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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.
Everything You Need to Know About Cruising to Antarctica
Sail the Drake Passage; its waters are among the coldest and the deepest on Earth. From Ushuaia, you'll disembark the Viking Polaris and board your plane back to Buenos Aires. We cannot be held responsible for any costs you incur as a result of failing to do so.
Suggested Packing List
The atmosphere was festive as Meghan, the chief scientist, explained how weather balloons worked, and we all excitedly counted down to the release as if it were New Year's Eve. Afterward, the nerdiest of us crowded around a projection screen in Expedition Central to watch as the balloon's recording device reported back on air temperature, pressure and humidity at different elevations. The crew also demonstrated how to stomp through a boot-washing machine (imagine a car wash, with soap and spinning bristles, for your shoes), the latest in biosafety technology, before escorting me to a Zodiac. Here, two crew members helped me into the boat like I was royalty alighting from my carriage — one handing me down from the ship into the waiting grasp of another crew member standing in the Zodiac.
Viking Polar Expedition Ships
Consider that when booking, and you'll be in for a better experience over all. While it’s not the only area for unwinding, it dwarfs the Explorer’s Lounge, which serves top-shelf cocktails and the sounds of live piano every afternoon, and the chaise-filled Aquavit Terrace pool bar on the back of the ship. (The latter two spaces are also found on other Viking ships.) Though there are always quiet nooks to escape to—the size really is notable—the Living Room hosts a rotation of activities, too, including daily workshops with the resident photographer.
World Cruises to Keep on Your Radar for 2023 and Beyond
Only two days on board the Viking Polaris are cruising days, so your trip is filled with plenty of can't-miss Viking expeditions. The itinerary for Viking expeditions like this one are thoughtfully set, you'll find your room with a Nordic balcony as attractive as the sights, and you might just keep finding new details to love throughout your journey. The expedition vessels, which both have space for some 378 guests, have been specifically designed for expedition cruising, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the beauty of Antarctica in relative luxury. It is already the third season of cruising in the white continent for Viking Octantis, and the second for Viking Polaris. However, they are all first-come, first-served, and spots on the sub can be difficult to snag. The only folks Viking Polaris can't accommodate are extra-adventurous travelers who are looking for multiple landings a day, polar plunges, the option to camp out on the peninsula or more active hikes, kayaks or snowshoe adventures.
What Are the Passengers Like on a Cruise to Antarctica?
Observe the wildlife of South Georgia and keep watch for king penguins and seals. Explore the waterways of Charleston by kayak and search for Low Country birdlife. Set out to explore the stunning polar landscapes of the remote Canadian High Arctic. Gaze out over Arctic waters as you sail Baffin Bay, home to an array of marine life.
Once on the boat, passengers sit on the edges of the zodiac and on shore there will be Viking staff to lend a helping hand with exiting the boat. It’s pretty much the smell of the food they eat, and for a lack of better words, the poop that gets shot out when they bend over to defecate. They eat mostly krill, which is super fishy smelling, and you’ll smell it most when you get close their main nesting area. We didn’t smell it much though since we preferred hanging out closer to shore to observe them swimming in the water or waddling along the coastline. To get to Buenos Aires from San Francisco, we flew first to Miami, enjoyed some lounge time, and then boarded another plane to Buenos Aires. I don't know who Emily's parents thought were cruising with us aboard our ship, but it was certainly not overrun with sporty tech bros or outdoors enthusiasts accustomed to roughing it in the wilderness.
Viking Polaris Has a Great Fitness Center and Spa
Finally, this cruise has been one of the most upbeat and fun Viking trips I've been on. While the line has always eschewed fancy dress clothes, here you spend most of the day in athleisure wear. I always describe Viking as PBS at sea, so it was almost shocking to see the ship and crew lean into the NFL playoffs. To the delight of passengers, all of the games were streamed on a large screen TV in the Living Room, along with bar food such as chicken nuggets and soft pretzels.
Viking Polaris in Antarctica: Why You'll Love This Gentler Expedition Cruise
Viking's Arctic to Antarctica Cruise Is an 87-Day Epic Sailing - Matador Network
Viking's Arctic to Antarctica Cruise Is an 87-Day Epic Sailing.
Posted: Mon, 04 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Fani at the bar would bring us nearly any drink we could dream up — a lemon drop or ironically tropical mai tai for me, a Pimm's Cup for Emily — and always stopped to chat. Perhaps the experience should have been jarring — dripping sweat in a swimsuit while gazing at one of the harshest climates on the planet — but cozy comfort in the midst of a rugged adventure is the calling card of Viking Polaris. Outside my drop-down panoramic window -- what Viking Expeditions describes as a Nordic balcony -- black-and-white petrels nosedive into the surprisingly calm gray waters, while snow falls. Viking operates two identical state-of-the-art Polar Class 6 Expedition ships, Octantis and Polaris, each carrying 378 guests.
How Antarctic Cruises Fund Nature Research - Worth - Worth Magazine
How Antarctic Cruises Fund Nature Research - Worth.
Posted: Wed, 31 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Just outside this area is the Finse terrace with its lava-rock "firepits," the perfect place to enjoy some of the stunning scenery of your Arctic expedition. Besides Greenland, the cruise will sail to the Canadian High Arctic before sailing to ports in the Caribbean, Peru, and exploring the Chilean glaciers before continuing to Antarctica. On the occasional clear and dry day, the ship hosted alfresco barbecue lunches on the sun deck — and what Viking served here were none other than complimentary porterhouse steaks, lobster tails and one-pound burgers.
Emily had been so happy about the treat that Celeste took it upon herself to repeat the experience the following day. Some of us might have been a tad disappointed that guests couldn't participate in most of the real data collection on board. The consolation is knowing that your vacation dollars are doing more than putting money in the pockets of travel company owners — they're funding actual scientific research, as well.
Words fail to capture the magic of watching penguins in their natural habitat – those waddles, hops, and comical falls! And since they see no threat in us, penguins may sometimes walk right up to you. Crouching low makes you less intimidating - just avoid sitting to protect the pristine environment. For breathtaking views of Patagonia's mountain ranges during your landing, try to snag a right-side window seat. We were not assigned a right side window seat, but moved to an empty row with one.
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