Expedition Cruise Diary

ANTARCTICA
WHO GOES THERE
ANTARCTICA
SOUTH GEORGIA
South Georgia, famous as the place where the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton found help to
rescue his failed mission to reach the South Pole in 1916, is some 800 miles south-east of the
Falkland Islands and a popular stop for longer expedition cruises through the Southern Ocean.
Just 100 miles long and 20 miles wide, the island was discovered by James Cook in 1775
and for the next 200 years was the scene of mass slaughter as first the sealing and then the
whaling industries moved in and wiped out entire populations of fur seals and cetaceans.
These days cruise passengers come with far more peaceful intent – namely to see Shackleton’s
grave in the small settlement of Grytviken, admire the picturesque Alps-like scenery and marvel
at the abundance of wildlife.
That includes huge populations of fur and elephant seals, which have returned to the island
in the 50 years since the sealers and whalers left, millions of penguins and sea birds, and
thousands of albatrosses.
Aurora Expeditions
Ships: Greg Mortimer (from November 2019) – 7,400 tons; 160 passengers (120 in
the polar regions).
Itineraries: Antarctica sailings operate round-trip from Ushuaia in Argentina and
include 13-day voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula and longer trips that take in
Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.
Sample: From US$10,500 per person for the maiden 12-day Spirit of Antarctica
voyage round-trip from Ushuaia departing October 30 2019. Excludes flights.
Silversea Expeditions
Ship: Silver Cloud - 16,800 tons, 240 passengers; Silver Explorer - 6,072 tons, 144
passengers.
Itineraries: Sailings operate round-trip from Ushuaia in Argentina and range from
10-day cruises to the Antarctic Peninsula to 15 and 18-day voyages combining
Antarctica with the Falklands and/or South Georgia.
Sample: From £11,970 per person for a 10-day cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula on
Silver Cloud departing December 10 2019. Excludes flights.
Ponant
Ships: Le Lyrial - 10,992 tons, 244 passengers; Le Boréal, L’Austral, Le Soléal –
10,944 tons, 264 passengers.
Itineraries: Sailings round-trip from Ushuaia in Argentina range from 10-night
cruises to the Antarctic Peninsula to 21-day voyages combining the Falklands with
South Georgia, the South Orkney Islands and Antarctica.
Sample: From €10,550 per person for a 10-night Emblematic Antarctica cruise on
Le Soléal departing February 19 2020. Excludes flights.
WHAT’S NEW
• Australia’s Aurora Expeditions is launching new ship Greg
Mortimer in November. Named after the company’s founder, the
vessel has a revolutionary X-Bow, which pierces the waves instead
of rising up and down on them, resulting in a more comfortable
ride. The majority of cabins have a balcony, almost two-thirds
can accommodate three people and it has two outdoor hydraulic
viewing platforms from where passengers can get closer to the
wildlife and landscape.
• Crystal Cruises’ new discovery yacht Crystal Endeavor is visiting
Antarctica for the first time in 2021, but venturing to the
eastern side of the continent, where few cruise ships go. The
200-passenger vessel is built for luxury exploration. It will have
all-suite, all-balcony accommodation serviced by butlers and
six restaurants, including Nobu Matsuhisa’s Umi Uma, Italian
Prego and the Waterside main dining room. The vessel will have
a large spa, a two-storey solarium and carry two helicopters
and a submarine.
• Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is launching new expedition ship Hanseatic
Inspiration in October. The vessel will have three restaurants, a
Grand Suite with a shower that transforms into a steam room,
and glass viewing platforms that fold out of the ship’s hull and
hover 15 metres above the ocean. This is an international ship
with all cruises conducted in German and English.
• Hurtigruten is launching the world’s first hybrid cruise ship in May.
Called Roald Amundsen, it will operate mainly on Liquefied Natural
Gas but be able to switch to electric power for short periods. The
vessel, which makes its Antarctic debut in winter 2019/20, has an
on-board science centre where passengers can interact with the
expedition team and learn more about the places they are visiting.
Sister ship Fridtjof Nansen launches in 2020.
• Scenic’s discovery ship Scenic Eclipse is launching in August an makes
its Antarctica debut in winter 2019/20. The vessel will have all-balcony
suites, butler service for all, 10 places to eat and carry a helicopter and
seven-man sub for exploring above and below the waves.
Scenic
Ships: Scenic Eclipse (launches August 2019) – 17,085 tons, 228 passengers (200
in polar regions).
Itineraries: Packages range from 16 to 23 days and pair cruises round-trip from
Ushuaia with pre and post-cruise overnights in Buenos Aires. Voyages visit the
Antarctic Peninsula and combine Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.
Sample: From £12,705 per person for a 16-day Antarctica in Depth voyage
departing March 5 2020. Includes flights
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Ships: Hanseatic Inspiration (launches October 2019) – 15,650 tons, 230
passengers (max 199 in Antarctica).
Itineraries: Cruises of from 12 to 18 days operate round-trip from Ushuaia to the
Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.
Sample: From £11,723 per person for a 16-day voyage departing December 1
2020. Excludes flights.
G Adventures
Ship: G Expedition – 6,334 tons, 134 passengers.
Itineraries: Cruises are from 11 to 22 days round-trip from Ushuaia to the Antarctic
Peninsula, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.
Sample: From £5,099 per person for a 13-day Antarctica Classic in Depth cruise
departing November 11 2019, based on a triple-share cabin. Excludes flights.
Seabourn
Ship: Seabourn Quest – 32,000 tons, 458 passengers (max 430 in Antarctica).
Itineraries: Offers 21-day cruises between Buenos Aires and San Antonio in Chile
that include six days exploring the Antarctic Peninsula. Longer 24-day voyages add
the Falklands and South Georgia.
Sample: From £8,499 per person for a 21-day Ultimate Antarctica and Patagonia cruise
from San Antonio to Buenos Aires departing November 28 2019. Excludes flights.
Crystal Cruises
Ship: Crystal Endeavor – 20,000 tons, 200 passengers.
Itineraries: Two 22-day voyages from Tasmania and New Zealand in January 2021
spend eight days exploring Antarctica’s Ross Sea with visits to Adélie and Emperor
penguin rookeries, and an ice-free desert.
Sample: From £28,113 per person for a 22-day Antarctic Splendor cruise from
Hobart to Christchurch departing January 6 2021. Excludes flights.
26 | Expedition Cruise Diary | March 2019
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