Norwegian Coastal Voyage (NCV) offers three Antarctic itineraries next winter.
12-day Antarctica Cruises
Passengers who take the 12-day Antarctica cruises start their trips in Santiago, Chile, with time to view the attractions and colonial architecture. Flights transfer passengers to Ushuaia, Argentina. Before boarding the MS Fram, passengers have an orientation tour of Ushuaia, the southermost city in the world.
During the Drake Passage crossing, Antarctic experts provide a series of lectures on the white continent. In Antarctica, the MS Fram cruises through the narrow, glacier-lined Lemaire Channel, where passengers may see humpback and killer whales, numerous penguin species and elephant seals.
Half Moon Island offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and a large chinstrap penguin rookery. Passengers frequently spot whales here.
Prices for the 12-day Antarctica cruise begin at $6,380 CDN including air from several Canadian cities. Trips depart in November and December in 2007 and January and February in 2008.
19-day Antarctica and Chilean Fjord cruises
After a guided orientation tour of Santiago, Chile, passengers on the 19-day NCV Antarctica cruise fly to Punta Arenas, Chile, where they can take an optional tour of Torres del Paine National Park.
The MS Fram travels though the Strait of Magellan, from where they can view towering glaciers, snow-capped mountains and blue fjords. Weather and water conditions permitting, passengers can explore the southernmost point of South America, Cape Horn. During the Antarctic cruise, they may spot various species of whales, including humpbacks mink and killer whales.
Prices for the 19-day Antarctica cruises begin at $7,780 CDN including air from several Canadian cities. Trips depart in November and December in 2007 and January and February in 2008. The Antarctic trips run in reverse in October and December 2007 and January 2008, beginning in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and ending in Santiago.
21-day Antarctica, Falkland Islands and South Georgia Cruises
Passengers on the 21-day NCV Antarctica cruise begin their expedition in Buenos Aires, where they board the MS Nordnorge.
As they cruise south, lecturers discuss the wildlife and history of the Falkland Islands. The archipelago of 700 islands supports a wide variety of wildlife, including twelve species of albatross and six species of penguins.
On arrival in the Falklands, passengers may observe albatross colonies, rock hopper penguins, fur seals and sea lions on Sounders Island and West Point Island. In South Georgia, they visit a church brought to Grytviken from Norway by Norwegian explorers. They may also view and photograph elephant seal pups, pintail ducks, king, gentoo, macaroni and chinstrap penguins.
Prices for the 21-day NCV Antarctica cruises begin at $7,590 CDN including air from several Canadian cities. The trip runs from October 15 to November 4, 2007.
