Infinity Antarctica Trip Report

I have posted my trip report on Infinity's first Antarctic Adventure at http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=63449 As others have posted it was not your typical cruise.

Interesting review !!

Day 7 - arrive at Ushuaia at 6am. The city sits in spectacular scenery. Went on a catamaran ride on the Beagle Channel. Saw seals and cormorants. Ship took on 2 tanker trucks of jet fuel. They tell us we will be in Antarctica on Monday. On day six a group of passengers (8 or so) complained about missing the Falkland and turning around. There was a shouting match with the crew. Crew won. They were removed from the ship at Ushuaia and have to find their way home. Their suitcases were lying on the dock when the ship left. Ship left port on time and we are doing 22 knots. Will be out of the Beagle channel at midnight and back in the southern ocean.

Day 7 had me laughing. Glad the crew won. Gotta love travellers (or rather - inexperienced tourists) who think the trip is all about them and that captains of ships (and pilots of planes) have the ability to control the weather!!

It sounds like it was a fascinating trip for you!

We were on the Prince Albert II just before your trip. It is an undescribable part of the world. Just a note about the leopard seals. The blood on the ice flow meant the seal had recently given birth. According to one of our naturalists, they hunt and devore their prey under water. You must go back on a smell ship to walk on land. It truly was the trip of a lifetime!!!!! Your review was very good. Can you imagine the original explorers on their wooden boats going there? Pat

YF23, great trip report full of atmosphere, really did enjoy it. Brought back memories for me as I experienced weather like that several times 53 years ago down there. Was in a 3500 ton steam ship with a flat bottom built in 1937 & we bobbed about quite a bit. When I went back in dec06 it was quite calm & I would have liked to see it a bit rougher in the Drake passage.

YF23-

I really enjoyed your trip report too..I loved all the additional weather info , very detailed . It really added to my understanding of our trip as a whole.

Kim

I read your review..."LOVED IT"!

What an experience, not typical, you will remember this perhaps above all. You got to see a part of the world many will never experience.

As for the people screaming at the crew, what a freakin' joke - that decision hits a cruise line hard. The captain didn’t make the decision to be a jerk. Do they understand that rough seas equal:

1. Less land excursions;
   
2. Less eating;
   
3. Less drinking;
   
4. Less gambling;
   
5. Less shopping;
   
6. Perhaps damage to the ship/passengers/crew = lawsuits?
   

I really wonder about people. The crew made the right decision, it probably cost them plenty.

The last thing a captain wants to do is miss ports or close decks but passenger safety is paramount.

I wonder how those people would have complained had you sailed into the eye of the storm.

For the record, the reason for the irate and rebellious pax, was they were Argentinians who had a dream of visiting their son's graves on the Falklands. The UK refused to repatriate the remains back to Argentina after the Falklands war and it has and is difficult for Argentines to get to the Falklands. This cruise came up and some took advantage of the opportunity to visit the graves. I felt compassion when we were forced to abandon the stop for weather, but putting the entire ship at risk in high winds was not the right thing to do, nor diverting the ship from another port to go back to Falklands. Somehow I feel TA's in Argentina sold these poor people a bill of goods.

And yes they were booted off the ship in Uhshaia. I have video that i'll be posting soon on the Drive by Cruise.