy at the La Terrazza breakfast buffet with a stack of six pancakes and a pile of bacon.

 

No, but you didn't see how much I ate the night before! Most mornings when I woke up, I was not ready to attack breakfast right away, excursion or not! 😉

[alithecat]

23 hours ago, scotlandyard1985 said:

Are the size falling big? Because when I measure and size look bigger then my normal (female) size

I am a women's size 12 and usually wear a large in jackets and coats. I ordered a size medium parka, and it was a bit big for me, with sleeves that were quite long. I tried on a small to see if it was better, but it was too tight around my hips. So I stayed with the medium. As others have said, the jackets are men's sizes.

[scotlandyard1985]

Thanks for the feedback about the parka s.

You can change them? I was in the understanding when I preorderd one I was stuck with that size :-). Do you fit them in the mandarin  hotel?

(We don t do fly in, But sail the drake passage )

[sherylc]

33 minutes ago, scotlandyard1985 said:

Thanks for the feedback about the parka s.

You can change them? I was in the understanding when I preorderd one I was stuck with that size :-). Do you fit them in the mandarin  hotel?

(We don t do fly in, But sail the drake passage )

We received our ordered parkas in our cabins and had an opportunity to go to one of the lounges the next day to do any exchanges. They had a "try on" option of each size to see what's best then had you exchange for the best size. Went very fast and easy. Had lots of extras of each size. All of them ran long in the arms for the women but had snaps at the sleeves to tighten them down.

[mollylala1]

As someone who has not done much international travel is it a good idea to have some Chilean pesos available for the time before boarding the ship and prior to departing Santiago? If so what is best way to arrange this? Thank you very much.

[caradara]

If you stay at the Mandarin Oriental the front desk will change some for you at a very reasonable rate.  However everywhere that we went preferred credit cards.  We changed $100US and then brought some home!

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, mollylala1 said:

…what is best way to arrange this?

A bank ATM machine.

[mollylala1]

Thank you both for your replies, they are much appreciated.

[sherylc]

We got about 100 US dollars changed to Chilean from our US bank before we left. Useful for tips for baggage, small purchases. Not a great exchange rate, but nice to have a little money ahead of time.