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National Geographic Quest


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I will be taking a cruise on National Geographic Quest next month. The new build ship launched months ago. I have searched the internet extensively and not a single real customer review. I saw the press releases from Linblad but no honest to goodness non travel agent reviews. I have not even read a single post from professional posters that monitor the boards.

 

Has anyone out there taken a voyage on the Quest? Would love to hear any and all comments and reviews. Are we the only ones who ever booked on this ship?

 

Getting very worried.

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  • 1 month later...

We are sailing on this ship in July 2018. I have also been looking for reviews and photos of this ship. I can’t believe Lindblad has not published any photos of their new ship. I have even emailed them several times and still haven’t gotten any photos.

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  • 1 month later...

Well, I will be able to perhaps answer this question next week. We board her on Sunday, 18 Feb for the Belize to Tikal run. My husband signed us up (Cal Alumni Association trip) so we will be in a subgroup of 15.

 

I normally post daily to my own blog if internet is at all available. If the bandwidth sucks or is terribly expensive I hold off on the photos.

 

Have never sailed with Lindblad. But my personal cruise experience spans five rivers and a goodly number of ocean voyages [85+]. This seven days on ship is pretty short for me.

 

Any specific questions? Like mine - diving and snorkeling are mentioned but absolutely nothing about equipment (provided? Bring your own ?)

 

- Holly

http://Www.hollydoyne.net

 

Past cruiser of Princess, Celebrity, RCCL, NCL, Costa, MSC, Phoenix, Windstar, P&O, Crystal, Ponant

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In the Galapagoes, Lindblad furnished snorkel equipment and wet suits. I have not been on Quest yet but would expect it to be equipped.

Currently on the Quest. Masks, snorkels, fins, wetsuits, zodiacs - they have them all. As well as standup paddle boards and kayaks.

 

-Holly

The food? Meh. But the snorkling today was great

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  • 4 weeks later...

Back from the Quest for a couple of weeks and have let things sort themselves out in my mind. I think this particular trip type of expedition finds travelers who either LOVE the experience or are saying "why did I spend all my money for this?" I fall into the second category. The staff was fine, good, competent and friendly. The food was a severe disappointment. Breakfast was fine, lunch usually was ok and dinner whenever served was frankly inedible. Fish overcooked to the point where it was rubber, limp vegetables and complete lack of any reasonable amount of protein for vegetarians. (Yes, I expect coconut veg curry to have more veg than onion and mushroom and have a flavor other than brown).

 

Ship - It is new, comfortable. But there is only one lounge which is used for everything which means that there is no place quiet on the ship indoors to sit, read or quietly talk with others. The outdoor areas are only usable if the weather is good (not raining, no wind).

 

The Cruise Director equivalent didn't know when to stop talking which meant that we were always late into dinner (may well have contributed to the poor food - beautifully plated mind you but overcooked and tasteless). I expected adult - what I got was a "Good Morning campers" approach. Greetings and shouted responses are for religious services and kindergarten. My fellow passengers were perhaps the most educated group I have ever had the pleasure to travel with; we did't need programs that catered to the three families traveling and featuring their offspring in presentations. The Naturalists were good as was the photographer. I enjoyed the snorkeling and the supporting dive teams.

 

Mind you, I understand where the expensive of the trip goes - transportation and staff salaries. Not a problem, But as someone who normally arranges her own tours and expeditions I found buses with 30-40 people at times irritating.

 

Lastly, and most importantly for me, as is apparently the custom with many of the small ships - you can't lock your cabin except from the inside. I travel with expensive camera equipment. My insurance company, when asked said that if anything happened they would not cover it as they would feel that neither the ship nor I had taken proper precautions to secure it.

 

The Celebrity Xpedition is the same size and has cabin keys.... The food was outstanding, the naturalists extremely good and all beverages were included when we were on her in the Galapagos.

 

Lindblad was interesting. But not worth the money from my point of view. There were several couples who had been on 20+ Lindblad cruises and would never put a foot on a larger ship. I guess I prefer a bit more space, good food and personal flexibility.

 

-Holly

pictures on www.hollydoyne.net with dates 18-25 Fen 2018

getting really close to 100 cruises. But first the rest of my Spring Training AZ break....

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