ANTARCTICA AND THE WEDDELL SEA

ITINERARY SUMMARY

Scenic Eclipse I

The Scenic Eclipse I was launched in 2018 she is a purpose built luxury ship designed with very high standards to explore the Polar regions.  She is Polar Class 6-rated, the Discovery Yachts feature a strengthened hull, forward bow thrusters, and a cutting-edge electronic Azipod propulsion system for comfortable and secure navigation. She also has customised stabilisers which are 50% larger than many other ships, ensuring greater stability on the open sea.
Scenic Eclipse I has a GPS Dynamic Positioning system, which allows her to maintain location without dropping anchor onto sensitive seabeds. Scenic Eclipse I also operates an Advanced Wastewater Treatment system and highly effective engines to reduce emissions, noise, and vibrations, safeguarding the pristine environments we visit.

Scenic Eclipse II

Designed as a sister ship to Scenic Eclipse I, Scenic Eclipse II features enhanced wellness experiences in the Senses Spa and a new Sky Bar and Vitality pool on Deck 10. Scenic Eclipse II will sail the oceans of the Southern Hemisphere in 2024 and 2025, including the next frontier of East Antarctica, Australia, the South Pacific and Asia.

Scenic Eclipse II offers spacious and elegant suites, an impressive selection of cuisines, and an almost 1:1 crew to guest ratio. This Polar Class 6 rated yacht features state-of-the-art technology including customised stabilisers to provide greater stability, a strengthened hull and forward bow thrusters. GPS Dynamic Positioning assists in maintaining location without dropping anchor onto sensitive seabeds. The Advanced Wastewater Treatment system and highly effective engines reduce emissions, noise and vibrations to minimise the impact on the precious environments we visit.

Welcome to Buenos Aires, where you’ll have an overnight hotel stay. Perhaps plan to spend some time in the city, nicknamed the ‘Paris of South America’. Resplendent with Belle Epoque buildings, sidewalk cafes and green spaces, there’s the fiery passion of Latin America – a collective love for football, flame-cooked meats (asado) and the tango.

Highlights include La Boca, a colourful, creative mecca with a must-do art walk, and San Telmo, a former aristocratic neighbourhood that was abandoned during a 19th-century epidemic. Mansions were turned into conventillos (shared housing), boutique hotels, antique shops, and tango clubs, exuding a captivating bohemian vibe.

Fly from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, the main island of Tierra del Fuego and the southernmost city in the world. The Captain and crew will warmly greet you as you board your ultra-luxury Discovery Yacht.

Toast the start of your once-in-a-lifetime expedition as you depart South America and cruise through the calm and scenic Beagle Channel, named so for the ship that carried Charles Darwin on his five-year discovery journey. Admire the dramatic views of the Andean mountains from the comfort of your private verandah or from the Observation Deck with its commanding view of the bow.

Wake up in your own time as you cruise across the Drake Passage, the infamous waterway that connects South America to Antarctica. Perhaps ask your butler for breakfast to be delivered to your spacious suite or meet fellow guests in the Yacht Club.

Join an introductory presentation by the polar Discovery Team in the state-of-the-art theatre as they explain how your Zodiac and other Discovery Excursions will work in the coming days. The theatre is where you can watch talks, lectures, movies and documentaries during the day. At night, enjoy world-class productions and fun interactive game shows.

While you sail through Antarctica, you may have the opportunity to visit various locations over the following days. Such as Deception Island, where ships can sail into the centre of a submerged caldera of an active volcano, and Brown Bluff, a stunning ice-capped volcanic cliff. Additionally, take a Zodiac cruise past the breathtaking Devil Island or go ashore at Telefon Bay to see penguins, seabirds, and seals.

Remarkable wildlife encounters await during your time exploring Antarctica, with around twelve million penguins living on the Peninsula. Going ashore to visit a penguin colony is an unforgettable experience. Watch the sea for humpback, blue, fin and minke whales, as well as the distinctive black and white orcas.

The mesmerising Weddell Sea is best known as the location where Ernest Shackleton’s expedition to cross the Antarctic came to a crushing end, when his ship Endurance was trapped in ice. Today, it’s one of the most pristine and intact ecosystems on Earth.

The polar plunge is a rite of passage on an expedition to Antarctica. Once throughout your voyage, the ship will stop, and the team will set up the marina ready for the brave people who want to jump into the freezing Antarctic waters. The moment before you hit the water will feel like it lasts forever, but soon an invigorating, exciting and surprisingly refreshing sensation will take over. Afterwards, return to the ship for a cup of hot chocolate or toast with a glass of whiskey.

Cruising the Drake Passage back to South America, there is plenty of time to indulge in the ultra-luxury of your Discovery Yacht and reflect on the magic moments you’ve experienced in the Southern Ocean.

Freshly squeezed juice, steaming barista-made coffee or tea delivered to your door by the butler will help start your day. Enjoy an al fresco lunch at the Yacht Club with your fellow voyagers and spend the afternoon nestled into one of the cabanas on Deck 10. Tonight, enjoy world-class, engaging performances in the state-of-the-art theatre before a nightcap brought to your suite by your butler.

Your voyage ends this morning as you farewell the crew and fellow guests. Disembark after breakfast in Ushuaia, Argentina for your included transfer flight to Buenos Aires where your journey concludes, taking away memories of a truly unforgettable experience.