Antarctica cruise w/ Silversea - temperatures on board?

[MillyDM]

Hello there,

I'm posting this here too as this may be a more suitable forum...

We're soon leaving for our first cruise to Antarctica on the Silversea Endeavour. 
As we're traveling light with just a carry-on, we want to ensure we bring the right gear with us.

So we're wondering if the temperature on the ship will be cooler or warmer... Maybe this is a silly question, but we're
unsure of what to expect.
Do we need warm layers to wear for our days on board (think of winter clothing to wear indoors), or, is it going to be warm so that we just need

spring/ lighter layers?

It'd be great to know from those who've been on an Antarctica cruise with Silversea!

thank you!
milly

[Nitemare]

We wore fleeces and/or sweaters on board for our Silversea Antarctica cruise, and we lived in New England at the time so were familiar with the cold.  In addition to the parka they gave us, which was very warm, we wore at least 2 additional layers underneath on some of the excursions.  We did have a couple days where the air temps were near 40, but also had some colder days in the low 20s plus wind that required extra layers.

 

It will be hard to pack 1 person's gear for this cruise in a carryon that goes in the overhead compartment.  Don't skimp on spending to check a bag on a trip of this magnitude.  We checked one plus 2 carryons and got right to the weight limits for each of them and used every thing we brought.

[MillyDM]

@Nitemare thank you for the quick reply.
We usually travel with a trolley carry-on and a small handbag. We'll have to be very clever about what to bring, but we've been successful on other trips like South Korea last year which has brutal winter temperatures.
Under the parka, I planned on wearing a winter baselayer and a mid-layer that could be a medium-weight fleece. Do you think that's enough for the outdoors part?
I'll plan on packing winter clothing for the onboard part, that could be layered if needing extra warmth.

😉

 

[Nitemare]

10 minutes ago, MillyDM said:

@Nitemare thank you for the quick reply.
We usually travel with a trolley carry-on and a small handbag. We'll have to be very clever about what to bring, but we've been successful on other trips like South Korea last year which has brutal winter temperatures.
Under the parka, I planned on wearing a winter baselayer and a mid-layer that could be a medium-weight fleece. Do you think that's enough for the outdoors part?
I'll plan on packing winter clothing for the onboard part, that could be layered if needing extra warmth.

😉

 

Unless you were trekking in South Korea, then I am guessing you had shelter you could duck into to escape the cold and wind. 
 

On your shore excursions in Antarctica there are no shelters, although you can take an earlier Zodiac back to the ship.  But then you miss out on shore time and the penguins and seals, etc.

 

We lived in New England for decades and know how to deal with cold. You don’t say where you are from so I have no idea if you are familiar with two hour stretches in low wind chills or not, which you could experience on this trip.  We regularly traveled to NYC and stood in the TKTS lines in midwinter for 60-90 minutes or longer.  It was quite easy to identify folks who were not accustomed to the cold.

 

I am not sure why you need to “be clever” with your packing. Is there a reason beyond cost why you plan to skimp on baggage?

Edited December 7, 2023 by Nitemare

[MillyDM]

@Nitemare 🙂
i'm from italy but used to live in NYC. So I know how cold it can be... but staying 2+ hrs in these conditions would be tough for anyone. Thanks for offering a good perspective on the excursions.
We never check our luggage, not to save $, but to avoid lost baggage scenarios.
Even more so, on a trip like this one, with such a tight schedule.
Once boarding the ship lost luggage could never be retrieved/delivered. 
 

[Nitemare]

15 minutes ago, MillyDM said:

@Nitemare 🙂
i'm from italy but used to live in NYC. So I know how cold it can be... but staying 2+ hrs in these conditions would be tough for anyone. Thanks for offering a good perspective on the excursions.
We never check our luggage, not to save $, but to avoid lost baggage scenarios.
Even more so, on a trip like this one, with such a tight schedule.
Once boarding the ship lost luggage could never be retrieved/delivered. 
 

I’d weigh the odds of lost luggage vs. the odds of being really cold*. Pack smart, if your main bag is delayed pack in a way so you can still make the trip.

 

 

* the odds are much higher on the cold.  Especially if you are flying in a day early. If you aren’t doing that then I’m not sure talking odds makes sense here because the risk of arriving late on a same day arrival is much higher than that of your bags getting lost.

[MillyDM]

@Nitemare we arrive a day earlier to make sure we can get on the plan fine.
Thanks for your precious suggestions!

[kaisatsu]

Also remember that standing around in the cold with very little movement is a lot colder even than walking around in winter temperatures. Expect to be standing still watching the wildlife for long stretches.

 

IMO, the absolute coldest part of an Antarctic expedition cruise is the zodiac cruises. Quick trips to and from the ship are cold but short, but in situations where the highlight is cruising the scenery in the zodiacs (to see icebergs, glaciers, etc), it’s a lot of time spent sitting in the cold, on open water, close to the water, with potential splashing. And if there are large distances to cover, you can also have pretty considerable windchill at the speeds the boats reach. Some companies provide separate thermal suits for this but all the ones I’ve traveled with expected us to bundle up ourselves.

 

As for time on board, if you’re happy with sitting in the lounge watching through the window, you don’t need to dress too warmly, but if you want to be out on deck taking photos, you’ll need the warmth to stay out more than a few moments, since you’ll often have the additional wind from the moving ship.

 

Most people wear a winter base layer every day aside from the Drake crossings, so usually people bring more than one so that they can launder them in turns. I have known multiple people who have done Antarctic trips with only a large carry-on, but they did a lot of laundry. Luckily the climate is extremely dry, so clothes dry quickly if you’re washing them in the cabin, and most ships’ laundry has a 1-2 day turnaround.

[MillyDM]

thank you @kaisatsu - that's a good perspective on the zodiac excursions. It sounds like a windproof face mask may be useful in this case. 
I remember in Iceland, we went for a zodiac excursion (it was August but still cold), and they gave us a thermal suit, and even wearing that by the end of the tour, we were very cold.
we're taking hand warmers with us to add a bit of heat in such conditions.
Thanks for the laundry suggestion, I was planning on using it onboard, glad to hear they have a quick turnaround! thanks again for your pearls of wisdom! 😉

 

[2552phxcrzr]

23 hours ago, MillyDM said:

thank you @kaisatsu - that's a good perspective on the zodiac excursions. It sounds like a windproof face mask may be useful in this case. 
I remember in Iceland, we went for a zodiac excursion (it was August but still cold), and they gave us a thermal suit, and even wearing that by the end of the tour, we were very cold.
we're taking hand warmers with us to add a bit of heat in such conditions.
Thanks for the laundry suggestion, I was planning on using it onboard, glad to hear they have a quick turnaround! thanks again for your pearls of wisdom! 😉

 

I find toe warmers to help greatly on a zodiac ride as your feet are on a cold surface for the duration.  They are thin and placed between two layers of socks or on the sole of the sock if you wear a single layer.  Very thin.  I use them more than I do the hand warmers.

[MillyDM]

32 minutes ago, 2552phxcrzr said:

I find toe warmers to help greatly on a zodiac ride as your feet are on a cold surface for the duration.  They are thin and placed between two layers of socks or on the sole of the sock if you wear a single layer.  Very thin.  I use them more than I do the hand warmers.

That's another great suggestion, thank you @2552phxcrzr! it sounds like the zodiac rides are the most layer-intensive out of all the activities in Antarctica.
Weather permitting, we'd like to go kayaking... but this would be a different topic!  We did it on a lake in the Torres del Paine (just north of Punta Arenas) a few years back with glaciers and icebergs and it was amazing although a bit chilly. the good part was that being active contrasted the cold!

 

[Nitemare]

I've been to Iceland 5 times (so far) and trying to compare August in Iceland to any time in Antarctica is really a reach.

 

It seems you have made up your mind here.  I hope you are not disappointed in your cruise due to not being able to be on deck for scenic cruising opportunities, like the Lemaire Channel, and needing to be hunched over in the Zodiacs, missing incredible views of icebergs, penguins, seals and whales.

 

And with that, I believe I have given you my informed opinion in full and will not bother you again with my knowledge.

[MillyDM]

Hello, we've just returned home after our first Antarctica cruise. I want to leave feedback on our experience on the topic that I opened.
We were onboard the Silversea Endeavor ship and absolutely loved it. It is a modern and very comfortable vessel.
Regarding the temperature onboard, it was just right. Some people wore short-sleeved t-shirts, others had long-sleeved sweaters (me). I'm glad I didn't take the extra bulky winter sweaters with me, as it would have been overkill.
We indeed traveled with a carry on + small duffle bag. We had everything we needed, including the warmer layers for the landings/zodiac excursions/kayak. (We rented Muck Boots and left feedback at this other post ).
It required a bit of a strategy in selecting the right clothes to take with us, but it worked fine with spring layers for life onboard (which take little space on the suitcase).
For the excursions, we had warm winter layers (one pair of warm trekking pants or joggers, waterproof pants, 2 winter base layers, one warm mid-layer, uber warm gloves with liners, 2 warm hats, a face mask, and a scarf, 1 pair of trekking socks + 1 pair of thick wool socks).

As per shoes, we had a pair of sneakers, birkenstocks and a pair of winter shoes.
The parka they give you is very warm, so you can just wear a winter base layer and a warm mid-layer under, and you'll be fine.
We took with us a light duvet jacket that was handy to wear under the dry suit for kayaking and when going out on the deck to take pictures (less than 5 minutes). 
For anything outside on the deck over 5 minutes, the SS parka was plenty.

Besides the laundry service, the Endeavor offers a laundrette facility where you can wash and dry your clothes (there's even bio detergent to use). I used it a couple of times while onboard, and I always had clean and fresh layers to wear.

Hope this feedback may help others in this community to figure out what to bring/wear. I'd like to thank again @Nitemare @2552phxcrzr @kaisatsu for their help and contribution to this post!
 

[WHB]

MillyDM it looks like you had a great trip!  Your carryon must be magically large.  How do at least three pairs of shoes and all these clothes you mentioned fit in? 

Our cruise in the Antarctics this March is a long one - 16 days at sea and for our ship we have to bring our own waterproof jacket and outer warm coat - we have been advised to take TWO waterproof jackets and trousers, two of each essential clothing just in case one splits or gets damaged!  We are spending 12 days inside the Antarctic Circle which is unusual I suppose...  Just think, that could be at least 24 Zodiac rides!

[MillyDM]

@WHB it took planning and strategy for sure.
We wore a pair of winter boots and put in the trolley one pair of light sneakers, those that can easily get flat, and a pair of Birkenstock Boston sandals, which also pack flat.
In hindsight, wearing the winter boots was overkill because we just wore them flying in and out as they were unnecessary on board or in Santiago. You're more comfortable with traditional shoes or sneakers. My suggestion is to travel with comfortable pair of shoes, and still have 2 to mix while on board. Fortunately, there was no dress code on our ship, so it was easier to plan what to wear daytime and at dinner. On excursions, you have the muc boots, which are fabulous and the only shoe you'd want to wear. Some took with them their snow shoes, which also worked fine.

If you need to carry 2 sets of outerwear kit, traveling with a trolley is impossible. We were lucky that Silversea provided the parka jacket, and we took with us compression bags so that, on the way back, we could pack it small and fit it in the extra handbag we travel with. This is key to have when you travel with just a trolley.
Regarding the chance of an outer goretex shell splitting or getting damaged, I guess it is very slim.
You're not allowed to sit anywhere on land; you have just to stand. The only place you sit is on the zodiac, and if any, the only garment that *could* get ripped is the waterproof pants - but even that is very unlikely.
I mean, anything can happen, but taking with you 2 parkas is perhaps too cautionary.
Yes, 12 days inside the Antarctic Circle is a long time, and you'll have many more excursions and landings than us. But they're short, don't expect to stay out for hours, it's 1.5hrs at most for each excursion (at least that was our case).
Ask if you can wash your clothes besides the laundry service they offer. We had a laundrette area with washing machines and dryers that we could use, which was brilliant. This way, you can take less stuff with you, knowing that you can wash/dry it comfortably. I suspect that for such a long cruise, there will be one.
Hope this can help you with your packing! It'll be a fabulous trip, try to kayak if they offer it because that's also another way of experiencing such a magic part of the world!

[WHB]

Thanks.  We are both seasoned skiiers so are quite used to very cold weather outdoor activities - thankfully no new cloth purchase is required for this expensive trip - and we also travel overseas at least three times a year. We are just taking our usual check in wheely suitcase (one each). The online videos made by the cruise company are on the cautionary side!  The video says NO SNEAKERS on board as they are slippery - one must bring sturdy hiking shoes which is crazy - I guess they are thinking about their insurance!  Would you say sneakers / trainers are ok to wear onboard?

[MillyDM]

Wow, that's a statement!
Have you seen pictures of the inside of the ship?
On the Silversea endeavor ship, sneakers were plenty, and most people wore those or slip-ons like Birkenstocks inside. The floors were a mix of carpets and hard floors.
The outside decks were mostly in teak-wood. And being there with sneakers was ok.
When it's wet and it rains or snows, staying outside on the deck is not advisable because the temperatures are very cold. Plus, you don't see anything in that weather.
Agree with you about the concern on their insurance. 
You could take a pair of sneakers with a good grip, like trail running shoes or similar. This way you'd have the best of both worlds. 🙂

 

[PerfectlyPerth]

@WHB
 

Re footwear. Other than the muckboots which I have taken my own pair on 3 of my 4 trips (which have all been 24-32 days) I take one pair of shoes. Yes just one! Same pair on every voyage (and all my other holidays over the past 16 years or so). A pair of Keens Mary Jane's. They have great non slip tread for icy decks. And easy to slip into quickly if there is a whale call when I'm in my cabin. (And many of the expedition team ladies wear similar). I wear them without socks in hot destinations and with thin merino or bamboo liner socks on my flights, in Ushuaia, and on the ship including out on the decks. 
 

On all my voyages I think I've only seen a couple of people with full blown hiking boots. Most just have good walking shoes. I've seen plenty men and women in open hiking sandals too (snazzy with socks!). It's the non slip tread that's important not the shoe type. 

Re doubling up on parkas and overpants - really no need. That would be overkill ! I've not seen anyone split their overpants. Ever! (And I'm plus size so if it was going to happen it would be to me!). Goretex is a seriously sturdy fabric. 
I have seen a lady tear her parka sleeve - catching it on a sharp bit of metal out on deck. Fortunately I always have a roll of duct tape in my bag so I repaired her parka for her in a minute. Simple. And a once off. She told me in an email years later she is still wearing her parka with my duct tape patch in her euro snowstorms ! 
 

Which itinerary & vessel are you on that goes below the Antarctic Circle for 12 of the 16 days? Most vessels doing the peninsula only go below it for part or a day or overnight. The longer Ross Sea or Weddell Sea or Commonwealth Bay ones spend more time below 66 degrees south but they are generally 20-30 days long.
 

Is it one of the new peninsula itineraries aiming for Peter the First Island ? I hope the ship has helicopters. We landed high up on the plateau of the volcano and it was pretty awesome. That was part of a New Zealand to Ushuaia voyage so we came to it from the opposite direction - not from the peninsula. 

[PerfectlyPerth]

lol must have been typing at exact same time as @MillyDM 😆

[WHB]

😄 

Cut and Paste from the Expedition Manual :

1 Sturdy shoes with non-slip soles (not sneakers)

2 Comfortable shoes are useful to wear around the ship. When bringing sandals, please bring sandals with heel straps (straps required)

My birkies stay at home!

 

Thanks for your comms 🙂 We can't wait - let's hope that it beats the Galapagos!

 

[WHB]

😄

Cut and Paste from the Expedition Manual :

1 Sturdy shoes with non-slip soles (not sneakers)

2 Comfortable shoes are useful to wear around the ship. When bringing sandals, please bring sandals with heel straps (straps required)

My birkies stay at home!

 

Thanks for your comms 🙂 We can't wait - let's hope that it beats the Galapagos!

 

[WHB]

PerfectlyPerth - we are going all the way to see the Wilkins Ice Shelf through the Gullet on the Hondius.  There is only one commercial trip a year.  We hope that the weather will be clement to us and we get to follow the schedule more or less! 

[kaisatsu]

 

10 hours ago, WHB said:

Cut and Paste from the Expedition Manual :

1 Sturdy shoes with non-slip soles (not sneakers)

I swear that Oceanwide must have some desk person creating their pre-cruise material. When I did my last trip with them, they said “no open-toe footwear” so I scrapped the idea of wearing Birkenstock-style slip-ons inside, so I could quickly slip into boots to go out on deck. On my previous trips, I’d seen this more than once, but those were other companies. (I ended up using a pair of Mary-Janes similar to PP that I was also going to dual-purpose if we’d actually disembarked in Argentina.)

 

So when I traveled with them in 2020, plenty of people were wearing sneakers on board. I have no idea why they wrote that in their packing guide. The advice in the sidebar about avoiding non-gripping PVC soles is good, but just wear whatever travel shoes you find comfortable and practical, as long as they have decent grip on a smooth hard surface like a wet ship’s deck.

[kaisatsu]

Actually, I think I know why they wrote that. The sidebar mentions that boots are provided on Hondius, Plancius, and Ortelius so I was thinking maybe they’re making you bring your own boots on Jansonius? But then I remembered they have the smaller ships in the Arctic. I’m 90% sure the “sturdy shoes” is meant for the Arctic landings where the bio restrictions are less strict and there’s a lot more walking. Especially for the smaller vessels that don’t provide boots and situations where there are longer hikes (Arctic expeditions are very different from Antarctic).

 

Your sneakers will be fine for the category “Comfortable shoes are useful to wear around the ship.” (You’ll be using the provided boots the landings.)

Edited January 30 by kaisatsu

[PerfectlyPerth]

17 hours ago, WHB said:

PerfectlyPerth - we are going all the way to see the Wilkins Ice Shelf through the Gullet on the Hondius.  There is only one commercial trip a year.  We hope that the weather will be clement to us and we get to follow the schedule more or less! 

Oh excellent. My 4th trip was with Oceanwide. The newer Hondius should easily get thru the Gullet and further down. A good adventure to look forward to. 
 

I agree with @kaisatsu that the footwear instruction seems to be more for the Arctic trips. Most folks on my month long Oceanwide trip wore sneakers/runners or walking sandals or similar to me - Keens. No one on board polices your footwear except if the crew spy crocs or thongs/flipflops - a big no no - especially on stairs. (I've seen the resulting exposed compound fracture from the person who refused to obey the "no flip flops on stairs" advice. He was banned from all landings & heli flights for the entire voyage as a result!!).