Activities » Spitsbergen » Antarctic Odyssey I
Antarctic Odyssey I– Antarctica –31 days / 30 nights, Ushuaia - Drake Passage - Hope Bay - Paulet Island - South Orkneys - South Georgia - Gough Island - St. Helena - Ascension IslandWelcome aboard our Antarctic Odyssey on m/v Ortelius, a true Discovery voyage to the southern Antarctic Peninsula and the rarely visited volcanic Peter I Island. Explore the outer fringes of pack-ice in the Amundsen sea, from where Roald Amundsen gained access to the ice-shelf and finally reached the South Pole in 1911. Sail the Ross sea, visit Ross Island, the cabins of Ernest Shackleton and Robert Falcon Scott (ice-permitting) and Macquarie Island.
| Quadruple private | Triple Porthole | Twin with porthole | Twin with window | Twin deluxe | Superior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $18,290 | $20,890 | $24,390 | $25,490 | $28,690 | $32,150 |
Rates in USD, per person
| Operation | January 16 - March 17, 2013 |
| Departure | OTL26, January 16 - February 15, 2013 OTL27, February 15 - March 17, 2013 |
| Price | From $18,290 per person, Quadruple cabin |
| Included | Voyage aboard the designated vessel as indicated in the itinerary All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea Free use of rubber boots and snowshoes aboard 'Plancius' Pre-scheduled group transfer from the vessel to the airport in Ushuaia (directly after disembarkation) All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program Comprehensive pre-departure material |
| Not Included | Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights Pre- and post land arrangements Transfers to the vessel Passport and visa expenses Government arrival and departure taxes Meals ashore Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended) Excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges Customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided) Service fee $25 |
| Please Note | All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local ice and weather conditions and in order to take advantage of opportunities to see wildlife. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. All rates are quoted per person in US Dollar, based on twin occupancy. US Dollar rates apply for all sales outside Europe. 5% discount will be granted for bookings for one or more consecutive voyages (except on legs within the Atlantic Odyssey). Please note that all dates & rates are subject to change. All voyages will operate subject to a minimum of 70 participants on Plancius and 60 participants on Ortelius. Single occupancy: All cabins 1.7 times the share price. It is agreed that if world fuel prices will reach or exceed US Dollar 90 per Barrel Brent 90 days prior to departure Oceanwide Expeditions reserves the right to levy a fuel surcharge of US Dollar 25 per passenger per night, to be paid by the contracting party of Oceanwide Expeditions. |
| More Information | Atlantic Odyssey Map World Travel Award 2009 Array |
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Day 1 USHUAIA EMBARKATION In the afternoon, we embark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world located at the Beagle Channel and sail through this scenic waterway for the rest of the evening.
Voyage OTL27 starts in Invercargill, New Zealand and offers the same itinerary as described hereunder, but in reverse.
Overnight onboard
Day 2 - 3 AT SEA At sea.
Overnight onboard
Day 4 ANTARCTIC PENINSULA We arrive in the Antarctic Peninsula and sail in the early morning through the spectacular Lemaire Channel and land on Pléneau Island, where Elephant Seals haul-out on the beaches. Gentoo Penguins, Kelp Gulls and South Polar Skuas are confirmed breeders. Pléneau Island was first charted by the French Antarctic Expedition of 1903-05 of Jean-Baptiste Charcot and was named after his expedition’s photographer Paul Pléneau. We will also visit Petermann Island with colonies of Adélie and Gentoo Penguins and Imperial Cormorants (Blue-eyed Shags). Petermann island was named after the German geographer August Petermann who was a member of a German Expedition in 1873-74.
Overnight onboard
Day 5 PENOLA STRAIT - DETAILLE ISLAND Sailing south through the Penola Strait, we cross the Polar Circle and arrive at the Fish Islands. The small islands lying east of Flouder Island are called the Minnows, first charted by the British Graham Land Expedition (1934-37) of John Rymill. Detaille Island was discovered by the French expedition of Charcot (1903-05) and named for a share holder in the Magellan Whaling Company. From 1956 till 1959, The British Antarctic Survey had their "Station W" located on Detaille Island. On both locations we may observe Adélie Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags.
Overnight onboard
Day 6 - 7 BELLINGSHAUSEN SEA Bellingshausen Sea, where we may see our first pack-ice.
Overnight onboard
Day 8 PEYTER I ISLAND Peter I Island or in Norwegian Peter I Øy is an uninhabited volcanic island (19 kilometres long ) in the Bellingshausen Sea. It was discovered by Fabian von Bellingshausen in 1821 and was named after the Russian Tsar Peter I. It is claimed by Norway and considered a territory by its own. It is sporadically visited by passenger vessels.
On earlier landings made by an Oceanwide office staff member he saw groups of Elephant Seals and colonies of Southern Fulmars and Cape Pigeons.
Overnight onboard
Day 9 - 14 AMUNDSEN SEA - SHEPHARD ISLAND These days we sail through the Amundsen Sea along and through the outer fringes of the pack-ice, which - depending of ice-conditions - will give us glimpses of the Antarctic Continent, while we take advantage of the west-going Antarctic coastal current. The sailing along and through the ice is very lively, with sightings of single straggling Emperor Penguins, groups of seals on ice-floes, and also Orca's and Minke Whales along the ice-edge, often accompanied by different species of fulmar petrels. If the sea-ice allows, we will try to land on Shephard Island in Marie Byrd Land among colonies of Chinstrap Penguins and South Polar Skua's. Shephard Island was discovered by the US Antarctic Expeditions (USAS) of 1939-41 and was named after one of the promoters of this expedition: John Shephard.
Overnight onboard
Day 15 ROSS SEA We approach the Ross Ice Shelf, a floating mass of land-ice, with a front of 30 meters high. In the Bay of Whales at the eastern side of the shelf, close to Roosevelt Island (named by the American aviator Richard E. Byrd in 1934 for President Franklin D. Roosevelt), Roald Amundsen gained access to the Shelf and ventured to the South Pole, where he finally arrived on 14 December 1911. For us it is perhaps a chance to climb on the shelf as well.
Overnight onboard
Day 16 ROSS ICE SHELF Along the Ross Ice Shelf we sail to the west.
Overnight onboard
Day 17 - 20 ROSS ISLAND - CAPE EVANS - CASTLE ROCK In the Ross Sea we will visit Ross Island, guarded by Mount Erebus, Mount Terror and Mount Bird with all the famous spots which played such an important role in the dramatic British expeditions of the last century such as Cape Royds with the cabin of Ernest Shackleton. If ice-conditions are favourable, we will also visit Cape Evans with the cabin of Robert Falcon Scott; from Hut Point Scott and his men set out for the South Pole. We will further make attempts to visit the US-station McMurdo and Scott Base (New Zealand).
From Castle Rock we will have a great view across the Ross Ice Shelf toward the South Pole. We will have a view into Taylor Valley, one of the Dry valleys, where on our planet you are closest to the conditions on Mars.
Overnight onboard
Day 21 - 22 TERA NOVA BAY Sailing northward along the eastern west coast of the Ross Sea, we pass by the Drygalski Ice Tongue and the Italian Station in Terra Nova Bay and further cape Hallet.
Overnight onboard
Day 23 CAPE ADARE Cape Adare is the place where people for the very first time wintered on the Antarctic Continent. The hut where the Norwegian Borchgrevink stayed in 1899, is surrounded by the largest colony of Adélie Penguins in the World.
Overnight onboard
Day 24 AT SEA At sea.
Overnight onboard
Day 25 BALLENY ISLANDS We sail along the Balleny Islands, discovered in 1839 by the British captain John Balleny.
Overnight onboard
Day 26 - 27 AT SEA At sea.
Overnight onboard
Day 28 MACQUARIE ISLAND Macquarie Island is aTasmanian State Reserve and became in 1997 a World Heritage Site. The Australian Antarctic Division has its permanent base on "Macca". The Australian Frederick Hasselborough discovered the island during a voyage, searching for new sealing grounds. The fauna on Macquarie is fantastic with colonies of King and Gentoo and Southern Rockhopper Penguins. The Royal Penguins (almost one million breeding pairs!) and Macquarie Shags are endemic species. Elephant Seals are also present, as well as various fur seals species such as the New Zealand Fur Seal.
Overnight onboard
Day 29 - 30 AT SEA At sea.
Overnight onboard
Day 31 ARRIVE INVERCARGILL/NEW ZEALAND We arrive in Invercargill (New Zealand) where passengers depart for their homebound journey.
Voyage OTL27 ends in Ushuaia, Argentina and starts in Invercargill and offers the same itinerary as described above, but in reverse.