Baffin Bay crossing, second day
Day 10 consisted of another day of activities and lectures onboard the ship on our second day crossing Baffin Bay to Canada, giving us an opportunity to describe our ship.
The Ship
MS Fram is specially designed for arctic conditions, as was its predecessor, Fram, which took Amundsen to reach the South Pole. Classified as an Expedition ship, MS Fram was built by the Fincantieri shipyard in 2007, with a tonnage of 11,647, a minnow compared to today’s big vacational cruise ships.
The name “Fram” is Norwegian for Forwards! – Fridtjov Nansen’s answer to any impossible, life threatening situation.
MS Fram accommodates a maximum of 200 passengers in arctic waters (we are 167 on this voyage), is 114m long with a beam of 20m and maximum speed of 13 knots. Refurbished in early 2022, she is completely spruced up and sparkling, though with a few not so well thought out details that I think they will correct after some operational experience.
Our Cabin
Starting with our cabin (the brochures like to call them Staterooms), the refurbishment decided to fit in a generous double bed and as much storage space as possible – still not enough for arctic clothing for 19 days. The bonus of our cabin was the large window, with an unhindered view. It is rather special to lift the blind in the morning to view icebergs or mountain glaciers.
Dining
The second passenger focus point would be the dining area – ok, the Aune restaurant. Managed with effortless skill, the managers and waiters, breakfast, lunch and dinner are always a delight. Entering, we all must wash hands and have our temperature taken, for obvious reasons. We are shown to our seating, and end up having different dining companions each meal. Sometimes it may be awkward, but more often than not, enjoyable with insights from Germans, Australians, Canadians, Swiss, Luxembourgers and even Britons.
Breakfast is a buffet of multiple feasts in parallel – English fried breakfast, Norwegian herrings, cereals, fruits, boiled eggs (hard and oh so deliciously soft), freshly baked bread with cheeses and hams, and much more – more than I can contemplate first thing in the morning.
Luncheon, also a buffet, but with many kinds of salads, cooked meats, fish – plus a free flowing wine service, if so inclined. We are not so inclined, saving ourselves for dinner…
Dinner has been reliably excellent, not a buffet this time, but served at our table, with choices for starters, mains and dessert, with optional soup. Oh, the soups… every one different, unbelievably good…. Sweet desserts have been universally lauded, but I have invariably stuck with the cheese plate and another glass of red.
In case you’re peckish, there is tea, coffee and freshly baked cookies always available, not to mention extra goodies when at sea, like waffles, apple strudel and mulled wine.
The Explorer lounge is a big comfortable area on high deck 7, forwards, with huge panoramic windows forwards and sides. You can be assured an excellent coffee, a splendid Armagnac, satisfying wine and extravagant cocktails. This was also the place for the ship crew’s band (The Seasick Band) to play, while passengers and expedition team members dance, as well as a quiz with George the ornithologist leading the riotous evening.
A Sea of Learning
The little ship shop provides emergency equipment like warm Norwegian jumpers, mosquito spray and chocolate. Simon, the shop manager marvelled at this type of vessel. Previously having worked on big cruise ships, dominated by drinking and partying, he calls this ship “university on the seas”. This takes us to the lecture room, where voyage updates and schedules are explained, as well as lectures on subject ranging from phytoplankton “small but mighty” to humpback whales, “the charismatic ocean traveller”, to Nunavut archaeology and “finding Franklin”.
Additionally, there is a Science Centre room, well equipped with fossil bone replicas, microscopes and bits and bobs to demonstrate the science explored in the arctic.
Excursions
Shore excursions are predominantly by zodiac, and can be dry (onto a pontoon) or wet (you know). Participants have their ship’s ID cards scanned out, and then back in again, making sure nobody is inadvertently left behind. We clamber onto the zodiac with a couple of sturdy crew ‘sailor gripping’ passengers safely and buzz off at high speed to a destination.
If in the wild, the expedition crew will have scouted the area for polar bears, and marked permitted paths with red flags. Bordering the paths, yellow jackets (expedition team) keep guard on high points with rifles, just in case a polar bear catches a whiff of us and fancies its chances.
Another important task the expedition team needs to do is to land a large pile of survival equipment and provisions. There is enough for all shore passengers to survive for 24 hours, including thermal covers, thermal blankets, provisional tents, fresh water and energy food.
Conforming to Canadian regulations, all passengers returning to the ship must undergo a “security scan”. This is not for bombs or guns, but to make sure nobody takes stones or bones with them. Or, as some wit remarked, to make sure we don’t bring alcohol back with us, in the unlikely event that we found a liquor store ashore….
Wellbeing
Now, this is a success story. When refurbishing the ship in early 2022, the ship’s architects consulted the ship’s officers and crew, who took a great interest in the gym. Our experience with fine hotels with gyms, is that they are inevitably a sad afterthought – just a way to achieve a star rating. Miserable little airless and windowless rooms, with a couple of soulless machines, some even working.
Now, this gym is a total delight! On the 7th deck it has 3 walls of windows, revealing constantly changing breathtaking views. Really well equipped with proper gym equipment that would pride a good commercial gym. I’m not going to bore you, dear reader, with all the delights, but for me, the guided squat rack was central to my fun, while Lynne availed herself of a variety of dumbbells, TRX, yoga stuff and treadmill.
Just outdoors of the gym, two whirlpools are found on deck – a popular destination, while a generously dimensioned proper stone sauna is kept at a good 88°C temperature.
Observation Deck
Highest up, we find the “promenade deck” – with an unhindered walk round the top of the ship, not counting the funnel. Stands at the front provide viewers with extra height to easily look over the railing. Being so high, this is the deck for the best views. It is also a popular exercise place, with passengers working up a sweat going round and round. Every time we visit, we think of our friend John, who always incorporated ‘round the ship exercise walks.
