FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Best luxury expedition ship to Antarctica?
Old Jan 8, 2020, 8:58 pm
  #51  
Pausanias
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 1,642
Originally Posted by FlyingHighlander
Does these ships with 199 (or similar) passengers make any excursions to land on Antarctica? If so, how is that managed to comply with regulations of max 100 on shore at any one time? Do you have to wait, or somehow rotate?
Passengers on larger ships like Scenic Eclipse (250 pax) Silver Cloud (200 pax) and Seabourn Quest (400 pax) are divided into groups. You remain in your group for the duration of the Antarctic and/or South Georgia section of the cruise and the groups are rotated every day. For instance, Red Group might land first on one day, third the next day, last the following days and so on. Ships with 200 pax have the potential to give everyone two landings per day as the ship relocates during lunch. Seabourn Quest stays put the entire day. Another factor is the weather - things change rapidly so while one group might go ashore the rest might not. It's all a matter of luck down there.

A smaller expedition vessel with 100 pax will give you a richer, more immersive experience while a bigger ship will give you more space, more luxury and a smoother ride in the high seas. It's all a matter of choice and compromise. Get great weather I'd choose a small ship; hit bad weather I'd go on a bigger ship. However, when you are ashore it makes no difference what ship you are on.

Last edited by Pausanias; Jan 9, 2020 at 12:31 am
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