Antarctica Cruises & Tours

Adventure Life
800-344-6118 (Toll-free)
406-541-2677 (International)
406-541-2676 (Fax)
E-mail us
1655 S 3rd St. W, Ste 1
Missoula MT, 59801 USA

Extensions

Extend your Antarctica travel a few more days with an Antarctic extension. Antarctica Hospitality
Package » Chile Tour Extensions » Argentina Tour Extensions »

Research Ship Akademik Ioffe Akademik Shokalskiy Aleksey Maryshev Grigoriy Mikheev Polar Pioneer Professor Molchanov Professor Multanovskiy Akademik Sergey Vavilov MV Ushuaia Ice Breaker Ship Kapitan Khlebnikov Expedition Cruise Ship Polar Star Antarctic Dream Clipper Adventurer MV Orlova National Geographic Endeavour Ocean Nova MV Plancius One Ocean Navigator / Plancius Luxury Expedition Ship Corinthian II Orion Minerva National Geographic Explorer Clelia II

Icon Legend

Please click to see a detailed explanation of these icons used throughout the site.

Escort

Escorted Unescorted

Difficulty

Easy Moderate Challenging

When to Travel

Excellent Very Good Unpredictable Unavailable

e-mail a friend print itinerary

Ship: Clipper Adventurer

Itinerary: Classic Antarctica: Discovering the Peninsula

 cabins & deck plans  |  additional itineraries  |  cancellation policy

Days 1-2 :	Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Days 3-5 :	Drake Passage and South Shetland Islands
Days 6-9 :	Antarctic Peninsula
Days 10-12 :	Back across the Drake to Ushuaia
	Click for full itinerary

Days	Dates	Deck + Cabin Type
		Triple	Lower Deck Twin - porthole	Main Deck Twin - porthole	Main Deck Twin - window	Superior	Deluxe	Suite	Owner Suite
12	Nov 20, 2008 Nov 30, 2008	--	$6,200	$6,500	$6,800	$7,200	$7,700	$8,500	$9,900
		Nov 30, 2008 - 30% discount off of tour cost for new bookings!
12	Feb 11, 2009	--	$7,200	$7,500	$7,900	$8,300	$8,900	$9,800	$11,800
12	Nov 4, 2009	$4,390	$5,890	$6,490	$6,890	$7,390	$8,190	$9,190	--
12	Feb 11, 2010	$5,990	$7,390	$7,690	$8,190	$8,590	$9,290	$10,990	--
Destinations : Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica Activities : Nature Viewing, Photography, Whale Watching

This easygoing, compact adventure offers you the very best of Antarctica: exploring vast penguin rookeries; sighting Minke whales, leopard seals and other unique wildlife; visiting historic research bases; tapping into our team's collective expertise aboard our expedition ship; and enjoying unforgettable walks on the White Continent surrounded by snowcapped peaks, giant tabular icebergs and crystal-blue seas.

Days 1-2 : Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Arrive in Ushuaia and transfer independently to our conveniently located hotel; explore at your leisure in this frontier port overlooked by the rugged Martial Mountains. Next morning, eat breakfast at your hotel before enjoying a leisurely day exploring on your own. In late afternoon, your Expedition Team welcomes you aboard your ice-strengthened ship as we sail into the scenic Beagle Channel to begin your Antarctic adventure.

Days 3-5 : Drake Passage and South Shetland Islands

We cross the famed Drake Passage, named for the 16th-century English navigator Sir Francis Drake, looking out for Wandering Albatross and other seabirds from the ship's spacious decks and promenades. We also cross the Antarctic Convergence, a biological barrier where cold polar waters sink beneath warmer waters from the temperate zones. Expect to sight the South Shetland Islands, lying just to the north of the Antarctic Peninsula, late in the afternoon on Day 4. On our planned landings you will explore penguin rookeries and have chances to spot Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals on the beaches or hunting their prey. We may also visit one of the many research bases in the archipelago. And keep an eye out for Antarctica's only two flowering plants, which thrive here during the short southern summer. On many visits the ship is able to sail through a narrow passage leading into the sunken volcanic caldera of Deception Island. Here, if the tide allows, you may wish to strip down to your bathing suit and take a dip in the thermal waters of Pendulum Cove.

Days 6-9 : Antarctic Peninsula

The centerpiece of our expedition is the Antarctic Peninsula, the most readily accessible part of the White Continent, with its vast snow-covered landscapes ringed by jagged mountains, its spectacular waterways choked with glacial ice cascading into the sea. Count on seeing extensive rookeries of Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie Penguins, plus a wide diversity of other bird life, including Blue-eyed Shags, Kelp Gulls, Snowy Sheathbills, Cape Petrels and Antarctic Terns. You may also encounter Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals, as well as orcas, and humpback and Minke whales. Our exploration of the Peninsula typically begins with a visit to Paradise Bay or nearby Neko Harbor, both offering unforgettable views of calm, iceberg-filled waters. We visit the thriving Gentoo Penguin colonies at Port Lockroy, site of the secret British scientific station established in World War II by James Marr, who as a young Boy Scout visited Antarctica with Shackleton. The base has been transformed into one of the most isolated museums in the world (with a post office where you can mail cards home). Back aboard the comfortable ship, we make use of the ice-strengthened hull to navigate some of the most breathtaking waterways in the world. If pack ice and icebergs allow, we pass through the Neumayer and Lemaire Channels, dramatically narrow passages between towering rock faces and spectacular glaciers. On some voyages we sail south of the Lemaire Channel to Petermann Island, where Adelie and Gentoo Penguins, skuas and Blue-eyed Shags nest close to our landing site. Our expedition may also round the northern tip of the Peninsula to navigate Iceberg Alley, where huge tabular icebergs drift northward into the Antarctic Sound. We'll also try to land on Paulet Island to see its vast Adelie Penguin rookery - again, if weather and ice conditions permit.

Days 10-12 : Back across the Drake to Ushuaia

We leave Antarctica behind, returning north across the Drake Passage. But the adventure is not over - there are still plenty of opportunities to view whales and myriad species of sea bird while strolling the ample decks. En route to Ushuaia, enjoy a last series of illustrated talks by our Expedition Team in the ship's comfortable lounge and presentation room. After the final morning's breakfast, transfer to town for further exploring or directly to the Ushuaia airport to catch your outbound flight.

---

- Additional fuel surcharge of $58/night on ship, per person, for Antarctic departures between Oct 2008 - Mar 2009.
- Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars and represent costs per person, double occupancy. Request the Twin Share Program where you are matched with a cabin mate of the same gender. Even if a cabin mate is not found for you, no single supplement will be charged.
-Cabins are available for single occupancy at 1.7 times the double occupancy rate. The supplement for a suite is 2 times the shared rate.
-Emergency medical evacuation coverage for a minimum of US$100,000 per person required. Contact us for details on arranging travel insurance.

Prices are based on a 3% cash discount.

Ship Description: Clipper Adventurer

click to enlarge
  Library

Adventurer is a handsome expedition vessel reminiscent of the days of the great ocean liners, with lots of varnished wood and brass. She sails on a wide variety of cruises — in Europe, the Canadian Arctic, the U.S., South America, and Antarctica.

Built in 1975 as the Alla Tarasova in the former Yugoslavia, the 122-passenger M/S Adventurer underwent a $13-million conversion in 1998 in Scandinavia. The new features include: 61 comfortable, all-outside cabins, with lower beds, private bathroom facilities, and individual temperature controls to offer the most comfortable Antarctica tours possible. The window-lined dining room seats all passengers at leisurely single seatings, where superb American and Continental cuisine is served by the friendly staff. There are two lounges — the Main Lounge and Bar on Promenade Deck, seating 130 passengers; and the Clipper Club, also on Promenade Deck, seating 45 passengers. There’s also a library/card room, a small workout room, a gift shop, and a hair salon.

Unique to the Adventurer is a spacious, covered promenade with a beautiful wooden deck (varnished Oregon pine) where passengers can view the seascapes during their Antarctica travels. There’s also plenty of open deck space on the Boat Deck and Sun Deck, while an observation platform located forward below the Bridge is ideal for wildlife viewing.

The Adventurer is an oceangoing vessel equipped with an ice-strengthened hull (A-1 ice class) ideally suited for cruises in such remote environments that Antarctica tours can offer, but supremely comfortable anywhere she sails. A fleet of Zodiac landing craft provides access to areas where no infrastructure exists. The vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art satellite navigation and communication equipment including telephone, fax, and e-mail.

The Captain and his officers maintain an open bridge to give passengers an opportunity to observe and ask questions. An experienced cruise staff, physician, and on board lecturers accompany all voyages to enhance the passengers’ enjoyment of the places visited.

Triple Triple cabins available on the Lower Deck for the Antarctica 2009-2010 season	Lower Deck Twin - porthole A Deck - Outside Double Cabin with one porthole. 125 sq. ft.
Main Deck Twin - porthole Main Deck - Outside Double Cabin with one porthole. 125 sq. ft.	Main Deck Twin - window Main Deck - Outside Double Cabin with a window. 125 sq. ft.
Superior Promenade Deck - Outside Double Cabin with a window.	Deluxe Promenade Deck and Boat Decks - Outside Double Cabin with a window. 160 sq. ft
Suite Boat Deck - Outside suites with separate sitting area	Owner Suite Boat Deck - Outside suite with separate sitting area

Antarctica Articles & Information :
Antarctica Wildlife | Antarctica History and Present | Antarctica Weather | South Shetland Islands | South Georgia Islands | Falkland Islands | Antarctic vs. Arctic Pole Comparison | Sailing Antarctica in a World-Class Racing Yacht | Antarctica Travel: The Long and Short of It | Antarctic Peninsula | Jonathan's Adventures to Antarctica on the Professor Molchanov | Antarctica's Changing Ice Shelf | Falkland Islands: A Legacy of Disputes | The Falklands War | Current Politics | Cruising Falklands Geography | Wildlife in the Falklands | Introducing the Falkland Islands | Falkland Islands Environment | Weather in the Islands | British Influenced Culture of the Falklands | Cuisine in the Falklands