hey everyone welcome to Popular Cruising I am your host Jason Leppert here with a
review of the National Geographic Venture from Lindblad Expeditions
National Geographic I had sailed previously on several expedition cruises
but this is the very first time I had ever experienced Lindblad-NatGeo and I
was thoroughly impressed let's take a look at the National Geographic Venture's
specifications as you would expect the cruise lifestyle is expedition and
thus quite adventurous as a sister ship to the initial National Geographic
Quest the Venture followed and launched in 2018 it has a tonnage of 2,920 and a
guest capacity of 100 resulting in a mathematically tight passenger space
ratio of 29.2 however in practice the ship felt rather spacious particularly
comfortable onboard are the Venture's accommodations encompassing a number of
cabin configurations like category two ones they are well appointed but
considered entry level due to the limited view from a pair of porthole
windows by comparison category three staterooms are similarly sized but come
outfitted with larger picture windows and better still are category four
cabins like we had the pleasure of staying in complete with light and
inviting natural wood tones leading to a balcony and comfortable teddy bear
approved beds next to which were handy electrical outlets and USB charging
ports especially nice are a large bank of cabinets sizeable closet and lengthy
side vanity desk and bonus storage and true to the National Geographic branding
is the lovely added touch of built-in reading material encouraging reading
over watching a TV which is surprisingly missing from the room still it's hard to
beat a proper balcony to step out on if you haven't already done so please
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above our teddy bear friends appreciated the images of their wildlife cousins as
did we greatly appreciate a true abundance of hooks on the outside of the
bathroom and also inside above the towel rack the bathroom itself takes advantage
of a corner entrance to offer space to dry off in and a clipped square footprint
shower is of average cruise size
the toilet is just a pinch too close to the sink basin but still manageable
and bonus toiletries are nice particularly the chance to buy one of
the mini zodiac soap dishes for perfectly sized teddy bears to take back
home of course if you want even more room albeit without a balcony category
five cabins are essentially the ship's suites with larger bed and living areas
featuring a couch in addition to a desk plus a larger stretch of closet and
library shelves the bathroom is naturally bigger as well with even more
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traditionally using the information below there's no question that the bulk
of activities on an expedition cruise are adventures off the ship and further
ashore but before we get to those let's take a look at what's available onboard
beginning with the singular spa room for massages and other treatments
part of staying active includes the chance to use the exercise equipment at
the fitness center adjacent to the spa ranging from weight training to
treadmills here's also where you'll find one of several shipboard filtered water
stations to refill provided reusable canteens farther down the hall is the so
called global gallery a rather small retail shop here you can buy some souvenirs
plus hats and other active wear as you can see the available art is quite
colorful it's also worth pointing out that
despite its relatively small size the Venture comes with a full elevator
centrally located at lobbies that further display fascinating natural history
sightings and other information about the beautiful surrounding flora and
fauna not to mention also a reminder of Lindblad Expedition's guiding principles
of integrity and respect and important partnership with National Geographic to
further inspire the world even at the entrance to the ship's lounge is an
awesome wood inlay of the National Geographic Society's official seal
leading into the main venue cleverly situated in the round seats radiate out
from a central podium where lecturers present from and the bulk can turn
around to face the surrounding windows to make for a great forward observation
lounge
off to the starboard side is a library nook where guests can not only check out
books and use computer stations but also try out professional photo gear from B&H
Photo before the chance to purchase it at a discounted rate since photography
is a hallmark of National Geographic lectures include expert instruction on
how to take better images and inspire fresh ways to see and capture the
cruises scenery also via available binoculars another very cool feature in
front of the lounge is a viewing platform stretching all the way to the
bow the deck is wonderfully terraced with a riser in the center for clear
views on all directions especially great the spot active marine animals from
whether dolphins or whales
similarly off the back of a ship and surrounding the observation deck is a
full wraparound sun deck for a combination of shaded loungers and
tables and chairs as well as expansive railings to gaze from the yellow trip
hazards here are a bit of a design problem though nonetheless we certainly
loved the opportunity to visit the welcome open bridge to better understand
the ship's navigation and for a unique vantage point
which again extends out to the surrounding sundeck and whole other side
of scenic railing all perfect for waving back and forth to our new whale friends
to say that we were able to capture some amazing footage from this perspective
would be an understatement our whale showcase itinerary definitely delivered
in spades
suffice it to say these images never grow old now imagine yourself just feet
away from these magnificent creatures
after whale watching and many other exciting activities it's easy to work up
an appetite and the food onboard Venture is extremely good and it's all
included we enjoyed a barbecue on deck one evening featuring delicious seafood
flaky biscuits and even housemade sangria
back in the lounge basic non-alcoholic beverages and snacks are included
and only bonus and alcoholic drinks cost extra from the fully stocked portside
bar with serviced from very friendly staff particularly scrumptious are all
the different kinds of cookies available here throughout the cruise
and of course you can't go wrong with charcuterie style snacks nightly
before dinner the dining room is the main restaurant onboard which also offers
all-inclusive meals as well as complimentary house beers and wines
it's a very scenic venue with wonderful sight lines all the way around
breakfasts, lunches and dinners are presented in a combination of full service and
self-service buffet
extending to a marvelous carving station meats onboard are expertly seasoned and
extraordinarily tasty while flavor profiles for other dishes like these
mostly impress with only an occasionally lackluster course
we would ordinarily end with entertainment but there's more excursion
highlights to come aside from a film screening here and there there is little
entertainment to be had onboard but excellent destination based events more
than make up for any shortage in La Paz Mexico for instance local folkloric
musicians and dancers delighted us while we enjoyed a regional meal before the
very talented soprano Marcela Chacon serenaded us on an expedition cruise
though entertainment is usually provided in the form of adventurous excursions
and in true National Geographic fashion Lindblad delivers awesome included
experiences off the shiny ship supported by a fully equipped mud room and
dedicated launch platform to easily load and unload top-of-the-line zodiacs
whether from the pontoon boats themselves or out in the water
snorkeling there's plenty of nature to be taken in
most animals are discovered alive and well
but the occasional corpse reminds us of how fleeting life is and how important
it is to explore as much of the world as we can while we have the chance our
particular route from the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific Ocean highlighted not
only humpback whales but also magnificent gray whales on a series of
outings
all before returning to our home away from home aboard the Venture
a truly impressive expedition ship I would love to embark on again
so in conclusion what are our final pros and cons really there are few bad
things but the ship's movement in rough seas although relatively well stabilized
might be excessive for some also the lack of in cabin TVs is surprising as are the
handful of trip hazards on the sun deck mostly we remain very impressed
especially by the National Geographic brand of expertise the fresh expedition
hardware itself and lastly delicious dining thanks so
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