Holland America lists the tender ports.... :) I know Faulkland Islands (even though we didn't get to go) for sure. We actually didn't get to cruise to Punta Del Este because of the windy conditions so we were actually bused. It's an incredible journey. Savor every minute and bring soda crackers if you get seasick since they don't have any onboard. My husband got me the tortilla chips from the taco bar. They also ran out of Ginger Ale so stock up. :)
Thanks for your quick response and good tips. I hope we don't miss ports due to weather, but I do know that safety is #1. I double-checked, and the tender ports weren't listed, so I guess I'll call. Happy travels!
I love your penguin shots and your favourite was mine too. What camera and lens did you use? I’ll be going on a 22 day South America and Antarctica cruise at the end of 2024.
I used the Canon Rebel T8 with ... okay, I can't find the lens from our Africa trip but I think it's a 75-300, my husband thinks 200 max. I debated back and forth... yes, new camera, no too expensive, yes new camera, no too expensive. I'm very happy I went back to my Rebel DSLR except when it betrayed me on our Africa trip. Just remember to follow the penguins...whatever... in the still water. I love seeing the air bubbles coming out of the penguin's nostrils. Thanks for enjoying. It's a fabulous journey.
Thank you so much for the info. I’m debating whether I should bring my Canon R7 with 100-500 mm lens (heavy weighs 5 lbs) or my Sony RX10 M4 which is a bridge camera and has an equivalent focal length of 350mm
I would bring both. We both brought 2 suitcases. 1 for winter and one for summer. For us it was a trip of a lifetime. We carried all our cameras and used them and switching them around. I would say this is the one trip to bring what you have. It’s 24 hour daylight but the light changes and can be yummy. 😋
:😁 We flying to South Africa in about 40 plus days. Sorry no Kenya but Victoria Falls and Botswana. We are really looking forward to it. Okay, I am. My husband is a tepid traveler at best.
Not a good day to go up to Victoria Peak😅! I must say that you are very brave to go around on your own. Even when I go back to my hometown, I don't venture out like you did! Bravo! Miss the Westerdam! We were on her last year.
I'm not that brave.... I'm just stupid that way! No, I think... I'll just stay in bed... or I'll relax and then I'm like "Are you crazy? Halfway around the world in a place you've dreamed about? Sleep later. Relax later.... Live Right Now." My 92+ father figure told me... explore now...don't wait... and having survived Long Covid, let me tell you. I just never know if something is going to tackle me and bring me down... so mostly I'm afraid of not doing than doing and relying on my inner gut to tell me when to bail and when to go.
@@juliamccoun6171 I totally agree with you. When we travel, I don't want to waste time resting, sleeping, stay inside. Even while going around in a car, I would look at everything outside so I won't miss anything while others maybe taking a nap. Still trying to watch more of your videos. Enjoying them very much! Thank you!
@@TasteofRetirementthank you.... Glamorized home videos... My happy place on vacation is with a camera in my hand. I don't typically do a lot of videos - that's my husband's favorite thing... but Facebook Live is great to share with friends...and especially when I'm traveling alone in different time zones - love sharing my journey with my husband when he's ready to view. Most of my videos are just me being me... I figure these will be fun to watch as we slow down with the travel...(ugh...trying not to think about that yet!) My husband complains that I'm searching out shore excursions or what the best souvenirs to buy are... the truly special, just made in that place.. I'm hoping that people will learn from me or my mistakes.... :).
Aren't they fabulous! I talked about buying them in my Hong kong day 1 video..... I'd spotted them on the Yue Hwa Chinese Emporium web site... which I found in a Hong Kong guide .... but they only had small sizes :) The sweet salesman found my perfect size. I wore those lucky red shoes everywhere on the cruise ship and out to dinner when I came home. I don't wear red but they were so perfect to remember my Hong Kong journey.
Northern Patagonia and Coyhaique City. We had a wonderful guide... a teacher on break. I found that the best guides were teachers on break since they love teaching. She even had hand outs.
My husband and I agree that Alaska is best for the first time but for different reasons, of course. We both agree that it’s a shorter cruise. He thinks that there is more to see potentially land animal wise and I’ll concede that although on our last Alaska cruise we didn’t see any. I’d say that if you do Antarctica, it would spoil Alaska and its beautiful scenery and glaciers. This Alaska cruise was the first time I heard White Thunder which is amazing to hear and witness. Antarctica is vast and quiet and if you escape people talking too loudly, you can hear everything. There are a tremendous amount of sea days and I was pretty much bed bound for the northern leg but Antarctica”s beauty is amazing along with the ocean teaming with life.
Thank you for sharing, I'm looking forward to travel to Antartica. Good to know that Holland America doesn't do expeditions, because I will like to set foot on Antartica.
That sounds fun and wonderful. The cruise by would not be for you... but just because I didn't set foot on it doesn't mean I didn't have a meaningful experience... and probably at a much more reasonable cost. Hope you have an amazing Antarctica experience! It's a magnificent continent.
Holland America does not have an expedition ship.... they carry over 500 passengers so people cannot land on Antarctica. For me, the experience was amazing. I didn't need to walk in Antarctica to fully experience it. I did need the stabilizers since when we went Drake Passage was not a lake. I would have hated to be on an expedition ship. The cost of the expedition ship is higher as well but mostly I chose the drive around cruise. I chose Holland America because yes, I did want to go to Antarctica and wanted to since I was 8 but the longer cruise with more port stops truly rounded out the experience for me. I loved all the port stops and I believe I came away with a more rounded experience of South America and Cape Horn and its' former glory as the shipping channel. Just my 2 pennies. :)
Thank you so much Carol! I love traveling and I love sharing the adventures we have. I always use RU-vid as a resource for future travels. Glad that you enjoyed them!
@@juliamccoun6171 your videos were so encouraging and we booked this 22 day cruise on Oosterdam for January 2025. Lots of time for planning in between all our other cruises!
@@carolnichols1900 You will have a fabulous time!!!! PS Buy cans of ginger ale and pack saltine crackers... just in case. The ship ran out of ginger ale on the way back. I just got second place at the county fair for my Orcas chasing a penguin picture.... the water is so clear, you can learn to follow the penguins when the water is calm! Let me know if I can help!
you sailed some of the roughest seas on the planet and you're surprised by the waves. next thing you know, you'll be on an airplane wondering what this thing called turbulence is.
You’re welcome. I find it peaceful. The musician does a lot of music for meditation but I know people have different tastes in music. An an antidote, may I suggest Pharrell Williams Happy. Always make me dance.
Hi. Thanks for sharing. I took the same excursion in late May (I did NCL) where there was still some snow on the ground which added an element of excitement and a little "danger" for me and the 100+ who shared the White Pass train with me that morning. You have captured my experience in ways my camera expertise failed to do - and I am grateful to have your link to send to my Sister so she can fully appreciate the beauty and magnificence that was Skagway. Best regards.
Thank you for your generous comments! I was so disappointed initially with the pictures but my husband reviewed them, and after cutting some "tree photo bomber" photos, said they were good. He does the video but I love my camera... and trains... and a semester in college left me in awe of the geology. Glad that all showed up for you. Snow on the ground would have been amazing but the waterfalls were a definite plus!
We love HAL. They have so many experts, great talks. Don't expect Broadway shows... but since I lived in Jersey for a while eons ago, I don't need to see big shows. The rooms are all spacious and comfortable. The crew is absolutely amazing. Top notch service and the food, which was great, is returning to great again. We had to miss the Faulklands but I wasn't surprised watching the wind forecast. All the stops in South America were great except for the boat one in Buenos Aires... do anything else! They opened the bow once we were in Antarctica and we basically lived up there. I had bought Polar thermals from Cabelas and my husband had his layers and we were fine. Antarctica is moody... weather will change. One of my videos had the layers I put on to go on deck. Beware though... I put my jacket on once outside since I would be sweating walking through the hallways. Some people were complaining about how old the Oosterdam was and they were pointing at specific spots. The only thing I miss on the Oosterdam is Tamarind's and the Dutch Cafe. The extra benefit is the lifeboats are stored high so the Promenade Deck has views all the way around. I will warn you that if you expect to be entertained, you will be sadly disappointed. I am an introvert. I like talking to the other guests but I don't need all the shows, etc., especially in Antarctica. I swear they put sleeping pills in the coffee. I was determined to see every minute and, while being noted for my Long Covid napping ability, I kept taking oodles of naps and I think that was ship wide. Fresh cold air, exercise, mental excitement, the sun never setting... must equal napping. Our first cruise to Mexico was also on the Oosterdam so we do love that tiny class of ships. I talked to much but I hope this helps! Let me know if you want to know anything else!
@@juliamccoun6171 thank you so much for your reply. I looked at several videos and I think HAL and Oosterdam will be a good fit for us. While I do enjoy the shows on the big ships I am looking forward to a smaller and more intimate ship. Looking forward to this experience and I really appreciate you taking the time to post this.
@@carolnichols1900 Thanks for asking! It was a great trip... oh! One more thing... they didn't have saltine crackers so I survived on tortilla chips. Better to have saltines and not need them!
Thank you so much for posting this. We could not afford the small excursion ships and I was wondering what the experience of a larger ship would be. You answered that question! I have booked for February of 2025 and will really look forward to it. I have been fascinated with penguins for years!
I have oodles of pictures of penguins in my other videos. At the end of the January 1 video, Part 3, I talk about the experience. Now it's just my experience as a Covid Long Hauler, but I will say that this journey was a dream finally fulfilled. You will love the penguins. One tip in a video, not sure which one, is to follow them in clear water. They are almost or more amazing underwater as they are flying through the air.
I am glad you had this time with your Mom. My husband and I are taking the same cruise just after Thanksgivng this year, will probably be our last cruise. We are looking forward to it!
Going on canal trip with HAL in Feb, 2023 from Fl to San Diego. If you get the chance, try the Neptune Suites. Spoiled is the easy way to say it. You’ll never look back. We’ve done Signature Suites also, but our trip to Alaska Sept 2022 we upgraded and it was worth it, at least to me..Maybe not so much the wife. Hope you enjoyed your trip and looking forward to ours in Feb.
