Guam - Santiago Sep. 8 - Oct. 17. Missives from The Andesite Line on Pursuit

[SLSD]

I enjoyed your reports!  Thank you for taking the time to write them.  

[Covepointcruiser]

No talk about eliminating the expedition voyage video on our September Venture voyage.

[highplanesdrifters]

Discovery of The Titania off Selkirk. A story worth repeating.

 

A nice little blurb. 

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/10/seabourn-pursuit-discovers-110-year-old-shipwreck-titania/

 

This was quite the event.  We were treated as celebrities when reached the home of the fisherman, Robinson Crusoe Island. Family members were at the pirate party. 

Seabourn only had one slot available for the family that manages that section of the islands fishing zone. Gino Perez the main contact went down and was overcome with emotion.  Seabourn promised to save spots for other family members on the next reposition. 

 

We were skeptical that the ship was located using only family lore and a few metal pieces being found in lobster traps. It appears that is exactly what happened. The sub team was surprised that Gino showed up when he was supposed to, then blown away that he took them to the exact location. 

[highplanesdrifters]

Thank you to everyone for you kind words and for coming along on this journey.  Still processing. MTC

 

We came home to a major storm, house springing leaks and a mouse living in the glove compartment of the car. All solved, larder filled and 2 loads of laundry done.   😁

[highplanesdrifters]

On 10/17/2024 at 7:50 PM, kej1 said:

@highplanesdriftersthank you so much for taking us along!  Your photos and commentary were  amazing!  And so happy to hear you had a change in the EL and captain.  That certainly appeared to make a huge difference.  Now thinking about the Papeete to Chile leg following our Kimberly and Indonesia trip next August/ September.  Can’t wait to be back on the Pursuit just wish we didn’t have to wait so long….Travel safely!

 

@kej1

Highly recommend the Papeete to Santiago leg.  Lots of sea days and unique stops.  We got lucky with the weather.   Wish we had done the wreck dives in Selkirk and Robinson Crusoe. 

 

I meant to make a note of the resort you recommended in Fiji. Could I impose upon you to tell me again? After numerous discussions with expedition crew about the Darwin to Fiji leg we booked it for 2026. I may eat these words but Seabourn might have their act together on that one. 😅   

Trying to decide what to do before in OZ.   Thought about doing the Kimberly again, but must do something new.  You will certainly love it.   Thinking Whale sharks at Ningaloo reef...who knows!  Ruled The Gahn out...for now, small beds and bumpy tracks.  They dont seem to be offering the Uluru experience. 

 

Thanks again for all your kind words and encouragement.   Can't wait for your next report.

[highplanesdrifters]

On 10/17/2024 at 9:05 PM, Fletcher said:

Many thanks @highplanesdrifters for devoting so much time and effort to us, your readers.  It has been a nostalgic trip for me, seeing all those wonderful places which remain basically the same as they were when we did our cruises down in the South Pacific.  My next cruise/blog (on Silversea)  is in two months but it will be tame compared to your adventure.  

 

@Fletcher

 

Since I put you at the top of the CC posting food chain your compliments mean a lot. For your early voyages, are there any online reports?

  Due tell, where is your next cruise?  I will certainly be following...but not stalking.😁

 

If I might impose....

We are looking at this itinary on Ponant, any thoughts?

 

https://us.ponant.com/asia-islands-cities-and-volcanoes-of-indonesia-ex070126-12

[Fletcher]

5 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

 

@Fletcher

 

Since I put you at the top of the CC posting food chain your compliments mean a lot. For your early voyages, are there any online reports?

  Due tell, where is your next cruise?  I will certainly be following...but not stalking.😁

 

If I might impose....

We are looking at this itinary on Ponant, any thoughts?

 

https://us.ponant.com/asia-islands-cities-and-volcanoes-of-indonesia-ex070126-12

Thank you kind sir for your generous comments.  I think that Ponant trip looks excellent as Sumatra and its offshore islands are very seldom visited by expedition cruise ships or anyone for that matter.  Not even by me.  Snorkelling etc should be excellent and you might spot a rhino, though not underwater.  I went to Borobudur years ago on a land-based trip - I think it's much, much busier these days, like so many places, Angkor most notably.  It could be very wet in these latitudes at that time of year.  My favourite place in Indonesia are the Banda Islands - I'm sure Ponant go there as well.  

 

I'm on the Silver Dawn, a biggish ship, sailing from Singapore to Tokyo and back to Honkers over Christmas and New Year.   As someone who has clocked up 130-odd sovereign states I'm pleased to be going, finally, to China and Japan.  

 

I've done blogs on all my Seabourn, Silversea and Regent trips, including Antarctica on the Quest, Greenland on the RSS Navigator, West Africa on the Silver Cloud and Silver Wind, the later quite recently.  All are available on Cruise Critic.  My South Pacific trips were done in pre internet days, when people still had personal memories of Captain Cook.

Edited Sunday at 08:55 PM by Fletcher

[markandjie]

5 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

After numerous discussions with expedition crew about the Darwin to Fiji leg we booked it for 2026

 

It's low probability, but if all the stars align we'll try to do the 54 day Darwin to San Antonio in 2026. 

[kej1]

8 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

 

@kej1

Highly recommend the Papeete to Santiago leg.  Lots of sea days and unique stops.  We got lucky with the weather.   Wish we had done the wreck dives in Selkirk and Robinson Crusoe. 

 

I meant to make a note of the resort you recommended in Fiji. Could I impose upon you to tell me again? After numerous discussions with expedition crew about the Darwin to Fiji leg we booked it for 2026. I may eat these words but Seabourn might have their act together on that one. 😅   

Trying to decide what to do before in OZ.   Thought about doing the Kimberly again, but must do something new.  You will certainly love it.   Thinking Whale sharks at Ningaloo reef...who knows!  Ruled The Gahn out...for now, small beds and bumpy tracks.  They dont seem to be offering the Uluru experience. 

 

Thanks again for all your kind words and encouragement.   Can't wait for your next report.

@highplanesdrifters

The resort we’ve been to twice that we loved in Fiji is the Wakaya Club. We haven’t been since 2014 but are planning to go back following our expedition cruise next summer.  It is on a private island that was owned by the guy that started Fiji Water.  It had wonderful diving and snorkeling, great food, and lovely bungalows.  It was terribly damaged in 2016 by a typhoon, then sold to someone else but from what I understand it’s still great.

 

For Australia I have a couple of recommendations:

1. Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island.  It’s a very short flight from Adelaide ( 20 min). If you go to Adelaide there is some great wine tasting only about 45 min away in McLaren Vale and Barossa.

2.  If you don’t mind a longer flight Safire Lodge in Tasmania is another great spot.  But it’s a two hour flight and then a couple of hours in a car.  But Tasmania is lovely with wonderful people.

Both of the above lodges have lots of fun activities, great service, and delicious food served with some good local wines.  You can be as active as you’d like, just chill out, or do a bit of both.  
 

Thank you again for your terrific commentary and photos which are so inspiring!  My next trip by ship will be pre business meetings around Japan ( March/April).  I’ve   been many times but only by land and the typical spots, (Tokyo being one of my favorite cities)  so looking forward to seeing more of the country from the sea on Quest.  Then it’s the Pursuit in August/September. Let us know your next trip so we can follow along.

 

[markandjie]

Haven't been personally, but a couple we met in French Polynesia said Kokomo Island in Fiji is their favorite resort in the South Pacific. They are heavy travelers to the region and had just come from The Brando, fwiw.

 

https://www.kokomoislandfiji.com/

[BioInfoLib]

9 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

 

@kej1

Highly recommend the Papeete to Santiago leg.  Lots of sea days and unique stops.  We got lucky with the weather.   Wish we had done the wreck dives in Selkirk and Robinson Crusoe. 

 

I meant to make a note of the resort you recommended in Fiji. Could I impose upon you to tell me again? After numerous discussions with expedition crew about the Darwin to Fiji leg we booked it for 2026. I may eat these words but Seabourn might have their act together on that one. 😅   

Trying to decide what to do before in OZ.   Thought about doing the Kimberly again, but must do something new.  You will certainly love it.   Thinking Whale sharks at Ningaloo reef...who knows!  Ruled The Gahn out...for now, small beds and bumpy tracks.  They dont seem to be offering the Uluru experience. 

 

Thanks again for all your kind words and encouragement.   Can't wait for your next report.

See you on Darwin to Fiji!

[BasandSyb]

@kej1

@BioInfoLib

We are doing Broome to Fiji - see you there.

 

Well done HPD. Much appreciated. I think you need a holiday now!

[kej1]

@BasandSyb @BioInfoLib

 

Can’t wait to meet you!  I hope you are talking about 2025.  We will embark in Broome in August and be on board until Fiji. After @highplanesdrifters account of Papeete to Chile I’d love to do that leg too but most of Fiji to Papeete we did last spring on the Pursuit.  hmm, have to think about this!  
 

@highplanesdrifters really got me missing being on Pursuit.  We had many ups and a few downs but the ups won.  It’s a beautiful ship and such a wonderful part of the world!

[BasandSyb]

Yes. 2025! See you then. 👍

[highplanesdrifters]

On 10/20/2024 at 2:51 PM, Fletcher said:

Thank you kind sir

 

I wish I could say I resemble that remark.😂😂😂  (Radar O'Reilly reference)

 

Many thanks for taking the time to opine on the Ponant trip.  Still working on the 2026 lineup.  Your comments help tremendously. 

 

On 10/20/2024 at 2:51 PM, Fletcher said:

 

I'm on the Silver Dawn, a biggish ship, sailing from Singapore to Tokyo and back to Honkers over Christmas and New Year.   As someone who has clocked up 130-odd sovereign states I'm pleased to be going, finally, to China and Japan.  

 

130 sovereign states, wow.

Dawn sounds like a good choice for that trip. Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo always favorites.  Can't wait to hear your report on Hong Kong. Last time I was there all the interesting local shops switched to GNC's, Jewelry stores, and Western Unions with long lines.  I though the History Museum was incredible. 

 

On 10/20/2024 at 2:51 PM, Fletcher said:

I've done blogs on all my Seabourn, Silversea and Regent trips, including Antarctica on the Quest, Greenland on the RSS Navigator, West Africa on the Silver Cloud and Silver Wind, the later quite recently.  All are available on Cruise Critic.  My South Pacific trips were done in pre internet days, when people still had personal memories of Captain Cook.

 

We were on the Antarctic Quest with you.  I was unaware of CC then.  Wish we could have shared a refreshing adult beverage or ten. What a trip that was.  The humpback whale show was one for the record books. I was such a clueless newbie back then.

My mother dated Captain Cook.

 

If the search engines on CC cooperate I've got some fine reading ahead of me.

[highplanesdrifters]

On 10/20/2024 at 6:17 PM, kej1 said:

@highplanesdrifters

The resort we’ve been to twice that we loved in Fiji is the Wakaya Club. We haven’t been since 2014 but are planning to go back following our expedition cruise next summer.  It is on a private island that was owned by the guy that started Fiji Water.  It had wonderful diving and snorkeling, great food, and lovely bungalows.  It was terribly damaged in 2016 by a typhoon, then sold to someone else but from what I understand it’s still great.

 

For Australia I have a couple of recommendations:

1. Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island.  It’s a very short flight from Adelaide ( 20 min). If you go to Adelaide there is some great wine tasting only about 45 min away in McLaren Vale and Barossa.

2.  If you don’t mind a longer flight Safire Lodge in Tasmania is another great spot.  But it’s a two hour flight and then a couple of hours in a car.  But Tasmania is lovely with wonderful people.

Both of the above lodges have lots of fun activities, great service, and delicious food served with some good local wines.  You can be as active as you’d like, just chill out, or do a bit of both.  
 

Thank you again for your terrific commentary and photos which are so inspiring!  My next trip by ship will be pre business meetings around Japan ( March/April).  I’ve   been many times but only by land and the typical spots, (Tokyo being one of my favorite cities)  so looking forward to seeing more of the country from the sea on Quest.  Then it’s the Pursuit in August/September. Let us know your next trip so we can follow along.

 

 

 

As always thanks for the recommendations.   So much to think about. Looking forward to lazy surfing to explore all your well thought out suggestions.

 

Also a fan of Japan. We will be there in April/May on a Ponant trip, inland sea and sub-tropical islands.  Our first Ponant. Will be finalizing the pre/post trip soon.  Who knows if our paths might cross! 

 

September finds us on Venture in the Canadian Arctic.

[highplanesdrifters]

On 10/20/2024 at 7:06 PM, BioInfoLib said:

See you on Darwin to Fiji!

 

Are you on the 2026?

[highplanesdrifters]

10 hours ago, BasandSyb said:

@kej1

@BioInfoLib

We are doing Broome to Fiji - see you there.

 

Well done HPD. Much appreciated. I think you need a holiday now!

 

Thanks!  Surprisingly re entry has been easy...except for the leaks and the mouse.🤣   I'll probably be pacing in a week looking for a short getaway.

 

 

@BasandSyb

@kej1

 

Looks like I'm going to miss the Indonesia 2025 party. Don't sink the ship I'm on in 2026!  Hopefully they'll have the OZ liquor supply problem sorted out by then.  Is Cenderawasih Bay on your agenda?  I'm hoping for whale sharks when we go.  Spent some time talking to expedition team about that leg.  They just loved it and are working on improvements.

 

Interesting-

Seabourn website is messed up for the 2026 expedition offerings....go figure.  Found out on board that they are eliminating Amazon and Svalbard from future trips. Amazon due to difficulty with water levels (just canceled current trip, yikes).  Svalbard due to new regulations on when, where, and how they can operate.

[highplanesdrifters]

On 10/20/2024 at 6:31 PM, markandjie said:

Haven't been personally, but a couple we met in French Polynesia said Kokomo Island in Fiji is their favorite resort in the South Pacific. They are heavy travelers to the region and had just come from The Brando, fwiw.

 

https://www.kokomoislandfiji.com/

 

Just put it In the files. And a 45 minute flight from Nadi!  Thanks for the recommendations. 

Edited 12 hours ago by highplanesdrifters

[BioInfoLib]

12 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

 

Are you on the 2026?

The 2025.
We were on Darwin to Honiara this summer and booked 2025 while onboard since the discount and credit were so good.

i would love to be able to replicate your trip in 2025 and go all the way to Santiago but we have Silversea Bali to Darwin (with Kimberley) in July 2025, then the Pursuit in Sept so I don’t see it happening. Darwin to Fiji will be just fine for now.

i started a roll call for Pursuit Darwin to Fiji 2025 if anyone is interested.

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, BioInfoLib said:

The 2025.
We were on Darwin to Honiara this summer and booked 2025 while onboard since the discount and credit were so good.

i would love to be able to replicate your trip in 2025 and go all the way to Santiago but we have Silversea Bali to Darwin (with Kimberley) in July 2025, then the Pursuit in Sept so I don’t see it happening. Darwin to Fiji will be just fine for now.

i started a roll call for Pursuit Darwin to Fiji 2025 if anyone is interested.

 

 

Always tough choices.   So little time and so many places.

 

[markandjie]

42 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

If the search engines on CC cooperate I've got some fine reading ahead of me.

 

Ha. If you have any tips there please share. I can't even find things that I've written.

[highplanesdrifters]

36 minutes ago, markandjie said:

 

Ha. If you have any tips there please share. I can't even find things that I've written.

 

Since they hired the Seabourn IT staff it should be much easier.😂

 

And my problem is once I figure it out, I forgot how I figured it out because it was so convoluted. 

 

Voyage tracker still not working.

Edited 12 hours ago by highplanesdrifters

[whogo]

2 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

If the search engines on CC cooperate I've got some fine reading ahead of me.

I thought so much of this Fletcher live thread that I bookmarked it: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2483913-quest-for-the-holy-grail-a-voyage-to-south-america-antarctica-amp-south-georgia/

 

[BasandSyb]

4 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

 

 

Looks like I'm going to miss the Indonesia 2025 party. Don't sink the ship I'm on in 2026!  Hopefully they'll have the OZ liquor supply problem sorted out by then.  Is Cenderawasih Bay on your agenda?  I'm hoping for whale sharks when we go.  Spent some time talking to expedition team about that leg.  They just loved it and are working on improvements.

 

I don’t think we’ve done a Seabourn cruise in the last 10 years that hasn’t had a liquor issue of some description. They used to send the bar manager out with a credit card, but that doesn’t happen any more. We did Sydney to Honolulu last year with several ports in Australia prior to leaving. Wine variety was virtually non-existent (not even any Australian) and they waited until Noumea before doing anything about it. We ended up going to a liquor barn in Cairns and buying supplies.

 

2025 - Yes, we have 2 days in Cenderawasih Bay!

 

Thank heavens we have already done the Amazon and Svalbard, sorry to hear they may be phasing them out but it is understandable. I’m waiting for IATA(??) to start restricting access to Antarctica given the bird flu.

Good luck with your cruise search. We are looking for a few as well but so far the more attractive itineraries are ridiculously priced.