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Stunning landscapes

Weddell Sea & Antarctic Peninsula

Example 12 Day Cruise aboard Polar Pioneer
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Join this 12-day voyage that sails across Bransfield Strait to an Antarctic Sound dawn, where tabular icebergs ride currents from the Weddell Sea. The Peninsula’s wild side welcomes you with a strange, ice-free landscape hiding renowned fossil beds and vast penguin colonies. Explore Prince Gustav Channel and fossil-rich Seymour Island. In contrast to the Weddell Sea’s wild isolation, the Peninsula’s west coast offers glaciated peaks rising from a maze of islands and waterways alive with seals, penguins, and whales. This itinerary includes a flight from Punta Arenas to Puerto Williams and a town tour of Puerto Williams before the voyage.
Experience kayaking on a polar expeditionZodiac tour through the icebergs.Penguins on a rocky beach in Antarctica.An ocean of icebergs.Stunning landscapes
Highlights
  • View vast tabular icebergs in the wild Weddell Sea
  • Visit historic huts and Heroic Age relics
  • Explore islands abundant with world-class fossils
  • Encounter extensive Adélie and gentoo penguin colonies
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Punta Arenas | Fly to Puerto Williams | Embark

Fly from Punta Arenas to Puerto Williams. Enjoy a tour of the scenic port before being warmly welcomed aboard Polar Pioneer and having introductory and safety briefings prior to cruising down the Beagle Channel.

Day 2-3: Drake Passage

  • Ship
  • 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Ease into shipboard life as the ship crosses the Drake Passage. The ship naturalist and paleontologist expand your Antarctic knowledge and prepare you for landings. The outer decks and flying bridge provide excellent space to see and photograph wildlife.

Day 4: Weddell Sea

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Access to the Weddell Sea is totally ice-dependent. Calved from massive ice shelves, the tabular icebergs of Antarctic Sound create a memorable sight. The ship threads its way through waters alive with penguins against a backdrop of breathtaking volcanic scenery.

Day 5-6: Eastern Antarctic Peninsula

  • Ship
  • 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Weather systems and shifting pack ice dictate the schedule. Perhaps visit the vast Adélie and gentoo penguin colonies of Brown Bluff or Paulet Island and fossil-rich Seymour Island. Or hike to spectacular vantage points on Beak and Devil Islands. The ship may even reach the islands of Prince Gustav Channel. Wherever you go, wildlife, Heroic Age relics, and haunting landscapes await.

Day 7-9: Western Antarctic Peninsula

  • Ship
  • 3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners
Head for the Peninsula’s beautiful western flanks to make full use of the late summer daylight hours and relatively ice-free waters. Wildlife stops on offshore islands, visiting historic huts, and Zodiac cruising amidst bergs and whales are all possibilities. Listen carefully for the otherworldly courtship song of the leopard seal.

Day 10-11: Drake Passage

  • Ship
  • 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Petrels, prions, and albatross accompany you across the Drake Passage. Final talks help polish your Antarctic education before making a ceremonial rounding of Cape Horn, time and weather permitting. Gather for a celebratory dinner as the ship enters the Beagle Channel.

Day 12: Ushuaia, Argentina | Disembark

  • 1 Breakfast
A pre-dawn sail along the Beagle Channel and an early breakfast prepare you for docking in Ushuaia. There’s time for final photos and to say farewells before disembarking.

Ship/Hotel

Polar Pioneer

Enjoy a drink at the bar.
Polar Pioneer's dining room.
Polar Pioneer's bar and lounge.

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
$10,200
Polar Pioneer's Public Twin Cabin.
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Twin Shared
Twin Shared Cabins have two lower bunks, a desk, small washbasin, ample storage and hanging space and portholes. Showers and toilets are very close by and are shared with other Main Deck cabins.

Notes

Please note that all of Polar Pioneer itineraries are at the mercy of weather conditions and not all landings are guaranteed. These itineraries are flexible and will change voyage to voyage, allowing the best chance to make the most of surprising wildlife displays and unexpected opportunities.

- Rates 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.

- Single costs are 1.7 times the twin rate
Included
  • 11 Breakfasts, 10 Lunches, 11 Dinners

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The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Gale Cantor

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