The National Geographic Endurance, named to honour Irish-born explorer Ernest Shackleton and his legendary Transantarctic Expedition, made a visit to Dublin Port at the weekend, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The first new polar cruise ship built for operator Lindblad Expeditions' 50-year history had called offshore of Rathlin Island, and when in Dublin, it occupied berth 18, downriver of the city centre.
The polar expedition ship, which operates in collaboration with National Geographic, has the highest ice class (PC5 Category A), enabling 138 guests to go where few have or can adventure to some of the planet’s most remote and wild places.
As for onboard spaces, the 6 passenger decks include an observation lounge, a restaurant with 270-degree views, a library, a main lounge with a full-service bar, a 24-hour beverage station, state-of-the-art tech for films/presentations, and an expedition base with lockers for expedition gear. In addition, guests have open access to the bridge and on-duty wildlife spotters, who form part of the 176 staff and crew.
The portside profile of the polar expedition’s ship features a patented X-bow with a wave-slicing design inspired by marine mammals, which is fuel efficient and has a reduced impact on the environment.
Accommodation is located on 4 decks, of which the majority of the 76 cabins have a balcony.
As part of its 2026 itinerary, 12 destinations are offered during its European, British, and Irish cruises, where, at the capital, onlookers observed the striking, distinctive patented X-bow® design with its powerful wave-slicing capability.
Designed by Ulstein, with more than 100 vessels built since 2005 featuring the backwards-sloping X-bow, which is inspired by nature by mimicking marine mammals. The design provides a smoother ride even in adverse conditions and even reduces spray on deck for superior observation of the marine wildlife and the natural world.
In addition, there is less wave volume impacting the ship, with lower noise to reduce disruption to wildlife, coupled with energy savings, resulting in less fuel and emissions.
Overnight, the expedition ship returned to the north coast, where it arrived off the Giant’s Causeway, Co. Antrim, and returned to Rathlin Island before lunch hour today.
From polar ships to riverboats and windjammers, the National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions fleet is the largest and most versatile in expedition cruising, with 24 vessels. Among them is the Scottish-based Lord of the Glens, running on the Caledonian Canal, which cuts through the very heart of the Scottish Highlands, connecting the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.
