This adventurous polar expedition in the Antarctic Circle combines the exciting Weddell Sea with the amazing Antarctic Peninsula, including such iconic landing sites as Ernest Shackleton’s legendary Elephant Island and the many icy and wildlife-filled islands of Crystal Sound.
Antarctica
Antarctica – Elephant Island – Weddell Sea – Polar Circle
15 Days aboard Plancius. From NZD $19,444pp.
Details
Overview
Itinerary Highlights
- Experience some of the most dramatic landscapes, and the biggest variety of wildlife in Antarctica
- Be amazed at amount of whale watching opportunities at Wilhelmina Bay with Humpback Whales and Minke Whales to name a few
- Be one of the select few to cross the Antarctic Circle
- Experience the understated pleasures of the volcanic islands of the South Shetland Islands
Itinerary in Brief
- Day 1: Embark in Ushuaia
- Days 2-3: At Sea
- Day 4: Weddell Sea
- Day 5: Weddell Sea Devil Island
- Day 6: Exploring Remote Regions
- Day 7: Orleans Strait
- Day 8: Port Charcot
- Day 9-10: Detaille Island
- Day 11: Yalour Island
- Day 12: Melchoir Islands
- Day 13-14: At Sea
- Day 15: Disembark in Ushuaia
Travelling with Eclipse
Peace of Mind
- Eclipse Travel is Australian owned and run, and an ATAS accredited travel agent.
- 24/7 emergency numbers and local contacts provided for support while you’re abroad.
- We provide all the information you need to organise your visas and vaccinations, making travel preparation stress-free.
- No currency surcharges. Once your deposit is paid, your price is guaranteed.
Specialists
- Our consultants are true destination experts, with firsthand experience and extensive travel in the regions we offer.
- Expect quick, professional responses and dedicated service from our knowledgeable team.
- We conduct regular checks on destinations, hotels, and services to ensure quality for every trip.
Authentic Travel
- Tailor-made itineraries designed around your unique requirements.
- Freedom to select your preferred style and standard of accommodation.
- Unique itineraries that take you beyond the major highlights, immersing you in each location.
- Committed to responsible travel: we reinvest in the environment and local communities across our destinations.
Day 1: End of the world, start of a journey
Your voyage begins where the world drops off. Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, is located on the far southern tip of South America. Starting in the afternoon, you embark from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego, nicknamed “The End of the World,” and sail the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.
Day 2 – 3: Path of the polar explorers
Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, you enjoy some of the same experiences encountered by the great polar explorers who first charted these regions: cool salt breezes, rolling seas, maybe even a fin whale spouting up sea spray. After passing the Antarctic Convergence – Antarctica’s natural boundary, formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic seas – you are in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone.
Not only does the marine life change, the avian life changes too. Wandering albatrosses, grey-headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses, light-mantled sooty albatrosses, cape pigeons, southern fulmars, Wilson’s storm petrels, blue petrels, and Antarctic petrels are a few of the birds you might see.
Day 4: From Point Wild to the Weddell Sea
We will arrive early to the famous Point Wild, Elephant Island, where Shackleton’s crew made their first landing after the loss of their ship, Endurance. This inhospitable spit of land is a favorite among our guests, and if conditions permit, we will offer activities around the point before setting off for the Weddell Sea.
Day 5: Weddell Sea Devil Island
Today you enter the wondrous Weddell Sea, a relatively unvisited area in which we hope to carry out activities in Erebus and Terror Gulf. We may also visit such places such as Beak Island and Devil Island, which boast some stunning scenery as well as the pack ice for which the Weddell Sea is famous.
Day 6: Exploring the most remote regions
As we continue to explore the area of Erebus and Terror Gulf, we look for new opportunities for activities. You may also visit Vega Island, experiencing the wilderness of Antarctica in its most remote places.
Day 7: Orléans Strait whale search
Now we sail down the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, entering the Orleans Strait. Here we hope to see humpback and orca whales as we sail toward Mikklesen Harbor for our afternoon activities.
Day 8: Port monuments and island wildlife
Passing the Lemaire Channel, you next arrive in the area of Port Charcot, where there is a cairn that was erected by the French Antarctic Expedition of 1903 – 05. In the afternoon, we head to Petermann Island to see a great variety of birdlife. You might also enjoy Zodiac cruises among icebergs that are highly popular with leopard seals and crabeater seals. Minke whales, humpbacks, and gentoo penguins can also be found here.
Day 9 - 10: Detaille Island’s historic station
Today we reach Crystal Sound, viewing the area’s beautiful ice formations and wildlife before landing at Detaille Island. This remote island was once home to a British research station that is now an historic monument.
Day 11: Amazing Argentine islands
Next you arrive at the Yalour Islands, a small archipelago composed mostly of isolated rocks and one principal island that offers us a rewarding landing. Home to Adélie penguins and some of the most southerly gentoos in the world, Yalour also has small patches of bearded and crustose lichen, including xanthoria, buellia, caloplaca, and usnea. Extensive moss beds and some Antarctic hair grass (Deschampsia antarctica) can be seen as well.
Day 12: Farewell to Antarctica
We have our farewell to Antarctica in the Melchior Islands for our final activities before heading towards the Drake Passage.
Day 13 – 14: Familiar seas, familiar friends
Your return voyage is far from lonely. While crossing the Drake, you’re again greeted by the vast array of seabirds remembered from the passage south. But they seem a little more familiar to you now, and you to them.
Day 15: There and back again
Every adventure, no matter how great, must eventually come to an end. It’s now time to disembark in Ushuaia, but with memories that will accompany you wherever your next journey leads.
- Day 1: End of the world, start of a journey
- Day 2 – 3: Path of the polar explorers
- Day 4: From Point Wild to the Weddell Sea
- Day 5: Weddell Sea Devil Island
- Day 6: Exploring the most remote regions
- Day 7: Orléans Strait whale search
- Day 8: Port monuments and island wildlife
- Day 9 - 10: Detaille Island’s historic station
- Day 11: Amazing Argentine islands
- Day 12: Farewell to Antarctica
- Day 13 – 14: Familiar seas, familiar friends
- Day 15: There and back again
Next Departure Date: 09 Mar 2025
| Dates | Cabin | From | Special Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09 Mar 2025 - 23 Mar 2025 | NZD$19444pp | ||
| Quadruple Porthole Cabin | NZD$19444pp | Contact us | |
| Triple Porthole Cabin | NZD$23704pp | Contact us | |
| Twin Porthole Cabin | NZD$23704pp | Contact us | |
| Twin Window Cabin | NZD$24815pp | Contact us | |
| Twin Deluxe Cabin | NZD$26481pp | Contact us | |
| Superior Cabin | NZD$28333pp | Contact us | |
| 09 Mar 2026 - 23 Mar 2026 | NZD$20741pp |
**Prices are per person based on twin / shared accommodation.
**Single supplements may apply
Cabin Details
Quadruple Porthole Cabin
Two upper and two lower berths, one porthole, private shower and toilet, desk and chair, flatscreen TV, telephone and WiFi (supplemented), hair-dryer and ample storage space.
Triple Porthole Cabin
One upper and two lower berths, one porthole, private shower and toilet, desk and chair, flatscreen TV, telephone and WiFi (supplemented), hair-dryer and ample storage space.
Twin Porthole Cabin
Two lower berths, one porthole, private shower and toilet, desk and chair, flatscreen TV, telephone and WiFi (supplemented), hair-dryer and ample storage space.
Twin Window Cabin
Two lower berths, one window, private shower and toilet, desk and chair, flatscreen TV, telephone and WiFi (supplemented), hair-dryer and ample storage space.
Twin Deluxe Cabin
Two lower berths, two windows, private shower and toilet, desk and chair, flatscreen TV, telephone and WiFi (supplemented), hair-dryer and ample storage space.
*corner cabins which are slightly more spacious than the normal twin porthole/window cabins
Superior Cabin
One double bed, one sofa bed, two windows, private shower and toilet, desk and chair, flatscreen TV, telephone and Wifi (supplemented), refrigerator, coffee and tea maker, hair-dryer and ample storage space.
Plancius Deckplan
Specifications
- Passengers: 108 in 50 cabins
- Staff & crew: Crew 40 | Guides 8 | Doctor 1
- Length: 89 meters (293 feet)
- Breadth: 14,5 meters (47 feet)
- Draft: 5 meters (16 feet)
- Ice class: 1D (Plancius has a Lloyds class notation 100A1 Passenger ship, Ice Class 1D at a draught of 5 meters)
- Displacement: 3211 tonnes
- Propulsion: 3x Diesel-Electric
- Speed: 10.5 knots average cruising speed
Whats included?
- Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary
- All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea.
- All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
- Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
- Free use of rubber boots and snowshoes.
- Luggage transfer from pick-up point to the vessel on the day of embarkation, in Ushuaia.
- Pre-scheduled group transfer from the vessel to the airport in Ushuaia (directly after disembarkation).
- All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
- Comprehensive pre-departure material.
- Free internet: daily allowance of 1.5 GB of free internet connectivity
What’s not included?
- Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights
- Pre- and post- land arrangements.
- Passport and visa expenses.
- Government arrival and departure taxes.
- Meals ashore.
- Optional activities - contact us for details
- Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended).
- Excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges.
- The customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).
- Diving*
Notes
Group size: minimum 8, maximum 24 divers.
Diving: US$1075 per person
Price Assurance
At Eclipse Travel, our expert destination knowledge and decades of travel planning experience come at no extra cost to you. While many think booking through a tour operator is more expensive than planning a trip independently, that’s not the case. We’re paid by our travel partners—such as hotels, activity operators, and cruise providers—via commissions, not by our clients.
Our team negotiates the best rates for you and ensures you receive unbiased advice, with no preference for any particular supplier. In fact, where we secure higher commissions, we often pass the savings on to you, giving us a competitive price edge.
Additionally, we lock in exchange rates at the time of your deposit, ensuring no surprise costs when it’s time for final payment. You can rest easy knowing we’ll handle the details with our suppliers. The only exceptions are national park fee increases or fuel surcharges imposed after your booking, though these are rare.
Take advantage of our team’s expertise and let us help you plan the perfect holiday—hassle-free!
Destination: Antarctica
On any cruise to Antarctica you can expect to experience a wide variety of landscapes, unprecedented wildlife viewing opportunities and a healthy mix of historic landing sites. Be astounded by the sensory overload of the huge amount of ice-bergs, glaciers, high mountains and the abundant and tame wildlife.
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