Silver Cloud in Antarctica

I sailed the Cloud in 2010, my first luxury cruise, so it holds a special place for me too. I am intrigued by the sail only expedition cruise as well. I will keep an eye on this if it could actually happen. Without the Cloud, I have no interest in an expedition cruise these days.

I am intrigued by the sail only expedition cruise as well. I will keep an eye on this if it could actually happen. Without the Cloud, I have no interest in an expedition cruise these days.

This is precisely my position as well. Is this possible? Is anyone at Silversea HQ listening? :)

Have cut/pasted this thread and a few of the recent posts and sent to SS leaders in Ft. Lauderdale for their thoughts (hopefully). Will keep u posted if I hear anything.

Last month on the Wind, the cruise consultant Asta had a new toy to help pax imagine the wonders of expedition cruising (3d Oculus eyeglasses). They enabled us to enjoy (a wow 3d experience) the wonders of expedition cruising in virtual reality--very cool.

This morning have heard back from Silversea's Managing Director in the Americas, Mark Conroy on the Cloud Expedition pax level planning. Pls see below:

Thanks for the link to the postings concerning the Could Antarctic season. One other point people should have in mind when looking at the pricing of our expedition cruises is the number of guests aboard and the fact that most excursions are done by zodiac and are included in the fare.

Ships larger than 200 regularly visit Antarctica but are limited as to which landings they can make and also requires guest to wait onboard while their fellow guests are ashore.

By keeping the Clouds guest count at 200 we have access to a number of additional landing sites and when we have 100 guests ashore the other 100 can be our exploring the area with the zodiacs which should help the expedition team provide an expanded program.

Kindest personal regards,

Mark

Mark Conroy, Managing Director, The Americas

Silversea Cruises

Wells Fargo Center

333 SE 2nd Avenue | Suite 2600 | Miami, FL 33131

This morning have heard back from Silversea's Managing Director in the Americas, Mark Conroy on the Cloud Expedition pax level planning. Pls see below:

 

Thanks for the link to the postings concerning the Could Antarctic season. One other point people should have in mind when looking at the pricing of our expedition cruises is the number of guests aboard and the fact that most excursions are done by zodiac and are included in the fare.

 

Ships larger than 200 regularly visit Antarctica but are limited as to which landings they can make and also requires guest to wait onboard while their fellow guests are ashore.

 

By keeping the Clouds guest count at 200 we have access to a number of additional landing sites and when we have 100 guests ashore the other 100 can be our exploring the area with the zodiacs which should help the expedition team provide an expanded program.

 

 

Kindest personal regards,

 

Mark

 

 

Mark Conroy, Managing Director, The Americas

Silversea Cruises

Wells Fargo Center

333 SE 2nd Avenue | Suite 2600 | Miami, FL 33131

Thanks very much, Wes, for the follow-up and kudos to Conroy for prompt response.

However, I am not certain that Conroy really grasped the proposal.

The 200 pax limit for excursion folk is clear. The proposal is that additional pax be boarded as cruise-only pax -- without any right to set foot in Antarctica.

Such people would presumably pay a lower fare than the excursion-entitled pax. The marginal cost of providing for them would be slight (largely food, drink, laundry, etc.) and the income would be largely gravy for Silversea.

Do you think Conroy understood the proposal? If not, would you dare to get back to him?

Thanks again.

Interesting suggestion , but I believe the 200 passenger limit is important because it opens up additional landing sites that can't be accessed by say Seabourn ships with 400 passengers. Promising that additional passengers over 200 wouldn't go ashore is difficult to administer and monitor. Easier just to enforce the 200 passenger limit.

We are booked on the inaugural voyage in November. Our first Silversea cruise was in 2009 on the Cloud and we are excited to see the renovated product. ( Lets hope it is completed on schedule). We did a "sail by" Antarctic cruise in 2016 and it whet our appetite for the region. Only disappointed we are not visiting South Georgia

. Promising that additional passengers over 200 wouldn't go ashore is difficult to administer and monitor. Easier just to enforce the 200 passenger limit.

Others have made the same observation regarding enforcement. This surprises me. I can't imagine that people who had paid a reduced fare with the clear understanding that they were sightseers and not explorers (i.e., had no rights to go ashore) would try to access a zodiac. Perhaps I am too compliant and underestimate the sharp elbows and sense of entitlement of some passengers. But I think it's a sad situation when an opportunity like this (revenue-positive for Silversea and very attractive for guests who for various reasons including limited mobility would love to be sightseers) is dismissed as a possibility because of the fear of the misbehavior of some jerks.

Observer, am still planning to ask Mark Conroy specifically about your

suggestion (Cloud sightseer expedition vs Cloud Explorer booking). Am waiting to hear back from Mark, once I do will ask.

Ibkjj, hope you find a moment or two to post while you are on the inaugural or what we can also term the Maiden Cloud Expedition voyage. Know many of us booked/future Cloud Expedition explorers would be sincerely appreciative.

Thanks very much, Wes, for the follow-up and kudos to Conroy for prompt response.

 

However, I am not certain that Conroy really grasped the proposal.

 

The 200 pax limit for excursion folk is clear. The proposal is that additional pax be boarded as cruise-only pax -- without any right to set foot in Antarctica.

 

Such people would presumably pay a lower fare than the excursion-entitled pax. The marginal cost of providing for them would be slight (largely food, drink, laundry, etc.) and the income would be largely gravy for Silversea.

 

Do you think Conroy understood the proposal? If not, would you dare to get back to him?

 

Thanks again.

I understand this option; Of selling additional cabins at a reduced price and restricting them to the ship when Zodiacs are running. it could be controlled easy by a different colored boarding card and also have it show on the security screen a big red stripe when they try to scan it when leaving the ship for excursions.

I understand this option; Of selling additional cabins at a reduced price and restricting them to the ship when Zodiacs are running. it could be controlled easy by a different colored boarding card and also have it show on the security screen a big red stripe when they try to scan it when leaving the ship for excursions.

Or Silversea could establish a brig on Cloud in which to place people who try to circumvent the terms of passage. Or a substantial four-figure deposit could be required, to be forfeited if there is jerkish behavior.

I would book a "sight seeing" experience in Antarctica,on The Cloud, in a heartbeat! A split second...a NY minute...(whatever that means!)

This is a brilliant idea. I had given up my dream of seeing this part of our beautiful world. I knew that I would require too much help, and would undoubtedly slow other people down. I almost booked a cruise, but realistically decided that I couldn't keep up, and that it wouldn't be at all fair to others.

Now I feel like there just might be a way I could go...no Zodiacs, no landings, just the incredible privilege of being on the much loved Cloud and seeing Antarctica.

Just booked feb 5 2019 Antarctica cruise on the cloud. Very much looking forward to it.

Observer, am still planning to ask Mark Conroy specifically about your

suggestion (Cloud sightseer expedition vs Cloud Explorer booking). Am waiting to hear back from Mark, once I do will ask.

 

Ibkjj, hope you find a moment or two to post while you are on the inaugural or what we can also term the Maiden Cloud Expedition voyage. Know many of us booked/future Cloud Expedition explorers would be sincerely appreciative.

I certainly will. Concerned now about the completion status of the ship's transformation given past Silversea timing problems. I expect to find workmen still onboard at Buenos Aires arrival from the drydock in Malta. Fingers crossed.

Hey,

I'm also on the inaugural voyage of the cloud expedition.....

I suppose the ship will be christened again in buenos aires ?

Is there somewhere an update ( with pictures ) of the current refurbishment ?

Best regards, Jimmy

Hi Jimmyke, Kudos for selecting the maiden voyage of the new Cloud Expedition. Have searched Silversea's media center today and also used a google search--no refurb update yet. If you have not seen the renderings of the Cloud refurb (suites & public spaces) posted in March on the media center link, pls see:

http://www.silversea.com/media/images/?filter_cat=Silver+Cloud+Expedition

Also, hope you have time to post a few times when you are on board the Cloud Expedition in November. Have a terrific cruise.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I found this photo of the Cloud in drydock in Malta.

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2728929

However, I am not certain that Conroy really grasped the proposal.

 

The 200 pax limit for excursion folk is clear. The proposal is that additional pax be boarded as cruise-only pax -- without any right to set foot in Antarctica.

 

Such people would presumably pay a lower fare than the excursion-entitled pax. The marginal cost of providing for them would be slight (largely food, drink, laundry, etc.) and the income would be largely gravy for Silversea.

 

Do you think Conroy understood the proposal?

I think he understood the proposal. However, ships carrying more than 200 pax are limited in the number of landing sites they can visit no matter how many of those pax actually go ashore.

SS doesn't want to be constrained as to the number of landing sites, so they have limited the number pax to 200.

Just checked online at marinetraffic.com. The Cloud is enroute to the Grand Canary Islands and should be on schedule to arrive in Buenos Aires for the Nov. 15 inaugural cruise. Good news!:)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/articles/inaugural-silver-cloud-antarctica-cruise-cancelled/

Well this didn't go as planned. See my comments on the main Silversea page.