Planning for one last Antarctica cruise on the Quest

[hoya68]

1 hour ago, ColonyGirl2 said:

I actually did.  It was expensive and long.  I was hoping to try to use FlightEase.  The airport there handles all flights into the Amazon so it must be busy. 

 

Thanks for your feedback on long cruises.  I wasn't sure about our 22 day cruise but I loved it so much I think we can handle the 45 days.

 

 

In 2018 we booked from Manaus to Baltimore through Rio using Delta miles. First class except from Manaus. It worked well.

 

Also aftr Manaus we stayed two days at Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge to get an Amazon experience. Well worth it.

 

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, sfvoyage said:

Another thing to consider is that there is quite a bit of setup time and efforts involved with each landing.  We had to dress in layers and get our gears in order, then go to the assembly point where the staff would help us put on the heavy-duty safety vest, get to the boot lockers to put on our boots, then walk down to queue up for the zodiac.  Upon landing, we had to rinse off our boots, in order not to carry contaminants onto land.  The whole process then would take place in reverse for the return trip, with the additional effort of extra rinsing (by us) and cleaning (by the crew) of the rubber boots from the penguin guano.

 

2 hours ago, sfvoyage said:

Especially for some of the more elderly guests, one landing was tiring enough.

 

Your description of what is involved in making a landing is the best that I have read.  Thanks so much for being so descriptive.  

 

I have become an "elderly guest" and I am certain that one such landing would be quite enough.  I know I would prefer an afternoon in the hot tub with a glass or two or ? of a quality New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  

[zelker]

To add to sfvoyage's great landing info - they assigned the entire ship into groups of 100, with a color for each one and then rotated the order of the groups every day.  They gave us a coordinating color arm band to wear on the outside of our jacket whenever we left the ship in Antarctica and SGI.  On a couple of days the earliest group was at 6:00 AM which meant a really early wake-up.  We're morning people so not an issue for us but there were some who either weren't early risers or had indulged a bit too much the evening before 😉 and had a hard time meeting up with their group in time and they will not wait for you. 

[rkacruiser]

22 hours ago, zelker said:

On a couple of days the earliest group was at 6:00 AM which meant a really early wake-up.  We're morning people so not an issue for us but there were some who either weren't early risers or had indulged a bit too much the evening before 😉 and had a hard time meeting up with their group in time and they will not wait for you. 

 

Interesting!  Once upon a time, I was a morning person.  Had to be because of my profession.  No more in retirement; I function best at Noon and thereafter.  I'd probably be absent for my seat in the zodiac if I was expected to be there.  

[sfvoyage]

20 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

No more in retirement; I function best at Noon and thereafter.  I'd probably be absent for my seat in the zodiac if I was expected to be there.  

 

Same here, I am not a morning person.  On the days when I had the earlier time slots, I managed to get up and participate and enjoy fully, but then I was fairly wiped out the rest of the afternoon.

[tjcox9]

We loved it all, early or later in the day. The experience will differ with the time of day that you have. On South Georgia, we were (didn't think so at the time) fortunate enough to have the late zodiac tour. We had such lovely pics of dusk behind the ship with penguins and seals in the foreground. I believe that we had a change of landing spots due to conditions and it was the latest tour they had done in this area. Pretty magical.......but, I think we are glad we only had the one landing a day versus two on a true expedition ship with the uncertainty of conditions and landing spots - plus having to "garb" up twice a day. There was still so much to see from the ship!

 

Aaahhhh, memories is what have to keep us going during this difficult time and only hope all gets in control throughout the world so we can continue our adventures while we are still able!

 

[alainciao]

On 9/23/2020 at 11:30 AM, ColonyGirl2 said:

Thank you so much for the information @FlyingScotSailors.   I have been leaning toward Seabourn for a couple of reasons and I think you have put it over the top.  I had looked at true "expedition" ships like with Quark and Hurtigruten, which promise at least two landings per day, but like you, I decided one would be enough and when we get out of quarantine I am going to need to be pampered---a lot.  The hot tub and wine sound wonderful.

Now I just need to convince DH that the cost/time is worth it. Most of our big trips are about 3 weeks and our longest cruise was the 22 day Antarctica on HAL, so a 45 day cruise is ambitious for us.   

 

Hopefully things will be back to "normal" by 2022.   We just had United cancel our flight to New Zealand for March 2021.   I was surprised that they are looking that far ahead and deciding it wasn't going to happen.   I am waiting for HAL to cancel our January Panama Canal cruise. Final payment is due in 3 weeks.

 

Anyone have any comments on spending 45 days on a cruise ship?  

Colony (as in Ford's?)

We have been on 41, 40 and 45 day cruises.  For us to continue to be happy and excited on a long cruise, it depends largely on the ending ports.  If we are excited about the upcoming ports then we are happy.  On the 41 day (Sing-Venice) we were excited til the very end because we had never sailed into Venice. On the 40 day it was Auckland-Hong Kong) again HK a port we were excited about even though we had been there before. On the 45 day (London-Montreal) we did get bored because the Greenland/Northern Canada portion of the trip was so repetitive with many sea days.  We were looking forward to Montreal but not quite as much as the other ending ports.  Of course, being a little bored for ports did not ruin the last part of the cruise! The 40 day was on Regent, other two on the Quest.

[ColonyGirl2]

2 hours ago, alainciao said:

Colony (as in Ford's?)

 

Yes, Ford's Colony.   Good guess, but I guess the Williamsburg address helped.  We retired here 5 years ago and we love it, but are suffering from social withdrawal right now.  

Thanks for the info on the cruise length.  I want to go to South Georgia and DH wants to see the Amazon so I guess we should be okay.  I never heard of Manaus before but it looks interesting.

[alainciao]

Easy guess.  We're in Governor's Land.😀

BTW, we went to Antarctica in 2009 with Regent on the expedition ship Minerva.  Our favorite cruise.  We did get to South Georgia and we also think that was the highlight.

 

[sunshineocean13]

On 9/23/2020 at 8:30 AM, ColonyGirl2 said:

Anyone have any comments on spending 45 days on a cruise ship?  

We've never been had the pleasure of an Antarctica cruise yet, but I've enjoyed reading about people's experiences in this strand.

Our previous longest cruise was 23 days, Manaus to Monaco on the Quest in 2018. We loved that, and the sea days crossing the Atlantic, enough to sign up for the 146 day 2020 World Cruise on the Sojourn, to celebrate our 50th anniversary. The pandemic meant we actually sailed for 73 days, and it wasn't enough! Even with 17 days at sea as the Sojourn was unable to make multiple stops wasn't too much for me. We, and many other guests, were disappointed to have our cruise cut in half. I'm just hoping we'll be able to sail again in 2022.

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, tjcox9 said:

memories is what have to keep us going during this difficult time and only hope all gets in control throughout the world so we can continue our adventures while we are still able!

 

Your entire post is excellent, tycox9!  Memories, my travel journals, and photos have entertained me during this time of being in my "bubble".  (And, being able to participate on Cruise Critic has been quite important to me as well!)

[rkacruiser]

22 hours ago, sfvoyage said:

On the days when I had the earlier time slots, I managed to get up and participate and enjoy fully,

 

When I have to do so, I can rise at an early hour--but, I don't like it.  I always object the most when I have to make a 6:00 A. M. flight to ATL or MSP or DTW to make a connection to get to the West Coast or to Florida for a cruise.  But, then, I "motivate" myself with the realization that once I am in the Port city, I will soon be aboard my ship!