Forty-four years of hull, and a lift that stops too soon
The National Geographic Explorer dates from 1982. She was a ferry before being
converted into an expedition ship, and she now carries the largest capacity in
the fleet: 148 travellers, 81 cabins, one hundred and twelve metres, six decks.
The original yard is confirmed by no reliable source, and the line writes
"ice-strengthened hull" without ever giving the exact rating. We do not invent
one.
The most concrete flaw is an architectural detail. The lift does not descend
to the lowest deck, the one with the mudroom, where you put on your gear and
board the Zodiacs. In other words the lift stops exactly short of where it would
be most useful. For a traveller with limited mobility that is the decisive
obstacle, and it appears on no commercial deck plan.
What the ship has, and what she does not
She has a bridge open to travellers, three dining spaces, a gallery, a library
and a mudroom with lockers. Crew gratuities are included and a National Geographic
photographer is aboard: this ship is one of only four in that position.
She has no hot tub, no butler service, no submersible, and a single seating per
meal. Her unrenovated cabins are described as dark because of a dated interior
style. And she has no inverted bow: her behaviour in the Drake Passage is clearly
less favourable than that of the Endurance or the Resolution. If comfort in the
Drake is your priority, this is not the ship for you.
The other ships in the fleet
The National Geographic Endurance and the National Geographic Resolution have the inverted bow and a higher ice class. The National Geographic Orion covers
the South Pacific and Asia. The National Geographic Gemini holds the Galapagos.
What the fare covers, and the detail that surprises
Included: the landings and outings of the expedition programme, use of the
Zodiacs, kayaks, paddleboards and snorkelling gear, park entrance fees and
special access permits, port taxes, airport transfers within the recommended
window, and meals aboard. Alcohol is included on every ship but four, which
the line names one by one.
Here is the detail that surprises people. Crew gratuities are included on
only four ships in the fleet: the Endurance, the Resolution, the Explorer and
the Orion. On the other eight ships of the brand they stay on your account. It
is a two-speed mechanism inside one company, and nothing on a ship's page warns
you about it.
The National Geographic photographer follows exactly the same rule: aboard
those same four ships and no others. Everywhere else you will find a certified
photo instructor. That is a real and useful role, but it is not the same thing,
and confusing the two is the first source of disappointment on this fleet.
International air travel is not included. Some internal flights essential to
the route are, when the itinerary says so in black and white.
What "expedition" means here
The programme is not decided in advance. Landings happen where ice, wind and
wildlife allow, and the expedition leader may change the day's plan at lunch.
That is the very principle of this kind of travel, and a traveller attached to
a fixed itinerary will be happier elsewhere.
You go ashore by Zodiac. Often in a wet landing, meaning feet in the water,
from a craft that moves. That calls for being able to go down a gangway ladder,
step over a pontoon and keep your balance. No lift compensates for it.
On accessibility, let us say things as they are. The line publishes no
accessibility policy, and no wheelchair-accessible cabin is documented on any
ship in the fleet, lift or no lift. A professional review sums it up in one
sentence: the ship has elevators but no cabins or accommodations for travellers
with disabilities. Any booking for a traveller with reduced mobility must go
through written confirmation from the line.
From Quebec
None of these routes begins here, and international air travel is not
included in the fare. Depending on the region, expect one or two connections,
and sometimes a compulsory internal flight the itinerary specifies.
Arrive the day before at the very least. On an expedition the ship leaves on
time and does not come back for you. A delayed bag or a shifted flight can be
absorbed by one spare day, and cannot be absorbed at all otherwise.
Our advisors assemble the flight, the expedition, hotel nights, transfers and
insurance in a single file, under the protection of Quebec's compensation fund
for travel agency customers. Write to us and we will look at what the season
allows.
