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An Antarctic cruise to the Ross Sea from either New Zealand or Australia is a very rare occurrence, with only a small number of companies making the journey, and is usually booked by people who have been to the Peninsula before and want to see a different side of the continent. One unique tour that’s popped up recently, and has been pioneered by Quark Expeditions and now also offered by Ponant, is a trip to the emperor penguins of Snow Hill. These trips usually take around days, with 5-7 days spent on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula (the rest of the days are travelling over the Drake Passage), and no two trips are the same. After our very successful tour to Antarctica this season, we are going to be running another exclusive adventure down to the Peninsula in 2025, this time crossing the Antarctic Circle! A quick Google will show that there are over 100 operators registered to IAATO, the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, to run trips down here, and then there are a handful of private enterprises and sailers that visit each year as well.
Environmental Responsibility When Choosing an Antarctica Cruise Operator
Passengers fly business class to and from King George Island in the South Shetland Islands and board Silver Endeavour from there. Scenic is for cruisers seeking the ultimate hybrid of a luxury cruise ship and a small environmentally conscious expedition vessel. It is also attractive for adventurers wanting to try more unusual Antarctic experiences, such as snowshoeing, viewing wildlife from a submarine or soaring above ice floes in a helicopter. We work with over 30 ships across 1500 voyages and have access to the most up to date prices and offers to help find your perfect trip. A great bonus is their patented reclining X-Bow seats, which provides comfort and stability in rough seas – ideal for those prone to sea-sickness. We will cross into the Antarctic Convergence on the third day of our voyage – watch the mercury plummet as we sail southwards into Antarctic waters, an abrupt cooling that marks the intersection of Antarctic waters with the warmer waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Related Cruises
This is why we have partnered with leading experts in health and safety to design and implement protocols/procedures across our expedition fleet. The company operates two ships in the Antarctic—the Heritage Adventurer and the Spirit of Enderby—both of which accommodate no more than 50 guests. Polar Guidebook is part of numerous online communities for Antarctic travel, and we consistently see recommendations for Hurtigruten’s cruises – so clearly they’re doing something right.
MV Ushuaia
Built tough for polar exploring (it has a PC 6 rating, one notch below the Lindblad vessels), it also is designed to be upscale with elegant, 1940s-influenced decor, such pampering touches as a L'Occitane spa (the first at sea) and butler service in the top cabins. Just unveiled in August 2021, World Navigator is the first vessel for Atlas Ocean Voyages, an all-new cruise operator that's focused on "luxe adventure" trips -- and it's already high on my list of favorite ships for polar exploring. Like Lindblad's chartered navy ship, many of the early vessels used for tourism to the White Continent were tough-built government or scientific ships that were designed with navigating icy areas but not necessarily comfort in mind. It would be the obvious first choice of devotees of Viking’s ocean liners and river cruises.
The ‘Trio’ – Antarctica, South Georgia and Falkland Islands
What people don't tell you before booking an Antarctic cruise - The Telegraph
What people don't tell you before booking an Antarctic cruise.
Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 14:00:00 GMT [source]
Viking Octantis also has what may be the most stunning lecture hall ever at sea. Located at the back of the vessel, the high-tech room has sliding walls behind the spot where lecturers will stand that can open to reveal the surrounding scenery through floor-to-ceiling glass. For those with unlimited budgets who long to see Antarctica while traveling in the lap of luxury (think pampering butlers) and in spacious accommodations, Scenic’s entry-level suites begin at 344-square-feet.
In contrast, these days the scientific equipment on board very much forms part of the entertainment for latter-day explorers, their explosive ecological revelations thankfully replacing any TNT. But before we look at the latest fleet of expedition vessels, it’s important to understand their evolution. Cook’s Resolution—the first vessel to cross the Antarctic Circle back in 1773—was another prime example, formerly being a sturdy North Sea merchant collier named the Marquis of Granby. Four of Hurtigruten's explorer ships take you as close as possible to Antarctic wildlife and untouched wilderness. Each of our vessels offer a fascinating and varied schedule of landings, all designed to create unforgettable memories. MS Fram will carry only 200 guests, while MS Roald Amundsen and MS Midnatsol (MS Fridtjof Nansen from 2019) will carry 500 each.
After a briefing from your Expedition Team, you’ll have time to settle into your cabin and explore the comforts and amenities on board. No, there are no hotels in the traditional sense, however, there are several camps for tourists which are the next best thing, some are very close to a hotel in terms of the level of luxury. The benefit of staying at a camp is that you can explore deeper into the continent rather than returning to the ship each night to sleep. The best time to visit Antarctica is between January and February if you want a mix of good weather and wildlife-spotting opportunities.
Some of the animals you could see are many penguin species such as gentoos, adélie penguins, Magellanic penguins, rockhoppers, chinstraps, king penguins, emperors (if you’re super lucky) and macaronis. You wander down the gangway, strap a harness and rope to you, and literally jump off a perfectly good (and warm) ship into the icy water. If you want the ultimate bragging rights after your trip to Antarctica make sure you don’t miss the polar plunge. Setting foot on the Antarctic mainland, or one of its many islands, is an indescribable moment.
My Trip
I found Goldilocks in Antarctica with this big little ship that’s just right - The Points Guy
I found Goldilocks in Antarctica with this big little ship that’s just right.
Posted: Fri, 29 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
We invite our guests to participate in science activities, developing a greater understanding of the region in which they travel, becoming true ambassadors, and returning home to champion the protection of our planet's most fragile ecosystems. Brown Bluff lies on the coast of the Antarctic Sound at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. As the name suggests, the landscape is dominated by an ominous 745 metre high cliff. The towering, rust-coloured bluff is volcanic in origin and the beach is peppered with lava “bombs”. Adélie penguins, Gentoo penguins, kelp gulls, and cape petrels can be found breeding here and Weddell seals are also regular visitors.
French-speaking passengers or Francophile cruisers who love Gallic flair and cuisine will find their bliss with Ponant. Passengers who want to see and hear Antarctica's underwater life over cocktails or enjoy major pampering after their day of exploration will adore cruising with Ponant. On the twin ships, passengers can stay overnight in a geodesic glass igloo perched atop the observation deck. These ships are also equipped with X-Bows, offering smoother sails in rougher seas. The casually elegant 148-passenger National Geographic Explorer, and more luxurious, newer vessels 126-passenger National Geographic Endurance and twin National Geographic Resolution sail Antarctica.
Luxury Antarctica ships undoubtedly offer an extraordinary means of exploration, but they are the most expensive as a result. To the considerable confusion of travelers, this means that depending on a ship’s registering authority, they may use a completely different classification system to other ships sailing the very same route, making it difficult to assess their differences. However, you may still see some ships using legacy alphabetical ice class notations such as 1AS, 1A-1D as the Polar Class rules are only applicable to vessels constructed after 1 July 2007, with 1AS (i.e. 1A Super, ~ PC 6) being the highest, followed by 1A (~ PC 7), and so on.
Akin to a super-yacht cruise ship, you'll be surrounded by grandeur whilst onboard, with some of the highest standards in the industry. Landings are still a key part of the voyage, so expect to be out and about each day. After 11 days of exhilarating exploration, your expedition cruise, taking in the wonders and wildlife of Antarctica, nears its end. Your adventure begins with an early morning flight to Ushuaia, where we'll meet your hybrid-powered expedition ship, specially designed for sustainable cruising in polar waters. Set against the magnificent backdrop of the Martial Glacier, Ushuaia vies for the title of the world’s southernmost city. Silversea offers a plethora of voyage options to Antarctica on the Silver Cloud, Silver Explorer, and Silver Wind.
Our team has visited Antarctica over 150 times and has 100 collective years of polar experience, so from which trip is right for you to what shoes to bring - there’s no question we can’t answer. This ultimate adventure takes you to the Antarctic peninsula, where you will witness towering glaciers, snow-covered landscapes, immense icebergs and once-in-a-lifetime wildlife viewing. In the footsteps of explorers such as Amundsen, Shackleton and Scott, you will be one of the few to discover the world’s last truly wild frontier. Each day brings new surprises and the opportunity to change plans to maximize wildlife sightings and adapt to ever-changing weather. Weather, wind, ice and local conditions will determine the exact nature of your programme and schedule. Safety is paramount and the ship’s captain will decide the final sailing itinerary during the voyage.
Special hikes and other excursions are always guided by experienced lecturers and team members. An endless white wilderness, Antarctica is nature at its most sublime and haunting. Read more about some of the possible landing sites you could explore on a sailing to Antarctica with Hurtigruten. Large groups of penguins huddle on the ice floes, avoiding the cunning leopard seals that hunt them. Majestic, migrating whales glide among amazing icebergs, hunting the shoals of krill they feed on. Bird enthusiasts should look skywards to spot some of the 45 species of Antarctic seabirds that live here, such as skuas, cormorants, petrels and terns.
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