Silver Origin Sails for Ecuador

[DCCruiser57]

The Origin has left the shipyard in Rotterdam enroute to Ecuador.  She is sailing at a slow 8 knots off the coast of England near Dover.

Edited July 7, 2020 by DCCruiser57
typo

[boco]

[crusinbanjo]

Nice!  Wish I could be cruising on her!

[TLCOhio]

1 hour ago, crusinbanjo said:

Nice!  Wish I could be cruising on her!

 

YES!!  It would be very nice to be cruising on this sleek, new ship in the famed Galapagos Islands in late August or early September.  BUT, hate to be negative, how will the long air connections from the U.K., U.S., etc., work for spanning those significant distances and to be getting there?  AND, will key players such as the CDC, that nation's government, etc., have lifted all travel restrictions and be allow such sailing and exploring there??   Will be watching to see how "events" play out during the next two months and if "it" happens in late August for Silversea.   Hoping for the best.   

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Wonderful scenic visuals with key tips on the Silver Cloud. Live/blog at 239,826

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[tgh]

I guess they need some credit for optimism 

 

[Daveywavey70]

She may as well be sat at Anchor in Ecuador as Rotterdam. Can’t wait to sail on her. 

[cruiseej]

Just curious: Why wasn't the trip from Europe to Ecuador offered to passengers? Of course, it would have been canceled under current circumstances, but I don't believe it was originally supposed to be open to passengers for this journey. Just wondering why? Too slow, or not stabilized enough for a TA crossing? 

[TLCOhio]

34 minutes ago, cruiseej said:

Just curious: Why wasn't the trip from Europe to Ecuador offered to passengers? Of course, it would have been canceled under current circumstances, but I don't believe it was originally supposed to be open to passengers for this journey. Just wondering why? Too slow, or not stabilized enough for a TA crossing? 

 

My best speculation, just guessing, is if passengesrs would be on-board for such a long journey, they would need a wider and larger range of staff, including medical doctor, cruise director, entertainers, bartenders, more chefs, food servers, etc.  That adds up costing "REAL MONEY" and might not be as productive or efficient, financially.  Also, there might be needs on the ship during this long journey to be doing "fixes" and finishing some final construction/decorating details.  Passengers on-board might complication those final "polishing" processes.  Any better information from others who might know more?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 66,809 views:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

[DCCruiser57]

Cruisemapper is showing the Origin in Le Harve, France.

[Fletcher]

I think Silversea is being mightily optimistic in offering cruises aboard the Origin from next month.   The ship does look nice though unlike some other places I'd never go back to the Galapagos.

[dusababy]

Absolutely stunning ship -- good luck Silversea 🤞

[philipb]

2 hours ago, Fletcher said:

I think Silversea is being mightily optimistic in offering cruises aboard the Origin from next month.   The ship does look nice though unlike some other places I'd never go back to the Galapagos.

 

Did you not enjoy the Galapagos? We are booked on the new ship in September 2021, doing two 7-day B2Bs so I would be interested to hear more about your apparent indifference(?) to the region.

[Fletcher]

3 hours ago, philipb said:

 

Did you not enjoy the Galapagos? We are booked on the new ship in September 2021, doing two 7-day B2Bs so I would be interested to hear more about your apparent indifference(?) to the region.

 

As we all know, the Galapagos Islands have enormous significance  - Darwin changed our perception of the natural world as well as human evolution and religious superstition.  And for that reason I was pleased to go there (only last year, aboard the Silver Galapagos).  However, I somehow believed it was to be a creature spectacular but the reality for us was very few species and very few of each species turning up for inspection.  We saw maybe a dozen penguins, a few seals, lots of supine marine iguanas, boobies and we had one night of Galapagos sharks, lots of them, circling the ship.  If you have been to Antarctica, South Georgia, national parks in Africa, the Pantanal and others, this was a disappointment.

 

We also disliked the way we were herded by the guides - if you hang back for a photo or stray off the path you will be quickly corralled back to the group.  And then you might stand in the fierce heat for ten minutes while your guide describes the life cycle of a bug or spider you can't actually see.

 

The landscape we liked.  Stark and beautiful in its way.  

 

We were on a long South American trip - coastal Peru where we saw more bird life in 10 minutes than we saw in a week in Galapagos.   Also the Amazon rain forest and Mashpi cloud forest in Ecuador.   Somewhere along the line I caught a virus which prevented me from snorkelling in the Galapagos and I know that many people regard that as the main draw,  the big deal, out there.  So maybe that colours my perception of the place.  I'll never know and I'll never sail on that lovely-looking new ship. 

 

Edited July 8, 2020 by Fletcher

[TLCOhio]

3 hours ago, Fletcher said:

We also disliked the way we were herded by the guides - if you hang back for a photo or stray off the path you will be quickly corralled back to the group. The landscape we liked.  Stark and beautiful in its way.  Somewhere along the line I caught a virus which prevented me from snorkelling in the Galapagos and I know that many people regard that as the main draw,  the big deal, out there.  So maybe that colours my perception of the place.  I'll never know and I'll never sail on that lovely-looking new ship. 

 

Appreciate these details, background and follow-up from Fletcher.  Sounds like a good, honest question as to how the virus limited some of your activities, affected the quality of your experience, etc.  In seeing wild animals, there is always a degree of "LUCK" involved as to what you do or do not experience.  

 

In checking the Silversea website this afternoon, I noticed a schedule change as to when this new Silver Origin would start in the Galapagos.  Now, they are saying: "September 5, 2020, Silver Origin will resume sailing".  No longer listing an August date to start in this location with this new ship 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 49,753 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

[DCCruiser57]

The Origin is now due west of the strait of Gibraltar headed to Tenerife.  

[gui218]

Silversea Origin is in Tenerife, where it has been for a few days.

Time to head to the Canal?

First voyage: August? September? October?

September is the dry season as we did voyage A in Sept 2019.

[clo]

Are there any photos of the actual, furnished interior? I've just seen 'renderings' - guess that's what they're called. Would love to see the real deal.

[Stumblefoot]

37 minutes ago, clo said:

Are there any photos of the actual, furnished interior? I've just seen 'renderings' - guess that's what they're called. Would love to see the real deal.

 

Videos showing all of the areas of the ship can be found on Silversea's YouTube channel; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCViOA7uyOqpb22bKFGR1e6A

Edited July 21, 2020 by Stumblefoot

[clo]

17 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

 

Videos showing all of the areas of the ship can be found on Silversea's YouTube channel; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCViOA7uyOqpb22bKFGR1e6A

I hadn't seen all of this before so I really appreciate your sharing. Most of it had 'supernatural' 🙂 furnishings but loved it anyway. Thanks.

[TLCOhio]

Silversea updated their website two days ago and they currently have most of their cruises to start back around late October or early November.  Now, Silversea shows their first scheduled cruising to be with the new Silver Origin sailing in the Galapagos Island to start on  September 19, 2020.  Will that shiny new ship start sailing there in mid September??  Strongly doubt it!!  Realistically, we know those dates are probably way too optimistic.  Most expect, like happened with Princess cruises, that maybe, if and if, mid-December might be the earliest when sailing from U.S. ports can resume.  

 

Originally, we were scheduled to sail on the Silver Origin in late January 2021.  But in mid March, we scrubbed this planned Galapagos sailing due to the serious financial and health challenges and uncertainties. Too much money was tied up and at risk.  Could not afford that type of gamble!!  This week I found out that while the Galapagos have been opened up, but that the big hold up is getting flights through the Columbia-based Avianca Airlines from Quito, etc., in  Ecuador, to the Galapagos Islands and back.  Avianca has been trying to operate under challenging bankruptcy conditions and does not want to fly its planes half-full or less.  That's part of the "chicken-and-egg" challenge??!!  Many passengers now do not want to fly on planes too full and excessively crowded, but Avianca and others cannot dig out of its "financial hole" without a healthy level of customer use.  Then for customers such as us who are older and more at risk, the limited and maybe crowds flights from Miami to Quito also concern us, too!!  Many questions and much uncertainty.  We want to see and enjoy the scenic and historic Galapagos Islands.  BUT, only when things are more certain and safe.  

 

Overall, in my view, we are still a long, long way from the needed "tools" for testing, airline flights, port/countries being open, etc.  Am watching now on TV the three top national medical experts testifying before a key Congressional committee as to the various steps being taken and required for the future.  Things are progressing in some areas, but "it" will not be known and solved with certainty by October or November.  December?  January?  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

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[clo]

1 hour ago, TLCOhio said:

 Avianca Airlines

Why mention Avianca? There are US based airlines that fly to Quito. We're booked on Origin for Sept. 2021. Obviously don't have flights yet.

[TLCOhio]

6 minutes ago, clo said:

Why mention Avianca? There are US based airlines that fly to Quito. We're booked on Origin for Sept. 2021. Obviously don't have flights yet.

 

Agree that there are a number of major airlines that from fly from the U.S. to Ecuador, including American Airlines doing Miami to Quito.  That's not the point I was trying to make.  I highlighted the challenge of "from Quito, etc., in  Ecuador, to the Galapagos Islands and back".   As I understand, it is mainly Avianca that does these specialized flights from the two Ecuador mainland cities in going out to the Galapagos Islands and coming back.  

 

Hope this helps to clarify.  Until Avianca is able to operate efficiently and effectively on that specialized routing, it is harder for the different companies and cruise lines to sail in the Galapagos.  I just checked now also with National Geographic Lindblad and they gave me similar background about Avianca, etc. .  Also, with many of the airline flights to Ecuador going out of Miami, the recently-spiked uncertainty with Covid-19 there in South Florida adds to the worries for such travel.  Determining when cruising can resume in the Galapagos has a mix of factors to consider for BOTH travelers and the companies making these offers.  For clo from Nevada, your September 2021 dates gives you much more flexibility.   From your area near the West Coast, you might not need to worry about flying through Miami in order to reach Ecuador.   

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

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[clo]

1 hour ago, TLCOhio said:

 That's not the point I was trying to make.  I highlighted the challenge of "from Quito, etc., in  Ecuador, to the Galapagos Islands and back".   As I understand, it is mainly Avianca that does these specialized flights from the two Ecuador mainland cities in going out to the Galapagos Islands and coming back.  

This might help you.

 

The airlines TAME, LATAM, and Avianca run multiple daily flights from mainland Ecuador (both Quito and Guayaquil) to both Galapagos airports and back.

 

What You Must Know About Galapagos Flights - from Quito ...

 

I don't know if this is valid TODAY but by 9/21 I'm thinking there's a good chance. And we have until 6/21 to cancel with a complete refund. And our deposit was only $1k.

Edited July 31, 2020 by clo

[TLCOhio]

2 hours ago, clo said:

The airlines TAME, LATAM, and Avianca run multiple daily flights from mainland Ecuador (both Quito and Guayaquil) to both Galapagos airports and back.

 

Appreciate this follow-up and these suggestions.  In searching and checking for  more background about TAME or TAME EP Linea Aerea del Ecuador, Wikipedia detailed: "On May 20, 2020, the Ecuador government decided to cease all the operations and liquidate the airline."  I could find their website, but I am not sure if it is still working or functioning.  

From this source: https://simpleflying.com/tame-liquidation/

they indicated that this airline is being liquidated and the "airline had many losses over the last five years."   

 

From the respected Reuters news wire in late May, they had this headline: “LATAM becomes largest airline driven to bankruptcy by coronavirus” with these highlights: “LATAM Airlines Group, the continent’s largest carrier, filed for U.S. bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, becoming the world’s largest carrier so far to seek an emergency reorganization due to the coronavirus pandemic.  The filing highlights the financial weakness of Latin America’s carriers, following a similar bankruptcy earlier this month by the region’s No. 2 airline, Avianca Holdings.  Latin American governments, many under severe budget constraints themselves, have been reluctant to bail out their key airlines, in contrast to the United States and Europe.”   Full story at:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-latam-airlines-bankruptcy/latam-becomes-largest-airline-driven-to-bankruptcy-by-coronavirus-idUSKBN2320GT

 

This gives more background as to why things are a little "UNCERTAIN" as to exactly how and when getting cruising back to some form of "normal" will require airline service as a key part of the long-term solution/process.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

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[clo]

1 hour ago, TLCOhio said:

This gives more background as to why things are a little "UNCERTAIN" as to exactly how and when getting cruising back to some form of "normal" will require airline service as a key part of the long-term solution/process.  

 

That's why we have nothing planned til Fall '21 and no penalty for canceling. Plus SS will cancel if we can't get to the islands.