The research vessel Nathaniel B. Palmer is a real contrast to icebreaker Oden. The Palmer is a working vessel, and its interior is full of labs and workspace for scientists to bring up all sorts of seawater, bottom ooze, and little creatures from the Antarctic Ocean. All of the work done by the Oden is exterior to the craft. There are no special wood highlights in the Palmer, although I was told it does have a sauna. The Palmer is capable of breaking through a meter of ice at a few knots (contrast that to the Oden, which is capable of several meters of ice at the same rate.) The Palmer's mission is scientific, and icebreaking is a secondary "necessary evil." Crew and scientist quarters are cramped, but there is lots of public space - as long as you don't mind sharing that space with a beaker of ooze or frigid water. The galley is in the bow, where, I am told,it is impossible to hold a conversation when ice is being crunched. The advantage to this large ship over the Oden is its stability in foul weather, which it encounters often. On the way down it endured 50 foot waves with 80 knot winds. All the captain could do was face the waves and ride the storm out. Water was apparently breaking over the bow in huge sheets. 
Its draft is 7.5 meters, a meter less than the Oden. We were shown the spare propeller sections (4 to a propeller) - most impressive. Can you imagine having to install these in the middle of the ocean? I just don't think they would do that. They would more likely get towed to a port or limp in on one engine, and then have the prop changed.
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