Emergency Artic evacuation Voyager

[Ozziecruiser]

On the way to the Artic Ice Cap 9 hours north of Spitzburgen at a latitude of 80° the Seven Seas Voyager had a guest onboard requiring an emergency evacuation. The Captain decided to turn the ship around about 11:30pm to meet up with the helicopter at approx 1:30am. Luckily it was full daylight due to the midnight sun and the evacuation was made easier. Most guest were all awake at this time in order to see the Ice cap which was canceled due to the evacuation. Although disappointing we did not reach the ice cap it is reassuring that Regent always puts the health and safety of their guest first!

[NCCruzQueen]

Sorry you missed the ice cap, Ozzie, but it is good to know that Regent does put their guests first. I had an example of this on the Navigator this past Saturday when my mom fell while we were disembarking in Athens. We had a translator at the hospital and everything we asked for was done. Regent is top notch!!

 

Hope you continue to enjoy your cruise. Norway is spectacular, Beth

[St Croix]

We were on that cruise and saw your Mom down; I'm so glad to hear things went well.

[NCCruzQueen]

We were on that cruise and saw your Mom down; I'm so glad to hear things went well.

 

Thanks, St. Croix, We were taken to the Athens hospital where x-rays on various parts were taken, and EKG et al. Being 87 and having osteoporosis, she had NO broken bones. We were so very fortunate. We had a 3 day extended stay in Athens which we actually enjoyed through all the heat, but found some delicious food!!

[azjoy]

Ozziecruiser, are you on the "Captain's homecoming cruise" - where Captain Dag takes you to Bear Island? Hubby and I are looking at that for 2008. Are the seas and weather calm? 15 nights would be the longest cruise we've ever taken but it sounds like a unique opportunity. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give us.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I'm sure you'll get good answers about this cruise, although it's over now and everybody is home. I think they have fairly bad luck with the weather this year.

[jhp]

azjoy, not sure what cruise you are looking at for 2008 for Norway, nor can I tell you anything about "Bear Island". The cruise the OP was talking about, the "homecoming cruise" started on June 23 in Copenhagen. Captain really had no choice but to turn us around (I was on the cruise). This guest was only about 38-43 from what I have heard. We did miss Magdalenen fjord, but just no choice here. Like Dag said, think about if it were you, and decision is made. We were happy to hear on the ship that he was in a hospital in Norway and doing okay. I hope he continues to improve.

[Portolan]

We were on Captain Dag's Homecoming Cruise so I can address the question of Bear Island. It was never on the itinerary as a stop. We passed it overnight (still light, of course since it is well above the Arctic Circle) and I took some pictures. Given the variety of other potential stops on this cruise I don't think they'd ever plan a stop (no settlement...maybe some wildlife potential).

 

Weather was less good than we'd hoped for (lots of overcast and drizzle), but not unusual for this area this time of year. Maybe the next cruise will have better luck.

 

I'd also add that the decision to turn around was obviously the right one. At the time we turned around, we were in and out of thick fog about 10 miles from the ice cap (later conversation with Capt Dag). I expect there was a good possibility that even had we not turned around, we'd have sailed another hour (only doing about 10 knots because of the fog) only to hear that the radar showed the ice dead ahead about XXX yards (I'm guessing XXX would be several hundred) and that we couldn't go closer in the fog...through which we could only see a few hundred feet!

 

On the way back south, off of Spitzbergen, we came across an ice flow patch maybe 1 mile by 2 miles in size. Dag took the ship back and forth through it several times so we got some great pictures (including pictures taken from a tender they launched that were provided in small format gratis and available in large format from the ship's photographer). It also figured prominently in a DVD of the cruise they produced onboard from lots of video they shot all along the cruise (imagine the Voyager parked cross-wise in a 1000' wide fjord...it's 670' long!). The DVD was offered for $20...essentially cost (same day reproduction service in Oslo) with excess going to the crew fund. Very neat idea.

[NJBelle]

Hi, and you know, now that you mention it, I guess the weather was not that great on this cruise - but I sorta didn't notice it! It was such a great cruise in so many ways....we had good weather for many of the excursion days (my family went sea kayaking in Gerainger and we had nice weather for Tromso). Also it wasn't really rainy for Bergen (has always rained everytime before). Also Spitsbergen was nice weather....yes it rained for Capt Dag's house and for the hike we took in Flam.....but hey, that is part of the experience. And we met so many nice people and there was so much to entertain us and such beautiful scenery, that I really didn't register that this cruise had "bad weather".....all in all, it was a great cruise.

 

Also glad the stroke victim was doing better in the Tromso hospital by the time we left. Capt Dag made the right decision.

 

Best, NJBelle