Originally Posted by
worldiswide
Great trip report. You were able to capture the mundane and the excitement very well. The patience needed to take this kind of adventure is just as much a factor as cost and physical capabilities and it shows through your report. You dont mention much about the demographics of the group..im curious about age range and relationships..eg families couples singles of the group and as you mention im sure well traveled and lots of the last continent travelers. It is clear you were pleased with the experience and you give any of us considering this experience a lot to think about.
Thanks a lot for reading and for your comments!
Regarding the demographics, I would say that the group was all over. I'll try to give some estimates of groups. Of 100 guests,
- ~20 were large family groups with multiple generations. Think a few teens, a baby or two, some grandparents.
- ~30 were families with kids between 8 and 14
- ~20 were mature couples (50+)
- ~10 were younger couples (30-50)
- ~20 were various other groups (fully adult families, a few singles travelers, adult friends traveling together, etc.)
So really, it was a very varied group. My expectation was that average age would be high (honestly given the cost and time associated with undertaking a trip like this). The median age range was probably higher than your average cruise / expedition, but I was surprised at the number of under 18s (which in hindsight makes sense since this took place during a school break). Lindblad does require a medical evaluation (either with your doctor or a contracted provider - i.e., a money grab), and a trip like this isn't really for the mobility-challenged, so I guess the spread of travelers made sense.
Even the kids seemed very traveled and with the exception of a few (owing to parents but let's not get into that here), well-behaved and friendly.
Originally Posted by
atcodave
Thanks for a great trip report, the majority of us would never do it for all sorts of reasons, but having the FT community reporting these trips enhances our lives.
You are most welcome! Thanks for reading and for your comments!
Originally Posted by
sfvoyage
I crossed the Drake a couple of times (2014/2015 on Seabourn Quest, and 2024/2025 on Seabourn Pursuit), and the crossings were not bad at all. In fact, our captains told us that on average, only about 1 in 7 crossings experiences rough seas. Also, most ships have capable stabilizers.
I will visit Antarctica (and especially South Georgia) again in the future but would never choose the fly option. After all, it's a rite of passage to sail the Drake!
The Seabourn voyages definitely seem nice - the ships seem new and quite luxurious, though those voyages seem to have a lot more guests (200-400?). I think it depends on what you'd like. I'm willing to bet the Seabourn ships probably have more in the way of amenities and space given that larger ship size, but might at the expense of maneuverability and shore excursions, but I'm not sure. I would be curious to try.
I've heard the same about the Drake. I don't personally know anyone who has done it, but most folks I've talked to have never said it's that bad.
Originally Posted by
GDOCA
Great trip report. Really interesting and useful information for anyone considering this. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for reading and for your feedback!