February 2 to February 21, 2010.
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Shackleton Odyssey
« All Polar Pioneer cruise options
- Day 1 Embark in Ushuaia
- Day 2 Drake Passage
- Day 3 Crossing the Antarctic Convergence
- Days 4-5 Gerlache Strait
- Day 6 Antarctic Sound
- Day 7 Elephant Island
- Day 8 South Orkney Islands
- Day 9 Enroute to South Georgia
- Day 10 Cave Cove, South Georgia
- Days 11-15 South Georgia
- Days 16-17 At Sea
- Day 18 Falklands
- Day 19 At Sea
- Day 20 Disembark in Ushuaia
| Dates | Deck + Cabin Type | ||||
| Triple Shared | Twin Shared | Twin Private | Mini Suite | Suite | |
| Feb 28 '12 |
$10,500 | $12,510 | $14,690 | $16,270 | $17,350 |
| Optional Alpine Crossing: $750 per person | |||||
-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 costs are 1.7 times the twin rate
Deposit & Payment -Single costs are 1.7 times the twin rate
Day 1 Embark in Ushuaia
Board your ship Polar Pioneer mid-afternoon, then slip away from the dock in the early evening. The cruise down the Beagle Channel provides a fine view of the mountains and beech forests of Tierra del Fuego.
Day 2 Drake Passage
While crossing the Drake Passage, accompanied by albatross and petrels, stay busy with lectures and briefings.
Day 3 Crossing the Antarctic Convergence
By mid-afternoon, you should have crossed the Antarctic Convergence cold water boundary to Antarctica, and hope to see your first icebergs near the South Shetland Islands.
Days 4-5 Gerlache Strait
Make contact with penguins, seals and whales in the beautiful Gerlache Strait, using Zodiacs to cruise among the ice or make landings.
Day 6 Antarctic Sound
At the northern end of the Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctic Sound is often choked with icebergs but this waterway provides a wildlife-rich corridor into the Weddell Sea. Begin to retrace Shackelton's path near Paulet Island.
Day 7 Elephant Island
If the weather is kind land on the steep slopes of Elephant Island, the unexpected home for Shackelton's men for many months.
Day 8 South Orkney Islands
Cruise among the mountainous South Orkney Islands.
Day 9 Enroute to South Georgia
Cruising the Scotia Sea towards South Georgia.
Day 10 Cave Cove, South Georgia
Enter King Haakon Bay on South Georgia, hopefully stopping for a ceremonial landing at Cave Cove where Shackelton made his first landfall after the epic open boat voyage.
Days 11-15 South Georgia
Exploring the whaling stations, bays and promontories of South Georgia. These will be busy days as you immerse yourself in South Georgia's extraordinary wildlife diversity - at places like Salisbury Plain, St Andrews Bay and Gold Harbour, where hundreds of thousands of king penguins line the beach, or Albatross Island, where the lords of the Southern Ocean, the wandering albatross, nest among tussock grasses.
Days 16-17 At Sea
While at sea have time to reflect on your days on South Georgia and enjoy the delights of birdwatching from the outer decks.
Day 18 Falklands
Visit the southern islands of the Falklands, bristling with nesting birds.
Day 19 At Sea
Complete your lecture program during the short hop to the South American coast.
Day 20 Disembark in Ushuaia
Dock in Ushuaia after cruising back along the Beagle Channel in the early morning. Transfer to a city hotel or commence your homeward journey.
Itinerary Notes
Included in your cruise:- All meals on board ship.
- All shore excursions from the ship including the use of Zodiacs.
- Lectures, videos, slide and film shows and guide services.
- Medical services. There is a resident medical officer and infirmary on board.
- Port taxes and port charges imposed by government authorities.
- Pre-departure information and briefing.
Not included in your cruise:
- Air transport and airport transfers before and after the cruises.
- Visa, passport and vaccination charges and airport departure taxes.
- Hotels and meals not included in ship cruise itinerary.
- Laundry, postage, personal clothing, medical expenses, personal travel insurance, items of a personal nature such as bar charges, phone calls.
- Emergency evacuation charges.
- Customary end of voyage tips.
Deposit & Payment
Initial deposit is $1250 for Antarctica or AU$1500 for Arctic voyages, 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 100 days prior to departure.
Final payment by bank transfer, check or Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or Amex. Credit Card payments subject to 3% convenience fee and maximum $15,000 charge.
Booking last minute? No problem! Please contact one of our trip planners, and we can get you on your way if booking less than 100 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 | $600 per person |
| 0-90 days | 100% trip cost |
Polar Pioneer
- Ship Highlights
- Passengers : 54
Polar Pioneer was built in Finland in 1985 as an ice-strengthened research ship, and for many years she plied the treacherous waters of the USSR's northern coast. In 2000 she was refurbished in St Petersburg to provide comfortable accommodation for 54 passengers. A combined bar/lounge/library area (stocked with a good collection of polar books) was also created by simple internal restructuring - inviting surroundings for your Antarctica travel.
This class of vessel has a fine reputation for polar expedition cruising, due to its strength, maneuverability and small number of cabins. All cabins have outside portholes plus ample storage space. The Russian captain and crew are among the most experienced ice navigators in the world and their enthusiasm is legendary.
The spacious bridge is always open to us and the decks are ideal for viewing. The chefs are European, and the dining room is attended by Russian stewardesses.
Polar Pioneer is not a luxury vessel as such, but this is a most popular ship for travel to the Polar regions. The accommodation is simple yet comfortable, and the meals are wholesome and uncomplicated. A small fleet of inflatable Zodiacs with outboard motors enable us to travel from ship to shore.
| Cabins | |
|---|---|
 | Triple Shared Triple Cabins have two lower and one upper berth, a desk, a small washbasin, storage and hanging space and portholes. Showers and toilets are very close by and are shared with other Main Deck cabins. |
 | 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. |
 | Twin Private Twin Private Cabins have two lower bunks, a desk, windows, and a private bathroom with shower, toilet and washbasin. Two cabins have upper and lower bunks (cabins 402 and 403). |
 | Mini Suite Mini Suites have a separate small bedroom with double bed, a sofa bed in the main room, a desk, video player and TV, windows and a private bathroom with shower, toilet and washbasin. |
 | Suite The Suite features a large lounge area, a separate small bedroom with double bed, a sofabed in the main room, a video player and TV, refrigerator, large forward and side facing windows, and a private bathroom with shower, toilet and washbasin. |
