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Celebrity Infinity Feb. 5 cruise - WOW!!


OnTheJourney
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Just came back from this cruise. The weather was fantastic. So many of the crew and officers I talked to said it was the best weather they've seen down there in years. 2 "Drake Lake" crossings were more than I would have hoped for! We had a picture perfect day in both Port Stanley (also very rare from what I was told) and at Ushuaia. I had been worried ever since booking this cruise about the possibility of not even being able to call at Port Stanley since I know the weather can change quickly down there. All in all, a great cruise. The penguins at both Bluff Cove and Puerto Madryn were amazing! Again, incredible weather made it all the more spectacular. Our cruise director mentioned the one night that we were having better weather than they were having in the Caribbean. Can't ask for more - at least for a really good "drive-by" experience.

 

We are booked on this for January 2018 so it was great to read of your enjoyment. Fingers crossed the weather is as kind to us and we can call at Port Stanley. We have a tour booked with Estancia Excursions to Volunteer Point.

I think just to be able to see Antarctica with my own eyes will sufficient enough for me. There is no desire to set foot on it. ;)

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We originally planned on going on the Infinity; but the Zaandam cruise spending 4 days in Antarctica rather than the 2 on the Infinity won me over. I know that the drive by is the only thing my wife can physically do there, so the expedition ships weren't an option for us. From the videos I have seen, the drive by cruises look awesome. I am sure that going through the ice in a zodiac would be amazing, as would getting closer to the wildlife on land. But we will be more than happy enjoying the scenery form the ship. It will be similar to experiencing the Panama from the canal.

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We are booked on this for January 2018 so it was great to read of your enjoyment. Fingers crossed the weather is as kind to us and we can call at Port Stanley. We have a tour booked with Estancia Excursions to Volunteer Point.

I think just to be able to see Antarctica with my own eyes will sufficient enough for me. There is no desire to set foot on it. ;)

I'm with you wansbrough. Have this 'drive by' booked for Feb 2019 and tour with Patrick Watts to Volunteer Point. No desire to hop in and out of zodiacs and believe we will see more than enough wildlife to keep me amused and in awe of their beauty. Just feel very lucky and fortunate to be in a position to be able to do this and many many more cruises. Life is good. Happy cruising everyone :)

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Just came back from this cruise. The weather was fantastic. So many of the crew and officers I talked to said it was the best weather they've seen down there in years. 2 "Drake Lake" crossings were more than I would have hoped for! We had a picture perfect day in both Port Stanley (also very rare from what I was told) and at Ushuaia. I had been worried ever since booking this cruise about the possibility of not even being able to call at Port Stanley since I know the weather can change quickly down there. All in all, a great cruise. The penguins at both Bluff Cove and Puerto Madryn were amazing! Again, incredible weather made it all the more spectacular. Our cruise director mentioned the one night that we were having better weather than they were having in the Caribbean. Can't ask for more - at least for a really good "drive-by" experience.

 

Sounds like you enjoyed a wonderful cruise to Antarctica, with good weather and smooth seas. We also were lucky to experience Drake Lake, although many passengers wore their patches for the whole cruise.

 

I think many people misunderstand "adventure cruising" to Antarctica. When my daughter visited Falkland Island and Antarctica, she went on a small very basic adventure ship, when cruising to Antarctica was only available on such ships, which were expensive. When I researched going, this small basic ship wasn't for me. Which is how I came to find Hurtigruten's Fram. I wanted a medium sized ship, with a good ice rating, Captain and crew experienced in cruising in ice, and an observation lounge with all around views, without going outside in bad weather. My daughter wanted to revisit the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica and to be able to kayak. As a result we were both happy with our decision. I did not meet one person who bragged, quite the contrary, I found well travelled passengers, who were all excited about cruising (or revisiting) Antarctica.

 

I think everyone feels the same sense of excitement despite how they choose to cruise to Antarctica.

 

Like many people who have been on this once in a lifetime trip, I'd love to go again, despite being a Senior.

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The two different experiences presented here are intriguing. Antarctica has long been on my bucket list as I really enjoy seeing nature more than cities. I am, however, worried about my physical limitations (a not at all active, overweight 70 yr old). I got myself in relatively good shape and went to the Galapagos 6 years ago and had a little trouble getting in and out of the Zodiacs and managed to do the hikes with some difficulty. Three years ago I went to Patagonia and did a week long expedition cruise in the Chilean fjords. That time I had more difficulty getting in and out of the Zodiacs. The landing at Cape Horn was particularly difficult with the sea conditions and the wind and sleet. After that I stayed on board the ship for the landings at the glacier and a major hike. I am very afraid that Antarctica would pose the same challenges to me. If I went on one of the expedition ships as opposed to the Zaandam would it still be better, even if I didn't go on any of the landings? Or should I just settle for a "cruise-by"? Can you see much of the wildlife from a cruise ship? Thanks in advance for your opinions :)

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Have a look at Hurtigruten's Fram. It uses Polarcirkels for landings and they are much easier to access than zodiacs. On one of our Antarctic trips they even got a passenger in a wheelchair ashore!

 

You will see wildlife from a drive-by but even if you treat an expedition ship as a drive-by you will be much closer to the water and to land.

 

Go for the expedition ship option and give yourself the opportunity of landings.

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The two different experiences presented here are intriguing. Antarctica has long been on my bucket list as I really enjoy seeing nature more than cities. I am, however, worried about my physical limitations (a not at all active, overweight 70 yr old). I got myself in relatively good shape and went to the Galapagos 6 years ago and had a little trouble getting in and out of the Zodiacs and managed to do the hikes with some difficulty. Three years ago I went to Patagonia and did a week long expedition cruise in the Chilean fjords. That time I had more difficulty getting in and out of the Zodiacs. The landing at Cape Horn was particularly difficult with the sea conditions and the wind and sleet. After that I stayed on board the ship for the landings at the glacier and a major hike. I am very afraid that Antarctica would pose the same challenges to me. If I went on one of the expedition ships as opposed to the Zaandam would it still be better, even if I didn't go on any of the landings? Or should I just settle for a "cruise-by"? Can you see much of the wildlife from a cruise ship? Thanks in advance for your opinions :)

I second digitl, that you should look into the Fram. My first Antarctica trip was on a different expedition ship, so one of the biggest impressions I had of Fram was how accessible she is. I was already impressed by the elevators and wheelchair ramps in the public spaces. Then they broke out the portable steps to get in and out of the landing boats. I admit to having some clumsy flop-over-the-edge moments dealing with zodiac landings, so I can confirm that the Polarcirkel landings are much easier to navigate. They even have hand railings for stepping in and out. Easy peasy! Then I shared a landing boat with the aforementioned wheelchair passenger, and I was blown away!

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Have a look at Hurtigruten's Fram. It uses Polarcirkels for landings and they are much easier to access than zodiacs. On one of our Antarctic trips they even got a passenger in a wheelchair ashore!

 

You will see wildlife from a drive-by but even if you treat an expedition ship as a drive-by you will be much closer to the water and to land.

 

Go for the expedition ship option and give yourself the opportunity of landings.

 

I second digitl, that you should look into the Fram. My first Antarctica trip was on a different expedition ship, so one of the biggest impressions I had of Fram was how accessible she is. I was already impressed by the elevators and wheelchair ramps in the public spaces. Then they broke out the portable steps to get in and out of the landing boats. I admit to having some clumsy flop-over-the-edge moments dealing with zodiac landings, so I can confirm that the Polarcirkel landings are much easier to navigate. They even have hand railings for stepping in and out. Easy peasy! Then I shared a landing boat with the aforementioned wheelchair passenger, and I was blown away!

 

Thanks to both of you for posting this information. This sounds like the way to go. I wasn't aware that the Fram used a different sort of landing boat. I took a look at this and they seem to be booked for this coming season but maybe closer to the time they will have something come available. The other challenge is that I will be traveling solo unless I can talk my one adventurous travel buddy into going. I may go ahead and just book for the 2018-2019 season. Thanks again.

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I'm just grateful for the day we had at Port Stanley. Could not have been better. And yet if we had been scheduled to come in the day before we would not have been able to do it. The gentoos out at Bluff Cove were so adorable!!

 

Terry&Mike...best wishes for the type of smooth sailing and great weather down there that we had. I'm not a fan of rough seas, and so having "Drake Lake" twice was more than I even realistically hoped for. Curious..how did you find the HAL trip to AU/NZ to be? AU and NZ are high on my list but I don't prefer to do it by cruise since I'd like to do fairly extensive touring of the interior parts of AU. Most of the cruises I've looked at only visit a few ports in AU. Then again, you mention "lots of land trips" so perhaps you've already done one of those on that continent anyway.

 

HAL does a circumnavigation of Australia cruise (30 days) that looks like it hits all the major points in Australia and goes to the Great Barrier Reef. I am not sure, but you might be able to add on a cruise that then goes to NZ. I didn't look because I have done the NZ/AUS cruise and you are right they are mostly NZ.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Thanks to both of you for posting this information. This sounds like the way to go. I wasn't aware that the Fram used a different sort of landing boat. I took a look at this and they seem to be booked for this coming season but maybe closer to the time they will have something come available. The other challenge is that I will be traveling solo unless I can talk my one adventurous travel buddy into going. I may go ahead and just book for the 2018-2019 season. Thanks again.

 

May want to also check out Fram's sister ship Midnatsol. She also sails the Antarctic and is 50 percent larger than Fram. By next season Hurtigruten is adding two more newly designed and built expedition ships to the Antarctic water, as well.

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May want to also check out Fram's sister ship Midnatsol. She also sails the Antarctic and is 50 percent larger than Fram. By next season Hurtigruten is adding two more newly designed and built expedition ships to the Antarctic water, as well.

 

Thanks for the additional info. I knew about the Midnatsol, but not the 2 additional ships.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just remember us steaming past a Celebrity ship and heading through the ice to visit one of the Argentinian base camps. Took about 3 hours solid driving through the ice. The Celebrity ship was stopped and really they wouldn't have seen much. Take one of the good expedition ships if at all possible, definitely worth it. But I do appreciate that they cost more than double.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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