Category: Antarctica
Lidia enjoys HX Hurtigruten’s next-generation expedition ship Our new ship review series Beyond The Bow takes a closer look through the porthole at the world’s finest expedition cruise ships, as experienced from the perspectives of our polar specialists. Whether you’re a seasoned explorer or a curious traveller yearning for an extraordinary adventure on the polar seas, our features are designed to be your go-to resource for first-hand expert ship reviews. HX Hurtigruten’s sister ship to the MS Roald Amundsen is MS Fridtjof Nansen, and together, they are the first hybrid expedition ships to operate in the polar regions. The ship’s hybrid technology and other efficiency improvements will reduce fuel consumption by approximately 20% and CO2 emissions from the ships by 20%. Our polar specialist, Lidia Stranc, shared her experiences after her Antarctic voyage onboard this fantastic vessel. What was your first impression of the Fridjtof Nansen? The ship is very…
…with Elite Polar Specialist, Charlie The latest edition of our popular polar travel series takes us to awe-inspiring Antarctica, where our elite polar specialist, Charlie Mason, completed his full continental set on a sun-drenched voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula. Charlie was treated to a record-quick Drake Passage crossing and some super landing sites for wildlife spotting! WHAT DESTINATIONS DID YOU VISIT? The main focus of this trip was to visit the 7th continent, Antarctica (with a good amount of time in Buenos Aires and Ushuaia before and after). HOW DID YOU GET THERE? We flew directly from London with British airways to Buenos Aires. We then spent some time there before flying on down to the end of the world, Ushuaia, where we embarked onto our expedition cruise. FAVOURITE LOCATION? The whole continent! Honestly, it’s too hard to choose a specific landing site, as they all vary so much, from…
Lucy sets sail on Hapag-Lloyd Cruise’s newest expedition ship Here at Polar Routes, we are excited to launch our new ship review series Beyond The Bow, a blog aimed at taking a closer look through the porthole at the world’s finest expedition cruise ships, as experienced from the perspectives of our polar specialists. Whether you’re a seasoned explorer or a curious traveler yearning for an extraordinary adventure on the polar seas, our features are designed to be your go-to resource for first-hand expert ship reviews. We’re kicking things off with a thoroughly modern classic in the shape of Hapag-Lloyd’s formidable vessel, the HANSEATIC inspiration. Our senior polar specialist, Lucy Yeoman, let us know her thoughts after her Antarctic voyage on this ship. What was your first impression of the HANSEATIC inspiration? We arrived in Ushuaia and boarded the ship that afternoon, where we were greeted by the Expedition Team and…
We spoke to Expedition Leader for HX Hurtigruten Expeditions, Torstein Gaustad. He has a strong bond with the sea, having grown up on the Norwegian coast. Travelling has always been a source of immense joy, as he loves exploring new destinations, immersing himself in the local culture, and gaining knowledge about the history and environment of each place he visits. In his role, he makes sure the guests get the best experience possible by sharing his knowledge and expertise. It is absolutely his dream job! How does a typical day start for you? With coffee! And a walk out on deck to check the conditions and take a moment to enjoy the view, while thinking of the day’s expeditions. After that, I go to the bridge to talk to the captain and the officers, to get the latest update on timings, conditions, and position and see if the operational plan…
It was a case of when Lucy met Lucy when, during another big trip to Antarctica, our Senior Polar Specialist Lucy Yeoman sat down to speak with Lucy Bruzzone, the Education Program Director at Cambridge University who spent a season in Antarctica working in the world’s most southerly Post Office at the historic Port Lockroy Station. Located on the scenic island of Goudier on the Antarctic Peninsula, the site has been open to visitors since 1966 during the Antarctic summer (November to March) and is now managed by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, which runs the site as a ‘living museum’ with a popular gift shop. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and what attracted you to work in this part of the world? Lucy B: I am a geographer by training and so I have always had an interest in the natural world, but also the human connection…
On her wonderful trip to the Antarctic this year, our Senior Polar Specialist Lucy sat down to speak with Swan Hellenic’s Polar Guide, Richard Simpson, to learn more about his working life of outdoor pursuits and expeditions to Antarctica. After a full career in the British Army where he was awarded numerous awards for exemplary service, Richard moved on to the military’s adventure training foundation wing where he worked instructing and leading small groups, before joining Swan Hellenic in his current role guiding passengers from ship to shore. Lucy: Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and what attracted you to work in this part of the world? Richard: I am a two-time Antarctic explorer, and I was given the opportunity to work with Swan Hellenic after they helped evacuate me and seven other teammates in the Antarctic Peninsula on our last expedition. When I was given this…
…with Senior Polar Specialist, Lucy The latest edition of this series offers personal insights into an adventurous expedition cruise by our Senior Polar Specialist Lucy Yeoman, who enjoyed a penguin chick-filled 13-day voyage with Swan Hellenic sailing from Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula. WHAT DESTINATIONS DID YOU VISIT? A 12-day Antarctic Circle expedition with Swan Hellenic on the SH Vega HOW DID YOU GET THERE? I flew to Buenos Aires and spent a couple of days there exploring the city. Swan Hellenic arranged a charter flight to take the guests from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia where we boarded our ship, the SH Vega and set sail that evening across the Drake Passage, heading towards the Antarctic Circle. FIRST TIME OR REPEAT TRIP? This was my fourth expedition to Antarctica; previous ones were in November and December. There was less sea ice, the chicks had hatched although further south towards the circle many of the…
Le Commandant Charcot is the first-ever hybrid-electric polar exploration ship powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas) making it possible to travel to the farthest reaches of the southern and northern hemispheres in a level of luxury never offered before. It’s also the world’s first passenger ship to be fitted with a Polar Class 2 (PC2) hull, giving it the ability to sail between the sheets of drifting ice and reach the most remote and isolated areas. This gives the icebreaker a truly unique offering in the polar regions, which means the opportunities for exploration are almost endless but certainly unique. Here are our top 5 expeditions that can only be undertaken on PONANT’s newest vessel… The Emperor Penguins of the Weddell Sea In November 2023, Le Commandant Charcot is heading to the Weddell Sea area of the Antarctic Peninsula and seeing the Emperor Penguins will be firmly on the agenda. In last season’s…
In March of 2023, our Co-Director Martin Johnson and his wife Sarah lived the polar dream with PONANT aboard their magnificent Le Commandant Charcot flagship, which sailed from Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula. Read on for Martin’s personal take on the many plus points of expedition cruising on this unique vessel, as well as their memorable days in the Antarctic sun spotting penguins, whales, and seals amongst the stunning vistas. I first visited Le Commandant Charcot at its launch event in 2021, in a cold and windy northern French port called Le Havre. Despite the less-than-illustrious surroundings, from the minute I stepped on board, I could tell this ship was something special. As you enter, you’re greeted by a soaring 5-storey atrium space, with cool lines, stylish furniture, and a huge digital art installation that runs the full height of this space, I had never seen anything like it before on…
…with Polar Specialist, Ben The latest edition of this series offers personal insights into an adventurous expedition cruise by our Polar Specialist Ben Rowley, who enjoyed his amazing 12-day journey with AE Expeditions sailing from Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula. WHAT DESTINATIONS DID YOU VISIT? The Antarctic Peninsula. HOW DID YOU GET THERE? I flew from London to Buenos Aires and on to Ushuaia, before boarding Greg Mortimer and crossing the Drake Passage. FIRST TIME OR REPEAT TRIP? First time! FAVOURITE LOCATION? Neko Harbour – the huge glacier looms close and the backdrop is immensely beautiful. Paradise Bay is a very close second! MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT? We came across a female blue whale with her calf on the Drake Passage on the way south. The marine biologist on our expedition was over the moon with this sighting and said she’d never seen a blue whale calf in this area. In truth,…
