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Extensions

Extend your Antarctica travel a few more days with an Antarctic extension. Antarctica Hospitality
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Research Ship Akademik Ioffe Akademik Shokalskiy Aleksey Maryshev Grigoriy Mikheev Polar Pioneer Professor Molchanov Professor Multanovskiy Akademik Sergey Vavilov MV Ushuaia Peregrine Mariner/ Akademik Ioffe Peregrine Voyager / Akademik Sergey Vavilov Ice Breaker Ship Kapitan Khlebnikov Expedition Cruise Ship Polar Star Antarctic Dream Clipper Adventurer - QU MV Orlova National Geographic Endeavour Ocean Nova Marina Svetaeva MV Plancius One Ocean Navigator / Plancius Luxury Expedition Ship Corinthian II Orion Minerva National Geographic Explorer Clelia II

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Ship: Polar Star

Itinerary: Antarctic Peninsula, Falklands, and South Georgia

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  Stop on the beach to investigate

 cabins & deck plans  |  additional itineraries  |  cancellation policy

Days 1-2 :	Ushuaia and Beagle Channel
Days 3-4 :	Falkland Islands
Days 5-6 :	Enroute to South Georgia
Day 7 :	South Georgia
Days 8-10 :	South Georgia
Days 11-13 :	At Sea
Days 14-16 :	Antarctic Peninsula
Days 17-19 :	Drake Passage
	Click for full itinerary

Days	Dates	Deck + Cabin Type
		K1-Triple	K1-Double	K2	K3	K4-Triple	K4-Double	K6	K7
19	Feb 24, 2009	$9,370	$11,310	$12,995	$13,645	$11,960	$15,200	$16,495	$17,210
		Feb 24, 2009 - 15% discount for new bookings! $500 per person air credit!
19	Nov 3, 2009 Nov 21, 2009 Feb 28, 2010	$9,595	$11,640	$13,680	$14,360	$12,325	$15,720	$16,535	$17,995
		Expedition shell and boot rental cost included in price.
Destinations : Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, Falkland Islands, South Georgia Activities : Nature Viewing, Photography, Whale Watching

Days 1-2 : Ushuaia and Beagle Channel

From the charming city of Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, we head down the Beagle Channel. We then turn northeast in the open ocean. Along the way there is the opportunity to spot whales and the ship is accompanied by soaring seabirds.

Days 3-4 : Falkland Islands

Our first landfall is the western side of the Falkland Islands. This archipelago of over 200 islands is well known for its important role in the early whaling and sealing fisheries. Of keen importance to the naturalist, it is home to tens of thousands of penguins, albatrosses and huge flocks of smaller seabirds. Along the coast you can expect encounters with sea lions and possibly elephant seals, whales and dolphins. A trip to the Falklands always includes a visit to Port Stanley, the main settlement.

Days 5-6 : Enroute to South Georgia

As we head for South Georgia followed by large oceanic seabirds, the onboard lectures continue given by naturalists and historians.

Day 7 : South Georgia

South Georgia lies south of the Antarctic Convergence and as we enter these truly Polar waters, the colder water temperatures are evident. Weather permitting, we make an afternoon landing on the north side of the island.

Days 8-10 : South Georgia

South Georgia is about 120 miles or 200 km long. It is dominated by high alpine mountains up to 9000 ft / 3000 m high, massive glaciers, scenic fjords and numerous surrounding islands. It is home to an abundance of wildlife including the splendid albatross, the beautiful King Penguin, Antarctic fur seals and elephant seals. In addition to the wildlife and spectacular scenery, these islands are historically significant with artifacts of the whaling industry and Sir Ernest Shackleton's gravesite. Shackleton's story of leadership is perhaps one of the most awe-inspiring stories of courage. Departing noontime on Day 10 we head westward to the Antarctic Peninsula.

Days 11-13 : At Sea

As we cross the ocean, we continue with our busy lecture series with regular breaks out on deck to view seabirds, impressive icebergs and perhaps whales. With the weather's cooperation, we will have our first sighting of Antarctica on the evening of Day 13.

Days 14-16 : Antarctic Peninsula

With a background of high ice-capped mountains, crevassed glaciers and endless white expanses we will cruise the ice-filled fjords of the Antarctic Peninsula and its surrounding islands. We plan for two Zodiac landings each day accompanied by our specialist lecture staff who can help us understand and appreciate our experiences to the fullest. All of this area has rugged and dramatic scenery. There are many sites with an abundance of wildlife, especially the penguin rookeries, primarily Adelie, Gentoo and Chinstrap. As we travel by Zodiacs to shore, and cruise among the icebergs, we hope to see seals in the water and basking on the ice, the most common being leopard, crabeater, weddell and elephant seals. The waters around the Peninsula are rich in food for all of the seals, penguins and other seabirds that breed here. These waters, rich in krill, also feed the whales, and we have a good chance of close encounters with minkes and humpbacks, among others. As always in Antarctica, the choice of places to visit is weather dependent, but some of the favourites include Deception Island, King George Island, the Gerlache Strait, the Neumayer Channel, Paradise Bay, Petermann Island, The Lemaire Channel, the Antarctic Sound, and research or historic stations such as Port Lockroy and Vernadsky. At the end of day 16, we leave this spectacular area of natural beauty and activity to head for the Drake Passage.

Days 17-19 : Drake Passage

We now head back across the Drake Passage and weather permitting, will pass Cape Horn before turning back up the Beagle Channel to depart the ship after breakfast, in Ushuaia.

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-Additional fuel surcharge of $15/person/night for the 2008-2009 season (Nov-Nov). This surcharge is subject to possible increases depending on the price of fuel.
-A provisional fuel surcharge of $14/person/night has been set for the 2009-2010 season, subject to change depending on the price of fuel.
-Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars and represent costs per person, double or triple occupancy. Request the Twin or Triple 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.
-Standard Twin Cabins are available for single occupancy at 1.6 times the shared price.
-Emergency medical evacuation coverage for a minimum of US$50,000 per person required. Contact us for details on arranging travel insurance.
-All onboard gratuities are included for the 2008-2009 season.

15+ months prior to departure - SAVE 5%

Ship Description: Polar Star

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  Polar Star

The Polar Star was built in Finland and served in the Swedish Maritime Administration's fleet of icebreakers under the name of Njord. In 2000 she underwent complete retrofit and upgrades. She was renamed M/V Polar Star after her namesake that served Karlsen's Arctic cruise program. Karlsen Shipping, is an old Norwegian family business originally from the northwestern coast of Norway and now headquartered in Halifax, Canada. With over 100 years experience in many aspects of the marine industry, Karlsen has operated primarily in the Polar Regions.

The M/V Polar Star is one of the most safe and comfortable ice class vessels with safety standards exceeding requirements for several years to come. The ship is certified for worldwide international voyages, complying with the latest SOLAS and IMF regulations for safety and the environment. We take up to 105 passengers on expedition cruises that by definition are to remote destinations. For shore excursions, we are equipped with 10 16-man zodiacs.

The M/V Polar Star is large enough to voyage to remote areas in comfort and small enough to enter out of the way destinations that other vessels can only sail by. We explore nature's most breathtaking wonders up close and our voyages offer magnificent wildlife on a journey that is spirited with adventure.

Polar Star has some of the "industry bests" on board including a very spacious bridge with an open bridge policy, large observation lounge/lecture hall with seating for all passengers, one of the best standard cabins (our K3) and a superior amount of outside viewing areas. Additional common areas include a shop, sumptuous library, bar, fitness facility and a dining room that seats all passengers in one sitting. Our varied international menu is prepared fresh onboard. Our 45 cabins include 31 doubles, 4 superior cabins and 6 suites (all with private facilities), plus an additional 4 cabins with shared facilities.

Our Cabins
All cabins are outside cabins. K1 categories have shared facilities with the next cabin. Our K3s, K4s, K6s and K7s all have private facilities with sink, shower and toilet. Each cabin is equipped with a wardrobe for each person and a writing desk. (The figure in brackets below indicates the number of cabins in each category available for passengers.)

K1-Triple Two lower and one upper berths sold as triple. Sharing toilet / showers shared with cabin next door. Approx.100 sq. feet/10 sq. meters. Windows or portholes.	K1-Double Two lower and one upper berths sold as double. Sharing toilet / showers shared with cabin next door. Approx.100 sq. feet/10 sq. meters. Windows or portholes.
K2 Two lower beds. Private bathroom with shower, toilet and washbasin. Approx. 115 sq. feet / 11.5 sq. meters. Large windows. K2 cabins on deck 3 have a partially obstructed view and one window opens. K2 cabins on deck 4 have non-opening windows.	K3 Two lower beds. Private bathroom with shower, toilet and washbasin. Approx. 115 sq. feet / 11.5 sq. meters. Large windows, one opens.
K4-Triple Double bed, couch can be made up as bed. Approx. 140 sq. feet / 14 sq. meters. Side and aft facing windows.	K4-Double Double bed, couch can be made up as bed. Approx. 140 sq. feet / 14 sq. meters. Side and aft facing windows.
K6 Double bed in alcove, couch can be made up as bed. Approx. 180 sq. feet / 18 sq. meters. Large windows.	K7 Sleeping area in separate room (double bed in 501 and 2-singles in 401), couch in living room can be made up as bed. Approx. 250 sq. feet / 25 sq. meters. Forward and side facing windows.

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