Crystal's Antarctica Christmas Cruise

Crystal Cruises is planning a magical winter wonderland holiday with a new Antarctica Christmas/New Year cruise this year. 

In addition to three days sailing Antarctic waters, the December 21 Buenos Aires-Valparaíso voyage on board the award-winning Crystal Symphony sails through Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, the Falkland Islands, Drake Passage, Cape Horn and the Chilean Fjords, with multiple excursions to the Antarctic continent. Savings of up to £387 per person are available until August 30 for the unique voyage - the only one of its kind for 2013 and 2014.

Guests can fly, hike and zodiac over and on the icy continent, viewing Air Force homes, penguin breeding grounds and the gorgeous glacial scenery of King George and Ardley Islands. Extremely-limited Crystal Adventures also explore more of Antarctica, a taste of local specialities and an overnight at the Chilean Eduardo Frei Antarctic Base (INACH).

The 18-night cruise is filled with opportunities to explore nature in all ports, from seeing volcanoes, waterfalls, humpback whales and elephant seals to kayaking the Strait of Magellan and visiting working farms in the Falklands and Patagonia. There are also adventures in wine, cuisine and culture in major South American cities. Onboard speakers include an Antarctic expedition author, climate change researcher, shark conservationist and CBS News correspondent.

The cruise starts in Buenos Aires on and visits Montevideo, Puerto Madryn, Port Stanley, Ushuaia (overnight), Punta Arenas and Puerto Montt before finishing in Valparaíso. As the guests’ maritime home for the festive season, Crystal Symphony will be luxuriously decorated throughout, offering abundant space to celebrate with gourmet Christmas feasts, a champagne New Year’s gala, religious services, junior cruiser events (including Santa) and more. 

All-inclusive prices start from £6,627 per person if booked by August 30, with 18 nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window with all meals and soft drinks, selected alcoholic beverages, port taxes and gratuities. 

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury cruising specialists.

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Ultimate Antarctica & Patagonia

Luxury cruise line Seabourn has contracted some of the world’s most experienced expedition staff to guide the line’s “Ultimate Antarctica and Patagonia” cruises aboard their Seabourn Quest, during the cruise line’s inaugural Antarctic season of 2013 and 2014.

Example itineraries include:

Holiday Antarctica, Patagonia & South Georgia:

Departing December 11, this 24-day cruise from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires visits Puerto Montt and Puerto Chacabuco (Chile), Ushuaia (Argentina), Cape Horn and the Drake Passage,  Grytviken (South Georgia) and Montevideo (Uruguay) before reaching Buenos Aires. Prices start from £13,699 per person for fly/cruise, based on two people sharing a suite, fully inclusive of all tips and gratuities, fine dining, open bars and fully stocked mini bar. 

Ultimate Antarctica & Patagonia:

Sailing on January 25, this 21-day voyage from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires cruises to Puerto Montt, Puerto Chacabuco, Ushuaia, Cape Horn, Drake Passage and Southern Ocean; Antarctic Experience; Port Stanley (Falkland Islands) and Montevideo. Prices start from £12,299 per person for fly/cruise, based on two people sharing a suite, fully inclusive of all tips and gratuities, fine dining, open bars and fully stocked mini bar.

The Antarctic Experience provides guests with exclusive activities based on real-time reports of wildlife weather and ice conditions. Such experiences include Zodiac landings and expeditions to Antarctic locations, digital photography workshops and opportunities for frequent wildlife sightings from the ship and on shore. 

Beginning November 20, Seabourn Quest will sail on a series of four 21-24 day voyages between Valparaíso and Buenos Aires. They all include days exploring the Chilean coast and fjords, Beagle Channel, Glacier Alley, the breathtaking Torres del Paine National Park, Cape Horn, the Falkland Islands, Montevideo and five days of cruising and landings on the Antarctic Continent in uncompromising Seabourn luxury.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury cruising and adventure-cruise specialists.

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Seabourn's Antarctica & Patagonia Quest

More than 20 years after the company pioneered an entirely new style of small-ship, ultra-luxury cruising, Seabourn is extending its repertoire to include Antarctica for the very first time. 

Passengers can now book a series of four 21-24-day voyages in 2013 on Seabourn’s newest ship Quest, sailing between Valparaíso, Chile, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. The all-suite ship will cruise the Chilean coast, including visits to Puerto Montt for the Chilean Lakes District, Castro on the huge island of Chiloé, and Puerto Chacabuco for the Rio Simpson Valley and Coyhaique. It will also call at Punta Arenas, from where guests can tour the magnificent Torres del Paine National Park.

The ship will then thread the glaciers, peaks and channels of the Chilean Fjords, culminating in a transit of the Beagle Channel and its spectacular Glacier Alley. Weather permitting, following a call at Ushuaia in Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego, Seabourn Quest will cruise by Cape Horn bound for the Southern Ocean.

Guests on board will experience five days in Antarctica, including scenic cruising of highlights such as the breathtaking Lemaire Channel, picturesque Paradise Bay and the Gerlache Strait. An experienced Antarctic expedition staff will ensure guests enjoy the best of the hundreds of available sites for landings and cruising in smaller inflatable boats, based on real-time weather and wildlife reports during their Antarctic adventures. Scientists, naturalists and other lecturers in a number of disciplines will speak on board and accompany guests ashore to add insights to their once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

During the South Atlantic portion of the voyage, guests will enjoy visits to Port Stanley, in the Falkland Islands, and Montevideo, Uruguay’s capital, en route to or from Buenos Aires. A 24-day Holiday version will include two days exploring the sub-Antarctic wildlife Eden of South Georgia Island, renowned for its beauty and its vast, teeming rookeries of king penguins  and other seabirds, as well as breeding elephant and fur seals.

For bookings follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's luxury cruise specialists.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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