Before the cruise, I kept hearing the advice to be flexible, and they were right. We received a daily itinerary, but not once did we follow it completely. That’s something I quickly learned about life on board the Ocean Albatros.
Morning
Each morning began with a wake-up call, and our expedition leader, Lu, always played a song to start the day. On expedition days, we woke up at 7 am and had breakfast until 8:30. Most days, we went on excursions in both the morning and afternoon, depending on the weather and where we were.
After breakfast, we got ready to go ashore. Because of the Antarctica Treaty, only a certain number of people could be on land at the same time. Being on a small boat meant we could spend more time exploring. The 161 passengers were split into four groups: green, yellow, red, and orange. Two groups went ashore while the other two toured by zodiac, then we switched. Each group had about an hour on land.
Afternoon
When we got back to the boat, we had lunch and usually took a nap while the ship moved to a new spot. Then we did it all over again.
I liked the Zodiac tours best because we could explore and see more wildlife. Most of the landing sites were at penguin colonies or old research bases. We went inside a lot of buildings, which was interesting, and the penguins were adorable, but honestly, I ended up with penguin overload. I never thought that would happen! It just shows how much wildlife there is in Antarctica.
Before dinner, we had a Recap session. The guides went over the plan for the next day and gave short talks about the animals we might see. We also looked at the photos passengers had submitted and got our questions answered.
Evening
After dinner, there was usually a movie or some kind of activity. The staff talent show was a highlight—even the captain sang karaoke. I have to say, the staff was amazing. From the excursion leaders to the wait staff and room attendants, everyone made the trip fun and memorable. They were the best cruise staff I’ve ever had. Life onboard Ocean Albatros truly exceeded my expectations.
Other Activities
Kayaking was an optional activity for $345, and it took the place of either a morning or afternoon excursion.
As I said before, it’s important to stay flexible. Plans changed every hour. For example, one kayaking group got dressed and boarded the zodiac, but their trip was canceled because of rough seas. This is just one of the unpredictable parts of life onboard Ocean Albatros.
Keep an ear out for the Polar Plunge announcement. It’s one of the highlights of the trip. Everyone gets excited, there’s music, and after jumping into the freezing water, you get a vodka shot.
Check out my blog about the daily itinerary when crossing the Drake Passage.
