Silver Endeavour Antarctica
By Anne Kalosh.
On an Antarctica cruise aboard the sleek, new 200-passenger Silver Endeavour, the ship glided silently past towering mountains of snow between glittering icebergs.
We landed in Zodiacs at remote, windswept sites where avalanches of early-season snow rumbled into the water and penguins bustled up impossibly steep slopes.
It was an otherworldly experience.
We’d splash-land from Zodiacs steps offshore and scramble up the icy bank. Expedition guides pointed out the paths, marked with orange flags — this way to the gentoo colony, that way to the snow climb, over there to the remains of an Argentine navy refuge.
Flags mark safe paths checked by the expedition team before passengers go ashore. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
I always chose the snow climb first. Those got me warmed up and rewarded with incredible vistas.
On our first landing, we battled the wind in a miserable trudge. Other times we stood in silence, punctuated by the braying of penguins, as snow gently swirled.
Anne jubilant on a snow climb in Neko Harbor, one of her peak experiences in Antarctica. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
A Second ‘Once-In-A-Lifetime’ Trip — My Silver Endeavour Antarctica Adventure
In 1994, I made a once-in-a-lifetime trip — I thought — to Antarctica on Abercrombie & Kent’s plucky little red ship Explorer, cementing memories and friendships I’ve kept to this day.
I never dreamed I’d get to go back, this time on the extraordinarily luxurious Silver Endeavour. I went in November (2022) on a shakedown trip for the ship, which Silversea Cruises had recently acquired.
This journey carried company executives, travel advisors and media to witness the official naming of Silver Endeavour before the first revenue cruise. The godmother was Felicity Aston, the first woman to ski solo across Antarctica.
But we didn’t know when or where the naming ceremony would happen. As with all Antarctic expeditions, it depended on the weather.
The Silver Endeavour has a 1:1 crew to passenger ratio and all the space and luxury you’d expect from Silversea — even butler service. Yes, in Antarctica! (Penguins in tuxes and butlers in penguin suits?)
Polar ship Silver Endeavour is registered in the Bahamas. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
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A Short History of the Silver Endeavour
The 20,449-gross-ton Silver Endeavour was completed in 2021 as Crystal Endeavor (no “u”) for the former Crystal Cruises at MV Werften in Stralsund, Germany.
As a reporter, I’d been on hand for the keel-laying, presided over by then German Chancellor Angela Merkel. So even before embarking, I felt an affinity for the ship.
Its reported $385 million cost makes this the world’s most expensive cruise ship on a per-berth basis (almost $2 million per berth). The money poured into the German design and engineering ensure it performs like a finely tuned, elite sports car such as a Porsche, the analogy by one of its first captains.
Contracted for a maximum speed of 19 knots, it outperformed in sea trials.
Crystal Endeavor debuted in Iceland in summer 2021 then completed the 2021/22 Antarctica season before Crystal Cruises ceased operating following the collapse of its parent company, Genting Hong Kong.
All the Crystal ships were arrested by creditors and sold at auctions.
Crystal Endeavor was a “hot ticket;” two of the other suitors were The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio’s Heritage Group, which acquired Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity and is reviving the Crystal brand this year.
Royal Caribbean Group, Silversea’s parent, was able to get the ship for $275 million, fully financed by a 15-year unsecured loan guaranteed by Germany’s export credit agency, with no amortization payments in the first two years. A great deal.
RELATED: The Crystal Endeavor to Become Part of Silversea Fleet
Silver Endeavour is a Greyhound
On my mid-November trip, Silver Endeavour bounded like a greyhound across the often-storm-tossed Drake Passage that separates the tip of South America from the Antarctic Peninsula.
Activities, from lectures to meals, functioned normally onboard.
The most scenic spot to dine onboard is The Grill, and service went on as usual, even in the high swells of the Drake Passage. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
Under Capt. Niklas Peterstam, we averaged 14 knots in gale-force winds of up to 40 knots and swells up to six meters/20 feet.
After casting off from Puerto Williams in southern Chile, we were able to make a landing on the second full day of the trip. Most ships take two full days to cross the Drake and passengers don’t get off until the third day.
Besides being fast and maneuverable, Silver Endeavour is sturdy, built to Polar Class 6, enabling it to operate in medium first-year ice, which may include old ice inclusions.
Polar Class 6 Silver Endeavour — built for the ice. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
What a Drake Crossing Can Be Like
While much depends on the weather, wind and swells, the difference between my 1994 Drake crossing on a smaller, older ship and in this 2021-vintage vessel was dramatic.
On my earlier crossing, doors to the decks were tied shut, ropes were strung along passageways to hang onto and air sick bags were draped over the interior railings.
Onboard activities ceased, and the number of diners dwindled to a handful in a restaurant where the chairs were permanently bolted to the floor.
The ship shuddered and rattled as it rose on the crest of waves then crashed down into the troughs. Once in Antarctica, crunching through the ice made a cacophony in my water-level cabin.
Drake Passage waves. * Photo: Markov:Silversea
Still, it was worth it — like a rite of passage — to get to Antarctica. And a fabulous trip.
I recount this in contrast with my recent experience and to explain why Silversea introduced the Antarctica Bridge option that lets travelers skip the Drake by flying to embark Silver Endeavour at King George Island, then fly back to the mainland from King George after the cruise.
(See sidebar below)
Our route. * Image: Silversea Cruises
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Silver Endeavour Features
With all-veranda-suite accommodations, marble baths, four restaurants, a casual cafe, a spa, salon and ocean-view fitness center, Silver Endeavour offers top luxury in any setting. Particularly Antarctica.
Public areas include the Deck 4 Explorer Lounge for briefings, films and lectures. High on Deck 9 are a well-stocked library with an espresso machine, a fridge with cold drinks and two Wi-Fi equipped computers.
(Shipwide Wi-Fi is included in the fare and, in my experience, it worked well most of the time, even in my room.)
Silver Endeavour’s library is well stocked with books on exploration, geography, natural history and more. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
Across the hall from the library is the Expedition Study, where expedition team members were always on hand to answer questions, track the ship’s course on a chart and share samples in a microscope, which could be broadcast on big screens.
Expedition team members are available in Silver Endeavour’s Expedition Study, with its charts, microscope and other exploration tools. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
The Observation Lounge, forward on Deck 9, serves cocktails and nightly piano music. Down on Deck 4, the Connoisseur’s Club is a hideaway for cigars.
Silver Endeavour also has a spacious, multi-room ocean-view fitness center with treadmills, stationary bikes and weight machines.
Part of the ocean-view fitness center. Other areas hold treadmills and more equipment. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
The Otium Spa comprises treatment rooms and steam room, and there’s also a beauty salon/barber shop and two boutiques —one with souvenirs and gear, another with jewelry and watches.
Avail of the self-service passenger laundry, or opt for the ship’s washing and dry-cleaning service.
I suggest bringing multiples of things that are likely to get wet, like gloves and hats, because there’s not always time to dry them between landings.
Dining & Snacks on My Silver Endeavour Antarctica Cruise
The Deck 4 Restaurant serves a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The Restaurant serves a la carte service at breakfast, lunch and dinner. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
The double-deck, glass-enclosed Grill is also open for all three meals with an eclectic menu and both buffet and a la carte service.
And the views are spectacular. Oddly, there’s a swimming pool in the center; I never saw anyone use it.
The Arts Cafe is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for snacks and light meals that change throughout the day. The morning selection features juices and smoothies, pastries, oatmeal, cold cereals and eggs. I enjoyed an egg, spinach and feta wrap.
Arts Cafe breakfast — egg, spinach and feta wrap and yogurt with granola and berries, all on fine china. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
Flavored waters, sandwiches, soups and desserts come out midday. Cookies, gelato, espresso drinks, fancy teas and bar service are always available.
Le Dame, Silversea’s gourmet French dinner venue, has a different menu than on their classic ships, but was the best meal I had onboard, starting with the included glass of Champagne and continuing with wine pairings. A cover charge applies ($60 per person on my cruise).
A fancy dessert in Le Dame, the French specialty restaurant. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
Dinner in Le Dame, the French specialty restaurant, begins with Champagne. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
The intimate Il Terrazzino, for Italian specialties, is a mini-version of Silversea’s La Terrazza.
There’s also 24-hour room service.
Inside My Silver Endeavour Suite, # 710
My home was a premium veranda suite, the most numerous type of accommodation. This category measures 356 square feet/33 square meters, including veranda (52 square feet/five square meters).
I was in 710 on Deck 7. Roomy, comfortable and elegantly appointed, it had a king-size bed, a sitting area with convertible sofa to accommodate an additional guest, a vanity table (that I used as a desk), a separate writing desk with two chairs, a large flat-screen interactive television, a walk-in closet and loads of drawers and cabinet space.
Suite 710 vanity, stocked refrigerated mini-bar with espresso machine and door to the foyer. Closer to the veranda are a seating area and desk. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
A console held an espresso machine and a stocked mini-fridge.
The bathroom had double faucets on a large vanity sink, a spacious shower (no tub) and a separate water closet with sink.
Like most other suites across categories, 710 shared a foyer with the neighboring suite and a single door to the outside hall. This configuration facilitates connecting suites, but it also eliminates any noise coming from the hall.
Speaking of noise, I never heard — in my suite or anywhere else on the ship — ice crunching, a sound that was so prevalent on my 1994 Antarctica cruise.
I nearly always enjoyed room service breakfast seated on the sofa near my veranda with views of the incredible Antarctic scenery.
Room service breakfast with a view from Suite 710. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
VIDEO: Below, the view from Anne’s balcony.
Expedition Team & Lectures on My Silver Endeavour Antarctica Cruise
On an expedition cruise, everything revolves around the daily landings. These are previewed and recapped in an evening briefing.
Our seasoned expedition leader, Marieke Egan, did a superb job and made the most of the Explorer Lounge’s technical capabilities by showing us the weather charts and explaining the thinking going into the selection of each landing site.
Expedition leader Marieke Egan details the weather forecast at an evening expedition briefing. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
Our 21-member expedition team was outstanding, an international group from Chile, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Latvia, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, UK, South Africa, Mexico and the US, with expertise in marine biology, ecology, ornithology, polar history, anthropology, climatology, photography and filmmaking.
Alvaro Barrientos, one of several Chileans on Silver Endeavour’s multinational expedition team, at an outpost on Cuverville Island. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
The ship carries 18 Zodiacs, a number that will increase to 22 next year when 10 suites are added (some in the former helicopter hangar, which Silversea doesn’t use, so the ship’s capacity will go up to 220 passengers).
There are also a dozen kayaks. Mounted on the mast is a long-range gimbal camera system that can capture high-quality images from three miles/five kilometers for broadcast onboard.
Attendance was mandatory at Marieke’s briefing on safety and the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators’ (IAATO) visitor guidelines, including how to act around wildlife.
Polar historian/anthropologist Alex Hansen gave a helpful Antarctica overview. Felicity Aston recounted her daring solo trek across the continent, sharing the emotional highs and lows.
Author and past Royal Geographic Society President Nicholas Crane recapped Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance saga, perhaps the ultimate Antarctic survival epic, and explorer Capt. James Cook’s journeys; his Endeavour was our ship’s namesake.
Guest lecturer Nicholas Crane, left, shows travelers a photo plate from Shackleton’s Endurance, perhaps the ultimate Antarctic survival saga. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
Tyron McKendry illustrated his talk about whales with dramatic film footage.
Weather, Gear & Guidelines for a Silver Endeavour Antarctica Cruise
All landings and activities in Antarctica depend on the weather, and conditions can change quickly. We had morning and afternoon landings, and due to the size of the ship, everyone got to go — in Antarctica there’s a 200-person limit per landing site.
Silversea provides a packing list, boots to use during the trip, and a parka and backpack to wear and take home. I ordered ahead waterproof pants that were waiting with the parka and backpack in my suite.
I laid out my gear before the first landing to be sure I didn’t forget anything. Silversea provides the boots and parka. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
Expedition guides in the mud room check for proper attire before boarding the Zodiacs. I saw a traveler who wasn’t wearing waterproof pants sent back. This is for safety.
Thanks to dressing in layers and waterproofs, I was almost never cold. I did get cold hands and wished I’d brought several pairs of thick ski gloves.
Ashore, everyone must take care not to litter or let anything be carried away by the wind. No food is allowed — and there are no bathrooms. No waste of any kind can be left in this pristine place. All of this was detailed in the safety briefing. We were told to stay five meters/16 feet from wildlife and always give them the right of way.
Another serious matter is thorough boot and equipment cleaning and disinfection before and after setting foot on land. Before our first shore visit, we took any soiled gear to be decontaminated and had to sign to attest to this.
We were particularly warned about bird flu — so no letting backpacks or other gear touch the ground.
Every time we went back aboard Silver Endeavour, we stepped into a shallow disinfectant bath and scraped our boots with brushes.
In the mud room, my boots and locker, corresponding to my suite number. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
Going Ashore on a Silver Endeavour Antarctica Cruise
Typically there were two landings a day, one in the morning and one again after lunch.
Our course was updated regularly on a chart in the Expedition Study and in real-time on electronic screens around the ship. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
First Stop, Robert Point
On our first venture ashore, getting traction in the slippery snow while wearing rubber boots took some practice.
Trudging up to the crest at Robert Point, we pressed against wind so punishing I felt dizzy the last few steps.
Our first landing, at windswept Roberts Point (Anne is second from left). * Photo: Silversea
We didn’t stay long — it was hard to stand — and descended a bit to look around and take photos.
It was gray, bleak, rocky — and thrilling!
VIDEO: See and hear the punishing winds below.
Back down on the pebbly beach, skuas menacingly wheeled, ready to pounce on penguin eggs; it was too early in the season to snatch chicks.
We saw a few chinstrap and adelie penguins amid the clusters of gentoos.
Elephant seals lolled, the young bulls sometimes lumbering into roaring displays.
I got scolded for going too near one. It was behind me; I didn’t see it.
That was a good lesson, though, calling to mind the “maintain situational awareness” at all times we’d heard in our visitor guidelines briefing. This means continually looking all around, front, sides and back.
Anne at Roberts Point where juvenile elephant seals were in abundance. Can you make them out on the rocks behind? * Photo: friend of Anne Kalosh
Next was Neko Harbor
Neko Harbor was a real high point for me! Perhaps from the endorphins of a steep, snowy climb but also for the dramatic views and the Christmasy snowflakes.
On the Zodiac to shore, driver Dmitri said the expedition team had seen avalanches that morning.
VIDEO: Anne & shipmates watch a penguin colony on Neko Harbor below.
We were cautioned to stay on the flag-marked paths and warned about crevasses beyond.
The vista from high up at Neko Harbor was stunning — profound snow, deep blue crevasses, glittering flakes. At times, it almost became a whiteout.
I loved the silence.
Deep snow and more coming down at Neko Harbor. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
It allowed me to reflect on a dear Guatemalan friend who just died — I’d met him and his wife on my first Antarctica adventure and we visited each other many times and in many places over the years.
Sharing the esprit de corps of an Antarctica expedition bonded us.
A gentoo penguin colony at Neko Harbor. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
Experiencing the Intense Katabatic Winds
Returning in the Zodiacs, we could see ice forming quickly. In Antarctica, strong, fast-flowing katabatic winds from the coast can expose the water to extreme heat loss, sparking intense sea-ice production.
We had to motor around, waiting for the kayakers to return; they were in danger of getting boxed in by the ice and had immediately been called back.
Onboard, I warmed up with soup in the Arts Cafe and chatted with the lecturer Nicholas Crane and his wife, who works for the publisher Penguin, which had just brought out climate activist Greta Thunberg’s new book.
One of the best things about small-ship cruising is the fascinating people you meet.
As we were underway to our afternoon landing site, I bundled up to check out the Deck 6 bow, one of several ship’s lookout points. It was wet, slippery and windy. Crew members huddled in the doorway offering hot ginger tea.
A man told me I’d just missed a humpback whale.
Whale sighting in Antarctica. * Photo: Silversea
I went up to Deck 10 forward, the humorously named Sun Deck, where a crewman was sweeping snow.
At 2:30 p.m. Marieka announced the winds were up to 20 knots, so there would be no kayaking that afternoon. But we did land in the Zodiacs.
This weather forecast shows how the captain and expedition leader chose a safe landing spot (in blue), out of the winds (red). * Photo: Anne Kalosh
Calling on Cuverville Island
At Cuverville Island with its fascinating ice shapes and a big sprawl of beach with huge gentoo colonies, I got very cold.
My heavy gloves were still wet from the morning so I’d layered on woolen mittens over cotton gloves. Not good enough. Plus, I kept taking them off to shoot photos of penguins.
At every stop, I was captivated as they scooted along like mini-torpedos, waddled up sharp inclines or tossed back their heads and opened their beaks to display. And their couplings were comical, the male furiously flapping its tiny wings atop the prone female.
Penguin mating season. * Photo: Silversea
As I hiked at Cuverville, a gentoo penguin seemed to mirror my moves, pausing when I paused, advancing when I advanced.
VIDEO: Gentoo penguins by the zillions.
In the front of the Zodiac going back, I got sprayed and splashed. We were delayed as Silver Endeavour — able to stay in place without dropping anchor thanks to dynamic positioning — was turning.
So we cruised around and observed the ice, including so-called black ice, which is actually clear and virtually invisible in the water.
Onboard, after leaving my boots in the mud room to dry, I headed straight to the Arts Cafe for a cup of restorative hot chocolate.
“Humpback whale off the port bow,” Marieka announced over the PA system at 5:30 p.m.
During our 7 p.m. briefing, she revealed the plan to name the ship the next morning in the Lemaire Channel. That turned out to be stunning.
Cocktails accompany briefings in the Explorer Lounge. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
Silver Endeavour’s Sparkling Naming Ceremony
As Silver Endeavour entered the ice-choked, mountain-ringed Lemaire Channel, I stood on my balcony, soaking in the ethereal beauty, the only sound drips of melting ice from the decks above.
We were all excited boarding the Zodiacs to watch the naming festivities from the water.
Jamie, a marine biologist with hundreds of expedition voyages under his belt, skillfully steered our Zodiac.
He took us close to shore to watch penguins scoot up an impossibly steep mountainside using their sharp claws and brush tails to get some leverage in the snow.
VIDEO: Watch how penguins climb, wow!
As Silver Endeavour advanced, Jamie marveled at Capt. Peterstam’s adroitness and the ship’s nimbleness. Seeing its graceful, agile maneuvering from the water made a huge impression on me, too.
Our Zodiacs danced back and forth across the bow and circled Endeavour to admire it from all angles.
Zodiacs in the icy Lemaire Channel where Silver Endeavour was named. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
VIDEO: Circling the Silver Endeavour on a Zodiac, below.
With the ship in position, our Zodiacs clustered off the port bow and a boat circulated with Champagne.
Glasses filled and ready, we turned on our QuietVox headsets and looked up at Felicity Aston on the bridge wing. She named the ship and released a lever that sent a “bottle” of ice smashing on the bow.
VIDEO: Watch the ice bottle break and christen the Silver Endeavour.
We cheered and toasted. What a moment! As if on cue, the sun came out and blue sky seemed to herald good fortune.
Revelry on the Zodiacs! Photographing and toasting the newly named ship. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
Eventually Silver Endeavour turned on a dime and headed out of the channel as we raced alongside and Jamie pointed to Petermann Island up ahead.
The newly named Silver Endeavour emerges from Lemaire Channel. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
A Landing on Petermann Island
That afternoon, landing at Port Circumcision, on Petermann Island, where the explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot overwintered in 1909 during the Second French Antarctic Expedition, was sobering.
There, at the beginning of the southern summer, it was windswept and, as dark clouds rolled in, eerie. I can’t imagine what winter would be like.
Landing meant steering the Zodiacs around icebergs into a narrow cove with ice shelves stacked overhead. An abandoned Argentine refuge hut stood near a memorial cross to three young British Antarctic Survey scientists who vanished in 1982.
Once again I marveled at the incredible topography. I observed penguins that had started nesting, a few adelies amid the gentoos. One swiped a pebble from a neighbor.
Then I struck off on my own, following the flags to the furthest outpost and passing many clusters of penguins on the way. I hiked up to gaze upon an iceberg graveyard, pausing to chat with Felicity Aston.
VIDEO: Walking among the penguins of Petermann Island, below.
Trudging on, I came to crossed flags — the end — and Alvaro, an expedition guide who mused that the surrounding mountains probably had never been climbed.
Later, as I descended to catch one of the last Zodiacs back, Alvaro followed, collecting the flags. I imagined what it would be like to be left behind and pondered Felicity’s lonely solo trek.
The weather was worsening.
“Time to get outta Dodge!” Jamie said at the Zodiac landing.
Back onboard, a crew member offered a glass of mulled wine — perfect!
Next was Deception Island
This is the sunken caldera of an active volcano. It has the remains of a whaling station. In 1994, I’d crunched along the black-sand beach. This time, because of needing to beat the fog to make our flight out of King George Island, we didn’t land.
Instead, Silver Endeavour sailed through the narrow opening, Neptune’s Bellows, and circled the caldera. I watched from the big glass enclosure of The Grill, darting out to snap photos of this desolate place.
I wonder if the ghosts of all the slaughtered whales make it so haunting?
Fabulous views from The Grill, with its pool that no one ever seemed to use. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
King George Island was the Last Stop
Taking the Antarctica Bridge fly-cruise program back, instead of another Drake crossing, we disembarked at King George Island by Zodiac, in our boots and parkas.
We piled into small buses for the short ride to the airstrip but had a long wait because of a medical evacuation from another ship and an unplanned military plane landing.
When our DAP jet finally flew in with the new passengers embarking for their Silver Endeavour Antarctica cruise, we were bussed to the gravel airstrip and stood shaking in the bitter wind while our aircraft was prepared.
Boarding our Antarctica Bridge flight on the frigid gravel tarmac at King George Island. * Photo: Anne Kalosh
A flight attendant offered cups of hot soup as we boarded.
We got to our hotel in Punta Arenas after midnight. An unexpectedly long and tiring day. A note from Silversea apologized for unusual circumstances beyond their control at King George.
Everything Depends on the Weather
Our shakedown cruise was actually cut short by a day since we learned on the night before we were to call Deception Island, our last landing, that fog was forecast for several days at King George. A visual landing is required at that airstrip — the pilot has to be able to see the runway — so we would end our cruise the following day instead of the day after.
Meanwhile, passengers who were in Punta Arenas for a scheduled pre-cruise hotel night would instead be flying a day early to King George to embark.
This illustrates the need for flexibility if you’re taking an expedition cruise, especially in Antarctica where the weather’s unpredictable.
It’s also why the itineraries are not fixed — the captain and expedition leader decide when and where it’s safe to land each day.
In Punta Arenas for our Last Day & Night
We had a choice of a couple tours. I opted for a full-day day visit to a family-run Patagonian estancia (ranch), Olga Teresa, and to see the largest Andean condor colony in the Americas.
I’m so glad I went!
At the ranch we dived into pisco sours and a barbecue with red wine. Ambling around with the charming proprietress, we saw a dog herding sheep, the shearing shed and stables of beautiful, prized show horses.
I would have been excited to spot one or two condors but we saw scores of them.
The following morning we were off to the airport, homeward bound.
RELATED: QuirkyCruise Co-Founder Ted Scull shares his best moments cruising in Antarctica and the Falklands.
Interested in a Silver Endeavour Antarctica Cruise?
“Door-to-door” fares for the 2023/2024 Antarctic season start at about $20,500 per person.
Silversea’s Antarctica Bridge — “Fast Track to The Last Continent”
The Antarctica Bridge option flies passengers to embark the ship at King George Island and then flies them back to South America from King George afterward, skipping the Drake Passage.
This is more expensive, about a 20 percent premium to sailing the whole way, and it makes for a shorter trip from the “standard” Antarctica cruise — six days there bookended by the two-day Drake crossing, making for a 10-day voyage plus the time to get to and from a South American homeport.
Antarctica Bridge provides a five- or six-day cruise, a much shorter option.
Carbon Emissions
I don’t know which has more environmental impact in terms of carbon emissions.
The comparison would be several days on the Drake (typically, two days each way) in a vessel burning low-sulfur marine gas oil (for a number of years, ships operating in Antarctic waters have been banned from using heavy fuel oil) versus a two-hour flight each way in a jet burning jet fuel.
In any case, travelers who make any journey to Antarctica are going to produce sizable carbon emissions on the long flights between their home airports and the southern tip of South America.
So hopefully people at least buy carbon offsets when booking flights and come away from such an extraordinary and privileged trip with a strong commitment to helping fight climate change and preserve the southern continent.
What’s Included in a Silver Endeavour Antarctica Cruise
Silversea’s “door-to-door” fares for a six-night Antarctica Bridge cruise package for the 2023/2024 season start at about $20,500 per person, double occupancy, and include:
- private executive transfers between home and airport
- a pre-cruise hotel in Santiago
- flights between Santiago and Punta Arenas
- flights between Punta Arenas and King George Island
- international economy air
- one night pre- and one night post-cruise hotels in Punta Arenas
- onboard gratuities
- beverages in suite and throughout the ship, including Champagne, select wines and spirits
Five-night cruises are also available. And Silversea offers as long as 20-night Antarctica cruises as well if you do the full circuit including the Falklands and South Georgia islands, plus both ways crossing the Drake Passage. (Note, there are a few less expensive “port-to-port” fares, starting at $18,250, that do not include international flights and transfers.)
With Silversea, passengers fly LatAm from Santiago to Punta Arenas, Chile, for a hotel overnight, then in private, business-class air with DAP Antarctic Airways for the two-hour flight to King George Island off the Antarctic Peninsula to embark their ship.
Silversea calls it “the fast track to the last continent.”
For the return, passengers disembark at King George Island and fly to Punta Arenas for an overnight hotel stay then continue on to Santiago for international flights home.
Our route. * Image: Silversea Cruises
Exclusive Charter Air
Silversea has an exclusive partnership with DAP Antarctic Airways, and the flights provide bar service, meals and a custom, on-demand entertainment program.
Open bar on the Silversea charter flight. Make mine Champagne, please! * Photo: Anne Kalosh
Each 80-seat plane carries 64 passengers, tops, with no one assigned a middle seat and 16 rows instead of 18. Passengers are allowed 23 kilograms/50.7 pounds of checked luggage, plus hand luggage of 8 kilograms/17.6 pounds, more than the usual allowance because fewer people are carried.
Travelers who choose an ultra-luxury Antarctica trip with Silversea have a choice of three Antarctica ships and four programs, with Silver Endeavour part of the Antarctica Bridge, and Silver Cloud and Silver Wind making the Drake Passage.
I got to experience both the Drake and Antarctica Bridge, since our Silver Endeavour Antarctica shakedown cruise was atypical. Normally, you would choose to do both Antarctica Bridge flights or to do both transits of Drake Passage. (Note, however next season there are three longer 15-night Silver Endeavour programs that cross the Drake one way and fly to or from King George one way.)
We flew on DAP from Santiago to Puerto Williams, the port Silversea uses exclusively for its Antarctica turn-arounds, instead of the more crowded Ushuaia in southern Argentina. There we embarked Endeavour for the Drake passage.
After four days in Antarctica, we landed at King George Island and boarded the DAP charter to Punta Arenas, then continued on LatAm scheduled air to Santiago for flights home.
Normally, passengers on Antarctica Bridge would fly to and from King George Island, while those on regular cruises would fly on the DAP charter between Santiago and Puerto Williams and sail from Puerto Williams to Antarctica and back.
For Me, it Was an Adventure of a Lifetime
Antarctica is the adventure of a lifetime, something not undertaken lightly and a privilege that comes with responsibility to travel with respect and be rewarded by grace.
I’m so lucky to have experienced this incomparable place, and somewhere that only Quirky (small) ships can land visitors.
Going on Silver Endeavour was exceptional.
Anne at Neko Harbor. * Photo: friend of Anne Kalosh.
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