Live Review of Prince Albert Hamburg - Longyearbyen

[Jade13]

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

 

Ok, great. I'll look for the journals.

[Jade13]

Hi Jade13,

 

 

 

Ok, great. I'll look for the journals.

 

I didn't realize that this expedition only spent about 3 days in Svalbard. It's great they saw a polar bear. There should be a great chance on the 10 night cruises (9 days and 8 in the area since there is one sea day).

[Mike2131]

The walrus experiences and photos were great. Our #1 "target" next year will be Polar Bears and we selected the PA II cruise over Churchill for a lot of reasons (varied wildlife among them) and I hope the 7 nights in Svalbard will give us multiple opportunities.

[Drew358]

Sorry for not posting more, we ran into satellite problems and I couldn't use up the rest of my internet minutes the last couple days of our trip.

 

We did see 1 polar bear that was about 300 yards away, but it counts. We also saw a few walruses, 1 of them actually swam up to a zodiac to check it out. Juan Carlos (1 of the expedition staff) said he's never seen a walruss fo that before, so it was really special.

 

I'll post a recap and overall experience from my point of view this weekend. 1 thing that was upsetting to us and several other paying passengers was that there were more non-paying passengers onboard (mostly travel agents) that would not socialize with other guests and kind of hurt the on board ambiance. It's something that was troubling enough where I plan to write a letter to Silversea. The non-paying passengers were upgraded to the best suites on the ship and seemed to be better accomodated then the paying passengers. The breakdown was something like 22 paying passengers to 34 non-paying passengers.

I do understand Silversea wants to get their name out there with PA II, however, several of the travel agents were internet travel agents that we overheard (speaking in German), that they would never sell this cruise or any Silversea's cruises because they were too expensive. I don't think Silversea was very selective in picking who to invite to promote this ship.

[Mike2131]

Sorry for not posting more, we ran into satellite problems and I couldn't use up the rest of my internet minutes the last couple days of our trip.

 

We did see 1 polar bear that was about 300 yards away, but it counts. We also saw a few walruses, 1 of them actually swam up to a zodiac to check it out. Juan Carlos (1 of the expedition staff) said he's never seen a walruss fo that before, so it was really special.

 

I'll post a recap and overall experience from my point of view this weekend. 1 thing that was upsetting to us and several other paying passengers was that there were more non-paying passengers onboard (mostly travel agents) that would not socialize with other guests and kind of hurt the on board ambiance. It's something that was troubling enough where I plan to write a letter to Silversea. The non-paying passengers were upgraded to the best suites on the ship and seemed to be better accomodated then the paying passengers. The breakdown was something like 22 paying passengers to 34 non-paying passengers.

I do understand Silversea wants to get their name out there with PA II, however, several of the travel agents were internet travel agents that we overheard (speaking in German), that they would never sell this cruise or any Silversea's cruises because they were too expensive. I don't think Silversea was very selective in picking who to invite to promote this ship.

That is a shame that their presence hurt your overall cruise experience. I would definitely write Silversea to express your displeasure. The TAs are their lifeblood, but passenger word-of-mouth can also impact their bookings to a great extent. Based on what you overheard, it does not seem as if those agents will be Silversea supporters in the future.

 

We had a lot of TAs on the 3-night Eurodam U.S. intro cruise, but they did not seem to overwhelm the ship.

 

Thank you again for your posts and photos.

[Jade13]

 

We had a lot of TAs on the 3-night Eurodam U.S. intro cruise, but they did not seem to overwhelm the ship.

 

I am trying to recall if we actually met, but we really thought for a 3 night cruise the Eurodam was great, including the CC party. We found our favorite steward from an earlier cruise (he was taking care of Mr Kruse's cabin) and he brought us some gifts :)

[Jade13]

Sorry for not posting more, we ran into satellite problems and I couldn't use up the rest of my internet minutes the last couple days of our trip.

 

We did see 1 polar bear that was about 300 yards away, but it counts. We also saw a few walruses, 1 of them actually swam up to a zodiac to check it out. Juan Carlos (1 of the expedition staff) said he's never seen a walruss fo that before, so it was really special.

 

I'll post a recap and overall experience from my point of view this weekend. 1 thing that was upsetting to us and several other paying passengers was that there were more non-paying passengers onboard (mostly travel agents) that would not socialize with other guests and kind of hurt the on board ambiance. It's something that was troubling enough where I plan to write a letter to Silversea. The non-paying passengers were upgraded to the best suites on the ship and seemed to be better accomodated then the paying passengers. The breakdown was something like 22 paying passengers to 34 non-paying passengers.

I do understand Silversea wants to get their name out there with PA II, however, several of the travel agents were internet travel agents that we overheard (speaking in German), that they would never sell this cruise or any Silversea's cruises because they were too expensive. I don't think Silversea was very selective in picking who to invite to promote this ship.

 

Hi Drew, glad you saw a polar bear. Can you tell us where you saw the bear? Also, did you do a complete circumvention around Spitzbergen? I'm unclear if our 10 night cruise is supposed to go all the way around. Also, I read there are approx. 3,000 bears in the area. How many days were you in Svarlbard as I understand you also started in Germany etc.?

 

I called SiverSeas and was told next week that the scheduled photographer is Christian (Hammond sp?). Was this someone that was on-board your cruise?

 

I am so surprised to hear that your sailing only had 56 passengers. Do you think this had to do with the cruise being repositioned? I am just so surprised. How do you know these TA's were all there for free (vs a substantial discount)? I can't believe they would tell you that information. On the other hand such a small group sounds very country club. I am so used to cruises that are soldout (mostly on HAL, but our Antarctic cruise was very full) that I would never even think about an upgrade. How do you know the TA's were bumped up from where they were originally assigned? I just assumed we would be on a full cruise but maybe not. The prices for next year (ones i have looked at) are No where near what they are for 2009. They say 50% off but the prices seem like the were inflated, but i could be wrong.

 

Did they give you a CD of photos at the end? I will look for you review.

[Jade13]

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

 

I ended up purchasing 700 NOK as that was the minimum from my bank (about $117.00). 100 NOK is about $16.00 US. The smallest denomination they had was 100 NOK.

[Mike2131]

I am trying to recall if we actually met, but we really thought for a 3 night cruise the Eurodam was great, including the CC party. We found our favorite steward from an earlier cruise (he was taking care of Mr Kruse's cabin) and he brought us some gifts :)

Unfortunately the CC party and lunch at Tamarind were the highlights for us. We just did not care for the ship.

 

The first 2 Journal days of the current 7 night RT Longyearbyen cruise are posted and they saw a Polar Bear the first full day out! Since we are on that same cruise in 2010 I hope that bodes well.

 

I am a little surprised as well at the number of passengers on Drew's cruise. Perhaps it was (as you speculated) because it was a repo. It seems the one way cruises are all being offered at a steeper discount than the RT expeditions.

 

Have a great cruise and we will look forward to your impressions and review.

[Jade13]

Unfortunately the CC party and lunch at Tamarind were the highlights for us. We just did not care for the ship.

 

The first 2 Journal days of the current 7 night RT Longyearbyen cruise are posted and they saw a Polar Bear the first full day out! Since we are on that same cruise in 2010 I hope that bodes well.

 

I am a little surprised as well at the number of passengers on Drew's cruise. Perhaps it was (as you speculated) because it was a repo. It seems the one way cruises are all being offered at a steeper discount than the RT expeditions.

 

Have a great cruise and we will look forward to your impressions and review.

 

I remember meeting you now.

[lkbside]

We are now flying through London after a week on board the PAII - once you get north of a certain lattitude there is no internet so it did not make sense buying any time. I took lots of notes and will start a thread with my impressions this weekend.

 

We only saw one polar bear, but it was on the first morning in the zodiacs so that was special. We also saw a lot of walruses on the last day, a few seals, a few reindeer and of course a large number and variety of seabirds. The scenery is phenomenal but I think most were disappointed to see such limited wildlife.

 

We really enjoyed the ship and I'll be happy to answer any questions as soon as I get home; I looked at all the cabin types so can give a bit of feedback there as well.

 

To answer a few recent questions - ships cannot circumnavigate Svalbard until late July at the earliest - too much ice until then. As far as airport transfers go, a taxi is around 100 NOK - about $15, and they have large vans so you can easily share with 4-6 people. There is an airport bus which meets the flights and drops at the hotels for 50 NOK pp. Again, with 4 people a taxi is cheaper.

[floridaphilly]

So glad you hear you had a good experience. We get on the PA11 on 7/4. Several questions that really impact our weight of luggage are 1) Do you feel hiking shoes are necessary or at least worth bringing. 2) Are sweaters and other warm clothing needed while on the ship? ARe we dressing like it is winter and wearing woolen pants and heavy sweaters? 3)Did you use walking sticks or are they really not needed. 4) Anything you wished you had taken that you did not take with you?

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Mike2131]

We are now flying through London after a week on board the PAII - once you get north of a certain lattitude there is no internet so it did not make sense buying any time. I took lots of notes and will start a thread with my impressions this weekend.

 

We only saw one polar bear, but it was on the first morning in the zodiacs so that was special. We also saw a lot of walruses on the last day, a few seals, a few reindeer and of course a large number and variety of seabirds. The scenery is phenomenal but I think most were disappointed to see such limited wildlife.

 

We really enjoyed the ship and I'll be happy to answer any questions as soon as I get home; I looked at all the cabin types so can give a bit of feedback there as well.

 

To answer a few recent questions - ships cannot circumnavigate Svalbard until late July at the earliest - too much ice until then. As far as airport transfers go, a taxi is around 100 NOK - about $15, and they have large vans so you can easily share with 4-6 people. There is an airport bus which meets the flights and drops at the hotels for 50 NOK pp. Again, with 4 people a taxi is cheaper.

 

A couple of questions:

 

1) I am a little surprised about the scarcity of wildlife as well. Did the expedition team feel it was due to the early sailing date, weather, global warming, luck of the draw, or...?

 

2) It looks like it is necessary to fly in to Longyearbyen the day before the cruise. Did anyone chance flying in the day of? Also, is there anything of interest to see in the Longyearbyen area prior to sailng?

 

Thanks.

[Aussieflyer]

It is interesting to read everyone's comments as we have booked for 22 Aug 2010 from Tromso to Reykjavik. We have booked a veranda (french balcony) cabin, not so concerned about the size of the cabin but it will be nice to open the door even if it is cold! We will worry about airfares later as we have plenty of time. As it gets closer I am sure I will have lots of questions.

[Judy C24]

Will be taking the PAII to British Isles May 10, 2010. My husband is a vegetarian who eats eggs and dairy. I'm a bit worried now about meals for him. Have you spoken to the chef about better veggie meals? If yes, are they doing anything about this? Also we have a veranda suite, have you seen any of those and what is your opinion about their value?

Thank for the update, much appreciated!

[lkbside]

Judy - I don't think you'll have any problems with meals for your husband - they will be very accommodating. I would let them know via your passenger form about any dietary restrictions.

 

We saw all the suites on the day we disembarked. We were in a silver suite (upgrade) and it was nice to be able to open the doors to the veranda, which is a french balcony. Size wise the view. vista and veranda suites are all the same so unless you really prize the fresh air I'm not sure the add on to go up to a veranda is worth it.

 

Here is a blurb from my travel diary/blog entry for this cruise regarding the suites:

 

"There are 66 suites ranging from 185 to 675 sq ft. All the suites have marble bathrooms, flat screen TV’s, Wi-Fi access, safes and stocked mini-bars. Our Silver Suite was lovely. At 460 sq. ft. it was the size of two regular cabins with a sitting room, spacious bath and enormous closet, (not just a walk-in, but a walk-through closet.) The bedroom and living area were divided by a sliding door, which I thought diminished the feeling of openness and size, but which we appreciated if one of us got up earlier than the other. The brown marble bathroom had a tub and separate shower, complete with a rain showerhead, a large elevated counter vessel sink and pale green accent pieces. The bed was very comfortable and the curtains adequately screened out the 24-hour daylight.

 

We toured all the cabins before we disembarked; the porthole cabins, located in the front of the ship on deck 3, were “cozy” as expected at 185 sq ft. Until you get into the larger suites the bathrooms are all the same with combo bathtub and shower. The Vista, View and Veranda suites are virtually the same, with window size being the only difference; some have 2 chairs, some have a love seat couch which converts into a bed. The French balcony cuts a bit off the width of the veranda suites but they looked the same size as View and Vista. The Owners, Grand and Medallion Suites are on Deck 7. I liked the layout of the Medallion Suite (350 sq ft.), but felt that the Owners (626 sq. ft.) and Grand (675 sq. ft.) suites were too compartmentalized and did not feel at all spacious."

 

and a link to my write up on the cruise:

 

http://expect-to-fly.blogspot.com/search/label/Silversea

 

Leslie

[ging466]

Hi lkbside

 

Your review and photos are great! Sounds like a wonderful cruise.:)

 

Cheers

ging466

[Aussieflyer]

I really enjoyed reading your review of your cruise -as we are going in mid-late August maybe we will be a little luckier with the wildlife but by the sound of it the scenery was so spectacular it will make up for it if we do not have good luck.

As you think of more things, please post them - we are devouring all the information we can get.

A couple of questions - and sorry if you have already answered it - did you purchase clothing from the Expedition gear shop or take your own? Did you use the ship's boots or again take your own? (they take up a lot of room so it's a lot of excess baggage from Australia).

Sure I will think of more questions as the time gets closer!

Thanks

Jenny

[lkbside]

Hi Jenny:

 

We just used the ship's boots.

 

I didn't buy anything from the expedition shop - we already had all the layers that were needed from skiing and hiking. I didn't find it to be all that cold but we had mainly sunny days and no rough or terribly windy landing days.

[Aussieflyer]

Thanks for the information re the boots and gear. Canberra gets pretty cold but think we will need lots of layers - or at least it is better to be prepared!