From Sussex to Antarctica-a bucket list item ticked!
Nov 14, 2014, 1:24 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LGW.
Programs: Cunard WorldClub-Gold,Silverseas Venetian society,Alitalia Mille miglia,SPG,Fairmont,IHG.
Posts: 733
From Sussex to Antarctica-a bucket list item ticked!
First attempt at a trip report here,so go easy on me! Tomorrow,we'll be starting a trip that is one of my husbands bucket list items. We did one of mine for my 50th birthday earlier this year, with a trip to the Zulu battlefields at Isandlwana-so it's his turn now! We will be flying LGW-FCO in BA C class,then FCO-EZE in Alitalia Magnifica. Couple of nights in BUE Sheraton, before flying down to USH on Lan, then boarding Le Soleal of Ponant lines for a 10 day trip around Antarctica.
Today I need to finish packing,and ensure the kids are all sorted at home,hope you enjoy reading what's to come.
Today I need to finish packing,and ensure the kids are all sorted at home,hope you enjoy reading what's to come.
Nov 14, 2014, 10:02 am
#3
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LGW.
Programs: Cunard WorldClub-Gold,Silverseas Venetian society,Alitalia Mille miglia,SPG,Fairmont,IHG.
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Thanks LM225, I will do my best,but I believe WiFi can be spotty onboard the ship. Last minute packing here-husband yet to start! It's a challenge though,because of the temperature difference between BUE and USH! Also last minute dramas with stroppy teenagers wanting to bunk off school,and the other quitting his job last night...Looks like our place is set to be party central while we are away-gulp! All checked in for BA and AZ, 2D and F on BA, 2D and H on AZ...being ex BA staff,it'll be interesting to see how AZ do it..now just keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow mornings forecast fog for LGW doesn't disrupt things too much.
Nov 14, 2014, 10:51 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 1,782
Have a great trip. I hear it's amazing. Would love to hear about the service and food on the ship. I'm sure wifi will be awful and besides you should be enjoying your cruise and not worrying about uploading your pictures etc...
Nov 17, 2014, 2:50 pm
#7
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Location: LGW.
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Ha,you spoke too soon Skipcool! Found out today LAN have cans their flight,and can offer no alternative! Couldn't get them on the phone so had to shlep up to Aeroparque ticket desk,and ended up buying new tickets at vast expense on Aerolineas....
Nov 18, 2014, 1:04 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: LGW.
Programs: Cunard WorldClub-Gold,Silverseas Venetian society,Alitalia Mille miglia,SPG,Fairmont,IHG.
Posts: 733
The disaster has happened.
Le Soleal has hit a submerged item,and our cruise was cancelled 3 hours after arriving in USH! Currently trying to figure out what to do,hotel cannot accommodate us after tonight, need to reach Alitalia to reschedule flights home. Just devastated.
Le Soleal has hit a submerged item,and our cruise was cancelled 3 hours after arriving in USH! Currently trying to figure out what to do,hotel cannot accommodate us after tonight, need to reach Alitalia to reschedule flights home. Just devastated.
Nov 18, 2014, 1:10 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: UA--no longer 2P as of 3/2012 and don't even care. Never thought I'd say that.
Posts: 781
The disaster has happened.
Le Soleal has hit a submerged item,and our cruise was cancelled 3 hours after arriving in USH! Currently trying to figure out what to do,hotel cannot accommodate us after tonight, need to reach Alitalia to reschedule flights home. Just devastated.
Le Soleal has hit a submerged item,and our cruise was cancelled 3 hours after arriving in USH! Currently trying to figure out what to do,hotel cannot accommodate us after tonight, need to reach Alitalia to reschedule flights home. Just devastated.
Nov 19, 2014, 5:21 am
#11
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Location: LGW.
Programs: Cunard WorldClub-Gold,Silverseas Venetian society,Alitalia Mille miglia,SPG,Fairmont,IHG.
Posts: 733
Might yet be salvageable, travel agents has booked us on Silver seas at Ponant expense,but we have to get to Punts Arenas to join ship- that means only one thing....road trip!
Nov 19, 2014, 9:36 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2010
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Nov 19, 2014, 7:16 pm
#13
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,199
The disaster has happened.
Le Soleal has hit a submerged item,and our cruise was cancelled 3 hours after arriving in USH! Currently trying to figure out what to do,hotel cannot accommodate us after tonight, need to reach Alitalia to reschedule flights home. Just devastated.
Le Soleal has hit a submerged item,and our cruise was cancelled 3 hours after arriving in USH! Currently trying to figure out what to do,hotel cannot accommodate us after tonight, need to reach Alitalia to reschedule flights home. Just devastated.
Nov 19, 2014, 7:40 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NYC/PSP
Programs: AA EXP, A3 Gold
Posts: 4,103
What an ordeal! I'm on the sister ship L'Astral to Antarctica next year. Hope it all works out in the end. Silverseas is a higher end cruise line so maybe this is the equivalent of a battlefield upgrade. Congrats! 
Nov 20, 2014, 3:05 am
#15
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Status update- couldn't do that road trip from USH to Punta Arenas as no one would rent us a car one way to Chile. Standing in the Aerolineas office in USH and our travel agents called with the offer of flights USH-EZE-SCL-PUQ,but we had to be at USH in 30mins! Mad dash back to hotel to collect bags,stopping to buy waterproof boots on the way,we both ended up with boots 3 sizes too big as that was all they had!
So we arrived back in EZE after a first trip on an A340, and today will be traveling EZE-SCL-PUQ.Exhausted just thinking about it- flights of almost 3000 miles just to travel less than 400! Better half even tried to rent an aircraft to fly ourselves up to PUQ,but that had to go in the "too difficult" box...
Hiddy- ever been to SCL? We. Only have 2 hours transfer there...baggage worries?
Stay tuned for further updates...
So we arrived back in EZE after a first trip on an A340, and today will be traveling EZE-SCL-PUQ.Exhausted just thinking about it- flights of almost 3000 miles just to travel less than 400! Better half even tried to rent an aircraft to fly ourselves up to PUQ,but that had to go in the "too difficult" box...
Hiddy- ever been to SCL? We. Only have 2 hours transfer there...baggage worries?
Stay tuned for further updates...