Atlantic Odyssey: Ushuaia to Ascension Island
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- Day 1 Embark in Ushuaia
- Days 2-3 Drake Passage
- Day 4 Hope Bay
- Day 5 Weddell Sea/Larsen Ice Shelf
- Day 6 Weddell Sea
- Day 7 South Orkneys
- Day 8 At Sea
- Days 9-11 South Georgia
- Days 12-16 Antarctic Convergence
- Day 17 Gough Island
- Days 18-20 Tristan da Cunha
- Days 21-25 At Sea
- Days 26-28 St. Helena
- Days 29-30 At Sea
- Days 31-32 Ascension Island
| Dates | Deck + Cabin Type | |||||
| Quadruple Porthole | Triple Porthole | Twin with Porthole | Twin with Window | Twin Deluxe | Superior | |
| Mar 29 '13 |
$8,250 | $9,190 | $10,150 | $10,450 | $10,690 | $11,390 |
- Please note: If world fuel prices reach a price of US $ 80 per barrel Brent Crude Oil, there will be an additional fuel surcharge of US $ 25 per passenger per night.
- 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.
- Single occupancy: All cabins 1.7 times the share price
Deposit & Payment - 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.
- Single occupancy: All cabins 1.7 times the share price
Day 1 Embark in Ushuaia
In the afternoon, we embark in Ushuaia and sail through the Beagle Channel.
Days 2-3 Drake Passage
n the Drake Passage we witness a multitude of Albatrosses, Petrels and Fulmars.
Day 4 Hope Bay
At Hope Bay and Brown Bluff we hope to set foot on the Antarctic Continent. In this area chances are good for encounters with Gentoo Penguins, Weddell Seals, Leopard Seals and Orcas.
Day 5 Weddell Sea/Larsen Ice Shelf
If the sea ice conditions allow we will try and reach Devil and/or Paulet Island at the tip of the Weddell Sea, with its many huge table icebergs coming from the Larsen Ice Shelf. We will climb a hill with a gently slope from where we have a great view on the surroundings. At Paulet Island we will observe the last individuals of a large Adelie Penguin colony near the ruins of the Nordenskiöld Expedition from the beginning of the 20th century.
Day 6 Weddell Sea
At sea, we will sail towards the South Orkney Islands. Our exact navigational course will be determined by the prevailing ice conditions, in terms of both extent of sea ice and density of icebergs, which vary from year to year.
Day 7 South Orkneys
On our way north we plan to visit South Orkneys, where the Scotsman Bruce once wintered and where we now may visit the friendly people of an Argentinean base.
Day 8 At Sea
At sea, on our way to South Georgia, we witness a multitude of Albatrosses, Petrels and Fulmars.
Days 9-11 South Georgia
In South Georgia we will pay visits to the abandoned whaling settlements Grytviken, where now the penguins walk through the streets, and King Edwards Point with the grave of Shackleton. We will walk near the big King Penguin colony on Salisbury Plain and the breeding Wandering Albatrosses on Prion Island in the Bay of Isles. The last day in South Georgia we will spend in Cooper Bay where we will observe Chinstrap Penguins and Macaroni Penguins and breeding Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses. Later we intend to sail to Gold Harbour to visit another King Penguin colony and to see many Elephant Seals and Fur Seals. It is a good area for long walks. We conclude our visit with zodiac excursions in the magnificent Drygalski Fjord and Larsen Harbour.
Days 12-16 Antarctic Convergence
In the westerlies we have a pleasant tailwind. On both sides of the Antarctic Convergence, we observe many species and great numbers of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds.
Day 17 Gough Island
Today we plan to approach the unique Gough Island for zodiac cruising around the island, as always weather permitting. In previous years we managed to circumnavigate all but four miles of the 33 mile circumference of the island in the ship, saw spectacular scenery and an unprecedented abundance of wildlife. We felt very privileged to be among the few visitors who have been able to experience Gough and in particular, to see it at such close quarters and in such favourable conditions. We hope to be lucky to repeat this unique experience with you.
Days 18-20 Tristan da Cunha
In the Tristan da Cunha archipelago we call at the settlement at the west side of the main island. We will also try to make landings at Nightingale Island with millions of seabirds ranging from Yellow-nosed Albatrosses to Brown Noddies. We allow one day in reserve for bad weather.
Days 21-25 At Sea
At sea, we now enter sub-tropical waters with their own brand of seabirds and dolphins.
Days 26-28 St. Helena
St. Helena has a good anchorage and landing site. On this island, we will have ample opportunities to enjoy local culture, pleasant climate, and endemic plants and birds. We will visit the place where Napoleon lived in exile. There will be opportunities to explore the Island on your own and for snorkelling, in the shallow surf near a wreck we can find a lot of fishes.
Days 29-30 At Sea
Days 31-32 Ascension Island
Ascension Island is a dry volcanic island with a moist and richly vegetated top. The Sooty Tern (wide-awake) colony sometimes consists of more than 1 million breeding pairs. We will try to climb the moist summit of Ascension Island and make a zodiac-cruise around Boatswain Bird Island offering also great opportunities for snorkelling. We may witness egg-laying sea turtles coming ashore at night.
Some of our passengers may disembark and fly with the scheduled RAF (Royal Air Force) flight to Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, UK. Others may proceed their voyage to Cape Verdes, for an additional fee and an additional 8 days of travel.
Deposit & Payment
Initial deposit is 25% cruise cost, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card. We accept Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, and Discover. Alternatively, you can send a check to our Missoula, Montana, office or register online at: https://www.adventure-life.com/forms/fourways.php
Final payment is due 70 days prior to departure.
Final payment by bank transfer, check or Visa, Mastercard, Discover or AmEx, cards subject to a credit card fee.
Booking last minute? No problem! Please contact one of our trip planners, and we can get you on your way if booking less than 70 days prior to departure.
Click here to see a copy of our Terms and Conditions.
Cancellation Policy
| Days Prior to departure | Fee |
|---|---|
| 90 days or more | 25% cruise cost |
| 89-60 Days | 55% cruise cost |
| 59-0 Days | 100% cruise cost |
MV Plancius
- Ship Highlights
- Passengers : 112
M/V “Plancius” started her life in 1976 as an oceanographic research vessel for the Royal Dutch Navy and was named “Hr. Ms. Tydeman”. In June 2004, the vessel was taken out of active service for rebuilding.
The vessel was completely rebuilt in 2009 as a 112-passenger polar expedition ship, complying with the latest SOLAS-regulations (Safety Of Life At Sea), is classed by Lloyd’s Register in London and will fly the Dutch flag.
The vessel is comfortable and nicely decorated, but is not a luxurious vessel. Our cruises in the Arctic and Antarctic regions are primarily defined by an exploratory educational travel program, spending as much time ashore as possible. This vessel fully meets our demands to achieve this.
M/V “Plancius” can accommodate 112 passengers in 54 passenger cabins with private toilet and shower in 4 Quadruple private cabins , 40 twin private cabins (ca. 15 square meters) and 10 twin superior cabins (ca. 21 square meters).
The vessel is manned by 30 international crew members (inc. 10 stewardesses/cabin cleaners), 6 hotel staff (4 chefs, 1 purser and 1 steward-barman), 6 expedition staff (1 expedition leader and 5 guides-lecturers) and 1 doctor.
| Cabins | |
|---|---|
 | Quadruple Porthole 4 cabins with private facilities, 2 bunk beds. (ca. 15 m2) |
 | Triple Porthole 2 cabins with private facilities, 1 bunk bed and 1 lower berth. (ca. 15 m2) |
 | Twin with Porthole 9 twin private cabins with porthole. Lower berths (either two single beds or one queen-size bed. (ca. 15 m2) |
 | Twin with Window 26 twin private cabins with window. Lower berths (either two single beds or one queen-size bed (ca. 15 m2) |
 | Twin Deluxe 2 twin private deluxe cabins. Lower berths (either two single beds or one queen-size bed(ca. 15 m2) |
 | Superior 10 twin superior cabins. Lower berths (either two single beds or one queen-size bed (ca. 21 m2) |
