twangster

At least you get Sky Class drinks in the lounge from 11am to 11pm on select ships.  Not so all ships. 

Another makes-no-sense approach to the Royal Suite class program.    

During this exhibition I also dislike the folks that insist on waving their napkins in the air flinging whatever morsels of food from dinner are on them to all the neighboring tables.  

Please don't.

The luggage drop off was pretty evident every time I've sailed there but the key to sailing out of Seattle is getting an early check in time.  If you don't secure an early check in time then go late.  Midday is mad house for check in.  

On 1/5/2024 at 8:26 AM, FionaMG said:

Did you find you preferred one direction over the other?

Not really.  Both are memorable.  

I'd more likely consider the departure and arrival ports as it relates to flights and hotel stays versus doing the canal in a specific direction.

A quick word about the complimentary parka.  

This worked quite well for me.  It is a two part design with an inner bubble style jacket that zips into the red waterproof outer shell.  I didn't keep mine zippered into the shell, I simply put on the shell over the jacket.

Sizing for me was perfect. I am typically a large ski jacket and this large fit well.  I generally wore a long sleeve t-shirt and the Silversea parka on all excursions and I was never cold.

The shell did a great job.  Despite being splashed often on zodiac rides I was never wet inside.  

This morning while waiting to debark I stopped at the photo studio to inquire if I could post the video from the ship's videographer Justin Duncan.  

They indicated it was okay to post the video but suggested I remove any segments that show a guest's face that would be easily recognizable.  I have done that and also removed the sound track which would likely cause a copyright issue on Youtube.

This video contains content that was all captured during this voyage.  There was no stock footage used or content from another ship or sailing.

No sound:

Thirty minute stop in Punta Arenas to refuel and pick up some cargo.

It's five o'clock somewhere.

Meal service was decent all things considered.

Beautiful views of Patagonia this morning.

So many glaciers.

We've made it to Punta Arenas to refuel so while we wait I'll continue to post.

The short ride to the airport.

They held us on the bus while the aircraft before us taxied out to the runway.  Then it was time to walk up to the tarmac to our awaiting plane. 

Row 11 has an excellent view... of the engines.

Our plane.

I have the row on my side to myself again.  

With flaps extended my view was somewhat obstructed.

Shortly after 6am the first group was called.

Busses waiting for the short ride to the airport.

A final farewell from the crew.

It occurs to me the airport can't handle all four aircraft at the same time.  My plane hasn't landed yet.

A final look back at the Silver Wind.

An earlier group prepares to take off.

Early morning here in Puerto Williams but the weather has cleared and it's too beautiful of a morning to let it uncaptured.

Day Nineteen - Debark

Chronicle:

6 JAN - DEBARK - Puerto Williams.pdf

A great last dinner with new friends before one last photo op.

The Cloud still hanging out with us but off the pier now.

The video contained content all captured during this cruise.  It was amazing and one of items I love about expedition cruising on Silversea.  
 

A USB drive with the video will be left in the cabin during dinner service.

It's nearly 5pm on board and we are gathered in the Show Lounge for our final recap briefing and a video presentation of our voyage.

Final position report:

With that we have arrived at Puerto Williams.

The Silver Cloud at the pier.

I assume the Captain has a very big credit card.  Our fuel barge.

Looks like the Cloud is doing crew laundry. 

I'll have to look up this vessel later.  More notions of Shackelton swirling in my head.

Right in front of me a whale did a full breach.  It was magnificent.  All I caught with my camera was the splash.  This was less than two miles from Puerto Williams.

Final 360 camera selfies.

Here are some photos from the channel near Puerto Williams.  We departed in darkness so we missed this on day one.  It's very pretty.

You can't park there.

Somewhere off in the distance in this vicinity was Cape Horn.

Land ahead of us.

Looking back to the Drake Passage.

Chilean Dolphins.

We've reached the pilot station for Puerto Williams.  New ETA to Puerto Williams is now 3:30pm.

These fur seals seemed to be just goofing around with each other.

Noon update:

We've come full circle or nearly so.

My boarding pass for the charter flight back to Santiago was dropped off this morning.  Window seat on the left side.

My luggage is packed and I made it under the 23 kg weight limit.

I have done Northbound and Southbound transits of the Panama Canal. 

There is no forward or backwards to the canal.  It has always operated in both directions.  

Day 18 Chronicle:

5 JAN - At Sea and Puerto Williams Chile.pdf

Day Eighteen - Drake Passage and Puerto Williams

Position report:

Balcony observations:

The seas have settled considerably and most of the ship's motion is gone.