Sunday, April 21, 2024

Best Antarctica cruise ships: 11 new expedition vessels that will take you to the White Continent

antarctica expedition cruise

Comfortable, state-of-the-art rooms with balconies; stylish restaurants and lounges with upscale, Scandinavian-inspired decor; a spa; and a yoga studio with wall-to-wall windows round out the onboard experience. The last few years have brought a stunning new crop of small "expedition" cruise vessels specifically designed for Antarctica sailings that are far more upscale and elegant than anything seen before. Antarctica, being a vast and uninhabited continent, does not have a designated time zone of its own. The time zones used in Antarctica are typically based on the time zone of the country or research station operating in that particular region.

Our Antarctic Expedition Cruises

To cross the Drake Passage and reach the last great frontier - a place where sun glints off pristine ice and wildlife reigns supreme - is truly life-changing. At HX, we've been exploring Antarctica for over 20 years, and we do so in a sustainable style, with a world-leading science programme that actively helps the fragile ecosystems we explore. Discover the Antarctic Peninsula, where endless white mountains roll to the horizon and massive glaciers churn icebergs into the sea.

Antarctic Explorer: Discovering The 7th Continent

I slept in a no-frills cabin originally designed for Russian oceanography researchers and ate with my fellow tourgoers in a cafeteria-like dining space. We want to show you the best of the Antarctic and its most breathtaking places. Weather permitting, we will land on pristine shores, hike to beautiful viewpoints and cruise in our small motorized Zodiac boats. Join the kayak club and you can paddle close-up to wildlife and nature at your own pace.

How to Cruise Antarctica Without Sailing the Drake Passage - TravelAge West

How to Cruise Antarctica Without Sailing the Drake Passage.

Posted: Thu, 01 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

The Antarctica Expedition Experience

Travel with a diverse team of experts aboard one of our three state-of-the-art expedition ships. Watch for whales off the bow; glide around enormous icebergs in Zodiacs; and hike, kayak, and even possibly cross-country ski in complete tranquility. Choose an active agenda or surrender to the pleasures of relaxing downtime and shipboard camaraderie.

Where science and learning meet nature

Each of the ships has a polar class rating of PC 5 Category A (a notch above many Antarctica vessels), allowing them to travel through icy areas with ease. They carry kayaks, snowshoes and cross-country skis for polar exploring in addition to Zodiac boats for landings, and they have remotely operated vehicles -- just in case you want to see what's going on down below. The world-class wildlife and landscapes found on this voyage offer a dazzling array of subjects for photographers of all backgrounds. Our free photography program gives you the chance to learn and practice your skills alongside an experienced expert. An albatross, great wings outstretched, glides to the ground beside its downy chick.

I boarded a cruise to Antarctica: here's what it's like traveling to the White Continent on the Deluxe Sea Spirit - Cruise Blog

I boarded a cruise to Antarctica: here's what it's like traveling to the White Continent on the Deluxe Sea Spirit.

Posted: Wed, 20 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Cross The Drake Passage

Some join a few expeditions each year to explore the same sites, some of them spending some time in the field away from rigorous academic work. And others lead expeditions all around the world—with many guests saying, “Where you’re going, we’re going,” and returning time after time to travel with them. Start planning your journey to exploring this pristine world of ice, wildlife, and awe-inspiring beauty.

MS Fram

antarctica expedition cruise

Her small size, allows her to bring you closer to nature - and with key expedition features such as smaller expedition boats and Science Center, she is perfect for creating an unforgettable expedition experience. It is the snowy southern islands as well as the lush, bird-filled flora of the sub-Antarctic. And Antarctica is the snowy peaks, vast penguin colonies, and whale-abundant waters of the Antarctic Peninsula. But whatever else Antarctica is, it is without doubt an incomparable cruise adventure.

Antarctica is the only continent with no significant plant life and no native land mammals, reptiles, or amphibians. Even in the extreme environment of Antarctica, life not only survives but thrives. Its icy seas, isolated icebergs and snow-driven deserts are home to wildlife that surprise and charm all who visit them. Take a Zodiac cruise among the towering blue-white icebergs, kayak alongside curious whales, introduce yourself to the inquisitive penguins, dive into a new world under the sea, camp beneath the polar sky, or climb to a rugged vista for a bird’s-eye view of the landscape. To see a list of all your many options, check out our dedicated Antarctica cruise page.

How cold will it get during my voyage?

Most notable is The Hangar, an enclosed marina that allows passengers to transfer to small Zodiac boats for landings while still in the protected interior of the ship. Named after famous Norwegian polar explorers, the ships are the cruise industry's first to run on electric hybrid engines. This not only saves fuel but also allows for noiseless operation in sensitive polar areas where silence can make all the difference (near a penguin rookery, for instance, or a calving glacier). 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. Shackleton’s ill-fated Trans-Antarctic Expedition ( ) on the Endurance got trapped in pack ice in the Weddell Sea. Venturing over pack ice, they reached Elephant Island, from which Shackleton and a few men sailed to South Georgia Island in a small lifeboat.

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. Next we’ll place a free, no obligation, 24-hour cabin hold on your preferred cruise option whilst we discuss the final details. Book and relax safe in the knowledge you’ll be paying the lowest price guaranteed. Many visitors to Antarctica leave having been deeply affected by its humbling grandeur, experiencing soul-stirring epiphanies, and gaining profound new perspectives about the planet and their place within it.

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. Both of these vessels sail with a maximum of 500 passengers when operating in Antarctica, which is on the high side for an Antarctic-based vessel. If you're eager to make a lot of landings in Antarctica during a trip to the continent, Hurtigruten's newest ships may not be the best choice. With Antarctic regulations limiting landings to 100 people at a time, these ships only can land a small fraction of their passengers at any given time. My first voyage to Antarctica, back in 2004, for instance, was on Akademik Ioffe -- a hardy, ice-class Russian oceanographic research vessel that was often chartered by adventure tour companies in those days for polar trips.

Our photo expeditions prioritize photography and accommodate only 100 guests, ensuring an exclusive and personalized experience. Simultaneous landings during our Antarctica cruises guarantee no group rotations, maximizing time to capture stunning images. Imagine approaching the icy shore when, suddenly, a group of penguins dives into the water right in front of you!

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