National Geographic Quest

Guest accommodations are clean and bright, and all are located on the outside of the ship (there are no interior staterooms). Each cabin is equipped with 110-volt (standard US-style) outlets and features either porthole(s), windows, or sliding doors with balconies, letting natural light into each room. Twenty-two of the fifty cabins feature step-out balconies. 

The ship is air-conditioned throughout, and each cabin has its own thermostat, private bathroom, individual climate controls, and amenities like hair dryers. There’s a Wi-Fi connection and USB ports with U.S. outlets for charging mobile devices. 

Six connected cabins are accessible via internal doorway access onboard, located on the main deck and the upper deck. 

The eight category 5 suites are on the observation deck level. These guest rooms feature two single beds that can convert to a queen, plus a convertible sofa bed that can accommodate a third person. Standout amenities in this room level include an espresso maker and an oversized bathroom. Guests of this level also receive a welcome amenity, complimentary laundry, and priority access to one spa appointment per departure.

The upper deck encompasses 22 category 4 rooms and six category 3 rooms. Both cabin types feature two single beds that can convert to a queen—the main difference between room types are category 3 rooms feature a large view window, and category 4 rooms feature a sliding glass door and a compact, step-out private balcony. 

On the main deck are six category 1 rooms and eight category 2 rooms, each with portholes. Solo occupancy cabins are only available in categories 1 and 2. Third-person rates are available in category 5 cabins (at one-half the double occupancy rate). 

There are no stateroom keys on the ship or safety deposit boxes inside the rooms, so it’s best to leave any irreplaceable, valuable items at home. But cabin doors can be locked from within while someone’s inside.  

There’s enough space underneath the bed (a twelve-inch clearance) to store suitcases and extra space to hang and store clothing in the wardrobe.

There’s elevator access to and from all decks, and public restrooms are available on every deck.

There are no ADA-accessible stateroom accommodations available onboard.

All meals are included in the voyage cost and are served in the same dining room in a single seating room with unassigned tables. Dietary restrictions are thoughtfully accommodated. 

As of 2024, a full bar tab (excluding certain super-premium brands available for purchase) is included aboard the ship for those 21+. 

Breakfast is served buffet-style, and lunch is served as a sit-down meal with table service. On days when travelers are out hiking, packed lunches are provided. Dinner is a sit-down meal with table service and specific wine pairings based on the evening’s menu. 

Guests can choose from rotating dishes using locally grown produce and sustainably caught seafood. The onboard chef chooses the day’s menus. Each day’s lunch and dinner menu selections are posted outside the dining room beginning at dawn, and guests can sign up for their preferred meal before service (or request a dish upon sitting down). 

There are three new dinner entrees each evening—meat, fish, or vegetarian—including a couple of options that are always on the menu, like the Garden Salad. 

On the Channel Islands voyage, there’s one day with a particularly early start when guests leave the ship around 6:30 a.m. for an excursion—but a hearty brunch buffet-style meal (instead of a sit-down lunch or breakfast) is served upon returning onboard. 

Each morning around 6:30, early risers can eat breakfast snacks in the lounge if they awaken before breakfast officially begins. There’s also a 24-hour coffee and tea station, including an espresso machine that makes lattes. 

After every guest returns from the day’s excursions in the evening, there’s a cocktail hour and a recap presentation in the lounge. Drinks and small bites are served, and guests can mingle and go over highlights of the day and discuss plans for the next day’s outings. 

The dining room itself features large windows with views of the outside scenery. Meals are communal, and all tables are set for at least four guests, meaning introverted travelers won’t have a choice but to make new friends during mealtimes. There’s no formal option for room service.

There’s one true bar to order drinks on the ship outside of meal times. It’s in the lounge area, on deck 3, the lounge deck at the front of the ship—meaning easy access to grabbing a drink before the day’s recap presentation, or after dinner. 

It’s a decent-sized space for a small ship—but still compact, taking up roughly 10 feet by 6 feet of space in the back corner of the lounge. There are a few stools to sit at the bar itself to enjoy a drink, and plenty of seating around the bar area since it’s in the lounge. 

The bar’s build is made of a classic, elegant dark wooden material with white countertops and it’s well-stocked with various types of spirits, ranging in caliber. Top-shelf liquors cost more and can be billed to a guest’s onboard account, but all other liquors, beers and wines, are included. 

The bartenders can make any drink you desire (even if you’re just making it up), and the wine program on the ship is impressive, featuring bottles specifically curated from across the world to pair with different dinner options.. Wine aficionados will love the wine-pairing experiences onboard this ship and appreciate the bartender’s trained expertise in curating wine. 

It can get chaotic during busy times such as during cocktail hour right before the evening recap presentation as it’s a small area with only two bartenders, so get there earlier if you don’t want to wait in line.

The entertainment onboard is aimed at being educational, informative, and not at all flashy. There are no TVs in the staterooms, but there’s a large library with more than one hundred books of every genre ranging from fiction to nonfiction attached to the lounge. The library has a small computer station and business center with basic internet access, board games and playing cards. The Forward Lounge opens out onto the bow. 

Wifi service is operated via SpaceX’s Starlink, which is reliable even in the most remote destinations as it’s satellite-based. 

There are three WiFi tiers. The“basic” WiFi tier enables free messaging via apps like iMessage, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger, email, and limited social media. Higher speeds are available for purchase once onboard, including the “enhanced” tier that supports general web browsing and social media, as well as video calls on Zoom, FaceTime, and other platforms. The “premium” tier offers full, unlimited web, social, and streaming access.

Each afternoon and evening, expedition crew members, including naturalists, photographers, and guest speakers, give educational presentations in the lounge. There are multiple large TV screens in the lounge where slideshows and videos are presented. These presentations touch on topics relevant to the specific voyage, such as ecology, marine life, and botany of the wildlife and flora experienced within the day’s explored destinations. 

Guests choose their day’s excursions based on options suitable for various fitness levels and interests. There are usually “strenuous, moderate, and casual walk” levels of outings from the ship and a Zodiac tour for those who don’t want to go ashore. 

On this particular trip, travelers will likely have the opportunity to explore the town of Avalon on Catalina Island and a series of hikes on Anacapa, Santa Cruz, and Santa Rosa Island. 

Those who enjoy shopping can browse The Global Gallery shop adjacent to the Lounge. The shop sells art and merchandise made by onboard naturalists and residents of the ship’s destinations. Money from the Global Gallery contributes to the Lindblad Artisan Fund, which supports artisans in developing communities worldwide. 

The “Open Bridge” policy allows guests to explore the Bridge (when the watch officer deems it safe), allowing travelers to meet their officers and captain and ask questions about the journey. 

During daily excursions, the ship is equipped with many tools for exploration (when it’s deemed safe) like kayaks and stand-up paddle boards.

The spa, fitness, and wellness offerings on the ship are impressive for its size. There’s a gym with multiple cardio machines, including treadmills, bikes, an elliptical, weights, yoga mats, and various strength levels of resistance bands. Use of the workout facilities is included in the cost of the voyage. 

You may also be impressed by the amount of workout instruments in the fitness center in addition to the cardio machines, considering so many other ships only have a handful of machines—and no strength training equipment —but here, you’ll find dumbells and even a universal weight machine. 

Also, the ratio of equipment compared to the ratio of passengers onboard meant it was unlikely a passenger would experience the frustration of having to compete for a getting a machine. 

Each morning (weather permitting), a free outdoor stretch class is hosted on the observation sun deck before breakfast. This observation deck area also features a set of tables, chairs, and lounge chairs to relax in the fresh air. 

The ship has an onboard spa called LEXspa, with a wellness specialist who offers massages, body treatments, and facial treatments. Guests can sign up for these treatments once onboard for an extra cost.