Antarctica Cruise - The Peninsula
South Shetlands, Antarctic Peninsula, Penguin Rookeries, Lemaire Channel
12 Days | Departures: 11/25/12, 12/5/12, 12/15/12, 2/23/13  |  From: $5,495

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Trip Highlights: A fantastic expedition on a beautiful ship. Expect great food, very comfortable cabins and wonderful guides. She is one of our favorite ships!

Rates: $5,495 - $12,595
Single Rate: 1.7 - 2 times the double occupancy rate
Camping Option: $225 per person, minimum age 16 years (11/25/12, 12/5/12, 12/15/12)
Sea Kayaking Option: $950 per person, minimum age 16 years (11/25/12, 12/15/12, 2/23/13)
All-Inclusive Beverage Package: $299 per person request at time of booking.
Non-Alcoholic Beverage Package: $99 per person request at time of booking.

Ship - Clipper Adventurer - Expedition Ship - Review of this ship
Passengers: 122

Summary

Traveling to the farthest reaches of the world doesn’t mean you can’t be comfortable! Embark on this ideal introduction to Antarctica aboard a beautiful expedition ship that combines adventure with service and many amenities of a classic passenger vessel. The outstanding cuisine may vie with the landscape and wildlife for your attention. Depart and finish in the port of Ushuaia in Argentina, and visit prime sites along the Antarctic Peninsula and the neighboring South Shetland Islands. This program emphasizes wildlife viewing, possible visits to scientific bases, breathtaking scenery with narrow waterways, glaciers, icebergs and rugged mountains. Enjoy quality and value at a good price!

Itinerary

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 3-4: Crossing the Drake Passage
Among the many unforgettable experiences you’ll have on your journey, food will certainly be one of them. It may seem as if you are dining in one of the finer restaurants in the world, with one exception: other restaurants would never interrupt you with shouts of “whales ahead at 12 o’clock.”

You’ll be properly prepared for wildlife sightings, because our Expedition Team delivers an incomparable education program as you cross the Drake Passage en route to Antarctica.

Days 5-9: South Shetland Islands & Antarctica Peninsula
When land is sighted for the first time in two days you know you have reached the South Shetland Islands. This impressive group of islands, lying to the north and roughly parallel to the Antarctic Peninsula, is a haven for wildlife. You visit vast penguin rookeries, land on beaches ruled by Antarctic fur seals and observe wallowing southern elephant seals. You also hope to visit one of the many research bases in the archipelago and look for Antarctica's only two flowering plants which thrive here during the short southern summer.

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 10-11: Drake Passage
Today, you 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, you disembark and transfer by complimentary bus to the exit of the port, which is centrally located in town. Continue independently to the airport for your flight* home. *Airfare is not included in the program. Please note: Read this itinerary as a guide only; our exact route and program varies according to ice and weather conditions - and the wildlife we encounter. Flexibility is the key to the success of this expedition.

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.

Photography Program: No additional cost (11/25/2012 - 2/23/2013). This is a complimentary course available to everyone on board who wishes to participate. There is no need to register ahead of time for the course. The course includes the services of a resident photography instructor; a program of lectures on photography and digital image manipulation; and photography focused excursions at landing sites with hands-on instruction.

All-Inclusive Beverage Package: $299 per person (11/25/2012 - 2/23/2013); request at time of booking. One set price allows you to enjoy a wide variety of drinks without making purchases onboard. Alcoholic beverages include a wide selection of domestic and imported beer, spirits, mixed drinks, cocktails and two varieties of red and white wine. Non-alcoholic drinks include unlimited soft drinks, water and juice.

Non-Alcoholic Beverage Package: $99 per person (11/25/2012 - 2/23/2013); request at time of booking. One set price allows you to enjoy a wide variety of drinks without making purchases onboard. Includes unlimited soft drinks, water and juice.

Mandatory Travel Insurance:
All guests are required to have comprehensive travel insurance coverage. Due to the remoteness of the areas in this itinerary, travelers must have a minimum $50,000 of emergency medical coverage. Proof of coverage is required prior to embarkation. The shipping company will not be held responsible for delays due to force majeure. Any additional costs accrued will be the responsibility of the traveler. ExpeditionTrips strongly recommends that the travel insurance policy covers trip cancellation insurance, trip delay (interruption or after departure coverage), baggage and repatriation.

Included:
One night pre-expedition hotel accommodation with breakfast in Ushuaia or Punta Arenas 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.); shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping; all breakfasts, lunches and dinners on board throughout your voyage. (Please inform 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 experienced Expedition Leader, including shore landings and other activities; all Zodiac transfers and cruising per the daily program; formal and informal presentations by Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled; photographic journal on DVD, documenting the voyage; a pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for shore landings; an official parka to keep; coffee, tea and cocoa available around the clock; hair dryer and bathrobes in every cabin; comprehensive pre-departure materials, including a map and an informative Antarctic Reader; a group transfer upon disembarkation in Ushuaia from the ship to the local airport; all miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program; all luggage handling aboard ship; photography program (11/25/2012 - 2/23/2013 departures); Emergency Evacuation Insurance for all passengers to a maximum benefit of USD $100,000 per person*.

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; all-inclusive Not Included:
beverage package: $299 per person; non-alcoholic beverage package: $99 per person (11/25/2012 - 2/23/2013); baggage, cancellation and medical travel insurance; excess baggage charges; laundry and other personal charges; telecommunications charges; voluntary gratuity at the end of the voyage for shipboard staff and crew; supplements for adventure options.

*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.