Antarctica Live On Board

Hello everybody!

I have read some reviews on the Seabourn Quest Cruise, and since I am too encountering the home office incompetence, I'd like to confirm a few details with you if you don't mind:

- In the antarctic days, passenger either get a Zodiac trip or a landing, depending on conditions, correct? Anything else like the kayak excursion is optional?

- What do the rest of the passengers do? Wait their turn on the ship?

- What actually happens on the Zodiac trips?

Thank you for any help

Hello everybody!

I have read some reviews on the Seabourn Quest Cruise, and since I am too encountering the home office incompetence, I'd like to confirm a few details with you if you don't mind:

- In the antarctic days, passenger either get a Zodiac trip or a landing, depending on conditions, correct? Anything else like the kayak excursion is optional?

- What do the rest of the passengers do? Wait their turn on the ship?

- What actually happens on the Zodiac trips?

Thank you for any help

We did Antarctica on Seabourn last November and glad to provide comments. Yes to your first bullet. What is done daily is subject to sea, ice, weather, and land conditions. Kayak's are optional at extra cost and take the place of your landing/zodiak for that day. On board is like a normal sea day with viewing from the ship, presentations, and everything that might be done on a normal sea day. The zodiac trips are guided tours of the area for about an hour with very interesting commentary by the experienced drivers. Stops in the water at times but, no landings. Just the same dress as for landings but, no walking sticks of course. Like with landings, never know what might be there to see until actual arrival. Of course there can be delays during the day depending on weather conditions so the printed schedule from the night before is subject to change and doubt there ever has been a trip without changes. These are communicated to all on board. So, with normally 5 different groups, what might have been scheduled to end a 1 PM or 4 PM can and often was done earlier or later. You have to be fluid.

Thank you, Dave!

Can anyone say something about the possibility of evening dances. Where does this happen if at all? What kind of dance music is performed: tango-waltz-chacha-rumba

or jazz-disco?

We did Antarctica on Seabourn last November and glad to provide comments. Yes to your first bullet. What is done daily is subject to sea, ice, weather, and land conditions. Kayak's are optional at extra cost and take the place of your landing/zodiak for that day. On board is like a normal sea day with viewing from the ship, presentations, and everything that might be done on a normal sea day. The zodiac trips are guided tours of the area for about an hour with very interesting commentary by the experienced drivers. Stops in the water at times but, no landings. Just the same dress as for landings but, no walking sticks of course. Like with landings, never know what might be there to see until actual arrival. Of course there can be delays during the day depending on weather conditions so the printed schedule from the night before is subject to change and doubt there ever has been a trip without changes. These are communicated to all on board. So, with normally 5 different groups, what might have been scheduled to end a 1 PM or 4 PM can and often was done earlier or later. You have to be fluid.

Agree with rallydave except that optional kayaks are in addition to your daily activity in Antarctica. On the day of your kayak you get a special pass that allows you to join any of the colour groups getting off the ship, to fit around your kayaking. We did this twice. We were on the same cruise as rallydave.

Agree with rallydave except that optional kayaks are in addition to your daily activity in Antarctica. On the day of your kayak you get a special pass that allows you to join any of the colour groups getting off the ship, to fit around your kayaking. We did this twice. We were on the same cruise as rallydave.

Yes galeforce9 is correct. My apologies for the incorrect information.

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Galeforce9, I have so enjoyed your thread. Your last comments on clothing and equipment were especially helpful. We have worked ourselves almost into a frenzy over a cruise such as yours, but 2018 is already booked and we will have to wait to see what 2019 has to offer. You sound as if you have the same problem that I always have when a Seabourn cruise ends, that is where to hide on board so that you do not ever have to leave. A quick tip: being dragged by the heels from behind the engine room generator is a bit painful and somewhat undignified. But maybe worth a shot.

I apologize if this question as been asked earlier, but is the dress code on the Antarctica cruise country club casual or do they have formal nights where a sports jacket, at a minimum, is required?

This cruise looks awesome, but we really don’t want to pack formal clothes for an expedition cruise along with all of the other clothes we’re going to have to pack.

I apologize if this question as been asked earlier, but is the dress code on the Antarctica cruise country club casual or do they have formal nights where a sports jacket, at a minimum, is required?

 

This cruise looks awesome, but we really don’t want to pack formal clothes for an expedition cruise along with all of the other clothes we’re going to have to pack.

The dress code is the same as on any other Seabourn cruise so you will have 3 formal nights. That said - the formal night dress code which includes dinner jackets (no ties needed) for gentlemen only applies to The Restaurant. We always get around it by booking Thomas Keller Grill for formal nights or by going to the Colonnade. You can then leave your dinner jackets at home and just pack slacks (or even jeans) and collared shirts.

Since nothing triggers more debate than a dress code question, you’ll probably get a few replies saying something like “it’s not that difficult to pack a dinner jacket”, “you’ll fit in more”, etc. etc. but please don’t confuse what the dress code is with what some on here think it should be.

Lastly, you could read through the gazillion pages of the dress code sticky thread, if only for entertainment purposes [emoji846]

Floris

Lastly, you could read through the gazillion pages of the dress code sticky thread, if only for entertainment purposes [emoji846]

 

Floris

Highly recommended (at least the last 10-20 pages)!(y) (y)(y)

The dress code is the same as on any other Seabourn cruise so you will have 3 formal nights. That said - the formal night dress code which includes dinner jackets (no ties needed) for gentlemen only applies to The Restaurant. We always get around it by booking Thomas Keller Grill for formal nights or by going to the Colonnade. You can then leave your dinner jackets at home and just pack slacks (or even jeans) and collared shirts.

 

Since nothing triggers more debate than a dress code question, you’ll probably get a few replies saying something like “it’s not that difficult to pack a dinner jacket”, “you’ll fit in more”, etc. etc. but please don’t confuse what the dress code is with what some on here think it should be.

 

Lastly, you could read through the gazillion pages of the dress code sticky thread, if only for entertainment purposes [emoji846]

 

Floris

Thanks Floris! This morning I was researching some other threads and found similar answers. So as long as Seabourn offers great food in the evening up at the Grill or Colonnade similar to what we are experiencing on Oceania cruises up in their Terrace Cafe and provides great lectures on sea days, if definitely sounds like the Antarctica cruise will be a great one to consider.

definitely sounds like the Antarctica cruise will be a great one to consider.

ESPECIALLY the one which goes to South Georgia. I know many people here might have problems being away for Christmas and New Year but this cruise is really special and worth missing the shopping hell back home. The other cruises give you the South Shetlands and the Peninsula but seriously short-change you on the Falklands, assuming you are able to land.

Just ordered my rental boots thru the Seabourn website for $80 each. Also ordered the Parka that is already included in the cruise fare. They also have trekking poles avail for $48

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The Seabourn website has a nice page will much of their Antartica information in one place. You will find videos showing how the zodiacs loaf plus more. Also links to the boot rental site etc

https://www.seabourn.com/luxury-cruise-destinations/antarctica-patagonia

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I think that the line should be pushed to include these boots in the price of the cruise.

They aren’t optional and few people will bring their own due to the weight restrictions on flights.

I think that the line should be pushed to include these boots in the price of the cruise.

They aren’t optional and few people will bring their own due to the weight restrictions on flights.

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Good point Mr Luxury. I am glad that you brought this up.

While our baggage to and from our home is not the problem, the charter flights to Ushuaia have very strict baggage allowances. It’s a clothing intensive trip and hard to pack light under any circumstances. ESP adding a sports jacket, dress shoes, camera equipment, snow pants, etc etc

There is no first or business class available on this segment. This actually does prevent some people from making the trip.

On Hapag Lloyd we were all provided with everything we needed. We did not need to guess our shoe size or have to pay.

Not to mention, most people do not want to travel home with their expedition boots for a lot of reasons. As much as one might try to properly clean them, it is unlikely that they would be commingled with ones clothing.

Thank you for the info Jacqueline

That might count me out then

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At the moment, all Seabourn Antarctic cruises leave from Santiago (Chile) and depart from Buenos Aires (Argentina). Or vice versa. This means that no one will take an internal flight down to Ushuaia and have those weight allowance issues. We did once have to take our own Wellingtons for a Noble-Caledonia cruise and that was a real pain. The Seabourn wellies are fabulous, as comfy as Gucci loafers. I wore mine on formal night.

That’s a good option, especially if one is interested in the Chilean fiords. Thanks for adding it to the thread!

I really liked our three days in South Georgia island and not sure that this is a trade off I would make.. but the fiords are supposed to be great.

Three weeks is a long time for some people on a small expedition ship. It was for me.

How did you enjoy your experience?

Jacqueline , the Holiday Antarctica trip does have 4 plus or minus days in South Georgia so no trade off needed.

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Seabourn Quest is NOT a small expedition ship. It has berths for 450 people but, is not filled for the Antarctica cruises. due to the limitations on going ashore. it is identical to the other 2 Odyssey Class ships that cruise in other locations.

It is not identical in that it is the only Seabourn ship with a strengthened hull. It is not a true ice class ship but it allowed us to enter Disco Bay in Greenland a few days ago whereas another ship we saw that day had to anchor much further out of the bay.

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Good information know. I do think that there is a lot to be said for being on an ice class ship in Antartica.

There is an experience for everyone. Main thing is to make an informed decision. It’s a hard destination to imagine as there is nothing else like it.

Thanks to all for the very good information.

Just page 8 is still shocking - I can't imagine Antarctica without Bjarne ...