Antarctica in Depth

Arriving in Antarctica for the first time is unlike anything you have experienced before. Welcome to a challenging, unpredictable, and stunningly beautiful environment that always finds a way to surprise you. Open your floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and step out onto the private verandah of your suite. See icebergs of different shapes and sizes sculpted by nature, majestic, glaciated mountains towering out of the ocean thousands of meters tall and enjoy the search for spotting penguins, seals, and whales. A truly unique way to wake up and start your day of discovery. At the heart of your Antarctic Voyage is the Scenic Eclipse Discovery Team. With up to 20 members, all leading experts in their fields with diverse qualifications, from in science to geology, botany, history, photography, archaeology, anthropology, marine biology, and glaciology. They will answer your most curious and technical questions and be with you throughout every moment of your journey. Included in your Expedition Voyage are incredible activities such as Zodiac excursions, landings, and hikes. You can also go kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding, which will become some of your favourite activities in Antarctica. Gliding along the water is peaceful and being at the same level as the icebergs is both a humbling and powerful experience. An expert guide is with you for any questions you may have, although it is the perfect time to embrace the silence and be in the moment. Discovery: Partake in daily Scenic Discovery excursions. Cruise on the Zodiacs around ice formations, step onto shore to view vast penguin rookeries and seals. Kayak or stand-up paddle board around icebergs and hear the ice cracking and whales feeding all around.

Board your Zodiac and feel the fresh, crisp air on your face as you cruise towards the 7th continent. Hear the snow crunch under your boot as you prepare for what the landing has in store. Each new encounter will fill you with awe. Witness wildlife in their natural habitat, with no fear of humans, or see historic sites scattered on the shoreline. Antarctica is truly a land of wonder. Due to the extraordinary nature of the region, a host of choices throughout your Expedition Voyage are open and dependent on the ice and weather conditions. Your experienced Captain and specialist Discovery Team, who have made countless journeys to Antarctica, will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day, making the most of 18-20 hours of daylight. Discovery: Continue exploring the Antarctica with your experienced team. Partake in daily Scenic Discovery excursions. Cruise on the Zodiacs around ice formations, step onto shore to view vast penguin rookeries and seals. Kayak or stand-up paddle board around icebergs and hear the ice cracking and whales feeding all around.

Remarkable wildlife encounters await during your time exploring Antarctica. Eight species of penguins can be found in Antarctic and the sub-Antarctic region, with around twelve million penguins living on the Peninsula. Going on shore to witness a penguin colony is an unforgettable experience. Close your eyes to get the full experience as you approach. Smell will be the first sense to be awakened, with the not-so-sweet odour announcing that you are nearby. Hear their mighty calls getting louder as you get closer to shore. Watch on as they go about their day, clumsily waddling along and interacting with each other. Penguins that you may see on the Peninsula include Adélie, Chinstrap, Gentoo, and the very rare Emperor penguins. Whales are another powerful creature that you may encounter during your voyage, and you’ll find their gentle movement calming and impactful. Feel the anticipation of the first sighting of the blow of water shooting into the air, to finding where the second will come from, and seeing their giant body surface for another breath. It could be the back of a minke, the hump on a humpback or the dorsal fin of an Orca. You may be on Scenic Eclipse, watching from the comfort of the Observation Lounge, in a Zodiac with an experienced Discovery Team member, or lucky enough to experience this from their level in a kayak or stand-up paddleboard. Antarctica is also a birdwatcher’s paradise, drawing more than 40 different species. Keep your eyes peeled for wandering albatrosses, shearwaters, giant petrels, storm petrels, blue-eyed shags, diving petrels, cormorants, sheathbills, skuas, gulls and terns. Discovery: Explore Antarctica with your expert Discovery Team. Partake in daily Scenic Discovery excursions. Cruise on the Zodiacs around ice formations, step onto shore to view vast penguin rookeries and seals. Kayak or stand-up paddle board around icebergs and hear the ice cracking and whales feeding all around.

Ice is one of the first things that comes to mind when you think of Antarctica, but you will soon find out that it is much more than an endless white landscape. Portal Point is a potential landing site. Previously a British refuge hut, you will get the opportunity to walk up to see panoramic views from the snow-covered mountains surrounding you, looking over the ice filled ocean back to the ship that made all this possible. Sit down in the snow and take a moment to be still. Lemaire Channel is an iconic location in Antarctica, so photogenic it was nicknamed “Kodak Alley’. If your voyage is able to weave through the channel, make sure you set your alarm and embrace the cool air on the Observation Terrace. Pass through the 11-kilometre-long channel, just 700 metres wide at its narrowest point, and be amazed at the dramatic rocky mountains rising beside the ship and icebergs passing by close enough to see them glowing blue under the surface. Nestled in the South Shetland Islands archipelago, Deception Island is full of history, and is also one of the only places in the world that ships can sail directly into the centre of a submerged caldera of an active volcano. Scenic Eclipse can squeeze through a rocky gap into the peaceful waters of the horseshoe-shaped harbour. The island is also home to a few small scientific outposts and hundreds of thousands of chinstrap penguins. Walk along the ash-covered beaches. Standing at the entrance of Fournier Bay is Mount Francis, the tallest mountain in Antarctica. There may be the chance to visit a working scientific base and discuss life in these harsh conditions with the staff. You can also explore the remnants of a derelict whaling station and a vacant British base or climb to the rim of a volcanic crater. Enjoy the chance to visit areas alive with wildlife such as penguins, seals, and whales. If conditions are favourable, there may be the opportunity to cross the Antarctic Circle at latitude 66°33′ South. Wherever your voyage takes you, you will have countless ‘pinch me" occasions when the scenery is so impressive, you’ll have to be reminded that this dream came true. Congratulations, you have made it to Antarctica. Discovery: Continue exploring the Antarctica with your experienced team. Partake in daily Scenic Discovery excursions. Cruise on the Zodiacs around ice formations, step onto shore to view vast penguin rookeries and seals. Kayak or stand-up paddle board around icebergs and hear the ice cracking and whales feeding all around.

Be sure to pack your swimmers. For many, the polar plunge is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and a rite of passage for people on an expedition to Antarctica. Once throughout your voyage, Scenic Eclipse will stop, and the team will set up the marina ready for the brave people who want to jump into the freezing Antarctic waters. Excitement will spread through the Discovery Yacht, and you will start hearing the contagious nervous laughter. As you stand on the edge ready to jump, you will start to feel the adrenaline rush while your second guessing whether this was a good idea. When you jump, the moment before you hit the water will feel like it goes forever, just before you feel the cold water travelling up your body. This chilly dip will be invigorating, exciting, and surprisingly refreshing. If you choose not to do the polar plunge, make sure you find a good viewing location with a cup of hot chocolate as you feel the chills of everyone coming out of the waters. Discovery: Enjoy a Scenic Discovery excursion, perhaps going with a group of new friends to cruise on the Zodiacs around ice formations, kayak, or stand-up paddle board in search of the impressive wildlife.

Everywhere you go in Antarctica you are surrounded with endless opportunities to capture images on camera. Whether getting up close to seals by zodiac, walking through penguin colonies or onboard Scenic Eclipse cruising past spectacular glaciers, be sure to have your camera ready to capture these amazing moments. For an additional cost, today could be the day you take your seat in our custom-built submarine^ and delve below the ocean waters in a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. You could also choose to soar above in one of two on board helicopters^ for a unique view of this spectacular region. Discovery: When enjoying daily Scenic Discovery excursions, ask for your expert Discovery Leader for photography tips and guidance on how to spot the wildlife around you. They will help you immortalise these incredible moments while cruising on the Zodiacs, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding around impressive ice formations.

Your voyage ends this morning as you farewell the crew. Disembark after breakfast to fly to Buenos Aires, taking away memories of a truly unforgettable experience. Please book your flight to depart out of Buenos Aires after 08:00 PM. Please note, the itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons and weather conditions. As such, Scenic cannot guarantee the cruise will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above.