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Midnatsol vs. smaller Holland America ships


Bella0714
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Hi,

 

I know that the Midnatsol carries about a third of the passengers compared to, for example, the 1400-passenger Zaandam, but it seems as if the Midnatsol viewing decks are on the upper levels. Being close to the water is important for trips around wildlife, glaciers and iceberg, so I’m hoping someone can compare the height off the water on the Midnatsols viewing levels to, say, the third deck of a ship like the Zaandam.

 

Thanks,

Dave

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I do not believe there is much difference in height. The promenade deck at Zaandam might even be lover than Midnatsol - I would not make a decision based on those criteria’s. My choice would depend on Itinerary and the time of year.

On Midnatsol the panorama deck is at deck 8 and promenade deck 5

On Zaandam the lower promenade deck is deck 4 and panorama deck is deck 8.

Which itinerary do you have in mind?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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Thanks, hallasm. HAL would be 22 days in January 2020 from Santiago to Buenos Aires with stops at Stanley and several others, plus cruising through Beagle Channel and Chilean Fjords, the highlight being four days floating through Antarctica.

 

Midnatsol would be the 13-day that focuses on Antarctica. Six days in Antarctica with probably one-a-day landings. Right now, that what’s in our budget, although it could be expanded to include a two-day stop in the Falklands. Again, budget is key, so we’d go either between early November (most likely) and early Dec. 2019 or early to late March 2020.

 

Landing in Antarctica is not No. 1 on my list (although it sounds like fun).Seeing it well is, which is why we would prefer a smaller boat that’s not so high off the water. But Midnatsol might not be the happy medium we were looking for judging by your description of viewing deck heights.

 

Of course, what might put Midnatsol over the top is whether they let us float around in Zodiacs, plus there’s the kayaking option. But the website doesn’t mention Zodiacs.

 

Dave

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There are of course zodiacs and similar vessels on boars MS Midnatsol, since they are used to land passengers. Based on disucssions I had with people who travelled to Antarctica with her, they did have some zodiac rides in addition to landings. The promenade deck on deck 5 is not so high over the water and is the one I would favor for landscape watching, but having the opportunity of a higher vantage point is also great since you can have a wider view over the horizon. And you will be at eye level with ice and wildlife on zodiac rides and landings. You will also have an expedition team at your servce, with knowledgeable biologists, geologists and so on, they will provide lectures on sea days and answer all your questions on a day to day basis.

 

Hands down a ship that offers landings will get you a better Antarctica experience than a ship that doesn't.This is really a no brainer for me.

 

The best advice offered to people who want to visit Antarctica is : go with the smallest ship and longest trip you can afford.

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Zodiacs are what get you ashore from Midnatsol and what they use for ice cruises.

 

As for landings v a sail-by, they are the difference between a good cruise and an awesome cruise!

 

We took the HAL trip some years ago when it didn't include Antarctica and were not too impressed with the Chilean Fjords. We also missed Stanley as a Force 12 blew up as we were arriving! If I wanted to see Antarctica then I would put my money on six rather than four days there and not worry about how high the viewing decks were.

 

YMMV!

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Fortunately for us, we have a refundable deposit with HAL and our payment isn’t due until Oct. 4, 2019. From what I’m seeing on the Hurtigruten UK site, there are many, many cabins available for the early Nov. 2018 sailing that spends. six days in Antarctica, prices are significantly lower compared to 2019, and we are not even inside the final payment deadline. So I think sit and wait for those 2019 fares to come down as the cruise date sapproaches will be the strategy. Right now, an inside cabin for the 13-day Antarctica on Hurt. In 2018 Is about the same as we are paying for our HAL cruise in 2020. Wish we could go then, but we can’t!

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You cannot depend on prices coming down, though, as you have found, it is possible (and the number this year seems quite exceptional).

 

Hurtigruten operate a fluid pricing policy which means the price generally goes up as the number of cabins available comes down. The best prices are usually available when the brochure is published around 18-24 months out and it's at that time when the choice of itinerary, date and cabin are at their best. You may also find that waiting for price drops means you pay more for your flights.

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You cannot depend on prices coming down, though, as you have found, it is possible (and the number this year seems quite exceptional).

 

Hurtigruten operate a fluid pricing policy which means the price generally goes up as the number of cabins available comes down. The best prices are usually available when the brochure is published around 18-24 months out and it's at that time when the choice of itinerary, date and cabin are at their best. You may also find that waiting for price drops means you pay more for your flights.

 

Well, at this point, we can’t commit so far out anyway, so there’s no choice but to wait. Besides, Hurt. keeps 20% of deposits cancelled. I’m comfortable with waiting.

 

The reason deck height and ship size is so important to us is our experience in Alaska. Small day cruise boats got much closer to glaciers, wildlife, etc., and the difference between those day trips on small boats and being in Glacier Bay on a 2400- passenger ship was tremendous. And since that’s more important to us than actually stepping onto Antarctica, I’m a bit focused on that. Clearly, we’d be better off going to Antarctica on a much smaller boat, but so far, only Midnatsol is within our budget.

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There are of course zodiacs and similar vessels on boars MS Midnatsol, since they are used to land passengers. Based on disucssions I had with people who travelled to Antarctica with her, they did have some zodiac rides in addition to landings. The promenade deck on deck 5 is not so high over the water and is the one I would favor for landscape watching, but having the opportunity of a higher vantage point is also great since you can have a wider view over the horizon. And you will be at eye level with ice and wildlife on zodiac rides and landings. You will also have an expedition team at your servce, with knowledgeable biologists, geologists and so on, they will provide lectures on sea days and answer all your questions on a day to day basis.

 

Hands down a ship that offers landings will get you a better Antarctica experience than a ship that doesn't.This is really a no brainer for me.

 

The best advice offered to people who want to visit Antarctica is : go with the smallest ship and longest trip you can afford.

 

I just looked at your Antarctica blog from your voyage on the Fram. Spectacular, and it looks like the Fram isn’t a whole lot smaller than the Midnatsol. Spectacular photos and so nicely written. Thanks.

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I just looked at your Antarctica blog from your voyage on the Fram. Spectacular, and it looks like the Fram isn’t a whole lot smaller than the Midnatsol. Spectacular photos and so nicely written. Thanks.

Thank you so much for your appreciation. Fram is slightly smaller than Midnatsol (and carries about half as many passengers in Antarctica) but I've travelled on Midnatsol's sister ship (Trollfjord) in Norway, and I don't think the viewing points are that high. Besides, Antarctica's landscape is absolutely huge.

The main thing I would miss on Midnatsol compared to Fram, in terms of viewing platforms, is the open bow, but the promenade deck on Midnatsol is at the same height I think.

 

If I understand correctly, the trip you could afford on Midnatsol gives you 6 days in Antarctica instead of 4 (that 50% more) and landings. It doesn't go to the other places, but if Antarctica is highest on your list, again, no brainer for me.

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Thank you so much for your appreciation. Fram is slightly smaller than Midnatsol (and carries about half as many passengers in Antarctica) but I've travelled on Midnatsol's sister ship (Trollfjord) in Norway, and I don't think the viewing points are that high. Besides, Antarctica's landscape is absolutely huge.

The main thing I would miss on Midnatsol compared to Fram, in terms of viewing platforms, is the open bow, but the promenade deck on Midnatsol is at the same height I think.

 

If I understand correctly, the trip you could afford on Midnatsol gives you 6 days in Antarctica instead of 4 (that 50% more) and landings. It doesn't go to the other places, but if Antarctica is highest on your list, again, no brainer for me.

 

Yes, that's the one. It just goes to Antarctica, which would really be fine. There's also one that's in our price range that spends five days in Antarctica and three days in the Falklands, but it sails a little late in the season (March 14). Then there are the really nice ones that spend seven days in Antarctica on the new ship (Roald Amundsen), but those are well above our budget.

 

Since the main attraction of the Falklands is, for us, penguins, I'm figuring we should get plenty of that in Antarctica, unless I'm mistaken.

 

Thanks again for your input.

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Since the main attraction of the Falklands is, for us, penguins, I'm figuring we should get plenty of that in Antarctica, unless I'm mistaken..

You will see penguins in Antarctica for sure.

 

However, there are some species that are found in Falklands and not in Antarcitca, such as King penguins. I don't know if I looked at the right itinerary, but the ones I found with Zandaam had only one day in Stanley, is that right? If so, to see some King penguins you need to take an excursion to Bluff Cove or Volunteer point (which seem to be at an extra cost). There are also some amazing multispecies rookeries in Falklands (for instance Blue eyed shag, albatros and Rockhopper penguin nesting together) but those are in outer islands which I don't think HAL ships can visit. If you have an itinerary with Midnatsol that includes a few days in Falklands with landings in the smaller islands, it might be worth it, but I don't know what is left in terms of wildlife in March there, eggs will have hatched and youngs may have gone.

 

In Antarctica you can find (and will likely visit, weather depending) vast colonies of Chinstraps, Adelie and Gentoo penguins. You can appreciate the landscape from an itinerary with no landings, but if you want to get close to the wildlife, you really need to go ashore.

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Yes, that's the HAL cruise, the one that sails from Santiago and spends one day in Stanley. Port time is 8 am to 5 pm. Estancia Excursions says we'll have plenty of time to do Volunteer Point (assuming we land). And, yes, everything costs extra on HAL.

 

 

I've done more research. March in Antarctica doesn't appeal to me as much as November, December and January. We're big on iceberg and snow scenes, and March seems to be low time for that. I do like the looks of the mid-to-late November sailings on Hurtigruten.

 

 

 

The one thing you can say about the HAL cruise is that it's in prime time, January 9-31. On the bad side, a few of the ports don't look particularly appealing (mainly Castro, Chile) and it spends only six hours in Ushuaia, which doesn't sound like much time to do anything.

By the way, did you know that Hurtigruten has a December 2019 Christmas cruise that spends 10 days in Antarctica? If only I could convince my wife to skip Christmas with the children and grandchildren (it'll never happen!). That's one cruise I'd bust the budget for.

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By the way, did you know that Hurtigruten has a December 2019 Christmas cruise that spends 10 days in Antarctica? If only I could convince my wife to skip Christmas with the children and grandchildren (it'll never happen!). That's one cruise I'd bust the budget for.

 

I'm booked on that cruise, and I didn't have to burst the budget - too much. I booked during a free air promotion to help cut the costs. I will be in an inside cabin - partially to save money and partially to be able to sleep with it light outside.

 

I've previously taken a Princess cruise around South America, including a stop in the Falklands. This time I wanted to spend the maximum time in Antarctica, so I chose this cruise with the longest time there. If I wanted to visit the other ports again, I'd go with a larger (and less expensive) ship than Hurtigruten, but Hurtigruten seems to have the best deal for actually going ashore on Antarctica.

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I'm booked on that cruise, and I didn't have to burst the budget - too much. I booked during a free air promotion to help cut the costs. I will be in an inside cabin - partially to save money and partially to be able to sleep with it light outside.

 

I've previously taken a Princess cruise around South America, including a stop in the Falklands. This time I wanted to spend the maximum time in Antarctica, so I chose this cruise with the longest time there. If I wanted to visit the other ports again, I'd go with a larger (and less expensive) ship than Hurtigruten, but Hurtigruten seems to have the best deal for actually going ashore on Antarctica.

 

Have a great time, even though it's a long way off. With 10 days in Antarctica, I bet you won't lack for landings.

 

As I've said, right now, we're on Holland America in January 2020 from Santiago to Buenos Aires, stopping in the Falkland Islands, among other places, and four days in Antarctica. We picked this one because it spends more time in Antarctica than Celebrity or Princess, and the cabins are on lower decks, so maybe less suffering if we get Drake Shake. But the deposit is refundable, and Hurtigruten is definitely on our radar, especially through one of the European portals.

 

I'm assuming you enjoyed Princess on Celebrity?

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Have a great time, even though it's a long way off. With 10 days in Antarctica, I bet you won't lack for landings.

 

As I've said, right now, we're on Holland America in January 2020 from Santiago to Buenos Aires, stopping in the Falkland Islands, among other places, and four days in Antarctica. We picked this one because it spends more time in Antarctica than Celebrity or Princess, and the cabins are on lower decks, so maybe less suffering if we get Drake Shake. But the deposit is refundable, and Hurtigruten is definitely on our radar, especially through one of the European portals.

 

I'm assuming you enjoyed Princess on Celebrity?

I enjoyed the Princess cruise from Santiago to Buenos Aires. It was a 14-night cruise with many of the same stops as your Holland America cruise - with the exception of Antarctica.

 

This time I wanted to go to Antarctica. Although your Holland America cruise has four days of "Antarctic Experience", you will not go ashore in Antarctica. I did not want to travel that distance without actually stepping foot on the continent. I'm sure the cruise will be enjoyable, but you will still not have been to Antarctica. If you really want the Antarctic experience, I believe you need to be on a ship with no more than 500 passengers that actually will let you set foot on the continent.

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If you really want the Antarctic experience, I believe you need to be on a ship with no more than 500 passengers that actually will let you set foot on the continent.

 

Yes, 500 is the magic number. More than 500 on board and there are no landings.

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March in Antarctica doesn't appeal to me as much as November, December and January. We're big on iceberg and snow scenes, and March seems to be low time for that.

 

Any time in Antarctica is prime time! Our first Antarctic trip was Fram's last trip of the season in the March and everyting about it was amazing with no shortage of ice, snow or wildlife. So amazing we had to go back. More than once.

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Any time in Antarctica is prime time! Our first Antarctic trip was Fram's last trip of the season in the March and everyting about it was amazing with no shortage of ice, snow or wildlife. So amazing we had to go back. More than once.

 

Thanks for that, digitl. Have you been to Antarctica in all of the prime months? If so, how would you rank them? Reading online, there seems to be general agreement that November is better than March, although November could result in lots of ice blockage, while it's a tossup as to whether December or January are best of all. I guess it's all relative, and I didn't take that into account: We're on a scale of best to worst in which, in this case, worst is still awesome.

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We have been at the beginning, middle and end of season and have enjoyed every trip. As for ranking them, it's like asking a parent to rank their children! They're different but equally loved (most of the time!).

 

 

Early in the season you may find ice a problem: we missed Port Lockroy (seriously disappointing despite the fact that we had made it on our other trips) but were first through the Lemaire Channel. Rookeries were white and pristine and we saw penguins' mating behaviour along with some eggs.

 

 

At the end of the season we saw plenty of chicks, still a (very) few eggs, and the rookeries were no longer white but shades of pink. We knew they were there before we saw them due to the smell! But it was still a very welcome experience as we watched chicks being fed. Mid season was, quite obviously, somewhere between the two in terms of what we saw.

 

 

Whatever time we were there, we saw a wide variety of wildlife on shore, in the air and in the water, plenty of snow, and some simply astonishing icebergs.

 

 

I cannot emphasise enough that any time you are there, you will be impressed. There is always plenty to grab your attention and cause your jaw to drop. The only differences are in the relative proportions of the various creatures and the amount of snow and ice. You may miss something that you might have seen more easily at another time in the season, but may see something that might be difficult to find at another time. But that also applies from day-to-day, hour-to-hour, or even one side of the ship to another!

 

 

If you want to make the very best of the trip, just in case it may actually be the trip of a lifetime and you are unable to return, try to include the Falklands and South Georgia. Both are very different from each other, and from Antarctica, and both are well worth the extra time and cost.

 

 

Hope that has helped!

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