Boot rental on Silver Explorer

[boomerone]

New policy: Silversea will rent wellies for use on Explorer for $70 USD pp charged to the shipboard account. Apparently the checkout of boots left behind by previous passengers is no longer in effect. The ship does not guarantee they will have your size. Bummer. I had to call Silversea to confirm this as I have not been able to find the new policy written in any of their publications.

[pke-atlanta]

Even with the former "free" check out of previous passengers' boots, you still weren't guaranteed to find your size. And since I think I only paid about $90 to buy the things, I thought it silly to risk not finding ones that fit. And now with a $70 "rental", I feel even more that way. Better to buy your boots, know they fit and bring them with you than to risk not having your size, since you definitely need them on shore.

 

In our case, we bought the Ship to Shore "Get Outfitted" package (which includes the boots) and had everything delivered directly to our stateroom. So there was no issue with finding room in our luggage on the way down. Didn't once regret that decision!

[RachelG]

I would just buy the boots if they are charging $70to rent them. That is crazy. They made an announcement on the cruise that I am currently on about going down to pick out boots if you didn't bring your own, but No mention of a rental fee. We bought our own (expensive insulated) muck boots, and I am happy to have them.

[Mike2131]

$19.95 for a pair and you are all set.

[Stumblefoot]

Will any boot work? I couldn't imagine not having my 13 year old Canadian Sorels with me. They're perfect in our rocky mountain winters, so figured they'd be good at the top or bottom of the world too.

[2552phxcrzr]

Will any boot work? I couldn't imagine not having my 13 year old Canadian Sorels with me. They're perfect in our rocky mountain winters, so figured they'd be good at the top or bottom of the world too.

 

At the top and bottom of the world, you will find yourself stepping off the zodiac into water that can be shin-high to knee-high ... unless your Sorels are completely waterproof and go that high, I'd leave them at home. And then there's the penguin guano you might be trekking through. Not sure I'd want those on any boots I was taking back home with me. I've worn my warm Sorels in places like Churchill, but they wouldn't have worked in Antarctica.

 

If the ship doesn't provide the boots, then I'd buy cheapie wellingtons, add wool inserts and ergonomic inserts on top of those. I'd bring the inserts back for re-use and leave the boots behind. (Esp. coming back from Antarctica.)

[billcrooz]

At the top and bottom of the world, you will find yourself stepping off the zodiac into water that can be shin-high to knee-high ... unless your Sorels are completely waterproof and go that high, I'd leave them at home. And then there's the penguin guano you might be trekking through. Not sure I'd want those on any boots I was taking back home with me. I've worn my warm Sorels in places like Churchill, but they wouldn't have worked in Antarctica.

 

If the ship doesn't provide the boots, then I'd buy cheapie wellingtons, add wool inserts and ergonomic inserts on top of those. I'd bring the inserts back for re-use and leave the boots behind. (Esp. coming back from Antarctica.)

 

 

Icy waters,penguin guano,10 foot seas! Give me the Caribbean. Anytime!

[Stumblefoot]

I've worn my warm Sorels in places like Churchill, but they wouldn't have worked in Antarctica.

 

Thanks for the feedback H2so4.

[Mike2131]

At the top and bottom of the world, you will find yourself stepping off the zodiac into water that can be shin-high to knee-high ... unless your Sorels are completely waterproof and go that high, I'd leave them at home. And then there's the penguin guano you might be trekking through. Not sure I'd want those on any boots I was taking back home with me. I've worn my warm Sorels in places like Churchill, but they wouldn't have worked in Antarctica.

 

If the ship doesn't provide the boots, then I'd buy cheapie wellingtons, add wool inserts and ergonomic inserts on top of those. I'd bring the inserts back for re-use and leave the boots behind. (Esp. coming back from Antarctica.)

The crew will use them and we did not have to lug them all the way back home from Ushuaia.

[Ponder This]

I will be on a sailing to Antarctica this season and was wondering about the boots too. Everything I've read says that they can just be borrowed on board. Even Silversea's Ship to Shore website has this written:

 

Footwear

For your comfort we recommend you bring your own boots or rent them. Boots are available on board, however, sizes cannot be guaranteed. Rental boots are available on all Antarctic sailings.

 

http://www.shiptoshoretraveler.com/travel-resources/pack2011-ant/

 

I wonder if the ones you can borrow and the ones that are rented all come from the same supply of boots on board the ship.

[ventmo]

We just returned from Silver Explorer and there were enough boots available for those that needed to borrow them. Most brought their own, of course. You are taking a chance that those that need to borrow boots have sufficient variety in sizes. We ended up bringing our own, but due to a lost suitcase my wife had to borrow a pair and she had no complaints.

 

The boots available to borrow were all different types and I don't recall seeing any that were similar to those that can be rented or purchased through Silversea.

[HDS]

We borrowed boots on the Explorer in February/March 2012 for Antarctica and Chilean fijords and they were fine.

[RachelG]

We chose to bring our own muck boots. My husband brought the ones that he wears at the ranch, and they were probably a little on the short side, but with waterproof pants, no problem. I brought new ones that are knee high and love them. Highly insulated, and I did bring them home. Walked them well, let them dry, then put in a plastic garbage bag I had brought for that purpose.

[jpalbny]

Walked them well, let them dry, then put in a plastic garbage bag I had brought for that purpose.

 

Those boots were made for that, no? ;) Or did you mean washed?

[RachelG]

Well, they did walk well, but I meant washed. Stupid auto correct.

[Ponder This]

The Antarctic cruise is part of a longer trip and we want to travel light, so bringing our own is not practical. The rentals cost just seems really high. It's easy to get into the "we've already spent $XXXXX, what's another $70" mentality, but all the little extras start adding up.

 

Looks like we have until 30 days before the cruise to figure it out.

[RachelG]

$70for boot rental is ridiculous. Stuff all your socks and underwear in your boots and they don't take up that much extra room.