Silver Wind Arctic Expedition : June 14th - 26th

[Port Power]

Tomorrow is our last full day.  Taking advantage of the fabulous weather and the current conditions, the ship is going to sail to the farthest reaches of the ice pack.  Obviously we are hoping to see more polar bears.

 

In the afternoon we will be zodiac cruising once again, with a brief landing.  Then we have to pack our bags in the evening.  😢 

[Port Power]

Tuesday, 25th June, 2024

 

The expedition leader made an announcement into our suites this morning at 5 o’clock to let us know a polar bear had been sighted off the port bow swimming towards the shore.  Not long after there was another announcement that it had come ashore and was walking along the rocky ground.  With my binoculars I could easily see the bear from my balcony.  I watched it nosing around for awhile before it walked over the incline and disappeared from view.  The ship had not moved position from last night.

 

Some time later the ship did set off north away from Svalbard toward the ice field.  Once there it slowed to a crawl and the captain opened deck 5 forward so that passengers could watch the ice floes all around the ship.  A hot chocolate station had been set up.  The sea was flat and cake, although there was one gentle swell that set the ice undulating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After an hour in this area, Silver Wind is now heading back to Svalbard and Magdalenafjord.  There will be kayaking offered this afternoon.  I ordered room service breakfast during this time so that I could enjoy the scenic and relaxing period looking out over the ice.  The only thing missing, of course, was a large, white, furry mammal walking across the ice!  🐻‍❄️

 

[JMMKUK]

Thank you so much for bringing back memories of our time on Silver Wind in 2017. OTD we were up a Fjord, the sun was shining, & people were sunbathing. A few days earlier it had tried to snow on us at North Cape.

You have also brought back memories of the previous year's cruise (with Saga) when we went to Svalbard, saw a polar bear in the distance & toured the abandoned mining town of Pyramiden.

Enjoy your final day on Wind & the rest of your holiday.

[mchell810]

@Port Power  I have been really enjoying reading about your voyage.  I have to admit expedition cruising has not really been on my radar  -- the thought of riding in the zodiacs instills nothing but fear for me.  However, between the description of your days, and beautiful photos, plus @jpalbny posts on his Kimberly cruise, I may need to rethink my anxiety about zodiacs. 

 

Thanks for taking us along on your cruise.

[Port Power]

3 hours ago, mchell810 said:

@Port Power  I have been really enjoying reading about your voyage.  I have to admit expedition cruising has not really been on my radar  -- the thought of riding in the zodiacs instills nothing but fear for me.  However, between the description of your days, and beautiful photos, plus @jpalbny posts on his Kimberly cruise, I may need to rethink my anxiety about zodiacs. 

 

Thanks for taking us along on your cruise.

I don’t know where you live, so I can only say how it is for me.  I like hot weather expeditions because you wear shorts and a cotton top, wet landing sandals and the life belt.  Easy, peasy.  No need to change after breakfast to go out. For UK and Scotland area expeditions you wear thicker pants and a puffer jacket, normal socks and shoes, and the life belt.  Polar expeditions involved a thermal layer, then track pants and a light jumper, then parka, scarf, beanie, gloves, followed by the life belt.  And thick socks and Bogs boots.  That’s why I have room service breakfast.  Back to the ship after the outing to strip off, put on jeans and a shirt, have lunch, and then repeat the outdoor layers again.  Being from a warm to hot climate, I find all that a pain!  Sometimes I will only do the afternoon expedition.  However, other passengers thrive on it!  Antarctica and South Georgia are certainly worth the effort, though!  The Arctic is not so cold, but the same rigmarole occurs daily.  And it is by far the best way to see this stunning region of the world. 😄

[Port Power]

In the i e field this morn8 g, the ship was 580nm from the South Pole.  Latitude 80 degrees, 18 minutes north, longitude 11 degrees 4 minutes east.

 

Arriving in Magdalenafjord during lunch found a clear day with low cloud around the mountains.  A bit damp at times.  This is one of the best known fjords in Spitsbergen.  The kayakers went out for a paddle, and the rest of us for zodiac cruises and optional wet landing for a walk.  To repeat myself yet again, stunning scenery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Port Power]

We were presented with the cruise video at tonight’s briefing, and the USB was delivered to all suites.  Then there was the auction of two navigational charts of this cruise, beautifully decorated by expedition team member, Ginger, one of Iceland and one of Svalbard.  The money raised goes to the crew fund, which purchases gear to use in leisure time, help families in need, or just to pay for a good crew party!  The Iceland chart sold for US$12,000, bought by an Australian man.  The Svalbard chart sold for US$20,000!! This was bought by a lovely Australian lady who was one of the pole-to-pole cruisers.  Wow!  Many thanks to them both.

[Port Power]

After dinner it was back to the cabin with a glass of red wine to finish packing and put the suitcase outside.  I then ordered my nightly green tea so that I could finish this trip report.

 

Tomorrow morning we need to be out of our cabins by 8:00am, and will leave the ship around 9:30am.  All passengers are on the same charter flight to Oslo.  Following a recommendation, I am going to order poached eggs with a dollop of caviar for breakfast.

 

Once settled into the Grand Hotel tomorrow, I will write a final post about the charter flight experience.  Sorry, Silversea door-to-door passengers, only our Constellation Journeys group is going to The Grand Hotel.  Silversea has booked Radisson Blu at the airport for their guests, which should be a very good hotel.

[Port Power]

Regarding dinner in the Restaurant, three of us chose the “Taste of Norway” menu.  The thinly sliced venison with sesame sends was divine.  I was going to order it again for dessert!  This was followed by fish soup and Norwegian lobster in a lime sauce.  I will miss the wonderful food on this ship. 😋

[Catlover54]

Thank you for this wonderful trip report, parts of which brought back some very nice memories of the Iceland cruise DH and I did in 2021 on the Crystal Endeavor (before it became Silver Endeavour).  I love the mesmerizing photos.

You were incredibly fortunate with the weather, and with the animal sightings, wonderful!

 

Other than the pre-cruise hotel choice, in your opinion, were there things could have been improved?  I have read that some guests on prior cruises have had concerns about the condition of the aging (though refurbished) Wind (e.g., issues in their suites).

If the ship were full, do you think there would have been enough staff to have the same good service you had?

Have you booked another SS expedition?

 

[Port Power]

20 minutes ago, Catlover54 said:

Thank you for this wonderful trip report, parts of which brought back some very nice memories of the Iceland cruise DH and I did in 2021 on the Crystal Endeavor (before it became Silver Endeavour).  I love the mesmerizing photos.

You were incredibly fortunate with the weather, and with the animal sightings, wonderful!

 

Other than the pre-cruise hotel choice, in your opinion, were there things could have been improved?  I have read that some guests on prior cruises have had concerns about the condition of the aging (though refurbished) Wind (e.g., issues in their suites).

If the ship were full, do you think there would have been enough staff to have the same good service you had?

Have you booked another SS expedition?

 

Everything has really, truly been wonderful on this trip.  My butler not bringing salt and pepper with the breakfast eggs is probably the worst that has occurred! 😆. In my cabin I have noticed some areas that need attention, but nothing major and nothing to spoil my experience.  My late husband maintained our house to within an inch of its life, so I do tend to notice even the most minor items needing attention.  However, this morning a crew member was sanding the balcony railing next door, so ongoing maintenance is obviously programmed.  I find the bit of creaking in the cabin quite normal movement for a ship at sea.

 

I had absolutely no plumbing or air conditioning issues and did not hear anyone else mention any issues.  I spoke many times with pole-to-pole guests who never mentioned any issues either.

 

I have loved the experience with such a low number of passengers.  However, I think service would have been excellent even if full.  The staff all seem happy and want to engage with guests.  The hotel director is regularly doing the rounds of the bars and restaurants, which I find generally means hospitality staff stay alert.  He chats with them though, so we can see there is a good working relationship.

 

I have quite a lot of expedition cruises under my belt, and don’t intend to book another cold weather one.  I am definitely going to book a UK/Ireland expedition though, probably for 2026.  After my recent Scottish and Faroe Islands expedition (with another company), it really appeals for the destination and better way of visiting these countries.

Edited Tuesday at 09:50 PM by Port Power

[LAexNY]

4 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

Thank you for this wonderful trip report, parts of which brought back some very nice memories of the Iceland cruise DH and I did in 2021 on the Crystal Endeavor (before it became Silver Endeavour).  I love the mesmerizing photos.

You were incredibly fortunate with the weather, and with the animal sightings, wonderful!

 

Other than the pre-cruise hotel choice, in your opinion, were there things could have been improved?  I have read that some guests on prior cruises have had concerns about the condition of the aging (though refurbished) Wind (e.g., issues in their suites).

If the ship were full, do you think there would have been enough staff to have the same good service you had?

Have you booked another SS expedition?

 

We were on the Wind in 2022 for a B2B, Helsinki-Hamburg-Reykjavik, and it was about 50% full on each leg.  Service was excellent.  We just did another B2B on the Wind, Lisbon-London-Reykjavik, and each leg was at or near full capacity.  We did not notice any  difference in service.  The only difference we did notice is that on some nights you had to wait to get a table at The Restaurant if you did not arrive at 7 or close to it.  On one night we arrived closer to 8 and were told it might be a 15-20 minute wait to be seated.  We asked the maitre d’ if LaTerrazza was available.  He called up there and found that there had been a cancellation and we went right up to La T. We were seated right away.

[mchell810]

6 hours ago, Port Power said:

I don’t know where you live, so I can only say how it is for me.  I like hot weather expeditions because you wear shorts and a cotton top, wet landing sandals and the life belt.  Easy, peasy.  No need to change after breakfast to go out. For UK and Scotland area expeditions you wear thicker pants and a puffer jacket, normal socks and shoes, and the life belt.  Polar expeditions involved a thermal layer, then track pants and a light jumper, then parka, scarf, beanie, gloves, followed by the life belt.  And thick socks and Bogs boots.  That’s why I have room service breakfast.  Back to the ship after the outing to strip off, put on jeans and a shirt, have lunch, and then repeat the outdoor layers again.  Being from a warm to hot climate, I find all that a pain!  Sometimes I will only do the afternoon expedition.  However, other passengers thrive on it!  Antarctica and South Georgia are certainly worth the effort, though!  The Arctic is not so cold, but the same rigmarole occurs daily.  And it is by far the best way to see this stunning region of the world. 😄

 

Yes, I have no doubt this is the best way to see this part of the world; I just don't know if I am up for it.  Beyond the rigamarole of putting layers on and off, I firmly believe I will be the one in a million passenger to somehow land in the water instead of a zodiac.  Yes it's irrational but it's how my mind works.  I have however, put Arctic cruising on my "you must consider this" list. 😀

 

I am glad you had such a wonderful experience.  Thanks again for sharing.

[Port Power]

For those of you who might have wondered whatever happened to Silver Explorer after she was sold.

 

 

Longyearbyen, Svalbard, 24 June 2024.

[drron29]

She was and hopefully still is a great ship. Very stable in Rough seas. We went through 3 Force 12 Atlantic gales on her and she handled them beautifully.

[Catlover54]

14 hours ago, Port Power said:

". . . .

 

I have quite a lot of expedition cruises under my belt, and don’t intend to book another cold weather one.  I am definitely going to book a UK/Ireland expedition though, probably for 2026.  After my recent Scottish and Faroe Islands expedition (with another company), it really appeals for the destination and better way of visiting these countries.. . . ."

 

I have seen quite a bit of Scotland from land and from ship excursions to land, but I want more of that gorgeous place, so I am also interested in such an expedition. Questions about logistics:

 

1. If a guest did  not want to go into the Zodiak (due to either concerns about water being choppier than usual, and/or just wanting to avoid the rigamarole of putting on hot and heavy gear ), what would be your estimate as to how much value of the visit he would miss on your Arctic cruise (and if someone knows, on a Scotland/Faroe Island cruise)? I realize that could vary from location to location (e.g., some places you might see nothing but sea and a vague outline of some land from the ship unless you get off and into a Zodiak and then go around the other side  to get closer to nature).  

In parts of Alaska and Norway , for example,  one can still see and enjoy a lot from the ship just by sitting on top and/or walking the deck without getting off, whereas other places I imagine there would be little point in being there unless you get off the ship to get closer, e.g.,  to see hidden bird or other animal sites via Zodiak.  

 

2.  How does the ship handle the situation where a guest who only wants to do Zodiak visits intermittently, e.g., depending on how rough the water is and how confident the guest is she can get in and out of the Zodiak that day without injury ?  For efficient use of resources, are  there other guests or perhaps crew  who are waiting  on "standby" , e.g., to get an extra ride in case someone cancels short notice, e.g., chickens out after seeing the level of chop?  Is there a formal process for this, i.e., alerting others that your spot will be available to others if you have more notice, or is the spot just left empty to avoid confusion?

On your cruise, as far as you know did everyone participate in Zodiak excursions, or was there a substantial contingent of guests who never or rarely did (other than embarking and disembarking )?

 

I learned in 2021 in Iceland that I am fine stepping down into Zodiaks when there is a "box" to step unto first before taking the final step down , when the seas are relatively quiet,  and when crew pay attention and have a firm grip, preferably on each side (I'm not as strong as I appear on first glance).  But when the Zodiak is bobbing up and down and crew seem short-staffed or distracted (e.g., there is only one guy instead of two), I worry more.  

 

I've read that when there are very rare injuries of cruisers related to Zodiaks it is not so much a problem of people falling into the water, as mchell810 worries about,  as it is people just stumbling and falling when getting in or out, e.g., when the Zodiak or ship lurch, and then severely spraining or fracturing an extremity.  This is not counting the two elderly guests who got killed on Quark when their Zodiak capsized on top of them close to shore a couple years ago when an unexpectedly strong wave hit, and they could not get out from under in time, or the Viking guest who got severely injured when the Zodiak burst undernearth her in Antarctica and sent her into the air and up, severely fracturing her leg and requiring the ship to try and rush back in a storm to get her care.

 

I know that some people who are very fit had gone out on a Zodiak on the Silver Explorer a few years ago but then when an unanticipated storm started coming in, the crew had great difficulty getting them back onto the ship because the seas were so bouncy.  It took a long time and required that they make several attempts and climb vertically up ropes to get back on. 

 

I realize Zodiaks are statistically overall *very* safe, (in part due to a lot of care and planning by crew and also self-selection, e.g., people avoiding them if they aren't fit enough ),  but they are not risk free, of course. I hope to be able to be able to enjoy a lot of an expedition cruise without routinely doing twice a day Zodiak rides in full gear, and especially not when conditions are not so bad that Zodiak rides are canceled, but bad enough to require greater balance and fitness than the norm.

 

 

 

[highplanesdrifters]

6 hours ago, Port Power said:

For those of you who might have wondered whatever happened to Silver Explorer after she was sold.

 

 

Longyearbyen, Svalbard, 24 June 2024.

 

I would not have recognized her with the red hull. Rather jaunty. I so enjoyed our voyage on her. Broken elevators and all.😃

[alithecat]

Hi @Catlover54 I can answer your question 2. On expedition cruises they divide the passengers into groups on the first day. You keep the same group number for the entire cruise. They rotate groups so that the group that goes out last becomes the group that goes out first the next day, and so on, so that everyone takes turns. They call the group number down to the boot room/loading area when it's their turn to board the zodiac. They don't count passengers or care whether you decide to participate or not. You swipe your card going out and in. That's how they know who has gone. There is room for everyone. So, you can decide what you want to do at the last minute and you will not be depriving anyone of their chance.

[taxatty]

9 hours ago, Port Power said:

For those of you who might have wondered whatever happened to Silver Explorer after she was sold.

 

 

Longyearbyen, Svalbard, 24 June 2024.

Hopefully the new owner finally fixed the aft elevator! It was a great little expedition ship.

[dawntrdr]

@Catlover54, in our Wind expedition around Scotland, there was always a "box" to step onto inside the Zodiac and at least four crew:  two expedition crew in the Zodiac each to take an arm and two seamen on the ship platform (they don't expect you to jump from an open door) to guide you onto the Zodiac and pull you back in later. They also have a "zodiac training" meeting that is required for everyone at the start of the cruise.  

 

Sometimes you can see wildlife from the ship (especially if you have binoculars) but the ship doesn't move while at anchor, so the majority of the time, your opportunity to see different things will be limited.

[its5pm]

Thanks much for the great information and reviews. 
We are booked on the Silver Wind later this summer, and are truly looking forward to a very different kind of cruise for us. 
The SS literature and their blog are somewhat at ends regarding on board dress, especially for dining. How do pax interpret “country club casual” in the Arctic?  Nice slacks and button down for La Terraza, no doubt, but how about the rest of the time?  Is tech gear OK?

[tulok]

Your review has me excited for my Wind cruise next June around Scotland. I was waffling on the choice as this is my first SS and first expedition cruise. Maybe I was biting off more than I should have, but after reading your review; let’s do this!

 

[Port Power]

2 minutes ago, its5pm said:

Thanks much for the great information and reviews. 
We are booked on the Silver Wind later this summer, and are truly looking forward to a very different kind of cruise for us. 
The SS literature and their blog are somewhat at ends regarding on board dress, especially for dining. How do pax interpret “country club casual” in the Arctic?  Nice slacks and button down for La Terraza, no doubt, but how about the rest of the time?  Is tech gear OK?

Men tended to wear long sleeved shirts and jumpers/pullovers over jeans or sturdy slacks. Women wore long sleeved jumpers, plain or patterned.  Nice noises came out for the Welcome and Farewell nights.  No jeans and t-shirts. No formal.  Thick pants and parkas at The Grill!  Overall, nice casual.

[Port Power]

8 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

 

I have seen quite a bit of Scotland from land and from ship excursions to land, but I want more of that gorgeous place, so I am also interested in such an expedition. Questions about logistics:

 

1. If a guest did  not want to go into the Zodiak (due to either concerns about water being choppier than usual, and/or just wanting to avoid the rigamarole of putting on hot and heavy gear ), what would be your estimate as to how much value of the visit he would miss on your Arctic cruise (and if someone knows, on a Scotland/Faroe Island cruise)? I realize that could vary from location to location (e.g., some places you might see nothing but sea and a vague outline of some land from the ship unless you get off and into a Zodiak and then go around the other side  to get closer to nature).  

In parts of Alaska and Norway , for example,  one can still see and enjoy a lot from the ship just by sitting on top and/or walking the deck without getting off, whereas other places I imagine there would be little point in being there unless you get off the ship to get closer, e.g.,  to see hidden bird or other animal sites via Zodiak.  

 

2.  How does the ship handle the situation where a guest who only wants to do Zodiak visits intermittently, e.g., depending on how rough the water is and how confident the guest is she can get in and out of the Zodiak that day without injury ?  For efficient use of resources, are  there other guests or perhaps crew  who are waiting  on "standby" , e.g., to get an extra ride in case someone cancels short notice, e.g., chickens out after seeing the level of chop?  Is there a formal process for this, i.e., alerting others that your spot will be available to others if you have more notice, or is the spot just left empty to avoid confusion?

On your cruise, as far as you know did everyone participate in Zodiak excursions, or was there a substantial contingent of guests who never or rarely did (other than embarking and disembarking )?

 

I learned in 2021 in Iceland that I am fine stepping down into Zodiaks when there is a "box" to step unto first before taking the final step down , when the seas are relatively quiet,  and when crew pay attention and have a firm grip, preferably on each side (I'm not as strong as I appear on first glance).  But when the Zodiak is bobbing up and down and crew seem short-staffed or distracted (e.g., there is only one guy instead of two), I worry more.  

 

I've read that when there are very rare injuries of cruisers related to Zodiaks it is not so much a problem of people falling into the water, as mchell810 worries about,  as it is people just stumbling and falling when getting in or out, e.g., when the Zodiak or ship lurch, and then severely spraining or fracturing an extremity.  This is not counting the two elderly guests who got killed on Quark when their Zodiak capsized on top of them close to shore a couple years ago when an unexpectedly strong wave hit, and they could not get out from under in time, or the Viking guest who got severely injured when the Zodiak burst undernearth her in Antarctica and sent her into the air and up, severely fracturing her leg and requiring the ship to try and rush back in a storm to get her care.

 

I know that some people who are very fit had gone out on a Zodiak on the Silver Explorer a few years ago but then when an unanticipated storm started coming in, the crew had great difficulty getting them back onto the ship because the seas were so bouncy.  It took a long time and required that they make several attempts and climb vertically up ropes to get back on. 

 

I realize Zodiaks are statistically overall *very* safe, (in part due to a lot of care and planning by crew and also self-selection, e.g., people avoiding them if they aren't fit enough ),  but they are not risk free, of course. I hope to be able to be able to enjoy a lot of an expedition cruise without routinely doing twice a day Zodiak rides in full gear, and especially not when conditions are not so bad that Zodiak rides are canceled, but bad enough to require greater balance and fitness than the norm.

 

 

 

If the water is too choppy, the zodiacs don’t go out.

 

Next to the loading platform there can be an exaggerated swell.  As explained already, with the two sailors and two expedition team, there has never been a problem.  Even a few folk who used walking sticks managed to board zodiacs.  No one stumbled or fell exiting zodiacs as at least two people had hold of their arms.  Only poor procedures would allow such things to happen, and Silversea has very good procedures.

 

You can thoroughly enjoy the scenery without going ashore.  Polar bear sightings were all from the ship.  Most definitely bring good binoculars though.  One lady did zodiac cruises but never went ashore. One man rarely left the ship.  I missed some morning excursions but did the afternoon ones.  All of us were happy with our choices.  At some ports the ship docked at the pier, so we just walked ashore for our excursions or free time.  Many people enjoyed the whole itinerary without setting foot in a zodiac. I enjoyed wandering deck 9 with my binoculars and was not sorry to have remained on the ship.

 

As @alithecat mentioned, there are four zodiac groups. The first departure group rotates daily.  If you really have a problem going with your nominated group number, you can always join a later group.  No one checks up on you.  If you decide to have a sleep in, no one will be ringing your cabin asking why you didn’t turn up.  You either choose to go out, or you don’t. No need for standby.

 

Fit people went on hikes.  You don’t need to be fit to sit in a zodiac.

 

The hotel staff have their own zodiac departures depending on their time off and the number of passengers.

 

The expedition team always go out first to check the area.  If there is to be a landing, they take tents and emergency provisions ashore in case of an emergency. That is standard safety procedure.  I don’t think the weather turns bad so quickly in the Arctic, but nothing in life is 100% risk free.

 

Prior to this cruise I did a Scottish and Faroe Islands expedition with another company.  I loved it!  Fewer zodiac landings and more docking at the pier.  No need for thermals or even parkas.  I loved the experience and the locations.

[drron29]

No problems if you don't want to use a zodiac. Best though to tell an Expedition staffer before hand as they may think they need to wait for you. They won't wait long though.

 

As to being fit it is not a problem if you aren't. On our cruise up the west African coast on the Explorer a wheelchair bound woman in her nineties was taken ashore in a zodiac a couple of times. The staff really went out of their way to help.

 

I have seen zodiacs returning to the ship in absolutely terrible conditions. Once it was I who was last to board. The weather turned quickly at Cape Dorset and I was in the last zodiac back. It was a ride of over 2 miles back to the Explorer. I was last off the boat. The 2 crew on the ship had hold of an arm each. As I stepped onto the ladder the zodiac dropped about 2 minutes and there I was swinging in the breeze. At that stage I weighed 110KG without all the cold weather gear. I didn't panic because I had seen similiar things before. Eventually the zodiac came back to me and very quickly I was onboard.

 

Again I was not terribly fit but went on the hikes. On a couple of occasions I couldn't keep up. A staff member would drop back and we worked out a plan. Often returning the way I came.

Edited Wednesday at 11:50 PM by drron29