Emblematic Antarctica - Luxury Expedition Cruise

Overview
Itinerary
Dates & Prices
Ships
Special Offers

If there is one place on the globe that fires the imagination of travellers and arouses in them an instant thirst for adventure, it is the immaculate and faraway lands of the White Continent. Inhabited by a surprising endemic fauna, the Antarctic will welcome you during an 11-day expedition cruise.

At the border between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, you will enter Drake Passage. At the roaring fifties and the screaming sixties, the wind blows and the waves beat against the stern of the ship. In the sky, cape petrels lead you toward their realm until you reach the first of the continent’s lands.

Ice is there in all its forms. The mountainous landscapes open up to give way to huge calving glaciers, tabular icebergs drift in the middle of the Southern Ocean, and the sea ice shimmers in the distance. On board, the naturalists share with you the secrets of this unique ecosystem. As you near the shores, the first penguins appear. Gentoo, Adelie, chinstrap: these surprising birds, emblematic of the Antarctic, share their beaches with leopard, crabeater and Weddell seals. During an outing on land or at sea, in a zodiac dinghy or a kayak, you will move through a stunning scenery bathed in polar light.

Highlights

• Outings and shore visits in Zodiac®inflatables with a team of experienced naturalist guides.

• Lectures and information sessions hosted by our naturalist-guides, covering wildlife, history, geopolitics, the great explorers, climate, environmental protection…

• Hiking opportunity.

• Visiting research stations and former whaling stations.

• Landscapes: a multitude of drifting icebergs, ice floes, imposing glaciers and tall, snow-covered mountains.

• Wildlife: humpback whales, Gentoo penguins, Adelie penguins, chinstrap penguins, leopard seals, crabeater seals, Weddell seals and numerous sea birds.

• Educational discovery in the respect of environment.

Day 1 BUENOS AIRES

Meet and greet at the hotel by our local representative. Check-in from late morning. Lunch on your own and time at leisure in the afternoon. Dinner. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2 USHUAIA

Flight Buenos Aires/Ushuaia. Capital of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province, Ushuaia is considered the gateway to the “Great White“ and the South Pole. Nicknamed “El fin del mundo” by the Argentinian people, this city at the end of the world nestles in the shelter of mountains surrounded by fertile plains that the wildlife seem to have chosen as the ultimate sanctuary. With its exceptional site, where the Andes plunge straight into the sea, Ushuaia is one of the most fascinating places on earth, its very name evocative of journeys to the unlikely and the inaccessible…
Days 3 - 4 CROSSING THE DRAKE PASSAGE

Use your days spent in the Drake Passage to familiarise yourself with your ship and deepen your knowledge of the Antarctic. The Expedition Leader will first present the IAATO rules of conduct that must be observed during landings in the region and will explain everything you need to know about the Zodiac® outings. Lectures about the history and wildlife of the Antarctic will be an opportunity for you to learn more about this magical region, where every cruise is a unique experience. From the ship’s bridge, you will experience exceptional sailing moments before joining the naturalist-guides on your ship’s exterior decks to look out for albatrosses, cape petrels, and other seabirds flying over the Drake Passage.
Days 5 - 9 ANTARCTIC PENINSULA

To learn more about ecosystems, fauna and landscapes in Antarctic regions, go to the section “Discover Antarctica” of your cruise. Succumb to the magic of a place unlike any other. To this day, the mythical Antarctic Peninsula still holds real fascination and promises its visitors unforgettable moments. Throughout your adventure in this icy realm, you will find yourself in the heart of a spectacular decor in subtle shades of blue and white, surrounded by exceptional wildlife. Penguins, humpback whales, seals and giant petrels are at home here, as are elephant seals, fur seals, Antarctic minke whales, and orcas. Depending on which sites you will be lucky enough to visit, you may get the chance to observe them and share with them the beauty of these extreme parts. Each day, based on ice conditions, the Captain and the Expedition Leader will suggest Zodiac® outings or landings to discover the infinite riches of the Antarctic Peninsula. Glaciers, ice floe, tabletop icebergs, mountain peaks that plunge straight into the sea, volcanic beaches, research stations, enchanting bays, and vestiges of the whaling industry: these are the faces of the Antarctic that will likely reveal themselves to you, in a hushed and surreal atmosphere. You will sail in the wake of Jean-Baptiste Charcot, Adrien de Gerlache and Sir Ernest Shackleton, great Antarctic explorers who, from the 19th century, set out to conquer these remote and uninhabited lands.
Days 10 - 11 CROSSING THE DRAKE PASSAGE

If there is one place, one sea, one waterway dreaded by tourists, researchers and hardened seafarers alike, it is undoubtedly Drake Passage. Situated at the latitude of the infamous Furious Fifties winds, between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands, it is the shortest route to Antarctica. Seasoned navigators will tell you that you must earn your visit to the White Continent! As the Antarctic convergence zone where cold currents rising up from the South Pole meet warmer equatorial water masses, Drake Passage harbours a very diverse marine fauna. Don't forget to look to the sky to catch a glimpse of elegant albatross and Cape petrels, playfully floating about in the wind around your ship.
Day 12 USHUAIA

Disembarkation. Charter flight Ushuaia to Buenos Aires.
Please note:

We are privileged guests in these extreme lands where we are at the mercy of weather and ice conditions. Landings on certain sites and the observation of certain wildlife cannot be guaranteed. They vary from day to day, making each PONANT cruise a unique experience. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while complying with the safety rules and instructions imposed by the IAATO.

20 November, 2025 to 01 December, 2025

Superior Stateroom

$21,590 NZD pp

* indicative rate.

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8 superior staterooms of 226 sq.ft. located on Le Champollion Deck. AMENITIES: Individually-controlled air-conditioning, Cabin layout : king-size bed, or twin beds, Shower, Minibar, Flat screen satellite TV, Desk with stationery, Ipod™ players, Video on demand, Safe, Hairdryer, Bath robes, Satellite direct line telephone, 110/220 volts outlet, French bath products, 24hr room service, Internet access wifi

DeLuxe Stateroom

$23,072 NZD pp

* indicative rate.

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(200 sq.ft. + 43 sq.ft. private balcony) 28 Deluxe Staterooms of 200 sq.ft.with private balcony. AMENITIES: Individually-controlled air-conditioning, Cabin layout : king-size bed, or twin beds, Shower, Minibar, Flat screen satellite TV, Desk with stationery, Ipod™ players, Video on demand, Safe, Hairdryer, Bath robes, Satellite direct line telephone, 110/220 volts outlet, French bath products, 24hr room service, Internet access wifi

Prestige Stateroom - Deck 4

$24,164 NZD pp

* indicative rate.

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(200 sq.ft. + 43 sq.ft. private balcony) 92 Prestige Staterooms with private balcony. AMENITIES: Individually-controlled air-conditioning, Cabin layout : king-size bed, or twin beds, Bathtub, Minibar, Flat screen satellite TV, Desk with stationery, Ipod™ players, Video on demand, Safe, Hairdryer, Bath robes, Satellite direct line telephone, 110/220 volts outlet, French bath products, 24hr room service, Internet access wifi

Prestige Stateroom - Deck 5

$24,578 NZD pp

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Prestige Stateroom - Deck 6

$25,210 NZD pp

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Deluxe Suite

$35,884 NZD pp

* indicative rate.

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(290 sq.ft. + 54 sq.ft. private balcony) On the Le France Deck you will find 3 Deluxe Suites with private balcony. AMENITIES: Individually-controlled air-conditioning, Cabin layout : king-size bed, or twin beds, Bathtub, Minibar, Flat screen satellite TV, Desk with stationery, Ipod™ players, Video on demand, Safe, Hairdryer, Bath robes, Satellite direct line telephone, 110/220 volts outlet, French bath products, 24hr room service, Internet access wifi, Sofa, Armchair & Pedestal table

Prestige Suite - Deck 5

$37,389 NZD pp

* indicative rate.

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(398 sq.ft. + 86 sq.ft. private balcony) 20 Prestige Suites with private balcony will provide you a sea with in total discretion. AMENITIES: Individually-controlled air-conditioning, Cabin layout : king-size bed, or twin beds, communicating cabins available (Children welcome), Bathtub and shower, Minibar, Flat screen satellite TV, Desk with stationery, Ipod™ players, Video on demand, Safe, Hairdryer, Bath robes, Satellite direct line telephone, 110/220 volts outlet, French bath products, 24hr room service, Internet acces wifi, Another Flat screen satellite TV, Sofa, Armchair & Pedestal table

Prestige Suite - Deck 6

$39,296 NZD pp

* indicative rate.

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Owner’s suite

$58,140 NZD pp

* indicative rate.

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(484 sq.ft. + 97 sq.ft. private balcony) The Owner's suite is situated on Le France Deck. It has been decorated by French interior designers and will provide you a breathtaking panoramic sea view. AMENITIES: Individually-controlled air-conditioning, Cabin layout : king-size bed, or twin beds, communicating cabins available (Children welcome), Bathtub or shower, Minibar, Flat screen satellite TV, Desk with stationery, Ipod™ players, Video on demand, Safe, Hairdryer, Bath robes, Satellite direct line telephone, 110/220 volts outlet, French bath products, 24hr room service, Internet access wifi, Another Flat screen satellite TV, Large bathtub, Sofa, Table with 4 chairs, Armchair & Pedestal table

22 November, 2025 to 03 December, 2025