After stressing their comprehensive anti-COVID policies and procedures and requiring passenger vaccinations and triple COVID tests, Silversea embarked approximately 150 COVID-negative passengers on a ship with many already COVID-positive, quarantined and ill staff. By day 2 of the cruise we were told approximately 10% (a deliberate under-estimation per crew members asked to do double duty) of the crew were in quarantine and that Kayaking was cancelled, shore trips and Zodiac tours had to be cut back severely, that 2 of the 4 restaurants were closed for the entire trip, and that only buffet food and room service was available. The food was poor quality, overcooked and dried out as it sat out for hours. Hand sanitizer stations were left empty. The Captain gave 2 minute reports, accepted no questions and left the excursion head to deal with disappointed and angry passengers. We never saw or heard from the ship's doctor - he was in quarantine. The COVID outbreak escalated throughout the voyage with ultimately approximately 78 of the 270 crew members being removed from service. Passengers did not leave the ship for 9 of the 12 days of the expedition! We started our return journey early because of a "storm" expected in the Drake Passage, which several passengers could not find on multiple weather stations, and which did not occur. We were promised excursions in the Chilean Fjords for which Silversea knew the ship did not have permission.

In short, Silversea and Royal Caribbean didn’t stand behind their brand of luxury when they knowingly allowed passengers to board a COVID + ship to Antarctica and refused to fairly compensate passengers for loss of services and unnecessary emotional stress. Never Silversea or ANY RCCL cruise again.