Knowing that the expedition cruise I wanted to do would cost me the same as buying a new luxury car, I needed to make sure that the line I went with would deliver something special and make every dollar worth it. After much deliberating, I decided to entrust Silversea with this huge sum of money as I’ve been on shorter expedition cruises with them before, thought they did a good job, though I was apprehensive as the cost of getting it wrong was so enormous.
On this trip, I discovered just what Silversea Expedition are doing well, and not so that well these days, as you will hear.
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38 Comments
Another fascinating video from this experience, Gary. One thing I've always wondered – on these ultra-luxury ships, do you tend to find mostly people who clearly have very high levels of net wealth and take lots of these trips, or do you tend to find it's more people on there for a 'bucket list' cruise? I started thinking about this after seeing you doing more of these – it seems like you've been bitten by the bug for cruising to this corner of the world!
you can take my delusion out of my cold dead hand
Excellent review! However, I'd take the Porsche…..(not that I could afford either!)
Did you really PAY for it?
Or haven`t you been invited?
Having spoiled so many other destinations Cruise lines are now determined to turn Antarctica on to o a Disneyland evxperiemve for the rich.
Thanks for the video. I can't imagine spending that much money for a cruise.
I was really scared by the price until near the end when you explained it was the door to door option which included airfare, local hotel and transfers and was the same for one person as for two.
Another fantastic vlog 👏👏Boot rental and $730 to upgrade the wifi !, that’s criminal, especially when you paid $44000. Celebrity do the exact same. They tempt you with “included wifi” and it’s no use to man nor beast. Have to upgrade every time. The upscaling on cruise lines nowadays is actually quite appalling. Couldn’t quite believe they also had a “paid for” dining option on that ship when you’ve paid that amount of money. Why did you pay for two devices when you can take it for one device and swop the device over when required.
$730 Boot rental!? For $44K I want muscled up male dancers carrying me around a la Mariah Carey.
What about Linblad?
Have done Antarctica, Greenland, Norway and Alaska with Seabourn expedition ships and they were also great. All included videographer and photographer. Although all these expedition cruises are expensive, i find them the most rewarding.
We have done 5 Arctic and Antarctic cruises with Ponant. We just booked our 3rd Antarctica trip in October 2025 with Scenic. We loved the ice breaker Le Commandant Charcot. When we cruised from Christchurch, NZ to Ushuaia in February 2024, we were able to sail into the Ross Ice Shelf and did some landings but there was a Siversea ship far out to the open water and not able to get close to the ice shelf. We were also able to sail to the geographic North Pole in August 2022 which no other cruise ships were able to do. Everything Gary experienced about the expeditions were the same on every expedition cruises we had been on. Also the fares were comparable to Silversea with the exception that everything was included. We were given on board credit and were unable to find ways to spend it. I end up getting my hair cut on board every time. Also, wifi was very good and boot rentals were included.
Another excellent video Gary thank you. I’m very disappointed in their pricing structure. I’m headed on a cruise in January non-expedition, and the Port to Port was far far more economical than the door-to-door. Door-to-door had such a huge markup on it. It would’ve cost me $,6000 extra for Coach & $10,000Business Class. I live in the Baltimore, Annapolis, Maryland area and I’m taking a 14 night cruise Auckland to Sydney. Charging you $99 to borrow boots is obscene! In the end, a few people can afford what you have experienced, I’m glad you can afford it.
The harder one slams a door closed thus generating unnecessary & unwelcome noise, the lower the intelligence of said door slammer – this action to noise ratio is applicable to most aspects of life in general. Rude, selfish, self centred & arrogant especially in an enclosed cruise ship or hotel space not to mention an apartment building. With any luck, your former cabin neighbours will come across a half starved polar bear on their next outing.
That car on the ice was a 100% valid use of AI. Definitely the best I’ve seen.
how do you take a shower in rough water?
More like it was a Chinese tour and you had an English translator
my 8M fishing boat did not cost $42k and I take it fishing 200 days a year
Hoping to get 30 years out of the hull and engines
You must be rich.
How are you not 300 LBs from all the cruising you do and all that food ? Loved the video thanks Garry.
So what you're saying is they should put the cruise price up $1,000 and make WiFi and boots free. 🤣
Rich entitled people sure do like to moan about silly things.
Great video! I agree with you that it's a huge mistake not to have a photographer & videographer onboard. Also crazy to charge extra for waterproofs, boots and WiFi. I think it should be included in the package price, it was on our trip with Ponant.
Excellent video, as always. I've sailed on Cloud and Endeavour on expeditions, and I much prefer Cloud, for a lot of the reasons you identified, like the irritating cabin design and doors, the Italian restaurant in a corridor, and the fact you can't get all the passengers seated in the Explorer Lounge.
I love your detailed reviews! I’m surprised you said Silversea had the most experience with expedition cruising but they’ve only been doing it for 15 years. Lindblad/Nat Geo and Quark have done it for much, much longer. “Luxury” expedition cruising is much newer. But the chance to visit Antarctica is the best-however you get there!
We sailed to the Arctic on Silversea expedition this past July. Our ship was the Silver Wind, an older ship that is holding up well. It was a trip of a lifetime with the wildlife and polar bear sightings. To hear you say they have cut out the photographer photos and videographer is a shock. I'm not sure we'd go back with Silversea because of this. It was absolutely one of the highlights of the trip. The photos they shared were unbelievably good and the video will be a momento for years to come. What a mistake
More money than sense!
Antarctica should not be open for tourism . Humans spoil the word
I went to Antarctica in 2009 and to South Georgia in 2011 on the National Geographic Explorer with Lindblad Expeditions. Excuse me if I snicker at the “Expedition” description of the Seabourne experience. The luxury and amenities on their ships, as well as the size of the ships themselves, deny the passengers the real feel of adventure that can be found on a smaller ship fitted out in a more utilitarian manner closer to what the earlier pioneer operators provided their clients. The cost will be significantly less as well.
To each their own. But if you really want to have an adventure, sail with one of the true expedition companies not with a luxury line. Your shipmates will include more adventurers and fewer dilettantes.
This expedition cruise sounds way better than any other cruise I can think of.
I totally agree with the comments about the Wi-Fi and the photographer.
Im getting a new job/career. Obviously doing something wrong since i cant afford this.
Well balanced report. Been to Antarctica and South Georgia 3 times. 2 trips on boat of 80 and one with 120. The number of fellow travellers is very important as max 100 allowed at anyone time to land. This affects greatly the amount of time spend on land. For circa £2000 p/day you can go with Antartica 21 on the purpose built Magellan which takes 80 in the same luxury level. A far better personal experience.
Also the deleting of the photographer is completely unacceptable at this price range. All 3 trips had a photographer. I take extensive photographs but for a large number of passengers this is what will be invaluable in the years to come. After all, you have transferred all that money in the bank to the memory bank and pictures are the only way to have accurate comprehensive memories.
Sorry, I'd save a great deal and travel with Hurtigruten. My husband and i did the Antarctica, South Georgia, Falklands route with them some years ago for a fraction of that price. Waterproof red jackets and loan boots included. Ok, I'm sure the food wasn't as good (Norwegian buffets can get a bit monotonous) but the places are the same, the 100 person at a time limit is the same, and if the Norwegians don't know how to handle boats in rough weather, who does!
It is ridiculous that they charge for one of the restaurants, for waterproof gear, and for internet at the price they charge! I will never go on Silversea for that reason. I'll go on a less expensive line if I have to pay for the extras anyway.
An added dining fare at some restaurants?… that’s ridiculous considering the cost of the fare. And $730 for internet? Never ever will pay that. I’m sure that marine starlink service plan is $340 a month.
We aren’t all the same. For some this is a dream come true. I just have no interest in being cold and wet. I live in Oldham. I just open the door for that. The scenery was very interesting but to me seems more of a “tick it off” destination. They cost is also a deal breaker. Not for me but great to see what Gary gets up to when he’s not chatting to us.
$730 for Wi-Fi after you’ve paid so much for the cruise!!
You have to be a big spender flush with cash to spend $44,000 on an Antarctic cruse, specially for a third cruse !!!
Hi Gary, we just finished a 13 day Antarctica Cruise with Seabourn. There was nothing we we wanted for. Everything was included other than the subs and kayaking, but we had a fabulous time. The weather was great and we had 7 days on Antarctica continent see amazing amount of wildlife. The only thing is my wife and I surely didn't spend what you spent. For the 2 of us was just under 23,000 Canadian other than out airfare to and from our winter home in Yuma to Buenos Aires which came in around 2,000us.
Really enjoy you videos