[Editor's Note: Author of this post, Karyn Altman is vp of business development for Landry & Kling and Seasite.com. (See bio below). She'd love to tell you more about her Lindblad Expeditions experience. Give her a call at 305 403-3002/888 713-1371 ext 123; or email: kaltman@seasite.com.]
Admittedly, that title is a slight exaggeration. Of the five pairs of shoes I packed for a 2-night/3-day mini-voyage aboard Lindblad Expedition’s National Geographic Sea Bird, two (including a pair of sneakers) were perfectly appropriate. And my all-weather coat was exactly what I needed for the crisp, cool, slightly damp, October Oregon weather.
I’ve been fortunate to have visited more ships than I could possibly count, but Lindblad Expeditions was a totally new experience for me. Lindblad, in partnership with National Geographic, offers unique itineraries aboard their intimate expedition-style ships in some of the world’s most exciting and off-the-beaten-track destinations. Therefore, I was delighted to receive an invitation for a two night “Taste of the Pacific Northwest” mini-voyage on the Columbia River aboard the 62-guest National Geographic Sea Bird.
The information provided by Lindblad prior to the program was outstanding, including a 21-page Expedition Guide filled with details about the ship, the itinerary, the region, what to expect, what to pack and much more. Pretty impressive for a 2-night mini-expedition, but a wonderful example of Lindblad’s exceptional service and careful attention to detail.
After conferring with Karen Kuttner-Dimitry, Lindblad’s vp of charter sales, about what to pack and what to expect fashion-wise on board, I packed a few extra options just in case. I didn’t want my inexperience in the expedition world to be too obvious! So when Karen described the evenings on board as “dining with friends in a cozy, casual setting,” I packed outfits that were “casually elegant” as well as “casually comfortable.” Turns out my “casually elegant” items were absolutely unnecessary. Evening attire seemed to be mostly sweaters and casual pants, with no need (not ever) for heels.
SEA-VIEW CABIN
Given my history of sailing on more traditional cruise ships, the cabin was rather surprising. For example, there are no keys for the cabins–something I discovered after searching around for a while and then asking one of the ship’s staff, who happened to walk by at the exact right moment. (Cabins do, however, lock from the inside.)
Cabin décor is simple and practical, and my sea-view room was slightly larger than cozy. Amenities in the very basic bathroom included a small pouch with lip balm, shampoo, conditioner, lotions and soap. My queen sized bed (made from two singles put together) was extremely comfortable. In the small but functional closet I found two different types of life jackets–one for safety and one, as I learned the following day, for use on the Zodiacs.
Instead of a high gloss shipboard magazine, Lindblad provides a full sized National Geographic World Atlas, along with a copy of National Geographic magazine–a nice touch, and not surprising, given the partnership between Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic.
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