Antarctica boot cleaning

[southerngoose]

Hi...I've read passenger accounts of going to Antarctica and having to clean the boots with your fingernails or bring a tooth brush.   However, I read here that staff cleans the boots https://discover.silversea.com/destinations/silverseas-ultimate-polar-packing-guide-the-arctic-and-antarctica/.    

 

If you've been to Antarctica this season (late 2023, early 2024), can you tell me if passengers have to clean the boots or whether staff does this?   If passengers do it, what does the cruise line provide to clean them with?   

 

I find it odd that as a "luxury" cruise ship, you have to rent boots and cleaning with a toothbrush or fingernails seems to me to be contrary to "luxury".

[Tex1]

Assuming you rent their boots, or ones you buy a clean going in, there is nothing to worry about.  They will disinfectant where need that you walk through, or they have a machine you walk through that scrubs the bottom and sides of the boots.  Nothing else was ever needed.

[jpalbny]

You need to bring your boots, parkas, and waterproof pants (any outer layer) to a biosecurity inspection prior to landing in Antarctica and/or South Georgia. There are strict biosecurity measures in place, for good reason, in both places. Your outer clothing must be completely free of foreign material such as seeds, soil, etc.

 

You can make it really easy by just wearing the parka that's provided, as it's new and there's nothing stuck in the velcro. Rain pants are the worst - the velcro really holds on to organic material but on the plus side, your pants end up really clean!

 

We brought brand-new boots on our last cruise so they were fine for South Georgia (we didn't rent). We had to make sure they were clean again before landing in Antarctica and yes, they provide the tools to clean them. You do NOT need to use your fingernails; that would be ridiculous. They provide brushes and sometimes if there's a stubborn piece of junk stuck in a tread you have to pick it out with a paper clip or something similar (they provide this).

 

The expedition staff will inspect your boots and they are happy to help you if you miss something. They staff love these places and want to protect them. If you don't take this seriously and do a sloppy job and expect them to do it all for you, that's a different story, and rightfully so. The expedition staff are there to help you enjoy your visit to Antarctica, not to clean your boots for you.

 

And if you land in South Georgia, the local authorities will come on board and THEY will inspect your boots before they let you off the ship.

 

Rental boots may not be new so they do need an inspection and I suppose there may be stuff stuck in the treads that needs to be removed. The good news is you only have to do that once. After every landing you will clean your boots in the mud room with a brush and a hose but they won't need to be inspected again unless you go to a different region.

 

We all have to do our part to ensure that these pristine places remain as pure as possible, and to ensure that we really leave as small a footprint as possible while visiting there. It's really not a big ask. Please do your part for the flora and fauna of the Antarctic region.

[SWFLAOK]

I've never had a desire to go to Antarctica, and I've often wondered why other people want to go there since visiting it just for a vacation, rather than research, seems like it might harm a delicate environment. And I'm not normally an environmentalist.  But seeing what's required for cruisers makes me feel a little better about attempts to balance cruises and the environment. At the same time, I wonder where the treated gray water and sewage goes. Is it a no discharge zone like the Panama Canal? And, I would not want to go through all of the apparel and footwear cleaning required. We have done some footwear cleaning for parks in certain areas, but cleaning parkas isn't for me (nor is wearing them).

[southerngoose]

@Tex1  Which ship did you see the machine you walk through?   I like the idea of the boot cleaning machine with brushes that clean the boots.

[Tex1]

1 hour ago, southerngoose said:

@Tex1  Which ship did you see the machine you walk through?   I like the idea of the boot cleaning machine with brushes that clean the boots.

The Cloud and Wind do, I’d image the Endeavor as well, but not sure.  Bio security is incredible important, and taken VERY serious, especially with the bird flu epidemic.  However, they make it very easy to follow the rules, and provide the tools necessary,  no manual labor picking boots nightly to worry about:). 

[twangster]

I didn't find boot cleaning process to be a problem or require the use of fingernails or toothbrushes.  I brought new boots with me just like the ones they rent.  Boots are stored in the mud room where the crew will go over them overnight when required.

 

The Wind had a boot wash machine you walk over while rubbing your boots in the machine.  There was also manual boot cleaning brushes and water to rinse them after the boot wash machine if you had something stubborn on your boots.   

 

After that you were in the mud room where you take off the boots and put on the footwear you used to walk from your suite down to the mudroom.  

 

This live trip report has photos of the boot wash machine and mud room on the Wind:

 

Boot wash machine:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2979890-live-from-the-winds-of-antarctica-dec-19-2023/?do=findComment&comment=66617765

 

and the mud room:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2979890-live-from-the-winds-of-antarctica-dec-19-2023/?do=findComment&comment=66672033

 

7 hours ago, SWFLAOK said:

I've never had a desire to go to Antarctica, and I've often wondered why other people want to go there since visiting it just for a vacation, rather than research, seems like it might harm a delicate environment. And I'm not normally an environmentalist.  But seeing what's required for cruisers makes me feel a little better about attempts to balance cruises and the environment. At the same time, I wonder where the treated gray water and sewage goes. Is it a no discharge zone like the Panama Canal? And, I would not want to go through all of the apparel and footwear cleaning required. We have done some footwear cleaning for parks in certain areas, but cleaning parkas isn't for me (nor is wearing them).

 

Expedition cruising isn't for everyone.  Personally I love nature of expedition cruising and the opportunities to see things you can't see on a non-expedition cruise while staying in luxury accommodations.  If that isn't your thing that's okay too.  To each their own.  Antarctica and The Galapagos are my top two cruises ever and it would be very difficult to experience these destinations on anything but a ship. 

[southerngoose]

@Tex1 and @twangster    Thank you both for helping me understand.  I had hoped for a bootwasher because I think that's the easiest way to deal with this.   After disinfection and boot washing machine, anything remaining can't be that bad and can be brushed off.   I was scared by people who said that you needed to bring your own stiff brushes to deal with things to avoid using your fingernails!   Now that I see the machine, I think I can do this.  :)!

 

 

[southerngoose]

@twangster - you did the itinerary that I am going on!  Thanks for the "live" report...I'm going to study.

[wyocruiser]

The Endeavour didn’t have that machine last fall (which looks great). However, they have devised a system that cleans your boots as you return, and the expedition team examines the bottoms of your boots and removes any unwelcome contaminants. (No fingernails required.)

[bubbulz]

Endeavour’s expedition team was amazing. After each excursion, I just had to stand on the steps and raise my foot for them to spray the bottoms of my boots and then walk through a pan with sanitizing solution and bristles at the bottom. It helps if you do the ‘twist’ as you’re standing in the solution. 😉 The team also ensured everything was spotless prior to inspection. 

[machotspur]

7 hours ago, bubbulz said:

Endeavour’s expedition team was amazing. After each excursion, I just had to stand on the steps and raise my foot for them to spray the bottoms of my boots and then walk through a pan with sanitizing solution and bristles at the bottom. It helps if you do the ‘twist’ as you’re standing in the solution. 😉 The team also ensured everything was spotless prior to inspection. 

 

On 2/22/2024 at 7:47 PM, wyocruiser said:

The Endeavour didn’t have that machine last fall (which looks great). However, they have devised a system that cleans your boots as you return, and the expedition team examines the bottoms of your boots and removes any unwelcome contaminants. (No fingernails required.)

 

Absolutely concur with the two accounts on Silver Endeavour.

We were on the ship last November for a Falklands/South Georgia/Antarctica itinerary and the hygiene protocols, whilst being throrough they were a breeze - and little inconvenience to guests.

 

To support the reports already posted - once we'd been through the initial inspection of the outer gear we brought with us, the expedition team members took care of everything. They inspected & sprayed our footwear down on exit & reentry to the ship. They also ensured that we went through the sanitation troughs each way.

It really was a well organised, professional but hassle free process. We certainly didnt get involved in any boot scrubbing etc.

 

A really good example of reconciling luxury expedition cruising to essential safety & environmental requirements.