Hiking Boots on Packing list from cruise company

[soraya]

Can anyone help with this - looking at the packing list for my cruise , it has hiking boots on it as well as the Wellies. I'm surprised to see them. I will take them if they're worth it but really not sure where the hiking is!

 

Any thoughts?

[parischris]

Can anyone help with this - looking at the packing list for my cruise , it has hiking boots on it as well as the Wellies. I'm surprised to see them. I will take them if they're worth it but really not sure where the hiking is!

 

Any thoughts?

 

They were useful in the Falkands, also on a hike in South Georgia. Otherwise you wear wellies for all of the landings.

 

Cheers

[Bookish Angel]

I never needed hikers in Antarctica, etc.

[minke]

I took mine as we were going to Chilean fjords after antarctica, but never really needed them, good training shoes would have been OK. As others have said wellies only in antarctica (provided for us)

[Caernarfon]

wellies are better, as apart from the penguin goo, wet landings by zodiacs your hiking boots may ony be used on the faulklands or in Grytviven on South Georgia, for the rest of SG again wellies.

[rn123]

Hi Soraya,

 

We're just back from the 22nd Dec sailing and it was all wet landings and we didn't really need our hiking boots - plus they take up a lot of space in your suitcase. As long as you have decent trainers or flat shoes for going on deck you'll be fine.

 

Hope you have as good a holiday as we did - it was far beyond what we had hoped for!

 

By the way, I see you are from Aberdeen. You will probably find it warmer in Antarctica! :) I am originally from that part of the world too.

 

Regards

 

Ros

[soraya]

Hi Ros

 

Aberdeen is freezing at moment - it's been minus 4!

 

Will you be doing a review of your cruise - with the Prince ALbert being so new there's very little info on them and things like how were they with the zodiacs, what did you think of the cabins, how was the food etc would be great to know.

 

Also would you mind helping out with a few questions

 

Did they provide wellies or is it best to take your own?

 

What were the parkas like? They seem to have a liner - was it a light fleece?

 

How long did you get on the ice? Could you come back early/ stay longer etc

 

We leave in 3 weeks time - almost there with the gear!

[rn123]

Hi

 

Will probably do a review at some stage but still trying to get back to normal.

 

Happy to answer any questions.

 

We took our own boots, just plain wellingtons, in case they didn't have enough in our sizes. They seemed to have quite a good stock though and have even more now as we left ours! There was a lot of confusion over the boots which we couldn't understand as it was very simple. On the first day you get called to reception by deck number to collect some if you don't have your own. There is a mud room, where each cabin has a numbered pigeon hole to leave your boots in. On the second morning, my partner's ones had disappeared. He ended up with ships boots which were exactly the same anyway but it was annoying. We heard a few others complaining of the same problem. I wouldn't bother taking any unless you have an unusual shoe size. I think a few others on our cruise left theirs.

 

The parkas were great. They have an inner fleece layer which unzips. We were very lucky with the weather so usually wore a base layer, light fleece then the parka which was fine.

 

The zodiacs were great fun. As I said we were very lucky and had brilliant weather so were off twice a day. They put everyone into two groups and normally one group will do a landing while the others have a zodiac cruise then swap over. On landings they did a 'shuttle service' back to the boat in case anyone needed it. You are normally on shore or an a zodiac cruise for about an hour and a half.

 

We were in an Explorer class cabin which I think is the second smallest and had more space than we anticipated, just like a decent hotel room. What class of cabin have you booked?

 

Food was great and I think I only had one course I didn't really like and I'm sure they would have given me something else if I'd asked.

 

One thing to mention is that they say to make sure you have plenty memory cards or film - I agree!!

 

Don't know if you have been following the daily journals on the website but ours (7824) is on there now and it's great to look back on.

 

Let me know if I can help with anything else.

 

Ros

[soraya]

Ros

 

Thanks for the replies. We're in a View cabin - which has a small window. Did you spend much time in your cabin or were there a lot of 5 am starts?

 

I was wondering how the charters worked? We are travelling a day or two earlier (just in case the weather here turns bad) and then meeting SS at the airport. Were there any luggage limits on the flight down? I know that Aerolineas limits are pretty tight for domestic flights.

 

Did you get time to see Ushuaia at all? I noticed on some of the reviews that other cruise lines do sometimes organise a trip at Ushuaia - did SS so that?

 

Nice to hear the parka is good. I have a base thermal layer but am still not sure whether to bring a 100 & 300 polartec fleece or whether that will be too much if there's alreay a fleece in the parka. I'm always cold even in Aberdeen so am going for too much rather than too little.

 

Also, what were people wearing in the evenings - was it particularly dressy? I know yours was the holiday cruise - what a great way to start the year!

 

Hope we have as good weather as you did!

[rn123]

We did the same as you and went to Buenos Aires a couple of days early. Are you flying there economy? Yours may be different but our charter flight was with Lan Argentina and we left in the morning. You are allowed 2 cases weighing 20kg per person. You will see check in desks with Silversea on them. On our flight we had 3 seats for the two of us. We arrived in Ushuaia at lunchtime and were taken to a restaurant first then a short stop in the national park. At the end of the cruise we got back earlier than planned as one of the passengers was sick so we had a bit of time to explore Ushuaia (doesn't take long) that evening. We also had a couple of hours free next morning. We had to fly back via Santiago but I believe all other cruises go back to BA?

 

We didn't spend that much time in our cabin but there was a seating area and it is quite comfortable. I think it varies greatly depending on the weather for the times you start, but on ours there was only one morning with a 5.30am start and we were in the second group who got off at 7am.

 

There was a few people who dressed up but mostly it was quite casual and I even saw some wearing jeans in the evening although it says no jeans for the restaurant. I took a dress but didn't wear it. For the informal nights when there was a cocktail party I just wore smart trousers and top. Some men wore suits but my partner just wore casual trousers with a jacket and I think he only wore a tie one evening. So basically just be comfortable.

 

For the landings it's probably best to be safe and wear too much to start with then you'll have an idea how you feel and can adjust. We were told for the zodiac cruises to wear lots of layers.

 

Funnily enough, the day you get on the ship I will be flying to Aberdeen! I know which I'd rather be doing! :)

[soraya]

Ros

 

I can't believe that you are coming to Aberdeen - my DH says he bought his flat in Aberdeen from a girl called Ros - I'm guessing that would be too much of a coincidence though!

 

There are some questions about the ship on the Silversea board - not sure if you've seen them - just asking about the temperature onboard and hoe casual is casual?

 

We've opted to take a pair of arctic muck boots for DH who has odd sized feet, but I think I'll wing it!

 

I'm kind of curious as to where the ship is as there are no ships logs as there seems to be no cruise on at the moment- perhaps it's on a private hire!

 

If you get a chance a review would be great:)

 

Have spent a fortune on fleeces - thank goodness the sales were on!

[rn123]

Hello again

 

I think the ship is on a private charter at the moment. I noticed there was a gap in the voyage list but they were starting to prepare for the next set of guests as we left.

 

I will be flying to Aberdeen but won't be staying there. I will be going on up to Buckie, where my family are. You sure you don't want to change places?

[soraya]

Buckie mmm.. tempting...

 

We'll drink to you when we see the first iceberg!