Twenty of the people on Zodiac are on a Brown and Keene waitlist for a 2014 August voyage that will most likely be from Reykjavik or Greenland to Churchill. We assume similiar to this voyage in 2013 of course we do not know exactly what the itinerary will be in 2014. This sold out almost immediately once released. My plan is to be ready to book the second the cruise opens.

http://www.silversea.com/expeditions/destinations/plan-expedition/?voyage=7318

Greenland is all about scenery and fjords very few animals. The northern Canada area is all about polar bears, walrus and wildlife.

Marc, Arlene and I spent about 45 minutes talking to the Silver Explorer expedition leader Robin West. He said that the glaciers and scenery in Greenland is even more dramatic than Antarctica. That seems hard for me to believe but I have not been there so what do I know! There are a LOT of Polar Bears in the northern area of Canada. The Akpatok Island is where polar bears become stranded and he said on one zodiac ride he saw 15 bears. AMAZING!

The best way to see polar bears in the wild? Having done Churchill and the Arctic cruise it is hard to compare. Both have their merit.

What is nice about Churchill is the photography aspect as you get really close to bears as you have the protection of the tundra buggy. You see males challenging each other that is neat. Negatives are the tundra is not particularly attractive and it is VERY cold and does not offer a high standard of accommodation or food.

On a cruise you have to see the bears from a zodiac. You cant walk on the land to view the bears they would eat you - not good. However they are in a more scenic and natural environment. You also have the chance of seeing a lot of other wildlife as well, walrus, whales etc. Then you have the fully inclusive cruise ship as your home and that is a lot nicer than the motel and Gypsies Cafe in Churchill. Plus a great expedition team who are an incredible wealth of information.

So if any of you want on the waitlist post here or email me - your preference. Study the trip for 2013 on the Silversea web for the prices and details on the various cabins to see what cabin you want to waitlist. Also check out the link about the cabins on the Silver Explorer on my web.

I am adding cabin numbers at the time you waitlist in the hope that we will be booking so early that we will get the cabin numbers we want. It happened on Antarctica but this is always a challenge. I will be totally on top of this opening and do my best.

Link to the cabins on the Silver Explorer
http://www.bksilversea.com/2012%20Prince%20Albert%20Cabins-Antarctica.htm

This is kind of wild, I woke up thinking of names for this cruise. I'll hold my idea until the poll request comes out!! Crystal and I would like 409 or 411 OR any View Suite. No more Adventurer portholes for me.

Why no porthole, Beth? We are booked for 2012 Churchill to Kangerlusuag (?) in Voyager class. Should I look into moving to a view cabin? I just thought on a trip into the cold weather, a balcony would be useless, no? We didnt have one on Explorer II but none was available so not an issue
----------------
Helen

HI Ms Understood,

We were across the hall from Beth and Betty on ZOdiac. In ANtarctica there are several days and nights when the portholes are covered so that the cabin is entirely dark for several days and nights in a row. They have a problem there with birds flying into the ship at night as they become disorrented by the ligts. Consequently they keep the posrtholes and all windows covered at night. If you have a cabin with windows and curtains you can open them during the day. The portholes on the otherhand have big metal covers and security comes in and closes them. They do not open them during the day and then close them at night, they jsut remain closed during the entire time of the bird problem. A a result some people felt the porthole cabins became very cave like and depressing. I know it bothered Beth a lot, it didn't bother me much but I think it got to Marc after the third day. (I think they were closed about 3 days) I think it is a personal opinion as to whether or not it will bother you. ALso, they may not do this up north, like they did down south. Beth can chime in and let you know if there were other reasons she didn't like the porthole cabins.

Helen, Arlene did an excellent job of describing my feelings about the portholes. ;) The portholes may work fine for you. I think Antarctica is the only place where the portholes are closed. It was very claustrophobic for me..... didn't know I actually had it. I just had to get up and out of the cabin to see light and the outside. The Adventurer cabins are nice and cozy. Since I am a tad short, I had to stand on my tiptoes to see out. It wasn't about the balcony. Betty and I were in 304 which was a bit larger than Arlene & Marc's cabin. Loved deck 3 which was close to the mud room and the steps to the zodiac launch.

Beth I will ask Karen to start a poll. I have 30 on the waitlist this is going to happen if the cruise happens. Much easier to have a name.

I am shopping for the teapot now and will start the name the cruise poll in a few minutes :)

I think Andrea and I would like to repeat our Silversea experience in the same cabin if possible.

Thanks for the explanations. When we did the Explorer II my nephews were on Deck 3 (my husband and I were higher up on the promenade deck, maybe 5?) and the boys had that same experience with the shutters over their window/porthole for days. I would have hated that too. Turns out we are in 404, so should be ok.
--------------
Helen

Hi Ngaire--I will talk to Paul about this. We have been to Greenland, and yes, the scenery is absolutely spectacular!

We really loved the Norway trip, so I think we would really love this.....we will talk tonight!

Posting for Susan:

WOW!! Great pictures

The above are a couple of photos we took in Greenland on our 2005 Reykjavik-New York cruise on the Navigator. In case anyone wants to preview the scenery! :D

Thanks for these photos, Susan. It is really beautiful.

Ngaire, don't forget the option of a far northern Canada itinerary that Robin mentioned as a possibility for 2014; it might be unique and have lots of wildlife too.

I know Beth already put me on the list with her, but I just have to say it for myself--I am soooo in. The real me, not the flat version.

By the way, we are definitely in for this one.

Doug and I already told Ngaire but we are in.

Sounds like this will be a ZODIAC reunion cruise (plus more cool people)!

Brayden and I are also on the wait list for this one. This will be another great adventure. Brayden will be 16 and I hope he will still be eager to go with his granddad.

To travel with ones grandson like I have done on ARCTIC and ZODIAC is an experience that one can not put into words. It is something I would recommend to all who can to consider.

He learned so much on ZODIAC, it was really something. His eagerness to learn was terrific.

Gail and I asked to be put on the wait list, too.

--------------

Eugene

Basically I intend to do another Silver Explorer trip in August 2014. I love an expedition cruise and this little ship and it is my new "Song of Flower". Even it was the same Arctic trip we did in August in 2010 that was great.

However as sucessful as the new itineraries were in August 2013 I cannot imagine they will not repeat them possibly with a few small changes. My choice would be to include Greenland and Canada north of Churchill.

When the itineraries come out we will select the best offering and book everyone immediately. Even if we book you on a waitlist you do not have to deposit for 7 days so you will have time once you see the final itinerary and pricing to decide whether to proceed or not.

I just ask that those that sign up on the waitlist are somewhat serious about the trip. Or if you decide NO after signing up then let me know so I can take you off the waitlist. This also frees up a good cabin someone else may want. The key issue is that it will be expensive probably even more than it is in 2013. So I just ask you take that into account now in your decision to get on the waitlist or not.

There is no doubt some on the waitlist will change their minds and that is fine I understand completely.

I just dont want to go with a waitlist with names and cabin numbers and push the cruise line to book me right away and then have a huge percentage drop out. That will not help me if I try to do this type of thing again.

Antarctica worked GREAT. We had only about three couples that ended up not booking from the intial waitlist group and that was fine.

By the way the waitlist is now at 36 people.

We're in too - we've been dying to do an itinerary like this since we first did the Arctic Silver Explorer cruise a couple of years ago.

I really enjoyed sailing with Brayden, he's a special young man. I hope my daughter finds someone like him...hey, they're the same age ;)

I love Polar Bears...maybe this would be for us too.

Marcie you would love it!

If I could have been guaranteed to have a kid as great as Brayden I might have had one! Lauri & I weren't sure he'd warm up to us but he did & we had a lot of fun. He's very lucky to have a grandfather as wonderful as Ralph too!

If it is not too late for me to get on the list, I want in.

It will be great to cruise with you again, Diane!!

Hope we aren't too late to join the party!. Can't miss this opportunity-Bert and I would love go-

Hey, where have you been stranger?

Yeah! Bert & Mitch too I know this is a long way off but it has been too long since we've seen you!

Marcia's in. Hopefully 318.
Beth and Crystal, it's been way too long. I was waiting to travel with you again. Bring the flat Crystal too.

Now to save the pennies. Actually, the quarters.

In Anne signed on? I want to compare words.

Hi Lauri and Arlene! We have both been dealing with some health issues but we are looking forward to Shamrock in June. Bert is slowly recovering from major back surgery done several months ago, but I predict I will be posting some pictures of Bert and Ngaire on the dance floor. You know, if we get the rest of LCT to join us on this trip to Greenland, Karen can give away a teapot for naming the cruise and a Samovar to rename the ship (how about the B & K Explorer?)!

Sorry about the health issues

Ooooo, let's charter the whole ship! Surely we have enough LCTers to do it. ;)

George and I are on the 2013 Churchill to Greenland cruise, so we can scope everything out for you. I would love to go with the group, but I don't think George will wait till 2014. He is so excited already.

Rachel, You and George will be our trailblazers and prepare us for a wonderful cruise!

This is so nice Rachel will the the trailblazer like Beth said. Maybe George will love it so much he will want to come back