All Aboard

Our first sight of Silver Explorer

This afternoon, after lunch, our coach took us straight to the ship. As we arrived to check-in we were handed a glass of champagne. Check-in was simple, and then we were escorted to our suite. It was decorated with Happy Birthday balloons for Denise's birthday and a bottle of champagne awaited us in an ice bucket. Our butler, Ashish (yes we have a butler) came and took note of our preferences for stocking our mini bar. There was a minor panic when one of Denise's suitcases appeared to have gone missing, but it was found soon enough. Originally we'd booked a view suite, but 4 weeks before sailing we were contacted by our Silversea rep and told that this bigger suite was still unsold, and they would offer us an upgrade for $1600 (instead of the $13600 more it would normally have cost us).  Well we couldn't turn down a bargain like that could we?

sailing away from Ushuaia

At 5pm we had to attend the emergency life boat training.

cocktails at the lecture theatre

Then at 6pm we were up on deck for the leaving party - where we were handed another glass of champagne. It was quite cold up on deck for the sail away celebration, so we didn't stay too long. At 7pm we made our way to the theatre on deck 6 for the introductory talk, as we arrived we were handed the cocktail of the day - a cosmopolitan.  They certainly like to keep handing you drinks on this ship...

At 7.30 we went for dinner. We elected to sit at a table with other passengers and met a lovely couple from Florida. As our desserts turned up the waiters brought a special cake for Denise. Now we are back in our rooms drinking the rest of our bottle of champagne and trying to unpack.




Tonight as we traverse the Beagle channel, the ship is not moving much, but tomorrow we will be in the Drake Passage.  I have my sea-sickness remedies to hand. Let's hope I don't need them....