Live from Le Commandant Charcot - The Ross Sea 2022

[Sitti]

I hope it was ok to start a new thread for sharing information on Charcot on this particular voyage. 

 

I have just arrived in Santiago at 1:15am today and met very nice Ponant staff at the airport. I was taken to Ritz-Carlton that Ponant prepared.  It was very exhausting flying all the way from Bangkok. At least I have 1 whole day in this hotel to rest. Anyway, all the covid procedures at the airport were long. I wasn't expecting lines would be that long during midnight. It took 2.5 hours to go through and collect my baggage. 

 

@cboyle, you're probably on your way. Have a nice flight and safe travel.

[gogo65]

So excited you made it Sitti!

Good to hear you made it through the challenging Chile covid procedures.

 

Cant wait to hear all about it.

 

[Sitti]

6 hours ago, gogo65 said:

So excited you made it Sitti!

Good to hear you made it through the challenging Chile covid procedures.

 

Cant wait to hear all about it.

 

Thank you gogo. Just got a result of my pcr test. It was negative.

 

Ponant is making all passengers to take another PCR test at the hotel. I think it is required by Punta Arenas authorities. And received a letter explaining procedures for departure tomorrow. Only problem is my letter came in French. And I don't speak French at all lol. But Google Translate helped me understood.

 

I think it's Ponant, not the hotel, I was given free lunch. I guess this is for passenger who haven't received their negative result to go outside.

 

[jpalbny]

I am excited to hear about your voyage! Please rest up and I hope that all goes smoothly from her on out. And, no more long lines. The Chilean COVID protocols sound nightmarish; glad you're through them.

[cboyle]

14 hours ago, Sitti said:

I hope it was ok to start a new thread for sharing information on Charcot on this particular voyage. 

 

I have just arrived in Santiago at 1:15am today and met very nice Ponant staff at the airport. I was taken to Ritz-Carlton that Ponant prepared.  It was very exhausting flying all the way from Bangkok. At least I have 1 whole day in this hotel to rest. Anyway, all the covid procedures at the airport were long. I wasn't expecting lines would be that long during midnight. It took 2.5 hours to go through and collect my baggage. 

 

@cboyle, you're probably on your way. Have a nice flight and safe travel.

@Sittiwe got in at 7 a.m. this morning (15th) and it took us 2 hours from plane to luggage. The Ponant reps who met us said we were much it usually takes at least 3 hours. 

 

Once at the hotel we checked in with the Ponant hospitality desk and were able to get our PCRs for Ponant done even though it was a half hour before the official testing time. I have gotten my negative result from the airport test, but John is still waiting for his. 

 

The welcome letter we got was in English. They probably had copies in other languages in addition to French. 

 

We were up in our room relaxing when lunch arrived at about 10:40 a.m. We got double of everything you did except only one chocolate cake. We were told everyone would get the same thing for lunch and dinner unless you had some special need (e.g., gluten free).

 

An hour or so later, room service came by again wanting to know how many tea services we wanted this afternoon.  We didn't want anymore food, so declined. Someone who took tea could comment on what it included. 

 

Dinner is supposed to be brought at 7 p.m. and there will be a go-to breakfast in the lobby area tomorrow at 4 a.m. We will probably have the fresh fruit and the cereal bars from lunch instead of the box breakfast. 

 

I hear dishes clattering out in the hall, so maybe that is the dinner signal. We hope there is some wine, but probably not.

 

I know you mist be much more tired than us with all you flight legs, so rest up so you can enjoy the rest of the trip.

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2022 by cboyle

[Sitti]

 

Made it to the ship

 

Edited February 16, 2022 by Sitti

[Sitti]

Pics of my cabin

[gogo65]

Wow, room looks amazing!!

[Host Jazzbeau]

Yes – great cabin.  What category is this?

[Sitti]

3 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Yes – great cabin.  What category is this?

Privilege Suite Deck 8

[Sitti]

After 2 days of going through Drake Passage, which I was quite seasick and somehow managed to get used to it by second day, we're now sailing through calm sea and starting to see little ice. We're currently heading to Charcot Island. On the way we spotted some whales. Captain slowed down and temporarily turned the ship toward the whales giving us a few chances to see them. 

 

 

Edited February 19, 2022 by Sitti

[Sitti]

While we still have reliable and "fast" internet for now, I better upload some more photos I have taken. Captain has warned us we'll lose current satellite coverage when we go deeper. We will then have coverage of different satellites which are really slow and only useful for emails and messages.

 

Here is pics I took on the day I got on the ship.

 

INNEQ BAR:

 

[Sitti]

Inner Pool

[Sitti]

Nuna Gastronomic Restaurant

[Sitti]

Main Lounge

[Sitti]

Cigar Lounge. 

[Sitti]

Gym

[Sitti]

Theater and our Captain

[Sitti]

My favorite Panoramic Lounge

 

(pics took over different days)

[Sitti]

When I got to my cabin for very first time, I saw this ship right next to Charcot. I'm assuming there were refueling natural gas?

[Host Jazzbeau]

One thing about the currently fashionable interior decorator color scheme:  no need to waste money on 'color film' – you could have taken all these photos in Sepia!

[Sitti]

And this is the Parka. I was expecting it's color would be dark red like I have seen on other passengers' photos, they changed it to yellowish orange. 

[schnapperin]

Enjoy those relaxing sea days more it’s getting busy! And nice to see that the cruise director from my Antartica trip is still working for Ponant and is now on the flagship

 

would you mind sharing a menu at some point to see if there is any difference to the other cruises? 
 

agree that the yellow jackets aren’t the best color, they also use yellow for the NatGeo trips (without the fake fur) 

[gogo65]

Love the jackets! I believe it’s special for Charcot.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Maybe not as stylish as red, but more visible in an emergency?  Safety first!