Catlover54

I am not keen on the idea of having "fewer choices" on the menu, as the list is small enough as it is (since SB has small ships) and around a third or more would likely be vegetarian, even further limiting choice to those who want meat options. I do agree with "quality and consistency", but this can be reasonably well done using a variety of frozen base ingredients and targeted spices IF the cooks are properly trained. I live near a gourmet mecca, and many wonderful upscale restaurants have 10 or more main course options which consistently come out beautifully. BUT they are not mom and pop outfits, they have proper well-trained staff, and they pay key people very well (SB may not want to do that). The list of entree options on SB, IMHO, should/could be expanded rather than reduced, though I realize that is not likely to happen. I didn't expect much on our recent Pursuit cruise to Antarctica etc. and overall I was pleasantly surprised. Some people complained about the general lack of spiciness in the food , but were still happy enough, since such a trip (and many others) are mostly about itinerary. It still took three weeks for me to shed the *fat* (not fluid) weight I gained on the trip, so I was clearly happy (admittedly some of that gain was due to the wonderful crispy baguette bread and butter available breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

Earlier this month after a 21-day Pursuit cruise our charter arrived a bit after 2 PM. But timing varies, so it is not guaranteed, e.g., not that long ago some charters had arrived late morning after an early morning departure from Ushuia. Because as already noted return flights to the U.S. don't leave until late evening, and we didn't want to risk dealing with sitting around at an airport for many hours after already having a long morning getting up early to fly in the uncomfortable charter, and then have two long flights to get back home to the west coast, we decided to break things up and book the closest decent hotel to the airport with good Internet and stay the night and most of the next day (i.e., we paid for two nights so we could stay through early evening) .We then headed for the airport early evening the next day. The hotel closest to EZE airport is the Holiday Inn (7 miles away, and they have a shuttle), which is pretty cheap and surprisingly comfortable: quiet, AC, great BBQ restaurant with an excellent Argentinian wine list, a spa and gym, good Internet, and friendly staff. We spent the time decompressing, sorting photos, and catching up on issues back home, and had less time we had to spend at the airport the next day after which we had to fly EZE-JFK and then JFK-SFO. BTW we flew American, and the business lounge at EZE was so packed that when we arrived we got the last two seats (there was no separate first class lounge for F customers like a few airports have), so we were happy we didn't have to sit there for 7 hours plus. Another reason that swayed us to fly back the day after arriving in EZE was that we had done our own airfare, and flying back on a Tuesday instead of a Wednesday, with the routes we chose, saved us $1800 (e.g., booking business and then upgrading to F on a discounted offer), way more than the cost of the Holiday Inn. We'd thought about going back into BA from the Holiday Inn with an Uber (40 minutes one way) if we got bored and doing another tango show and dinner, but we were very comfortable at the Holiday Inn, and we had spent a week in BA before the cruise and didn't feel compelled to go. I had read a lot about the long time for check-in and security processing that often happens at EZE but learned that will depend on your class of service on the airline (if you fly F -- not just bz but F -- you can use "Fast Pass", which had no wait at all). The day of the week may also matter (we flew back to the U.S. on a Tuesday evening, so even the business/economy lines I saw where people were waiting didn't look that bad that evening). Note that after immigration and security there is another brief security at the gate when you board -- on outbounds to the U.S. (not sure about flights to Europe) staff rummages through your handbag and carryon and will take away any liquids you have, even if you just bought them at the airport in stores past security, quite unusual -- but you *can* pick up duty-free liquids).

If not already done, you need to have a medical work-up for *why* your feet feel intermittently, e.g., like on cruisess, "numb", e.g., if they are truly numb per se and not painful. You may need a workup for neuropathy causes (which has a broad differential, and your doc (not a nurse running a computer algorithm) should do a full history and physical to narrow down the cause of what is objectively going on, then treat the cause directly if possible. Ideally, treating the cause is better than just empirically smearing on mag lotion (though mag taken systemically in pill form has a lot of potential benefits, including muscle and blood vessel relaxation, and vasodilation,and it can help cramping and muscle strength more than neuropathy and "numbness" per se , but lotion typically delivers a much smaller amount). Different mag lotions and creams provide different amounts, but are not FDA approved for anything due to lack of controlled trials. Often the lotions are mixed with other "feel good" and smell good substances that do most of the work, especially since there is about a 30% placebo effect with any kind of lotion or cream people may use. I have had a personal and professional interest in magnesium for many years, for various reasons, and take it in pill form every day for various benefits specific to my health (that are documented in controlled trials), but "numbness" is not a reason. Lotions and creams with mag I have tried for leg aches have not done anything for my symptoms that pills don't do. Check with your doc about your symptoms, and have a great cruise!

Fletcher, thank you for all your efforts on this blog. I am sorry you've likely decided not to post blogs anymore, but the upside is that now that you've decided not to do so, you won't have to bother following through on your previously expressed plan to change your user photo to avoid being recognized by fellow cruisers :). I've followed your blogs off and on for several years, primarily due to the interesting photographs you post, but also because I appreciate that you speak frankly about things that annoy you and do not sugarcoat things just to be 'nice'. In the past I got hooked primarily because many of your photos were creatively edited in such a way that they looked more like paintings than photos, and simply took my breath away. I also love your sense of the absurd, even though it sometimes borders on curmudgeonliness. You have previously given excellent advice (directly and indirectly) about what places are especially good for people interested in photography, as DH is. For example, you were absolutely right that on a trip to Antarctica, one should if possible definitely include South Georgia on the voyage (as we recently did on the wonderful Seabourn Pursuit, where I blogged at the same time you were on the early part of this trip on SS ). Your suggestions about what excursions in the Caribbean are best for photographers also helped us plan our trips. And last but not least, a few years ago when I asked which English country estate near London would be a good place not just for luxury service, but also interesting photography, you suggested Gravetye Manor. DH and I have had absolutely magical experiences (and great photos) at Gravetye, thanks to your recommendations to go there. We hope to go back in a few months when one of our scheduled cruises ends in Southampton. DH and I have each been to various parts of Asia long ago, and for various reasons (some of which would not apply to most cruisers), the more we read on CC, the less interest we have in returning. Your detailed blog further reinforces our decision not to go, even though I'm confident DH would be able to shoot at least a few (if not a lot) of interesting photos there. Thanks again for your unique efforts, but please do reconsider your likely decision not to blog anymore. If it would help you change your mind, I for one can promise that if you do cruise and live blog again, and you happen to be on the same ship as DH and I, we will not out you even if we recognize you, we will not show any of our sagging flesh at the pool, we will put all plans for potential plastic surgery on hold, and neither of us will wear glittery clingy dresses on formal night.

". . . . any guide to ensure a seamless experience?. . . ." I never count on a "seamless" experience when I travel these days , and that way I'm pleasantly surprised when things go well :). In recent years, with the overall decline in travel services and the increase in unreliability of information given to travelers by all too often understaffed and underinformed corporate call centers, especially about flights and ground connections, I try and maintain as much control of things as I can (i.e., I book my own flights). Cruise companies, including SB, have too often disappointed me in the past (though SB is overall usually reliable). I also like to avoid sweating the small stuff when I'm paying well into five figures for a trip. So when DH and I I arrived at EZE on a recent trip, I just paid about $50 out of pocket for an Ueber on the credit card after we had gotten all our luggage (getting luggage took about 45 minutes after landing) and then when we were all ready with our loaded carts, we just had a 10 minute wait for an Uber . That way I was in control, instead of worrying about whether or not a ride supposedly pre-arranged by a cruise company or travel agent would actually show up on time when I'm very tired with sore muscles after a long, long trip from SFO to EZE, and via the noise of MIA and its overcrowded business lounges (which is perhaps how you are also flying, since you live in Paradise, presumably the one in northern CA). And the last thing I want at such a time is to wait around, much less for a potential "group" transfer. DH and I recently flew into EZE a week before we were officially scheduled to join the SB group at the Alvear Palace Hotel the day before the charter to Ushuia for a SB Pursuit cruise. We hadn't booked the extra hotel days through SB because extra days were cheaper by using an online booking company. That also gave us the option of using a different hotel if we wanted to for the extra days (e.g., to avoid "exorbitant rates"), which we did at first with a cancellable rate, but then switched to an independent Alvear Palace booking when the rates went down significantly closer to our arrival date). But ultimately we loved the facilities and service at the Alvear Palace, and think it was a good choice for SB for their one "free" day, and for us for our prior extra days (though we booked those online). I communicated with guest services electronically ahead of time to make sure we could stay in the same room we got for the "extra" days, and for the SB date. But if you stick with the SB arranged transfer at EZE to your hotel (since you're far enough along right now you probably don't want to change, and it's supposed to be included ), just keep in mind that if they no-show, absent some special city-wide event, you will have the option of an easy and affordable Uber ride from EZE. Regular taxis also stand there ready to pick up people, but then it gets more complicated than Uber with negotiating a rate, a payment amount , payment method and tipping (you can't put a tip on a credit card even if they take credit cards -- but they are usually pretty happy to take a tip in prized US Dollars if you haven't gotten any Argentinian pesos yet). Have a wonderful trip! Buenos Aires is fascinating, and at least on the Pursuit, SB did a wonderful job.

Did you hand luggage go in the Zodiac you were on, or did you have to let it out of your sight to go on another Zodiac, i.e., one for luggage only (be it hand luggage or other)?

". . . .The acres of decrepitude and cosmetic surgery on display provided a whole evening’s macabre entertainment. . . . ." But think of how much "decrepitude" you would have had to witness *without* any cosmetic surgery, especially on those who had surgeries that were so well-done, you could not tell they had surgery! I remember on prior blogs you have written expressing disgust about the sagging skin and of senior cruisers who dared present themselves in bathing attire at the pool on SS. I agree that witnessing the reality of aging can be disturbing (especially to those who do not look at it every day). ". . . . .as did the outfits. Well, just look at you! Some ladies in their clinging, shimmering numbers would have made Divine and Danny LaRue feel quite plain-looking. . . . ." I had to look up LaRue. Let's just say that having spent quite a few years living in San Francisco, LaRue's style was relatively plain, Liberace did a better job, IMHO, and many of the SS ladies do even better. I think it's great fun to watch and enjoy, even though I'm not one to participate. On my last solo SS cruise an inebriated Brit in a group of gentlemen friends verbally jumped all over me in the elevator on formal night because they did not like the color of the handbag I was holding (it was bright red). The dynamic was interesting. ". . . .Meanwhile, outside the horrorshow of Atlantide there was La Dame which soldiers on in its own hilarious time warp. I put my head in. Just five tables taken. It had the atmosphere of a morgue. . . ." Since this was formal night, my guess is perhaps most guests opted for Atlantide because they thought they'd get a higher quality menu that night, but without the upcharge of La Dame. Or perhaps La Dame is always mostly empty on your cruise? On my last SS cruise, I loved the "time warp" because the venue played classical music instead of annoying pop, guests were nicely dressed, the food was excellent, and the service was perfect, i.e., it was truly old-fashioned fine dining. It's being half empty kept it nice and quiet, so one could participate in conversation . Hopefully those parts haven't changed!

Any updates on the charter experiences to/from Greenland to/from Iceland since the last posts ? DH and I just took the plunge and booked a Venture cruise for later this year ("Wild Labrador Coast") which starts in Reykjavik with a night in the Parliament Hotel (so SB is using a new hotel for the one night pre-cruise -- but we'll be flying into Rekjavik well before that last night even though it will be our second trip to Iceland). Then comes a two-hour * charter* to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (unknown airline, pitch, recline, or seating status is described in the booking so I assume the worst), then a *school bus transfer* to the ship, then *boarding via Zodiac*. The cruise ends in St. John's, Newfoundland so we won't have to deal with the charter a second time. The upside is that the one charter flight we will have to endure is only 2 hours, and we each get to bring 2x23 kg (or 50 lb) bags plus carryon plus personal item. We can still cancel before May with only a small administrative fee, but we had such a surprisingly wonderful 5/5 experience on the Pursuit recently that we will just put up with it to get the SB expedition ship experience again. The only thing I'm unclear on if you embark via Zodiak (which I've never done) is how they handle your critical personal items which you can't let out of your sight (e.g., bags full of meds, medical equipment, and camera stuff), when you have to board the ship via a Zodiak (and likely in bad weather). Has anyone embarked on a SB ship via Zodiak before who can shed light on how it works with hand luggage?

". . . . I’m irritated by the music the ship constantly pumps into all public spaces, even the library and observation lounge on Deck 12 where I am writing this. . . ." This is sadly a common occurrence even on what are supposed to be luxury cruises, and I hate it. It's as if managements fears that if there is no pumped in pop, a few people will start complaining that the ship seems "dead", rather than appreciating that without music, one is more likely to be able to appreciate the sounds of the sea, and thought. Ask the hotel manager on this cruise if they could eliminate it at least in the library, so people have a choice and don't feel that to have peace from the noise pollution, they have to retreat to their suite because there isn't a single quiet venue. Also note it in your overall review post-cruise, and I encourage others who don't like it to do the same. Maybe headquarters will then understand that SS pax are typically not the same as those on Royal Caribbean.

Per my post #8 (a picture of the laundry list from our recent Pursuit cruise and pricing for all items), it is now up to $65 per bag (for the 48 hour service)! But perhaps that was just higher because it was an expedition cruise. Though people paid well into 5 figures for the cruise, the laundry room was almost always very, very busy, and we were glad to be able to avoid it because we had free laundry. We had only a couple things that required special handling so we washed those in our sinks with Woolite (like merino wool, which you're ideally not supposed to machine wash/dry or even dry clean).

We've settled in back home, and have mostly recovered from the multiple flights. DH put together a little video from our prior South Georgia Island excursion to Grytviken, to show to friends, and I am sharing it here too. It is a combination of some video he took, and some I took from my iphone, plus some stills (I showed a couple stills earlier in the thread so there is a little overlap). It is set to Jim Brickman's piece "Glory". We were out with the earliest group that day which made it exceptionally nice because we mostly had the run of the place to ourselves to view and especially listen to the animals, check out the interesting historic machinery, the museum, and just pause to think, before more people started coming. There's one shot I especially like where a big seal's tail has the same rust color as the machinery. The seals have made themselves very much at home all over, under, and in between the rusting equipment, old boats, and chains from over a century ago. The bulls would verbally protest a little if we got too close to their harems, but in general the seals and king penguins didn't seem to be bothered much by our visit and just went about their business. It was my favorite excursion on this cruise (but there were many close seconds and thirds).

I would have given them another try, for dinner, because it was so conveniently located, if we'd stayed in BA longer than the week we did. The menu was huge. But we were exploring a lot of other BA areas including a boat trip out of town in the nearby Tigre Delta (with BTW an upscale al fresco lunch option on the water, coincidentally named Gato Blanco (white cat)) . We're such lightweight eaters that we can unfortunately only eat one bigger meal with wine per day without quickly gaining weight, and we knew very well that would predictably happen later, on the Pursuit cruise. 😞 We're hoping this will not have been our last trip to BA, in part so we can eat our way through more of the city, and go to some more of the many museums which we missed. I didn't even know about the mezzanine at Fervour.

DH and I went to Fervour last month with one of our guides whom we treated, for lunch, and it is a popular venue for the concierge at Alvear Palace to refer guests to. We liked comfortable seats, AC and service, though it was a bit dark inside. However, we found the food just so-so for the price. Meats and fish were grilled and presented just tasted too plain for us, borderline dry. There were fortunately some condiments served on the side, so we got the meat and fish down ok. We gave it a "B". Their appetizer empanadas were ok but not as good as at the Alvear Palace Hotel,where I got hooked on the ham/cheese empanadas in the bar. Of course this is all subjective, and we were only there once. There was only one toilet, unisex, for a restaurant that seats close to 50 (and serves alcohol), so when we were there and it was full, there was a bit of an impatient lineup at the door.

It was 0 C and 32 or so most of the our time in Antarctica this month (about 10 warmer in Falklands and South Georgia late December ), sometimes with wind and sleet or light snow. We wore merino wall underlayers and the thicker Holly Hansen trousers from the Headings website SB recommends. On top, on the colder days we wore a thin merino underlayer, then a second but bigger merino underlayer, then the SB jacket, beanie under the hood, and gloves (we brought thin ones that are compatible with touch screens, and thick ones, and if you have sensitive fingers, consider mittens instead). On the warmer days we skipped the upper middle layer and hood. When the sun came out, three layers would be too warm if one were walking uphill. I had brought a thinner pair of Holly Hansen pants just in case of more sunny active days but never wore them on excursions as the potentially really sunny days off ship didn't happen (they'd be good for around the ship for little bits out on the deck). As whogo noted, it gets very hot in all the layers, especially sitting around waiting for your group to be called, so usually when I had them on, I'd sit out on our balcony as long as I could to avoid overheating and then go down close to when I expected our group to be called. The Expedition lounge waiting area is heated to the same degree as the rest of the ship and has no balcony, so if you're dressed in full kit, you'll heat up sitting around the fireplace. The alternative is if you're not already dressed with everything and the life jacket, you will be slow getting ready to go to the boot room before boarding and will land up standing in a line to board and getting overheated there, and also be on a later Zodiac (which may or not matter, depending on conditions and preferences). Have a wonderful time!

Sorrento is a wonderful upscale, comfortable restaurant in the Porto Madero district with both indoor (air-conditioned) and outdoor dining, lunch and dinner . Their specialty is fish, but they also had extensive steak offerings. Service was excellent. One of our local guides took us there based on our interests and at lunch, there were mostly locals eating there, though they also had menus in English. The upscale steakhouse Grill at the Alvear Palace Hotel, which SB uses, was also quite good, and there were fish offerings. Their Argentinian wine list offers excellent wines (especially malbecs) at decent prices (no import tax).

I love this thread, more please! Your report (and other experience) has also sold DH on booking Image Masters next cruise.

Here is a sample dinner Restaurant menu (non-buffet). But as noted, you can also have special requests (like a mixed salad daily with a lean protein of chicken breast or fish). I

A Mediterranean diet such as you describe is more than doable: every day there were red apples and green or red grapes, sometimes bananas, sometimes kiwis, pears, watermelon, mango (there was more variety the first couple weeks than the last). You can order a fruit plate with each breakfast or meal and/or have the suite attendant bring you daily fresh fruit, or pick it up at the Colonnade. We had lots of frozen veggies accompanying our meats (you can ask for bigger portions) , tomatoes, brussel sprouts, spinach, carrots, and caesar salad with or without chicken or smoked salmon available daily. Some spinach salad. Meats available daily included beef and chicken, sometimes lamb (and you could ask for it more often), daily fish dishes (various) grilled or with a sauce. There were a couple basic hard, semi-hard, and soft cheeses you could get (not like on Hapag Lloyd), e.g., like cheddar, blue, parmeson, brie, liverot. Just avoid the cold cuts, hot dogs, pastas, and couple other things with white starch. The MD in the dining room/Colonnade will be happy to meet with you about your preferences, then they mark your record so you don't have to reeducate each and every waiter. DH and I looked for yoghurts specifically for "probiotic" content (if you do some dairy other than cheese), for a mild but annoying medical condition, but the MD checked and didn't have any. However, they had Greek yoghurt and a fruit (berry?) yoghurt that did the trick (though it was always the same).

I forgot to answer about the food offerings. There is a "Classics" menu of basics that is fixed throughout the cruise, most of which you can order in both venues or room service. The Restaurant has daily specials for appetizers and entrees (typically a meat, a fish, and a vegetarian or two for each category). I noticed those repeating themselves in ingredients (though sometimes with different names) after 10-14 days (not surprisingly, whatever the main entree was the day before became a form of casserole or hot dish with a fancy name the next day at lunch, or was worked into a soup -- their assorted cream of this or that vegetable soups are excellent). The breakfast menu is fixed throughout the cruise and has something for everyone (excellent Swedish pancakes, great American crispy bacon even at room service, crispy baguette, both salty and sweet butter -- the latter more at lunch than dinner). What I missed was good European style cold cuts (they had salami, prosciutoo, and a smoked shaggy brown thing I couldn't ID, maybe some of you know what it is). One day they had a great Jagdwurst style cold cut at room service but the maitre'D didn't know what it was, and I never saw it again at room service or buffet, it was always the same cuts and same cheeses except on special days at the buffets and room service. But we were ok wiith that (or would have gained even more weight just eating baguette with sweet butter and charcuterie). If you have special dietary needs, alert about them both before and during the cruise, they will take good care of you. You can also order (with 24 hours notice) a special dish for yourself, if they have ingredients on board, but I didn't do that (thought about it, but then what I wanted appeared on the menu the next day by coincidence!). We ordered off the Restaurant menu quite a bit for room service, during Restaurant hours, for the guaranteed view, peace, and musical choice, especially if we were too tired to dress up. . The main downside is the vast accumulation of dishes and covers, to keep food hot. They were quick coming, and quick picking up trays when we called. So yes, things repeat after a bit, and fruit choices were limited, but when you're that remote, and after the first week or so, due to overeating, people get less hungry as their set point fights them with an appetite reduction so it's harder to get excited about dishes then. I don't expect more remotely (BTW the gift shop has Pringles, if you feel a craving for junk, but no Snickers or Skittles, and they have excellent hot dog and ok hamburger, great fries -- sometimes you want plain food and not fancy). Beef cuts were uniformly nicely done (DH only had to send his back once due to being too rare), tender and tasty (better than on Silversa), and vegetables (fresh thawed) were flavorful most of the time.

These are the beers: BUDWEISER BECKS CORONA HEINEKEN SAMUEL ADAMS PERONI ALE LEFFE BLONDE BELGIUM NEWCASTLE BROWN ALE DARK GUINNESS PUB DRAFT LIGHT AMSTEL LIGHT MILLER LITE BUD LIGHT

There are one-inch about shoulder high thick bamboo poles that the expedition team members put out at landing sites (Moses staffs). You can help yourself to them after you get off on your landing. There was slight discouragement of taking them, or taking more than one, if you don't *really* need it, so as to have enough for everyone (especially for the older and frailer). We had brought our own Leki-style sticks just in case which worked better in the snow, especially if you put on little basket adapters at the ends, and/or if you want to have sticks independent of getting access after landings (some secured the ship's bamboo sticks before getting into the Zodiac so they could then use them to help themselves balance when getting out of the boat and walking to land). There are very good binoculars in the suites so you really don't need to bring your own. There is also a telescope in the educational Bow Lounge where team members often sit and are available for sessions with guests.

Yes, we saw quite a bit of inoffensive jeans after 6 on the Pursuit in Antarctica recently (one pair had stylish holes, but I wouldn't advise going out on deck wearing them in that part of the world, 1 degree C). Officially, "elegant jeans" are allowed, but in reality I never saw anyone turned away, even if wearing grey sweatpants and muddy sneakers to the Restaurant (just a few people did that). BTW, Hapag-Lloyd, the German luxury line, has the same "elegant casual" dress code, and for unclear reasons jeans with holes, as well as brightly colored jeans (e.g., red, lime green, and yellow) have been in style there for a number of years, the latter usually oddly worn by older gents in collared shirts (not a lot of T shirts to see there). But I like that most guests there wear more traditional attire, especially in the evenings. Overall, SB guests are dressed well enough for cruise enjoyment by almost everyone on board. I enjoy the fashion show, if there is one , but mostly I'm just looking at the scenery and analyzing my food.

DH and I wish you a fantastic cruise! If you think of other questions before you head out we'd be happy to answer them. On the Pursuit, SB made it pretty easy for non-veterans of SB to get comfortable. One thing I'd like to emphasize is that if something is not going well, or not to your liking, speak up early and say so (politely and nicely rather than demandingly), regardless of the venue, rather than waiting until after the cruise to complain, as they may be able to fix it for you. They may not realize it is a problem and "can do" to make it better. And then thank them after they fix it. The hotel manager was Stefan Drevlak (I'm not sure if he's staying on -- they have introductions about staff at the beginning and info on the TV), and he is accessible (door usually stood open and he sat behind his desk) , in case you're not sure whom to talk to or you're not satisfied with the Guest Services response at SB Square. SB Square (in person or on the phone) is the initial triage team, and all there are very good, but my favorite for various reasons was Vitaly). If you aren't already familiar with it, learn to use the SB Source app to complement your experience (download it ahead of time, and also use it on the TV) and the printed Herald. The TV also shows "photos of the day" of the prior days, by the photographer (we met a couple the last day who didn't know about that feature until then!). We often sat watching the photos as our en-suite entertainment (not that there is a lot of time for that, if you go to everything). Try not to miss the daily "expedition briefings" and if you do, watch the make-up recording in your suite or afterwards, they are very good about recording briefings and all talks except the "fireside" chats. I hope you and your family have a fantastic cruise and then post about your experience, if you have time!

We did not tip the expedition guides. It is a different situation from tipping individual tour guides in Buenos Aires. This is my opinion: They are well-paid (with benefits) professionals, almost all from "wealthy" first world countries, who are there because they love what they do despite long hours that are physically and mentally strenuous. They love sharing their knowledge, and sending their messages, be it about climate change, fascination with the courage of early explorers, or the beauty of geologic formations. Interestingly, most are childless (as one speaker noted on her chart, that 'helps reduce one's carbon footprint'). Some were/are even academics, or instructors at colleges and/or made their own small fortunes (with the retirement incomes that match). I think it might be insulting to "tip" them (though donating to causes and organizations they support, and the crew fund would be welcome), but that might just be me with my background and perspective ( I certainly wouldn't want to be "tipped" if I had voluntarily taken on such a job in my youth). Also, per the bios they are all college educated or more, and are employable at good wages wherever they may go after SB, and uniformly they absolutely love what they are doing. All have had other well-paying jobs. One of the guides has even climbed the highest peaks on 7 continents (that is not at all an inexpensive project). The best "tip" is, if they do a good job, thanking them personally and profusely, and submitting feedback to their superiors and SB. That is (I am told) the most rewarding. These are my opinions, but they come from guides on prior expedition trips (on other lines) I had spoken with. We did, however, donate to the crew fund raffle, and tipped our two outstanding suite attendants who went above and beyond, and who don't come from countries with huge social welfare support systems (i.e., what they earn and save is what they have for their families in reitrement). Though they mostly enjoy their jobs (some more than others, and all act as if they do), they are primarily there to earn money for family -- e.g., well-paying jobs in the Philipines are limited. Tipping is an individual choice and is not required or expected and has pros and cons I am well aware of (plus, I have an American passport, so I have a partial excuse, and I come from a family of immigrants that very much appreciated tips when they were not well off :). I don't want to get into an argument about tipping pros and cons , because I know some readers find that *just talking* about tipping, liking I am doing now, is repulsive, even if you don't talk about how much you tip, and it is a good way to shut down a thread (though it's almost finished anyway). There are also other threads that talk about pros and cons of tipping you can read.

This is a very helpful post, thank you for sharing your expertise! We are at a phase in our lives where dealing with our orthopedic issues is more important to us than saving a few hundred dollars, and I know we are not alone (I don't care so much about food, I just mentioned it for informative purposes). We would love to go back to Antarctica to see more (perhaps after bird flu is over -- hopefully we could even land on the Salisbury Plain). Even economy on AR with 31-32" pitch and 1 inch or so recline (or equivalent) would better than the 28-29" pitch on our charter with zero recline (per online reports of the pitch on Jet Smart) , the latter is what was the worst on our backs, despite a high dose pain killer to help endure it. When the tall and lean guy sat down next to us in the aisle seat at first on the return, we were surprised but thought oh well, there were no guarantees of one empty seat. It turned out that was not his assigned seat, he just wanted to sit close to his partner across the way. We were happy he left after he found something nicer for the two fo them, so we could twist a bit into the third seat, which is what SB had booked open in our row.