jpalbny

There have been hairdryers in our staterooms, on both Le Bellot and Le Laperouse, so I would assume they'd be in Le Jacques Cartier. Those small explorer ships are beautiful so enjoy! When are you doing the Broome-Darwin trip? We are on Silver Cloud (Darwin-Broome) June 9-19 so maybe we'll pass by you at some point!

Jeff, you thought correctly! I've already marked it in my Google Maps and we may try to get there in December either on the way to (or home from) Helsinki. Looks great!

Don't kick her off the boat yet, Lois - she still has 12 days to go.

It was a reference to the 1980s fad here in the US. Bartles and Jaymes Wine Coolers. Those of us who grew up in that era remember them well...or not so well?

Sounds good! Just don't call it the "Bartles and Jeff" Silversea Wine Cooler...

Grüner Veltliner is a nice match with Schnitzel of any type!

NOOOO! 😱 We don't either! Can we take up a collection to keep you on board? 💰

We both need this shirt!

@turtlemichael, THIS is the map for you! Oz is front and center! North/South is completely arbitrary, so this map is just as valid as the ones we're used to. But it makes me dizzy just looking at it! And I don't recommend that @mysty puts it in her stateroom. That could make her seasick.

When you take another WC like that, I'll buy it for you for Christmas!

Is that coffee? What happened to the complimentary wine?

It's quite apropos that I put dinner in the oven a while ago. And I am settling down with a pre-dinner glass of wine, and this is the first thread I opened. I am usually an ABC wine drinker but on occasion I will have chardonnay if it's only mildly oaked and doesn't have malolactic fermentation. That wine is a totally different animal from the heavy buttery chardonnays (which I don't really care for either). So as I sit here sipping my Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Chardonnay from the Dundee Hills, I'm enjoying the thought of how it's going to pair with some oven-roasted chicken legs basted with a sauce of of lemon juice and honey. Every wine has its place. And this one is opening my palate and making me very hungry!

Mysty, you need a Pacific-centered map for this voyage! No crossing from one side to the other.

LOL... Hey, wait a minute. I work for the government. I hope you're saying that I have no influence? 😉

That looks like a very interesting itinerary - out of your stops we have only been to Copenhagen, Dublin, Orkney, and Lerwick. Your itinerary looks to be more about landscapes and small villages rather than wildlife per se. I agree that you'll see lots of birds. The Neolithic sites on both Orkney and the Shetlands are interesting to visit as well. We did a DIY tour via rental car on Orkney which made for a very enjoyable day. Weather is always unpredictable from year to year but I would not expect it to feel like a warm summer. You'll get lots of daylight but cloud cover, wind, and exposure to the North Atlantic may all combine in varying degrees to make it chilly at times. If I were packing for this itinerary I'd probably bring a pair of shorts, more long pants, and plenty of layers. I'd expect to need a light jacket more days than not. I just looked at my photos from Orkney in August 2014, and despite relatively sunny skies we were both wearing long pants and a light jacket. June is not likely to be warmer than that. Depending on the wind direction, though, your balcony could be very pleasant. The best combination would be a clear day when the sun is shining on your balcony, and the wind is hitting the other side of the ship so you're sheltered on the leeward side. Have a great trip, and make sure you post some pictures!