Travelers must navigate the icy Weddell Sea by icebreaker and then take a helicopter flight before completing the trek on foot to reach the penguin rookery. A sister vessel to Viking Octantis, Viking Polaris, will debut in August 2022 and also will sail to polar regions. Other unusual features include a full-blown science center with state-of-the-art gadgets and underwater drones for passenger use. They're also very stable ships, thanks to an unusual new sloping bow design -- something that can make a big difference when sailing to and from Antarctica across the notoriously rough Drake Passage. The environmentally conscious ships feature GPS dynamic positioning and customized zero-speed stabilizers up to 50 percent larger than other ships. Think casually elegant style -- this time, more reminiscent of a posh ski resort in warmth and coziness -- perfect for a vessel with polar pursuits.
Scenic Eclipse
We eventually depart Antarctica, and spend two days at sea on our way northwards back across the infamous Drake Passage towards the more welcoming shores of the Beagle Channel and Ushuaia, Argentina. During our time at sea, a variety of activities will be arranged on board to provide our guests with the chance to reflect on their voyage. Start planning your journey to exploring this pristine world of ice, wildlife, and awe-inspiring beauty. Join Oceanwide on an Antarctic expedition cruise, and experience exploration in its native environment.
Treat yourself to a unique adventure
Large enough to offer excellent stability and a spacious onboard experience, yet small enough to get off the beaten track, you'll discover that HX ships are the perfect balance for the ultimate Antarctic adventure. Nowhere on Earth feels as remote as Antarctica, yet the wildlife here is abundant and spectacular. The icy shores are a haven for millions of penguins, as well as seals and seabirds, while the deep blue waters support a huge population of whales. Your Expedition Team will help you spot and photograph iconic animals, and there will be lectures on ornithology and natural history from our wildlife experts. In the Science Center you'll learn more, and perhaps even help out with wildlife conservation through out Citizen Science projects.
NEW! Antarctic Explorer & the Americas
Among the amenities are fine dining, hot tubs, yoga classes, spa services and fitness center. Like Holland America, Princess has a long history of providing non-expedition, yet stunningly beautiful cruises to its guests in Alaska. That fact translates to expectations of a high-quality experience in Antarctica, therefore a high value for the price paid. The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) regulates ship schedules, but more importantly, ship size and passenger landing numbers.
Your Antarctica Expedition Team
When you cruise to Antarctica, you get to take in breathtaking views and infinite beauty from the comfort of your balcony or the top-deck. Set your eyes on whale-abundant waters and catch a glimpse of penguin colonies as you sail past and feel free to experience all the wonder that surrounds you. Launched between 2010 and 2015, these four sister ships are regular visitors to Antarctica -- both under the banner of Ponant, a French brand, and as vessels chartered to high-end, U.S.-based tour companies Tauck and Abercrombie & Kent. Unveiled in 2019, this super-swanky, 228-passenger "discovery yacht" was the first oceangoing vessel for luxury purveyor Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours -- a brand better known for river cruises.
Both on the ground and in the air, king penguins, gentoos, southern rockhoppers, and chinstraps, along with albatrosses and petrels, jump and frolic to complete the show. Situated off the coast of Antarctica, Elephant Island is named after the elephant seals that populate it and due to the island being shaped like an elephant head. Rugged mountains, glistening sheets of ice and unique wildlife add to the mystique of this remote destination. Despite its seemingly unforgiving, yet hauntingly beautiful landscape, legions of tuxedoed-looking penguins waddle across the rocky terrain while giant elephant seals lounge on its shores.
When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. From your ship, you’ll see some of Antarctica’s most dramatic mountain peaks, including Rojas Peak and Bryde Peak, cloaked in snow and ice. An Antarctica cruise will also take you in view of the mighty, blue-white Petzval Glacier. Get a sense of the sheer raw magnitude of these mighty natural wonders as your ship navigates through the Antarctic Sound surrounded by nature at its most extreme. Antarctica’s shores echo with the travails of the great polar explorers from Shackleton and Mawson, to Amundsen and Scott. Follow in their frosted footsteps, feel their pioneering spirit of adventure on the sea air, and imagine their plight forging their way through pack ice on a creaking wooden boat or hauling sledges lionheartedly across the Polar Plateau.
Antarctica cruise photos: Drake Passage via Atlas Ocean Voyages - The Arizona Republic
Antarctica cruise photos: Drake Passage via Atlas Ocean Voyages.
Posted: Fri, 05 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Antarctica refers to the seventh continent of the world and is largely situated in the Antarctic Circle - a line of latitude sitting at around 66.5° south of the equator - at the base of the globe. There may not be any stores on the Antarctic Peninsula, but that doesn't mean you can't do any shopping. The Ocean Endeavour has its very own polar boutique equipped with every little knickknack and thingamabob you might need to help commemorate your journey to the seventh continent (think all the essentials, clothing and souvenirs). If you have any dietary requirements or food allergies, please let us know before the trip starts.
From your balcony stateroom, marvel at glaciers and icebergs along the peninsula that have been carved into unique shapes by the wind and waves. Blue icebergs, sparkling towers of ice, an immaculate ice floe, imposing mountain ranges and thousand-year-old glaciers serve as backdrops to these dreamy views. Here, you'll be dazzled by shades of white, blue, grey, and sometimes purple. The sheer vastness of the setting and the 'noise' of the elements evoke moments of pure emotion.
When drilling down for itinerary detail, you’ll find that day-by-day detail is vague. Storms and katabatic winds can blow up in an instant; a sudden early-season temperature plunge can cause ice to reform and channels can become icebound overnight. For the thirdstraight year, AtlasOcean Voyages will utilize all three of its ships on polar expeditions toAntarctica, starting in October of 2025 and continuing through March 2026. Once a major whaling station, South Georgia is now a favourite spot for many seabirds. If you're lucky enough to stop off at Salisbury Plain, you'll enjoy a unique experience in the middle of a colony of no fewer than 250,000 penguins.
An Antarctic cruise means visiting a part of Earth that has remained largely unchanged since Aristotle first gave rise to the notion of Terra Australis, or the ”Land of the South”. Antarctica has two large indentations which are the Ross Sea and the Weddell Sea. The total surface of Antarctica is 14.2 Million square kilometres (about 5.5 million square miles) in summer. You can contact us 24 hours 7 days a week, with any burning (or shall we say freezing?) questions. There is a number to call the ship and you can purchase data for the wi-fi onboard, although the connection is intermittent and not to be relied on. Your cell phone will not work during your Antarctica cruise as the continent is still considered extremely remote and doesn't have the right telecommunication infrastructure in place.
Would you be happiest doing an Alaska-style cruise with plenty of time spent in Antarctic waters while you relax comfortably on the ship soaking up the surroundings? On the morning of the final day of our voyage, we will arrive back at the pier of Ushuaia, Argentina. Trees, grass and a busy city may seem strange to you after the white wilderness of Antarctica! After a hearty breakfast, it is time to bid a fond farewell to the Crew and descend the gangway back to dry land with memories of the voyage of a lifetime.
Due to its south-polar position, the Antarctic continent is covered in ice and experiences very harsh conditions unsuitable for permanent human residency. Then we’ll provide you with our expert packing advice, insider travel tips, and more to ensure you are fully prepared for—and maximize your enjoyment of—your once-in-a-lifetime Antarctica expedition. To help you filter the Antarctic forays above, we’ve curated a series of Antarctica cruise themes, subdividing the expedition cruise sector into styles of exploration to suit your preferred type of experience. We’ve all seen the pictures of icebergs and peaks reflected in glassy bays and sunset-pink skies.
Most cruise lines that disembark passengers in Antarctica will provide necessary gear, including thick outerwear. Prepare yourself properly for the voyage of a lifetime with our comprehensive Antarctica cruise guide. Absolve yourself of preconceived notions of particular landings, scheduled pursuits and wildlife sightings—every expedition is unique—and instead embrace the unknown and blissfully freeing lack of a plan. Bow to the will of providence, surrender any semblance of control, and enjoy the spoils. Here, bizarrely no official time zone exists, and all the lines of longitude segmenting the planet converge at the South Pole, a singular, frigid focal point where confoundingly every hour on earth is happening instantaneously.
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