IMAGE:
SCENIC
ECLIPSE
Of course, for many, the ultimate adventure
cruise has to be one that goes to Antarctica.
Scenic’s Into the Weddell Sea itinerary is a
classic of the genre — 19 days getting to and
around the fabled White Continent, with
time in Buenos Aires topping and tailing your
expedition. After your fi rst night in BA, you’ll
fl y to Ushuaia, at the tip of South America, to
board Scenic Eclipse, the luxury brand’s fi rst
foray into adventure cruising. You’ll have a day
to enjoy your fl oating resort as you cross the
Drake, reaching the South Shetland Islands,
before your fi rst taste of Antarctica, on day fi ve
— the gentoo and chinstrap penguins will be
there to greet you.
You’ll spend the next fi ve days exploring
the Weddell Sea, weaving through ice fl oes
alongside whales, emperor penguins and
Weddell seals. There are activities every day
— slipping past ice formations on Zodiacs,
setting foot on islands to get close up to the
wildlife, and kayaking and SUP-ping around
icebergs, hearing them groan up close. On day
11, you’ll reach the seventh continent itself. Here,
the itinerary is more fl uid, to follow the weather
conditions — but Antarctica is so extraordinary
that the details hardly matter. On day 15, you’ll
start the two-day journey back to Ushuaia,
where Buenos Aires beckons again.Scenic offers the 17-day Into the Weddell Sea
itinerary from £4,453 per person, including all
meals, shore excursions, transfers, gratuities and
internal flights. Excludes international flights and
a small number of vintage wines. Departs
19 December 2 022. scenic.euAbove: Emperor penguins,
Snow Hill IslandCLASSIC ADVENTURE
BEST FOR
Adventure cruising is exactly that:
total adventure! There is a point
of departure and arrival, and in
between I have a rough plan but
nature will have the last say.
A highlight for me is staying
overnight amid the ice — it’s
magic. The ice is addictive, you
can’t stop watching it, and it’s all
around you. And when there’s
24-hour daylight, the light
changes all the time, in intensity
and in tone. It’s awe-inspiring;
on those occasions I find it
almost impossible to go to sleep.
Living on the ship you never
have the same view from your
window. The ships are very
comfortable and stable at sea. I
open my eyes, usually at 5.30am,
look outside and I’m switched
on! From there on it’s just one
big 16-hour roller coaster.Florence Kuyper:
expedition leader
specialised in the
Polar regions, Ponant