sharkey

Yes, there were enough lifeboats on board.

However, the thought of spending several hours packed like sardines a lifeboat with 30-60 other people bouncing around the rough ocean (sea sickness) with very limited bathroom options, was not an appealing idea!

One of the crew members said that they would take there chances in one of the Zodiac boats, rather than get into the life boat.

Yachtman

I used to be a navigator on a very large cruise ship that cruised to the Antarctic several times a year, I absolutely adored the Antarctic but we had some very very close encounters with icebergs. Determining current and drift is incredibly difficult, so collision avoidance with the ice is done visually. Occasionally it is possible to underestimate or misjudge the amount of set pushing you into the ice. The ice pilots that are assigned to the ships are good, but generally its just one pilot who isn't around all of the time, and even they don't have any extra tricks for determine the current.

Whilst regulation has increased for vessels operating in the antarctic, I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years only the very hardened small ice class cruise vessels are left operating there.

As for earlier comment about lifeboats, there will be sufficient capacity for all passengers, and including the life rafts the lifesaving capacity will be 2:1.

pon18n

Wow. Can't imagine what it must be like

trooper

I would assume the ships company of a ship of that type would be trained in Damage Control.... id be interested to see if the materials used have changed since my Navy days.... lots of timber (for shoring) splinter boxes...wooden plugs and wedges... (to be quite literally hammered into smaller cracks/holes)

Catweazle

Icebergs or no icebergs, sounds like the making of another FT doo

Swanky Safari

Cool trip! Hope to do it in a couple years.