The
Endeavour entered service in 1966 for a completely different purpose. Originally built for the fishing industry, she was heavily reconstructed for cruise service and received a major refit in 2001 and again in 2005. She is now a 3,132-ton, 295-ft Bahamian-registered ship with a 46-ft beam and a deep sea-keeping 21-ft draft. Formerly the
Caledonian Star, she carries Scandinavian officers, a mainly Filipino crew of 60, and 110 passengers in 62 outside cabins to a widely varied program of wonderful places.
Sven-Olof Lindblad started his own business in a trade he had learned from his father, Lars-Eric, the pioneer in expedition cruising over four decades ago. Recently Lindblad Expeditions teamed up with National Geographic to beef up the already fine enrichment programs as well as increasing the steady stream of business.
The clientele are mostly well-heeled North Americans with a natural penchant for learning about nature and different cultures. They also enjoy sharing the experience with others.
The creative itineraries include Antarctica, sometimes adding the Falklands and South Georgia; the mid-Atlantic islands from off the South American coast northward to Europe; Norway and Svalbard; Britain and Ireland; and coastal Europe from Copenhagen to Morocco. She rates as one of the best choices on expedition voyages because of the terrific naturalist staff. A fleet of Zodiacs, kayaks, and glass-bottom boats afford access to almost every place the vessel sails. Some sailings feature top National Geographic photographers who run seminars in natural photography.
The most recent refurbishments renewed the public spaces and cabins, and the menus were upgraded. Panoramic views are the focus in the main lounge, which has comfortable seating, a bar, and a small dance floor. The second library lounge has armchairs, heavy tables, coffee, tea and cookies, and an interesting collection of books.
As on all Lindblad voyages, popular recaps and briefings are a daily feature before dinner. Meals are at single open sittings in the spacious dining room, and breakfast and buffets are extensive. An excellent European chef prepares a variety of destination-related dishes.
The Sun Deck features barbecues, and the pool is large enough for a few laps. Ajacent are a small spa, fitness center and sauna. A gift shop, beauty salon, Internet kiosk, laundry, and small hospital with full-time doctor please guests.
An open bridge policy, excellent lecturers and guides, and the natural-history experts underscore this ship's out-of-the-ordinary approach.
Innovative technological additions of late include the Splash-Cam, a small underwater camera that attaches to a telescoping pole, allowing the ship to capture underwater footage for playback in the ship's lounge. The ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) is an underwater camera in a metal cage that is piloted from the surface, allowing the camera to move through waters to view creatures hundreds of fathoms down and examine the undersides of icebergs. The hydrophone, an underwater microphone, allows passengers to listen in on the vocalizations of marine mammals, while the video microscope looks in on microscopic organisms. A marine specialist dives and films reef fish, wrecks, and rarely seen polar undersea life for passenger viewing.
The 62 cabins, all outsides with windows or portholes, are small but comfortable, with two lower beds (one a sofa bed), desk-dressers with chairs, TVs with VCRs, radios, two large mirrors, refrigerators, ample closet space but limited drawer space, and baths with showers.
The three suites have living rooms, bedrooms, and small baths with showers, while the three deluxe staterooms on the lowest passenger deck are noisy in heavy seas, even though they are above the waterline. Sole occupancy cabins in categories 1, 2 and 4 have one lower bed, and shared accommodations are available in categories 1 and 2.
The Endeavour offers genial, unpretentious cruising to far-flung ports of call with the Lindblad/ National Geographic touch, a life-enriching learning experience for those seeking casual, destination-intensive, soft-adventure cruises. The ship will be joined in 2008 by the newly acquired and heavily rebuilt National Geographic Explorer, a former Norwegian coastal ship. The competition would include the vessels chartered by Travel Dynamics.
