SmallShips.travel - MS Hanseatic - Ushuaia Round Trip

Dream Destination Antarctica Cruise - Ushuaia Round Trip
MS Hanseatic - January 29 - February 16, 2012

Voyage HAN1202

In 1772, James Cook was the first person to cross the Antarctic Circle. He did not catch sight of Antarctica in the course of his voyage. You, by contrast, will see it: the gorgeous ice landscapes sparkling in the sun, the impressive icebergs that rise up to heights of several metres, the penguins hurling themselves into the sea and the seals lolling in the sun on ice floes.

Dates		Destinations
Sun	29 Jan	Charter flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia. Embarkation in Ushuaia/Argentina, departure 18.00 hrs
Mon	30 Jan	Relaxation at sea
Tue	31 Jan till 01 Feb	Falkland Islands
Thurs	02 Feb till 03 Feb	Relaxation at sea
Sat	04 Feb till 05 Feb	South Georgia
Mon	06 Feb	Relaxation at sea
Tue	07 Feb till 13 Feb	South Orkney Islands, South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctic Circle
Tue	14 Feb till 15 Feb	Sailing the Drake Passage
Thurs	16 Feb	Ushuaia/Argentina, arrival 6.00 hrs. Disembarkation. Charter flight to Buenos Aires.

Ecosystem Tussock Grass: The Falkland Islands
Rides and landings with the Zodiacs of the HANSEATIC take you to the most beautiful places on the Falkland Islands, the outstanding feature of which is the characteristic tussock grass typical of the local landscape. A paradise for nature enthusiasts: whether we land on Sea Lion Island if the weather is good or go for a hike on Barren Island - you will discover a unique ecosystem that offers countless birds shelter and ideal nesting places. More than 60 bird species, among them Magellan geese, tussock birds, cormorants and albatrosses, populate the islands. It is also worth your while to visit the little capital Stanley with its Irish Pub - a taste of the British Isles in the far south.

In the Land of King Penguins: Welcome on South Georgia
Mountainous, jagged South Georgia is considered one of the most important brooding habitats of king penguins, thousands of which live here. Amidst whole colonies of the animals that look like they are wearing tails, you will spot their cute young, which still have their brown downy plumage and are lovingly protected and fed by the parents. The elephants seals glide from the shore into the sea and dive down to depths of up to 1,400 m, fur seals are lolling in the sun, and the bright blue sky is dotted with albatrosses and skuas flapping their wings. You will not only marvel at all this from the deck, but also at close range when the Zodiacs set out on expeditions several times a day, for instance to Gold Harbour and Cooper Bay. In Grytviken , you will visit the former whaling station before the HANSEATIC passes the remote South Orkney Islands. Weather permitting, we will lower the Zodiacs into the water and visit the Argentinean research station there.

Across the Antarctic Circle with Pioneering Spirit
The HANSEATIC sets course for the Antarctic Circle, which was crossed for the very first time by James Cook in the year 1772. Look forward to a breathtaking cruise through the eternal ice, the dream destination of many adventurers to this day and home to a unique animal kingdom you will experience at close range during numerous Zodiac rides. The highest ice class for passenger ships allows the HANSEATIC to take routes that remain unconquerable for other ships. A great adventure during which every day is governed by the beauty of Antarctica that will inevitably cause your discoverer's heart to beat faster. The unique stillness of this solitary region that is occasionally interrupted by the spectacular calving of a glacier will carry you as far as Elephant Island. Shackleton's crew endured 128 days of hardship on this island which owes its name to its silhouette before being rescued. On Deception Island, enticingly warm springs invite you to take a dip amidst the icy surroundings. Following this experience, the gigantic fissured glaciers of Paradise Bay present themselves. The Zodiacs will take you close to the ablation zones on the edges of the glacier which is several hundred metres wide and glides into the sea here. On Petermann Island, you can watch Adelie and gentoo penguins hurling themselves into the sea in search of food while the seals are dozing on the ice floes off the coast. When the sound of the ship's siren fills the air, you will know that you have reached the legendary dream destination: the Antarctic Circle. Accompanied by wandering albatrosses and, with a bit of luck, whales, we will subsequently sail through the Drake Passage back to Ushuaia.

A change in itinerary may become necessary on this expedition to Antarctica. The captain will decide on the best possible alternatives depending on weather and ice conditions.

Category	Cabin type	Price per person in USD
1	Two-berth, outside, guaranteed cabin	$13,010
2	Two-berth, outside	$14,310
2	Two-berth, outside, single occ.	$21,100
3	Two-berth, outside	$16,810
4	Two-berth, outside	$17,520
4	Two-berth, outside, single occ.	$25,430
5	Two-berth, outside	$18,240
6	Two-berth, outside¹	$20,400
7	Two-berth suite, outside¹	$29,280
8	Extra bed in cat. 3	$10,340

¹ Categories 6 and 7 include butler service

²United States Dollar prices are based on the current Euro to Dollar exchange rate and are subject to change. These rates do not include airfare.