sscohen

Just to add some more drama.  I've checked multiple cruise port schedules and future literary sites and there is a window missing for the Millennium.  It arrives in Singapore on March 4th, 2024 then nothing until April 21st from Yokohama. I've checked each port on the cruise I'm on and no Celebrity ships are in any of them during that time. 

Went well but I only needed four batteries.  I took almost 4000 shots and never had to change out while on excursion.  Only in between.  I did use my balcony to remove cards and change batteries.   Then sealed it and brough inside unopened until acclimated, about three hours.  But the reality is I never needed to open it unless we were going by some cool scenery.  I left a large desiccant in the dry bag and never needed to change out. Gave the other eight to the onboard photography guys.

Drybag was just held between my legs on the zodiac.  It did get slashed but nothing too bad.  It was never rough enough to need to tie the bag down.  Probably would not have allowed landings if seas were like that.

I'm going to the Arctic next and will cut back on batteries to four and leave my ultra wide angle lens at home along with the assortment of filters.  Never really needed beyond 24mm.  

I used my 100-400 for wildlife and the 24-70 for landscape.  I am really glad I brought two bodies.  also managed a few on my phone.  

I brought some nice waterproof ski gloves and never used them.  I used some photographers gloves that the finger tips folded off.  Highly recommend these.  Other photographers used thin gloves or took off the thick ones to shoot.

I took my 11-20 to Alaska, Galapagos & Antarctica to supplement my 24-70/24-105.  Don't think I will take it anymore as I never use it, just takes up space.  Then I feel obligated to use it.  When I do, I take a few shots with it but I find either of my other two are better.  

Thanks.  I bough a box of larger ones to stick in my dry bag.  They're rechargeable but I will just use a new one a each day.  I will not open my drybag in between excursions inside.  I will leave it outside on the balcony and switch out batteries and cards there.  Only at the end of the day will I bring the bag inside and let it climatize for a few hours before opening and getting ready for the next morning. 

Hopefully this should keep my lenses safe.  Now, if I only had more weight allowance.

You got me thinking about condensation and how I will be handling my gear.  I plan on using a drybag backpack.  I have a holster type camera bag and long lens case that both sit open in the drybag so I can pull out the camera I’m using.  I also use a black rapid harness.  Maybe I should get a second.  I planned on leaving the gear in the airtight drybag until it acclimates, but I’ve been reading it could take hours.  Longer than I expected.  So, I’m thinking once I’m back on board, before heading inside I should remove the batteries and cards and place them into a small ziplock to heat up before backing up.  And use a second set of cards and batteries with the gear, still sealed, on the next excursion.

Am I overthinking?

I also use a monopod with a quick release that doubles as a hiking stick.

I expect it to be in the 30s.  It gets colder where I live but I'm not usually outside for 2-3 hours at a time with a camera.  I have an insulated pouch that can hold three E6s in it, along with a warmer that I plan on using.  I have three chargers but planed to take two.  Maybe I should tale all three.  I guess the issue is weight.  We have a charter flight from Santiago to Puerto Williams that has strict weight limitations.  I was just trying to cut back.  I have to carry on all the camera gear especially the batteries.

11 hours ago, donaldsc said:

I assume that you do know the trick for preventing moisture condensation on and in your camera.

I'm curious what your trick is.  Thought I would let the cameras sit outside for a short time to acclimate.

I keep reading that I should bring lots of batteries as the cold sucks the life out of them.  But no specifics on how many.  I will be in South Georgia & Antarctica.  I'm taking a Canon Full frame with a 24-70 and a crop sensor with a 100-400 w/1.4 extender as needed.  Both both bodies use the same batteries.  I plan on one battery in each body plus a spare for each.  We will have two excursions a day and an unknown time in between so I will need a second set.  It takes a while to recharge.  That's eight total.  Is that enough or should I bring a few more?  I have a bunch including the newer lithium's but it's the weight that worries me.

Any insight?
Thanks! 

7 hours ago, RichYak said:

Just order the emed self tests and test in the morning using cellular as Eclipse arrives in Vancouver. You should be in range of cell towers by 5:30am.

Just a note for those using cellular outside of North America.  I have Verizon unlimited and use travel pass for $10 a day (because I was too lazy to buy a sim card) I didn't realize Verizon travel pass limits to .5GB a day.  My video call to emed on cellular was fine until the they were about to read the results and I lost the feed.  The video call used all my data (about 20 minutes total)  I had to switch to the hotel wifi to finish giving them the results.  Pretty stressful.

Roll call is there.

I have been a AAA member for almost 40 years.  But in foreign currency exchange they over charge.  I just started an order on AAA and BofA for $200 in Euros and $200 in Pounds.  AAA was $36 more than BofA, apples to apples order so FYI.  That's about the most I bring on trip now and get more from the ATM when needed.  So glad I don't have to carry around thousands in traveler checks anymore.  

I always bring 3 different credit cards.  My wife has one, I carry another and the third is stashed away as a backup.  If one of us gets robbed we always have another.  All cards we use have no fees for foreign transaction fees.

I want to add that we keep our cards in RFID sleeves.  One a trip in Europe a couple years ago one of our companions had their credit card number stolen from a scanner in a crowd.  They did not have another card.  They had to borrow and get money wired to them.

We stayed in Copenhagen last year and bought a Copenhagen Card that included a discount for the segways. It also includes admission to most places and transportation.

There is two sea days from either direction (Melbourne or Dunedin) before a day of cruising the sounds. My itinerary was from Dunedin.

Thank you so much for your offer. After speaking with my cousins, they still want to go with Smithsonian due to the limit of 19 and its first class hotels for 16 days and 10,000 pp. Smithsonian promises two trips to MP without crowds and staying, as close as, anyone can stay. They did it our way last vacation, so we are doing it their way this time...again, many thanks for sharing! We love doing private tours like yours too. We did one in St. Petersburg and it was fantastic!

 

 

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We stayed at Belmont Sanctuary Lodge up top at the gate. Last out at night, first in the morning.

Great place.

I am interested in a smaller group and private time at MP...

PM me, my wife and I did a private (her, I, guide & driver) tour to Cusco, Sacred Valley and Machu Pichu that I would highly recommend. We did it after the Xpedition in the Galapagos and ran into the Celebrity group a couple times. Ours was better.

I was referring to escape rooms in general.

On board it is groups of 8 but we had only 6. Yes it is easy. On the Ruby we did it in the wedding chapel. If you have done escape rooms before it will be easier as you know what to look for. It is The Magician's Escape Room and it takes place in the chapel but is confined to a spot in the center of the room.

I've done about two dozen rooms and not one was longer than an hour. This one is 30 minutes and it was more than enough for us.

We did it on Cabo day but at 9:30pm. There were only about 40 spots available on a 3000 passenger ship so you have to be proactive.

It's no fun to do if you know the answers so people should not give out hints or spoil the fun. When we do an escape room we state we do not want clues. It's much more rewarding to figure it out on your own.

Just returned from 5 nights in St Petersburg and had TJ as pour private guide for the 4 of us the entire time from picking us up at the airport to return to the airport. I highly recommend them. Tatiana & Julia (TJ) are very good.