The Seventh Continent

Our ship

Our trip started in NYC, where we boarded a flight to Santiago on a chilly December afternoon. We headed to the capital of Chile, knowing we would experience summer-time temps there. After arriving and getting an early check-in to the W, we strolled down the block and found a delightful little place to have breakfast before heading out on our city tour. The food was delicious at the La Pandera Rosa and the decor was charming. Las Condes neighborhood is a more residential and modern part of town with lots of restaurants dotting the streets. After enjoying our delicious omelets and coffee, we headed back to the hotel to change and get ready for the next part of our day. A three-hour private walking city tour with Huaso Tours. With our guide, Tommas, leading the way, we hopped on the subway for an almost 30-minute ride to the historical part of the city. Here we saw some famous statues, political points of interest, historical buildings and museums. Our tour also took us to some beautiful parks throughout the city and the fish market. We also got to sample a Chilean drink, called mote con huesillos, a fruit juice mixture with corn kernels in the bottom. I was somewhat hesitant, but it was quite good and very refreshing on a hot summer day. The tour gave us a comprehensive over-view of Santiago. We were glad to have experienced it with such a knowledgeable, affable and fun native. After freshening up for dinner, we experienced some local food at a nearby restaurant, called Confitería Torres. This eatery had indoor and outdoor seating and a wonderfully welcoming staff, who guided us through the menu offerings. I had a Chilean specialty-Pastel de choclo is a South American dish made from sweetcorn or choclo. It is a baked dish filled with ground beef, chicken, raisins, black olives, onions and hard-boiled eggs. It was quite flavorful. It had been a long day, but a fun one. After a short walk back to the W Hotel, we retired for the night, knowing we had another long day ahead of us.

Snow and ice

After enjoying a tasty breakfast at the hotel, which was included, we got ready to go back to the airport for our flight to Puerto Williams. Followed by a short bus ride to the dock, where the Silver Wind was waiting for her passengers to embark. The embarkation process was streamlined and easy and we were then escorted to our cabin, following a short safety demonstration.

It's cold!

The cabin in the mid-terrace category was beautifully appointed with a double bed, a desk, sofa and coffee table. It had ample storage for our suitcases and our unpacked clothes. There was a chilled bottle of champagne waiting for us, along with flowers. The cabin also had an outdoor veranda with two chairs (which we did use once or twice). The bathroom was small but adequate. There were lots of shelves and a decent-sized closet to store our belongings. We quickly settled in, picked up our included parkas and rented waterproof boots (which was so nice, so we had less to pack) and then headed to dinner. There were four restaurants from which to choose. For the smaller Italian option, reservations were required, as they were for the upcharge specialty restaurant, called La Dame (which was definitely worth the extra $60). We ate at the largest venue, called The Restaurant, where we had a delicious meal from the regularly changing menu.

Zodiac Adventures

The sailing began early in the evening. The first day and a half were focused on making our way through the famed “Drake Passage,” notorious for its incredibly rough seas and high waves. Our crossing was particularly easy and the captain told us that on a scale of one to ten, ours was a 2.5, which made me very grateful, because the 12–14 ft waves were enough for me. Another oddity was the almost 20 hours of daylight. We had lots of opportunities to see what was going on in the ocean around us through the large glass doors of our cabin. On the third day, we caught our first sight of Antarctica as we approached the Antarctic Sound and Peninsula. It’s hard to put into words the breathtaking white-washed landscape of the seventh continent. Mountains covered in snow made their way to the edge of the crystal-clear water. Icebergs of enormous size floated by you. Sea Petrals swooped down and skimmed the water. It was breathtaking as we tried to understand all that we were seeing from our cabin.

Ice floes

Beautiful icebergs

We finally got to go ashore. We bundled up in lots of layers and headed downstairs as there was a very orderly call for different floors/cabins to approach the mudroom. Here we would don our waterproof boots and get on to one of the zodiacs (inflatable boats) and get ready to explore this magical place. Our first hike was to see the remains of an old whaling village. Other hikes throughout the cruise included getting up close to colonies of penguins and elephant seals. Another day, we visited the remnants of a research facility of years gone by. The excursions gave you a blend of culture, history and natural beauty.

At other times, we explored the waters around the continent via zodiacs, where we saw ice floes, glaciers and icebergs. However, on a couple of outings, the stars of the show were the humpback whales. Seeing these giant creatures breaching from our tiny inflatables brought a real perspective to the experience. Viewing the animals in their natural habitat (elephant seals, skua birds, penguins-Gentoo and Chinstrap, whales and a variety of other birds) was a real trip highlight. And at the end of each excursion, we were rewarded with a cup of steaming hot chocolate to warm us up.

Penguins

Humpback whales

Nothing compared to exploring the continent by land and sea, but we really couldn’t complain about our time on the Silverwind either. There were daily lectures, which brought clarification and provided additional information about what we saw during our outings. There was a library, where you could sip a cup of coffee, talk to one of the scientists on board, read a book, look out for wildlife or look at the many historic photographs of excursions throughout history. And if you were sore from the excursions, you could always head to the spa for a massage. I got a facial one afternoon, which was one of the best I ever got! There was music in the lounge during the after-dinner hours. In fact, we kept so busy, some days we had a hard time squeezing in meals. The food was delicious and the service was very attentive.You could sit alone or get a larger table and have dinner with newly found friends. Every part of the cruise exceeded our expectations. And the destination was incredible. I loved a quote I saw somewhere that said, ‘traveling to Antarctica is like going to another planet here on Earth! It was an otherworldly and memorable experience.

Otherworldly Antarctica

I would describe the Silversea cruise experience as an upscale one. Everything was very well thought out and executed. The ship was beautiful and well-designed and decorated. The staff was warm and dedicated to making the trip perfect for each of the guests. The almost 1:1ratio of staff to guests made this possible. The guides provided an amazing perspective on everything we saw and did. They were helpful in manuevering on and off the zodiacs, so almost everyone felt they could participate. And the captain’s ability to safely navigate these challenging waters was so appreciated. If a dream trip to the majestic seventh continent is in your future, I would suggest sailing there with Silversea.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Cruises page.