Live from the Wind(s) of Antarctica. Dec. 19, 2023.

[twangster]

Cruise Summary

 

I've waited a few days to post a summary so I can properly contemplate the experience.  In summary it was amazing. 

 

With my creative thoughts warmed tonight with a glass of Endurance Scotch I am ready to summarize this voyage.

 

I've enjoyed some special bucket list cruises on various lines to great destinations.  This experience on the Silver Wind to Antarctica has surpassed them all.

 

We had some great weather on this voyage but I have the feeling that the experience would be pretty fantastic with or without the weather we had.

 

I was pleasantly surprised by the condition of the Silver Wind.   There is no disputing her age yet I was pleased with the ship and how it has been updated.   

 

The premium internet plan and the consistent internet experience throughout the voyage given the challenges of internet at sea well away from populated areas was a pleasant surprise for this tech geek.  

 

When I considered Antarctic itineraries I initially focused on Antarctica exclusively.  Fortunately I realized if I was going all this way, investing in this vacation as required, I should explore the greater area.  This was a great itinerary that included the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Elephant Island and Antarctica.  All of them are special in their own way and all of them worthy of being included on this special voyage.  

 

Boots on the ground in the Falklands, South Georgia, Elephant Island and Antarctica with a surprise visit to iceberg A23a.  Enough said.  Christmas in South Georgia, New Years in Antarctica.  Does it get any better than that?  

 

On the way home at the hotel in Santiago with new friends made on this voyage someone asked the best moment of this experience.  In truth there wasn't one, there were many best moments.

 

Being in a special place is all well and good but I learned the value of a great zodiac driver while in the Galapagos.  That lesson holds true in the Antarctic.  Great guides are equally important and our expedition team were all pretty great.  They all have impressive resumes and their passion for their work is hard to miss.  They were a large part of making this experience what it became.  I am quickly becoming a fan of Silversea expedition cruising.

 

The Captain along with his bridge and deck teams were also a significant factor in the making of this experience.  They all did a phenomenal job. 

 

Food is subjective.  I try to refrain from reviewing food because my tastes should mean little to anyone else.  I can't recall a bad meal and there were some pretty great meals on board.  How do they keep food fresh as long as they did?  The only meals that I was not enthused about were the two lunches in The Restaurant that were basically buffets.  Generally speaking the food in The Restaurant where I ate most of my meals was perfect for me.  

 

As far as my camera kit for this sailing I think I did pretty good.  When you own a boat and pull into a marina there is always someone in the marina with a better boat.   Photography is somewhat similar and I sometimes had some "PE" (photographer envy) seeing what other guests had in their hand.  Despite that I think I did okay and I'm pleased with the results.

 

I watched the ship provided video again before sitting down to write this summary.  I am so glad they provide the video.   Justin did a great job with it.  Every time I watch it the memories come flooding back.  

 

This was an incredible experience and I enjoyed presenting it here.  I hope you have found it informative and I thank you for viewing.  

 

 

Edited January 10 by twangster

[worldtraveler247]

@twangster Very appreciate of this post, the level detail, and amazing content!

Question as I get ready to pack for my Jan 28th trip, what is the attire on the ship for the evening for men and women? (My partner is unsure how many dresses and casual attire she should pack)

[wyocruiser]

3 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

Silversea has sent out cancellation notices of all Silver Wind sailings from May 13th through through and including October 1st 2025.  Silversea has stated this is "due to unforeseen logistical and operational challenges".  Does anyone have any idea as to why she is actually being redeployed away from Iceland / Norway?  I have not seen any other redeployments away from this region.  Is this simply low sales in an oversaturated market, or is there some new regulation related to expedition cruising in Iceland/Norway they cannot comply with?

Did anyone see this coming?

[Port Power]

3 hours ago, wyocruiser said:

Did anyone see this coming?

When we were cruising the Norwegian fjords in June, the locals were very keen to explain their measures for keeping emissions reduced.  That included ships without appropriate measures would be excluded from many areas.  Even then we heard SS would be missing several Norwegian ports in future because of their carbon emissions.

 

If the company wants Silver Wind to continue in the beautiful and lucrative Norwegian market, the ship will need to be renovated to comply.

 

So, yes, those of us cruising in Norway did see this coming.

[twangster]

23 hours ago, worldtraveler247 said:

@twangster Very appreciate of this post, the level detail, and amazing content!

Question as I get ready to pack for my Jan 28th trip, what is the attire on the ship for the evening for men and women? (My partner is unsure how many dresses and casual attire she should pack)

 

Expedition cruising is more casual compared to classic cruising on Silversea.  Most people were dressed smart casual, a few men had a sports coat but not many.  I can't recall seeing anyone who was fully formal. 

 

There were a couple of nights where the dress suggestion was "informal" yet the smart casual remained the typical attire on those nights.  A few individuals were not smart casual on these nights, they were casual.  

[Port Power]

23 hours ago, worldtraveler247 said:

@twangster Very appreciate of this post, the level detail, and amazing content!

Question as I get ready to pack for my Jan 28th trip, what is the attire on the ship for the evening for men and women? (My partner is unsure how many dresses and casual attire she should pack)

Remember this is an expedition cruise with no formal nights.  Several men wore blazers on informal night, with or without ties.  Most men just wore a patterned long sleeve shirt.  Some had a jumper/pullover over their shirt.  A very few ladies wore dressy dresses (good restaurant attire) on the Captain’s welcome night. There were a couple of day dresses, but mainly pants with a sparkly top.  Shoes were nearly always lace ups (sports shoes , runners, sneakers) or loafers. I had sparkly black wedge sandals that I wore nearly every night.
 

 Most nights women wore jeans or pants with a jumper/pullover/cardigan, or a shirt open over a base top most nights. Even a twin set.  The temperature inside the ship was a bit cool for short sleeves, but a light weight long sleeve top sufficed.  Add a camisole under for extra warmth if needed.  I always carried my puffer jacket ready to go on deck to watch whales.  A long sleeved shirt made the difference for dinner and drinks.

 

Dining at the grill often involved wearing the big red jackets and ski pants!

 

So the whole cruise is mainly casual, with one dress for the few special nights.  

[Port Power]

23 hours ago, worldtraveler247 said:

 

[ilovhywd]

I very much enjoyed reading this travelogue and seeing the photos.  Twangster: Job well done!

 

I would like to contact a fellow Dolphins fan - Taxatty 

if you see this, please contact me at variousmail at BellSouth dot net.

thank you,

 

Ilene

[bobmacliberty]

I'm late to the party @twangster and just read your review end to end.  Spectacular, as I've come to expect from anything that you post.  A couple of questions if you don't mind...

 

1.  I've got the Canon version of your 70-200 2.8 but I don't own any extenders.  Did you find that you used both?  If you were to bring just one, which would it be?  Was the light penalty a problem...the 2X is 2 stops, correct?  Seems like your Sony does very well at high ISOs.

 

2.  Was your Royal C&A status (we're D+) worth anything on Silversea?  I read somewhere that only X recognized C&A status but would love to her any confirmation from you.

 

Thanks for all of the effort that you put into this live report.  An Antarctic excursion may have just moved to the top of my next planned cruise list.  Off to check 2025...

[twangster]

1 hour ago, bobmacliberty said:

I'm late to the party @twangster and just read your review end to end.  Spectacular, as I've come to expect from anything that you post.  A couple of questions if you don't mind...

 

1.  I've got the Canon version of your 70-200 2.8 but I don't own any extenders.  Did you find that you used both?  If you were to bring just one, which would it be?  Was the light penalty a problem...the 2X is 2 stops, correct?  Seems like your Sony does very well at high ISOs.

 

2.  Was your Royal C&A status (we're D+) worth anything on Silversea?  I read somewhere that only X recognized C&A status but would love to her any confirmation from you.

 

Thanks for all of the effort that you put into this live report.  An Antarctic excursion may have just moved to the top of my next planned cruise list.  Off to check 2025...

I didn’t use the 1.4 teleconverter very often.  Most of the time a longer focal length was appreciated or desired.  On bright days the light loss of the 2x teleconverter wasn’t an issue.   With long summer days it was often daylight shooting conditions.  
 

Silversea does not recognize Royal Caribbean CAS.   With Silversea being somewhat all inclusive in nature there is less focus on a loyalty program in comparison to Royal or Celebrity.   The Silversea loyalty program is different in nature.  It would be hard to map between the two but honestly I’ve never felt I needed loyalty perks on Silversea like you appreciate them on Royal.  
 

Basic WiFi is included.  The equivalent of Celebrity’s premium drink package is included.  I find the food in the included Silversea venues far superior to Royal’s included venues.  
 

A tenderloin in Silversea’s main restaurant can be pretty close to a Chop’s specialty dining steak on Royal.   I don’t find myself thinking about the need to spend money on dining while on Silversea like I do on Royal but food is personal.    With a couple of Silversea classic ships booked in my future that may change for a very special dining experience however I’m sure I’d be fine if I was to use only the included venues.  
 

I moved a 2024 Norway fjord cruise from Royal to Silversea because I just enjoy so much about Silversea compared to an increasingly mediocre experience on Royal.  It’s going to cost me a little more but for my preferences it’s worth it.  The itinerary on Jewel was appealing but the ship was not.  In moving to Silversea I can stop telling myself I’ll endure the ship because of the itinerary.  Now I’ll enjoy both.  
 

If you read through the main Silversea forum you’ll find comparisons to other premium or luxury lines.  Some are not as inclusive as Silversea is. 

[perfect match]

Looks like I’m late finding your review, Twangster. I’ve also been intrigued by Antarctica for many years and I love your reviews and photography so I’m going to take my time and enjoy this trip.

[Td6462]

@twangster I enjoy everyone of the threads you post. This one may be the best yet! Your opinions, advice and observations are always appreciated. Thank you for documenting this trip in such a detailed manner. It was an amazing and stunning read. You provided a window into a world I may never get to experience (other than Nat Geo). Cheers to you and thanks again for investing the incredible amount of time I know it took to do this.

[KmomChicago]

Wow, came to this late but looking forward to reading. I cannot imagine a world where I could afford this trip, so your generosity in allowing us to virtually stow away is much appreciated. 🙂

[perfect match]

Twangster, I’m halfway through this review and I’m totally blown away! The wildlife pictures are spectacular. The penguins, especially the parents sitting on their chicks are probably my favorites. Then there’s the Rockhoppers, I’ve always loved them. Then the various seals, the birds in flight, I’m at a loss for words….. and I haven’t even mentioned the 360 degree camera and the commentary that accompanies the photos.

 

When I finish here I’m going to have to go and find your Galapagos thread. While I’d love to get to Antarctica some day, the Galapagos are at the top of my bucket list. 
 

Thank you for sharing your travels with us.

[twangster]

2 hours ago, perfect match said:

Twangster, I’m halfway through this review and I’m totally blown away! The wildlife pictures are spectacular. The penguins, especially the parents sitting on their chicks are probably my favorites. Then there’s the Rockhoppers, I’ve always loved them. Then the various seals, the birds in flight, I’m at a loss for words….. and I haven’t even mentioned the 360 degree camera and the commentary that accompanies the photos.

 

When I finish here I’m going to have to go and find your Galapagos thread. While I’d love to get to Antarctica some day, the Galapagos are at the top of my bucket list. 
 

Thank you for sharing your travels with us.

 

Thank you for your kind words.

 

Here is my Galapagos post:

 

 

[Lilac Trees]

I was looking for review for Silver Wind. This is great review and very helpful. Thank you! 

[Lilac Trees]

On 12/20/2023 at 12:54 PM, twangster said:

Compulsory balcony selfie.

 

 

 

Were you deck 5, in the midship? How did you like it? 
My first cruise trip will be on Wind as well and I booked for classic veranda suite 524. We're thinking whether it was a good choice or not. 

[twangster]

16 minutes ago, Lilac Trees said:

Were you deck 5, in the midship? How did you like it? 
My first cruise trip will be on Wind as well and I booked for classic veranda suite 524. We're thinking whether it was a good choice or not. 

 

I was in 526 just aft of the forward staircase.

 

I generally liked deck 5.  Having the staircase close by was great and I don't recall any noise from hall traffic.  

 

I'd stay in the same area again.  

[HBE4]

@twangster

 

Amazing cruise & superb review as always. I'm taking my time reading & looking at all 1,000+ pictures you uploaded. It's probably taking me as long to read this review as you did to experience it. I would have totally missed this had you not posted the link from the Icon Inaugural thread on the main Royal Caribbean boards.   Beautiful, gorgeous, there are not enough words to describe it. 

 

One thing I did notice, compared to a "regular" Royal cruise, is that is seemed to have minimal evening and late night entertainment.  Is that due to this being a "Expedition" cruise where the focus is day time activity excursions, early morning risings, etc where everyone is exhausted at the end of the day? Or a function of being on a small ship?  Or did you just focus on the unique aspects of the cruise and left out the "regular mundane" stuff?

 

Disclaimer: I know nothing of Silver Seas brand so I'm going to do a bit of research first as I might look into one of their Norway Fjords cruises that you had mentioned earlier. After I read your Galapagos Island thread first, of course. 👍

[twangster]

12 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

@twangster

 

Amazing cruise & superb review as always. I'm taking my time reading & looking at all 1,000+ pictures you uploaded. It's probably taking me as long to read this review as you did to experience it. I would have totally missed this had you not posted the link from the Icon Inaugural thread on the main Royal Caribbean boards.   Beautiful, gorgeous, there are not enough words to describe it. 

 

One thing I did notice, compared to a "regular" Royal cruise, is that is seemed to have minimal evening and late night entertainment.  Is that due to this being a "Expedition" cruise where the focus is day time activity excursions, early morning risings, etc where everyone is exhausted at the end of the day? Or a function of being on a small ship?  Or did you just focus on the unique aspects of the cruise and left out the "regular mundane" stuff?

 

Disclaimer: I know nothing of Silver Seas brand so I'm going to do a bit of research first as I might look into one of their Norway Fjords cruises that you had mentioned earlier. After I read your Galapagos Island thread first, of course. 👍

With expedition, cruising, they basically take the people who would be entertainers, dancers, singers, etc. and replace them with expedition team members. The focus of expedition cruising is the expedition aspect with much less focus on entertainment around the ship. That being said, there was a pianist and a guitarist vocalist. We’re both very good. 
 

This is the nature of expedition cruising. 

[perfect match]

I’ve finally made it to the end of Antarctica and I’m so very glad I found my way here! Your photography, as usual, was breathtaking. Your descriptions of your cruise were very informative. I hope that at some point I’ll be able to do my own Antarctica cruise, preferably before I get too old to enjoy it! 😱 For now I can’t recall a cruise trip report I’ve enjoyed more than this one. 
 

I will be moving on to your Galapagos review soon but I’m going to take a little bit of time first to let my memories of this one settle in. I’ll see you on your Galapagos thread soon. Thank you very much for sharing with us. 

[perfect match]

On 1/4/2024 at 11:24 AM, twangster said:

Photo statistics:

 

14,235 pictures and/or video clips captured

 

781.21 GB on disk

 

1,960 images processed for posting.

 

Photos have been reduced to 1,200 maximum pixel width to make them easier to upload over ship internet.

I’m going to have to show your photography stats to my DH. Maybe then he will realize that I truly don’t take that many photos! 😂 I don’t even come close!
 

I’m very grateful that you do take that many photos since I enjoyed every single one of them! 

[southerngoose]

@twangster   Thank you so much for your comprehensive review of your cruise.   I am booked on this same itinerary on the Silver Cloud.   Could I ask a few questions?

 

• Did you cross the Drake Passage only once (ie does going from South Georgia to Elephant Island skip the Drake Passage)?
• As a solo cruiser, did you feel that you got "good selfies" with the Insta360?   Would you take the Insta360 again?   I am not as interested in the, admittedly cool, 360 shots.   I'm more interested in the selfie, drone like views, the wide vistas.   I'm thinking of using my Nikon DSLR 24-300mm lens with some Insta360 and leave the GoPro at home.   Did you use your point and shoot?   I bought one but I'm not thrilled with it (it focuses very slowly and makes picture taking slow).
• Did you notice if there are enough computers for people who want to use it or are they in high demand?   I would like to avoid bringing my laptop, but I would like to make copies of my photos to a backup drive and maybe do some photo selecting.   
• Did you go to every lecture?   Part of me wants to do them all, but part of me would rather rest or work on my photos.   Not sure how interesting the lectures are.  

[twangster]

41 minutes ago, southerngoose said:

@twangster   Thank you so much for your comprehensive review of your cruise.   I am booked on this same itinerary on the Silver Cloud.   Could I ask a few questions?

 

• Did you cross the Drake Passage only once (ie does going from South Georgia to Elephant Island skip the Drake Passage)?
• As a solo cruiser, did you feel that you got "good selfies" with the Insta360?   Would you take the Insta360 again?   I am not as interested in the, admittedly cool, 360 shots.   I'm more interested in the selfie, drone like views, the wide vistas.   I'm thinking of using my Nikon DSLR 24-300mm lens with some Insta360 and leave the GoPro at home.   Did you use your point and shoot?   I bought one but I'm not thrilled with it (it focuses very slowly and makes picture taking slow).
• Did you notice if there are enough computers for people who want to use it or are they in high demand?   I would like to avoid bringing my laptop, but I would like to make copies of my photos to a backup drive and maybe do some photo selecting.   
• Did you go to every lecture?   Part of me wants to do them all, but part of me would rather rest or work on my photos.   Not sure how interesting the lectures are.  

 

We only crossed the Drake near the end after leaving Antarctica.  The route to the Falklands and South Georgia at the beginning of the cruise is not part of the Drake passage.

 

The Insta360 and a GoPro are not, in my opinion, great still cameras.  I use them for the unique perspective that can't be achieved with a conventional camera.  I've all but left the GoPro platform.  I have a hero9 but it rarely sees any use these days.  The vast majority of my photos are from my Sony full frame camera with the smaller point and shoot accounting for the second most frequently used pictures in this thread.   The point and shoot does fine at wide angles but in a place like Antarctica a long telephoto lens is king. 

 

There were computers (iMacs) next to the photo studio but since I brought my laptop I never ventured in to use them. 

 

I went to many lectures but not all lectures.   Sometimes I needed some down time or time to work on my photos and running this thread pretty much live most of the time.  How interesting the lectures are will vary by each individual.  I learned something in every lecture I attended.