See inside the Ocean Endeavor, a ship that sails to Antarctica. Rooms can go for over $10,000.

A chinstrap penguin with the Ocean Endeavour in Antarctica.
A chinstrap penguin with the Ocean Endeavour in Antarctica.
  • A record 100,000 people are expected to travel to Antarctica during the 2022/2023 season.
  • To get to the white continent, most people take a ship and have to cross the rough Drake Passage.
  • I spent $5,700 for a triple cabin on Intrepid Travel's Ocean Endeavor for my voyage — see inside the ship.
Travel to Antarctica is booming, with 100,000 people expected to travel to the continent this season.
Intrepid Travel passengers looking out at Antarctica.
Intrepid Travel passengers looking out at Antarctica.

Source: NC State University

Tourism to the isolated snow desert dates back to the 1950s and has grown dramatically in recent years.
Tourists stepping on Antarctica at the tour's first landing site.
Tourists stepping on Antarctica at the tour's first landing site.

Source: British Antarctic Survey

In the 2016/2017 season, only about 38,000 people visited, while in 2019, around 74,000 people made the journey.
Passengers on a zodiac boat.
Passengers on a zodiac boat.

Source: Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty

However, travel was halted during the pandemic and many tours were canceled or postponed — including mine with Australia-based tour company Intrepid Travel.
The front of Intrepid’s Ocean Endeavor ship.
The front of Intrepid's Ocean Endeavor ship with a branded flag waving.
My trip was originally scheduled to depart in November 2020, but was delayed to November 2021, and again to November 2022.
Antarctic ice reflecting in the water.
Antarctic ice reflection in the water.
Fortunately, with COVID-19 now under control and many tours, including Intrepid, requiring vaccinations, I was finally able to reach Antarctica last month.
Standing on Antarctica.
Standing on Antarctica.

Source: Intrepid Travel

My incredible 9-night journey was on the 200-person Ocean Endeavor expedition ship, where rooms can cost passengers over $10,000. Here’s what the trek was like.
A chinstrap penguin with the Ocean Endeavour in Antarctica.
A chinstrap penguin with the Ocean Endeavour in Antarctica.
According to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, which is an organization that promotes safe and responsible travel to the continent, most tourists reach Antarctica by boat from South America.
A view of the port in Ushuaia.
A view of the port in Ushuaia.
Flying is also an option, but only about 1% of tourists arrive by plane as the weather is unpredictable at the landing sites and the continent's infrastructure can make it difficult to rescue a stranded aircraft.
An Icelandair 757 on Antarctica.
Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions based a Boeing 757 Chile to fly tourists to Antarctica.

Source: The Points Guy, British Antarctic Survey, Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions

For my adventure, the departure port was in Ushuaia, Argentina, which is the southern-most city in the world.
Standing with the "fin del mundo" sign in Ushuaia.
Standing with the "fin del mundo" sign in Ushuaia.
I flew to the small city from Buenos Aires on the nation's flag carrier, Aerolineas Argentinas, though budget airlines like JetSmart also offer service. Whatever the airline, I suggest you reserve a window seat — the views are unforgettable.
The view on descent into Ushuaia.
The view on descent into Ushuaia.
For Intrepid's trip, guests were instructed to arrive a day early and were provided accommodation in Ushuaia. I was booked at the Wyndham Garden Ushuaia Hotel del Glaciar, which was about 10 minutes by taxi from town and up a giant hill.
I was put up at the Wyndham Garden Ushuaia Hotel del Glaciar, though other guests were booked at the Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort down the road.
I was put up at the Wyndham Garden Ushuaia Hotel del Glaciar, though other guests were booked at the Las Hayas Ushuaia Resort down the road. The latter was a nicer hotel, though mine was perfectly comfortable with great views of the port.
Here, an icebreaker was hosted and I met a wonderful group of nine travelers who I spent my entire Antarctic adventure with.
My little Antarctic family: (L-R): Erica, me, Emily, Courtney, Paulina, Nastassja, Joanna, Ashley, Harrison, and Hugo.
My little Antarctic family: (L-R): Erica, me, Emily, Courtney, Paulina, Nastassja, Joanna, Ashley, Harrison, and Hugo.
The following day, Intrepid arranged a transfer from the hotel to the port, which is where we got our first look at the company's specially-modified expedition ship — the Ocean Endeavour.
Standing at the port with the Ocean Endeavour.
Standing at the port with the Ocean Endeavour.
The ship is new to Intrepid, with my voyage being only the company's second-ever to Antarctica.
The Ocean Endeavour in Antarctica.
The Ocean Endeavour in Antarctica.
Originally named the Konstantin Simonov after a Russian poet, the Ocean Endeavour launched in 1982 and was used by Soviet companies to ferry people around the Baltic Sea.
The Ocean Endeavour in Helsinki when it was still named the Kristina Katarina.
The ship went by many names, including Kristina Katarina (pictured), before being called the Ocean Endeavour.

Source: USA Today

The ship was converted into a polar vessel in 2014 and equipped with 20 robust zodiac boats to transport people from the ship to remote landing sites in the Arctic and Antarctica.
Guests on a zodiac in Antarctica.
Guests on a zodiac in Antarctica.

Source: USA Today

Arriving at the Ocean Endeavour, it was much bigger than it looked from afar but was dwarfed in comparison to the luxury vessel on the adjacent dock, where rates start at over $20,000 for a 12-night cruise in November 2023.
The Ocean Endeavour (right) and the Le Commondante Charcot (left) in port.
The Ocean Endeavour (right) and the Le Commandant Charcot (left) in port. The ship was named after French Antarctic expeditionist Jean-Baptiste Charcot who voyaged to the continent in 1903.

Source: Ponant

Getting settled into the boat was quick and easy with help from the designated reception desk on deck 5.
The reception desk.
The reception desk.
The employee onboard held onto my passport and gave me my key to cabin 4100 located toward the front of the boat.
My cabin key on the Ocean Endeavour.
My cabin key on the Ocean Endeavour.
I paid a Black Friday rate of $5,700 in 2019 for a triple interior room, meaning I had two random female roommates and no window in the cabin. I also had to pay a "fuel surcharge" in August 2022 due to rising oil costs, amounting to about $450.
Triple room on the Ocean Endeavour.
Fortunately, my roommates were lovely adventurers and we had no drama.
My rate was relatively cheap compared to current triple room prices that sit between $8,800 and $11,000 for 2023 voyages. I also paid less than one person in my group who spent upward of $7,000 in 2021 for her triple room.
The Ocean Endeavour.
Intrepid includes the possibility of a fuel surcharge in its booking conditions.

Source: Intrepid Travel

While at first, I was a little worried about being in a triple, the room proved to be one of the biggest on the ship. Inside were four beds, including three that pointed toward the side of the ship and one that faced back to front.
The interior of my room.
Excuse the mess, it was a hectic embarkation day. My roommate snagged the far left bed and quickly realized how easy it was to fall out of it during the journey through the infamous Drake Passage, but more on that later.
Also inside the cabin was a separate bathroom and shower, which were each inside a small room with a door. There was shampoo, body wash, a handle to hang onto, and a curtain inside the shower room.
The doors to the separate shower and toilet.
The doors to the separate shower and toilet. The toilet uses a vacuum system and we were warned about letting anything fall in as it could clog up the entire ship’s plumbing.
Other amenities in the cabin included large closets with hangars, a TV that broadcast a few rotating movies and onboard science presentations, power outlets, and securable drawers.
Triple interior room.
The science presentations were live-streamed from the ship’s Nautilus Lounge.
I thought the room was extremely comfortable, and the large size meant I wasn't falling over my roommates. Though, I didn't spend much time in the cabin other than sleeping or showering.
My triple interior cabin.
My triple interior cabin.
While my room only had one shower, the other three triples on the boat had two. Moreover, they only had three beds across the cabin with one full bathroom on either side. The closets were not as big though.
Other triple interior options onboard.
I preferred my larger room, despite only having one shower.
Other rooms onboard included a comfort twin, which one person in my group spent $7,700 on when booking in the summer of 2022…
A comfort twin room.
She had one random roommate.
…as well as single rooms and suites. These go for much more than the shared cabins, costing between $10,000 and $18,000 per person, according to current Intrepid pricing.
My friend had a room with two twin beds and two berths that folded down, meaning four people could sleep int he cabin. She had no roommates though.
My friend had a room with two twin beds and two berths that folded down, meaning four people could sleep int he cabin. She had no roommates though.

Source: Intrepid Travel

In addition to rooms, the Ocean Endeavour also featured several other spaces, but don't expect a typical Caribbean cruise ship.
A rendering of Royal Caribbean International's Icon of the Seas cruise ship.
A rendering of Royal Caribbean International's Icon of the Seas cruise ship.
Passengers will not find casinos or giant Broadway-like auditoriums, nor are there water slides or steakhouses onboard.
The reception area.
The reception area on the Ocean Endeavour. Most spaces had minimal seating or decor because everything would slide or fall through the Drake Passage.
Instead, the amenities were simple, but still very nice. Toward the front of the boat was the Polaris Restaurant, where buffet-style and a-la-carte meals were served three times a day.
Guests getting food on the first day.
Guests getting food on the first day.
I thought the food was delicious, and there were some vegan and vegetarian options, but there was minimal fish because the company couldn't find an acceptable ethical vendor.
One of my a-la-carte steak meals.
One of my a-la-carte steak meals.
My group bought several bottles of wine in Ushuaia before embarkation, which Intrepid let us bring onboard at no additional cost and we drank them at every dinner.
Wine bottles at dinner.
Wine bottles at dinner.
While the dining room was really only intended to provide meals, it ended up being a pretty eventful space when journeying through the Drake Passage.
The dining room.
The dining room.
On our way to Antarctica, we were lucky to only have what is called the "Drake Lake," which means the rough sea was actually pretty calm, and the boat didn't have unbearable movement.
Day two of sailing through the Drake Passage on the way to Antarctica.
Day two of sailing through the Drake Passage on the way to Antarctica.
But, on the way back was a different story. We encountered what is known as the "Drake Shake," battling gale-force winds of over 30 miles per hour and waves reaching over 15 feet, making it hard to eat, walk, or even sleep.
The boat hitting the water after a giant wave in the Drake Passage on the way back to Argentina.
The boat hitting the water after a giant wave in the Drake Passage on the way back to Argentina.
For about two days straight, the boat rocked side-to-side and up and down, crashing onto the ocean's surface and dumping people out of their beds and dining room chairs.
Intrepid showed us the weather in the Drake Passage, with pink meaning gale-force winds and huge wave swells.
Intrepid showed us the weather in the Drake Passage, with pink meaning gale-force winds and huge wave swells.
In a viral TikTok video taken by fellow Antarctic passenger and friend Paulina Portillo, you can hear plates and glasses breaking as they slide off tables.
Glasses falling during a giant wave.
Glasses falling during a giant wave.

Source: TikTok

I’ll admit the event was a little scary at times, but there were handles to help walk, and I mostly camped out in the aft lounge where the movement was less intense.
The waves and snow heading through the Drake Passage.
The waves and snow heading through the Drake Passage.
Fortunately, I avoided any nausea thanks to the seasickness patches I got prescribed before the cruise. I cannot express this enough — do not go to Antarctica without strong anti-nausea medicine.
The Scopolamine patch goes behind your ear. My doctor instructed me to only use half of the patch, which I put on about three hours before setting sail. It works for three days before needing to switch it out.
The Scopolamine patch goes behind your ear. My doctor instructed me to only use half of the patch, which I put on about three hours before setting sail. It works for three days before needing to switch it out. Dramamine worked for other shipmates.
While the Drake Passage was definitely an experience in itself, the boat had several rooms and activities that provided entertainment, like the Nautilus Lounge, which featured tables and chairs...
The Nautilus Lounge.
and a bar that served cocktails, wine, beer, and nonalcoholic drinks.
The beer bucket.
The beer bucket came with six bottles and cost $28.
The lounge is where the expedition team provided daily educational lectures on topics like whales, penguins, photography, tectonic plates, and the history of Antarctica.
The study of seabirds was one of the lectures, and the expedition team took guests outside to survey and photograph the ones flying around the ship.
The study of seabirds was one of the lectures, and the expedition team took guests outside to survey and photograph the ones flying around the ship.
The room was also used for explaining how to use some of the excursion equipment, like snowshoes and camping gear. I signed up for both, which cost an additional $150 and $300, respectively.
Snowshoe leader March demonstrates how to use the boots.
Snowshoe leader March demonstrates how to use the boots.
Unfortunately, neither of those activities happened due to the weather, but the kayakers, who shelled out over $1,000 for the experience, were able to go out a few times.
The kayakers paddling around Neko Harbour in Antarctica.
The kayakers paddling around Neko Harbour in Antarctica.
Also onboard the ship were several other spaces, like a spa, sauna, and gym…
The sauna and gym were on deck 8. The sauna could be reserved.
The sauna and gym were on deck 8. The sauna could be reserved.
…the bridge, which was open to guests to see how the ship navigated through the rough seas…
The bridge was open to guests at certain times of the day.
The bridge was open to guests at certain times of the day.
…the Aurora Lounge and the Meridian Club...
The Aurora Lounge.
The Aurora Lounge (pictured) was smaller than the Nautilus Lounge but had the same chairs and tables.
…and the Compass Club.
The Compass Club stretched the side of deck 6.
The Compass Club stretched the side of deck 6.
Here, the crew provided daily tea time with sweets and mini sandwiches, as well as all-day coffee, cookies, and fruit.
Tea time set up in the Compass Club.
The table that held the all-day food and drinks.
Probably the most interesting room onboard was the mud room, which is where passengers got ready to head out into the frigid Antarctic air.
The mud room on the Ocean Endeavour.
The mud room on the Ocean Endeavour.
To get to shore, we had to ride on the 10-person Zodiacs manned by an expedition team member.
My Antarctic family on the zodiac.
My Antarctic family on the zodiac.
However, sometimes ice blocked certain landing sites and we instead spent hours just riding around and looking at the glaciers, sea animals, and icebergs, which was actually my favorite part of the trip.
One zodiac cruise destination was a 1915 shipwreck. The ship is called the Guvernøren and intentionally beached itself at Foyn Harbour after catching fire.
One zodiac cruise destination was a 1915 shipwreck. The boat is called the Guvernøren and intentionally beached itself at Foyn Harbour after catching fire.
But, spending hours in the Antarctic meant we had to dress appropriately. I opted for four layers on my top and three on the bottom, as well as a buff, gloves, beanie, wool socks, and ski goggles.
I was bundled with 17 total pieces of clothing, as well as a mandatory life jacket.
I was bundled with 17 total pieces of clothing, as well as a mandatory life jacket.
Fortunately, I only needed to bring merino wool base layers, a fleece, and waterproof pants on the cruise because Intrepid provided us with the top layers, including a Kathmandu down jacket to keep…
Intrepid provided us a branded black Kathmandu 600 synthetic filled jacket.
Intrepid provided us a branded black Kathmandu 600 synthetic filled jacket.
…as well as a waterproof and windproof parka and muck boots to rent. To go out, we were put into four groups and called down to the mud room when it was our turn to put on all our layers.
The storage room full of muck boots.
The storage room full of muck boots.
Most people kept their parka and boots in their designated mud room locker and wore the puffer on deck. The boat was kept consistently warm, so layers weren't needed inside.
Parkas, muck boots, and backpacks in the mud room lockers.
Parkas, muck boots, life jackets, and other layers were stored in the mud room lockers.
Each locker had a few hangars and space on top for wet clothes when we got back since no one is safe from Zodiac splashing. The company actually requires everyone to wear waterproof pants when off the ship for this reason.
I used some of the hangars to store my backpack and hiking pole.
I used some of the hangars to store my backpack and hiking pole.
When not zipping around on Zodiacs or walking on the seventh continent, I spent a ton of time on deck looking out at the ice.
Cruising around Antarctica.
Cruising around Antarctica.
The ship had plenty of standing areas outside, both in the front and back of the boat, as well as along the side.
Guests could walk along the side of the ship, which is also where the crew stored the life boats.
Guests could walk along the side of the ship, which is also where the crew stored the life boats.
There was also a pool and hot tub...
View of the aft deck. The pool was on deck 6 while the hot tub was right above it on deck 7.
View of the aft deck. The pool was on deck 6 while the hot tub was right above it on deck 7. The pool wasn't used due to the cold and winds.
...and a smoking area, which one of my new friends nicknamed "Starboard 7."
The view from Starboard 7.
The view from Starboard 7.
I even mustered the courage to do the famous "polar plunge," meaning I put on a swimsuit and jumped into the 33-degree Antarctic water. The experience was exhilarating and I'm glad I did it.
Me taking the polar plunge.
Me taking the polar plunge.
While overall the ship wasn't a luxury vessel and was very much built for expeditions, I felt I had everything I needed onboard.
This was the entrance to the Nautilus Lounge. All throughout the ship were maps, posters, and other educational material tacked to the walls.
This was the entrance to the Nautilus Lounge. All throughout the ship were maps, posters, and other educational material tacked to the walls.
My cabin was spacious, the shower was hot with great water pressure, and I loved the social atmosphere of the lounge and dining room.
A few of my Antarctic family friends before the polar plunge in the Nautilus Lounge.
A few of my Antarctic family friends before the polar plunge in the Nautilus Lounge.
Although the entire trip set me back about $8,000 and the Drake Passage was pretty uncomfortable, I don't regret the remarkable, once-in-a-lifetime trip.
A seal sitting on an iceberg.
A seal sitting on an iceberg.
However, I will note that while Intrepid does everything it can to keep Antarctic travel environmentally friendly, it's impossible.
A zodiac and the Ocean Endeavour.
A zodiac and the Ocean Endeavour.

Source: CNN

According to an NC State University study, high travel to Antarctica could stress out the penguins, so be respectful of the wildlife and don't leave anything behind that could be harmful to the continent, like trash or food.
A penguin getting ready to jump.
A penguin getting ready to jump.
Read the original article on Business Insider


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