Live Review of Prince Albert Hamburg - Longyearbyen

[Mike2131]

Hi Mike,

We're booked on the 7 night round trip from Longyearbyen next June. In an Adventurer Class Cabin with the portholes. Told we were 3rd of the 6 cabins in that range to be booked. Reading all the comments is making me wish we were going this year!

The dates work best for us and the 7 night itinerary (with the transatlantic flights and a couple of extra nights in Oslo) is about all the time we can swing for that trip. I guess I better get cracking on the booking tomorrow!

 

Thanks for the info.

[Cambridge]

The dates work best for us and the 7 night itinerary (with the transatlantic flights and a couple of extra nights in Oslo) is about all the time we can swing for that trip. I guess I better get cracking on the booking tomorrow!

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Good to hear. Let me know if you get booked OK. We are going from the UK so less flying but we still need to decide on hotels in Oslo and Longyearbyen nearer the time.

[Skeezics]

Thank you so much for your postings. Glad to hear that the Port holed cabins are sufficient. We are booked in cabin 307 for the Antarctica cruise Dec. of 2010. Have time to decide whether to buy Wellies or not.

[Mike2131]

Good to hear. Let me know if you get booked OK. We are going from the UK so less flying but we still need to decide on hotels in Oslo and Longyearbyen nearer the time.

Now there are just 2 Adventurer Class cabins left for that sailing! Only 12 months to go - yipee!!

[Jade13]

Drew,

 

Did you or are you scheduled to stop at any research bases? It was mentioned there was a Polish one in the area but SilverSeas emailed the ship and our July 4 departure from Tomso is not scheduled to stop anywhere (where there are people). It was nice in Antarctica because A&K (Minerva) had all our passports stamped (with the Antarctic Penguin and at no charge to us). Also, it was someplace to mail a postcard.

 

Is there afternoon tea?

 

Is there just one dining area or another area to get breakfast or tea?

[Jade13]

Good to hear. Let me know if you get booked OK. We are going from the UK so less flying but we still need to decide on hotels in Oslo and Longyearbyen nearer the time.

 

We booked the Grand Hotel.

[Jade13]

Drew,

 

Did you or are you scheduled to stop at any research bases? It was mentioned there was a Polish one in the area but SilverSeas emailed the ship and our July 4 departure from Tomso is not scheduled to stop anywhere (where there are people). It was nice in Antarctica because A&K (Minerva) had all our passports stamped (with the Antarctic Penguin and at no charge to us). Also, it was someplace to mail a postcard.

 

Is there afternoon tea?

 

Is there just one dining area or another area to get breakfast or tea?

 

I also wanted to know who was onboard as Expedition staff? Some of those listed on the general SilverSeas page were actually onboard Minerva in February in Antarctica including

 

Chris Srigley and

 

Suzana Machado D’Oliveira (Susana was the Expedition Leader and her husband the photography coach)

[Drew358]

Drew,

 

Did you or are you scheduled to stop at any research bases? It was mentioned there was a Polish one in the area but SilverSeas emailed the ship and our July 4 departure from Tomso is not scheduled to stop anywhere (where there are people). It was nice in Antarctica because A&K (Minerva) had all our passports stamped (with the Antarctic Penguin and at no charge to us). Also, it was someplace to mail a postcard.

 

Is there afternoon tea?

 

Is there just one dining area or another area to get breakfast or tea?

 

We won't be stopping at any research bases this trip.

They do offer afternoon tea in the lounge at the back of the ship, I haven't been, but there are a large number of people that do go.

They serve a breakfast buffet in the dinning room and continental breakfast in the lounge. The times vary based on what the schedule is for the day.

[Drew358]

Camille Seaman is the photographer onboard, she's getting off when we do on June 17.

Unfortunately her replacement fell and broke her leg a few days ago when she got off the zodiac, so I'm not sure what they are going to do for a new photographer.

Currently we are in the polar ice looking for Polar Bears. We haven't spotted any yet, but we have seen some tracks. The ice is pretty broken up for so early in the year, which makes it easier for the ship to get through some parts that we wouldn't be able to go through.

The weather has been great over the last few days, but today it's foggy, which makes the sighting of Polar Bears that much more difficult.

[Jade13]

Camille Seaman is the photographer onboard, she's getting off when we do on June 17.

Unfortunately her replacement fell and broke her leg a few days ago when she got off the zodiac, so I'm not sure what they are going to do for a new photographer.

Currently we are in the polar ice looking for Polar Bears. We haven't spotted any yet, but we have seen some tracks. The ice is pretty broken up for so early in the year, which makes it easier for the ship to get through some parts that we wouldn't be able to go through.

The weather has been great over the last few days, but today it's foggy, which makes the sighting of Polar Bears that much more difficult.

 

Drew, thanks. How long is your expedition cruise and what day are you on? I hope you spot a polar bear. I read there are approx 3,000 in Spitsbergen. Also, are you doing a full circumnavigation? I thought we are scheduled to do so but I am not sure now. I borrowed a copy of the "Bradt Spitsbergen" guidebook (the one they want you to get - I bought the Coastal Wildlife Guidebook) from the library yesterday and it says the chance of gettiing around in the beginning of July are quite limited. It also says that June should be the best month for birdwatchers but there is difficulty trying to get to these colonies.

[maddie2312]

Hi Jade13,

 

Drew is on the 16 day cruise that went from Hamburg, Germany to East Coast, England then Scotland then north to Norway.

 

Ibkside has posted the current crew on board on another thread, there is also an attachment to the voyage journals which were up to 8th june when I last checked.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1002750

 

The most northenly post office in the world is in Longyearbyen so that's the place to post those cards! So I will have to do them on day 1 as this will be our only chance!

 

As for passport stamps I'm not expecting any as I was in Norway a few years ago and they barely looked at my passport. Some countries also have a problem if you have an unofficial (novelty stamp) in it as they see it as defacing an important document, so be wary.

 

Regards Maddie

[swindy]

Drew 358

 

Thanks very much for the postings. Your reports are much more up to date than the Journals which seem to be a week behind.

Good Luck spotting Polar Bears.

[billcrooz]

:) Let us know if you see Al Gore hugging one of them !

[lkbside]

We board the PAII on Wednesday for a 7 day "Spitsbergen Expedition" so I will report in and answer any further questions as I can.

 

Leslie

[swindy]

We board the PAII on Wednesday for a 7 day "Spitsbergen Expedition" so I will report in and answer any further questions as I can.

 

Leslie

 

Hope you'll be able to post about lots of Polar Bear sightings.

[goldengatecruisers]

Thank you for the clarification on the size of the suite I enquired after. That will help me.

[Mike2131]

We board the PAII on Wednesday for a 7 day "Spitsbergen Expedition" so I will report in and answer any further questions as I can.

 

Leslie

Hi Leslie:

 

We will be very interested in your experiences and review. We are on the 7-night cruise next year.

[maddie2312]

Hi Leslie,

 

Have a fantastic trip and looking forward to hearing all about it on your return.

 

Bon voyage!

 

Regards Maddie

[Cambridge]

Now there are just 2 Adventurer Class cabins left for that sailing! Only 12 months to go - yipee!!

 

Great News. Now all we need are a few polar bear stories from the others lucky enough to be going this year.

[Cambridge]

Thank you so much for your postings. Glad to hear that the Port holed cabins are sufficient. We are booked in cabin 307 for the Antarctica cruise Dec. of 2010. Have time to decide whether to buy Wellies or not.

 

Hi,

When you get back can you let us know what these cabins are like especially yours as we are due to be in it this time next year!

Thanks

[Jade13]

Hi Jade13,

 

Drew is on the 16 day cruise that went from Hamburg, Germany to East Coast, England then Scotland then north to Norway.

 

Ibkside has posted the current crew on board on another thread, there is also an attachment to the voyage journals which were up to 8th june when I last checked.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1002750

 

The most northenly post office in the world is in Longyearbyen so that's the place to post those cards! So I will have to do them on day 1 as this will be our only chance!

 

As for passport stamps I'm not expecting any as I was in Norway a few years ago and they barely looked at my passport. Some countries also have a problem if you have an unofficial (novelty stamp) in it as they see it as defacing an important document, so be wary.

 

Regards Maddie

 

Maddie, thanks. I just read about the post office in one of the guides that I took out of the library. We are going from Tromso to Longyearbyen so if anyone has any suggestions on getting to the post office (one the way to the airport?), please let me know? We haven't decided whether to pay $35.00pp from SilverSeas for the airport transfer or bring NOK and take a taxi to the airport.

 

I wonder if the ship will actually dock the night before which is what happened on our Antarctica trip (on Minerva). However it was at night and only one or two shops open so would not help with a post. I have no control over what the crew/staff did with our passports in Antarctica. In fact, I know what you mean because in Argentina they stamped right on top of that penguin and I'm sure it was on purpose.

[Jade13]

We board the PAII on Wednesday for a 7 day "Spitsbergen Expedition" so I will report in and answer any further questions as I can.

 

Leslie

 

Hi Leslie, we are boarding in two weeks so I look forward to your report. Good luck spotting Polar Bears!

[retiredbrit]

We are reading your postings with interest, having just booked our first Silverseas cruise.

We are on the PAll sailing 19 July 2010 from Longyearbyen arriving back in Longyearbyen on 02 Aug 2010, and are flying from UK on 18 July 2010 for an included one night pre cruise stay in Oslo.

regards Alan

[Mike2131]

Camille Seaman is the photographer onboard, she's getting off when we do on June 17.

Unfortunately her replacement fell and broke her leg a few days ago when she got off the zodiac, so I'm not sure what they are going to do for a new photographer.

Currently we are in the polar ice looking for Polar Bears. We haven't spotted any yet, but we have seen some tracks. The ice is pretty broken up for so early in the year, which makes it easier for the ship to get through some parts that we wouldn't be able to go through.

The weather has been great over the last few days, but today it's foggy, which makes the sighting of Polar Bears that much more difficult.

...and been having too much fun to post. How have the wildlife sightings been - especially the Polar Bears - since your last update?

 

Thanks.

[maddie2312]

Hi Jade13,

 

Maddie, thanks. I just read about the post office in one of the guides that I took out of the library. We are going from Tromso to Longyearbyen so if anyone has any suggestions on getting to the post office (one the way to the airport?), please let me know? We haven't decided whether to pay $35.00pp from SilverSeas for the airport transfer or bring NOK and take a taxi to the airport.

 

Not long now!

Had a wee look at a Longyearbyen map and its just under 5 miles from port to Airport so seems pretty steep to ask for $70 for 2. I have priced the shuttle bus from the airport as we are staying the night before our cruise and it's 50 NOK each and takes you right to your hotel. Taxi's also available but couldn't find a price. I think you would be best to get a taxi to town/post office which is only 2 miles then take it to the airport. If you have time have a bit of a tour round.

The voyage journals on the SS website have now been updated for the full 16 days that Drew was on and looks like they got a couple of polar bears and some close up walrus sightings! Hope Ibkside is as lucky this week.

Regards Maddie