ULTIMATE WORLD CRUISE (Not Even Close Live Blog & Only Segment) JAN 05-23

[Curt From Canada]

Quick background … we are on Serenade right now (we have done the Drake Crossing twice now). We are “segmenters” so we will be getting off in Santiago (on JAN 23). We have been cruising since 2006, so we are always looking for new parts of the world to visit. We can not envision spending too much time away from friends and family. Still, when the segments came out we jumped on the chance for this once in a lifetime experience. 

We booked an Oceanview for the Buenos Aires to Santiago leg, used Air2Sea to get a good price on our Toronto to Buenos Aires flight (plus the return from Santiago), AND won our Royal Up bid to a balcony (2 days before sailing). 

All of the updates will be in no order at all (get ready for a Tetris style information flow).  Questions are encouraged, but expect a delay (we may not have coverage every day, and we will not be monitoring this site when we are on the dance floor. )

We went to the Loyalty Celebration on JAN 10 (we normally do not go). The crew appreciation portion of the hour was new to us (back of house and front of house nominees and winners for DEC were introduced and celebrated). It was nice. 

Top Level Cruiser Numbers:

115 Pinnacles

300 D+

325 D

Only 1,600 passengers for this leg. 

Cruise Director (Joff) is quite good. He has a nice mix of comedy and fun done in a mostly “relaxed” manner (very appropriate for a World Cruise). The World Cruisers are gravitating to him quickly … he is a stabilizing part of the cruise. 

Falklands port day was “juggled” to get us to Antarctica and back before some very bad weather sets in. We still experienced a “Drake Shake” on the way down (All most 30 ft waves). The sea sickness bags appeared in the stairwells at 8:00AM on JAN 10.  More on the Drake later. 

Like @twangster said … “It is part of the experience” … so we are going in with a positive mindset and a “boatload” of Gravol 

The singers are excellent (all 5 of them … no weak links). We will make sure we see all of their shows. 

I’ll post some thoughts on most of the days, but (to be clear) this is a “not at all live blog” so replies will be very delayed (we do not have the WiFi package). 

Send questions … but expect delays. 

Curt from Canada

Partial Ultimate World Cruiser  

[Curt From Canada]

JAN 06

Late Seating is the MDR is the better time on this cruise. Dancing before dinner is abundant and the after dinner shows timing works out really well. 

Early Seating (in the MDR) is a zoo. The R BAR is packed by 5:00 (as dinner is at 5:30). Everyone has the drinks package and they want their pre-dinner drink.  No fist fights at the R BAR yet, but they still have 246 days. 

R BAR is empty by 5:40. Lots of room on the dance floor.  The bartenders have lots of time and they are much more relaxed. 

The classical guitarist is excellent. They are typically difficult to dance to, but not this one. We will strike up a conversation with him to “order up” some foxtrots and rumbas.

There is Stowaway Piano Player on board.  We have already had one “drive by” Swing dance (to Crocodile Rock), and we will actively seek him out. He takes requests.

There is a Strings Trio with relaxing classical music. They are quite good. We are debating if anything is “danceable”. We might have to dust off a very old waltz (we have not waltzed in years).  Clear the dance floor … this might get messy. 

It is still very early, but the theatre entrainment has been top tier so far. 2 shows and 2 .  Drawing on local talent will provide lots of options over the 274 days. RCL appears to be doing their homework. 

We have only had 3 days on board, but the Social Media personalities have been far less annoying than we anticipated. They are not hogging the dance floor nor being too distracting with “staged” recording. However, we have only had 2 days on board. Watch this space …

The pace (so far) has been very hectic. Afternoon naps are a must. Even the sea days are busy. 

Buenos Aires is a little scary. Lots of notifications of being careful about thieves and scams (from RC, locals and passengers). The Argentine economy is in very big trouble and it is very noticeable. We are glad that we paid for the RC excursions (and do not mind paying the premium).  We have heard of one stolen phone and one stolen purse from passengers just in Buenos Aires alone. 

Chops was empty on night 2 (only 4 other tables occupied in Chops over the 2 hours we were there). Very easy to get a window seat AND we got to watch a very tight and interesting sail away.  

As we left the Schooner Bar (after Chops Dinner) the sun was just setting. The pianist paused, looked out across the water at Buenos Aires skyline and switched to “Someone to Watchout over Me”.  After he finished, I asked him if he thought about playing “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me”.  He said that was his first thought, but it was a little “too cliche”. I think he made a great choice.  It was a beautiful, and tender moment (one that is easier, for some reason, to find on a cruise ship).  You have to be always looking for these moments, but you typically do not need to wait long. 

Do not spread this around (or the future segments will get totally booked). I am investigating future segments. D+ and tagging along on the UWC is (so far) a great deal. 
 

Curt from Canada

[Sweety]

Have a peaceful and relaxing cruise.

[LandstromCruise]

how fun! 

[Curt From Canada]

8 minutes ago, LandstromCruise said:

how fun! 

Yes … some differences versus the normal and Antarctica. 
 

without having to rob a bank. 
 

 

Curt from Canada 

[Curt From Canada]

JAN 07

A sea day (Day 3), we went to an Enrichment lecture (they have one every day … today they have two), ran to lunch, skipped a dance class on 70s dancing (this upsets us ), explored a little bit, got in our Espresso Nap, dressed for Formal night, “chased” dance music, ate in the MDR and watch the best Broadway review show at sea before crashing into bed. It really was non-stop.  We will try to take it easier today. 

Breakfast has been exactly the same as usual, and lunch has been very disappointing. I would say the MDR is very hit and miss. Which is exactly our experience on other ships. 

For Formal Night … My soulmate was, by far, the prettiest woman on the ship. The Formal Night really was a formal night. 80% of the passengers are in suits (and 30% of them are in tuxes/ballgowns/cocktail dresses). 

All of the bands (except the strings) are danceable. The “Caribbean” band is singing 50s, 60s and 70s music. The house band is very good and once early seating is finished the dance floor gets packed. 

The orchestra is a 9 piece and they are excellent. There are 5 principle singers and each one of them are as good or better than the best on other ships. They set a very high bar for the theatre entertainment. No dancers yet. We may be a dancer free zone for this segment. Watch this space …

I had my third Filet Mignon in 3 days (research ). The first night was the best Filet Mignon i have had at se), but it was an aberration … Chops was good, but it was just Chops. Second night MDR filet was good, but not outstanding. 

We love dancing with the Stowaway Piano Guy … best dances yet (in an odd venue, but we could care less). Dancing is possible in the Schooner Bar … longer story. We danced too much last night and we are really feeling old today. This might be a “maintenance”day. 

Curt from Canada 

[Curt From Canada]

Getting ready to lose the internet. I will only have coverage for a day or two more between now and the 23rd. I will get to as many of your questions as I can on those days and on the days after we return. 

This is a very different experience …

Curt from Canada

[Curt From Canada]

JAN 09

Patagonia 

This ended up being one of our favourite tours in a long time. The Welsh traditions are alive and well in a small enclave about 90 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean. 

This part of Argentina is very dry (it really is very close to a desert … similar to southern France). However, the river that runs through Patagonia has created an “oasis” for agriculture to thrive and the Welsh who settled there created an extensive canal system that turned the valley into a lush green environment that supports a large community. Once the railway came in (late 1800s to early 1900s), the community “blossomed”. The Welsh traditions thrived and are being actively supported to this day. The food is excellent and extremely well priced. The Welsh tea was a highlight (as a Welsh choir helped elevate the experience). We highly recommended the trip to Patagonia if you can. 
 

Curt from Canada

[Curt From Canada]

Last one before we enter the “dark zone” (no internet )

The Captain made a quick decision to visit Antarctica first before the Falklands. He has an excellent talk on how and why the decision was made.  Short course:  We need to race to Antarctica quickly to miss some terrible weather.  The theatre was packed for his talk. More importantly two of the questions allowed him to show his humorous side:  

When asked “Celebrity is slightly ahead of us on the way to Antarctica … are you coordinating the Drake Passage route decisions with them?”

Captain Stig replied:

“I don’t care what Celebrity is doing. And by the way, Celebrity took two tug boats to get in and out of Buenos Aires”

When asked “For those of us who are new to cruising, what is the safest and calmest place on the boat?”

Captain Stig replied:

“Madame this is not a boat. A boat is what you look for when the ship sinks.”

“The safest place is my cabin and the calmest place is deck 4 mid ship.”

 

[Curt From Canada]

JAN 12

We arrived in Antarctica quite early in the morning.  Captain Stig delivered!!! Lots to talk about with his course and itinerary change. He gave a brilliant and funny talk as we were entering the Drake Passage. 

AND Elon appears to have delivered too.  Starlink was 118 Down and 9 Up.  Geez … we are at the bottom of the world. 

The Drake Passage was rough (between 25ft to 30ft waves), but nothing really too bad. If you stayed mid ship, it was “drunken walk” time. The theatre was bad (right at the front of the ship), so I skipped an enrichment lecture, and laid down for a nap.  My soulmate felt no ill affects at all. They, obviously, cancelled the production show, and it was held the next night instead.  Deck 12 (the walking track) and Deck 5 (outside promenade) were closed for the entire passage  

Slept like a baby last night (and I do not sleep well typically).  The Drake rocked us all night long … (sounds like a song title from the early 70s ). 

The bars were not as busy yesterday (but it was still difficult to find a seat in the Centrum before the first seating). The dance floor was a little too difficult to manage … so we sat the night out. 

There was much anticipation for this … and, obviously, everyone is very excited. 
 

Curt from Canada

[Curt From Canada]

JAN 13

Sailing through the calm Antarctica waters was exhausting and serene. The icebergs were the highlight. So many different and stunning ones to photograph and the Antarctica Vistas played more of a “second fiddle” to the floating sculptures. 

For pictures it is best to check out @Twangster’s blog “Live from the Wind(s) of Antarctica”

I am thinking about adopting @Twangster 

 

Lots of whales and penguins. This resulted in multiple sprints between the port and starboard side. We spent a lot of time on our balcony (in between sprints). We spent a little bit of time on the helicopter deck … mandatory viewing for Canadians (cold, wet, sometimes snowy and always windy … a stark reminder of home). 

The Crown Lounge is busy for Happy Hour, but you can still find a seat (especially after first seating starts). It is opened to the Viking Crown Lounge (as it should be), and that is critical. With over 700 Diamond and above cruisers the C&A drink “vouchers” are also critical in controlling the Crown Lounge. The Concierge Lounge is not open to Pinnacles (there are 115 on this segment). The barricades have not gone up and the revolution seems to be on hold.  However, I will make sure to keep everyone in the loop. 

The entertainment is a level or two or three above what you see on normal Radiance Class ships. The orchestra is excellent and is a 9 piece. For one of the production shows they brought in 2 strings players for an 11 piece. It makes a big difference. All 5 principle singers would be the lead on other Radiance class ships. It maybe does not compare to Mama Mia or Hairspray, but it is very close. 

Certainly the number and quality of the bands around the ship compares favourably to any Royal ship. Due to the number and variety of styles it is probably the best we have seen.  To be a little more precise:

1). Classical Guitar Player:  A very creative and engaging guitar player. Some of it is danceable, all of it is extremely interesting and fun. This is not your normal classical guitar experience. 

2). Strings Trio: Normally in the Centrum (which can have music that starts just after lunch most days).  Very relaxing, very “classic cruise”, and very difficult to dance to  … still, a great place to have a drink to on decks 4 through 6. 

3). Caribbean Duo:  South of the equator they transformed into a 50s, 60s and 70s standards group. They might be the best band to dance to on the ship, except for:

4). Big Band Orchestra: All 9 members on the small Centrum stage for the Big Band Penguin Party. They were great and it was a blast.  We were having trouble getting room on the dance floor, and one of the principle singers whispered to us … “Get your elbows up and carve out some space” (professional advice executed by total amateurs that actually worked ).

5). 3 Different Piano Players in the Schooner Bar:  Tons of talent in the Schooner Bar throughout most of the day. Yes … there is a small dance floor for 2 there. You just have to use your imagination and depend upon the kindness of strangers to deviate from the normal aisle ways. 

6). Stowaway Piano Player:  He was here for the first few days and took our requests. We have not seen him since … I hope they did not catch him. 

7). House Band:  We have not seen enough of them, so it is difficult to tell. Given the 6 points above, we have not missed them. High praise for the level and number of entertainers that are all over this ship. 
 

Curt from Canada

[Curt From Canada]

Second Drake Crossing was as close to the “Lake” as we could expect. Less than 2 meter waves, and a barely noticeable sway to the ship. 

Yesterday’s visit to Elephant Island was very restful. Lots of whale and penguin watching. We saw a “double fluke” where two whales dove down side by side at the exact same time. That was a first for us. We found two great places for site seeing. The Viking Crown lounge (that was obvious), and the Schooner Bar (having live piano and guitar music made it even more relaxing … if you turn the chairs around, it is like you are the only people in the world watching Antarctica pass by … we enjoyed that the most.  Oh yes, the ice cold martinis helped.)

Dinner in the MDR continues to be good (better than most of our past cruises). 

We were only able to squeeze in one swing dance on the way to the Illusionist’s show. The number was quite fast and, we had lots of room on the dance floor, so it was an “oxygen required” swing number … only one or two of those per night are allowed (I have a doctor’s note ). 

No sign of the Stowaway Piano Player … We are becoming concerned for his safety.

The Illusionist was good, but better still due to how he engaged the audience. The show was late (due to a late departure from Elephant Island), therefore it was straight to bed after the show was done. 

Tomorrow is the Big Band Penguin Party Day. We will sleep in to make sure we do not miss the orchestra playing dance music. 
 

Curt from Canada

[WannaCruise]

Thanks for posting.  I find it fascinating hearing about your adventures and how they run the ship on a 9 month cruise.  I'm  enjoying following along.

I knew there were segments, but didn't realize they had segments that are just a few weeks long.

[Curt From Canada]

39 minutes ago, WannaCruise said:

Thanks for posting.  I find it fascinating hearing about your adventures and how they run the ship on a 9 month cruise.  I'm  enjoying following along.

I knew there were segments, but didn't realize they had segments that are just a few weeks long.

Let’s not tell too many people , but:

The segments when they came out were very, very low priced. The were a steal. We have stopped talking about prices, as it is a little bit of a sore spot on the ship. 
 

Currently, the prices have gone up, but they are still priced “OK”. The key jump is between an Oceanview to a Balcony (it was double for this cruise).  We made up this strategy by “mistake”:

1). We booked an Oceanview 3rd deck midship (we were OK with that)

2). We Royal Uped to a balcony with a slightly over minimum bid and had it accepted two days before sailing. We would have been fine with the Oceanview, but we all really are enjoying our Balcony 

… but don’t tell anyone

Happy “hunting”  

Curt from Canada

[WAAAYTOOO]

3 hours ago, Curt From Canada said:

The Concierge Lounge is not open to Pinnacles (there are 115 on this segment).

So NO Pinns are allowed in the Concierge Lounge (why in the WORLD have they not renamed this venue the Suites Lounge ?!?) - regardless of whether they are on the full voyage or how many C&A points they have ?

[Curt From Canada]

1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

So NO Pinns are allowed in the Concierge Lounge (why in the WORLD have they not renamed this venue the Suites Lounge ?!?) - regardless of whether they are on the full voyage or how many C&A points they have ?

Oh no … I have opened a can of worms. 
 

Not sure if UWC Pinns are allowed in the Concierge Lounge (it sure looks empty when I pass by) … I will try to find out tonight.  However, it is 100% certain that UWC Pinns have their breakfast in CHOPs. Regular everyday Pinns have a section of deck 5 MDR. 

LET THE GAMES BEGIN …

Curt from Canada

[Curt From Canada]

There are a number of little things (that are adding up) that they did for the UWC that were noticeable. In no particular order:

• New bedding.
• New linens.
• New bathrobes.
• An under closet night light that is on a motion sensor (I do not remember these on a Radiance class ship before).
• An in cabin refrigerator that works (it appears to have very low fridge type temperatures).
• A balcony door that works extremely well. Last cruise (on Oasis) it almost took two people to open and close. This balcony door requires 1 finger to easily open or close.
• New glassware (at least for martini glasses) … how we know they are new is the funny part.
• New library … stocked full of books. 

I am certain all of these improvements will not be as noticeable in 3-4 months, but for now it is difficult to miss. 

Curt from Canada

[Curt From Canada]

JAN 15

Sea days are a lot busier than we remember. Mostly, because there:

• Is much more live music around the ship as is normal.  On sea days music will start in the Centrum just after noon and go through until late in the evening
• Are many more Enrichment Lectures than usual 
• Are many more dance class and exercise classes 
• Are not too many theatre shows we want to skip. Most have been very good

Last night was Big Band Penguin Party night. The orchestra is perfect for that big band sound. We can not remember an on ship orchestra having 5 brass pieces. The sound in Centrum was big and the dance floor was over flowing. Lots of “penguins” on display (very funny penguins, but not necessarily the cute cuddly kind ). 

The theatre show was the exact Tango show that was on Radiance in May. It was great in May and great again. We can not get enough Tango, but understand how a third tango show in 11 days might be a little too much for some. 

Tonight is Piano Man (another show “borrowed” directly from the May cruise we took on Radiance). The lead vocalist is the same one from May and has hired on as a principle singer (1 of 5). It is unclear how many segments the 5 singer’s contract are. We loved Piano Man in May, so we will be early to the theatre tonight.

We will miss the Falkland Island port today (high winds have ruled out the tendering process that is required for Port Stanley).  Disappointing, but par for the course in this part of the world. We hope to get an afternoon nap as consolation.  We are exhausted. 
 

Curt from Canada

[Curt From Canada]

JAN 15

The Piano Man Show was slightly better than Radiance in May due to the strength of 5 excellent voices. The Piano Man was just as we remembered. A ton of fun. The orchestra continues to impress. They have  done a very good job of recruiting the talent for this cruise. 

The “Caribbean” band continues to be the furthest thing from the Caribbean. 50s, 60s and 70s standards (they know their audience).  We got in a good number of foxtrots, a couple of rumbas and a swing number before having to go to dinner. 

Tomorrow is Cape Horn. We will easily make it there before 6PM planned arrival. The captain thinks it could be as early as 2PM. This will be our third visit to the Drake Passage. No hints yet as to what we will get. 

Curt from Canada

[Curt From Canada]

We had a very calm night, with just a slight roll, has this has led to an excellent nights sleep. 

Today we treated ourselves to the “Taste of Royal”. It was good (some of the dishes were excellent). We chose not to take the wine pairing. 5 drinks each per day is more than enough. 

We met Captain Stig on our morning walk. He had come out on deck to check that the weather was as good as it appeared on the bridge instruments. It was very overcast, but very little wind and hardly any waves. I guess we finally got our “Drake Lake”.  He liked my jacket I got in Norway at the Northern Cape (71 deg N) … thé town of Honningsvag is close to his home town in Norway.  The captain was very surprised at the calm seas. He said it will be overcast, but a good opportunity to see the Cape. 

Cape Horn was very nice. It was as calm as predicted and very easy to see the lighthouse and the monument.  We did get there early … allowing us to have a nap before dancing, dinner and the show. 

If you are sailing East to West to view Cape Horn, consider a port balcony. The Schooner Bar is an excellent Starboard side viewing location (that not too many people use). Instead of running between the port and starboard sides on Deck 11 and 12, we ran between our room, the Schooner Bar, and back to our room.  We hope our Canadian passports are not revoked due to us avoiding the cold and damp weather we were born into. 

Curt from Canada

[SweetPea]

I have to admit (embarrassingly so) that the "9 month cruise drama" currently popular on social media has taken up about 17% of my free time for the past couple of weeks. It's like a train wreck that i cannot bring myself to stop watching! 

You'd never know you were on the same cruise as these people. I feel like i should start commenting on their posts with the link to your blog. That would be fun (for me).

Thanks for your sane blog. Looking forward to the rest!

Also, did you guys take dance lessons?

 

 

[Curt From Canada]

6 hours ago, SweetPea said:

I have to admit (embarrassingly so) that the "9 month cruise drama" currently popular on social media has taken up about 17% of my free time for the past couple of weeks. It's like a train wreck that i cannot bring myself to stop watching! 

You'd never know you were on the same cruise as these people. I feel like i should start commenting on their posts with the link to your blog. That would be fun (for me).

Thanks for your sane blog. Looking forward to the rest!

Also, did you guys take dance lessons?

 

 

I am way behind on updates. We are home (but getting to and from South America was incredibly exhausting). I am missing updates on the last 6 days. Sometime this week I will put a “bow” on the updates and be able to answer any questions retrospectively. 
 

However, your two questions are excellent ones … quickly (oops, I just saw how non-quickly the thoughts are below):

Social Media:

The majority of the social media folks are really doing a “job”. We did not notice them everyday, but when we came across them they were in one of two modes … Planning their next “shoot” or in the middle of their “shoot”. I am sure they were having fun, (and potentially writing off the cruise as an expense ), but they were at work. For a number of them it seemed to be their job. We also did not see the work that has to go into “post production”. Unless the “camera was on” they were just normal people. They did tend to spend a lot of time together, but I like spending time with Engineers, Teachers, Medical Professionals, and Executives … so I think we are normally attracted to people who share our passions (sorry for the tangent ).

i have seen some of their material pre-cruise as a part of studying for cruise. We are experienced cruisers, but we knew the UWC would be different. With a few exceptions, they are like a “Friends” episode.  I enjoyed watching Friends when I was younger (the versions I watched were not recorded ). It was entertainment that I knew was not real, but acted, written and directed by some very talented people. So (for the most part), the social media material is not real, not well acted/written/directed, and totally devoid of the smallest amount of “depth” that shows like Friends explored.  Still, there is something comforting about a blended Scotch by a fire (rather than the 15 year old MacAllan that I really, really want ).  Social media is what it is … a diversion. 
 

However, to be clear, it is not a very accurate representation of the Buenos Aires to Santiago leg.  We were never even close to being in danger at sea.  Some of the food was good, but some was not good at all (hit & miss as usual). The dance floor in the videos was rarely the dance floor we were on (they seemed to wait until everyone had left to get their “footage” … which was nice, I guess). 
 

However, some them are capturing the exceptional beauty we saw (I still think @twangster does it much better).

I have tried to describe the experience for those who are interested (and to what I consider a very sophisticated cruising audience). I hope I can wrap that up soon. 
 

Maybe don’t send them the link … I am not sure I want to end up in their next episode … “Canadians are mean”

Dancing:

”Hello, I’m Curt from Canada and I’m a Dance-aholic”.

We only ended up getting to 2 classes (I think they had 6 in total on this leg). Experienced cruisers know how busy it is (even on sea days) and we had multiple conflicts. 
 

However, there was a lot of dance music in the Centrum (with a very spacious floor). The Caribbean Duo transformed into a 50s, 60s, 70s group as they crossed the equator. They were lots of fun.  There was even a chance to dance in the Schooner Bar (try to find that dance floor ) and the colony club. Lastly, we were invited on stage (with others) to dance with the Tango group that were the Headliners that night.  We did not mess up, so that was a relief. 
 

We had lots of opportunities to Foxtrot, Rumba and Swing our way around the ship. 
 

More to come …

Curt from Canada

[Curt From Canada]

On 1/19/2024 at 11:12 AM, WAAAYTOOO said:

So NO Pinns are allowed in the Concierge Lounge (why in the WORLD have they not renamed this venue the Suites Lounge ?!?) - regardless of whether they are on the full voyage or how many C&A points they have ?

Update from the investigating done during the 18 segement:

1). UWC Pinns can use the Concierge Lounge anytime. It still looks virtually empty every time I am on the way to the Crown Lounge. I think I saw 5-7 people once. All the other times … empty

2). Regular “normal” Pinns are in the Crown Lounge. Once you meet them they are a blast. Obviously the Crown Lounge opened up into the Viking Crown Lounge is the place to be. Still, if there was no voucher system it would not work. 
 

Curt from Canada

[WAAAYTOOO]

Thanks, Curt.  This is what I thought was the case.

[Curt From Canada]

Trying to get caught up and then wrap up this terribly disjointed Antarctica recap. Remember we were on the Ultimate World Cruise (freeloader edition) … the price will forever be held as a secret.  

Ushuaia was our next spot and it was another highlight. 

Spending two days at « Fin del Mundo » (End of the World) was not enough. The overnight was great, but we could have spent another day or two there. It had a lot of things to do and not enough time to do them all. 

We did not do our homework on Ushuaia. I assumed it would be a sleepy little town that was the jumping off point for many Antarctica cruises. It definitely was the start for many cruise ships (we saw 7 different expedition ships) using the port in the 2 days we were there. However, there were other things to like about the port:

• Since it is in the Beagle Channel you can do lots of exploration by catamaran (and there are lots of them).  We explored the lighthouse, National Park, some wildlife hangouts (cormorants, sea lions, albatross, penguins, etc) and a number of « End of the World » sites .
• The penguins sanctuary was particularly interesting. The catamaran beached within feet of the penguins. We could not get off the vessel, but the penguins were very close and easy to see. 
• We only saw a fraction of the National park. Given how different the topography was, more time was definitely required. 
• Given how many places claimed to be the « End of the World », we were unsure when we were actually there. However, I think we were well covered with 3 sites we visited .
• Both tours took 7 hours, so we did not see the town at all. Like I said, 1 or 2 more days would be required. 

Sail away through the Beagle channel was spectacular.  We saw glaciers during sail away and the next day as well. 

There are very few glaciers that come close to the Hubbard Glacier in Alaska. We have seen it twice and it is a must see. We have also flown on to the Mendenhall Glacier and drank from the crystal clear waters. Still, southern Argentina and Chile have some of the most beautiful glaciers we have ever seen. Even more amazing was the sheer number of them. Glacier, after glacier … after glacier. Many more seen in 2 days than the 15 days we spent cruising in Alaska.  I will try to post some pictures when I get on to the big computer.  Glacier watching at “Fin del Mundo” was spectacular.  If you get the chance do not miss this. 

Just a few more sea days to get caught up on, before I wrap up. 

Curt from Canada

[Curt From Canada]

All taken in and around Ushuaia 
 

[asquared17]

THAT RAINBOW THOUGH