Jump to content

Silver Cloud Amsterdam to Dublin. Boots?


alithecat
 Share

Recommended Posts

We are taking this cruise in May. It looks more like a "normal" cruise than an expedition cruise, but they do use Zodiaks for some of the ports.

 

My question to anyone who has done this cruise: are there wet landings? Do we need boots? 

 

Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Alitehcat - myself and 4 friends (3 cabins) are on this trip...We have been on the Muse/Sprit/Whisper and this will be our first "expedition" cruise....so not sure what to expect...I was told the excursions should show up sometime before the 90 day window.  Trying to get an idea for what SS offers and what we want/should plan on our own, as we don't like organized tours, but some of these ports, we have no option to be on our own. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After I posted, my travel agent checked with the Silversea expedition leader. He agreed with shipsmail. No boots needed. But I never thought about the pants. Thanks for that info. Time to shop...

 

I was also told that unlike the "real" expedition cruises, where you don't have to reserve anything, you can book the included excursions/expeditions 90 days in advance. You can change them on the ship, and wait to book on the ship, but what you want might be full by then.

 

Shipsmail: did you blog or post a review of your cruise? I'd like to know more about what to see at each port.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Alithecat and Shipsmail.....any more information on the cruise/ports/etc. would be helpful...a little concerned about the need for waterproof pants....i hope we didn't sign up for something that is not "in my box." We are really not into "roughing it." also appears that dining is more casual... how casual?? we all like to wear jackets and ties for dinner, even on "casual" nights.  I am excited though to visit all the puffins :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There were several dockings at a pier, but also a greater number with excursions by zodiacs in small ports or without landings around small islands. Very nice experiences. But as said before you should have available waterproof pants to wear in the zodiacs when water is spilling into the boat. We had no landings by tender boats for two reasons: either the sea was too rough, then only the zodiacs were capable to bring you ashore or there were ports, where the Cloud can dock.

When I remember correctly there were only casual and a few informal nights. So no need for a tie.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks shipsmail. Ketjupiter: In case you don't know this, Silversea informal means men must wear a jacket but do not need to wear a tie for dinner -- you can wear a tie if you want, some men do. Casual means a nice shirt and pants but no jacket required. Silversea casual is what I'd call country-club casual -- no jeans allowed. I would expect at least 2 informal nights -- the second night of the cruise for the captain's welcome, and the second to last night. These would have been formal nights on a regular cruise, but the expedition cruises don't have any formal nights. You will not be roughing it a mealtime! Hope this helps.

 

I don't think we'll get any info. on the excursions until 90 days before. Mark you calendar. I have done a bit of research on the ports. I'll let you know what we decide to book, when we see what is planned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, alithecat said:

One more question shipsmail: You said no to needing boots. What type of shoes did you wear for when water was splashing into the zodiacs? Water sandals are great for hot weather but this weather will be much cooler.

Just regular closed shoes are fine. As you said weather is more on the cool side to be expected. So water sandals are not recommended.

Another remark about dress code: on that cruise we had a few reservations for La Terraza and we always noted that there most people were following an informal dress code independently from the dress code of the day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

(should put this in a new thread, sorry...) Ketjupiter: It's 89 days now and still nothing. I called Silversea. The agent said expedition cruises are different, and that you can't book activities in advance. I know this is true for Galapagos and Antarctica, but was told differently for the British Isles cruises. I email'd my travel agents to ask. They are currently on the Silver Cloud in Antarctica.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hi there.... i called SS last month to inquire about when excursion would be avail....they told me to e-mail the Expedition people, which i did.. they replied that for this voyage, the excursions should be available for review/booking somewhere around a couple days prior to the 90 day window... doesn't seem like left/right know what they are doing at SS...as the information is inconsistent.  to be continued, and will keep checking, just like you :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shore excursions just appeared. [We were correct not to believe that Silversea agent!]

We booked something for each day. We prefer tours that involve less distance -- more walking and no long bus rides. The only exception we made was booking the Cliffs of Moher.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

cool.. i checked about an hour before you sent the message, and nothing...and then it appeared... totally agree about being stranded on a bus for hours....or being "guided" to a "village" or "local lunch." That happened to us w/ SS in Croatia when they led us to what appeared to be a "Pop up Village" with local crafts/foods. We weren't very pleased... And also in Russia on the way back from Catherine's palace when we were trapped in a Russian folklore lunch with dancing  (worst experience ever, especially considering how much money people spend)....Even though things are "free" we like to do our own thing....and get away for organized anything....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

My husband and I will be on this cruise in May with another couple.  I must say we that, until reading this thread, were totally unaware we would have to ride Zodiacs through rough water to get ashore.  The Silversea agent did not tell us upon booking, nor did we read anything about it in the literature.  My husband and are boaters and scuba divers, so we are used to rough seas and getting wet, but the couple we are with are not.  Also, I hate cold water, and don't look forward to having to wear, then remove, then put back on waterproof pants.  I know it's an excursion ship, but we are first time cruisers on such a boat, and the itinerary (with the word "Luxury" all over it) doesn't suggest this type of transport...it's not Antarctica!

 

Another thing that annoys me is, as soon as the the excursions came available, I tried to book the walking tour on the Isle of Scilly and was immediately wait-listed.  The only other alternative is a tour of gardens.  I'm sure they are beautiful, but I'm not interested in seeing plants from around the world on this itinerary...I want to tour this island.  I hurried to book the rest of the excursions on the itinerary, just in case those were limited, also.   If spots do not open up for us on the walking tour, I'm wondering if we will be left to wander around on our own, or will they pay for a guide to show us the island?  I am going to email our Silversea rep to see what he has to say about it, which I haven't done yet since I've been travelling.  We are not fussy travelers, but we don't like paying out a lot of money and then find out we didn't get the whole story up front!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last post comment.  

Sounds to me like an essay on why one should have an experienced travel agent.  

 

We are also booked on this cruise and very much looking forward to the experience of small out of the way ports in the UK.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

, I tried to book the walking tour on the Isle of Scilly and was immediately wait-listed.  The only other alternative is a tour of gardens.  

 

i think you will find that you visit both St Mary’s and Tresco (that is the case for our Cloud cruise in June). All the islands are very small and easy to walk around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, bennett2005 said:

Last post comment.  

Sounds to me like an essay on why one should have an experienced travel agent.  

 

We are also booked on this cruise and very much looking forward to the experience of small out of the way ports in the UK.  

Bennett2005...thank you for that most unhelpful statement.  When we cruised Alaska we used one of those "experienced" travel agents from a well known company.  She was experienced, but ignored us once she made the initial booking, and was not forthcoming with some information she should have known up front.  

 

5 hours ago, 57 varieties said:

, I tried to book the walking tour on the Isle of Scilly and was immediately wait-listed.  The only other alternative is a tour of gardens.  

 

i think you will find that you visit both St Mary’s and Tresco (that is the case for our Cloud cruise in June). All the islands are very small and easy to walk around.

I discovered that when rereading the material, thanks.  However, we are still wait listed on the walking tour, which seems awful strange to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...