Expedition cruising to Antarctica continues to be a bucket list option, now Scenic is introducing new itineraries that allow guests to avoid the nearly 2-day Drake Passage journey—flying from Punta Arenas, Chile, to meet the line’s ultra-luxury Discovery Yacht, Scenic Eclipse, at Antarctica’s King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland Islands. Utilizing the 2-hour flight allows guests on the new 9- and 10-day offerings to be able to enjoy a fully-focused Antarctica adventure. Scenic is also introducing a 16-day bucket list dream cruise for expedition lovers—the opportunity to explore south of the Antarctica Circle—latitude 66° 33’ south—a rarely visited region of the world.
Guests booking any of the newly launched 2023/24 Antarctica itineraries can save up to 20 percent— 10 percent for early booking and 10 percent for paying for their cruise in full 12 months before departure. Prices are inclusive of the early booking discount.
The new 9-day Antarctica Insights: Fly & Cruise voyage will be Scenic Eclipse’s first-ever fly-cruise, allowing guests to travel over the Drake Passage one way by air—flying from Punta Arenas, Chile to King George Island to embark the luxury yacht, and returning by yacht to Ushuaia, Argentina for a flight to Buenos Aires and then home. The flight option to Antarctica provides a shorter overall voyage and allows for even greater exploration of Antarctica. Fares start at $17,417 pp dbl. The reverse 10-day itinerary—flying from King George Island to Punta Arenas at the end of the cruise—is priced from $17,617.
For guests looking to avoid the Drake Passage crossing completely, Scenic is also offering the 9-day Wild Antarctica: Fly the Drake itinerary, with flights both ways between Punta Arenas and King George Island. Guests will spend one night at each end of the cruise in Punta Arenas and the rest of the time exploring the White Continent. There are three departures and fares begin at $15,722.
Finally, Scenic is introducing the new 16-day Beyond the Antarctic Circle voyage, which explores the Antarctic Circle in greater depth in more remote locales. Heading south of latitude 66° 33’ south (Antarctic Circle) brings with it a change in scenery, more sea ice and wildlife living off the krill-rich waters. This once-in-a-lifetime voyage offers a chance to explore more places and make more landings and to spend more time taking in Antarctica’s wildlife-filled landscapes. Prices for the 16-day itinerary on Feb. 9, 2024 start at $20,032.
Visiting Antarctica on board Scenic Eclipse provides guests with the opportunity to cruise on Zodiacs or kayak and paddleboard around towering ice formations, step onto islands uninhabited by humans and walk among vast penguin rookeries and seal colonies and, conditions permitting, visit a working scientific base and meet the staff located there. They can explore below the horizon aboard Scenic Neptune, the ship’s 6-guest submarine, taking in the wildlife and scenery beneath the continent’s icy surface, or explore above the horizon on one of the ships two state-of-the-art helicopters with a bird’s eye view of the truly breath-taking landscape far removed from the touch of humans.
On board, the 20-person Specialist Polar Discovery Team will host an educational series of lectures about Antarctic history, geography and its ecosystem. The mix of expertise in the landscape, flora and fauna of the Antarctic allow them to design the perfect itinerary for the expedition, making the most of the 18-20 hours of daylight.
All Scenic Eclipse voyages are all-inclusive, including itinerary-required flights, transfers, up to 10 fine dining experiences, premium branded beverages, immersive excursions, butlers, use of the spa (services are extra), and more. All new bookings are covered by Scenic’s Flexible Booking Policy, enabling guests to defer their cruise to another travel date or itinerary up to 60 days prior to departure and come with Scenic’s Deposit Protection Plan included.
For more information, visit scenicusa.com.
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