From Sussex to Antarctica-a bucket list item ticked!
Nov 25, 2014, 9:08 pm
#31
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: PIT
Programs: UA 1K, 2MM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 18
Cheapest Cabins can be the best for Drake Passage
Went to Antarctica years ago. I booked the midship cabin on the lowest level which was the water line. Not much of a view and you wanted to make sure your window hatch was shut tight during the passage in case a foreign object broke your window and gave you an ice water bath. It was much more comfortable passage than those who paid twice as much for a suite in the upper decks where the ship motion is at a maximum. When the weather is nice you can get out of your cabin and go to the observation deck. Sort of nifty to see the sun up at 11 pm.
Take the anti nausea meds which the ships have in good supply. It does help. Best of luck with your weather. It makes a huge but random difference in photos and the overall quality of the trip. I would love to go again except do the opposite side from New Zealand or Australia. Don't have the time to do the long trip from South America to Australia, I think that trip is 50 days or so.
If you stop at any of the bases and they have stuff for sale. Spend some money there. You will help the people there who are often stuck there for a half year or more and depending on their country may not be the best paid. You can also get CDs of nature photos which you will be unlikely to see, this was well worth it at the Ukranian station. Most people passed on it but were very jealous when I started reviewing the photos taken by the scientists and engineers there.
Take the anti nausea meds which the ships have in good supply. It does help. Best of luck with your weather. It makes a huge but random difference in photos and the overall quality of the trip. I would love to go again except do the opposite side from New Zealand or Australia. Don't have the time to do the long trip from South America to Australia, I think that trip is 50 days or so.
If you stop at any of the bases and they have stuff for sale. Spend some money there. You will help the people there who are often stuck there for a half year or more and depending on their country may not be the best paid. You can also get CDs of nature photos which you will be unlikely to see, this was well worth it at the Ukranian station. Most people passed on it but were very jealous when I started reviewing the photos taken by the scientists and engineers there.
Nov 26, 2014, 10:26 am
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Los Angeles / Basel
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 26,923
Went to Antarctica years ago. I booked the midship cabin on the lowest level which was the water line. Not much of a view and you wanted to make sure your window hatch was shut tight during the passage in case a foreign object broke your window and gave you an ice water bath. It was much more comfortable passage than those who paid twice as much for a suite in the upper decks where the ship motion is at a maximum. When the weather is nice you can get out of your cabin and go to the observation deck. Sort of nifty to see the sun up at 11 pm.
Take the anti nausea meds which the ships have in good supply. It does help. Best of luck with your weather. It makes a huge but random difference in photos and the overall quality of the trip. I would love to go again except do the opposite side from New Zealand or Australia. Don't have the time to do the long trip from South America to Australia, I think that trip is 50 days or so.
If you stop at any of the bases and they have stuff for sale. Spend some money there. You will help the people there who are often stuck there for a half year or more and depending on their country may not be the best paid. You can also get CDs of nature photos which you will be unlikely to see, this was well worth it at the Ukranian station. Most people passed on it but were very jealous when I started reviewing the photos taken by the scientists and engineers there.
Take the anti nausea meds which the ships have in good supply. It does help. Best of luck with your weather. It makes a huge but random difference in photos and the overall quality of the trip. I would love to go again except do the opposite side from New Zealand or Australia. Don't have the time to do the long trip from South America to Australia, I think that trip is 50 days or so.
If you stop at any of the bases and they have stuff for sale. Spend some money there. You will help the people there who are often stuck there for a half year or more and depending on their country may not be the best paid. You can also get CDs of nature photos which you will be unlikely to see, this was well worth it at the Ukranian station. Most people passed on it but were very jealous when I started reviewing the photos taken by the scientists and engineers there.
Nov 28, 2014, 10:36 pm
#34
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, HHonors Diamond, National Exec, Hertz PC, Nexus
Posts: 410
Drake Lake
A rough Drake crossing isn't a given. My wife and I were on Le Soleal's sister ship, Le Boreal, to Antarctica in 12/12 and we had a calm crossing both ways. I've taken Gulf/Caribbean cruises on bigger ships where I've experienced rougher seas. We had some two sets of friends cruise to Antarctica on two different cruises later that year and next and they had calm crossings in both directions as well. When you have a good crossing like this, people call it the 'Drake Lake'.
Antarctica Pics
Antarctica Pics
Nov 29, 2014, 6:55 am
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LGW.
Programs: Cunard WorldClub-Gold,Silverseas Venetian society,Alitalia Mille miglia,SPG,Fairmont,IHG.
Posts: 733
We are just returning back across the Drake as we speak,and it's beautiful out there,calm and sunny with quite a few whale sightings.
Dec 10, 2014, 12:30 pm
#36
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LGW.
Programs: Cunard WorldClub-Gold,Silverseas Venetian society,Alitalia Mille miglia,SPG,Fairmont,IHG.
Posts: 733
Well, here goes............
Trip was my husbands idea, ticking the last of the 7 continents, and a personal bucket list item of his. Left the kids in charge at home (gulp!) and headed off to LGW for the BA flight to FCO in CE. Bag drop swift, and very pleasant-unable to use the lounge due to being on(retired) staff travel, although we had bagged seats 2D/F the night before so all ok.
After a quick bit of retail therapy in the north terminal we boarded the pretty full Airbus and settled in-enormous amounts of hand luggage were being stowed in the overheads! I've no photos onboard as other half doesn't like me taking pics in flight. Lunch was a very tasty thai green beef curry, and a few glasses of fizz.
We were soon in FCO,and headed over to AZ check in for the bag drop. Having checked in online the night before, and bagged the 2 centre seats in row 2, we were quickly processed and headed for the AZ J "lounge". Not much to write home about, and having time to kill we checked out the lounge in T1. It has a bar called the Pilot Bar, and an old AZ B737 sim. Other half couldn't resist having a go and pretending he'd never flown before. The sim instructor was most impressed at how quickly he picked it up, and asked if he'd ever flown an aircraft-Mark confessed he had, and the sim chap said "Yes, but nothing as big as this eh?" He couldn't bear to tell him he was a retired B747 captain!
Trip was my husbands idea, ticking the last of the 7 continents, and a personal bucket list item of his. Left the kids in charge at home (gulp!) and headed off to LGW for the BA flight to FCO in CE. Bag drop swift, and very pleasant-unable to use the lounge due to being on(retired) staff travel, although we had bagged seats 2D/F the night before so all ok.
After a quick bit of retail therapy in the north terminal we boarded the pretty full Airbus and settled in-enormous amounts of hand luggage were being stowed in the overheads! I've no photos onboard as other half doesn't like me taking pics in flight. Lunch was a very tasty thai green beef curry, and a few glasses of fizz.
We were soon in FCO,and headed over to AZ check in for the bag drop. Having checked in online the night before, and bagged the 2 centre seats in row 2, we were quickly processed and headed for the AZ J "lounge". Not much to write home about, and having time to kill we checked out the lounge in T1. It has a bar called the Pilot Bar, and an old AZ B737 sim. Other half couldn't resist having a go and pretending he'd never flown before. The sim instructor was most impressed at how quickly he picked it up, and asked if he'd ever flown an aircraft-Mark confessed he had, and the sim chap said "Yes, but nothing as big as this eh?" He couldn't bear to tell him he was a retired B747 captain!
Last edited by no longer atc; Dec 10, 2014 at 1:58 pm Reason: photo
Dec 10, 2014, 2:27 pm
#37
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LGW.
Programs: Cunard WorldClub-Gold,Silverseas Venetian society,Alitalia Mille miglia,SPG,Fairmont,IHG.
Posts: 733
After a little while playing in the sim, he was awarded his "wings" and we headed over to the slightly better Giotto lounge in T3. AZ lounge seriously lags behind many others doesn't it? A decent enough selection of drinks, but food limited to a few sandwiches, and snacks like crisps/nuts. Luckily, we were called to board fairly shortly, and by the time we got to the gate there was a huge queue for Y boarding, and an unmanned Magnifica class line.
We stood for a moment to decide whether to join the back of the Y queue, but the gate agent spotted us and yelled "Magnifica, come forward!" and virtually forced us to queue jump all the Y pax-embarrassing! Apologising profusely we were swept past straight down to the jetty. Boarding, we were impressed at the bright and spacious cabin on the B777, jackets were taken and we settled in. Drinks a little on the slow side, but we were offered prosecco, water or orange juice- guess which I chose?
Amenity kits (Salvatore Ferragamo) were offered, and menus passed around- I'm afraid I have mislaid the menu for the outbound
but the food was very good, and the prosecco slipped down nicely. Dinner was a starter, a pasta course (choice of 2, both if you liked!) and a main course, followed by dessert, all served from the trolley. Couldn't recommend the tea on AZ- I had a cup and it was the same colour as the white amaretto I also had!!
After watching a movie, we settled down into the comfy flat bed, and tried to sleep .
After a couple of hours, around 1am I think, all the lights in J cabin suddenly went on and the cabin crew started hurtling down the aisle towards the Y cabin. A PA was made asking if there was a doctor onboard! A few minutes later, there's a kerfuffle in the small rear J cabin while they carried a pax from Y into a vacant J seat. Then there is another PA asking if there was anyone carrying a diabetic blood sugar testing kit...I peeked through the curtain and saw someone connected to a drip, being given an injection by 2 people in civvies, so I guess they found some medical staff onboard. This went on for an hour or so, and the lights were then dimmed, to try sleep,pt 2.
I noticed the blinds were left up, so daylight came early while we were still trying to sleep, and there was a marked lack of water offered during the night. Breakfast was good (from my notes- but I didn't note what it was!!)although tea was again very weak. We landed on schedule to a balmy Buenos Aires. Next instalment tomorrow, hope you are enjoying so far x.
We stood for a moment to decide whether to join the back of the Y queue, but the gate agent spotted us and yelled "Magnifica, come forward!" and virtually forced us to queue jump all the Y pax-embarrassing! Apologising profusely we were swept past straight down to the jetty. Boarding, we were impressed at the bright and spacious cabin on the B777, jackets were taken and we settled in. Drinks a little on the slow side, but we were offered prosecco, water or orange juice- guess which I chose?
Amenity kits (Salvatore Ferragamo) were offered, and menus passed around- I'm afraid I have mislaid the menu for the outbound
but the food was very good, and the prosecco slipped down nicely. Dinner was a starter, a pasta course (choice of 2, both if you liked!) and a main course, followed by dessert, all served from the trolley. Couldn't recommend the tea on AZ- I had a cup and it was the same colour as the white amaretto I also had!!After watching a movie, we settled down into the comfy flat bed, and tried to sleep .
After a couple of hours, around 1am I think, all the lights in J cabin suddenly went on and the cabin crew started hurtling down the aisle towards the Y cabin. A PA was made asking if there was a doctor onboard! A few minutes later, there's a kerfuffle in the small rear J cabin while they carried a pax from Y into a vacant J seat. Then there is another PA asking if there was anyone carrying a diabetic blood sugar testing kit...I peeked through the curtain and saw someone connected to a drip, being given an injection by 2 people in civvies, so I guess they found some medical staff onboard. This went on for an hour or so, and the lights were then dimmed, to try sleep,pt 2.
I noticed the blinds were left up, so daylight came early while we were still trying to sleep, and there was a marked lack of water offered during the night. Breakfast was good (from my notes- but I didn't note what it was!!)although tea was again very weak. We landed on schedule to a balmy Buenos Aires. Next instalment tomorrow, hope you are enjoying so far x.
Dec 10, 2014, 3:33 pm
#38
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: QF Plat / OWE (Lifetime Gold), Aeroplan SE, HHonors Gold, Marriot Bonvoy Gold, Avis Pres't Circle
Posts: 373
Fantastic TR. What an adventure. +1 and I are booked on Le Soleal for trip to Antartica for New Year's 2016. Hopefully the crease will be fixed by then!
Dec 11, 2014, 5:27 am
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LGW.
Programs: Cunard WorldClub-Gold,Silverseas Venetian society,Alitalia Mille miglia,SPG,Fairmont,IHG.
Posts: 733
Thanks Chalkie (Le Soleal already fixed, we saw her heading across the Drake as we returned to USH-photos of her to come later in this TR), well, we are now in EZE and in need of some local currency so we head over to the cashpoints/ATMs. Better half inserts his card,and the machine tells him it was unable to read the magnetic strip. No worries, we'll use mine- which the machine promptly swallows! Hmm, need cash for taxi to Sheraton-what to do??
We ask at the taxi desk and they agree to take USD while I call my bank on my mobile to cancel old card/order new one. (As an aside, on arrival home I found my ATM card in my wallet, which begs the question, just what did I put in the ATM???)
Arrive at the Sheraton San Martin, and the lovely check in man asks my husband if he is a Starwood Preferred Guest, to which he replies many years ago, but I haven't been here in a while. After a few minutes tapping away, the chap finds my husband on the SPG system, and promptly upgrades us to a Club level room on the 21st floor-nice one!
Spend a little while unpacking for our 2 day stay, then I head down for a bit of sun worshipping while other half chills in the room. Later that evening we pop into the Club lounge for a pre dinner drink-only to run into a friend from home. He's a BA 777 skipper and is there on a trip, so we have a few drinks with the BA crew and head out for a sub-standard churrascarria.
Next morning, after a traditional (for us) birthday breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, we pop down to the lobby to check in for the following days 0445 LAN departure to USH-the adventure really begins now!
The unwelcome news awaits that LAN have cancelled our return flight, and rebooked us on one the departs before our cruise ship docks in USH! After several unsuccessful attempts to call LAN, we decide to hop in a cab to AEP, and sort it out there. The LAN ticket desk confirm the flight is cancelled, and tell us we will be refunded, but can offer us nothing else suitable, so they suggest we go and see if Aerolineas have anything better. At great expense we purchase one-ways on AR from USH to EZE. Still, at least it's sorted now and we can get on with celebrating Marks birthday. A bit more sunbathing for me (resulting in burnt forehead and nose, at least the redness matches my bright red hairdressing disaster, I now look like a matchhead!)
Visit a few old haunts of Marks from his days on the 744 fleet and have an early night as the taxi is booked for 3am-yuk.
Leave the Sheraton at that ungodly hour, having deposited a box with all our warm weather gear with the concierge to await our return-the switch from LAN to AR has messed up our plans as LANs baggage allowance was far greater than AR's measly 15kg! Enormous queue for check in, even at such an early hour, but all done fairly swiftly and we are allocated 2A and C. Nice. Have a very expensive coffee in AEP and board (what looks like) a brand new Airbus of LAN. Seems to be fitted with a C class cabin , even though it's an all Y service. Flt pretty rammed, but we are comfy with the middle seat vacant- we notice how much enormous hand baggage is being loaded into the overheads.
An on time departure, and very cheerful crew,and quickly we are at cruise altitude. LAN give us a drink, and a little box containing a circular chocolate biscuit, a packet of crackers, and a curious weird biscuit, not unlike an English custard cream-but lemon flavoured. LAN have the little drop-down screens and show some programme about Argentina, and some kids candid camera style show.
The approach to USH is (thankfully) shrouded in cloud, but I caught the odd glimpse of mountains through the overcast- and didn't like what I saw. I kept reliving the crash sequence from the movie "Alive" in my minds eye! A safe landing in USH, and a rather long wait for bags, and we take a cab to the Alto Andino hotel in USH.
We ask at the taxi desk and they agree to take USD while I call my bank on my mobile to cancel old card/order new one. (As an aside, on arrival home I found my ATM card in my wallet, which begs the question, just what did I put in the ATM???)
Arrive at the Sheraton San Martin, and the lovely check in man asks my husband if he is a Starwood Preferred Guest, to which he replies many years ago, but I haven't been here in a while. After a few minutes tapping away, the chap finds my husband on the SPG system, and promptly upgrades us to a Club level room on the 21st floor-nice one!
Spend a little while unpacking for our 2 day stay, then I head down for a bit of sun worshipping while other half chills in the room. Later that evening we pop into the Club lounge for a pre dinner drink-only to run into a friend from home. He's a BA 777 skipper and is there on a trip, so we have a few drinks with the BA crew and head out for a sub-standard churrascarria.
Next morning, after a traditional (for us) birthday breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, we pop down to the lobby to check in for the following days 0445 LAN departure to USH-the adventure really begins now!
The unwelcome news awaits that LAN have cancelled our return flight, and rebooked us on one the departs before our cruise ship docks in USH! After several unsuccessful attempts to call LAN, we decide to hop in a cab to AEP, and sort it out there. The LAN ticket desk confirm the flight is cancelled, and tell us we will be refunded, but can offer us nothing else suitable, so they suggest we go and see if Aerolineas have anything better. At great expense we purchase one-ways on AR from USH to EZE. Still, at least it's sorted now and we can get on with celebrating Marks birthday. A bit more sunbathing for me (resulting in burnt forehead and nose, at least the redness matches my bright red hairdressing disaster, I now look like a matchhead!)
Visit a few old haunts of Marks from his days on the 744 fleet and have an early night as the taxi is booked for 3am-yuk.
Leave the Sheraton at that ungodly hour, having deposited a box with all our warm weather gear with the concierge to await our return-the switch from LAN to AR has messed up our plans as LANs baggage allowance was far greater than AR's measly 15kg! Enormous queue for check in, even at such an early hour, but all done fairly swiftly and we are allocated 2A and C. Nice. Have a very expensive coffee in AEP and board (what looks like) a brand new Airbus of LAN. Seems to be fitted with a C class cabin , even though it's an all Y service. Flt pretty rammed, but we are comfy with the middle seat vacant- we notice how much enormous hand baggage is being loaded into the overheads.
An on time departure, and very cheerful crew,and quickly we are at cruise altitude. LAN give us a drink, and a little box containing a circular chocolate biscuit, a packet of crackers, and a curious weird biscuit, not unlike an English custard cream-but lemon flavoured. LAN have the little drop-down screens and show some programme about Argentina, and some kids candid camera style show.
The approach to USH is (thankfully) shrouded in cloud, but I caught the odd glimpse of mountains through the overcast- and didn't like what I saw. I kept reliving the crash sequence from the movie "Alive" in my minds eye! A safe landing in USH, and a rather long wait for bags, and we take a cab to the Alto Andino hotel in USH.
Dec 11, 2014, 7:40 am
#40
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LGW.
Programs: Cunard WorldClub-Gold,Silverseas Venetian society,Alitalia Mille miglia,SPG,Fairmont,IHG.
Posts: 733
So, a short taxi ride through falling snow brings us to the Alto Andino- seems very cosy, and although I had emailed asking for an early check in ( it being only around 9am) and had been refused due to hotel being full, surprisingly our room was all ready for us.
We head on up to the 2nd floor and have a lovely room, with separate kitchen and lounge-next we have a quick continental breakfast...view from restaurant gives a panoramic of Ushuaia.....port and all...
We have a stroll around Ushuaia, and decide to have a nap before dinner, pre booked at Kaupe 6 months earlier. After a couple of hours sleep, I hear my mobile ringing, and get out of bed to answer it. I can't begin to describe my feelings upon answering the phone- it was our travel agent back in the UK calling with the news that the cruise ship we were booked to travel on, Le Soleal had hit rocks in Punta Arenas and was being taken out of service for dry dock inspection-so cruise cancelled! The poor lady was as distraught at having to break this news to us, as we were at receiving it. I hung up, stunned, and we looked at each other- what now??
The agents had the news of the cancellation from Ponant at 4.30pm UK time, so were getting ready to shut up shop for the evening, but promised they would be in early the next morning to sort things out for us. We hoped so, as we only had 1 night booked at the hotel in USH.
A very subdued dinner at Kaupe followed,which in any other circumstance would have been wonderful, but we were so depressed at the thought of possibly having to return home that we didn't really do it justice. A cold walk back to the hotel, and a fairly sleepless night wondering what the following day would bring.
True to their word, our agent was on the case first thing,checking out options. Ponant had done some work to see what other cruises were available to us, and first offered us a cabin on the Plancius, leaving very shortly from USH for Antarctica-the rub? It was on charter to a chinese tour group,so we would be the only non-Chinese pax onboard,second, no balcony cabins available and thirdly(the clincher), shared bathrooms. So we declined their offer-back to the drawing board.....
A little while later they called back-if we didn't mind getting to Punta Arenas, they could get us on Silverseas Explorer, leaving in 2 days time from PA for Antarctica-we snapped their hands off at this offer-and started to plan how to get to Punta Arenas.
Now my other half enjoys a road trip, so we looked at renting a car-no dice, they wouldn't allow us to leave a hire car in Chile. Next? Take a bus..problem was,bus office is closed,and nobody can tell us when it will open. Meanwhile, we are in the Aerolineas office,cancelling the tickets we had purchased yesterday, as the Silverseas ship docks 2 days later than the flight, but on the upside, Silverseas had chartered an aircraft from LAN to return us all to AEP after the cruise, and their was space for us on it.
Whilst queueing in the AR office, our travel agents call, with news that if we want it, Ponant have reserved flights for us USH-EZE-night stop-EZE-SCL-PUQ.....but flight departs in 90 minutes! A mad dash ensues, back to the Alto Andino,to grab our bags, via a stop at an outdoors shop to purchase boots,as the boots we had originally hired for Le Soleal would no longer be available to us. Hurtle to USH again and board the Aerolineas A340 back up to EZE.
Phew! Exhausted yet?
We head on up to the 2nd floor and have a lovely room, with separate kitchen and lounge-next we have a quick continental breakfast...view from restaurant gives a panoramic of Ushuaia.....port and all...
We have a stroll around Ushuaia, and decide to have a nap before dinner, pre booked at Kaupe 6 months earlier. After a couple of hours sleep, I hear my mobile ringing, and get out of bed to answer it. I can't begin to describe my feelings upon answering the phone- it was our travel agent back in the UK calling with the news that the cruise ship we were booked to travel on, Le Soleal had hit rocks in Punta Arenas and was being taken out of service for dry dock inspection-so cruise cancelled! The poor lady was as distraught at having to break this news to us, as we were at receiving it. I hung up, stunned, and we looked at each other- what now??
The agents had the news of the cancellation from Ponant at 4.30pm UK time, so were getting ready to shut up shop for the evening, but promised they would be in early the next morning to sort things out for us. We hoped so, as we only had 1 night booked at the hotel in USH.
A very subdued dinner at Kaupe followed,which in any other circumstance would have been wonderful, but we were so depressed at the thought of possibly having to return home that we didn't really do it justice. A cold walk back to the hotel, and a fairly sleepless night wondering what the following day would bring.
True to their word, our agent was on the case first thing,checking out options. Ponant had done some work to see what other cruises were available to us, and first offered us a cabin on the Plancius, leaving very shortly from USH for Antarctica-the rub? It was on charter to a chinese tour group,so we would be the only non-Chinese pax onboard,second, no balcony cabins available and thirdly(the clincher), shared bathrooms. So we declined their offer-back to the drawing board.....
A little while later they called back-if we didn't mind getting to Punta Arenas, they could get us on Silverseas Explorer, leaving in 2 days time from PA for Antarctica-we snapped their hands off at this offer-and started to plan how to get to Punta Arenas.
Now my other half enjoys a road trip, so we looked at renting a car-no dice, they wouldn't allow us to leave a hire car in Chile. Next? Take a bus..problem was,bus office is closed,and nobody can tell us when it will open. Meanwhile, we are in the Aerolineas office,cancelling the tickets we had purchased yesterday, as the Silverseas ship docks 2 days later than the flight, but on the upside, Silverseas had chartered an aircraft from LAN to return us all to AEP after the cruise, and their was space for us on it.
Whilst queueing in the AR office, our travel agents call, with news that if we want it, Ponant have reserved flights for us USH-EZE-night stop-EZE-SCL-PUQ.....but flight departs in 90 minutes! A mad dash ensues, back to the Alto Andino,to grab our bags, via a stop at an outdoors shop to purchase boots,as the boots we had originally hired for Le Soleal would no longer be available to us. Hurtle to USH again and board the Aerolineas A340 back up to EZE.
Phew! Exhausted yet?
Dec 12, 2014, 10:50 am
#42
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LGW.
Programs: Cunard WorldClub-Gold,Silverseas Venetian society,Alitalia Mille miglia,SPG,Fairmont,IHG.
Posts: 733
So, had a 3.5 hour flt on an ageing Aerolineas A340 ( at least we had emergency exit seats, and chatted to the very pleasant cabin staff seated there), again, no catering other than the ubiquitous choccie biscuit/crackers combo!
Landed late in EZE, to find a chap employed by Ponant waiting for us- Jorge whisked us to the Intercontinental, where a room had been reserved at Ponants expense. We partook in a room service supper as the last 2 days had tired/stressed us out!
Next morning, a phone call from Ponants agents letting us know a car will pick us up at 11am to head back to EZE, for a long day EZE-SCL-PUQ. You the can guess the drill, more LAN A320s, with thing but biscuit/cracker combo to sustain us! A long,long day,arriving in PUQ after 11pm.
Ponants agents met us there, and broke the good and bad news- the only suitable hotel was full, so they were planning on accomodating us on Le Soleal overnight-so at least we get to see her!
Our numbers had swelled to around 8 of us, and we were taken through to the ship (after being shaken down by port security, who wanted some foreign currency for his "coin collection"!), we were greeted dockside by the Hotel manager, and escorted to our cabins- as we were only there for the night, and as a token of apologies, we were accomodated in the suites on the top deck-beautiful.
They had laid on a cold supper in our cabins, meats/pates/cheeses etc,and a pot of tea-Earl Grey of course! Le Soleal is a stunner, very chic, very sleek, and totally spotless.
Next morning after breakfast we had the opportunity for a look around....some pics...
Lobby
Bar and library areas....
After breakfast and tour of the ship we were taken on a tour of Punta Arenas..
Dec 12, 2014, 1:56 pm
#44
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Posts: 733
Dec 13, 2014, 3:40 pm
#45
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Posts: 733
So, a tour of Punta Arenas, the museum and a cemetary.Nice statue in tribute to Magellan in the town.
Soon it was time to board Silver Explorer, after filing in a quick medical form we were welcomed onboard with a glass of fizz, and had our photos taken for our cabin keys. Being refugees from Ponant we had no idea what our cabins would be like,luckily we were allocated a balcony-or veranda in Silverseas parlance!
In fairly short order our butler arrived to introduce himself, and to check what we would like in the mini bar. A quick tour of the ship followed by a buffet lunch, then the mandatory lifeboat drill.
[IMG]
[/IMG]
Silver Explorer and the poorly Le Soleal , Punta Arenas.
So, off we set, for the Chilean fjords, the Garibaldi glacier-and the deadly Drake!
The small, but well stocked library/internet centre.
The bar.......and our first tantalising view of the ice!
The garibaldi glacier.
Soon it was time to board Silver Explorer, after filing in a quick medical form we were welcomed onboard with a glass of fizz, and had our photos taken for our cabin keys. Being refugees from Ponant we had no idea what our cabins would be like,luckily we were allocated a balcony-or veranda in Silverseas parlance!
In fairly short order our butler arrived to introduce himself, and to check what we would like in the mini bar. A quick tour of the ship followed by a buffet lunch, then the mandatory lifeboat drill.
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[/IMG]Silver Explorer and the poorly Le Soleal , Punta Arenas.
So, off we set, for the Chilean fjords, the Garibaldi glacier-and the deadly Drake!
The small, but well stocked library/internet centre.
The bar.......and our first tantalising view of the ice!
The garibaldi glacier.