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A few minutes later, a little door swung open at the front of the ship and out popped several of our expedition guides. I was about three days into a 10-night voyage to Antarctica on the new National Geographic Resolution when I began to understand just how special a vessel it was. Kids are welcome on any Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic cruise. However, they are more prevalent on summer cruises to the Galápagos Islands and Alaska because of the National Geographic Global Explorers programs on those itineraries. There are no specialty restaurants or charges for any type of food on board.
Expedition Team
This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. Today we explored Bartolome and Chinese Hat, two of the best spots on the island of Santiago. We had special encounters throughout the day, spotting the Galapagos penguin, sea lions, and blue-footed boobies.
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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. As is the case with all Antarctica trips, voyages on National Geographic Resolution are expensive.
Onboard Activities
A cruise on National Geographic Explorer does not come cheap, but you are paying for one of the best expedition offerings with respect to the standard of ship, the number and experience of the staff and the excellent organization. By late January, when I first arrived in Antarctica to test out National Geographic Resolution, the fast ice mostly had melted away in the northernmost areas of the Antarctic Peninsula that draw the bulk of Antarctica expedition vessels. 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. Each ship in the Lindblad fleet is either purpose built to explore a region of the planet or leased on a basis of what they can add to the expedition experience.
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. Lindblad Expeditions introduced National Geographic Explorer in 2008, providing the line with the most sophisticated expedition-style ship afloat. It's equipped with high-tech equipment for forecasting ice conditions, underwater cameras that can drop to the seabed and state-of-the-art audiovisual gear.
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National Geographic Quest was purpose-built by Lindblad for its mainly U.S. demographic. Drawing on 50 years of expedition cruising experience, you will find everything aboard is cleverly constructed and included (or excluded) based on lots of customer feedback. Meals are served in the dining room, Bistro bar, or the Observation lounge, at a single seating with unassigned tables for an informal atmosphere and easy mingling. The plans to completely rebuild her drew on 50 years of pioneering expedition history and expertise. Her interior and exterior design embodied the Lindblad expedition ethos—the privilege of wildness and the luxury of comfort.
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic Explorer Dress Code
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. National Geographic Resolution also sails with an impressive stash of adventure gear for exploring, including the previously mentioned kayaks, snowshoes and cross-country skis. A few hours later, we landed at nearby Petermann Island, famous for a colony of thousands of gentoo penguins. As I've experienced myself on a previous trip to Antarctica, the churn in the Drake Passage occasionally can be even more extreme. Waves up to 30 or even 40 feet high at times are not uncommon — something known as the Drake Quake. 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.
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National Geographic Islander II
Many expedition vessels have either a marina or side doors, but not both. 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. 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. It is up to the passengers to decide what they feel most comfortable wearing, depending on the weather and circumstances.
No, Lindblad and National Geographic are separate companies that have a partnership to provide luxury adventure travel expeditions. Lindblad’s small ships ensure an intimate and personalized experience. On board, you’ll be surrounded by National Geographic experts, including photographers, naturalists, and scientists, so you can make the most of your trip.
After lunch, the ship transited the McNary Dam and Lock, the last one on the Columbia River. Guests were treated to an expert presentation on geology by Naturalist Kyle Bowman, and ‘Lewis and Clark Lead to World’s No.1 Wine’, presented by Wine Expert Eric Degerman. The evening concluded with cocktail hour, traditional recap, and dinner while sailing through the Wallula Gap. We started our crisp and sunny morning with a ride into the boat basin at Sacajawea Historical State Park.
The ship also has a high-end chef's table experience, with a six-course tasting menu. Every passenger gets to try it once per sailing, at no extra charge. Much to my delight, National Geographic Resolution also is designed with lots of interior and exterior observation areas where passengers can get up-close views of passing scenery and wildlife. In addition, National Geographic Resolution can spin completely around in place, thanks to two Azipod thrusters that hang down below the vessel and can rotate a full 360 degrees. This allows it to better maneuver in ice-clogged areas than older expedition vessels with traditional propeller propulsion systems.
At Aitcho Island in the South Shetland Islands, we saw yet another type of penguin, the chinstrap. The next morning, in the Gerlache Strait, we ran across an armada of humpback whales. We stopped for hours to watch them — first from the decks of National Geographic Resolution and then from Zodiac boats.
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