rethinking boot retail on Cloud

[RachelG]

We are getting ready for our August cruise on Cloud, circumnavigation of Iceland.  I went on the Silversea website to order our parkas, and while there, I read the NEW policy regarding boots.  You can rent for $90 and they are onboard when you get there, and you leave them on the ship.  Or you can bring your own, but you cannot leave those on the ship.  So it is going to be different than the old days on Explorer where they had a big supply of boots from ones that people had left onboard.  They will not have loaners.

 

So I went ahead and rented.  We have boots at home, but it is worth $90 pp to me to not have to wash cow manure off them and carry in an extra suitcase as I definitely would not put our ranch muck boots in any suitcase with my nice clothes, even if thoroughly cleaned.  Not to mention having to clean again at the end of the cruise and lug home.

[JohnGinPBG]

3 hours ago, RachelG said:

We are getting ready for our August cruise on Cloud, circumnavigation of Iceland.  I went on the Silversea website to order our parkas, and while there, I read the NEW policy regarding boots.  You can rent for $90 and they are onboard when you get there, and you leave them on the ship.  Or you can bring your own, but you cannot leave those on the ship.  So it is going to be different than the old days on Explorer where they had a big supply of boots from ones that people had left onboard.  They will not have loaners.

 

So I went ahead and rented.  We have boots at home, but it is worth $90 pp to me to not have to wash cow manure off them and carry in an extra suitcase as I definitely would not put our ranch muck boots in any suitcase with my nice clothes, even if thoroughly cleaned.  Not to mention having to clean again at the end of the cruise and lug home.

 

This is good advice, Rachel. We'll follow your lead and rent for our 2020 Cloud cruise from Dublin to Reykjavik. Thanks.

[jpalbny]

Argh. I know $90 pp is a drop in the bucket. But it's still annoying when I can buy a pair for less than that. And I am a cheapo in some ways...like about this stuff. With the way we pack, and with our free laundry, I probably could fit a pair of boots and our clothes all in the same suitcase. 

 

But one more question, Rachel. I thought you had said that you talked to the expedition staff and there were no wet landings in Iceland, so you weren't going to bother with boots? I know that the "official" SS site says we need them, but I thought that your intel was different.

[Emtbsam]

We are taking boots and probably will regret having brought them, but I have an issue with paying $90 to rent boots on a very expensive cruise.  Besides, we can use the boots at home in the winter, so it is not a total waste of money.

[gogo65]

We bought boots on the weekend to take on our July cruise.

$90usd ($130aud), to rent is ridiculous when they are probably less than that to buy.

We bought ‘bogs’ (I believe they’re a good brand) on special for $100aud (around $70usd) and will put them in our luggage, they are extremely light.

When we did Antarctica with Ponant, they rented them for free, I was a little taken back when I saw Silversea wanted to charge for them, unlikely we will use them again, but it’s savings us a bit and maybe I can donate them to charity when we get off the ship. 

[RachelG]

3 hours ago, jpalbny said:

Argh. I know $90 pp is a drop in the bucket. But it's still annoying when I can buy a pair for less than that. And I am a cheapo in some ways...like about this stuff. With the way we pack, and with our free laundry, I probably could fit a pair of boots and our clothes all in the same suitcase. 

 

But one more question, Rachel. I thought you had said that you talked to the expedition staff and there were no wet landings in Iceland, so you weren't going to bother with boots? I know that the "official" SS site says we need them, but I thought that your intel was different.

I asked and was told there “might” be a couple of wet landings.  I am going to be pretty irate, as in demanding my money back, if we have only one or none.  $90 is expensive if you only use the one or two times.

[Emtbsam]

There is  nothing that says you can't leave the boots on the ship.  Worst case, they get thrown out, best case, someone in the crew can use them.  None the less, we are bringing ours back home, and I will have contractor garbage bags in which to pack them.

[RachelG]

1 hour ago, Emtbsam said:

There is  nothing that says you can't leave the boots on the ship.  Worst case, they get thrown out, best case, someone in the crew can use them.  None the less, we are bringing ours back home, and I will have contractor garbage bags in which to pack them.

If you go to the information about boots and outfitting for the trip, it gives you the options--one is bring your own boots, and it specifically says you can't leave them onboard.  This is new this year.  Of course, I suppose you could just forget and leave them in your cabin.  I doubt they would come running after you to give them back.  I suppose they could mail them to you and charge you for the postage.

[drron29]

We would buy our $A25 quite adequate boots as we always have and drop them off at a charity shop nearby as we usually stay on where ever we land,but if in Africa,Pacific islands etc just give them to a random stranger whose feet looked big.

[petlover]

This is not good news. We're going to Antarctica in January on the Cloud and based on our previous Explorer trip there, we will definitely need boots. If anyone hears of a change in this policy, please share.  

Considering how $$$ the trip is to begin with, they should rent boots for free .

[RachelG]

3 hours ago, petlover said:

This is not good news. We're going to Antarctica in January on the Cloud and based on our previous Explorer trip there, we will definitely need boots. If anyone hears of a change in this policy, please share.  

Considering how $$$ the trip is to begin with, they should rent boots for free .

Totally agree.

[gogo65]

4 hours ago, petlover said:

This is not good news. We're going to Antarctica in January on the Cloud and based on our previous Explorer trip there, we will definitely need boots. If anyone hears of a change in this policy, please share.  

Considering how $$$ the trip is to begin with, they should rent boots for free .

Yes agree, ours were free with Ponant to Antarctica and just assumed it would be the same with Silversea, 

[LadyandtheTramp]

On 6/21/2019 at 11:36 AM, RachelG said:

If you go to the information about boots and outfitting for the trip, it gives you the options--one is bring your own boots, and it specifically says you can't leave them onboard.  This is new this year.  Of course, I suppose you could just forget and leave them in your cabin.  I doubt they would come running after you to give them back.  I suppose they could mail them to you and charge you for the postage.

 

A quick question.  Where did you find this information about the change regarding availability of boots?  We are going on the Kangerlussuaq - Quebec City cruise taking off on September 11, and have not been able to find this info anywhere in the cruise information (after reading this thread, I went through and read everything I had).  Being Florida residents, we do not have boots, and were planning on relying on borrowing them onboard like we did on our Antarctic cruise.  I'd hate to have to buy pairs, shlep them in our luggage, and then only use them once or twice (as mentioned earlier), and especially do not want to buy them until I can view the notification.  

 

In the Travel Journal recently posted, under Arctic voyages, they do mention boots, but not that they would not be provided.  The quote from the Journal says: "For your comfort we recommend you bring your own boots. Boots are available onboard, however, sizes cannot be guaranteed" , which seems to indicate that they would be available, but who knows.   

[RachelG]

49 minutes ago, LadyandtheTramp said:

 

A quick question.  Where did you find this information about the change regarding availability of boots?  We are going on the Kangerlussuaq - Quebec City cruise taking off on September 11, and have not been able to find this info anywhere in the cruise information (after reading this thread, I went through and read everything I had).  Being Florida residents, we do not have boots, and were planning on relying on borrowing them onboard like we did on our Antarctic cruise.  I'd hate to have to buy pairs, shlep them in our luggage, and then only use them once or twice (as mentioned earlier), and especially do not want to buy them until I can view the notification.  

 

In the Travel Journal recently posted, under Arctic voyages, they do mention boots, but not that they would not be provided.  The quote from the Journal says: "For your comfort we recommend you bring your own boots. Boots are available onboard, however, sizes cannot be guaranteed" , which seems to indicate that they would be available, but who knows.   

https://silversea.shiptoshoretraveler.com/rentals/arctic

[LadyandtheTramp]

Thank you.

[les37b]

On 6/19/2019 at 11:27 PM, jpalbny said:

Argh. I know $90 pp is a drop in the bucket. But it's still annoying when I can buy a pair for less than that. And I am a cheapo in some ways...like about this stuff. With the way we pack, and with our free laundry, I probably could fit a pair of boots and our clothes all in the same suitcase. 

 

You just like taking lots of pairs of shoes and boots! 🤣

[jpalbny]

2 hours ago, les37b said:

 

You just like taking lots of pairs of shoes and boots! 🤣

 

Haha, actually not. I often take only 2 pairs of shoes. This cruise we'll add the boots. Chris usually takes one pair more than I do. It may be a challenge to add the boots and go all carry-on but we'll give it a shot.

[Stumblefoot]

On 6/22/2019 at 12:43 PM, petlover said:

Considering how $$$ the trip is to begin with, they should rent boots for free .

 

As I read Rachel’s initial post I thought the same exact same thing as you.  Spending $270 for three pairs just seems outrageous when one considers the price of the fare,

 

4 hours ago, jpalbny said:

It may be a challenge to add the boots and go all carry-on but we'll give it a shot.

 

Don’t forget your tuxedo and cowboy hat for our formal dinner!  Better bring a proper piece of luggage to be safe. 😁

[WesW]

Last night on board the Silver Cloud spoke with Dr. Elizabeth of the Expedition Team She told me (re:your Antarctica voyage) the Cloud will have a limited number of boots available for rental but no guarantee u will find your size.  Therefore, y’alls options are to use SS link on mysilversea, ship to shore and rent your boots (about $90) or u can do what others above did and do what I did—on Amazon got BOG insulated boots on sale for $89, yes had to carry, but ensured I had right size and paid less than what SS charges (plus u give a refundable $100 deposit if memory serves.  Hope this helps.  Hope y’all have a terrific Cloud Expedition Antarctica voyage!

[carefreecruise]

Few months ago we did the boot drill on the Cloud for a party of two.

 

First to answer the question why the Rentals are so expensive. Reason is the vendor will be there on the first day to make sure all the boots fit right. If they don't they have plenty of other sizes to exchange for you.

 

We  borrowed boots  for two back-to-back voyages. There were plenty of sizes to choose from. They will call those who don't have boots to come down the changing room one afternoon. just show up early and you will most likely get your size. The crew likes to go on shore excursions just as bad as you do. They have plenty of extra boots onboard. Only caveat is they did tell me a few days later they ran out of two sizes of boots to borrow. I should have asked but think it was due to all the crew getting ready to take their turn on excursions. 

 

That was in April of this year. 

[Stumblefoot]

17 hours ago, carefreecruise said:

If they don't they have plenty of other sizes to exchange for you.

This is good to hear.  Wes scared my DW with his comment "no guarantee u will find your size." 🙂

 

Since we'll be visiting Buenos Aires and Santiago before our Antarctic trip, the last thing I want to do is carry around another suitcase full of three pairs of boots.  And, I certainly don't want to bring home said boots with penguin guano on their soles either!

Edited June 25, 2019 by Stumblefoot

[bethtex]

We are doing a 16 day cruise LA to Chile before Antarctic cruise on Cloud in December.  Will not have room to carry boots and do not want to spend $90pp to rent.  Was counting on the availability of extras on board.

Sounds like it probably will still work that way but will keep following this thread to see if any changes.

thanks to everyone who has posted on this.

Edited July 3, 2019 by bethtex

[Elginjock]

On our cruise I rented the boots and they were excellent and certainly did not grudge the money.Numerous people did not rent and could not get the correct size borrowing from the ship. Our rental boots were in a boot bag in our suite when we boarded and we tried them on immediately in case we needed to exchange for a different size.To save any hassle rent.