"Puking around the Cape"? Is it really that bad?

[arzz]

In the proverbial sailing tales about the pre-panama canal days there was always reference made to "puking around Cape Horn" -- we are seriously considering Antarctica on the Rotterdam either this coming winter or the year after (you really have to book fast to get a verandah on those sailings) so.....any one out there done this cruise? How bad (and for how long) does it get? We are seasoned sailors and could probably put up with a lot for a short time.....but? What is the real skinny?

Thanks in advance

[RuthC]

We had a storm crossing the Drake Passage heading to Antarctica, and were just ahead of a storm with 50-foot seas on the way out. I met folks at the airport who were on a ship a day behind us, and they referred to it as the "Drake Lake".
The sail around the Horn itself was quite calm.
YMMV

The cruise to Antarctica is grand; it's worth the possible few hours of rough seas to experience that fabulous continent.

[obriendan]

I was on the same cruise with RuthC and confirm what she said. The trip accross the Drake Passage to Antarctica was extremely rough. I spent three years on a 2150 ton destroyer in the 50's, some of it in the North Atlantic in winter, which can be very rough. It was just as rough on the 55,000 ton Ryndam in the Drake Passage! That said, it was still a lot of fun!

[Bill S]

We did the SA/Antarctica cruise in Dec 2003 and the morning we rounded Cape Horn, the seas were flat with broken skies and a rainbow, to boot. I was kind of disappointed, in a way, after reading stories of how bad or exciting (your choice of adjective) it could be. It was still a great experience. I think it just depends on the luck of the draw, so to speak, on what you will encounter down there. Regardless: GO! It was our cruise of a lifetime!

[Pincus]

As the HAL captains say, "The ocean is always in motion."

We've sailed around the Horn twice -- seas were smooth as glass both times.

Who can predict?

Pincus

[arzz]

Hey, thanks for all of the advice and encouragement -- this is a voyage I have wanted to take for over 10 years and it is going to be a "retirement" celebration for DH and I. Please keep the comments coming -- DH and I leave for Orlando tomorrow and the the Zaandam on Saturday. -- I will pick up any further comments when I return.

[blackbird71]

Still bring patches for those days. Just in case. On one 94 passenger ice breaker to Ant. they have belts on the beds to strap yourself in. So it can be a wild ride.

[SDHALFAN]

The day we rounded the Cape it was raining and miserable, with heavy seas, but we were on the Ryndam and the stabilizers took care of that. I don't remember anyone having any motion sickness problems whatsoever. I was just thrilled to be able to "round the Cape" - something I had only heard about in geography class before, and I'm pretty sure that I'm the only one of my high school class who has "rounded the Cape". I doubt that you will have any problems but even if you do have some discomfort look at it this way you will have "rounded the Cape!"

I have to echo Bill S. - that cruise was a cruise of a lifetime and we saw so many wonderful sights and visited so many interesting ports. I would do it again in a second. Go for it - you will have a wonderful time and it will be the experience of a lifetime.

[arzz]

Thanks again for your comments and encouragement -- (Just got back from the Zaandam, and I missed the boards, but then again I was on the real thing)

How important might a verandah cabin be on this trip as the days in Antarctica are all cruising days? Are the views and space on deck adequate to handle the number of people on board if we were to take an outside cabin rather than a verandah? What do you think?

[wander]

Have gone "around the horn" two times, both times the water was quite mild, although the wind was something else.

I have been in Drake Passage on three different occasions. Once it was quite mild, one time quite rough and one time VERY, VERY rough. Whatever you do, bring either the Trans-derm patch (behind the ear patch) or take motion sickness pills or use wrist bands, whatever works for you. That way you will be prepared as the rough seas can arrive without much warning.

[RuthC]

How important might a verandah cabin be on this trip as the days in Antarctica are all cruising days? Are the views and space on deck adequate to handle the number of people on board if we were to take an outside cabin rather than a verandah? What do you think?
Keep in mind that I'm a cave dweller while aboard (inside cabin), so take my comments with that grain of salt.

I found plenty of room on all the decks on the Ryndam. People tended to go in/out and move about the entire time we were scenic cruising in Antarctic waters. Outdoors offered the opportunity to move all around without the restricted view of a veranda. Also, the commentary could be heard on the public decks and Crow's Nest.
One day while there had the most bitter wind; it was nice to be able to spend most of my time on the lee side with only brief forays to the windward side. A veranda doesn't give this option.

I'm sure it would be nice to wake up to the view, but don't expect to be sipping breakfast coffee on the veranda while watching the penguins play.

[user8]

We were on this cruise this past January. And yes, the sea was very, very rough when we went around the Horn. I remember one wave which broke over the balcony windows in the main show lounge (Deck 5). But as rough as it was, I don't recall seeing anyone getting sea sick. It was just difficult to keep your footing. The rough seas lasted all morning and began to quieten in the early afternoon.

Was it worth it? YOU BET !! The Antarctic is one of the prettiest places on the planet and once there, we forgot all about the rough sailing to get there.

[Bill S]

I wholeheartedly agree with RuthC ( I do that a lot BTW): get out on deck! We had a verandah suite on our SA/Antarctica cruise and while in Antarctic waters, we spent most of it either outside on the aft Lido or Verandah deck or up in the Crows Nest or outside up front outside the fitness center. While the verandah is always nice, in Antarctica, enjoy the entire vista out on an open deck, if possible! This especially applies in the Lemire (sp?) Channel - just awesome!

[localady]

I'm sure it would be nice to wake up to the view, but don't expect to be sipping breakfast coffee on the veranda while watching the penguins play.

Trust me RuthC, after getting close enough to the penguins to watch them play, I could not even contemplate coffee (or even chocolate for that matter)with that unmistakeable penguin aroma/smell:eek: They always said you are what you eat, and penguins proved that LOUD and CLEAR to this gal!;)

The day we went around the Cape there was "wavelets". The seas were like glass on appx. Dec.13. The only "rough" day I recall was heading into the Falklands of the entire 17 day cruise (but we didn't take the Antarctic cruise).

[xpcdoojk]

Keep in mind that I'm a cave dweller while aboard (inside cabin), so take my comments with that grain of salt.

I found plenty of room on all the decks on the Ryndam. People tended to go in/out and move about the entire time we were scenic cruising in Antarctic waters. Outdoors offered the opportunity to move all around without the restricted view of a veranda. Also, the commentary could be heard on the public decks and Crow's Nest.
One day while there had the most bitter wind; it was nice to be able to spend most of my time on the lee side with only brief forays to the windward side. A veranda doesn't give this option.

I'm sure it would be nice to wake up to the view, but don't expect to be sipping breakfast coffee on the veranda while watching the penguins play.

I am a cave dweller, too. My name is JC. :D I like to save money on cruises for important things like jewelry for my DW, :D or more cruises.;)

jc

[arzz]

Thank you, thank you, thank you and much to chew on.