Introducing 2019 Alaska Expeditions

[Daveywavey70]

Just had this email forwarded from our T.A.

 

"We are looking forward to welcoming you aboard your Silversea cruise to Alaska. Weather in Alaska is changeable so planning for a variety of weather conditions is most important. To ensure you are properly outfitted we have partnered with an acclaimed expedition gear company to offer you a one-stop shopping experience of quality expedition clothing and equipment at silversea.shiptoshoretraveler.com.

You may view and download a packing list purchase at: Alaska Expedition package Nine essential items for under US$700, including a waterproof marine jacket with a Silversea logo. And, enjoy the convenient option of FREE! onboard delivery of purchased gear (US$50 value). No promo code needed. Simply place your order before the order by date and select “Free! – ONBOARD DELIVERY” at checkout."

 

 

Our 17th June Alaska cruise is one of the three "trial" cruises for the expedition style cruises on the Muse in Alaska this coming summer. I Wasn't really aware of any of this until recently and have heard nothing from Silversea about it so far. The excursions available have been chopping and changing a bit in MySilversea with Zodiacs and Kayak Tours changing. Looks like they're pushing the expedition side of these 3 cruises quite a bit now.

 

Heres the link to the page.

https://silversea.shiptoshoretraveler.com/alaskaexpeditions

[Unibok]

Ha, Daveywavey70, you beat me to it! I just logged in to share the same email. It was such a surprise to receive something from the Expedition side for this Muse cruise. I have been looking forward to this voyage for over a year, and I have to admit to even more excitement now -- I certainly didn't expect the expedition focus when I booked it, but I'm all in.

 

Important cynical note: unlike true expedition cruises, we have to pay extra for the expedition-like excursions and there don't seem to be enough for everyone to participate in them. No free backpacks for us, either 🤣

[Stumblefoot]

3 minutes ago, Unibok said:

No free backpacks for us, either 🤣

😆😆😆

Take a couple of weeks off from teaching before Thanksgiving 2020 and join us on the Moon TA.  This way you can get a free backpack from WesW!

[Daveywavey70]

I Know Unibok I wasn't expecting it either. Only knew about the zodiacs because of CC. Which date are you on? 

I'm still holding out hope for a backpack with our VIP status but won't throw myself overboard if not. 🙂

I'll just have to console myself with the excellent Muesli.

We have struggled to balance some of the excursions as many are waitlisted. 

Only 45 days for us now!

[Stumblefoot]

1 minute ago, Daveywavey70 said:

I Know Unibok I wasn't expecting it either. Only knew about the zodiacs because of CC. Which date are you on? 

I'm still holding out hope for a backpack with our VIP status but won't throw myself overboard if not. 🙂

I'll just have to console myself with the excellent Muesli.

We have struggled to balance some of the excursions as many are waitlisted. 

Only 45 days for us now!

Many won’t “get” your third line, but I just about spat out my coffee reading it this morning.  So funny! 😂

Edited May 3, 2019 by Stumblefoot

[Daveywavey70]

Glad you appreciated it Stumbles 🙂 

[Unibok]

6 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

😆😆😆

Take a couple of weeks off from teaching before Thanksgiving 2020 and join us on the Moon TA.  This way you can get a free backpack from WesW!

 

You have NO idea how much I want to do this, Stumble!!!!! Working on a plan .... 

[Stumblefoot]

5 minutes ago, Unibok said:

 

You have NO idea how much I want to do this, Stumble!!!!! Working on a plan .... 

Oh my gosh, that would be HUGE!  In all honesty, I was just teasing you as I know you’ll be right in the middle of a semester.  But, oh the fun we’d have!

[Unibok]

8 minutes ago, Daveywavey70 said:

I Know Unibok I wasn't expecting it either. Only knew about the zodiacs because of CC. Which date are you on? 

I'm still holding out hope for a backpack with our VIP status but won't throw myself overboard if not. 🙂

I'll just have to console myself with the excellent Muesli.

We have struggled to balance some of the excursions as many are waitlisted. 

Only 45 days for us now!

 

We're on the first Muse-in-Alaska sailing, leaving Seward on May 27th, arriving Vancouver June 6th -- only 24 days to go before we embark, but even less before we leave for a pre-trip adventure in Denali!  A number of CC folks are staying on from Tokyo, including ztqchas and his wife, and I'm guessing pax are starting to make their way to Japan now. So far our M&M is up to 12; the Tokyo-to-Seward M&M is even larger.

 

For excursions, my daughter and I will DIY hike at most ports. We did manage to book kayaking in Tracy Arm, and the "wilderness explorer" (smaller than the Muse but bigger than a zodiak) at Hubbard Glacier, but we are waitlisted for kayaking there. I know what you mean about trying to balance the waitlists. It seems like every time I look, they have added more kayaking and zodiak excursions, so SS is clearly trying to maximize those opportunities.

 

Since I'm still adjusting back to life in the US, it doesn't seem real that we're about to fly to Alaska in a few weeks. But before that, my daughter needs to actually graduate from college. Today is her last day of classes, and "senioritis" has finally hit. She has worked hard, and deserves the break -- as well as a culminating adventure in Alaska.

 

I look forward to hearing about your Alaska journey, and have my fingers crossed that you find a backpack upon arrival. 

[Daveywavey70]

I'm sure you'll have an amazing time! Congratulations to your daughter!

At the Mo we've got the following booked

Ketchikan - Lumberjack show and Misty Fjords flightseeing

Sitka 4x4 Nature adventure safari

Haines - Last frontier adventure safari

Juneau - Heli flight glacier dog sledding

Wrangell - Ancient forests and bears of Anan Creek

Rudyerd bay - Zodiac cruise

Prince Rupert - kayaking

We've had to scrap the rockies tour and Lake Louise at the end as OH looks like he's opening his T.A. on 1st July 😞

Cant wait to hear how your holiday goes! Will get me even more excited.

 

[Stumblefoot]

Congratulations to your girl, Unibok!  Such an exciting time in life.  I know you two have been planning this trip a long time, so it’s super exciting that it’s nearly here.

 

Lastly, that M&M list out of Tokyo is by far the longest one I have ever seen.  Even more amazing is how virtually all of the names I don’t recognize.

[Daveywavey70]

Just had an email from Shore Concierge saying that for operational reasons the kayak tours have been cancelled! They have booked us onto an alternative eco kayaking tour  but when I looked at that tour originally it had a height restriction of 6’2” so wasn’t suitable. I Used to kayak a lot and there’s no way i’m Crumpling my legs up in a dwarfs canoe! At least the zodiac tours are still standing (at the mo). 

[JohnGinPBG]

On 5/3/2019 at 12:02 PM, Daveywavey70 said:

I'm sure you'll have an amazing time! Congratulations to your daughter!

At the Mo we've got the following booked

Ketchikan - Lumberjack show and Misty Fjords flightseeing

Sitka 4x4 Nature adventure safari

Haines - Last frontier adventure safari

Juneau - Heli flight glacier dog sledding

Wrangell - Ancient forests and bears of Anan Creek

Rudyerd bay - Zodiac cruise

Prince Rupert - kayaking

We've had to scrap the rockies tour and Lake Louise at the end as OH looks like he's opening his T.A. on 1st July 😞

Cant wait to hear how your holiday goes! Will get me even more excited.

 

You have some great excursions booked! Very adventurous.

 

If you're interested in seeing whales, otters and thousands of seabirds, you might check out Gallant Adventures tour in Sitka. Small boat, great captain - it was the highlight of our entire Alaska adventure. Highly recommended. www.gallantadventures.com

 

[Daveywavey70]

Many thanks JohnGin, I’ll check it out. We’re currently booked on the ships 4x4safari in Sitka but we’re certainly open to better offers!

[JohnGinPBG]

9 minutes ago, Daveywavey70 said:

Many thanks JohnGin, I’ll check it out. We’re currently booked on the ships 4x4safari in Sitka but we’re certainly open to better offers!

 

It's an amazing experience! Here's a little more to whet your appetite:

[TLCOhio]

21 minutes ago, JohnGinPBG said:

It's an amazing experience! Here's a little more to whet your appetite:

 

Appreciate ALL of these wonderful visuals, details and follow-ups related to upcoming Silversea offerings and potentials in Alaska.  For our late July Silver Muse cruise from Vancouver, we won't have the zodiac options, but we are aiming to book our excursions and private tours in order to get as close to nature, wildlife and super scenery as possible.  Am looking forward to as many postings as possible from unibok and others either during and/or after your earlier sailings.  Yes, things are getting closer to when folks on these earlier cruise do their sail-aways.  And, we are all excited as to when we commence the "ADVENTURES"!!

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

For latest live/blog, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

[Daveywavey70]

It looks fantastic, thank you, email has been sent!

[TLCOhio]

1 hour ago, JohnGinPBG said:

If you're interested in seeing whales, otters and thousands of seabirds, you might check out Gallant Adventures tour in Sitka. Small boat, great captain - it was the highlight of our entire Alaska adventure. Highly recommended. www.gallantadventures.com

 

YES!!  We are booked with Captain Paul Davis of Gallant adventures for a Tuesday, July 30, 9:30 am sailing.  It will just be the six of us on this tour that should allow much flexibility to see a great sampling.  Hope to be able to capture many interesting visuals to share on my live/blog.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

SE Asia/Mekong River, Etc.!  Live/blog from early 2018, first adventure through SE Asia, stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok, before exploring all over Vietnam and Cambodia, seven days sailing on the Mekong River. Now at 46,392 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591474