Silver Wind Arctic Expedition : June 14th - 26th

[Port Power]

I belatedly decided to post a live (although slightly delayed) blog in response to the many negative posts I have been reading about food and the general Silversea experience.

 

This cruise boarded in Reykjavik.  It is also the last leg of the “Pole to Pole” journey.  There are 14 passengers who have done the complete pole-to-pole.

 

This leg is not booked out.  Because of low bookings, it was recently offered as a no solo supplement.  I have met a Canadian man and a lady from the UK who took advantage of this promotion.  There are only 134 passengers on this expedition cruise.  Wow!  I have noticed how much less busy the ship is compared to when I was on Wind in Antarctica in January this year.  Expeditions and tours are definitely in small groups.

 

There are approximately 60 pax from USA, 50 from Australia, 5 from UK, 3 Canadian, and many single numbers from various countries.  I am actually part of an Australian tour group of 28 guests and three tour leaders.  One of our group is from New York though.

 

I saw Silver Wind arriving from the fifth floor of the Reykjavik opera house, where we were having dinner.

 

 

[Port Power]

The ship was docked across the road from our hotel.  Literally across the road!  We stayed at the Reykjavik Edition, Reykjavik’s first 5-star hotel.  Silversea had booked guests into the Grandi Hotel.  Everyone I have spoken to thought that hotel was far below Silversea standard.  
 

For our group, we walked over after lunch at Edition and boarded very quickly and smoothly around 2:00pm.  Suites were ready soon afterwards.

[Port Power]

Dinner the first night was in The Restaurant.  Yes, the menu is reduced.  However, we all thought that if there was not another menu for the whole cruise, we could happily work our way through just this menu!  The first page of the “local” menu and chef’s recommendations changes daily.  The next two pages changes every three days.  A selection of standard dishes remain. And as long term Silversea cruisers know, you can ask for basic standards every night.

 

Service was excellent.  Silversea’s hotel staff are still just as fabulous as ever.  There does not seem to be any newbies at the moment.

 

The food served was hot, delicious, perfectly cooked, and very enjoyable.  I was on a table for 8, and everyone enjoyed dinner. The red and white wines were very good too.  Absolutely nothing to complain about.

[LAexNY]

1 hour ago, Port Power said:

The ship was docked across the road from our hotel.  Literally across the road!  We stayed at the Reykjavik Edition, Reykjavik’s first 5-star hotel.  Silversea had booked guests into the Grandi Hotel.  Everyone I have spoken to thought that hotel was far below Silversea standard.  
 

For our group, we walked over after lunch at Edition and boarded very quickly and smoothly around 2:00pm.  Suites were ready soon afterwards.

Interesting hotel comments.  One year ago we disembarked the Wind in Reykjavik and Silversea had us in the Edition which was very nice. Last week we disembarked Wind in Reykjavik again when you embarked.  This time Silversea had us in the Center Hotel Laugavegur. To say it was 3-star would be charitable. Tiny room, no way to control temperature, noise from street.  To add insult to injury, the included breakfast buffet did not include espresso or lattes.  For these, there was an upcharge of about $6 US each!

[sea bright]

Thanks for posting! We're reading it eagerly as we're on an Artic expedition in September (rt Reykjavik on the Endeavour) and are not sure what to expect.

[Port Power]

First stop (Saturday) was Stykksholmur, in the morning.  The first excursion left at 7:10am.  As it was a catamaran ride around the area to view birds, I decided to give it a miss.  I had just completed a Scottish and Faroe Islands expedition 10 days ago, and had experienced many zodiac and boat trips to view Puffins in their burrows and on the water, guillemots, cormorants and nesting Fulmars, so decided I wouldn’t miss out.  I rode the zodiac shuttle over later and walked around the town, visiting the museum, the handicrafts shop and the church.

 

 

 

[Port Power]

During lunch, the ship moved to Flatey Island.  I went out on the first kayaking foray on this trip, so do not have any pictures to post.  If I knew how to store photos posted by a friend, I would show theirs.  I’ll have a consult with an IT nerd later and see if it can be worked out.

[Gourmet Gal]

41 minutes ago, LAexNY said:

Interesting hotel comments.  One year ago we disembarked the Wind in Reykjavik and Silversea had us in the Edition which was very nice. Last week we disembarked Wind in Reykjavik again when you embarked.  This time Silversea had us in the Center Hotel Laugavegur. To say it was 3-star would be charitable. Tiny room, no way to control temperature, noise from street.  To add insult to injury, the included breakfast buffet did not include espresso or lattes.  For these, there was an upcharge of about $6 US each!

This seems to be one of the cost-cutting RCI strategies.  Last month I had an abysmal pre-cruise SS hotel stay in Rome.  It was a really poor start to the cruise.

[Port Power]

Sunday morning’s anchorage was at Bolungarvik.  Another early departure at 7:20am for a bus ride to the other side of the island to see two captive arctic foxes.  Otherwise there were walking and hiking tours.  The clouds came down for several hours, but sunshine returned before the ship left.

 

 

 

 

[Port Power]

Sunday afternoon found Silver Wind anchored by Vigur Island.  This is a privately owned island.  The family consist of a couple in their 30s and their 7 year old son.  Felicity is English and met her Icelandic mate on an Antarctic expedition.  They bought the island in 2019.  There is no longer any livestock, and they hope eventually the State might buy it to keep as a nature reserve.  The family are eider down farmers.  
 

This has been the highlight of the trip so far!  Some people didn’t go because of the early morning and because of warnings of extensive walking.  I dpfeel so sad for them.  Felicity and her husband conducted the walking tours in four small groups.  There was a prescribed grassy path as the rest of the island is for the birds.  There were Eider nests all over the place, even by the step into the house!  The ducks are used to people, so just kept an eye on us.  They will even leave their nests briefly for a drink of water.

 

Along the grassy path he terns were nesting.  We carried sticks so they didn’t dive on our heads.  Terns are ground nesting birds, and there were some nests (just divots in the grass) right next to the path and holding two eggs.

When sheep used to be kept by the previous family (five generations), they would be ferried to the island across the water to graze when birds were nesting.

 

 

 

There is a windmill on the farm that is the oldest in Iceland.  They weren’t a success, as the strong winds meant the moving parts overheated and caught fire.

 

 

There are LOTS of Puffins.  This is their land based photo opportunity rock.  Scientists come regularly to check their numbers.

 

The birds are not fed or handled.  Even those cute little chicks swimming with their mothers.  Yes, they are called chicks, not ducklings.  I don’t know why.

Edited June 18 by Port Power

[Port Power]

Eiderdown farming is labour intensive. Eider ducks shed their down after laying eggs so that the eggs will touch skin and be kept warm by the duck’s body.  The family go out with baskets to collect down just before or as the eggs hatch.  That collection then has to be shaken and spun to get rid of twigs, shell fragments, grass and feathers.  Finally it is still hand picked through to removed and stubborn bits.  500kg of initial gathered material might only end up as 50kg of rider down!  The down is then bagged and sent to the inspectors for checking and certification, and the bags closed and sealed.  That is why proper eiderdown is so expensive.

 

 

 

 

[Port Power]

Monday, June 17th, is a national holiday in Iceland. We docked at Husavik.  There was a very long excursion, 7.5 hours, up to a lake.  Two people I spoke with said they had a fantastic day.  There was a whale watching tour, and they did see two whales.  I chose to do one of the town walking tours with a local guide.

 

it was a gorgeous sunny day.  There were plenty of visitors around the town, and whale watching boats and jet boats going in and out.  Our guide explained how life changed with the introduction of fishing limits.  Most fishing is now done by a big company as the individual fishermen sold their boats and quota licences. The oak boats then found new life in the whale watching business, many having masts and sails installed.  And the captains found new jobs awaited them.

 

We walked behind the town to the river and park area.  This river was used for hydroelectricity in the mid 1900s.  As the town grew, some local women petitioned for some farmland alongside the river be given over as a botanic garden.  The ladies planted trees and shrubs, and it has become a beautiful and peaceful area.

 

We went through the old church in time to hear the organist rehearsing.  The walking tour finished at the Whale Museum.  It is really interesting.  There is the full skeleton of a blue whale washed up on the beach in 2020.  Also a Minke whale calf skeleton.  There is a section about whaling, but I didn’t go there.

 

View from the church.

 

 

The ever present stunning backdrop to Husavik.

 

 

The sun is still above the horizon at midnight.

 

[Port Power]

Dinner last night was at the grill in bright sunlight.  It was fully booked.  The meat was top notch, as was the service.  My filet steak was sooooo tender. Others had steak, prawns and gigantic veal chops.  Not a complaint at all.  The appetiser salads were all enjoyable, too.  We partied on in Dolce Vita, with one guest joining the guitarist by playing piano and singing.  The bar waitress, Carmen, also sang one song.  Today is a sea day.

 

On Saturday night I ate at La Terrazza at a table with the Customer Service Manager.  Several of us had the osso bucco, and we all enjoyed it.  Very tender and flavourful.  
 

Lunch today was in the Restaurant at a share table. One of the ladies is from the “Pole to Pole” group.  She has really enjoyed the whole trip and has never been bored.  She knows all the waiters, of course, and they all  know what wine she prefers.

 

As it was cold and misty on deck, the whole roasted suckling pig was set up in the Restaurant along with a salad buffet.  Those who had it said the meat was succulent.  I ordered from the menu and had stir fried whole baby squid.  Very good.

 

As part of a group, there are plenty of people to survey about food.  There are no grumbles and all meals have been to the expected standard.  With such a small number of passengers, we are fighting off waiters who try to carry our soup bowls.

 

There is no Pommery any longer, only Monopole Blue Top as the included champagne.  The wait staff and bar tenders seem not to know anything about the new Duval Leroy relationship.  Certainly there is none on board.  I did eventually receive a bottle of Laurent-Perrier cuvée rosé due to my number of nights.

 

 

[RachelG]

Good to hear standards are fine regarding the food.

 

I also am really glad about Vigur Island.  We have visited there a couple of times, but it has been before 2019.  Last time we were there, the couple who owned it were getting pretty old, and I wondered what would happen. 

[alithecat]

Thank you for your posts. We are on a similar Wind/Iceland expedition in August and i greatly appreciate your comments on the shore excursions, good and bad, while I still have time to make changes.

[Port Power]

Dinner tonight was in the Restaurant at a share table along with Chloe, the Entertainment Hostess.  All my dishes were very good. Scallops to start, tomato soup and Grouper. We had plenty of chit chat around the table.  After dinner we went to Liars Club, which was a hoot, as usual.

 

 

I only have two complaints.  In the shower, turn the tap clockwise for hot water, but st the basin, the tap is turned anticlockwise.  I am easily confused.

 

The faucet over the basin needs more width towards the middle.  Washing hands causes a lot of splash.

 

Oh, a third complaint.  Sometimes we have to get up too early!  😂

 

Tomorrow we reach Jan Mayen. 3 degrees C now that we have crossed the Arctic circle. The ship will have to anchor on the north side due to works around the Norwegian naval base.  There are two walks/hikes planned, a beach walk, and scenic zodiac cruising.  🤞 

[Port Power]

Genuinely, if these silly things are the only issues, then I can honestly say that this ship is keeping the Silversea standards very high.  Perhaps it is just this ship. Who knows?  I have cruised often with SS over the last 18 months, but I am not one-eyed about them.

 

However, the Pole-to-Pole cruiser did say that Pia had been the chef until Reykjavik.  Now we have the executive training chef: the chef who trained Pia!  That might be the reason the meals are so good.

 

The menu might be reduced in size, but there are still plenty of choices.  The P2P folks have never noticed repetition.

[alithecat]

Do you know how long the executive training chef is staying on the Wind?

Also, who is the expedition leader and entertainment director?

Curious to know if any of them will still be onboard for the August 1st cruise.

[drron29]

Thanks @Port Power. A lovely report and very good pictures. When we did a Reykjavik to Churchill cruise on the Explorer we had nearly the same number of passengers. It was packed.

 

Pia is still our favourite chef. sadly we are not up to expedition cruising any more. Was great to hear that the Osso bucco was good in La Terraza. Confirms my suspicion that on our recent Muse cruises that it was the chef in La terraza who was the problem as the osso bucco there was nearly inedible whilst in Indochine it was perfect.

 

I am sure you will enjoy the rest of the cruise.

[Port Power]

32 minutes ago, alithecat said:

Do you know how long the executive training chef is staying on the Wind?

Also, who is the expedition leader and entertainment director?

Curious to know if any of them will still be onboard for the August 1st cruise.

The current chef is temporary as she moves regularly from ship to ship.

 

Expedition crew also change depending on location.  Most were new in London. I don’t know how long Neal will stay as leader, but will ask him.

 

I did mention earlier that Chloe is the Entertainment Hostess. Expedition ships do not have an entertainment department requiring a Director. She boarded in London and will be on for 3-4 months.

[Port Power]

Wednesday, 19 June 2024.  This morning we are anchored at Jan Mayen. The sea is extremely calm, and it is cold.  I looked outside this morning and really didn’t expect the call to land. However, it is all systems go!  Even the kayaks are out: look for the yellow next to the zodiac.

 

 

 

 

[57 varieties]

Port Power thank for these great blogs and pictures.  We board the Wind a week today in Longyearben and I am excited!

[Port Power]

Well, we made land and had a very enjoyable experience.  The Norwegian station chief, Frank, was our guide, along with Sacha, the historian from the expedition team, and David, the geologist.  Silver Wind is only the third ship to land here this year.  We are privileged to have been able to set foot on this part of Norway.

 

We could not see the active volcano, Mt Beerenberg, from where we were, even if he sky was clear.  Frank and another man and the nurse had driven to this beach from their station on the south side of Jan Mayen.  They are here for six months on the weather station and other assorted activities.

 

The sand is basalt, as are the rocks.  There is driftwood all over the place.  This was brought in by the ice floes.  However, there is no longer any ice in this area, not for years.  Therefore there are no bears or foxes either.  Just the usual sea birds: fulmars and skuas.  There are also whale bones, probably whales that were washed up on shore in the past.  This was a whaling port back in the day.  There is a cross for seven Dutch seamen who died when they tried to winter on the island back in 1633-34.

 

We didn’t do the zodiac cruise to see the birds nesting on the cliffs as visibility wasn’t good enough to actually see them.  
 

It is still wonderful to see the moss and ground plants that bloom once summer arrives.

 

The aqua bags on the left are tents, just in case we are stranded here.

 

This is not hard rock. It’s sand, littered with rocks smoothed by the sea and sand over time.

 

 

 

 

The hut and outhouse (toilet) are from the 1960s.

 

We now have another sea day before reaching Svalbard.

[Port Power]

Tonight is the Venetian Society cocktail party.  I have been invited to join Cristiano, the safety officer, in La Terrazza.  However, here is the Restaurant’s menu for today.  I should actually remember to take a few photos of meals for those who are interested.

 

Lunch:

 

Dinner:

 

Edited June 19 by Port Power

[highplanesdrifters]

15 hours ago, Port Power said:

However, the Pole-to-Pole cruiser did say that Pia had been the chef until Reykjavik.  Now we have the executive training chef: the chef who trained Pia!  That might be the reason the meals are so good.

 

Well good to hear Chef Pia is still around.  On Cloud we were told that she had left the fleet to open a restaurant. 

 

And glad you're trip is top knotch! 

Edited June 19 by highplanesdrifters