how physically challenging are the landings?

[beth555]

I never thought I would ask this question but for those that have done the landings in South Georgia and Antarctica; how physically demanding were they? We have a trip planned in December on the Prince Albert II. In May of this year I developed Guillain barre syndrome. I was left paralyzed and on a respirator. I am now home and taking physical therapy. I walk without any type of assistence but my balance is still not great. While I improve weekly now I am still concerned about this trip we planned. I need to make a decision soon if we decide to cancel. We are all looking forward to this trip and would be disappointed if we didn't go. I already had to cancel our New Zealand/Australia trip in early June due to hopitalization, however I still worry about how I will be by mid December.

[dileep]

All the landings except one are wet landings and you do have to step off while the zodiac is not completely still. The zodiac ride itself can be rough and getting in and out of the zodiac at the ship is often a bigger challenge than the wet landing. They call these expeditions for good reason! After the landings, there is often a long and/or steep walk to the best place to view things. Given your health issues, you might consider a cruise by before that gets shut down.

 

Hope you get well soon.

[Photogirl]

Have to agree with Dileep. In addition to the Zodiac issues, there is the possibility of very rough seas while you are on the PA II. On my trip this past February, we were in such rough seas that the Celebrity Infinity, a much larger ship, turned back. A number of people were dumped out of their beds and many fell while walking. Safety lines were strung in most of the public areas. There were injuries. Also, a wave hit while people were boarding a Zodiac and two people were tossed into the water. I rode into shore in a Zodiac that was nearly full of water, because it was too dangerous to try and disembark at the ship.

 

At some landings, you will be on rocky surfaces that may be wet and or algae covered, making for slippery walking. The locations can be hilly.

 

With all this said, there were some elderly and somewhat infirm people on my trip. They only went ashore when conditions were good. However, they did complain that their travel agent didn't properly explain how strenuous the trip would be.

 

I, however, had a ball. Great sights, great food and drink, wonderful trip. I would do it again, in a minute.

[beth555]

Thak you both for your response. I am not so worried about the walking or climbing. Prior to me getting GBS I was working out at the gym (treadmill, weights etc.) 4-5 days a week. I am 50 years old and the doctors told me that my recovery has been fast -partly due to my working out. I plan to try working out again in another few weeks starting slow but building up. By December I should have some of my endurance back. My concern is my balance and the landings. I guess when I visit the neurologist next week I will ask his opinion as well. I really want to go but only if I can do all the landings.

[dileep]

Beth:

 

You may want to consider postponing the trip by a year and take the time to get your strength back. Good luck on your recovery.

 

Dileep

[dpro]

I never thought I would ask this question but for those that have done the landings in South Georgia and Antarctica; how physically demanding were they? We have a trip planned in December on the Prince Albert II. In May of this year I developed Guillain barre syndrome. I was left paralyzed and on a respirator. I am now home and taking physical therapy. I walk without any type of assistence but my balance is still not great. While I improve weekly now I am still concerned about this trip we planned. I need to make a decision soon if we decide to cancel. We are all looking forward to this trip and would be disappointed if we didn't go. I already had to cancel our New Zealand/Australia trip in early June due to hopitalization, however I still worry about how I will be by mid December.

 

We returned from our trip to AA this past February. We also experienced 50' seas and hurricane winds, some folks were tossed out of their chairs at dinner, my spouse was tossed out of her chair in our suite, I was almost tossed out of the bed. A few folks had broken limbs from bad falls due to rough seas, one went through a glass panel and had to have stitches to her head. This was just on the ship. On the expeditions, we ran into ice covered rocks, very uneven rocks on some landings, and uneven terrain just about everywhere. There was ice pretty much everywhere we went, except for South Georgia and the Falklands. Keeping our balance was not always easy. That being said, many pax brought those hiking sticks which helped at lot on the uneven terrain and as a balance assist. You may want to consider one of those, I think some ships offer that as an aid. Be prepared for a trip of a lifetime but also these sailings are not the usual thing and the captains will take some chances so that they can make their landings, even in rough weather.

 

Good luck and by all means take your trip if you can. It will be unforgettable. Email me at mrqcace@yahoo.com for a link to our log with photos that will give you a better understanding of the terrain if you wish.

 

Regards,

 

RonC

[tupper10]

We had wonderful weather on our trip except on the way back through the Drake when it didn't really matter that much. You must be able to get in and out of the zodiacs usually two times a day and getting dressed and undressed in your layers is tiring. The zodiacs leave at all hours - you can be up at the crack of dawn or it can be after dinner - it depends on what the weather is and what the expedition leaders find. There are hikes that you do when you on the the islands or on the mainland of Antarctica and I am sure you would want to do them. I think that if you are not up to it I would ask Silversea to move my reservation to the following year - if you are feeling better and can do the trip and the walking/small hikes then I would go for it. You will be rocking and rolling so to speak on the ship when you go through the Drake so you must keep in mind that almost everyone needs to take something for seasickness unless you have a sailor's stomach. Depending on the weather the seas can be quite rough to get to South Georgia. I think just about everyone on our trip took something (though for some of us nothing worked as I can attest to). It is truly the trip of a lifetime - I hope you feel better but I would speak to your doctor about the trip.

[dileep]

[beth555]

Thanks for the picture. Looks like I am going to go in December. I talked to my doctor and he says he doesn't see any reason not to go. Yesterday I did some kayaking on a lake and hiking so I think with another 5 months I should be in pretty good shape.

[dileep]

Thanks for the picture. Looks like I am going to go in December. I talked to my doctor and he says he doesn't see any reason not to go. Yesterday I did some kayaking on a lake and hiking so I think with another 5 months I should be in pretty good shape.

 

That is great! If you are kayaking and hiking you should be fit enough to go!

[dpro]

Thanks for the picture. Looks like I am going to go in December. I talked to my doctor and he says he doesn't see any reason not to go. Yesterday I did some kayaking on a lake and hiking so I think with another 5 months I should be in pretty good shape.

 

Removed link

[tupper10]

Have a wonderful trip.

[dileep]

Enjoy

[havepassportwilltravel]

I would say "go for it." We were on the Corinthian II leaving January 1 in 2009. My balance is not great, and I did as much as I wanted to. Granted, I didn't climb every peak or go on many of the hikes. But, I went ashore every time but once, sat myself down near the beach, watched others and enjoyed the penguins. It was an amazing trip and I would go again in a heartbeat. My husband researched the ships, and this seemed the best one for me. It had an elevator and the staff was great at assisting me in and out of the zodiacs. We had rough seas, also. But, I wouldn't trade a minute of it. On our trip there was a young adult with cerebral palsy. His family took him off at every landing. Quite an inspiration. There was also a man in his mid-80s who was just recovering from a hip replacement. I did take hiking "sticks" and used them for balance. My goal was simply to set foot on the actual continental mass, and I did. Everything else was icing on the cake...and there was LOTS of icing!!

 

Go for it...while it is still there.

 

Cathy

[jures]

We are going to AA this december on PAII, for those who have been there:

 

how long are the expeditions away from the ship? the main reason is i assume there are no restroom facilities, or trees for that matter, where zodiacs put in for shore, what happens if you have to go if you've had too much coffee?

 

thanks

 

roger

[dpro]

We are going to AA this december on PAII, for those who have been there:

 

how long are the expeditions away from the ship? the main reason is i assume there are no restroom facilities, or trees for that matter, where zodiacs put in for shore, what happens if you have to go if you've had too much coffee?

 

thanks

 

roger

 

We were told by no means to make any kind of "pit stop" while on shore. They warned us strongly not to do that ahead of time, and the regulations for your conduct while onshore are very rigid. That being said, some of the stops do have small research facilities where you "may" be able to go, but I would not count on it.

 

Happy sailing, AA is a miraculous place and we would go back in a heartbeat.

 

Regards,

 

RonC

[2552phxcrzr]

Length of expeditions vary with number of passengers that need to take their turn on shore. Ours ranged from 1-2 hours to half-day (on a 48 pax ship). There was always a zodiac available on shore to take people back to the ship if necessary (for whatever reason).

[dileep]

Length of expeditions vary with number of passengers that need to take their turn on shore. Ours ranged from 1-2 hours to half-day (on a 48 pax ship). There was always a zodiac available on shore to take people back to the ship if necessary (for whatever reason).

 

Same was true with our cruise with 200 passengers with 100 on shore at any given time. Most excusrions were less than 2 hours except for Grytviken in South Georgia where we had 4 hours and everyone went ashore at the same time. That place had a museum, church, and gift shop with toilet facilities.

[jures]

Thanks for the quick feedback, the pit stop rule is not discussed in any web sites i've seen. I certainly would not want to do any thing that would hasten global warming.

[Ahab10]

We are going to AA this december on PAII, for those who have been there:

 

how long are the expeditions away from the ship? the main reason is i assume there are no restroom facilities, or trees for that matter, where zodiacs put in for shore, what happens if you have to go if you've had too much coffee?

 

thanks

 

roger

 

You just walk away from the group, turn your back and pee. If you don't like that, go to a truck stop and get a pee bag.;)

[cnbfrank]

That's why we are taking a HAL ship, along with our binoculars and scope. The landscape is fragile, and even with all the stringent rules for those going ashore, there will always be at least one who feels the rules don't apply to him/her.

[tupper10]

As one who was on the PAII last year to Antarctica there is always a zodiac that will take you back to the ship and then you can just go back to the landing site with the other group since there are two landings an early and a later one. The landscape is fragile and you should not leave anything there. You will be fully briefed on the rules for landings before your first one and asked to sign off that you agree to abide by them. It is the trip of a life time and one that you will forever remember.

[chatsworth80]

I've never been to Antarctica, so I can't really help you there... But I did want to say that I'm completely jealous, and hope one day I'll be able to take a trip down there. if you decide to still go, please post your pictures...

 

(oh and p.s. I hope you do feel better and are able to go!)

[beth555]

I've never been to Antarctica, so I can't really help you there... But I did want to say that I'm completely jealous, and hope one day I'll be able to take a trip down there. if you decide to still go, please post your pictures...

 

(oh and p.s. I hope you do feel better and are able to go!)

 

Thanks, we are going and I can't believe it is just a little over two months away. We are looking forward to this trip more than any other we have taken. Our spare bedroom is full of waterproof pants, gloves hats etc. When I tell people where we are going, I get one of two reactions 1. Why would you want to go there? It is so cold or 2. Wow, I would love to go there. I have to say before I read so much on the Antarctica and South Georgia I might have been likely to fall into the first category. Now after reading so much I have a different perspective on the entire trip.

[2552phxcrzr]

we had the same reaction ... seems awfully common ... also had to explain more than a few times that there are no polar bears in Antarctica ... CocaCola commercials showing penguins and polar bears together notwithstanding :-)