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To get us into the ice, the ship had to travel farther south than some expedition ships will go in Antarctica, to an ice-clogged waterway known as Lallemand Fjord. The Sanctuary features amenities and services to jumpstart the day or relax after exploring ashore. The Fitness Studio features state-of-the art equipment, including free weights, weighted balls, kettle balls, treadmills, and ellipticals. The Observation Deck keeps you connected to the outside world with its floor-to-ceiling windows and easy outdoor access points. The ship’s second restaurant—Tupaia’s—offers early riser breakfast, light fare for lunch, and a 24-hour hot beverage station.
The luxury of small-group exploring
On its Europe itineraries, cocktails are also complimentary, as is wine and beer with lunch and dinner. A selection of tours in each port, one almost always an active offering with bicycles or hiking, is included in the cruise fare. The embodiment of the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic alliance, National Geographic Explorer’s design is the result of almost 200 years of collective expedition experience. Find out why so many of our guests and our staff have a soft spot for this tried-and-true expedition ship. It is up to the passengers to decide what they feel most comfortable wearing, depending on the weather and circumstances.
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Tenure onboard averaged between five and 10 years, and as a result of clearly feeling passionate about this particular ship, the crew was superb -- dedicated, professional and charming. A full-time medical professional, undersea specialist, National Geographic photographer, Lindblad-National Geographic certified photo instructor, and internet café and laundry. Following the Coronavirus crisis, in 2021 the NatGeo Explorer ship started operation in July with two alternating Iceland itineraries, both leaving roundtrip from Reykjavik. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Photos of National Geographic Quest
National Geographic Resolution is an expedition cruise ship — a type of cruise ship that is specifically designed for adventurous travel to remote, hard-to-reach places such as Antarctica. The main dining room offers fixed-time seating for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lunch and dinner offerings come from a limited menu that typically offers a meat, fish and vegetarian dish. There are no accessible staterooms and there are plenty of obstacles on the ship. However, confident guests do travel with walkers and deal with the lack of accessibility features. The ship itself consists of five decks, with the uppermost deck, the Sun Deck, an ideal spot for viewing.
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While National Geographic Resolution isn't marketed as a luxury vessel, it does offer a rare and luxurious touch — the intimacy that comes with a vessel designed for just 126 people. This is something that can be a real advantage on an expedition trip to a place like Antarctica. Just outside the spa, on an outer deck, are two innovative glass-walled "igloos" where passengers can spend the night under the stars on a first-come, first-serve basis. More than 600 miles across, the Drake Passage often is roiled with waves 10 or 20 feet high, which can bounce around expedition vessels in what Antarctica aficionados call the Drake Shake. Another notable — and very noticeable — feature of the ship is its distinctive sloping bow, which looks almost as if it were accidentally put on upside down.
Where does National Geographic Quest sail from?
It can feel like old school week, as repeaters, who on our trip represented well over 50 percent, already know each other, having bonded on voyages to the exotic destinations that Lindblad's famous for. All that's needed to feel like a member of the Lindblad club is an insatiable curiosity about the world and traveling, an adventurous spirit and the willingness to try new adventures. Santo Antao is a diverse and rich island surrounded by beautiful subtropical reefs. Many of the islands here are protected marine reserves and state parks, allowing the rich marine life to thrive. Our undersea team ventured out on a dive to explore these waters and to capture the underwater world to share with our guests. National Geographic Explorer has 5 decks (3 with cabins) and 81 staterooms, all of which are Outside with either portholes or picture windows.
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Category 1 cabins, located on the Fore Deck, can be configured with two single beds or one double bed. They feature an armchair, writing desk and chair, two bedside tables, window alcove seating, and a closet with ample storage. Nonetheless, we were pleasantly surprised at the variety of menu items onboard National Geographic Endurance which included many ethnic dishes and regional cuisine. For example, Argentinean beef and Chilean and Argentinean wines made a few appearances during our Antarctica expedition. The food presentation, quality, and taste rival any specialty restaurant on big ships, and there isn’t an extra charge for any of it, including the Chef’s Table dinner.
Environmental awareness extends beyond the lecture program and pictures of whales and sea lions into such things as low plastic use, power saving and waste management. Single use plastic water bottles have been gone from Lindblad ships fleetwide for several years and you won't find plastic straws either. Although Lindblad Expeditions has been a leader in expedition travel for over 55 years, it launched a game changer in 2021 with the 128-passenger National Geographic Endurance. Built specifically for Arctic and Antarctica expeditions, this nimble ship delivers bucket-list travel perfectly with state-of-the-art technology. A glass-enclosed fitness center, outdoor stretching area, a LEXspa treatment room and sauna, staffed by wellness specialists.
Decks and Cabins
It doesn't offer butlers with every cabin, as one luxury vessel sailing to Antarctica does. Yet it's still a stylish and comfortable ship — more so than many expedition vessels. Built by Ulstein, a Norwegian shipbuilding company known for producing hardy vessels, National Geographic Resolution boasts an extra-strong hull that lets it bump through ice that would stop many lesser ships. It carries a polar class rating of PC 5 Category A, a notch above most Antarctica cruise vessels. The crew and staff onboard consists of service personnel and expedition team members who accompany guests on shore excursions.
Even for people like me who have traveled by ship through polar regions many times, it was a special moment — one made possible by the remarkable abilities of this new vessel. From an observation deck overlooking National Geographic Resolution's bow, I watched, mesmerized, as the 126-passenger vessel pushed aside giant slabs of ice with ease. For each guest there is a personal pfd for emergency use that remains in the cabin. For zodiac and kayak excursions, proprietary safety vests are stored in personal lockers in the Mud Room on the main level of the ship. From this area, guests board zodiacs, kayaks and SUPs for their adventures.
The ship's ROV (remotely operated vehicle) can dive up to 1000 ft / 305 m depths. Ideally suited for sea expeditions, the ship carries wet suits, snorkeling gear, underwater cameras, hydrophone, a glass-bottom boat, 24 sea kayaks, paddle boards, a fleet of Mark V Zodiacs and even a video microscope. The ship is also equipped with a bow-cam for bow deployment to listen and record marine animals, for example, humpback whale vocalizations and dolphins. Every voyage is accompanied by a full-time doctor, photo instructor, video chronicler, wellness and undersea specialists.
It’s also home to the Photo Studio, where all guests can rent OM System gear, with our compliments. While the general makeup of passengers is largely mature Americans, traveling as either couples or singles, Lindblad encourages younger people, too. It's not unusual to find at least one family with older children or active grandparents. When considering Quest for your expedition cruise, know that you will be truly immersed in your destination. You'll come back from the Panamanian jungle sweaty and muddy, but thrilled that you've seen a rare slaty-tailed trogon or been shadowed by patrolling bald eagles in your kayak in Alaska. The new ship does not completely ignore trends in the small ship arena, however, with dedicated spa and gym facilities and nearly half the cabins with private balconies.
As a true expedition cruising ship, National Geographic Explorer is staffed with a full-time doctor and a wellness specialist, a photo instructor, and a video chronicler, and also an undersea specialist. Another feature is the specific expedition equipment on board, including a remotely operated vehicle (diving to 1000 ft depth), a fleet of 36 2-person kayaks and 15 Zodiacs, wet suits and snorkeling gear, also a glass-bottom boat. Onboard educational and entertainment facilities are the observation lounge and the library.
Lindblad does provide a packing list for guests and also offers rentals of outdoor gear like boots or other gear for those who don’t wish to purchase their own. With a focus on outdoor exploration, adventure gear is perfectly acceptable on this ship. Showing up for meals wearing hiking boots, weatherproof pants and other outdoor wear is not unexpected.
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