Live - SIlver Explorer October 25 2017, Guayaquil to Valparaiso

[WesW]

Thanks for your delightful Quito/Guayaquil pre cruise reports JP & Chris.

 

Ida and I are also flying Avianca in mid-January from Lima to Cusco and thanks to your post above, will download the Avianca app prior to our MP tour/SoAm cruise.

 

Really like the iguana's snaps, think in the second pix he/she is smiling.

[jpalbny]

Wednesday, October 25th

 

Guayaquil City Tour, continued.

 

The cathedral was gorgeous, with lots of stained glass. No photos allowed, so come by to see it for yourself.

 

On the way back to the car, this monument honors the woman who wrote the national anthem.

 

 

There was lots of traffic today! Driving was a little chaotic but Mario handled it well. There is a huge football match today, and everybody has yellow jerseys to support the local team.

 

We drove along the Malecon which is a beautiful riverfront park built in 2000 when the area was revitalized. There is a clock tower, and someone with a yellow jersey.

 

 

And a monument to commemorate the 1822 meeting of Bolivar and San Martin, the two great liberators of South America.

 

 

We stopped for a stroll at the Ferris Wheel.

 

 

We walked along an old street just off the waterfront. This is protected now and anyone owning a building here cannot modify it. It's narrow, and the houses are brightly colored.

 

 

 

Back down to the more modern section now.

[mysty]

Beautiful Photos! Savour the rest of the adventure!

[jpalbny]

Wednesday, October 25th

 

Guayaquil City Tour, continued

 

We left the old historic street and passed by a brew pub (who arranged the tour that way)? Nice fountains here.

 

 

And here as well. This is really a pleasant area!

 

 

Beautiful contemporary apartment buildings. A one-bedroom with a waterfront view supposedly starts at $60,000. Real estate is cheap here, but cars have a 75% import tax, so they can be more expensive than an apartment. Strange!

 

 

Another view of the waterfront. We really knew nothing about Guayaquil prior to this visit but we're glad we took a little time to see it. The areas we saw were really pretty, and Mario is a great guide.

 

 

Now it was time to tackle the Santa Ana steps. 444 steps up the hill to a scenic viewpoint, in the 90 degree weather and bright sunshine. We thought that we were up for it, so Mario grabbed us a yogurt smoothie to help fortify us for the exertion.

 

 

Refreshing! Now let's go climbing!

[jpalbny]

Wednesday, October 25th

 

Guayaquil City Tour, continued

 

We got ready to storm the Santa Ana steps. To his credit, Mario had asked if we still wanted to do the climb despite the heat, and we'd said yes...of course! They don't look too bad.

 

 

Brightly colored houses line both sides of the steps, which have become quite a tourist attraction. There are shops, bars, and restaurants along the way, as well as the occasional place playing loud salsa music. Looks fun!

 

 

Getting there. Only 150 more to go...

 

 

And another nice view from the steps, near the top.

 

 

Finally, we made it, and were rewarded with a great view of the Malecon and the River Guayas.

 

 

Chris decided to share the bench with this fellow. Turns out he's the local mascot!

 

 

Time to enjoy the view and the nice breeze for a little longer before we drive to the port.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Nice piccies!

[Mudhen]

Enjoying your great photos and super commentary! Thanks for taking us along!

[RachelG]

I can second the advice for the Concho y Toro winery visit. It is very well done.

 

We have been to Guayaquil twice, once about 8 years ago and then just last year. The city has improved dramatically in that time with lots of new construction and just a much safer feel.

[Camillus112]

Fully enjoying your photos and comments, keep on enjoying yourselves!

[Solo mi!]

Thank you for taking us with you with your wonderful pics! Beautiful!

[spinnaker2]

JP

Just found your thread. Internet connection at mi casa is down and I am having to use slow hotspot.

So happy you are loving every moment.

Love the Explorer.

Enjoy it all!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[jpalbny]

Hi from Atlanta! Have been far too busy to post for the last 10+ days but it was a great trip. Will catch up with posting over the next few weeks as time allows. For now, back to Guayaquil...

***

Wednesday, October 25th

Guayaquil City Tour, continued

We walked around the top of the hill, slowly, so that we could enjoy the beautiful scenery. To the south, the River Guayas flows about 50 miles to the sea. We were surprised to learn that Guayaquil is not an ocean port.

And to the north, the views are beautiful as well.

What's this? It looks like something else to climb, if the 444 steps were not enough.

Mario sat down for a rest while we climbed to the top of the lighthouse. Only another 50 steps. From here you have a nice view of the church (Iglesia del Cerro Santa Ana), which is atop the hill. Mario is resting in the shade, on the church steps. Smart guy!

With our views taken in, and pictures taken, we headed down the steps.

***

Now it was time for the 30-minute drive to the port. Mario told us that the port was not really set up well for passengers, and that there would probably be minimal guidance, so he called ahead to one of his acquaintances who works there, and figured out what we’d have to do.

When we arrived at the port, it was quite empty. We headed through security. We had our e-ticket but for some reason they didn't have our name on whatever list they looked at. But it was no problem; they just wrote our information into an official notebook (which looked like a memo pad). It was quick, and once through, we had to wait a few minutes for the shuttle bus to Explorer, as it was one of those ports where you can't walk. True to what Mario had said, there was minimal guidance, so we were lucky that he had told us what to expect.

Soon the shuttle arrived and we had a private ride to the ship - just a minute or two, and then we pulled up to Silver Explorer! Some of our friends were already there and waved to us from their balcony. Up the gangway, and we were greeted with a cold towel and a glass of prosecco. It is so good to be back!

[jpalbny]

Wednesday, October 25th

 

Embarkation, Guayaquil

 

Once onboard we sipped our prosecco and headed to the Explorer Lounge on Deck 5 to complete the check-in formalities. Not actually very formal - you fill out a health questionnaire and drop that off, then proceed to the bar area where there is a table set up. The staff collects passports and issues room cards. That's about it. Two minutes tops.

 

We did have to make sure that they gave us the right key, though. We were supposed to be in 701, but yesterday we got notice that we were being moved to 700 - same category, just across the hall. Apparently the folks in 701 for the prior cruise liked the ship so much that they decided to stay on board for this cruise too. Clearly, it was easier to move us and not move them, so no big deal. But funny enough, they had me listed in 700 and Chris in 701.

 

Our four friends met us as soon as we completed checking in, and we learned that one of the couples had been upgraded to the 7th floor too! Exciting news! We headed upstairs to get a look at our suite, which we'd been eagerly anticipating since learning of our upgrade months ago.

 

The first view of the living room/area didn't disappoint. Lots of room to hang out, eat, drink, and be merry. And a nice bottle of Champagne, of course!

 

 

And the bedroom was not too bad either.

 

 

Another view which shows the sloping windows, looking forward. Our own private view of where we're going! What a cool suite!

 

 

There is a lot of shelf space here, and a second flat-screen TV (the first is in the living room).

 

 

Lots of closet space, and we made short work of unpacking.

 

 

Then we had to explore the bathroom. There is a water room to the right, with a tub and an open shower. Neat concept.

 

 

So now that we were all on board, it was time for relaxing and celebrating! We walked across the hall to say Hi to our buddies in 703, and shared some Champagne. But that made us hungry, and we had skipped lunch. No meal until dinner, at 7:00 What to do?

[RachelG]

So glad you are back. I thought you had sailed off the edge of the earth.

[les37b]

Looking forward to your more detailed review and piccies JP and welcome back....

 

Odd that 701 guests were allowed to choose to stay on.... I thought the cruise was waitlisted long ago? I’d not be happy if we got moved on our next from port to starboard, though I guess it’s not a huge change “up front”. Glad it was an amicable switch and your buddies got their upgrade.

 

Time to get the pop corn and enjoy....

[Fletcher]

Just a couple of observations about your overwhelmingly beige suite 700. That basin seems designer-led and will easily slosh water everywhere in a rough sea. Also, a friend of ours once had one of those forward-facing suites and we have had one on another ship. We (and they) found the balcony unusable because of the headwinds and in the huge South Atlantic seas the waves just crashed on to the slanting windows. The crew shuttered them down after an hour or two and they remained closed for several days. For these reasons I wouldn't chose a forward facing suite.

[carefreecruise]

Love those forward rooms. Hope they fixed the door stops between bedroom and living room. Door keeps slamming in rough seas. We recommend installing a magnet to hold the door open.

[RachelG]

Just a couple of observations about your overwhelmingly beige suite 700. That basin seems designer-led and will easily slosh water everywhere in a rough sea. Also, a friend of ours once had one of those forward-facing suites and we have had one on another ship. We (and they) found the balcony unusable because of the headwinds and in the huge South Atlantic seas the waves just crashed on to the slanting windows. The crew shuttered them down after an hour or two and they remained closed for several days. For these reasons I wouldn't chose a forward facing suite.

 

Haha, it is amazingly neutral! I agree about the sink. Silversea apparently hire a bathroom designer who doesn't really understand that the purpose of a sink is to actually hold water and to allow a person to brush their teeth and shave without getting drenched. The sinks on Spirit also spray water all over you whenever you turn on the tap. My husband and I took to putting a handtowel down to absorb the spray.

[jpalbny]

A few more comments about the suite. I have mentioned before (elsewhere), it was a complimentary upgrade which we were extremely fortunate to have received. I would almost certainly have a coronary if I had to pony up that much money for a cruise.

 

It came about because we booked this cruise at least18 months ago, and we originally booked one of our favorite categories. We were in an Expedition Suite, on the 4th deck, but this was long before the renovation. We got a call 6 months ago that our suite no longer existed, because it had been divided into two rooms. Would we like an upgrade? OK, sure.

 

So for the same price, we were upgraded 3 categories to the Grand Suite on deck 7. At that point, I wouldn't care what color it was. But I do agree with Fletcher that it's somewhat a study in beige. It was great for two weeks, though.

 

The sink was flat-bottomed, and the faucet actually did not splash out at all, even when flowing at full force. I have had that problem before in the other sinks which were round-bottomed; I am pretty sure that our old 427 was like that. So that was a plus.

 

Les, I am surprised as well that 700 was open just a day or two before sailing, because we were told at the time of our upgrade that there were no Medallion Suites, nor Silver Suites available for upgrading. Thus we were put into the Grand Suite. We had tried to get an upgrade for our companions but that only came through at the last minute. Guess they were holding out, or had a lot of last-minute cancellations?

 

Fletcher, the bedroom is the most forward part, and the widest part, of the suite. The sloping windows face directly forward. The balcony is actually in the most aft part of the suite, and overlooks the side of the ship. So it wasn't a problem even if it was windy and choppy out. In fact it was somewhat sheltered, behind a wall (where the front part sticks out all the way to the side hull), and quite pleasant. That part was seemingly well-designed.

 

Carefree, the door between the bedroom and the hallway did occasionally jump its doorstop and slam in bad weather. The bathroom door, and the door between the living area and the hallway, both had magnetic catches which worked very well to prevent this. Just missing one more I guess.

 

The room, because of its location, did move a lot in choppy seas. More on that later.

 

***

 

Wednesday, October 25th

 

Embarkation, Guayaquil

 

So here we were, a bottle of Champagne down already, and hungry. Room service to the rescue!

 

Some shrimp and crab claws hit the spot,

 

 

along with a tapas plate.

 

 

Not pictured is the first of many bottles of ice-cold Chilean Savvy, which were delivered to our room by our faithful butler, Ivy. She took great care of us these two weeks, as we tried our best to deplete the ship's supply of this tasty varietal.

 

A few more essential items from the suite. We had an espresso machine and lots of supplies. Good for a little pre- and/or post-breakfast boost.

 

 

And in the bedroom, a separate split unit for heating and cooling. Very handy, as those front-facing windows can really trap the sun's heat. There were full shades which could reduce that sunshine, but it was good to know that we'd have a boost if extra cooling was needed. There is a remote which I kept handy.

 

 

***

 

Now off to the lifeboat drill, then dinner. Here is tonight's menu:

 

 

And of course, the wine was flowing freely, thanks to the great wait staff in the Dining Room. Looking forward to the first of many great nights on board one of our favorite ships!

[jpalbny]

Wednesday, October 25th

 

Embarkation Dinner

 

Dinner was served. I started with a crispy pork belly appetizer, in honor of how I would soon be looking after two weeks of eating like this... I requested the low-fat version, of course. Is Andean pork belly more healthy for you? Maybe because it's raised at altitude?

 

 

Chris went with the pilpil shrimp which smelled and tasted delicious! There seems to be a huge surplus of garlic on board, which in our mind is a great thing. Luckily, we both like garlic. It might have been tough otherwise.

 

 

I have to say that the shrimp on board were incredible. All trip, they tasted so fresh, had a great texture, and were never even remotely like the frozen rubbery specimens that we get at home. I will be bummed to go back to eating those kind of shrimp now.

 

We both had filet for our mains. It was cooked perfectly, to medium-rare. With a shrimp, for good measure.

 

 

Chris' dessert was the Chocolate and Cheese Custard. No shrimp here, though. Just a ground cherry. One of my favorite garnishes. Luckily for me, Chris isn't crazy about them. It didn't last long.

 

 

I had the Milky Rice.

 

 

After that, it was time for bed. No time for any craziness in the lounge tonight, I am afraid. It's been a long day, and a long two days getting here. But it was a great first night on board.

 

Tomorrow we have a sea day to catch up and maybe we'll start relaxing.

[jpalbny]

I uploaded the daily schedules and all of the diner menus from this cruise to a folder on my Google Drive. Click here to access the folder. Here's one to get you started.

 

 

 

You will notice that some nights don't have a dinner menu. We ate dinner ashore (everybody did) on the night in Lima so there was no dinner on the ship. There were two nights where dinner was served buffet style, and a third night where we were on the 16-hour excursion and didn't get back to the ship until 10:30 PM. So no menus from those nights.

 

Now, to upload pictures from day 2 of the cruise and start with that...

Edited November 17, 2017 by jpalbny

[UKCruiseJeff]

Lovely pics and notes JP. Would love to hear about the Lima meal and your impressions generally of Lima.

[jpalbny]

Will get there in a few days, Jeff. We have visited Lima before as well and it was fun. It's a bit far from the port so perhaps a cruise ship isn't the best way to visit. But it was a nice way to revisit.

 

***

 

Thursday, October 26th

 

A Day at Sea

 

 

 

Today we didn't have too many plans, and no port calls scheduled, so when I woke up at 4AM (like usual) I was able to go back to sleep and we slept until almost 7:00. Unheard of! We had a light breakfast and then walked around the deck, enjoying the views. There were some whale spouts in the distance.

 

 

And a dolphin or two, closer to the ship.

 

 

It was a little rough out there today.

 

 

We were glad to be in a "big" boat, not getting tossed around like these little guys.

 

 

Leisurely morning so far. We popped into the lounge for a minute, to ask about an excursion which didn't seem to appear for our Coquimbo visit. Louis the expedition leader told us that it had been canceled. Bummer - it was the Limari Valley excursion which Wes had asked about earlier (and the one which we had really wanted to do). Apparently our allotted time in port at Coquimbo is too short to fit this excursion in. Oh well. Back to doing laps and enjoying the sea breeze.

[swindy]

I am very appreciative of all this info because we are doing the reverse cruise on the Explorer in March.

Hoping that we are able to do the Limari Valley excursion but sorry it wasn't available to you.

Can I ask if the tour buses have onboard toilets because some of our trips look to have 5 hour or more journeys to get to their destinations?

Thanks

[jpalbny]

I am very appreciative of all this info because we are doing the reverse cruise on the Explorer in March.

Hoping that we are able to do the Limari Valley excursion but sorry it wasn't available to you.

Can I ask if the tour buses have onboard toilets because some of our trips look to have 5 hour or more journeys to get to their destinations?

Thanks

 

Lucky you. This is (was) a wonderful trip!

 

We were disappointed about the Limari Valley but things sometimes work out in the end.

 

Yes, the buses have toilets. They also make a reasonable amount of rest stops. No worries there.