cruiseej

Yes, there's a terminal building large enough to hold everyone. I don't remember much about it but you can Google "Kangerlussuaq airport" and click on images to see a few photos of it. Interestingly, this airport, which is the primary international gateway airport for Greenland, is slated to close to most commercial air traffic sometime next year because part of the runway keeps sinking into permafrost which is melting due to global warming. It was originally built by the US military, and was located up a long fjord where there is less wind and fog than along the coast. Work is underway to more than double the size of the runway in Nuuk, Greenland's capital, so it will be able to handle international jets by 2024. In addition to not having a long enough runway for large planes, the Reykjavik city airport doesn't have the facilities to handle large international flights. It's almost certain the charter flights will be to/from Keflavik.

Ah, I remember this gallery! One of the few shops we found in Nuuk. We bought a nice glass serving plate here which brings smiles to our face every time we pull it out. 🙂

We flew out of Kangerlussuaq back to Iceland after a Silversea cruise a few years ago, and the charter plane was a 767 (which was not very full)!

No, it is not theater. Wearing masks was originally promoted as a way to help you from infecting other people. As the science has evolved, and the virus as mutated, the reason for wearing masks now is primarily to protect yourself. It's by no means a 100% get-out-of-jail-free iron-clad prevention, but worn properly ,masks can significantly reduce your chances of catching the virus from someone else who is shedding it.

Just curious: how far before your cruise did you receive the Blacklane link? We don't sail until December, but I'd like to be aware roughly how far in advance I should expect to receive the information. Thanks.

So for your enjoyment, the crew should remove their masks, even if it puts them at somewhat greater risk of falling ill, being forced off duty and being restricted to their cabins? Yes we can all wish Covid away, but the reality is that it's still with us. Passengers post complaints when service isn't up to expectations because crew members are sidelined and they are short-handed, yet passengers complain when crew members wear masks to improve their odds of staying healthy? We know that masks do not create immunity from Covid — but masks do create some additional protection. While we would love to see the smiling faces of the crew at all times, how can we put that above hoping they remain healthy cruise after cruise after cruise?

So they booked their own air, and then were upset Silversea didn't meet them for transport to the hotel? Why would they have expected that? And they feel it's Silversea's fault for the lack of porters at the airport? I think all comments about food, service, entertainment, and staff aboard are valid and fair, as are comparisons with Regent. But complaints about inadequate airport staffing and transfers not included in the cruise just seem odd to hold against Silversea.

I agree with @worldtraveller99. In the early days of Covid vaccines, vaccinated people were less likely to get the virus and transmit it to others — so it made solid sense to try to limit ships to only vaccinated passengers. But as the virus has changed over the past two years, the vaccine no longer prevents people from catching the virus or transmitting it. (Or it does so only slightly.) The primary reason for being vaccinated against the current strains of the virus is for your own safety — keeping symptoms minor or non-existent, rather than life-threatening, for most people. When we decided to go on our first post-Covid cruise last summer, it was in large part because of the reassurance we felt that the cruise line required every passenger and crew member to be vaccinated. On that first cruise, we were surprised to feel freer and safer than we had at home going to stores or restaurants. And we definitely would not have gone on that cruise had the cruise line not had a vaccination requirement. Now, more than a year later, whether all passengers are vaccinated or not seems to make no significant difference to us as passengers; we're just as likely to catch the virus from someone who is vaccinated as unvaccinated. I think there's a greater risk for the cruise line, because someone unvaccinated who gets Covid runs a much greater risk of falling seriously ill or requiring hospitalization; I guess they figure they can offload such passengers relatively quickly without adversely impacting other passengers and crew onboard. Thus the upside to the cruise line of being able to get anti-vax customers to book cruises again is greater than the risk of having seriously ill passengers who need to be offloaded.

Our first SS cruise with included Blacklane transfers is coming up, so I'd appreciate clarification about the vouchers. Do you make one reservation and enter two different voucher numbers, one for each person, on that reservation. Or do you actually have to make two bookings, one for each person, and figure they'll somehow match them up and only send one car?

Why would bags fly separately? This isn't like a bus from the ship to an airport. How many planes do you think they charter, one for people and one for luggage? 😉

Too bad the Moon and Spirit aren't near each other so they could do a transfer of provisions. We were once on a Regent cruise and our ship was apparently running out of caviar; we did a rendezvous with another Regent ship passing in the opposite direction, and there was a ceremonial transfer of caviar via zodiac from one ship to the other, with lots of horn tooting and people cheering from the upper decks; it was amusing. And we had caviar for the next reception, thank goodness. 😉

Just don't expect Sarah Brightman or someone of similar stature on your cruise! But you can count on the live band plus the trip of singers and dancers, plus the trio, plus the piano player to provide plenty of entertainment on your cruise.

We visited the same village of Aappilattoq, and several others, on a Silversea expedition cruise a few years ago. Yes, the cruise company works with the locals to arrange for the visit. They weren't startled to see 200 passengers romping around their town. I guess it happens just often enough that it's not a novelty to them. They're an isolated village, but its not as if it's the outback of Australia. 😉 Kids were playing soccer/football, people were talking on cell phones, the men in the church choir look virtually identical to the picture I have from our visit in 2018!

Can't blame the CDC; the cruise lines and individual countries are making their own rules.

For our December cruise on Wind, the hotel in Santiago is still not indicated. Here's what it shows in My Silversea on the Details page: Perhaps passengers in upper tier suites get an elevated hotel, and that's the Ritz, while others get the "Simply" hotel, which may or may not be the MO? For Punta Arenas for the Endeavour cruises, the SS website shows the Hotel Cabo de Hornos. So do you fly to Santiago, stay overnight, fly to Punta Arenas the next day, stay overnight, and then fly to Antarctica the next day? I didn't realize there were two overnight stays before flying to King George Island to board the ship.

I think it's pretty clear if you dive into the website and find the obscure section on dress code. "Evening attire falls into three categories: casual, informal and formal… Appropriate formal evening wear for gentlemen [is to] wear tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits. Tie is required. On formal nights, guests may dine in La Terrazza and choose to dress informal; jackets for gentlemen (tie optional). This option also applies to Seishin and Stars on board Silver Spirit. Dining at The Grill is optional casual all nights." So, strictly by the book: yes, it's quite clear he needs a tux or dark suit on formal nights, unless you choose to dine in La Terrazza, Seishin or The Grill (or have room service) on those formal nights. BUT… based on what many cruisers report from onboard, if he is wearing a sport jacket and tie, he won't be sent away; I think a minority of passengers may feel he's not following the rules, and a majority passengers won't care at all.

As noted, Seabourn has a live band for its production shows, which definitely beats performances with a pre-recorded soundtrack. (The singers and dancers are employed and trained by a separate company, Belinda King Creative Productions.) These aren't Broadway quality on ships as small as the Seabourn fleet, but we've found them generally quite good. And the production shows rotate, so they aren't the same ones one back-to-back cruises. Even on a 7-day voyage, they have guest entertainers, typically on at least 2 nights, which include musicians, comedians and magicians — most of whom have been pretty good. I'm hoping that whatever changes SS will be rolling out will match if not exceed the entertainment Seabourn offers.

For those who want SS to enforce the dress code and who get upset at those passengers who don't adhere to the dress code, I'd suggest that the animus should be directed at SS for not clearly stating the rules for dress code on its ships. (Although I've noted this in prior posts, since posters here tell us some in SS management do read Cruise Critic, at the risk of repetition, let me explain what SS does say, and what SS doesn't say, to inform passengers.) The problem starts with the fact that there is no place on the SS website which describes a "dress code". In fact, a search of the entire SS website turns up only one instance of the words "dress code": in the description of The Grill, it states "Dress code: Casual. Casual wear consists of pants, blouses or casual dresses for women; open-neck shirts and slacks for men are appropriate." Strangely, none of the other restaurants have a comparable "dress code" section. I know that most regular posters here know what the SS dress code is — but if you haven't actually looked for it on the website any time recently, it might be eye-opening to see how obtuse this information actually is. What we all refer to here as the "dress code" is buried on the SS website on the "General Cruise Information and Guidelines" page. On that page, looking for "dress code" will be unsuccessful, but you will find it if you click on the 13th heading, which is un-intuitively labeled "Packing your cruise luggage". After six paragraphs about actual luggage issues, it gets around to discussing what we call the "dress code". But the sub-heading there is called "Clothing Suggestions – Shipboard Attire". It then describes the three categories of evening attire. It starts with casual evenings, describing what is "appropriate". It follows with informal evenings describing what people "usually wear". It concludes with "appropriate formal evening wear for ladies…and gentlemen". The use of the language "suggestions for attire," "appropriate," and "usually wear" do not convey the existence of a firm dress code which everyone must follow. Oddly, the word "required" appears only three times. One is for a tie being required on formal nights. The second is that a jacket, but not formal attire, is required on 7 day sailings in the Baltic, Mediterranean and Alaska formal nights. The third is for a jacket being required after dinner, in a poorly-worded paragraph which one has to do some parsing to discern it applies to formal nights in all public areas of the ship. (If one dines without a jacket at The Grill, which is optional casual all nights, it's not clear how one is supposed to walk about the ship to return to one's room if a jacket is required in "any and all public spaces". Star Trek transporter? Hall pass from the maitre d'? 😉) So I feel people who feel strongly that SS should maintain its dress code should lobby SS to actually spell out the dress code more clearly on its website. Yes, I know some people actually know the attire SS aims for, but decide to do otherwise because they feel the rules don't apply to them — especially if the "rules" are described as "suggestions for attire". If the dress code isn't clearly stated and easy to find, it's unfair to be upset at people who don't know them or don't choose to follow the "suggestions." And CC threads on dress codes will go on forever. It would be easy to re-write the dress code section of the web site to use the term "dress code" or "rules for attire onboard". Words like "code" or "rules" are necessary if the intent is not for this to be optional or up to each passenger's discretion. And it can't be buried in a section about packing luggage. While they're re-writing this section, it would also help if they addressed the dress code for expedition ships — something which is not mentioned at all currently. And to update restaurant information so the dress code doesn't refer to optional informal dress at "Stars on board Silver Spirit" — a restaurant which doesn't even exist. If SS believes its dress code is part of the cruise line's appeal to passengers, then they need to make it clear so everyone knows and plays by the same rules. If SS believes making the dress code explicit and clear might drive potential passengers away, then they need to make formal dress optional to pull in those customers. Currently, it seems they're trying to have it both ways by muddying the waters — and that only raises the ire of their customers (both those who want formal attire retained and enforced and those who would prefer more relaxed evening attire) and regularly puts their onboard staff in uncomfortable positions.

Caviar in the Surf is usually at Carambola (St. Kitts). It might be somewhere else if they weren't able to book it for the date you'll be there, but it usually is. Jost van Dyke is a great day to go to the beach, if you're so inclined. If they offer an excursion or transport to the beach in White Bay, spending a few hours on the beautiful and quiet beach there, do it! From an excursion on a Regent cruise years ago, we have great memories of having a cold beer and some jerk chicken at the Soggy Dollar Bar and sitting on the beach looking out over the tranquil water.

This sounds like great news; I guess we'll all need to wait to see how we'll it works in practice. Connected to the low-earth orbiting Starlink satellites should provide much faster Internet traffic, but I suppose it depends how much bandwidth — how big a pipe — they will purchase. (News story link here.) I hope Silversea will put out a press release announcing when the various ships are getting this technology.

We're going there mid-December. Silversea still won't say what hotel they are using — in either My Silversea or in response to a query from our travel agent. It seems inexplicable that they can't/won't say, because they undoubtedly have blocks of rooms reserved prior to their cruise dates. Maybe they do this to try to get passengers to book their extra nights through them? We were going to book an extra night on our own, guessing that it was the Mandarin Oriental; booking through SS was close to $100 more. But then I discovered that booking through SS, they waive the flight deviation charge and they include a transfer from airport to hotel — so it worked out to be less expensive to book the extra night through SS. (If you're not using SS air, that doesn't apply.)

I've read that the Venice port authorities expect to have increased capacity at the Marghera industrial port by next year. They were expecting to be able to handle about 200 ships this year, down from 565 calls in Venice in 2019. From Seatrade Cruise News, they had this earlier this year: "Together with the second temporary landing area at Intermodal Terminal Venice (Lombardy dock) in Marghera Commercial Port – where infrastructure works are estimated to conclude at the end of the month – and Fusina ferry terminal, two other landing sites with passenger terminals will be established at Marghera Commercial Port in 2023 and 2026 to support the redevelopment of cruise activities in Venice Lagoon." I haven't seen any details published yet about 2023, but I think more cruises will start/end in Venice next year than this year due to added capacity at the various Marghera docks.

What is the point of a photo of a home test?? There's no way to authenticate that it was a test on the passenger(s), nor when it was done. I've generally objected to those who have called testing or masking "theater", as I feel they serve a purpose — but this? I can't see how it achieves a goal. For passengers who have chosen not to get vaccinated after all this time, why would anyone think they will now be rigorous in swabbing properly and documenting each individual's test results? This is where online monitored exams have been helpful. But unmonitored test results seem worthless to me in trying to maximize safety for the passengers and crew.

Aside from what the cruise line's legal responsibilities are or are not, the simple fact is that the cruise line may or may not be able to get you to somewhere to join your cruise in a reasonable time. Two quick examples: Someone earlier this summer was going on a 7-day Alaska cruise. Their flight was canceled. No one — from the airline to the cruise line to the passenger — was able to come up with any flight on any airline in the following two days. The best they could have done was a a flight to an intermediate port stop missing three days of a 7 day cruise. It wasn't worth it, so they canceled the cruise and rebooked for a later date. You're booked on a cruise to a remote area, such as Antarctica. Your flight to South America is canceled and there are no available seats until one or two days later. Depending on the connection with the charter flight to southern Chile or Argentina, there may be no way to get you to the ship before it embarks to Antarctica. And there's no intermediate port to get you aboard a day or two late. The point is: the cruise line's air department will try to get you to the ship in time to sail, or to a subsequent port to meet the ship a day or two or three hence — but there's no guarantee they'll be able to do so. In this era of reduced flights, mostly full flights, and limited availability to rebook passengers when a flight is canceled, the cruise line air department is at the mercy of what's available. (Of course, the same it true if you book air on your own.) Thinking that the cruise line air department will get you there, no matter what, is wrong.

Cruise lines have been removing, not adding, conditions for travel. I think it's unlikely at this point that any would require a fifth booster. Perhaps some will have different rules for things like pre-cruise testing for those who are unvaccinated versus those who are vaccinated or vaccinated + boosted, although the logic of such a distinction escapes me.