Having made it back to a balmy 85 degree Santiago de Chile and then home for the holidays, it is time for final reflections on this “life-changing” trip.
While overall a great success, I admit right away that I underestimated a few areas of preparation for this “once-in-a-lifetime” trip.
1 – Temperature – it’s cold!. As many experiences on this voyage are 60 to 90-minute zodiac cruises, a goood pair of long-john underwear is a must to keep legs and butts warm. Plus, wearing them makes one feel much closer to what a penguin must feel like, waddling around. Remember you are sort of stuck on zodiacs with 8 to 12 fellow guests and little room to move.
2 – Layering – as these journeys run the gambit from sun to howling sleet and anything in between, having good layering clothing is key. I overpacked on jackets and underpacked on base shirts, long sleeves, and dry wick stuff. I sweat fast and the provided for parka is super warm, so I often had to change out soaked Tees of my base layer between outings.
3 – Busy days – the proclaimed goal of our expedition leader Michael was for us all to “need a week beach resort vacation” after the expedition to recover. He was not kidding as tge daily program is quite active with two and sometimes three outings in a day. Remember too, the sun never sets this time of year so it’s always bright. This was not a cruise to relax, it was an adventure!
4 – Kayaking – this was a must for me and Silversea delivered. A mandatory training; spoken English; and past open ocean kayak experience are required to go out and paddle in Antarctica. Out of 237 guests aboard, 85 qualified to do so. The actual assignment for each paddle was at random and assured everyone got at least one paddle in. I would have loved a second time for sure which due to weather wasn’t possible. If kayaking is your “mantra” then choose an operator that specializes in it. Not all lines even offer it and some make it an optional expense.
5 – Life aboard – our 18-night program was on the long side for most Antarctic expeditions. Totally worth it with South Georgia and the Falklands included. We had a total of 6 days at sea in blocks of 2 days each which gave us time to recover; digest emotions; and learn more from the many amazing lectures provided by our expedition staff.
6 – Culinary and entertainment aboard are a key element for cruisers. I can now say that this is an area where expedition cruises are definitely different. Silversea menu rotation was based on 14 days so we had a repeat of the first week menu on our last few days. While not an issue, the challenge was fresh ingredients were missing on the second go-round as it is not possible to keep fresh fruit and vegetables fresh for 18 days. There also was no entertainment beyond lectures and two musicians (guitarist and pianist). I would have liked to see some movie nights with popcorn or more trivia as it got a bit repetitive over time.
Upon reflection, I can wholeheartedly say that this was my best cruise to date. The exceptional service of the crew and especially our butler Rodney,; the engaging outings and lectures by the expedition staff; the great travel companion; and above all the destination made this a true trip of a lifetime I recommend to anyone adventure inclined.
Planet Travel Blog 