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Antarctica Cruise - The Peninsula (Active Adventure)
Ship: Orlova
Days: 11
Passengers: 110
Dates: 12/10/2009, 1/6/2010, 1/15/2010, 2/11/2010, 12/9/2010, 12/18/2010, 12/27/2010, 1/5/2011, 1/14/2011, 2/10/2011
Highlights:
A quality expedition cruise that is good value. Expect good guides, great food, and a simple "classic" expedition ship. All cabins have a private bathroom.
Summary: If you want adventure, but like the creature comforts, then this expedition is for you! This well-established expedition cruise offers you the ideal introduction to Antarctica. Enjoy the service and many of the amenities of a classic passenger vessel. The outstanding cuisine may vie with the landscape and wildlife for your attention. Departing and finishing in the port of Ushuaia in Argentina, the itinerary visits prime sites along the Antarctic Peninsula and the neighboring South Shetland Islands. Your itinerary will emphasize wildlife viewing, possible visits to scientific bases, and the breathtaking scenery with narrow waterways, glaciers, icebergs and rugged mountains.
Our friend, Gretchen Berg, has sailed on this voyage. Click to view her travel journal and photos!
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Guaranteed - No Fuel Surcharge.
Prices from:
$3,890 to $10,690
Fuel surcharge may apply (subject to change).
View: Rates | Deckplan | Cabin Photos
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Itinerary - In Brief
Itinerary - Detailed
Days 1-2:
Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Arrive in Ushuaia, a small town at the "end of the world" surrounded by rugged peaks and glaciers, and transfer independently to your conveniently located hotel. The following day, in the afternoon, the Expedition Team gets you settled aboard your ship as you sail into the Beagle Channel to start your Antarctic expedition.
Days 3-5:
Drake Passage & South Shetland Islands
Wandering albatross, storm petrels and other seabirds accompany the ship as you sail south across this famous passage named after Sir Francis Drake, the 16th-century English navigator. A program of lectures by the shipboard team of experienced naturalists and Antarctica specialists will help prepare you for the many adventures that lie ahead. In 1819, the British explorer William Smith described the South Shetland Islands as “barren and covered with snow, with seals in abundance.” Yet, mosses and lichens thrive during the short summer on the low-lying peninsulas of these rugged maritime islands, which are located directly adjacent to the Antarctic Peninsula. Places such as King George Island or Livingston Island support huge numbers of nesting penguins, while seabirds nest on the cliffs and elephant seals wallow along the shores. Deception Island is still considered to be an active volcano, and sailing through the narrow passage into its huge, flooded caldera is a thrilling experience. Depending on weather and ice conditions, we hope to be able to approach the South Shetland Islands during the afternoon of day four.
Days 6-8:
Antarctic Peninsula
The Antarctic Peninsula is the most easily accessible part of the ‘White Continent,’ but it also has some of the most awe-inspiring scenery and a rich variety of wildlife. This voyage offers ample time to experience the special magic of this wilderness region. Among the places you may visit are aptly named Paradise Harbor, where glaciers fill the calm waters with a vista of icebergs sculpted by wind and weather. Here, you may set foot on the ‘White Continent’ itself. At Port Lockroy, you will find thriving colonies of penguins and shags and a former British scientific station that has recently been renovated and serves as a fascinating museum. Cuverville Island and Rongé Island, with their dramatic location, are home to a large colony of nearly 5,000 pairs of gentoo penguins. Many visitors find the Antarctic scenery as rewarding as the wildlife, and you will be enchanted by such beautiful waterways as the Neumayer and Lemaire channels. Located south of the spectacular Lemaire Channel and separated from the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula by Penola Strait is Petermann Island, on which we plan to land. Adélie and gentoo penguins, skuas and blue-eyed shags nest close to the landing site.
Days 9-10:
Drake Passage
Today you leave Antarctica and head north across the Drake Passage. In between bird watching and whale watching, and enjoying some final lectures by our expedition staff, this is a chance to relax and review our adventures before returning to Ushuaia.
Day 11:
Ushuaia
You disembark after breakfast and transfer by bus to the Antarctic Unit office located at the entrance of the pier. Passengers departing the same day on the morning flight will continue by bus to the airport.
Notes:
Read this itinerary as a guide only; the exact route and program varies according to ice and weather conditions - and the wildlife you encounter. Flexibility is the key to the success of this expedition.
Camping Option: $195 per person; 12/10/2009, 1/6/2010, 1/15/2010, 2/11/2010 (minimum age 12 years, limited to 20 passengers)
Sea Kayaking: $795 per person (12/10/2009, 1/6/2010, 1/15/2010, 2/11/2010); $595 per person (12/9/2010, 12/18/2010, 12/27/2010, 1/5/2011, 1/14/2011, 2/10/2011). Minimum age 16 years.
Emergency Evacuation Insurance
Emergency evacuation coverage to a maximum benefit per paying passenger of $100,000 is included in the cost of this expedition. Included coverage is applicable only to travel between the first and last day of the expedition purchased. Additional days of travel prior to the expedition and/or after the expedition are not covered by the included emergency evacuation insurance. We strongly advise all passengers to purchase medical, cancellation and baggage insurance, and additional emergency evacuation coverage.
Included:
One night pre-expedition hotel accommodation with breakfast, as indicated in the itinerary. (The number of guests per room is the same as cabin occupancy on the ship. Due to limited availability, travelers who reserve a suite on board are accommodated in standard rooms at the hotel.); Group transfers from the hotel to the ship at the embarkation port, and from the ship to the local airport on disembarkation; Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping; All breakfasts, lunches and dinners on board throughout your voyage. (Please inform us of any dietary requirements as far in advance as possible. Unfortunately, the ships’ galleys cannot prepare kosher meals.); All shore landings per the daily program; Leadership throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Leader, including shore landings and other activities; All Zodiac transfers and cruising per the daily program; Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled; Photographic Album on DVD, documenting the voyage; A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for shore landings; an expedition parka – yours to keep (12/9/2010 - 2/10/2011 only); Coffee, tea, cocoa available around the clock; Hair dryer and bathrobe in every cabin (bathrobe: starting 2010-11 season); Comprehensive pre-departure materials, including a map and an informative Antarctic Reader; All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program; All luggage handling aboard ship; Emergency Evacuation Insurance for all passengers to a maximum benefit of $100,000 per person.
Not Included:
Any airfare; Passport and visa expenses; Government arrival and departure taxes; Any meals ashore with the exception of breakfast at the host hotel before embarkation; Baggage, cancellation and medical travel insurance; Excess baggage charges; Laundry, bar, beverage and other personal charges; Telecommunications charges; The customary gratuity at the end of the voyage for Hospitality Team members, ship’s crew and Expedition Team members.
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