Silver Cloud #1001 - Ushuaia RT via South Georgia - January 4, 2020

[Louby-Lou]

1 hour ago, Stumblefoot said:

No formal nights.  

Thank you - that’s good news.

 

 

 

[jpalbny]

No formal nights. The only tuxes you'll see are ashore.

 

 

And they wear them so well! Dress warm and casual. 

[RachelG]

January 17, 2020– Drake Passage heading toward Ushuaia Argentina 

There was some minor rocking and rolling during the night, nothing serious, just enough to make me sleep well.  We now have two days at sea until we arrive in Ushuaia.  George had a good sleep in while I went to yoga and got some work done.

It was time to return boots and gear if they were rented, then a lecture about albatrosses that was pretty interesting.  I tried walking out on deck but after 1 loop decided it was too windy and pretty dangerous as the deck was very wet.

Since lunch in the MDR yesterday was so bad and it was too cold and wet to eat outside, we had lunch in La Terraza.  They still have decent fresh items on the salad bar despite it being late in the cruise.  

We came in 2nd at trivia.  Had no idea what Oliver Cromwell died of (guessed syphilis which was wrong) and did not know varieties of gooseberries.

The captain’s farewell reception was tonight.  And we were invited to dine with the captain,  who is a very genuine and totally nice person as well as an awesome captain.  We had a wonderful dinner with him and enjoyed stories of the old days of open bridges, skeet shooting of the back of the ship, and fishing off the balconies.
 

by the end of dinner, the ship was really moving.  We are in for a rough night.  Everything is stowed away.

[rich48100]

Rachel and George and Jp and Chris and all aboard the Cloud:

 

Thanks for taking us along on your fantastic adventure.  Lots of beautiful sites and wildlife to behold.  Pretty much a once in a lifetime experience, unless you do it again and again.  Wonderful pictures.  Hope the cruise back through the Drake passage isn’t too bad, and safe travels to your final destination.

 

Rich and Barbara

[Stumblefoot]

4 hours ago, rich48100 said:

Hope the cruise back through the Drake passage isn’t too bad...

We were really rolling side to side last night.  Worst seas of the entire voyage.  So, as you can infer, we were very lucky this voyage.  

Unfortunately, the passengers who board tomorrow are not going to be as lucky as the Drake is supposed to be even worse than the 4.5 - 5.0 meter swells we had last night.

[alithecat]

Thank you all for your posts and photos. I'm looking forward to our Antarctic trip this December. Sure hope we get the "Drake lake"! We booked a suite in the center of deck 4 -- folded the ship deck plan in half to find the mid-point -- in case we have rough seas.

[Stumblefoot]

2 hours ago, alithecat said:

We booked a suite in the center of deck 4

Smart move.  

Plan to bring some earplugs so that you don’t have to hear the alarms of the washers & dryers running at all hours of the night.  

[spinnaker2]

Wow y'all.

What an amazing trip! 

Thanks so much for taking time to share it with us!

Safe travels homeward bound.

[RachelG]

January 18, 2020–Drake Passage to Beagle Channel and Ushuaia Argentina 

It was a very rough and rocky night. Several things in the room went crashing, including a large plastic bottle of water and a couple of glasses.  The tv is mounted so that it can be turned toward the bed or toward the couch, and it was swinging back and forth.  But it actually was dark at night for the first time in 2 weeks.

I skipped my early rising because there was just too much motion.  When I did get up, I had to hold onto the grab bars in the shower to bathe and had to sit down to get dressed and put on my makeup.  The panorama lounge was almost deserted. The announcement came on that things would get better in a few hours when we would enter the Beagle Channel.

Chef Pia hosted a Q and A session covering all about food on board.  As you might imagine, a long voyage in this part of the world carries unique challenges.  Sometimes the fresh produce isn’t that fresh at all even when it is delivered, or it isn’t what was ordered.  She has to figure out some unique recipes to use what is available and try to avoid food waste as well.  On this cruise, we have ran out of chamomile tea and club soda.  Almost out of lettuce and Diet Coke.  No fresh berries for the past week.  All very interesting.

The dreaded suitcases were out in our cabin, so packing began.  Last lunch in La Terraza.  They had cute penguins made from sushi rice.  I walked outside a bit as it had calmed down when we entered the channel.  I could see land—with trees!  Unfortunately it started raining so my walking was cut short.

We were 3rd in trivia today with 23 points.  There was a perfect score.  The ones we missed I should have known and did know once I heard the correct answer.  Point redemption afterward was with a very good deal on t shirts as he needed to get rid of some, so I was able to get 3.

Outside it was much warmer, in the upper 40s and sunny, with tall tree covered mountains on each side.  The presentation of the final video was tonight followed by auction of the chart of the voyage with proceeds going to the crew welfare fund.

We pulled into Ushuaia a little after 7 pm.  But no dock as Le Boreal was late in leaving.  We finally got off the ship at 8:30.  And to our favorite restaurant in this part of the world, Paso Garibaldi.  It is so amazing.  Our waitress brought us a bottle of reserve wine which outshines the Caymus that my husband loves for a fraction of the price.   We had provoleta, which is like the best cheese ever, melted with pesto and olive oil.  Then a ravioli stuffed with king crab and shrimp, so rich, but a special occasion.  We walked back to the ship In a cold rain, but so worth it!

[Stumblefoot]

23 hours ago, RachelG said:

And to our favorite restaurant in this part of the world, Paso Garibaldi.  It is so amazing.  Our waitress brought us a bottle of reserve wine which outshines the Caymus that my husband loves for a fraction of the price.   We had provoleta, which is like the best cheese ever, melted with pesto and olive oil.  Then a ravioli stuffed with king crab and shrimp, so rich, but a special occasion.  We walked back to the ship In a cold rain, but so worth it!

From your description, I’m guessing tonight’s $40/pp buffet dinner at the Sheraton didn’t quite compare to last night’s. 😉

[RachelG]

January 19, 2020— disembarkation in Ushuaia 

We had received notification that everyone would need to be ready to be off the ship by 8:30 am.  Our disembarkation group time was 8:15.  In the information, it said we would go on a tour of the national park, then to the airport.  We were on the first bus.

So— the nightmare begins.  we board the bus, and the guide says we are going to a restaurant in town for breakfast then to the airport.  Now, everyone who wanted breakfast had already eaten.  And we weren’t wanting to just sit for an hour.  Very disappointing.  So George and I walked around the town.  Of course, everything was closed what with it being Sunday morning.  I understand why they needed to get us off the ship, but really feel we should have been given accurate information.

After an hour, we got back on the bus and went to the airport.  Check in was quick, so we were at the gate by 10:15 for a flight that was to board at 12:15.  And no shops in the holding pin where we were placed.

The flight is delayed.  We don’t board till 1 pm.  Then we sit there for about an hour on the plane.  Finally we take off.  The flight seemed to last forever and was very bumpy.  We land, and have to go down stairs to a bus, which is the world’s slowest bus.  I could have walked in half the time.  Then through customs and security again after getting our luggage.  We go up to the AA check in desk. And our flight has been cancelled.  No flight till tomorrow.  

So we take the transfer to the Sheraton.  Room is ok.  Included meal was pretty lacking, so we went to the bar.  Still getting conflicting information regarding our flight tomorrow, with 3 possible departure times, depending on which text or email you pick.

3 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

From your description, I’m guessing tonight’s $40/pp buffet dinner at the Sheraton didn’t quite compare to last night’s. 😉

Haha, you are so funny 

[Stumblefoot]

11 minutes ago, RachelG said:

I understand why they needed to get us off the ship, but really feel we should have been given accurate information.

Just an absolute brutal day.

 

I’ve always said if it weren’t for SS’s exemplary on board product and service, we’d never cruise with them based on other experiences we’ve had with them.  Another case in point on this trip was the fact they told us in writing on the plane down to Ushuaia that after claiming our luggage we’d be going straight to the ship for lunch.  Obviously that was a lie as they drove us out to the middle of nowhere.  That first day put a bad taste in our mouth as we were the last to board and spent the rest of the night running from one mandatory event to another before finally getting settled into our suite @ 11:00p.

 

Don’t get me wrong, we loved the voyage.  The crew was exceptional.  It’s just the crap that goes on before or after the voyage that irritates me to no end.

[Fletcher]

There is very stormy weather at Ushuaia and the Drake at the moment.  Seabourn Quest has been unable to leave and has already lost a full day.  Silver Cloud left Ushuaia and appears to have turned back from the entrance to the Drake Passage. 

 

Sorry to hear about all the embarkation day issues.  It takes the gloss off a trip.  But these things happen, especially on the edge of the known world.

[jpalbny]

Yes, we dodged most of that weather system. It was approaching the Drake from the west as we started north from the Peninsula. But Cloud made good speed and by the time it started in earnest, we were most of the way through. The last night got rough but we got to the Beagle Channel before the worst of it hit.

 

Looking at windy.com this morning, I see 40-50 knot winds in the northern Drake as that system passes through. It looks pretty ugly until later today when the winds start to die down.

 

 

The waves haven't subsided yet either. There are some 6 meter swells in the northern half of the Drake. They will take longer to subside.

 

That combo would make for a really rough ride, so I can see why they didn't risk it. Hopefully they can leave by this afternoon or tonight.

Edited January 20, 2020 by jpalbny

[jpalbny]

3 hours ago, Fletcher said:

Sorry to hear about all the embarkation day issues.  It takes the gloss off a trip.  But these things happen, especially on the edge of the known world.

 

Yeah, I guess SS are at the mercy of the local operators. It wasn't the best way to start or end the cruise but all in all it was just a fantastic trip. I'll take some bad transfers any day, in exchange for the amazing weather, landings, and wildlife sightings. 

 

It will probably take me months to go through pictures. Looking forward to seeing everyone else's as well. So far Chris and I have only posted a few cellphone shots. I have a ton from my DSLR with my super zoom lens that I haven't even looked at yet.

 

Unlike the others who are stuck in Santiago, we have been incredibly fortunate this morning...so far! Our flight from Santiago took off right on time so we landed in Atlanta at 5:10. Since US customs doesn't open until 5:30, the made us wait 10 minutes before letting us pull up to our gate.

 

So we deplaned at about 5:25. Chris and I were #2 and 3 through the GE line, and amazingly, as we approached our luggage carousel, it started moving. Amazing speed!

 

Our bags were all there within the first 20 or so, and we were one of the first out of customs. Bag recheck was empty, and we were the first through the TSA PreCheck line. We hopped up the escalator and were comfortably settled in the Terminal F Delta Sky Club before 5:40.

 

It was the smoothest entry and transfer combination that I can recall, ever. Now if our  last leg home to Albany is anywhere near as good, we will be ecstatic. 

 

As an aside, it is colder here in Atlanta (28F/-2C) than it was in Antarctica! What's up with that?!

 

Good luck, RachelG and Stumblefeet. Hope the flight issues get resolved quickly and you're home soon!

[daddyo]

I really enjoyed following this thread.  That was some trip!

[kathy16]

We are scheduled to board Wednesday January 29. Very much enjoyed reading about your voyage. How was the charter air , etc coming/going?

NOT looking forward to the drake!

Any helpful hints about dealing with it?

Anyone use the electrical stimulus band to improve tolerability?

We will be flying to Santiago Saturday via Atlanta. Haven’t heard too much about political situation there on these boards.

 

Thanks,

Kathy

[jpalbny]

4 hours ago, kathy16 said:

We are scheduled to board Wednesday January 29. Very much enjoyed reading about your voyage. How was the charter air , etc coming/going?

NOT looking forward to the drake!

Any helpful hints about dealing with it?

Anyone use the electrical stimulus band to improve tolerability?

We will be flying to Santiago Saturday via Atlanta. Haven’t heard too much about political situation there on these boards.

 

Thanks,

Kathy

 

Hi Kathy,

 

The charter is a very basic economy flight in an Airbus A320 or 321. Seats are 3-3. The flight is pretty much packed full. The seating seemed to go roughly by cabin layout - 7th deck people were up in the front rows, then 6, then 5, and we poor slobs who had cabins on deck 4 were way in the back. Like row 36 for us... Even the last row, #38, seemed full.

 

They feed you a bit of food to make the time pass less slowly. But at least the views out the window (if you are lucky enough to be seated by one) are pretty nice, if the weather cooperates. It's 3.5 hours that you have to put up with. No upgrades are available. And there's no other way to get directly from Santiago to Ushuaia.

 

Yup, the Drake. It is a necessary rite of passage. Take meds early if you are prone to motion sickness. Moderate swells make me want to sleep all day. It helps. If the swells are bad, go with it and look on the bright side - if you're too sick to eat, then you won't gain as much weight on the cruise!

 

I use meds if it gets bad but have no experience with the bands you mention. Once you get to the peninsula, it's usually quite sheltered.

 

You haven't heard much about the political situation because it's almost completely invisible to us as visitors. You see occasional graffitti in the non-touristy districts, and occasional traffic lights which have been knocked out. The protestors then direct traffic through the intersection and try to get "tips" for providing this service. Most everyone ignores them. If you travel between the airport and the hotel it is a total non-issue.

 

Have a great trip!

[kathy16]

Thanks for the info- much appreciated.

i really enjoyed everyone’s postings on this site- including the pictures and personal observations. I am so excited about my upcoming trip- Antarctica is a trip of a lifetime . Now I am deciding what to pack.

 

Kathy 

 

[RachelG]

We are sitting in the flagship lounge at DFW now waiting for our 35 min flight to Tulsa.  We missed our connection and were rebooked on the later flight, which we also missed as after boarding in Santiago, they held the plane for over an hour as they were still checking people in.  So stumblefoot and his family have missed their connection to Denver and are again spending the night in a hotel now at DFW.  That is one good thing about living in Tulsa.  There are lots of flights on AA.  So we will get home tonight.  But the return to civilization has been brutal.

[jpalbny]

Yes, I have been chatting with Stumblefoot and I heard about this fiasco. Hope all goes as planned tonight for you and George and that work isn't too bad tomorrow...

 

Go figure - we can land on South Georgia four times against all odds, but can't make a seemingly simple connection to Tulsa or Denver.

[QueSeraSera]

Hoping for the best for you all, glad you are home safe JP.  The posts of the cruise have been so much fun to follow, thank you jpalbny, stumblefoot and RachelG. let me know if anyone figures out a way to cruise sans flights.

[Fletcher]

All this talk about the exhaustion and frustrations of getting to and from Ushuaia makes me glad I went to Antarctica on the Seabourn Quest.  A direct flight to Santiago, straight to the ship, a week sailing down through the fjords and adjusting to the cooling climate, five days in Antarctica, four days in South Georgia, then five days back up to Buenos Aires, straight from the ship to the airport, direct flight back home.  Done and dusted.  

[les37b]

Whilst chatting with a colleague at work about this cruise (and knowing he was serving in the Navy during the Falklands conflict and had spoken to him previously about Sth Georgia), he brought some photo's in for me to see of the calm seas in the bay at Grytviken and the Force 12 Storm he sailed though. I'm pretty sure the photos would make an interesting addition to the thread, but don't want to be accused of taking it off the topic of this particular cruise. But if JP and contributors are ok, I will happily share some of the photos from the early 80's. (Can't believe this was all nearly 40 years ago!) Not my photo's.... and a couple are of Navy ships and a Sunken Sub in Grytviken. 

 

One interesting (but sad) story he told me of was an incident which tracked something on radar and the whereabouts of the one remaining Sub was unknown so the order to fire torpedoes was given. War is never pretty at the best of time and certainly not for the unsuspecting whale minding it's own business! This is obviously not in any of the photos I mentioned.

[les37b]

Here's one of the photo's which fits in nicely. Shackleton's wreck. I expect from the exact spot this photo was taken (June 1982) not much has changed .... except probably less snow!