Exploring the Poles with Fred

The absurdly-named Fred.\ has launched a new travel brand specialising in Polar Expedition cruises.  Offering a selection of  polar expedition cruise holidays from seven specialist expedition operators, Fred.\ Expeditions will act as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for intrepid travellers searching for anexpedition cruising holiday.
 
Expedition cruise lines on offer from Fred.\ Expeditions include G Adventures, Hurtigruten, Quark Expeditions, Oceanwide Expeditions, Poseidon Expeditions, Lindblad Expeditions and Silversea Expeditions. In addition to the cruises themselves, passengers can take part in on-shore expedition activities including camping, fishing, helicopter tours, hiking, mountaineering, kayaking, photography workshops, polar diving, ski-trekking and exploring the coastlines via Zodiac.

Prices start from around £2,349 per person for a seven night ‘Realm of the Polar Bear’ cruise aboard MS Expedition with G Adventures, departing 1 June 2015. This includes cruise only, onboard accommodation with meals and some beverages included. This itinerary visits Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Spitsbergen:  

A 13 night ‘Journey to Antarctica: the White Continent’ cruise with Lindblad Expeditions aboard National Geographic Explorer, priced from £7,299 per person to include cruise only, onboard accommodation with meals and some beverages included. Itinerary includes Buenos Aires, Ushuaia and Antarctica.  

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One Ocean Offers Scientific Whale-Watching

Getting up close and personal with the wildlife, culture and scenery on any cruise is something we are really passionate about here at World of Cruising, hence anything that promotes these activities gets our seal of approval.

 

And this is definitely the case with the latest opportunity from One Ocean Expeditions, who will feature marine and conservation expert Dr Ari Friedlaender on board the Akademik Sergey Vavilov to discover how whales behave in the icy waters of Antarctica this spring.

Specialists in small-ship cruise adventures One Ocean is offering a truly unique opportunity to join a 10-night Antarctic trip to study humpback, minke and killer whales, departing from Ushuaia on March 16.

Participants on this special departure will learn how to document whale numbers, help to conduct photo surveys, determine movement patterns of marine mammals and identify individual animals. They will also be able to locate and document the behaviour of whales previously fitted with satellite tracking devices.

The Marine Mammals voyage will be accompanied by Dr Friedlaender, a Research Scientist at Duke University, who has been to the Antarctic nearly 20 times on scientific voyages.

Accommodation for the trip is on board the impressive ice-strengthened ship, which has been designed for Polar research, with the comfort and safety of passengers its number one priority.

It offers a separate bar and lounge area, dining room (with exceptionally fine food), and a library, plus a theatre-style presentation room, gift-shop, fitness room, massage room, hot water spa, sauna and salt water plunge pool.

The 10-night voyage includes all meals and accommodation, plus Zodiac excursions and landings, ship transfers, foul weather gear and overnight camping. Prices start from $6,290pp based on triple share, while twin accommodation begins at $8,590pp. Suites range from $10,090 to $11,190.

More Info: call 0117 9658 333 or visit www.oneoceanexpeditions.com.

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Try Camping - in Antarctica!

If our picture (above) looks a little bleak, don't let that put you off - because it represents a unique opportunity in the cruise world to go camping in one of the most pristine places on the planet.

 

We know here at World of Cruising that our readers are a pretty adventurous bunch, hence we thought the idea of spending a night with thousands of penguins would have significant appeal. This is Paulet Island in Antarctica, and it is a truly amazing place.

And, next winter, adventure cruise specialists Hurtigruten have added an extraordinary new excursion that will allow guests to pitch tents and spend a night like no other, camping in this unworldly terrain. This excursion is for true adventure seekers who want to indulge their spirit of discovery. In a small group of no more than 15, they will be taken ashore to set up camp and spend the night, equipped with outdoor equipment specially tailored to the region, including warm winter sleeping bags and expedition tents.

 

Even more importantly, Hurtigruten is now offering this 13-day “Land of the Penguins” voyage departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, on November 19, 2014, from just £5,699 per person (for an inside cabin). Flights and one night in a hotel before and after the voyage costs from £1,750 per person, while the unique camping excursion costs approximately £330 per person (payable locally).

More info: call 020 3582 6642 or visit www.hurtigruten.co.uk.

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Take A Virtual Arctic Or Antarctica Expedition

Here at World of Cruising, we're always looking at new ways of getting to the polar regions, as they remain one of the greatest adventure cruise experiences on the planet.

And, if you're thinking about going and want to dip your toe into the ice -cold waters from your front room first, so to speak, Quark Expeditions may well have the answer as the company has launched an immersive and comprehensive new website promoting expedition travel in the Arctic and Antarctica. 

Far more than an online booking tool, visitors to the site will be captivated with all aspects of a Polar expedition and will (hopefully) be inspired by high-resolution images, most of which have been submitted by Quark passengers from their own voyages. Also available are videos which take you through a typical day in the life of an Arctic or Antarctic voyage, as well as how to pack for the Polar Regions. All content will be available for social sharing.

Be inspired to walk among giant penguin colonies, explore stretches of the Antarctic Peninsula by kayak, or view an incredible display of the northern lights from the ship’s deck; it's all on offer in these amazing regions, and can be explored in more detail at the new site.

More info: www.QuarkExpeditions.com.

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Chimu's Antarctic Adventures

Specialist Antarctica and Latin America tour operator Chimu Adventures have released their new dedicated Antarctica brochure, including sailings from Ushuaia, Hobart and Bluff, as well as fly-cruise departures from Punta Arenas. These wonderful voyages take in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the South Shetland Islands, the Antarctic Peninsula, mainland Antarctica and East Antarctica.

The brochure contains numerous trips from South America including Classic Antarctica,Quest for the Antarctic Circle, Falklands and South Georgia and the Weddell Sea Quest, along with Mawson’s Antarctica and Southern Ocean Safari from New Zealand.  

To add to the experience of the white continent, there are numerous excursions available. Clients can take excursions ashore, sea kayak, ski, dive, mountaineer and even camp. Additionally, there are a host of alternative adventure options available, including discovering the South Pole on a ski craft, exploring an Emperor Penguin rookery and expeditions from the remote Union Glacier Camp.

A 9-night Classic Antarctica cruise with Chimu Adventures costs from £2,800 per person.

More info: visit http://www.chimuadventures.com/country/antarctica

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The Bubbly's On Ponant For National Cruise Week!

Compagnie du Ponant, the luxury French yacht cruise operator has launched a special VIP offer for National Cruise Week (which starts today), with a special ‘Welcome Aboard’ to all guests booking during this perios, as well as €200 on board credit per cabin booked. This is definitely the right time to add a touch of extra-luxury to your cruise!

The offer will include a bottle of Champagne placed in the cabin upon arrival and a personal welcome note from the Captain, as well as the stateroom credit to spend on board – including on bar drinks, luxurious spa treatments and shore excursions. The credit is per cabin and the offer will be valid for travel until 30 September 2014. Quote VIP NCW on the phone to benefit from the offer, which is available for all Cruise Week bookings from September 21-29.

Ponant, a specialist in soft expeditions and great journeys around the world, has run Antarctic cruises for years and launched a brand new ship, Le Soléal, at the end of June. She is currently cruising the Arctic through the North-West Passage before heading to the Japanese archipelago and South-East Asia this winter. Also included are many themed-cruises, from music and golf to gourmet cuisine, all allied to the world-famous French savoir-faire.

 

For more on National Cruise Week, see http://www.discovercruises.co.uk/national-cruise-week.aspx.

 

For bookings, see this link for The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury cruise specialists.

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Hurtigruten's NCW Bonus

It doesn’t matter whether you want to search for the spectacular Northern Lights in Norway or camp alongside the penguins in Antarctica, Hurtigruten are offering some amazing prices on selected Coastal and Explorer voyages during National Cruise Week.

The company currently has early booking discounts of up to 25% off 2013 and 2014 voyages, but is offering those booking from September 21-29 an additional 5% off the reduced prices.

Total savings could amount to more than £3,000 off the standard brochure price, depending on the type of cabin and itinerary booked. The 5% National Cruise Week discount alone could save more than £500 per person.

Norwegian Coastal Voyages now from £1,360, including flights

Prices for the 2014 programme now start from £1,360 per person for the five night ‘Classic Voyage South’ on full board basis including flights, a total discount of £311 off the brochure price, for departures between January 1 and March 31. Book in 2013 and guests will also receive a free excursion to the North Cape, Europe’s northernmost point.

Book an expedition and save more than £3,000

Those with an adventurous streak can also make savings on selected expeditions. Join the 'Christmas Expedition 2014' and not only will guests spend the festive period with penguins, seals and whales, but make some great savings as well. The 17-day voyage to Antarctica departing on December 19, 2014, now costs from £5,987 per person – an amazing combined discount of £2,415 off the standard brochure price. The price includes return flights from London and the voyage on a full board basis.

Booking a suite on the same voyage, the cost would be £9,793 per person, including an early booking saving of £3,436 plus additional Cruise Week saving of £515 per person – a total discount of £3,951 off the standard brochure price of £13,744pp.

The offer is valid for bookings made between 21 and 29 September 2013 for coastal voyages departing before December 31, 2014, and expedition voyages departing by February 24, 2015. NB: All prices are based on two sharing a cabin.

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

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Quark's Floating Film Festival

Quark Expeditions is rolling out the red carpet for its first-ever Floating Polar Film Festival, curated by and in partnership with Toronto's Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. Starting November 2, the Floating Festival will be aboard Quark's Sea Spirit during the 23-day Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica via Buenos Aires: Explorers and Kings voyage. Hot Docs selected the films with Quark's passengers in mind - their love of adventure, the environment, globalisation, the Polar Regions, and of course, pop culture. In alphabetical order, the films are:  Chasing Ice (USA), directed by Jeff Orlowski: This visually stunning film follows renowned National Geographic photographer James Balog on a harsh Arctic expedition where he captures a multi-year record of the world's changing glaciers—undeniable evidence that our planet is in crisis. Director in attendance for the film festival voyages.  Expedition to the End of the World (Denmark), directed by Daniel Dencik: For a few weeks each year, the North Pole melts just enough to reveal once-hidden, untouched fjords. A boatload of motley artists and scientists set sail in search of life in this hilarious, breathtaking modern-day adventure.  The Human Scale (Denmark), directed by Andreas M. Dalsgaard: "It's either cars or humans," says revolutionary architect Jan Gehl, asked how to accommodate the 6.5 billion who will be living in cities by 2050. From NYC to Chongqing, this controversial film examines what urban landscapes could soon be.  Maidentrip (USA), directed by Jillian Schlesinger: At just 14 years old, Laura Dekker sets out to become the youngest person ever to sail solo around the world. Braving waves and loneliness for two years, she shoots her own amazingly intimate coming-of-age story on the wide open sea.  William and the Windmill (USA), directed by Ben Nabors: An ingenious 14-year-old Malawian boy builds a windmill from junk, and rescues his family from famine. But when the overwhelming media attention transforms his life, can he survive the massive change? Prices for the 22-day Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica via Buenos Aires: Explorers and Kings voyage start from £8,950pp. For more info and bookings, see www.quarkexpeditions.com; for more adventure-cruise ideas, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the Uk's adventure cruising specialists.

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Seabourn's Luxury Antarctica

Small ship luxury line Seabourn is offering some great value Antarctica sailings over the winter months, with a series of cruises from £8,999 per person. Complementing what is the most expansive schedule of any line are attractive savings incentives in 2013 that include onboard spending credits of up to $1,000 per suite on November and December voyages.

 

Seabourn's award-winning ships will visit more than 20 ports on voyages ranging from 21 to 24 days, exploring an array of scenic wonders including the breathtaking Lemaire Channel, picturesque Paradise Bay and the Gerlache Strait. Experienced Antarctic expedition staff including scientists, naturalists and other lecturers in a number of disciplines will speak on board and accompany guests ashore to hundreds of available sites for landings adding insights to their once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

2013 Antarctica itineraries include:

21-day Ultimate Antarctica & Patagonia (Seabourn Sojourn): November 20, Buenos Aires to Valparaiso; Ports of Call: Buenos Aires. Montevideo, Port Stanley; Antarctic Experience* - Ushuaia, Scenic Cruising Beagle Channel, Glacier Alley and Cockburn Channel; Punta Arenas (Chile); Strait of Magellan; Scenic Cruising Canal Sarmiento, Amalia Glacier, Chilean Fjords; Puerto Chacabuco (Chile); Scenic Cruising Gulf of Corcovado, Castro; Isla Chiloe and Puerto Montt (Chile); Scenic Cruising Reloncavi Sound; and Valparaiso.

Cruise prices start from £8,999 per person, including $500 per person onboard credit (maximum $1,000/suite) and complimentary upgrade to a Veranda suite.

24-day Holiday Antarctica, Patagonia & South Georgia Island (Seabourn Sojourn): December 11, Valparaiso to Buenos Aires; Ports of Call: Valparaiso, Puerto Montt, Puerto Chacabuco, Ushuaia; Scenic cruising Cape Horn, Drake Passage and Southern Ocean; Antarctic Experience* - Grytviken, South Georgia; Montevideo and Buenos Aires.

Cruise prices start from £10,299 per person, including $500 per person onboard credit (maximum $1,000/suite).

All guests will receive a complimentary Seabourn expedition parka and back-pack for spectator essentials. Prices are per person and based on two sharing a suite, fully inclusive of all tips and gratuities, fine dining, open bars and fully stocked mini bar. Fares including scheduled flights, pre-cruise hotel accommodation and transfers are available on request.

*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. 

 

For bookings, click on this link for The Cruise line, the UK's leading luxury cruise specialists.

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Falklands Steering Course For Cruise Success

With a refurbished Jetty Visitor Centre and a forecast rise in cruise visitors for the 2013/14 season, it's full steam ahead for the Falkland Islands.

According to latest statistics released by the Islands' Tourist Board (FITB), cruise passenger arrivals are expected to increase by 7% to more than 36,000 in the 2013/14 season (which runs September to April). After a turbulent 2012/13, the trend is set to reverse for the coming year.

The Falklands are ideally located as a port of call on a wider South America or Antarctica voyage, affording cruise visitors unrivalled access to the abundant wildlife which resides on the 770-plus islands that make up the remote archipelago. With a wide variety of shore excursions allowing passengers to get close to nature, this is a dream destination for wildlife lovers keen to hop off, explore and ‘meet the locals'.

The revamped Jetty Visitor Centre is on course to be completed by the beginning of September and is set to improve the visitor experience with enhanced facilities. Located at the head of the Public Jetty, the Centre includes visitor information, a display of aspects of Falkland life, and occasional exhibitions and local artwork, making the perfect pit stop for foot-weary visitors awaiting tenders back to their cruise ship.

"The cruise market is of immense global significance, proving one of the fastest growing in the travel industry with travellers demonstrating a real appetite for holidays to intriguing destinations," says Tony Mason, Managing Director of the FITB. "With over 700 islands, the Falklands offer an abundance of unexplored gems, private nature reserves and hidden coves largely inaccessible to land-based tourists, so coming by sea offers the ultimate taste of this wildlife paradise."

New cruise product includes the ‘magical winter wonderland' holiday just launched by Crystal Cruises. The December 21 Buenos Aires-Valparaiso voyage aboard the award-winning Crystal Symphony sails through Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, the Falklands, Drake Passage, Cape Horn and the Chilean Fjords. The 18-day cruise includes a stop at Port Stanley and the chance to visit working farms in the Islands.

Other ships calling at the Falklands next season include those of Seabourn and Princess Cruises.

For more info on that wonderful Crystal voyage to the Falklands, see this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's leading luxury-cruise specialists.

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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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New Winter Options From Ponant

Leading French cruise line and five-star expedition specialist Compagnie du Ponant has launched its new Winter 2013/14 cruise collection, including exceptional itineraries to South America, Africa and Antarctica.

The range of voyages are featured on the trio of elegant 264-passenger yachts Le Boreal, L'Austral and Le Soleal and its magnificent and intimate three-masted yacht Le Ponant (carrying just 64 passengers). From October 2013 to April 2014,their full cruise programme will feature sailings around the Caribbean and Central America, South America, Antarctica and South Georgia, Asia and Africa.

Each of the 132-cabin yachts offers spacious suites, impeccable service and excellent food and wine, while their small size allows them to reach destinations larger ships cannot, and offer its passengers the opportunity to sail in the company of experts and historians as guides and lecturers who are passionate about their subjects.

Be it a luxury expedition in the Antarctic region, island-hopping round the Caribbean or a “cruise circuit” in South America and Asia, Ponant offers passengers a real travel experience.

For more info on Compagnie du Ponant, and booking opportunities, see this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury adventure-cruise specialists.

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Head For The 'Land Of The Penguins'

Captivated by BBC1’s Spy In The Huddle documentary following penguins and their incredible journeys? Want to see penguins for yourself in Antarctica? A voyage with Hurtigruten to the planet’s last untouched continent allows just that, as the destination is home to millions of penguins. 

There are landings at penguin colonies and the chance to get up close and personal with these interesting creatures. A 10-day ‘Land of the Penguins’ voyage on January 4 or 13, 2014, costs from £4,089pp, including nine nights full board on specialist expedition ship MS Fram, return flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, all transfers and landings. 

International flights and hotels in Buenos Aires are extra and packages cost from £1,692pp. 

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's adventure-cruise 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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G Adventures’ New Polar Expeditions

Demand for repeat expedition visits has led G Adventures to launch two new itineraries to the southernmost continent on board its expedition vessel M/S Expedition. Both itineraries are featured in G Adventures’ new 2013 Polar Expeditions brochure, which is available now. 

One of the new itineraries explores the abundant wildlife of the Falklands and South Georgia, where travellers this early in the season will be among the first to make landfall. The other itinerary heads to the Weddell Sea, retracing the journey made by Shackleton onboard Endurance and taking in views of spectacular tabular icebergs.Also featured in the new brochure is a programme of  expeditions during the Arctic summer, ensuring lovers of polar bears are also catered for.

All expedition cruise fares include a number of zodiac landings, accommodation and meals onboard, and lectures and daily recaps. Example itineraries from the new Polar Expeditions 2013 include:  

The Antarctic Peninsula and the Weddell Sea – 15 days travelling from Ushuaia, traversing the Drake Passage and exploring the Weddell Sea and South Shetland Island, priced from £5,149pp, departing December 7. 

Falklands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Islands – 22 days travelling from Buenos Aires “the Paris of the Americas” to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica before traversing the Drake Passage to Ushuaia, priced from £5,579pp, departing October 17. 

Realm of the Polar Bear – Eight days travelling from Longyearbyen to the Svalbard Archipelgo and Spitsbergen before returning to Longyearbyen, priced from £2,299pp for departures in June and July.

For more info, look up www.gadventures.co.uk and, for more on Polar expedition cruising, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's specialist adventure-cruise agents.

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Hurtigruten Launches Camping In Antarctica.

Ever wonder what it’s like to camp in an expedition tent on the frozen landscapes of Antarctica? Dreamed of following in the footsteps of great explorers such as Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott and sleeping on the ice? This winter, Hurtigruten has made possible with an extraordinary new excursion that allows guests on its Antarctica voyages to pitch tents and spend a night like no other.
 

The excursion is for true adventure seekers who want to indulge their spirit of discovery. In a small group of no more than 15, guests leave the ship behind and are taken ashore where they will set up camp and spend the night, equipped with outdoor equipment specially tailored to the  region, including warm winter sleeping bags and expedition tents. Each tent sleeps two people, making this a once-in-a-lifetime experience for couples and friends alike.
 

The special trip was developed in collaboration with the Norwegian Polar Institute, in order to guarantee the safety of the guests and the protection of the sensitive local environment. All guests will receive a full briefing before going ashore for the night and all the necessary equipment for the excursion is provided on board Hurtigruten’s expedition ship MS Fram, with two members of the ship's expedition team escorting the group.
 

After spending the night on the white continent, the group will head back to the ship for a leisurely breakfast. The exact location and day of the camping adventure during the voyage will be determined by the expedition team, depending on the weather and land conditions. This excursion can only be booked on board during an Antarctica voyage and costs from £330pp.

CLASSIC EXPEDITION VOYAGE – from £3,295pp:

Explore the planet’s last untouched continent on one of the most advanced expedition ships ever built. The voyage through the Drake Passage is during Antarctica’s summer, with its incredible wildlife, including seals, penguins and whales, on full view. The10-day itinerary includes full board on the ship, local charter flights to Ushuaia and lectures. Flight packages from the UK to Buenos Aires are extra and cost from £1,392pp, including transfers and two night’s B&B accommodation in Buenos Aires pre and post-voyage. Departs Ushuaia February 13.

A voyage on November 22, as per above, costs from £3,898pp, with flight packages from £1,692pp.

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

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Hapag-Lloyd's Antarctica

Antarctica is classed among the most sensitive ecosystems in the world and is under special ecological protection. The Hapag-Lloyd Cruises expedition ships Hanseatic and Bremen have been using the more environmentally compatible diesel oil in the polar regions for years and long before a corresponding law entered into force in the year 2011. 

Beyond this, a code of conduct for Antarctica stipulates behavioural guidelines for visitors. These include that visitors are required to protect sensitive mosses, lichens and grasses and respect a safe distance to animals, for instance five metres in the case of penguins. These rules are communicated by experienced lecturers on board and in the context of time spent ashore.

Expedition Highlights in Antarctica:

• Zodiac tour in Paradise Bay and setting foot on the Antarctic mainland
• Landings in colonies with hundreds of thousands of penguins on South Georgia
• Bathing in the hot springs of Deception Island
• Whale watching
• Cruising through the pack ice and to huge table icebergs
• Sailing though the Lemaire and the Neumayer Channel
• Visit to a scientific station
• Landing at Cape Horn

Cruise Example: Expedition Semi Circumnavigation Antarctica with the Hanseatic from Ushuaia/Argentina to Bluff/New Zealand, 25.1.2014 – 21.2.2014, 26 days, from $20,550 per person cruise-only, including charter flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia.

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

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Antarctic Whale Watching

One Ocean Expeditions has developed a new marine mammals itinerary for this coming season that offers a unique opportunity to join an Antarctic expedition to study humpback, Minke and killer whales.

The 10-day trip, embarking in Ushuaia on the March 16, will be accompanied by Dr Ari Friedlaender, a research scientist at Duke University, who has been to the Antarctic nearly 20 times on scientific voyages and whose work focuses on the feeding behaviour and movement patterns of marine mammals around the world.

Dr Friedlander, who is actively studying how climate change and global warming are affecting whales and other krill predators, is currently leading a project to track the long-term movement patterns of humpback whales around the Antarctic Peninsula to understand how they are being affected by changes to their environment.

Humpbacks are the most abundant whales around the Peninsula and there is growing evidence that, while many migrate to tropical breeding grounds, some remain in ice-free areas for longer periods due to warming climates. One Ocean will survey several bays that are the focus of long-term research projects to determine how the abundance of humpbacks changes throughout the course of the Antarctic summer.

Participants will learn how to record whale numbers, help to conduct photo surveys, determine movement patterns and identify individual animals. They will also locate and document behaviour of whales that have previously been fitted with satellite tracking devices.

Els Vermeulen, international marine consultant and founder of the Marybio Foundation, which aims to contribute to the conservation of marine mammals in Argentinean Patagonia, will also join the voyage. He is scientific advisor to the Belgian delegation in the International Whaling Commissio, and is the perfect companion to have on board during this special interest expedition.    

NB: Photo, Marius Coetzee.

For more on adventure cruising, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's cruise specialists. For One Ocean, see www.oneoceanexpeditions.com.

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.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.