Endeavour: How do they manage getting everyone ashore in Antarctica

[Dr. Cocktail]

Happy Monday!

 

I visited Antarctica on a 100 passenger expedition ship 18 years ago and loved how we could all go ashore at one time.  As Antarctica limits landings to only 100 passengers at at time, how has Endeavour managed it?

 

I'm assuming it's done in shifts but even then, did you feel that you had enough time at each landing or did you feel a bit rushed?

 

All input much appreciated!

[bubbulz]

When I was on the ship at the end of last year we had only 140 passengers. The ship is rarely completely full (partly due to the number of solo travelers; my ship to the Arctic recently had under 170 recently). For Antarctica, we had 3 groups that rotated. The first two would go out and then once 50 came back, the last group would go. Landings were typically about 90 minutes but there were no real restrictions, just guidelines. We had two per day for each group on days that landings were offered and I never felt rushed.

[Fletcher]

It does sometimes mean that, say, the first group get ashore, commune with the penguins, get covered in poo, return to the ship, the wind suddenly rips up, and no one else gets off.  Tough titty for groups two and three.  This didn't bother me because I prefer ogling the landscape with a hot chocolate in my hand but some people were a little vexed.   

[Dr. Cocktail]

28 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

It does sometimes mean that, say, the first group get ashore, commune with the penguins, get covered in poo, return to the ship, the wind suddenly rips up, and no one else gets off.  Tough titty for groups two and three.  This didn't bother me because I prefer ogling the landscape with a hot chocolate in my hand but some people were a little vexed.   

Thanks to you both!  This is what I was afraid of .... I was used to three or four hour landings and even then, the time flew by!

[AusMum]

Have just returned from Endeavour in Greenland.  Ass Fletcher said, quite often the first group or two will scare the wildlife off, which was unfortunate.  They were very efficient as moving us on and off.  We had 187 passengers, but not all passengers got off.

[Tothesunset]

4 hours ago, AusMum said:

Have just returned from Endeavour in Greenland.  Ass Fletcher said.. 

Bit harsh

[AusMum]

11 minutes ago, Tothesunset said:

Bit harsh

that was. bad typo 🙂

[Woodrowst]

On 9/17/2024 at 6:56 AM, Fletcher said:

It does sometimes mean that, say, the first group get ashore, commune with the penguins, get covered in poo, return to the ship, the wind suddenly rips up, and no one else gets off.  Tough titty for groups two and three.  This didn't bother me because I prefer ogling the landscape with a hot chocolate in my hand but some people were a little vexed.   

Our experience in Antarctica was that the penguins ignored the strange two legged creatures gawking at them.  There were just as many penguins working the penguin highways and nesting within a yard or so of the people path when we were on the late groups.  And we did not have a single day where the weather kept late groups from following early groups.  

[bubbulz]

29 minutes ago, Woodrowst said:

Our experience in Antarctica was that the penguins ignored the strange two legged creatures gawking at them.  There were just as many penguins working the penguin highways and nesting within a yard or so of the people path when we were on the late groups.  And we did not have a single day where the weather kept late groups from following early groups.  

I found the same thing. It never seem to matter whether we went first or last. It was all equally terrific. In the arctic, on the other hand, we really didn’t see that much in terms of wildlife but again it didn’t matter where we were in the order.  

[Kauaijim]

No experience on SS but for our SB trip it was easy. Everyone had a time which varied daily ,  no one complained and I dont think the penguins thought about early or late they were always about as were the leopard seals .