Stick or Switch ?

[Reef Knot]

 

I’m booked on the Manaus to Miami cruise next March. However, watching Brazil/Bolsonaro's handling of the Covid crisis I’m concerned that this is going to be cancelled regardless of vaccine requirement (I know its the old crystal ball thing) 

I have been looking at alternatives and the Seward to Osaka voyage next Sept which whilst not the Amazon does look quite appealing.  I also think this has more chance of going ahead.

Has anyone done these either of these trips and would like to throw their 2 cents in on whether I should stick or switch (again crystal ball territory) to the later voyage?

 

[carefreecruise]

No one is going to help you know when all countries will be expecting tourist. I have already been canceled four times. Twice with re-bonding. You already know both your potential cruised are vastly different in one being tropical and the other not. Best help I can give you is put a deposit on your second choice and if the first on goes, just get your deposit back. If not you will receive a 15 percent discount on your second choice. 

[OlsSalt]

Did a similar itinerary - Alaska to Japan on another line (ours started in SF and also spent two weeks cruising around Japan and back and forth to Kamchatka, ending in Yokohama)

 

I liked it very, very much - much of it well off the beaten path for many ports. Chance to see a very unique part of the globe that does not have the typical vacation cruise appeal, but lots of intimate, on the ground travel experiences.

 

Sort of place where you see every day lives in a remote part of the world, where it is fun is a visit to a Russian shopping mall - real life, not made for tourism life. So there are plenty of rough edges, but all done comfortably and did create lasting memories. A totally upside down cruise from the Amazon tropical river experience. Colder mainly, but for my money no less interesting and perhaps even more interesting.

 

Japan will be a total contrast to the run between remote Alaska. Russia Far East on to Asia.  I think it is a very powerful itinerary. Never will the charms of returning to your SilverSea ship be more welcome!

Edited April 23, 2021 by OlsSalt

[nowornever]

Hi Reef Knot.  Totally agree with the crystal ball thing so anyone's guess is just that.  We have done both of those itineraries on Silversea (except our Pacific one on the Muse ended in Tokyo instead of Osaka.)  We had the most amazing weather EVER from Vancouver through the Aleutians. Simply incredible.  I would urge you, should you decide to go with that one, to consider boarding in Vancouver so you can enjoy the amazing scenery & wildlife in Alaska.  The giant ship sailings have slowed down by then so you won't have the behemoths  lined up in port with you.  A gentle reminder that it's typhoon season in Sept. & yes, we caught the tail end of one N. of Japan & had one port canceled because of it, but it's another crap shoot.  We didn't have any awful rocking & rolling thanks to the amazing Capt. Zanello who guided us around the worst of it.

 

As for the Brazil itinerary...they are in awful shape right now & show no sign of seriously addressing COVID, so don't get your hopes up.  Our Public Radio station had a report from Sao Paulo a day or so ago & the reporter said "It's like being in a tunnel looking for the light at the end of, but there is only darkness."  I think the Amazon cruise is part of the Dawn Grand Voyage that will start in Jan. so Silversea may make a go/no go decision about that relatively early rather than commit to a 70 day voyage that has little chance of completion. I just read that Chile is the superstar of vaccine distribution & they have just closed down Santiago. Not a positive sign.   Good luck with your decision & have fun planning.

[Reef Knot]

Thank you salt and nowornever,  very helpful and insightful comments. It does look an interesting itinerary and a bit more off the beaten track, good to know about the typhoon season and I will certainly look again at Vancouver part. I also see that they are now offering an included excursion in each port albeit mostly the standard 3 hour bus tour.

 

When I booked the Brazil cruise I took advantage of the early booking and $1,000 OBC which they were offering at the time. I’ve asked if it's possible to  move it over to the other cruise (admittedly its a longshot) so just waiting on the response.

[OlsSalt]

DUTCH HARBOR - ALASKA Silly side note if you eventually do the Alaska-Japan cruise,  is to watch early re-runs of The Deadliest Catch  TV series, which features Dutch Harbor. We had never heard of the program when we visited, but saw signs for it all over town in their souvenir logo offerings.

 

Figured we would take a look once we got back and amazingly got hooked on the series - vivid and personalized  views inside the crab fishing industry - the main livelihood of Dutch Harbor - and the rugged personalities, flawed in many ways, who carry out this arduous task.  (PS: our seas were never as rough as these little craft had to face.)

 

The other Dutch Harbor tip, after the fascinating museum and WWII site visits, is to walk/get driven out to the old town, across the harbor to see the Russian Orthodox church - and enjoy one of the very few local restaurants in this small town,  which surprisingly offered some very good Thai food.

 

[Stumblefoot]

9 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

The Deadliest Catch  TV series.

They just started the new season this week.  It may have been the greatest season opening episode ever!

[OlsSalt]

13 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

They just started the new season this week.  It may have been the greatest season opening episode ever!

 

Dutch Harbor Ship Supply gets you in the spirit for upcoming episodes.

https://www.alaskashipsupply.com/product/deadliest-catch-ball-cap-with-boat-names/

[Lirio]

On 4/21/2021 at 7:18 AM, Reef Knot said:

 

I’m booked on the Manaus to Miami cruise next March. However, watching Brazil/Bolsonaro's handling of the Covid crisis I’m concerned that this is going to be cancelled regardless of vaccine requirement (I know its the old crystal ball thing) 

I have been looking at alternatives and the Seward to Osaka voyage next Sept which whilst not the Amazon does look quite appealing.  I also think this has more chance of going ahead.

Has anyone done these either of these trips and would like to throw their 2 cents in on whether I should stick or switch (again crystal ball territory) to the later voyage?

 

Hi Reef Not, from Brazil. I live in Rio de Janeiro. Things start to get better, but I have to tell you that there is no vaccine for everyone. I have 57 and it may be that by July I will have the chance to get the vaccine. But it is not for sure yet.