Antartica!!!!!!!

[tupper10]

Most people who brought boots with them ended up using the ship's boots. They get pretty disgusting and you really don't want to take them home - hence the ship has a very large collection of boots. My guess is that they have all sizes and I don't think a men's 13 is that unusual. We used the boot liners for Wellington boots from LL Bean which were great - plus sock liners and then thermal socks as the last layer. The boots are not insulated so the boot liners really help keep your feet warm. If you need specific information on sizes of boots I suggest you email Silversea since you have the time to ask them if they have large men's boots. They can get in touch with the ship for you. One note for the jackets make sure you order the correct size since they were limited in extras if you ordered the wrong size. I wear a size 4-6 and the XS was fine for me - a little big - but it was comfortable with all of my layers. My husband had ordered the large but he needed the XL since you need to have all your layers underneath.

 

We also had a variety of people on the ship from all over the world. The only complaint I had about the trip was that it had to end. I think most people felt the same way. The journal for our trip is already up on the web site and it gives a good flavor of what we did and saw on our journey. We were not up as early as the expedition staff but we saw hundreds of seals, thousands of penguins, and whales as well. The scenery is beyond belief. The ship staff is professional and the food was great. I can also attest that the crackers and ginger ale were fine. Had I known then what I know now I would have taken the shot the doctor offered to combat sea sickness. I found out when I was upright again after the Drake from one of the wonderful crew members who told me she always gets the shot having been where I was on many passages (flat on my back in bed!). So if you are prone to sea sickness use the patch (if it works for you) or go for the shot. The other sea sickness remedies don't work too well - believe me most people who were sea sick compared notes and we had tried everything. One last comment you don't have to worry about missing pictures because the ship photographer is out from dawn until sunset taking pictures and also makes a video of the trip. It is reasonably priced to buy both dvd's and we did so as a wonderful remembrance of our trip. We also have 1000's of our own pictures but the ship photographer used time lapse photography to take some pictures, for example of the whales breaching, which we could not get on our cameras. She even woke up early to take a picture of the ship's navigational map passing the Antarctic Circle something most of the passengers were asleep for since it was around 4:30 AM. You will all have a wonderful time.

[pke-atlanta]

RachelG,

 

We used Ship to Shore and bought their "get outfitted" package - including the boots. My feet have a tendency to get cold, but I used the insulated socks and boots both from Ship to Shore, and they worked perfectly - no cold feet, and no need for multiple layers on my feet.

 

I wear a size 10 shoe, so Ship to Shore had me order an 11 boot - it fit perfectly. If your husband wears a 13 shoe, he'll need a 14 boot, which may or may not be on the ship - and you won't know for sure until you're there and it's too late. Why take the risk, when he will need to wear them absolutely every day of the trip except for the Drake Passage? And Ship to Shore will deliver directly to the PAII, so no need for packing them. They aren't that expensive (under $90, I think), so if he wants to leave them with the ship, it's not a big loss.

 

You're going all that way and paying all that money for the trip, why not buy the right clothes to make sure you're comfortable on land?

 

Just my two cents.

[basedow]

Thanks for all the good information and voyage review!

 

I think I will probably use Ship to Shore myself as I have nothing that is necessary and I don't like lugging it around. Guess I only will have to lug it back!

[RachelG]

Thanks for the boot info. When it gets a little closer to time, I will email Silversea and ask what sizes they have--you are right about something I had forgotten. If he wears a size 13 shoe, he will need a size 14 boot. He has some pretty disgusting ones that he wears on the ranch, but I would not want to carry those anywhere!

We have all the other "gear" having travelled to cold climates several times. The liners are great-definitely won't be forgetting those!