Greenland...Seabourn vs. Silversea...Your Opinion, Please!!!

[nucleon]

Hi! I'm polling the audience! Looking at these two cruises for August, 2019:

https://www.seabourn.com/details?webItineraryIdForAudit=E9N24A&fromSearchVacation=true&guestsCount=2&voyageCode=6935&selectedMeta=Veranda%20Suite&shipId=SQ

and

https://www.silversea.com/destinations/cruises-arctic-greenland/kangerlussuaq-to-kangerlussuaq-1920.html

The Silverseas trip seems to have more wilderness...no civilization beyond the small villages and towns here and there. It goes much further north in Greenland and Canada.

The Seabourn is on our beloved Quest, which took us to Antarctica last year. The Seabourn has longer trip (24 days vs. 16) for similar price, although it does NOT include airfare, so price per day might end up comparable. It does have Reykjavik at the beginning and Quebec City and Montreal at the end, so a bit more civilization.

Has anyone done either (or both!) cruises? Recommendations, advice, opinions all appreciated!!!!

[Chairsin]

No one could have done the Seabourn cruise before as it is a new itinerary. Many of the ports in Greenland and the Ventures stops in Northern Canada are new to Seabourn. .

 

 

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[DUHCAR]

I’d vote Seabourn. Nice mix of rural and towns. Especially good if you haven't been to that part of Canada as it hits alot of the highlights in that region. Rekjavik and Montreal are easily accessible by air.

Personally the Silversea's one is too arctic-y for me.

[TxnAquarian]

I would do the Seabourn option, hands-down! The ship would be preferable, and the itinerary is a great mix of rustic and modern. Plus, getting there and back is easier via those start and end ports.

 

I did Greenland on Regent two years ago and you will LOVE it. The beauty is stunning! It’s still my favorite itinerary!

 

Michael

[markham]

What sold me on Silver Cloud for August, 2019 was a video I saw on Whisper last year showing lots of ice, remoteness and polar bears around the ship! I don’t expect the Seabourn route would allow for that.

 

So it’s this itinerary that makes it so appealing. Plus the chance to enjoy this 200 passenger and recently refurbished ship.

 

The cruises’ itineraries are very different. So are the per day prices. Apples and oranges. How about both on different years?

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[notjaded]

Hi! I'm polling the audience! Looking at these two cruises for August, 2019:

https://www.seabourn.com/details?webItineraryIdForAudit=E9N24A&fromSearchVacation=true&guestsCount=2&voyageCode=6935&selectedMeta=Veranda%20Suite&shipId=SQ

https://www.silversea.com/destinations/cruises-arctic-greenland/kangerlussuaq-to-kangerlussuaq-1920.html

The Silverseas trip seems to have more wilderness...no civilization beyond the small villages and towns here and there. It goes much further north in Greenland and Canada.

The Seabourn is on our beloved Quest, which took us to Antarctica last year. The Seabourn has longer trip (24 days vs. 16) for similar price, although it does NOT include airfare, so price per day might end up comparable. It does have Reykjavik at the beginning and Quebec City and Montreal at the end, so a bit more civilization.

Has anyone done either (or both!) cruises? Recommendations, advice, opinions all appreciated!!!!

 

Thanks for the Silversea option. I'm scheduled to be on the Seabourn cruise, but the Silversea looks pretty good.

 

Do you know how one flies into the embarkation port? I Google/flighted it and couldn't find an itinerary that would get me there. Edit: Just found that Air Greeland flys non-stop from Copenhagen.

Edited May 2, 2018 by notjaded

[markham]

Yes, for the Silversea cruise everyone is expected to fly to Reykjavik. From there Silversea charters a place to the embarkation port in Greenland. At the end of the cruise Silversea flies everyone back to Reykjavik. I should add that Reykjavik is well served by lots of US airlines these days with Delta, United and American joining Icelandair and (awful) British Airways and a few European carriers. There is also budget airline WOW Air which has new planes and extra legroom seats.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[ON cruiser]

Hi Nucleon, for what its worth, I would go with the Seabourn cruise this time (yet, as Markham said, try the other one at another time). As someone born in Montreal I can say this: if you have never been through Quebec, the last few days of that cruise, down the Saguenay, Quebec City (a beautiful city) and then ending in Montreal (also a delightful city--much to see and do) would be lovely.

 

The cruise seems to end at or around the Labour Day weekend. Yet even if not, it is a nice time of year to take a last few extra days and stay in and tour Montreal. Lots of decent hotels to choose from and again, depending on your currency (if tied to the greenback) you may get the Canadian dollar "discount".

 

As another poster stated, Montreal has many flights non-stop to the US or overseas, depending on where your home city is, and travel should be relatively straight-forward going home.

 

Please come back in time and let us know which one you chose. I am sure you would enjoy either one.

 

Happy travels,

[notjaded]

Hi Nucleon, for what its worth, I would go with the Seabourn cruise this time (yet, as Markham said, try the other one at another time). As someone born in Montreal I can say this: if you have never been through Quebec, the last few days of that cruise, down the Saguenay, Quebec City (a beautiful city) and then ending in Montreal (also a delightful city--much to see and do) would be lovely.

 

The cruise seems to end at or around the Labour Day weekend. Yet even if not, it is a nice time of year to take a last few extra days and stay in and tour Montreal. Lots of decent hotels to choose from and again, depending on your currency (if tied to the greenback) you may get the Canadian dollar "discount".

 

As another poster stated, Montreal has many flights non-stop to the US or overseas, depending on where your home city is, and travel should be relatively straight-forward going home.

 

Please come back in time and let us know which one you chose. I am sure you would enjoy either one.

 

Happy travels,

 

Hi Jay,

 

Thanks for sharing your informed thoughts on this itinerary. Are you considering it?

 

Gary

[SoBaycruiser]

We did Greenland last summer with an expeditionary company. Our crossing of the Denmark Strait from Iceland was pretty rough for many of the passengers. That may be one consideration when choosing if you don’t have good sea legs. I understand it is often rough.

 

 

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[Emperor Norton]

Having been on a Silversea cruise before - you'd have to pay me to return. Between the incompetent kitchen staff (how does an Italian owned line bork rice and pasta?) the angry staff (no service 15 minutes before dress code for those that don't meet the dress code that hasn't started yet) to the incompetent staff (wine list, whats that, I'm just the ships sommelier what should I know about wine?). Easy for me.

[ON cruiser]

In answer to Gary (notjaded) a few posts, above, no, alas, I am not considering this cruise presently. Still in the workforce and a little too many days away. Yet I applaud those with the time and dollars who are able to go...sounds great!

[SKP946]

In answer to Gary (notjaded) a few posts, above, no, alas, I am not considering this cruise presently. Still in the workforce and a little too many days away. Yet I applaud those with the time and dollars who are able to go...sounds great!

When I read this my immediate thought was that old saying:-

'No-one ever said on their deathbed " I wish that I'd spent more time at the office";)

 

And that saying reminds me of a neighbour of mine whose boat is named "The Office":D

[nucleon]

Thanks to all! We have done the St. Lawrence trip, and have indeed enjoyed the beautiful Quebec City and briefly Montreal.

 

Honestly, I'm leaning toward the Silversea trip. Our main goal for this trip is to see nature and not civilization. Also, I'm a bit put off by the SEVEN days at sea out of the 24 on the Seabourn. We've spent 21 days on the Quest on the Antarctic trip, and there just isn't that much to do on sea days.