Antarctica cruise and clothing

[Mary229]

40 minutes ago, AKJonesy said:

@Mary229 I'll make a note to myself when I arrive home 12-17 to let you know what the dress situation is.  We are on Oosterdam from Ft. Lauderdale Nov 15 to Santiago, then down around the horn over to Falklands then up to Buenos Aires disembarking Dec 16.  

Thanks.  My intention is now a Texas suit for him (very similar to an Alaska suit) and shiny shirts with black slacks for me. 

[0bsessed]

I am curious how many dressy days on the Santiago to Buenos Aires portion. Although it is 22 days, I don't imagine it will be the standard 2 dressy nights per 7 days as are on the shorter voyages or back to back combinations.

[Cruisin4now]

I recently picked up a nice grey front zip Zuiderdam logo sweatshirt on a Canadian cruise and it’s both soft and warm.  Wearing it now!

Edited November 1, 2023 by Cruisin4now

[mustgo]

We are doing the Christmas antarctic cruise and plan to take the usual fake comfort dressy clothes.  Black pants and dressy tops for me.  Black pants and collared shirts for him.  He also wears black Reeboks as he is an old guy and feet sometimes painful.  We are from Florida, but former skiers so drag out the silk underwear and layer, layer, layer..

[Mary229]

48 minutes ago, 0bsessed said:

I am curious how many dressy days on the Santiago to Buenos Aires portion. Although it is 22 days, I don't imagine it will be the standard 2 dressy nights per 7 days as are on the shorter voyages or back to back combinations.

I sail almost exclusively long voyages and they do stick with the two nights per week but sometimes pair dressy night with a holiday or Orange night so that can take some of the stress out of dressing up. 

[Mary229]

5 hours ago, Electra 7 said:

What date are you going on cruise

I am sailing in 2024.  

[Sir PMP]

52 minutes ago, 0bsessed said:

I am curious how many dressy days on the Santiago to Buenos Aires portion. Although it is 22 days, I don't imagine it will be the standard 2 dressy nights per 7 days as are on the shorter voyages or back to back combinations.

Remember Port Antonio, where you embark, is 85 miles or 2 hours from Santiago

[OlsSalt]

Head and ear coverings are also must when outdoors in Antarctica. I find earmuffs/earpops  are my own life saver. 

 

Silk underwear also makes good back up PJ's, if the laundry does not come back in a day.  Plus they can be washed out in the sink and easy dry on the bathtub clothes line. So they go on every trip, even in the tropics. You never know when a surprise cold snap can come. 

[OlsSalt]

Silk underwear can also stretch out packing the dressy items - layering light weight, easily packed sparkle tops over the silk underwear layer, that gets one through an often chilly MDR. 

[cccole]

Love, love, love silk long underwear!!!!  Great suggestion to use it as sleepwear also.  A question for those of you who have been on the cruise re "dressy".  Recently Btimmer posted a photo of "dressy" night on the current Grand Cruise and he was in a long sleeve, collared shirt.  I assume this is not unusual for SA and Antarctica but of course, there may be a huge range of "dressy" attire?  Also, 2 dressy nights per week?  That seems like a bit much but I'm sure no one will notice that I wear the same thing more than once.  Cherie   

[OlsSalt]

Antarctica was surprisingly "warm".  (Relative term here.) It is  their summer. The sun shines nearly 24 hours a  day and reflects off a lot of white snow. The wind is cold but when it is not windy, it is only cold; not freezing.

[Mary229]

47 minutes ago, cccole said:

Love, love, love silk long underwear!!!!  Great suggestion to use it as sleepwear also.  A question for those of you who have been on the cruise re "dressy".  Recently Btimmer posted a photo of "dressy" night on the current Grand Cruise and he was in a long sleeve, collared shirt.  I assume this is not unusual for SA and Antarctica but of course, there may be a huge range of "dressy" attire?  Also, 2 dressy nights per week?  That seems like a bit much but I'm sure no one will notice that I wear the same thing more than once.  Cherie   

On the grands they have dressy and they have formal.  Formal was reestablished last year and is a step up from dressy.  Lots of tuxes and gowns on my last SA grand , I was even in my best evening outfit 

[cccole]

Thank you Mary229.  I did not know that there was still dressy and formal on some cruises.  I get it.  

We chose a cabin where we will be comfortable having dinner delivered if "dressy" is more than we bring.  How fun to wear your best evening outfit on the SA grand. I love the photos of our family on cruises where tuxes and elegant dresses were the norm.  But for the upcoming January cruise those items will not be packed.  It's going to be such a great experience.  Can't wait.  Cherie  

[Mary229]

10 minutes ago, cccole said:

Thank you Mary229.  I did not know that there was still dressy and formal on some cruises.  I get it.  

We chose a cabin where we will be comfortable having dinner delivered if "dressy" is more than we bring.  How fun to wear your best evening outfit on the SA grand. I love the photos of our family on cruises where tuxes and elegant dresses were the norm.  But for the upcoming January cruise those items will not be packed.  It's going to be such a great experience.  Can't wait.  Cherie  

I am trying as hard as possible to go carryon only.  I think I can do it but DH likes his dinner jackets.  I yet have a few months to wrest those away from him. 😉

[flamingos]

On 7/6/2023 at 11:59 AM, OlsSalt said:

Very special cruise -we continued to dress up for dinner, including black tie and formal wear on dressy nights,  as usual. Why not?

Because my suitcase will be full of cold-weather gear.  🙂 

[OlsSalt]

8 minutes ago, flamingos said:

Because my suitcase will be full of cold-weather gear.  🙂 

 

You will find you do not need to over-pack cold weather gear.

 

It actually was not that cold (see other post), nor will you be out in raw elements with no ability to retreat for that long either - just normal cold weather stuff.  The glass domed Lido pool area acts like a sun room,  and allows for a lot of scenic viewing too.

 

The forward deck four, when it is open,  is the coldest and windiest spot so you do need to pack one outfit for those experiences. 

[flamingos]

2 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

 

You will find you do not need to over-pack cold weather gear.

 

It actually was not that cold (see other post), nor will you be out in raw elements with no ability to retreat for that long either - just normal cold weather stuff.  The glass domed Lido pool area acts like a sun room,  and allows for a lot of scenic viewing too.

 

The forward deck four, when it is open,  is the coldest and windiest spot so you do need to pack one outfit for those experiences. 

We live in Florida. It was 62 this morning and we're in long pants, long sleeved shirts and jackets.  🙂  But I do have two dresses, so people will see a lot of them.  🙂

[OlsSalt]

1. Silk underwear layer

2. Second fleece/Patagonia-type layer

3. Regular outer clothes - that can be worn with or without the extra layers - wool, cashmere good

4. One windproof longer parka with a hood - I like Uniqlo catalog for this - seamless construction

5. Hat, scarf, gloves, earmuffs - I like cashmere

 

[TiogaCruiser]

We had snow and temperatures in the teens, with lots of fog. Yes, it was cold.

[jakkojakko]

1. There are no port stops in Antarctica.

2. Temperatures will be just below or even quite a bit above freezing. The only time it will feel cold is when there is a breeze. 

3. Because of 1 and 2 there is no need to pack arctic gear. Just a few layers and a windbreaker, gloves and headgear is enough. And if you feel really cold, indoor warmth is just a few steps away. 

 

Been there done this. The first time we packed way to much.

Enjoy!

Edited November 2, 2023 by jakkojakko
Typo

[OlsSalt]

On 7/6/2023 at 10:59 AM, Mary229 said:

I am simply trying to avoid the heels, dresses and the suits

 

Long black skirt and one pair of black silk pants, with  numerous dressy but packable tops.

 

And one pair comfortable black shoes to be semi-hidden under both the pants or long skirt pretty much eliminates concerns about dresses and heels (and shapers!). So you get  both dress up and comfort.

 

Someone wisely said here long ago, when sitting down at dinner only the top half of you even shows anyway. 

[barnslave]

On 11/1/2023 at 7:40 PM, flamingos said:

We live in Florida. It was 62 this morning and we're in long pants, long sleeved shirts and jackets.  🙂  But I do have two dresses, so people will see a lot of them.  🙂

Exactly...i had gloves on too...it was freezing here in orlando this am...61°!

[cccole]

On 11/1/2023 at 2:37 PM, OlsSalt said:

Antarctica was surprisingly "warm".  (Relative term here.) It is  their summer. The sun shines nearly 24 hours a  day and reflects off a lot of white snow. The wind is cold but when it is not windy, it is only cold; not freezing.

OleSalt - I cannot find the name of the book you have previously recommended for this cruise.  I did not purchase it for my husband for Father's Day and want to get it for Christmas.  Help?  Thank you, Cherie

[OlsSalt]

48 minutes ago, cccole said:

OleSalt - I cannot find the name of the book you have previously recommended for this cruise.  I did not purchase it for my husband for Father's Day and want to get it for Christmas.  Help?  Thank you, Cherie

 

Not ringing a bell about any book specific to this cruise, other than the heroic adventures of Ernest Shackleton, over 100 years ago.

 

His ship The Endeavor became ice bound and eventually sunk after being broken up in the ice pack. His rugged rescue of all his ice bound crew bringing every single one of them back to South Georgia Island is a legendary adventure.  

 

The very recent discovery of their sunken ship The Endeavor in the Weddell Sea, may have been what I was talking about, since you do sail close to these same waters?

 

Both are great books - the story of the original adventure and the equal adventure looking for the ship itself, 100 years later. And yes, they did eat penguins in order to survive.

 

https://www.history.com/news/shackleton-endurance-survival

 

The Ship Beneath the Ice - finding Shakleton's ship The Endurance

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61281793-the-ship-beneath-the-ice

 

 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by OlsSalt

[cccole]

It was involving Shackleton but a specific book.  I'll try to find my notes.  Thank you for trying to help,  Cherie