Voyage of the Vikings 2020

[knittinggirl]

On 10/6/2018 at 12:51 PM, cruisemom42 said:

I'm contemplating this for 2020 but cannot do the entire round trip. Is there any consensus as to which "half" is the better itinerary? I'm leaning toward the first part -- from Boston to Amsterdam.

Wanted to add that on our 2019 VOTV, they swapped our Iceland ports,  so Reykjavic was in the 2nd half and Akueriyi and Isafujor was the first half.  Also, changed our Norwegian port.  

[Tampa Girl]

16 hours ago, SeaDog-46 said:

Tampa Girl - I realise this is a bit confusing - but will try to clarify it.

The New Polar Code has been many years in coming because several classification societies that insure ships each had there own ICE class rules.

Also various accidents with cruise & expedition ships have occured - sinking of Explorer,  Polar Star hitting uncharted rock &  Le Boreal engine fire & loss of power off Falklands & some others.

In Jan. 2017 the notification of these rules was put out by the  International Matitime Organisation - IMO [UN body].  Start date for POLAR CODE - 1st Jan. 2022.

All ships with any of the old Ice Classes going through there 5 year recertification after that date [1st Jan.2017] would either need to comply with & be issued a new Polar Class rating or NOT get one - ie no longer have one due to not complying with the new code.  This is what will happen to all the HAL ships & other normal cruise ships with an Ice Class certificate.  Zaandam 5 year survey is due next year after her trans Atlantic & Greenland port call mid year. She will no longer be Ice Class after that survey/drydock.

There are a couple of ships that have been upgraded & should have or get the new Polar Code. They are Silver Cloud that had a $41 million 2 month docking & RCGS Resolute.

The reason for me putting out this Polar Code info is to advise members that if they want to cruise to Antarctica & Greenland at a reasonable cost - then next year is likely their last chance, though there could still be some in 2021.

 

Thank you for the clarification.  You mentioned 20 year certification for the Zaandam, so I was confused.  Where did you find the certification dates for the ships?  I also saw the date of January 1, 2000, as the start date, so I obviously had not researched enough.

 

I noted that the Westerdam will be doing the SA Antarctica cruise in '20-21".  I almost booked that until I realized that those ships no longer have a library or the Crows Nest, so we have booked the Zaandam for this December.  Ashford hasn't spoiled the S and R classes, yet. ( A notable exception could be made, however, for the Veendam and her infamous wading pool.) Thanks for all your help.

[SeaDog-46]

Tampa Girl - The dates for each ship's 5 year survey is in 5 year periods from the build date, but can vary by a few months for operational reasons.  When I said 20 year survey that is how it is referred to in the industry. The 3rd survey & each gets more difficult.

I did not know Westerdam is doing an Antarctic Peninsular in 2021 - so she will drydock later in 2021. 

Joining her in Japan on the 31st March & did the repositioning on Zaandam BA to VCR in 2017.

Be very careful in BA - friends of Canadian friends were joining a Princess ship last month & while at breakfast in their 5 star hotel their room & baggage was robbed. Lost passports & much else. Could not join ship in BA.

 

[Tampa Girl]

14 hours ago, SeaDog-46 said:

Tampa Girl - The dates for each ship's 5 year survey is in 5 year periods from the build date, but can vary by a few months for operational reasons.  When I said 20 year survey that is how it is referred to in the industry. The 3rd survey & each gets more difficult.

I did not know Westerdam is doing an Antarctic Peninsular in 2021 - so she will drydock later in 2021. 

Joining her in Japan on the 31st March & did the repositioning on Zaandam BA to VCR in 2017.

Be very careful in BA - friends of Canadian friends were joining a Princess ship last month & while at breakfast in their 5 star hotel their room & baggage was robbed. Lost passports & much else. Could not join ship in BA.

 

 

I think that you just answered my dilemna as to whether we should ignore staying over in BA prior to the cruise and, instead, stay near the domestic airport and fly to Iguazu Falls the next day. We would then fly to BA on the second day and go directly to the port.  We are in port on the 18th and 19th of December, with our bags safely on the ship.

[Ken the cruiser]

It looks like Azamara didn’t get the word as they are offering a Feb 2022 Antarctica cruise on their R class Pursuit ship. 

 

https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/int/voyage/qs21u001/21-night-fjords-antarctica-voyage

[Tampa Girl]

23 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

It looks like Azamara didn’t get the word as they are offering a Feb 2022 Antarctica cruise on their R class Pursuit ship. 

 

https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/int/voyage/qs21u001/21-night-fjords-antarctica-voyage

 Interesting.  But they may not be going very far into Antarctic waters because the itinerary only shows one day of cruising in Antarctic Sound.  The HAL itineraries have shown four days of Antarctic Experience, with a sea day at each end.  Azamara shows only one day, with a sea day at each end.

[dfish]

The itinerary that I pulled up on the link shows three days in Antarctica - February 12-14.  

[Ken the cruiser]

22 minutes ago, dfish said:

The itinerary that I pulled up on the link shows three days in Antarctica - February 12-14.  

That’s weird. I just clicked on the link at it took me to the 21 day cruise that starts in Feb 2, 2022. 

[Ken the cruiser]

1 hour ago, Tampa Girl said:

 Interesting.  But they may not be going very far into Antarctic waters because the itinerary only shows one day of cruising in Antarctic Sound.  The HAL itineraries have shown four days of Antarctic Experience, with a sea day at each end.  Azamara shows only one day, with a sea day at each end.

Actually they will be cruising the Antarctica Sound on days 11-13 with a sea day on each side of those 3 days. The point being, though, is that they will be crossing the 60 degree parallel after Jan 1,  2022 without an Ice Class 6 certified hull. I’m just wondering what other cruise lines will ignore this “deadline”?

[Tampa Girl]

2 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Actually they will be cruising the Antarctica Sound on days 11-13 with a sea day on each side of those 3 days. The point being, though, is that they will be crossing the 60 degree parallel after Jan 1,  2022 without an Ice Class 6 certified hull. I’m just wondering what other cruise lines will ignore this “deadline”?

 

My mistake.  I wonder what I was looking at!  Anyway, is there any chance that Azamara  ship is ice certified?  I understood that this was not a retrofitting problem but, rather, requires it to be built into it from day one.

 

Also, what about Iceland and Greenland cruising?  Isn't much of that area above 60 degrees N.?

[SeaDog-46]

Azamara Quest no doubt has the current Ice class but the company programers are not aware of the new Polar Class rules coming into force totally on 1st January 2022.

As stated before all of Greenland is north of 60 deg. north - therefore out for current vessels.

Iceland & Norway are exempt & not effected because the Gulf Stream keeps these areas ice free.

 

 

[Ken the cruiser]

7 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

My mistake.  I wonder what I was looking at!  Anyway, is there any chance that Azamara  ship is ice certified?  I understood that this was not a retrofitting problem but, rather, requires it to be built into it from day one.

 

Also, what about Iceland and Greenland cruising?  Isn't much of that area above 60 degrees N.?

It would be nice if it did have the needed certification. If so that might also possibly mean that the similar R class ships owned by Oceania and Princess may also be able to go there after Jan 2022. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what itineraries actually get posted this coming year for 2022 Antarctica cruises, whether they do shore excursions or not. 

[SeaDog-46]

Ken - some new info -  "Hanseatic Nature" has been handed over to Hapag Lloyd Cruises.

The 1st of 3 expedition ships that will spend the northern summer in the Arctic & southern summer in Antarctica.

The "Hanseatic Nature" will be German speaking, rated 5* & is Polar Code 6. Max passengers 230 but only 199 on high latitude voyages.  Ship is equipped with 17 Zodiacs for landings.

Sisters "Hanseatic Inspiration" due to be finished in Oct.2019 will be for the International market & "Hanseatic Spirit" expected delivery in May 2021will be adults only.

 

Also a Chinese yard have launched "Greg Mortimer" for owners Sunstone.

[Ken the cruiser]

Thanks seadog for the updated info of some of the more true expedition style cruise lines. We looked at the new Crystal Endeavor to plan our Solar Eclipse cruise on starting in Nov 2021, but it’s only 11 days long and starts at $1500 pp/day which is a little steep for our blood as I’m sure the above expedition lines you referenced are not that far behind.

 

With Azamara getting approval to sail in Antarctica waters in Feb 2022, but with no landings included, we’re now waiting to see what Seabourn, which does including landings, as well as Celebrity, HAL and Princess, which do not include landings in their voyages, do as we really want to see the Solar Eclipse  in Antarctica Dec 4th, 2021, but don’t want to pay $2,000-3000 per day for both of us, along with of course seeing Antarctica again.

 

Plus if we’re going to fly that far, we want to cruise for at least 3 weeks rather than just 11 days to/from Ushuaia. 

Edited May 7, 2019 by Ken the cruiser

[*Miss G*]

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but does anyone know the expiry dates of HAL’s certifications or where/how to find out?  Thank you