Princess Antarctica

[Globaliser]

LCLETT - Why did they dig you a hole to swim in? What am I missing here???

The reason you can swim at Deception Island is because there are hot springs on the beach near low water mark. If you dig a hole in the beach, it can fill with warm water that's pleasant to swim in.

 

That, though, is cheating. To swim properly, you have to go into the bay. Near low water, it can be very pleasant near the water's edge because there's quite a lot of warm water around you. If the tide has come in, then the springs are a lot lower in the water and the warm water dissipates more quickly, so it's a chillier swim.

 

But I still don't think you've had a proper swim until you've been all the way in, including all of your head! :D

[bearhall]

We sailed on the Marco Polo two years ago ,had a great time, ship holds 850 but they limit the cruise to 350,you do go ashore three times on rubber boats. It is an 8 or 9 day cruise.

[LCLett]

LCLETT - Why did they dig you a hole to swim in? What am I missing here???

 

As Globaliser explained in another post earlier this morning, since you're inside a volcanic caldera - - and this volcano is still considered active - - when they did a hole for you to swim in, it fills with not warm but HOT water. The proper routine when "ice dipping" at Deception Island is to go into the water of Whaler's Bay FIRST - and this water is usually around 32 degrees at this time of year, EXCEPT for at the shoreline where the volcanic fires warm the water up. Get yourself ALL wet (properly it should be ALL the way in - your head too). When I did this, as I said the weather was pretty bad - 27-29 degrees and sleeting/raining with gale force winds bringing the air temp down to around 17 degrees. But when I ran into the bay and went in about waist deep the water really wasn't any colder than the Atlantic Ocean at Jones Beach, LI, NY in the beginning of the summer season. AFTER you get ALL wet in the bay, you run into the "puddle" they've dug for you, which has filled with the HOT water. And the water is VERY hot - probably too hot to withstand if you HADN'T gone into the bay first!!

[LCLett]

Wow Lclett - Your pictures are great! So, as I'm a little scaredy cat - what do you do when the storms are blowing all around you? How do you convince yourself you are not going to go DOWN?!! My husband gets seasick - I just get scared!!

 

Glad you like the pictures - it really was a fantastic trip and I hope to return there someday!! Anyway - there were many people who got sick on that stormy passage. They say that even people who don't usually get seasick get sick on the Drake when the weather's bad. And this storm was, as I said, the worst system they've had there in quite some time - -and even the pros on the ship were having a tough time walking and keeping food down! I was never scared - although at times it DID sound like the ship was just going to break apart. But the captain would come on the PA system every once in a while and assure everyone that we were perfectly safe; that the Nordnorge was built exactly for that kind of weather!! I must say he did an amazing job navigating those treacherous seas!! He would just advise everyone to stay in one place - preferably your bed - since walking around at times was extremely dangerous. And while it's SO important to keep eating and stay hydrated - - this actually helps prevent seasickness - - you need to be mindful of what you eat and drink. Stay away from heavy proteins and dairy foods, etc. Stay away from alcohol (athough a drink sure would help calm the nerves!!) I was one of the lucky ones who didn't get sick at all. As far as being scared - I guess I treated the ride like any ride at an amusement park: everyone does it and no one gets hurt.............. :rolleyes:

 

Again - I wouldn't let crossing the Drake Passage keep me from such a fabulous fabulous adventure!!! The day and a half it takes you to cross does go by fairly quickly and as soon as the water calms (and it WAS calm our first crossing south) anyone who is seasick feels better immediately.;)

[tetons]

Absolutelye incredible pictures by all! What an amazing trip of a lifetime. Hopefully, my DH and I will get to go on that one. I have heard about these trips but have been lucky to see the pictures. The blue color in some of the icebergs must have been breathtaking in person.

I noticed mattresses all in one room, was that because of the storm or is the norm on those icebreaker ships?

[whale-watcher]

What amazing pictures...I think it might just b time to start planning another vacation!!

[Julia’s Journey’s]

I posted the limited five pictures in my post to itdjbw - here are a few more. One is from our landing at Cape Horn - a very special place.

 

Thanks you everyone for the pictures, hopefully we will be able to tag this onto one of our family visits to Cape Town which is the stunning city I was born in:D

Better go wake DH so he can go work harder for all the trips being added to my 'to do' list:eek: :eek:

[Julia’s Journey’s]

What was it like on the ship with 50-80 foot swells?????

 

Thanks for your thoughts --Pago

 

Yes, interested in this one too - not sure if this is an experience I would relish:eek: :D :rolleyes:

[Julia’s Journey’s]

OMG!!!!:eek: These pictures are breathtaking!

 

Wow, my thoughts exactly!!:eek:

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Wow Lclett - Your pictures are great! So, as I'm a little scaredy cat - what do you do when the storms are blowing all around you? How do you convince yourself you are not going to go DOWN?!! My husband gets seasick - I just get scared!!

 

Guess I would be too - guess I will have to find out when we are there.:D

[shops54]

That is my question too - why are the mattresses all in that room!!! Thanks

[CruisenOne]

DW and I were on the N C L Dream:( , from Buenos Aires to Santiago, in January, 2004. Were on the Promenade Deck 7, Outside.

We rounded Cape Horn and headed North.

 

About 10:00 P.M., I heard the Bow slam, then the Props cavitated !!!!

At day light we had water coming past our window.

 

The Storm lasted about 22 hours !!!

 

Every show case in the shops toppled and shattered. The shop windows

remained intact.

 

From what we were told: About 200+ TVs came out of their cradles.

Most of the glasses and dishes were broken.

 

Our problem, in our cabin, was the coffee table; it was rather heavy.

It kept sliding around the cabin. Tried to block it with a chair, with no

success.

 

We ate breakfast and lunch; gave up and ordered a room service dinner.

 

The Captain told us that the barometric pressure was the lowest that

he had ever seen.

 

We were on the Marco Polo in January, 2006, to Antarctica. Went across the Drake and no problems.

 

So, no, you do not want to experience 50 - 80 foot swells.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

DW and I were on the N C L Dream:( , from Buenos Aires to Santiago, in January, 2004. Were on the Promenade Deck 7, Outside.

We rounded Cape Horn and headed North.

 

About 10:00 P.M., I heard the Bow slam, then the Props cavitated !!!!

At day light we had water coming past our window.

 

The Storm lasted about 22 hours !!!

 

Every show case in the shops toppled and shattered. The shop windows

remained intact.

 

From what we were told: About 200+ TVs came out of their cradles.

Most of the glasses and dishes were broken.

 

Our problem, in our cabin, was the coffee table; it was rather heavy.

It kept sliding around the cabin. Tried to block it with a chair, with no

success.

 

We ate breakfast and lunch; gave up and ordered a room service dinner.

 

The Captain told us that the barometric pressure was the lowest that

he had ever seen.

 

We were on the Marco Polo in January, 2006, to Antarctica. Went across the Drake and no problems.

 

So, no, you do not want to experience 50 - 80 foot swells.

 

Wow, that is a trip to remember and no I would not like to experience it:eek: :eek:

[Minybear]

With all this great talk and photos about Antartica I have looked on the Princess web site and i cannot locate Antartica. Ok where can I find this to look at prices and itinerary?

[CruisenOne]

"With all this great talk and photos about Antartica I have looked on the Princess web site and i cannot locate Antartica. Ok where can I find this to look at prices and itinerary?"

 

Look under -- Star Princess -- South America -- January, 2008

[Minybear]

"With all this great talk and photos about Antartica I have looked on the Princess web site and i cannot locate Antartica. Ok where can I find this to look at prices and itinerary?"

 

Look under -- Star Princess -- South America -- January, 2008

 

Thank you CruisenOne :).

[Wormy53]

Thank you so much for the wonderful pictures!!! We are going in March - now I can't wait!!

[LCLett]

Absolutelye incredible pictures by all! What an amazing trip of a lifetime. Hopefully, my DH and I will get to go on that one. I have heard about these trips but have been lucky to see the pictures. The blue color in some of the icebergs must have been breathtaking in person.

I noticed mattresses all in one room, was that because of the storm or is the norm on those icebreaker ships?

 

Mattresses on the floor would NEVER be the norm............ I was on the MS Nordkapp which ran aground on January 30, leaving a 70 foot gash in the side of the outer hull of the ship. All passengers had been transferred to our sister ship, the MS Nordnorge and then we proceeded across the Drake Passage to return to Ushuaia, Argentina. Since the Nordnorge already had 235 passengers, there wasn't quite enough room for our 300+ so about 112 of us had to rough it on the floor in the two lecture halls in the bow of the ship. Believe me - - definitely NOT the norm, whether going through a storm or on an icebreaker!!!:eek:

[LCLett]

That is my question too - why are the mattresses all in that room!!! Thanks

 

Mattresses on the floor would NEVER be the norm............ I was on the MS Nordkapp which ran aground (as in shipwreck) on January 30, leaving a 70 foot gash in the side of the outer hull of the ship. All passengers had been transferred to our sister ship, the MS Nordnorge and then we proceeded across the Drake Passage to return to Ushuaia, Argentina. Since the Nordnorge already had 235 passengers, there wasn't quite enough room for our 300+ so about 112 of us had to rough it on the floor in the two lecture halls in the bow of the ship. Believe me - - definitely NOT the norm, whether going through a storm or on an icebreaker!!!:eek:

[LCLett]

With all this great talk and photos about Antartica I have looked on the Princess web site and i cannot locate Antartica. Ok where can I find this to look at prices and itinerary?

 

Star Princess does have a couple of 16 day cruises that cruise through Antarctica (no landings so you don't get to see any penguins or seals up close). They do stop at the Falkland Islands for a day, so I'm assuming you will see some King penguins then.

 

My pictures came from Norwegian Coastal Voyage's 19 day Antarctica & Chilean Fjords cruise, which would be aboard a much smaller ship than a Princess which can get much closer to things and you actually make approx. 6-8+ landings (weather permitting) from polarCirkel (upgraded zodiac) boats where you get to be up close and personal with the Antarctic wildlife and scenery.......... in my opinion definitely the way to go - but I've also heard nice things about the Princess cruise (which would most likely be a bit more comfortable by way of cabin space, nightlife, etc. The trip I took was really an expedition trip, but with more creature comforts (and much cheaper) than on the much smaller expedition ships that tour that area.