维京克鲁斯(Viking Cruises)的新Octantis不仅仅是一艘游轮
经过布列塔尼·克鲁斯切尔(Brittany Chrusciel)/
Yes, clients can book a vacation onboard Viking Octantis in plush accommodations featuring the cruise line’s signature Scandinavian style. Sure, they can savor global cuisine — including nightly lobster tails — along with time in the full-service Nordic spa. And of course, they will sail to ports and destinations with the opportunity to see new things and take part in once-in-a-lifetime experiences. But don’t be fooled — Viking’s expedition arm is not your average cruise.
Viking Octantis — and soon-to-debut sister Viking Polaris — are fully equipped research vessels employing several scientists and specialists onboard; for a lucky few, their full-time job on the ship is to go about conducting their research. “It’s not just a cruise ship that happens to have a science program,” says Dr. Damon Stanwell-Smith, a marine scientist with an office at Cambridge University whose portfolio is an impressive one. He was headhunted by Viking three years ago to be its head of Science and Sustainability, leaving a pristine position as the executive director of the International Association of Antarctic Operators (IAATO).
Onboard a Great Lakes itinerary this week, he led us on a tour of the ship and into its bowels where an unbelievable bounty of equipment lies, from two $5 million submarines to a full, 400-square-foot genetics laboratory. Recreational submarines are relatively nonexistent, and passengers have the chance to dive down to the depths of their destination if the conditions are right. The only other ship that has a lab like the one here is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Navy. We’re told that Viking is in the process of transforming the lab from health-based genetics testing (aka processing PCR results) to nature-based genetics research.
Stanwell-Smith协助的设计和配备船上的设计和配备都没有太小的细节。提供给客人的靴子和在极地地区的探险中使用的鞋底,其底部是专门设计的,这些鞋底是不带种子或其他环境传染的脚底;维京人遵守这些生物安全标准,私下委托了1,000对。
斯坦威尔·史密斯(Stanwell-Smith)说:“这就像船只的后部是由船只的前端支付的一样,”他解释说,邮轮乘客的收入有助于维持该船的许多重要科学计划。国家海洋与大气协会(NOAA)是维京人的众多合作伙伴之一,而辛坦蒂斯是103路平民气象站,从南极或航行的大湖区提供基本数据。(维京北极星将是104号。)
斯坦威尔·史密斯(Stanwell-Smith)说:“这几乎就像船的后端证明了船上的旅行是合理的。”工作人员对乘客的流行气球发射的流行方式感到震惊,这通常是在日出之前清晨在顶层甲板上进行的。
Stanwell-Smith explains that the difference between citizen science and primary science is that instead of passengers participating in isolated science experiments, professional scientists are conducting studies and gathering information, and guests can witness and learn about this exciting research as it’s happening. “I would benchmark Viking Octantis against any other operating research vessel,” he says.
目前,有一个正在进行的研究That monitors the levels of microplastics in the water. Laboratory tours are held throughout each voyage to give passengers a closer look at the activities happening there.
There are always three full-time scientists onboard — a chief scientist, a secondary scientist, and a visiting scientist — as well as three specialists, with backgrounds that span geology to ornithology. Most of the expedition crew who pilot Zodiacs, lead guided walks and even provide the safety demonstration on the first day, are also accomplished scientists working in guest-facing roles to help passengers with interpreting the nature they see around them.
在我们的航行中,首席科学家是丹尼尔·摩尔(Daniel Moore)博士,他是一名专门从英国从事基因组学的海洋生态学家。他澄清说,探险的定义是“有目的的旅程”,它解释了维京人对这些船只和来宾体验的许多方法。
探险队的主要目标是分解每个行程的生物圈背后的重要性,从天空中的鸟类到水面以下的岩石,它们以多种方式进行。甲板2上的勘探中心充满了图表,地图和触觉物体,例如该地区特有的化石。在这里找到可以讨论船只以外的专家的地方。
在同一甲板上的中庭对面是工作室,可以举行示范,而船令人难忘的真实大小的鸟类复制品的集合以其自然的启发性颜色显示。(鸟类根据行程而变化,并与康奈尔(Cornell)实验室合作创建。)
维京人的才华横溢的员工或来访讲师的会谈在Aula举行,类似于与剑桥大学合作设计的剧院。舒适的分层座椅面朝4K IMAX风格的屏幕,可以转换为在其后面显示落地窗的墙壁。您还可以在船上的秘密休息室中的苏格兰威士忌上找到讲故事。
即使您停下来寻找卡布奇诺咖啡和咬人,也无法逃脱船上维京人的知识。甲板上4和5上的酒吧和休息室涵盖了一个4,000卷图书馆,并与著名的伦敦书店Heywood Hill结合使用,以及Viking Partners群集的投入。有欧内斯特·沙克尔顿(Ernest Shackleton)的传记,以及诗歌和经典文学作品,关于虫子的书籍,以及旅行写作的作品。一周的船上可能对大脑有些狂暴。
But beyond engaging an innate curiosity for learning, which Viking counts on its passenger base to have, the pace of a Viking expedition cruise remains comfortable and relaxing. You can still lounge by the pool sipping a cocktail in Canada on a sunny summer day and forget you’re supposed to be retaining a single thing.
所以,好的 - 维京八角士实际上是一艘游轮;只是不像您以前曾经航行过的人。正如斯坦威尔·史密斯(Stanwell-Smith)所说:“我们外面有闪亮的白色,里面有破坏性的。”