Planning an Antarctic expedition type cruise

[RooFlyer]

OK. Getting down to the nitty gritty here. Really appreciating the guidance! Here are the relevant deck plans grey is Classic Veranda (forward), green is Deluxe veranda, midship. Only difference is position, and Deluxe is $5K more.

Available cabins under consideration are:

Classic: 518, 521, 616, 617
Deluxe: 530, 533, 634, 635

Given that I'm likely to be susceptible to sea-sickness, but not knowing how stable the thing will be, is it worth $5K to move further midships, by the amounts available? ie distance 530 to 521 is the minimum amount of gain.

Which cabin would you choose from the above?

Also much difference in deck 5 & 6 besides stability? Deck 5 maybe more noise from below???

 

[VPS]

I don't get seasick so it may be difficult for me to comment but I'd say if you're going to get seasick moving a few cabins away probably isn't going to help that much (especially $5k much) I'd be going 616 or 617. I like higher because you get better views.

 

[drron]

Deck 5 marginally better for those that get seasick. Cabin 521 is only a short distance to the more expensive cabins and any difference in sea sickness is marginal.

Also with Silversea they have announced there will be no more port to port fares from the end of this month. We have had to pay door to door prices for upcoming cruises but turn down included air,pre cruise hotel and private transfers which get you reasonably close to the port to port fares.

 

[Pushka]

Deck 5 marginally better for those that get seasick. Cabin 521 is only a short distance to the more expensive cabins and any difference in sea sickness is marginal.

Also with Silversea they have announced there will be no more port to port fares from the end of this month. We have had to pay door to door prices for upcoming cruises but turn down included air,pre cruise hotel and private transfers which get you reasonably close to the port to port fares.

Agree. I don't get seasick but MrP has but not usually. So 521 for us.

 

[tgh]

616 or 617 would be my choice.. height helps when watching the passing ice parade.
The difference in the movement across all the option cabins would be negligible IMO..tho I don't get sick easily these days
Port or Stb ?? especially in the lower cabins you don't want to be looking at the wharf.. but of course the ship will mostly be at sea or at anchor.
Cruise critic ( or the vanilla flavoured SS site on FB) is useful for questions like which side does the ship dock and whats best to see on which side.

 

[Port Power]

Deck 5 marginally better for those that get seasick. Cabin 521 is only a short distance to the more expensive cabins and any difference in sea sickness is marginal.

Also with Silversea they have announced there will be no more port to port fares from the end of this month. We have had to pay door to door prices for upcoming cruises but turn down included air,pre cruise hotel and private transfers which get you reasonably close to the port to port fares.

I totally agree with this. The short distance between 521 and 530 is not worth $5,000. 521 is also above another cabin. My guess is that there are senior crew cabins further along on deck 4.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks again. I'd certainly go 521 except just realised the 'laundrette' is almost underneath it. That doesn't sound like the ship's 'big' laundry, does it? That would be intolerable for noise for me (I've a delicate flower!). So just the guest's maybe? If yes, how much do pax do their own laundry? And at night?

 

[VPS]

I think that would be the passenger's laundrette and if my cruise was any indication people were there all hours of the day and night. I doubt you'd hear but not sure

 

[Port Power]

Thanks again. I'd certainly go 521 except just realised the 'laundrette' is almost underneath it. That doesn't sound like the ship's 'big' laundry, does it? That would be intolerable for noise for me (I've a delicate flower!). So just the guest's maybe? If yes, how much do pax do their own laundry? And at night?

The passenger laundrette is across the passage, so not below 521. It won't have any effect on cabin 521 at all. There are usually operating hours and closed at night in any case.

 

[zig]

The passenger laundrette is across the passage, so not below 521. It won't have any effect on cabin 521 at all. There are usually operating hours and closed at night in any case.

Yes, it is a guest laundry and is closed at night. Generally open from about 8am.

 

[tgh]

closed at night… ??

Our recollection across a few ss ships is that the laundry was not closed until latish..10 or 11 as we recall.
We have used the laundry quite a bit.. swmbo finds the chat interesting and I have been teased for my independence when pressing a shirt ….

 

[Pushka]

AFF is more informative than CC

 

[zig]

closed at night… ??

Our recollection across a few ss ships is that the laundry was not closed until latish..10 or 11 as we recall.
We have used the laundry quite a bit.. swmbo finds the chat interesting and I have been teased for my independence when pressing a shirt ….

From my recollection it closes about 9ish, but perhaps it is a bit later. Either way it isn't a 24 hour operation.
I'm very sure that noise can't be heard even on Deck 4, let alone Deck 5 which @RooFlyer is considering. I think some on CC have said even suites right next to the laundrette aren't affected by noise.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

- zodiac Vs kayak Vs hiking so my impression is that they would be alternatives, not all do-able, or maybe choose 2 out of 3 morning/afternoon.

Anyway, I'll be in the zodiacs/landings most of the time, but a few hikes might be useful.

I have only been on the one SS Expedition trip (not the Antarctic) which I greatly enjoyed. However, I am both a very keen hiker and sea-kayaker and so tried to go on every such activity I could.

On many days both would be at the same time resulting in myself having to choose one over the other. However some destinations were not suited to a sea kayaking trip and so were not run.

While the number of kayaks were limited, the number of people wanting to sea kayak was even more limited and so I could always go if I wanted to.

The sea-kayaking was weather dependent as sea conditions and wind strength could prevent the kayaking. So some kayaking sessions did not occur.

The hikes were not at all cancelled and some days were in heavy to torrential rain. So I was glad that I had full rain gear. Still had a great time.


With the zodiacs, their first priority was always shuttling passengers back and forth for landings. So if the port was one where a lot of people went ashore via them, then the recreational zodiac trips (ie birdwatching, entering sea caves, coastal run and the like) may be reduced or not run at all.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I think some on CC have said even suites right next to the laundrette aren't affected by noise.

The SS I was on the laundry was not too far from us and it generated no appreciable noise.

 

[drron]

We have a passenger laundrette across the hall from us and you never hear anything. Though sometimes scantily clad passengers emerge from it.

 

[RooFlyer]

On many days both would be at the same time resulting in myself having to choose one over the other. However some destinations were not suited to a sea kayaking trip and so were not run.

So alternatives, not all available; that's what I was thinking, thanks.

All this is much more informative than most of the CC threads I have read

 

[Pushka]

So alternatives, not all available; that's what I was thinking, thanks.

All this is much more informative than most of the CC threads I have read

Yes it will be and there won't be any questions like 'can I use USD in [insert relevant non US country]

 

[k_sheep]

Ah to have the luxury of cabin choice The main reason we went with Ponant (after Scenic cancelled multiple times then jacked up the price 3x) was they actually have triple cabins so we've gone that way so a long time friend can come with us - she was very dirty at us booking Scenic which was only doubles and well out of her price range

3 in a cabin will be cozy, but we've done a HiAce camper in Tasmania for 2 weeks so reckon we'll manage! We are in cabin 305 of Le Lyrial if anyone had inside word - but we get no choice, so just tell me it's good, and we'll bring earplugs!!

 

[RooFlyer]

521 had received the go, and deposit paid. Thanks to all for input - much appreciated.

@tgh , if there are icebergs etc to see, I'll be up on the observation decks, like a rat up a drainpipe!