labrasett

I am not sure that is quite so, our last (former) SS agent fixed us up with significant discounts on one particular trip, way beyond what I had been expecting or even hoping for. I think it depends very much on your particular agent and the relationship you have with them although mostly the reports of UK London based agents are good.

Thank you so much AusMum. I am starting to look at what to do as I know we need to book quite early since we will be there in the holiday season (New Year).

Duplicate bridge available on the Dawn in March on Barbados to Lisbon cruise but not very user friendly for less experienced players.

What I can say if it is any consolation to those wishing they were going to Quito in March in this year our flight arrived around 3pm, we picked up our bags and caught up with a Silversea rep and got into our transport, it took nearly 3 hours to get to the hotel due to the rush hour traffic most of the time we were stationary. You may be glad you dont have to face that. Although on the plus side we did have a fabulous day trip out the following day.

Personally I would like to bank with an organisation which declines a customer who is a misogynist, racist, bully, but there you go.

That should have read Silver WHISPER for the cruise section.

My butler gets my breakfast at the weekends but he is not quite so attentive during the week, makes the occasional coffee and pours me a glass at wine o'clock but is useless when it comes to laundry and cleaning my shoes.

Have to say I have been well looked after by Silversea consultants. In eleven years of sailing on Silversea we have only had three different consultants, the second one looked after us for some nine years and was very good although to be fair we are very undemanding customers. Said consultant was promoted by Silversea a couple of years back and has now left to move on to pastures new but I was both surprised and delighted to receive a message from him the other day saying he had enjoyed our chats over the years and he was sorry he hadnt been in touch to say goodbye when he was leaving Silversea. He did NOT mention the new organisation to whom he has moved although I looked on Linkedin and am aware where he has gone. My new consultant is very good and attentive although he has had a few holidays recently, always very annoying just when you want to make or change a booking but others in the office have picked up my requests and I have received very good service.

We are flying from UK to Perth with five nights there to get out and about and to visit Rottnest Island to see the Quokkas. Then we are doing the Indian Pacific train from Perth to Sydney (four nights) then we have three days in Sydney before picking up the Silver Wind to cruise to Tasmania and on to New Zealand with most of the NZ time being spent around South Island. So looking forward to our trip, I planned it myself, very easy to organise apart from trying to tie up train with ship. Our itinerary is third time lucky having been bumped off trains by certain travel company booking out the whole train on two other proposed dates. We had originally planned to cruise first then do the train in a westerly direction, ie en route towards home but by turning it on its head and rebooking our cruise we finally managed to achieve what looks like a fantastic trip, cant wait only 170 days or so to ship time.

Sorry that happened to you, on the Dawn in March it usually had no more than six or eight other people after dinner. Cant say about before dinner as we usually have a glass (or two) of wine in our suite before we go for dinner rather than go for pre dinner drinks "out".

Salt Bar next to Salt kitchen is a small dark and quiet bar at night. We loved it.

I second the wisdom of taking a fleece. Mix and match is possible with fleece, parka outer and parker inner this threesome makes for a very versatile wardrobe for all weathers from really chilly to quite mild and wet.

Barbara Muckerman has advised elsewhere that the Nova fire resistant panels were sourced elsewhere and are therefore fine.

The weight limit is the weight limit, a little over will likely not be checked but the aircraft is comparatively small so lots of extra or overweight bags would be unwelcome. You can take a moderate sized piece of handbaggage as well. The limit is fine for what you will need.

I dont even own 21 (or 22) dresses and only two of those are posh (evening) dresses.

Check Silversea shiptoshore traveller website to see what clothes you need ie do you need to order parka and to buy or rent knee length waterproof boots!

Because a lot of people give up their formal attire when they retire. Suits for elderly gentlemen are usually only worn for funerals, if at all! Ladies can look lovely in smart tops and smart (maybe floaty) trousers and men can wear a decent pair of trousers and a jacket and tie and be perfectly acceptably well dressed. Many people these days are choosing to travel without hold baggage but they can still be smart even without a tux. The secret is to look as if you have made an effort to dress up even if not as far "up" as the full evening wear.

Dress code casual at all times (a little smarter in the evening) and crocs are just perfect for suite to mud room.

If you are buying your own boots I recommend Muck Boots for purchases in UK and ensure that you buy the ones with the better tread. I had on the lower tread neoprene wellies when I slipped and broke my leg in 2011, I always ensure rubber boots have a decent tread since then.

Nonsense they may be ugly and look cheap (they are not) but they are so comfortable and useful. Many many medical staff (particularly operating theatre) and dentists wear them because they are so comfortable for standing all day. I love them for when I am doing the ironing.

Crocs are not heavy but they are a bit bulky although they do offer a very good suite to mud room choice. I am a bit floored by the frequent references to weight restrictions, my husband and I find the weight limits perfectly doable for all of our trips and we only go to "cold" places. Multi purpose clothes are the way forward. My husband travels in his tweed jacket because he is wedded to it so he always has a jacket for any time it might be needed and he packs a fleece zip up and a sweater, apart from that it is just the usual of several shirts, undies (including thermal leggings), socks, two pairs of trousers, swimming trunks (hot tub), a couple of pairs of shoes plus the "warm" additions of hat, gloves, scarf and of course waterproof overtrousers plus rubber boots and he usually weighs in under 20 kgs so I get a few extra spaces in his bag as I am not quite as well disciplined as him when it comes to packing. All easily possible on an expedition cruise. Have a wonderful time, we shall not be travelling on Endeavour until 2025 but we are already looking forward to it.

I still wear a base layer and a thinnish fleece under the parka and lining. Better to be a bit too warm than too cold. The 23kg limit is more than enough to pack adequately for your trip. The parka and liner are wonderful worn together or even separately depending upon the weather conditions. Leave in October from UK and arriving back in November means you will probably want to wear either a thin puffa or fleece cardi anyway for travel to airport etc. and you will probably want to have a lightweight jacket available for Santiago where it will be spring and could be warm or cool. Yes the lowest temperature could be minus 6 but add to that wind chill and damp plus potentially a blizzard and you will realise why the extra layers I suggest are a good idea. Dont forget woolly hat and neck gaiter as well as sunglasses etc. etc. Have you organised your rubber boots, either rent from Shiptoshore or buy Muck Boots (from the internet) before you go. You can easily get the boots into your bags stuffed with other items like gloves, socks etc. and still be within the 23 kgs. You will have a wonderful time.

Just do it, we are on the Whisper early in 2025 from Sydney to Auckland, cant wait. Just read up on what to expect restaurant and bar wise so you are not disappointed.

Its the lifeboats for you!!!😃

Jackets for gentlemen on informal nights but not necessarily with ties and not in all restaurants. Ladies can dress up just as much as they like on informal nights and a tad more for formal nights. Men can wear tux, dark suit or at very least a very smart [dark] jacket and smart trousers plus tie on formal nights. There are some very nice Sauvignon Blancs to be had and I am sure they can find you some fuller bodies reds in the evening, if you dont wish for the offered wine the Maitre d' or Sommelier will find you an alternative to suit your taste and without an upcharge. Have a wonderful time.