Antarctic Polar Circle Cruise

"Antarctica Peninsula - Southern Shetland Islands"

This well-established 12 to 15 days expedition cruise offers you the ideal introduction to Antarctica. The itinerary visits the best sites along the Antarctica Peninsula and the neighbouring South Shetland Islands. The program enphasise wildlife observation, possible visit of scientific bases, and the breathtaking scenery with narrow waterways, huge glaciers, icebergs and rugged mountains. This cruise is similar to the classic Antarctrica, but we continue south of the Polar Circle, exploring new lands less visited by vessels.

The Itinerary

No two voyages are ever exactly the same and the itinerary outlined here is for your guidance only. The Captain and Expedition Leader will assess daily conditions and take full advantage of every opportunity to make landings with our Zodiacs, using the almost continuous daylight to maximize time ashore.
For exact itineraries and conditions, please download brochures
on the Antarctica page

DAY 1: Ushuaia
Arrive in Ushuaia and transfer independently to the pier. Embark at 4pm and sail east through the Beagle Channel for Antarctica, entering the Drake Passage after midnight.

DAYS 2-3: Drake Passage
During these two days we sail across the Drake Passage. When we cross the Antarctic Convergence, we arrive in the cir-cum-Antarctic up welling zone. In this area we may meet Wandering Albatrosses, Grey Headed Albatrosses, Black-browed Albatrosses, Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses, Cape Pigeons, Southern Fulmars, Wilson’s Storm Petrels, Blue Petrels and Antarctic Petrels. Near the South Shetland Islands, we glimpse at the first icebergs, and with a bit of luck we may disembark on Aitcho Island, home of gentoo and chinstrap penguin colonies.

DAYS 4-9: South Shetland Islands - Antarctica Peninsula
At Deception Island, we try to land at Baily Head home to a colony of ten thousands of Chinstrap Penguins. Deception itself is a sub ducted crater, which opens into the sea, creating a natural harbour for the ship. Here we find hot springs, an abandoned whaling station, thousands of Cape pigeons and many Dominican gulls, Brown and South Polar Skuas and Antarctic Terns. Wilson’s Storm Petrels and Black-bellied Storm Petrels nest in the ruins of the whaling station in Whalers Bay. Good walkers may hike from Baily Head over the ridge of the crater into Whalers Bay, while our ship braves its entrance into the crater through the spectacular Neptune´s Bellow into the ring of Deception Island.
On our way to the south sailing through the Gerlache Strait we have great chances to see many Humpback Whales and Minke Whales. In Neko Harbour and Paradise Bay with its myriad icebergs and deep cut fjords, we have the opportunity to set foot on the Antarctic Continent. We shall have the opportunity for zodiac cruising between the icebergs in the inner parts of the fjords.
We sail through the spectacular Lemaire Channel to Petermann Island offering Adelie Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags. We also try to land at Pleneau Island with Elephant Seals. In this area there are good chances to encounter Humpback Whales, Minke Whales and Fin Whales. We head south along the Argentine Islands to Crystal Sound, south of the polar circle. The landscape is very impres-sive with very high mountains and huge glaciers. At the Fish Islands we land at one of the southernmost Adelie Penguin and Blue-eyed Shag colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula. At Detaille Island, south of the Polar Circle, in Crystal Sound we reach probably our farthest south.
Sailing north through Neumayer Channel and Gerlache Strait, we arrive at Inverleith Harbour, where we may have our last zodiac cruises of the voyage.

DAYS 10-11: Drake Passage
Today we leave Antarctica and head north across the Drake Passage. Now is the chance to relax and review the adventures of the past week, as well as enjoy some final lectures from the expedition staff as you return to Ushuaia.

DAY 12: Ushuaia
After breakfast we disembark and passengers make their own way to the airport or their hotel. If you fly to Buenos Aires, book an afternoon flight. You arrive in the capital in the evening and will probably have to overnight there.

Note : 15 day cruises offer 3 more days around the Antarctica Peninsula

Scuba-diving

This is a unique opportunity to explore the magical underwater world of Antarctica. Our experienced Antarctic Dive Masters guide us through this fantastic, and largely unexplored, underwater paradise. We dive around the wonderful sculpted ice formations of icebergs, encounter rich marine life from soft corals and fish to marine mammals, and even experience the remarkable underwater sounds of the frozen continent.
Diving in Antarctica is very different to diving in other parts of the world. The contrasting colors are spectacular - from the blue and white icebergs to the dark sea floor - and the area has a rich invertebrate life (including many different species of anemones, echinoderms, crayfish and coral sponges). We should encounter krill in their natural environment and hope to see penguins and possibly even seals underwater. Visibility is usually 5-15 meters (16-50 feet), depending on the position, current and proximity to penguin rookeries.
All diving will take place in the Peninsula area and, weather and ice permitting, we plan to have up to two dives per day over the two days' diving. Our maximum dive depth will be about 15 meters (50 feet).
Divers must be certified to PADI Advanced Open Water diver (or equivalent) - certificates will need to be shown onboard - and must also have dry suit diving experience (20 dives recommended). We will provide the tanks and weight belts. All other equipment needed would be provided by the diver.

Note that the day you dive, you do not particpate in land excursions.

General Information

Rated: Easy

Important: Vessels do not wait ! We advise passengers to arrive in Ushuaia one day before. In case your international flight to Buenos Aires or your flight to Ushuaia is delayed or cancelled, you still have time to arrive on time for the departure. If you miss the departure, no money is paid back.

Additional services: These itineraries do not include any land or air service in Argentina. We can book hotels, transfers between airports and airport/hotel, excursions and domestic flights. Contact us for a quotation !

Aboard Maryshev
Februray 22, 2007 - March 05, 2007 - 12 days
Deck	Cabin Type	12 days
Lower	Twin without bathroom	$ 5243
		€ 4351
		£ 2936
Lower	Twin with private bathroom	$ 5968
		€ 4953
		£ 3342
Captain	Superior with private bathroom	$ 6948
		€ 5767
		£ 3890
Diving suplement of: $970 / € 805 / £ 543
- The Februray 22, 2007 to March 05, 2007 cruise allows divers onboard Discounts sometimes available on this vessel. ASK FOR INFORMATION

Aboard Molchanov
January 27, 2007 - February 10, 2007 - 15 days
February 9, 2007 - February 23, 2007- 15 days
Deck	Cabin Type	15 days
Lower	Triple without bathroom	$ 6995
		€ 5805
		£ 3917
Lower	Twin without bathroom	$ 8795
		€ 7299
		£ 4925
Captain	Twin with private bathroom	$ 10395
		€ 8627
		£ 5821
Upper	Superior with private bathroom	$ 12095
		€ 10038
		£ 6773
Upper	Suite with private bathroom	$ 12995
		€ 10785
		£ 7277

Included:
• Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary.
• All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea;
• All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
• Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
• All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
• Comprehensive pre-departure material.

Not included:
Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights; passport and visa expenses; government arrival and departure taxes; meals ashore; supplement for single hotel accommodations; baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended); excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar and beverage charges and telecommunications charges; and the customary gratuity at the end of the voyage for those who have served you aboard (guidelines will be provided).

Special booking & cancellation conditions
Each vessel has special booking and cancellation conditions. Upon reservation we will inform you about the specificities of each vessel.

Please note that all dates & rates are subject to change. All voyages will operate subject to a minimum of 30 participants.