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Antarctica TR: the trip after Dan
schlomo:
I took the same ship, the RCGS Resolute, that Dan took, on its very next voyage after TeamDan. Dan suggested I post a TR report here but I'm not very good at this sort of thing, so I'll just highlight my trip with respect to Dan's (or what I know of it based on what I've read so far).
First off, I have to say that I eagerly kept abreast of Dan's posting about his trip, to see if it would have any impact on our voyage. I was nervous when I read about some fuel issues and also something that a passenger on that trip posted on tripadvisor, complaining about the diversion that resulted in less time in Antarctica proper. But, in the end, everything on our voyage turned out great.
Quick aside: we befriended some ship staff, who only had very warm things to say about TeamDan. Understandably, they said it was a little bit of a learning curve for some minor things at first, but they really liked the group a lot. It was nice to hear that!
Unlike Dan's cruise, our trip was not blessed with the diversion to the Falklands for fuel. I say that because I would have gladly accepted that because of the wealth of wildlife they must have seen there. (I did not see any mention of this yet in Dan's reviews, but I base this on what the OneOcean guides tell me of what is possible to see there. I hope TeamDan had a fulfilling time.)
Days 1&2: Violent Drake shake, with lots of rolling and waves as high as the fourth deck---the dining deck, which made for interesting scenery while eating! Although this took its toll on some passengers, we all have some vivid memories. Such as the sounds of glasses crashing. Or chairs sliding across the bar. One passenger even had to get some stitches for a minor cut.
Day 3: ice blocking the channel, so we were diverted. No excursions. There was a very exciting scene though, with a pod of orcas chasing some penguins in the water--photographers went nuts but, really, you cannot capture such a thing in a photo or a video. Pure drama!
Day 4: A glorious scene morning! A morning landing to see gentoo penguins in a bay colored with black, white, grey and...."iceberg blue". (If you've seen the blue, you know what I mean.) The afternoon was spent among whales and penguins.
Day 5: Hiking and polar plunge. Overnight camping.
Day 6: Chilean station with nesting gentoo penguins. Afternoon kayaking with icebergs and breaching whales.
Day 7: Cruising through an active volcano crater. Afternoon visit to island with nesting gentoo and chinstrap penguins, complete with chicks. Awesome.
Day 8 and 9: Drake lake. (Day 9 with a little bit of a waste because the calm seas meant that the crossing was very fast. )
Other stuff: We had the standard food catering. All of the food and drink was more like standard "big cruise ship" food, rather than "expedition" food. IOW, there was good selection and plenty of it.
Good scotch whisky tasting night, with knowledgeable staff.
Excellent guide-to-customer ratio, with more than a dozen guides and another handful of researchers who were doing their own thing (but eager to answer questions).
Had two minor issues, which were dealt with promptly and satisfactorily. As a result, I am extremely satisfied with the entire trip.
Dan:
Nice summary!
Have a link to where you went and cruise video of your trip?
Pics?
schlomo:
We just got back, Dan, so no pics or videos yet.
There was a video on one of the decks which played scenes from the previous (i.e., your) voyage. Enjoyed seeing some of the celebrities! ;-)
ETA: Map here https://www.dropbox.com/sh/y7t5ioz7tfqhf4v/AAAwTOGTwjjjE7F_LsiQgwbQa/Christmas%20Chart.pdf?dl=0
chff:
Most of the blue shirts left together with us
a good yeshiva bachur:
--- Quote from: schlomo on January 01, 2019, 12:33:00 PM ---We just got back, Dan, so no pics or videos yet.
There was a video on one of the decks which played scenes from the previous (i.e., your) voyage. Enjoyed seeing some of the celebrities! ;-)
ETA: Map here https://www.dropbox.com/sh/y7t5ioz7tfqhf4v/AAAwTOGTwjjjE7F_LsiQgwbQa/Christmas%20Chart.pdf?dl=0
--- End quote ---
why didnt you go with Dan?
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