'Variably queasy today' That's the main journal entry I have for our first full day aboard the Marina Svetaeva (recently renamed the Ortelius), a ship specifically designed for polar exploration with an ice-strengthened hull. To combat the nausea was a burgeoning underground drug trade worthy of the most infamous cartels: the patch, Dramamine, bonine, ginger, wrist bands, gum, and those meds the onboard doctor from Australia brought, rumored to be banned in the U.S.
As we experimented with better living through chemicals, we got to know our boat, its passengers, and her staff. The Marina Svetaeva holds a maximum of 100 passengers, a key factor in choosing our vessel, as it maximizes time off the ship at landing sites with 100-person limits. Our ship carried about 85 passengers and we'd get to know many of them over the next 19 days. But today it was the crew: expedition leader, naturalist, geologist, historian, photographer, outdoor guides, kayak instructor, doctor, hospitality specialist, bartender, masseur. These people had really thought of all of my needs! Plus those I didn't even realize I had (who knew I would need to get massages while crossing the Drake Passage? They did.) Plus our Russian-based captain and crew, cleaning and wait staff, with whom we'd pitifully try to communicate by learning one Russian word a day (though as in any language, 'spasibo' goes a long way).
Linda and Brian, and Mary Ann and Lynn each had doubles on the second deck, and Erin, Anne, and I shared a triple downstairs in what we affectionately referred to as 'steerage' (having your room double as a sauna for the first couple of days inspires many a creative jab). However, once the temperature stabilized, we actually found it to be quite roomy (for a boat), and it didn't hurt that the cost savings from booking a triple could be funneled directly into 'Retail Therapy' sessions at the gift shop. We began to take pride in being the (self-named) broads of Room 341.
The day rounded out with informational briefings and educational talks, birdwatching on the deck, and finally happy hour on the bridge. The Cocktail of the Day was the Drake Sunset. Which goes down even easier while watching whales surface off the side of the ship.
Great follow through and help in what needed to be done to have a safe successful trip !
Gayle S.
5 hours ago
The team at Adventure Life is amazing. From the planning process to the support once on the road, it's flawless. Highly recommend that you use them to plan and support your trip of a lifetime!
LS
1 day ago
The agent had great response to questions and coordinated well to create an itinerary that met our expectations.
Bob Sunshine
2 days ago
Very responsive to all questions
Teresa Cardoso
3 days ago
Kelly and Rhenee were excellent to work with on planning our trip. The logistics all worked smoothly and everyone was friendly and on time. Our accommodations were very good, particularly the incredible Patagonia Camp in Torres del Paine! Our guides on every excursion were outstanding and made the hikes memorable! Overall we had a wonderful trip with incredible memories!