National Geographic Endeavour II Cabins
Although they're not overly lavish in terms of amenities or size, the accommodations aboard National Geographic Endeavour II are comfortable nonetheless, with some of the best beds we've slept on outside of a luxury line.
Bathrooms are generous for a ship of this size and are stocked with pleasantly scented Ecuadorian toiletries, along with a Lindblad amenity kit that includes moisturizer and some other basic products. A reasonably sized shower has more than enough space to spin around in without hitting your arms on anything. However, the step up to the bathroom from the stateroom is twice as high as the threshold found on most cruise ships; expect to trip a few times before you get the hang of it.
While all staterooms offer Wi-Fi internet access, you won't find any sort of in-room televisions; a conscious decision for Lindblad. We didn't miss the TV, but we did miss the bridge cam/satellite map combo found on other ships. A selector knob underneath the picture window allows for announcements or music to be piped into the stateroom.
The ship has a handful of larger suites that are great for those who want a bit more room, but consider this: In the Galapagos, you're truly only in your stateroom to sleep, change and shower -- and maybe dump all your photos to a laptop. With so much going on outside and in the ship's public spaces, standard staterooms are plenty fine for these adventurous voyages through the Galapagos.
Categories 1 and 4: These staterooms make up the bulk of the accommodations aboard National Geographic Endeavour II. With the exception of some minor differences in size and their relative location on the ship, these rooms are all but identical. Although they're on the small side at between 120 and 135 square feet, they're well-designed, with comfortable beds that can be pushed together to form one queen or separated into two twins. Storage space is adequate for a couple packing light for a week of hot-weather expeditions, and hooks placed in the bathrooms and in the stateroom allow for storage of inflatable boat lifejackets, hats and backpacks. Luggage is easily slipped under the bed, and these rooms have a plethora of universal power outlets and USB charging ports (including one hidden under each of the accent lights by the picture window.
Suite A: Only one of these suites, cabin 320, can be found aboard the National Geographic Endeavour II. The only suite with a connecting door, it is graced with two picture windows, a large bathroom and a sitting area adjacent to the vanity/desk workstation. The Category A suite is 188 square feet.
Suite B: Measuring 210 square feet, the second-largest accommodations onboard feature floor-to-ceiling windows, a large bathroom and a convertible sofa for a third person. Of the two cabins (422 and 420), it is worth noting that cabin 420 is slightly smaller owing to the curvature of its exterior wall that borders the passenger corridor.
Suite C: The largest suite on National Geographic Endeavour II, cabin 415 is situated midship on Deck 4 and comes in at 268 square feet. It has two large windows, a larger bathroom, a separate sitting area with a convertible sofa that can act as a third berth and two arm chairs for lounging.
Solo Categories 2 and 3: These rooms are identical to their regular Category 2 and 3 counterparts, with the exception that they have been designated and specially priced for solo travelers. However, being able to sleep up to two cruisers, Lindblad can utilize these staterooms as double-occupancy rooms if the need arises.