Familygoboston

Port power, this is awesome! Thank you for sharing! This sounds like a way to use our credit! We have little interest in top shelf liquor or specialty dining and I haven’t been able to figure out what to use it on- this would be very cool! (Literally! 🤣😳)

I’m curious about that number too!

Good to know- we have a sizable OBC and nothing to spend on, this might be our move!

My big binoculars with my chest strap come in every wildlife Expedtion! Hubby has tricked out his photography kit so he can change lenses etc without needing to place anything in the ground. We’ve been trying to understand the rules so he knows what gear to bring and what’s permitted to do. He loves photographing wildlife and we can wait to see what’s out there!

This is such helpful into! So if I’m reading right, if you choose to kayak and they decide it’s not safe, you can still get out on a zodiac. Also sounds like there’s a special zodiac for photographers? Does this mean there’s a bit more room for their gear? Or they have the photograph specialist on the zodiac? In curious about this! But enjoy your trip as priority one! My question can wait 🥰

This is encouraging; we’ll be on silver seas Jan 15 and truly hoping things don’t turn for the worse (for lots of reasons including for the birds!)

That was the only reason I booked SS, totally casual for dinner in Antarctica or any destination heavy/ expedition trip. My post was to weigh in- as a person with a solid 25-30 years of travel (🙏hopefully) ahead, I want casual 24/7, not sloppy tank tops, but expedition clothes or I won’t book. If SS thinks they have 25-30 years of market for dressing up then they should by all means run their ships that way! And I love to dress and often DO on cruises where it’s optional! But I vote with my feet, and I’m just letting anyone monitoring where my feet (and wallet) will be going! 🥰

Yes! It’s important if they are being respectful that teens are reminded that it’s not about them if someone won’t give them a chance! (Of any age!) Sometimes we “old heads” forget what it was like to be a teenager!🤣 I enjoy kids of all ages, and they have a lot to teach us if we listen and they can help keep us young! 🥰 Hope you have a great trip!

Good to know! I love a good dress up night, and we often do, but not with long port days, on a destination focused cruise, I’m not on the ship for social reasons, but to see the places where the ship goes. I will have to follow the changes (or not changes carefully!) thanks for the heads up!

We’ve traveled all over the world, many remote and adventurous destinations with our teen and YA daughters and even took our niece on safari in Africa as a teen. If she asked for this, that shows a high degree of interest in the region and the wildlife there. That motivation already self selects for a great experience for her. Here’s my advice ! 1 - set expectations about wildlife, and that their experience may not look like the documentaries she’s seen. Animals will be further away than they look in zoomed videos and photos. Documentarians spend weeks not hours in an area and you may not see all the behaviors or even any animals at all! 2- to better appreciate the wildlife, have her practice with binoculars and her camera before she leaves in her back yard. Get comfy with them so she’ll be very familiar when the encounter happens! 3- set expectations about connecting with the environment and putting aside distractions. Our teens decided to put the iPods they brought for the plane ride, away in the safe so not to miss any of the environment they’d traveled so far to see! I would imagine she knows there might not be internet and she’ll be disconnecting from home in order to connect with environment. 4- discuss clothing and fashion, that Antarctica is about warmth and not fashion. I gave a talk to a group of GS going to Belize about what to wear, and we passed around an ice cube with everyone wearing a cotton sock on one hand, and a wool sock on the other. The point was made very quickly! 5- set expectations that the other passengers will probably be older than her, and not to be too biased about age, people are people are people at any age. Focus on what you have in common! And she might notice theg might have their own biases about teens. Tell her to cheerfully ignore that and try to connect with the folks who love to talk to young people. You will find many in your travels! 6 it says it in every expedition pretrip document I’ve ever recived! It’s an expedition trip, things will change, even quickly, and it’s important to defer and respect the decisions of the guides and crew who are putting safety as job one! Once in Africa our guides suddenly started rushing everyone back to the boat in the Zambezi after we’d just arrived for drinks and snacks. My family immediately followed directions and only realized after we returned to the skiff that a herd of elephants was headed into the “camp” to steal the snacks and it was imperative to move quickly to safety! Every person, young or old might hit a wall, or have a hard day and everyone on the expedition is a team, remaining positive and respectful while also expecting change is critical and a hard skill for many adult never mind a hormonal 14 yo! But it’s possible for everyone in the expedition to support each other and make the voyage spectacular! this is an amazing gift to give your child! It literally changed the life of our neice who went into Stanford to get a PhD in immunology based on her continuing interest in African health systems. It’s a beautiful thing tk be able to nurture her interests!

In case anyone from RCI and SS is watching- I want to weigh jn that your up and coming customers, the ones like us who might be your customers for the next 20-30 years, don’t want formal anything! I’ve booked an expedition cruise on SS in Antarctica only after my TA PROMISED me there are no dress expectations on this cruise. If we discover there is, we are out on future SS expedition cruises and if they continue this on their other cruises, we won’t be booking them, even if we have a fabulous experience in Antarctica. So it might work for current clients for as long as they are still able to travel, but I’d imagine they’ll need to make a change to attract new/younger passengers. I will be watching with interest!

CABIN # 1621 DECK # (3-14) 11 CATEGORY: 7-12, 1A-1C, 2A-2D, A1-A2, C1-C3, CS, FV, PS, RF, RS, S1-S2, SG, SV A2 LOCATION ON SHIP: Port (left), Starboard (right), Bow (front), Stern (back) or Inside and Forward, Midship (between the forward and aft elevators), or Aft (For example: Port-Midship, Bow-Forward or Inside-Aft) Port-Aft just beyond the suites at the aft elevators BED NEAR (Bath, Balcony, Window, N/A) Bath QUIET? (Yes/No/Usually) Yes BALCONY VIEW (Good, Great, Obstructed?) Great BALCONY SIZE (Standard, Oversized, Other) Standard WIND A PROBLEM? (Yes/No/Sometimes) No SOOT A PROBLEM? (Yes/No/Sometimes) No PROBLEMS/COMMENTS (Explain all Noise (including crew door issues), Wind and Soot Problems here, plus all comments and information regarding things like connecting or accessible cabins) nice quiet cabin, the first regular balcony (Aqua Class) after the suites on the bump right at the aft elevators. Totally regular size balcony, but next to neighbors with bigger balconies on suites, no noise from the elevators or stairways, and super convenient to everything especially ocean view cafe and pools. Solarium and spa just a a walk the length of the ship and up one deck. PICTURES (Attach pictures in your review) DATE OF CRUISE AND "REVOLUTION" COMMENTS 11/06/2023-11/16/2023 IMG_3467.mov

And they anticipated this weather our arrival dock changes yesterday from 25 to 18 because of the anticipated storm.

That’s what we’ve been told- no ships can dock till port is open/safe to transport pilots to the ocean liners.

The latest from the CD on board Silhouette is all things related to debarkation are pushed back 3 hours,(7:20 tag is now 10:20 AM) as of the latest info, but again, that’s the estimate based on best case scenario, pilot is not on board. Good size swells but she handles them very well. Capt George and CD Mike very informative. Extended hours in the Oceanview Cafe. I dunno, but unless you have a wedding to get to, getting 3 extra cruise hours is ok with me! 😉 If I had an early flight, I’d need to change it but I wouldn’t be missing a cruise 🤣 (so I always arrive early to the port city!)

Time to Disembark Always the sad part of any cruise...disembarking! After the thrilling manta adventure, we were docked at Kona the next morning and after breakfast, everyone disembarked, and once again, the captain personally thanked us all for sailing with them and crew gathered on deck to wave us off. We were greeted by spinner dolphins in the morning We had a comfortable space at the King Kamehameha Courtyard Marriott to await our onward flights. We noticed a very interesting art exhibit at the hotel, and enjoyed seeing that while waiting for our airport shuttle. Most people have to return to Oahu to fly home, but many of the people on our Uncruise decided to explore another island, returning to Oahu or Maui and some continued their vacations on the island of Hawaii. Hulihe'e Palace Moku'aikauna Chruch After a breif walk around Kona to see the sights, we took our shuttle to the airport. We had plans to explore Oahu and then cruise the much larger Quantum of the Seas from Hawaii to Vancouver Canada. To see that review, click here: Thank you to everyone who commented on the review, I hope its helpful understand the active and dynamic nature of an expedition cruise on Uncruise. We disembarked with a receipt for a deposit on the next one!!

Hawaii Manta Rays! In the afternoon, we cruises a bit to look for more "charismatic megafauna", we saw our voyage slide show a bit early and had dinner early to make time for another very special wildlife encounter! Very simply put, this encounter was among one of the most thrilling wildlife encounters we've ever had! Those who follow our blog and social media know we've been all over the globe to encounter wildlife, from Churchill Manitoba for polar bears, to Galapagos islands, to Africa and many more. We've explored remote corners of the globe in search of seeing wildlife in the wild, and right in the waters where we were snorkeling, one of the most amazing creatures we've ever seen is living it's life under water unknown to most people. A few days later in Oahu, we saw manta rays near the surface of the water and it was amazing, but seeing them feeding underwater at night, was an absolute thrill! wet suits were provided to prevent getting chilled because of the night air and relative stillness you need to maintain to watch these animals. So night snorkeling is planned because the manta rays eat plankton, much like whales, and some of that plankton is attracted to light because that's how the plankton feeds. An water sports adventure outfitter in Hawaii has retrofitted a sur board with bright lights. Those lights attract plankton, which then attracts manta rays to feed on the plankton. Participants go from the skiffs into the water in wetsuits and hang onto the surfboards, all around it. We were instructed to relax and keep our feet floating out, (with help of a pool noodle if needed) so we didn't kick the animals. As soon as we slipped into the dark water, we could see the plankton and other small creatures teeming in the pools of light under the surf board. We were allowed only 30 minutes in the water, but it was only a few minutes before a large manta ray over 14 foot wide from wing tip to wing tip began feeding by rolling under the surfboard and filtering the plankton through its almost mechanical gills. Manta Video.MOV The mantas make no sound...the sounds you hear are just the camera recording the bumping into the surfboard

Thank You Nancy! One of the reasons we rearranged our life in 2018/19 was to travel! It's been a blast to do things we've dreamed of, but this one is quite do-able even as we all age! Uncruise is really clear about the effort and challenge of every excursion and that makes Uncruise a great option for multi generational families!

Yeah, anyone on our cruise people had to get off and try another ship into AK. Seems like you cannot book it B2B. 😩

Hawaii After recovering our anchor while we were enjoying lunch on board, we traveled over night to Hawaii across the channel After our storm night, the channel crossing was as smooth as glass and we barely felt any motion on the crossing! In the morning we were anchored again, and used the skiffs to enter the harbor and explore the Koloko Honokokou National Historical Park just south of Kona. Two options were offered, a longer hike, and a shorter walk/visit to the shore. We chose the shorter walk which allowed us to view a variety of wildlife and cultural sites in the park. Very volcanic shore here, and we also were able to see hieroglyphics and ruins from ancient cultures This area was also very popular with sea turtles, which enjoyed lying out in the sun The bird life was particularly abundant here too

Maui While We Await Anchor Recovery We weren't completely with out an anchor, this one is on deck if we'd needed it, but we didn't, we moved on enjoyed the activities. The morning was very calm and visibility was great so we had a snorkeling excursion at Molokini crater...this area is also a rookery for Magnificent Frigate birds. So we had wonderful things to see both above and BELOW the crater! In the afternoon we did some kayaking. At the end of the play in the water, we were treated to a rainbow and a deck bar. Wilson and the crew broke out all the toys, including floaties and paddle boards and the jumping platform to leap off the ship from deck 2!

Thank you! More to come! I’m currently traveling without my lap top, but when I get back to it, I’ll add a few more destinations we visited in Hawaii with uncruise!

Wait, Did We Stumble into an Alaska Review?! No you did not! Have we taken 3 Uncruises? Yes, we have! Have we lost our anchor on two of those Uncruise? Yes, we did! The plan had been to anchor for the night. The captain carefully considered the weather when deciding where to anchor, but unfortunately, the storm changed direction and while we were at anchor, we rolled and pitched with the storm all night long. Many passengers were sick and took medication, fortunately, we never felt ill, but I also couldn't sleep because I was rolling like a hot dog in a pan all night long. At one point we heard a huge snapping sound, we couldn't identify if it was a wave that hit us or debris? In the morning we learned the anchor line had snapped. The captain didn't feel it was safe to move the dark, but at dawn, he made an announcement for us to continue to stay in our cabins and preferably, safely in our beds while the storm continued. His plan was to move the ship into the lee of an island and trawl slowly in calmer waters so the crew could get up and prepare breakfast and we could regroup. Around 9:30 AM, the captain had moved the ship to calmer waters and announced anyone who felt well enough could come down to breakfast and anyone who wasn't feeling well could remain in their cabin and crew would be around to check on them, provide foo or medicine, any clean up needed. The broken anchor line A half an hour later, every passenger came down to breakfast. Many described a rough night, but they all showed up! We felt grateful we had not felt sick during the storm and we are encouraged that we might be ok on our next expedition cruise in Antarctica! The captain took our photo because he said we were a salty group to endure the night we had and still show up for breakfast, and he wanted to send a photo to his son! He briefed us on what had happened. When the anchor snapped, he dropped a pin so he could recover the anchor later (which was in relatively shallow water) He told us that he had been in touch with the Coast Guard because he needed to seek more sheltered water and the only place that looked safe during this short but violent storm was the island of Kaho'olawe. What, you've never heard of it?! Well, there's a reason for that! During WWII the uninhabited island of Kaho'olawe was used for target practice. There is unexploded ordinance all over the island and in the water around the island. So it's a "no go" for anyone! No one is allowed on the island or to anchor anywhere near it. During this storm, it was also one of the only places we could go to avoid the wind and high water. After consultation with the CG, it was decided that Safari Explorer could go there, since there was no anchor to drop, thus no danger 😬 to ship an passengers. Just as in Alaska, lose an anchor...find whales!! This time the ship were able to move, so despite canceled morning plans, we went whale watching and found a group of humpbacks breaching and then a mother and a calf. Many of passengers joked that Uncruise keeps mechanical whales they deploy when things go wrong to distract guests! Fortunately, divers were able to recover the anchor later, and the mechanic on board was able to reattach it and we were on our way again!

Do Whale Sightings Require Losing an Anchor!? Apparently so! (Alaska photos ahead! These may be the same whales you'd see in Hawaii, because the humpback whales migrate, but these whales we saw in AK!) In 2018, we sailed to Southeast Alaska on Uncruise Safari Endeavor. One day, the anchor got stuck and could not be raised. We spent a good part of day, stuck at anchor instead of cruising for "charismatic megafuana" in the inside passage. (This is Uncruise speak for larger marine mammals and land mammals, things that realllly get people excited, like whales and bears!) While we awaited a solution to the "stuck" anchor in Alaska, the "charismatic mega fauna" came to US! And the sunset created the most amazing scenery. Despite being initially disappointed that the ship was "stuck", the evening turned out to be amazing because we were "stuck" in the middle of the most amazing landscapes and habitat! Finally, the anchor was "cut" and we made our way onto Glacier Bay! Orca breaching humpback

Maui In the afternoon, we were given the option to take the skiff into Lahaina, the main port in Maui. With just a couple of hours, there's not time to book an excursion, although several are offered by vendors in the port, but there is time to explore the historical trail in town, see the Banyan Park, with it's huge 1 acre banyon tree and the shops and galleries. We can recommend the shave ice at Banyon Treats (get it?!) Front Street Lahaina, the banyan tree to the left covers a city block. Right on Wharf St, under the banyan tree, you'll find the historic courthouse which offers a by donation museum, Lahaina Heritage Museum with exhibits about Maui's history and culture. A detail of the ancient fort in Lahaina is right near the courthouse traditional shave ice Lots of rental shops and excursion stands in Lahaina