18-night Antarctica cruise on Le Soleal

The The Great Austral Loop is a 18-night Antarctica cruise aboard Le Soleal, operated by Ponant. Departing Ushuaia, Argentina on January 28, 2028, the voyage visits 4 ports.

Length: 18 nights
Departs: Jan 28, 2028
Returns: Feb 15, 2028
Ports of call: 4
Days at sea: 9

Voyage code BO280128

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Itinerary

Day 1 Jan 28, 2028 Ushuaia, Argentina Departs 18:30 Ushuaia, capital of Tierra del Fuego and the province’s main tourist hub, is located at the southern end of Isla Grande. Boasting a spectacular location, sandwiched between the mountains – including Cerro Martial and Mount Olivia – and the sea, Ushuaia extends down the hill towards the arm of land that surrounds the Bay, where the ship will stop during your MSC WorldCruise. The city is protected from the icy Southwest winds and occasional storms that occur in the Beagle Channel. Interesting excursions include the small islands in the middle of the channel in front of the city, with their colonies of seabirds, and the nearby Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego. Ushuaia is the most populous and popular city in Tierra del Fuego, and depends largely on the thriving tourism industry, which capitalises on the beauty of the area’s natural landscapes. Overlooking the sea is the Antigua Casa de Gobierno, a late-20th century building that was originally the Governor's mansion before being used by the local government and then as a police station. It has been restored so as to return it to its original use, so you can get an idea of how the rich lived in Ushuaia at the dawn of the city. The Fin del Mundo Museum houses exhibitions that focus on the region’s history and wildlife, as well as the polychrome figurehead of the Duchess of Albany, an English ship wrecked on the eastern end of the island in 1883. The Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, 12 km west of Ushuaia, is 630 sq. km of rugged mountains, sinuous lakes, southern beech forests, marshy bogs, sub-Antarctic tundra and lush coasts. It extends along the border with Chile, from the Beagle Channel to Sierra Inju-Goiyin, north of the huge Lake Fagnano, which you can also visit on an MSC Cruise day trip, combined with Lake Escondido. This is just one of the fantastic destinations of our cruise around the world: MSC World Cruise 2020! Ushuaia, Argentina Ushuaia, Argentina port guide Search cruises visiting Ushuaia, Argentina

Day 3 Jan 30, 2028 New Island, Chile Remote and raw, New Island lies to the west of the Falkland Islands, and the humble human population here is far outweighed by the extraordinary birdlife that resides along its craggy coastline. Out in the tempestuous wilds of the South Atlantic Ocean, the island is a sanctuary of animal life - with crowds of rockhopper penguins, wrinkled seals and stern-looking albatross among its many residents. The penguins of the Falklands are a sight to see, fooling and falling on the beaches, before diving in and whipping through the waters. View less Home to five different species, including king penguins - who strut with their orange collars glowing against the pure white feathers of their chests. Sea lions, seals and elephant seals bark and lumber along the shoreline, while sleek orcas patrol and Peale’s dolphins cut through the waves. Settlement Rookery’s cliffs rattle with the sounds of crashing sea waves, and the echoing shouts of hollering black-browed albatross, king cormorants and rockhopper penguins. Enjoy gorgeous sweeping landscapes, littered with shipwrecks and sprinkles of colourful wildflowers. A warm welcome is guaranteed, especially when the local custom of smoko is served up – towering platters of cakes and biscuits with tea and coffee. Things haven’t always been so peaceful here, however, and you can pay a visit to the battlefields and memorials of the costly war in 1982, when the British and Argentinians clashed fiercely over these islands. New Island, Chile

Day 7 Feb 3, 2028 South Georgia Islands, Antarctica South Georgia may include the following experiences. The exact itinerary is subject to permissions, weather, ice conditions and time available. The daily program will be determined by the Expedition Team and is subject to site availability. Cooper Bay, South Georgia A wealth of wildlife and awe-inspiring scenery reward those who visit Cooper Bay, a hidden gem awaiting discovery at the southeastern-most extremity of South Georgia. Four species of penguins nest and breed at Cooper Bay, including the island’s largest chinstrap penguin colony, together with colonies of macaroni and gentoo penguins and a small number of king penguins. While macaroni penguins are the most abundant species on South Georgia, with numbers estimated at ten million, they are usually extremely hard to find. Elsewhere, they nest on inaccessibly high cliffs and steep rocky slopes, making Cooper Bay one of the few easily accessible locations. Giant petrels and both light-mantled and sooty albatrosses find safe nesting sites among the waist-high tussock grass that covers the steep slopes above the bay. Masses of fur seals swarm the beaches and are often seen playing in the kelp beds offshore. Cooper Bay was named after Robert Cooper, First Lieutenant of James Cook’s ship HMS Resolution that visited here in 1775. Drygalski Fjord, South Georgia Drygalski Fjord is one of the most scenic areas of South Georgia, and also one of the windiest. Its narrow, two-and-a-half mile (4 km) waterway is bordered by steep-sided rock walls crowned by spectacular snow-covered peaks rising to over a 3,200’ (1,000 m). At the head of the fjord looms the mass of the Risting Glacier. The sharply pointed ice pinnacles and deep blue crevasses of its massive face occasionally send huge blocks of ice thundering into the water. Despite its impressive and seemingly inhospitable appearance, Drygalski Fjord supports a surprising amount of wildlife. This is the main breeding area in South Georgia for snow petrels. Blue-eyed shags, Wilson’s storm petrels, and Antarctic terns are common visitors, and the fjord is also the northernmost recorded breeding site for Weddell seals. The fjord was named to honor Professor Eric Von Drygalski, leader of the First German Antarctic Expedition of 1901-03. Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Scenic Fortuna Bay offers both prolific wildlife viewing and a magnificent panorama from its beach of jagged summit peaks and the impressive expanse of the Konig Glacier. Named after the first whale-catcher to operate here in the early 1900s, Fortuna Bay was used by early explorers and sealers long before the establishment of whaling stations on South Georgia. It boasts a large population of elephant and fur seals along its mile-and-a-half (2km) long pebble beach. Seal pups congregate here in huge numbers. The curious pups run to and fro, playing frisky games and exploring the world around them, resembling a chaotic animal kindergarten. The bay also supports a colony of several thousand photogenic king penguins, the largest on South Georgia. The best-known human history of Fortuna Bay comes from the tribulations of Sir Ernest Shackleton. It was here that he and his companions descended to the bay in 1916, after a treacherous crossing of the island’s ice cap, to reach their rescuers at the Stromness Whaling Station. Gold Harbour, South Georgia Gold Harbour, its small, crescent cove framed by the glacier-covered peaks of the Salvesen Range, is regarded as one of the most beautiful areas in all of South Georgia. The prominent icefall of the Betrab Glacier hangs dramatically from the cliffs above, from time to time releasing a large ice block to fall thundering into the sea. The highlight of a visit to Gold Harbour is the large colony of king penguins that covers the length of the beach. Raucous penguin calls fill the air with never-ending whistles and chatters as fluffy penguin chicks roam the beach in search of their parents. A small gentoo penguin colony has tucked itself in amongst the grass nearby. Massive elephant seals, weighing thousands of pounds, lounge at the water’s edge, while leopard seals lurk off the beach in hopes of a careless penguin. Above, light-mantled albatrosses glide along the cliff faces as giant petrels hover over the colony. Grytviken, South Georgia Tucked in at the head of King Edward Cove and encircled by steep rugged mountains is the capital of South Georgia, Grytviken. It was established by the Norwegian captain Carl Larsen in 1904 as the island’s first land-based whaling station, and its name literally means “Pot Bay” for the number of seal- oil try-pots left here by early sealers. Over 300 people lived in Grytviken during its busiest years. Nowadays it resembles a ghost town strewn with the remnants of rusty oil tanks, oil processing plants and the skeletons of derelict whaling vessels. The house of the station manager has been restored to become the South Georgia Museum. The Lutheran church and the white crosses of the cemetery are restored to their former state and stand in stark contrast to the verdant green peaks above. A monument marks the grave of the heroic British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, affectionately known by his men as ‘the boss.’ Grytviken also has its own post office, selling unique South Georgia stamps, while across the cove is the British Scientific Station at King Edward Point. Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Salisbury Plain is a stunningly beautiful place to visit. It was deposited by retreating glaciers along the shore of the Bay of Isles, and resembles an open stage rimmed by a towering amphitheater of snow-capped mountains. Its name first appeared on British Admiralty charts in 1930 and likely refers to the similarly named feature back in England. Salisbury Plain is home to the second largest king penguin colony on the island. It is immense in size and overwhelming in numbers, with over 250,000 birds nesting, breeding, and molting on its shores. Penguins are everywhere, dotting the beach and covering the adjacent hillsides. A cacophony of trumpeting and chirping adult penguins and whistling chicks fills the air against a rhythmic backdrop of the surf crashing on the beach. One of South Georgia’s largest elephant seal populations also comes to haul out along this 1.8 mile (3 km) long pebble beach. Fur seals are here in great abundance, hustling between penguin congregations and clusters of massive elephant seals in a scene of controlled biological chaos! South Georgia Remote and forbidding South Georgia, the most rugged of all sub-Antarctic islands, digests the fury of the stormy Southern Seas. The island’s dramatic glacier-covered mountains rise sharply and are crowned by Mount Paget at 6,900’ (2935m). Some 50 percent of South Georgia is permanently covered by glaciers, nourished by the proximity of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The cold, surrounding seas in this area the most nutrient-rich on earth, and make South Georgia a mecca for wildlife. Amidst the vastness of the Southern Ocean, it is a place of pilgrimage for penguins: a place to feed, to breed, and to rear young. Over 250,000 king penguins return to South Georgia annually, transforming its bays and beaches into a mosaic of motion and sound. Several other species of penguins, along with skuas, petrels, albatrosses, pipits and other birds nest along its shores. A few million fur seals hustle about like playful puppies, and hundreds of thousands of elephant seals gather in haul-outs so unimaginably immense they must be seen to be believed. St Andrews Bay, South Georgia Few places on earth are as immensely grand as St Andrews Bay. This is a place of such sheer vast scale that it must be truly experienced to be believed. Its wave-battered, windswept beaches border a broad plain left behind by retreating glaciers, their white snouts clearly visible at the base of the mountains. The desolation left behind by the glaciers didn’t stay vacant for long. The void was filled by literally hundreds of thousands of king penguins, gathering in one of the largest colonies on earth. Take the time to climb onto the crest of the moraine view to the unforgettable sight of a sea of penguins standing shoulder to shoulder. One of the largest Elephant seals haul-outs on the island is also here. In the early summer months, the beach seems carpeted by animals, an ever-changing labyrinth of massive gray forms and shapes. They growl and grunt while the wails and whimpers of fur seals fill the air from afar. Stromness, South Georgia The name Stromness is tied in history books to one of the greatest human endeavors of adversity and hope ever recorded. It was here that Sir Ernest Shackleton and his companions arrived in 1916 after an arduous 36-hour crossing of the island, traversing uncharted ice caps and treacherous mountain terrain, and finally reached this remote outpost of civilization. Stromness Bay on the northern coast of South Georgia once housed a prominent whaling station. Established in 1907 as a site for a factory ship, it was enlarged in 1912 when the processing moved on shore. Buildings were constructed, and the population of the station dramatically increased. In 1961, it was abandoned to the mercy of the elements, and today the station’s ghostly appearance has given way to the forces of nature. Fur seals have reclaimed the bay and the occupy the ruins. Often, hundreds of fur seal pups only a few weeks old congregate on the beach and around the station, playing, fighting, hustling and running among the remnants of the abandoned equipment. South Georgia Islands, Antarctica

Day 8 Feb 4, 2028 South Georgia Islands, Antarctica South Georgia may include the following experiences. The exact itinerary is subject to permissions, weather, ice conditions and time available. The daily program will be determined by the Expedition Team and is subject to site availability. Cooper Bay, South Georgia A wealth of wildlife and awe-inspiring scenery reward those who visit Cooper Bay, a hidden gem awaiting discovery at the southeastern-most extremity of South Georgia. Four species of penguins nest and breed at Cooper Bay, including the island’s largest chinstrap penguin colony, together with colonies of macaroni and gentoo penguins and a small number of king penguins. While macaroni penguins are the most abundant species on South Georgia, with numbers estimated at ten million, they are usually extremely hard to find. Elsewhere, they nest on inaccessibly high cliffs and steep rocky slopes, making Cooper Bay one of the few easily accessible locations. Giant petrels and both light-mantled and sooty albatrosses find safe nesting sites among the waist-high tussock grass that covers the steep slopes above the bay. Masses of fur seals swarm the beaches and are often seen playing in the kelp beds offshore. Cooper Bay was named after Robert Cooper, First Lieutenant of James Cook’s ship HMS Resolution that visited here in 1775. Drygalski Fjord, South Georgia Drygalski Fjord is one of the most scenic areas of South Georgia, and also one of the windiest. Its narrow, two-and-a-half mile (4 km) waterway is bordered by steep-sided rock walls crowned by spectacular snow-covered peaks rising to over a 3,200’ (1,000 m). At the head of the fjord looms the mass of the Risting Glacier. The sharply pointed ice pinnacles and deep blue crevasses of its massive face occasionally send huge blocks of ice thundering into the water. Despite its impressive and seemingly inhospitable appearance, Drygalski Fjord supports a surprising amount of wildlife. This is the main breeding area in South Georgia for snow petrels. Blue-eyed shags, Wilson’s storm petrels, and Antarctic terns are common visitors, and the fjord is also the northernmost recorded breeding site for Weddell seals. The fjord was named to honor Professor Eric Von Drygalski, leader of the First German Antarctic Expedition of 1901-03. Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Scenic Fortuna Bay offers both prolific wildlife viewing and a magnificent panorama from its beach of jagged summit peaks and the impressive expanse of the Konig Glacier. Named after the first whale-catcher to operate here in the early 1900s, Fortuna Bay was used by early explorers and sealers long before the establishment of whaling stations on South Georgia. It boasts a large population of elephant and fur seals along its mile-and-a-half (2km) long pebble beach. Seal pups congregate here in huge numbers. The curious pups run to and fro, playing frisky games and exploring the world around them, resembling a chaotic animal kindergarten. The bay also supports a colony of several thousand photogenic king penguins, the largest on South Georgia. The best-known human history of Fortuna Bay comes from the tribulations of Sir Ernest Shackleton. It was here that he and his companions descended to the bay in 1916, after a treacherous crossing of the island’s ice cap, to reach their rescuers at the Stromness Whaling Station. Gold Harbour, South Georgia Gold Harbour, its small, crescent cove framed by the glacier-covered peaks of the Salvesen Range, is regarded as one of the most beautiful areas in all of South Georgia. The prominent icefall of the Betrab Glacier hangs dramatically from the cliffs above, from time to time releasing a large ice block to fall thundering into the sea. The highlight of a visit to Gold Harbour is the large colony of king penguins that covers the length of the beach. Raucous penguin calls fill the air with never-ending whistles and chatters as fluffy penguin chicks roam the beach in search of their parents. A small gentoo penguin colony has tucked itself in amongst the grass nearby. Massive elephant seals, weighing thousands of pounds, lounge at the water’s edge, while leopard seals lurk off the beach in hopes of a careless penguin. Above, light-mantled albatrosses glide along the cliff faces as giant petrels hover over the colony. Grytviken, South Georgia Tucked in at the head of King Edward Cove and encircled by steep rugged mountains is the capital of South Georgia, Grytviken. It was established by the Norwegian captain Carl Larsen in 1904 as the island’s first land-based whaling station, and its name literally means “Pot Bay” for the number of seal- oil try-pots left here by early sealers. Over 300 people lived in Grytviken during its busiest years. Nowadays it resembles a ghost town strewn with the remnants of rusty oil tanks, oil processing plants and the skeletons of derelict whaling vessels. The house of the station manager has been restored to become the South Georgia Museum. The Lutheran church and the white crosses of the cemetery are restored to their former state and stand in stark contrast to the verdant green peaks above. A monument marks the grave of the heroic British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, affectionately known by his men as ‘the boss.’ Grytviken also has its own post office, selling unique South Georgia stamps, while across the cove is the British Scientific Station at King Edward Point. Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Salisbury Plain is a stunningly beautiful place to visit. It was deposited by retreating glaciers along the shore of the Bay of Isles, and resembles an open stage rimmed by a towering amphitheater of snow-capped mountains. Its name first appeared on British Admiralty charts in 1930 and likely refers to the similarly named feature back in England. Salisbury Plain is home to the second largest king penguin colony on the island. It is immense in size and overwhelming in numbers, with over 250,000 birds nesting, breeding, and molting on its shores. Penguins are everywhere, dotting the beach and covering the adjacent hillsides. A cacophony of trumpeting and chirping adult penguins and whistling chicks fills the air against a rhythmic backdrop of the surf crashing on the beach. One of South Georgia’s largest elephant seal populations also comes to haul out along this 1.8 mile (3 km) long pebble beach. Fur seals are here in great abundance, hustling between penguin congregations and clusters of massive elephant seals in a scene of controlled biological chaos! South Georgia Remote and forbidding South Georgia, the most rugged of all sub-Antarctic islands, digests the fury of the stormy Southern Seas. The island’s dramatic glacier-covered mountains rise sharply and are crowned by Mount Paget at 6,900’ (2935m). Some 50 percent of South Georgia is permanently covered by glaciers, nourished by the proximity of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The cold, surrounding seas in this area the most nutrient-rich on earth, and make South Georgia a mecca for wildlife. Amidst the vastness of the Southern Ocean, it is a place of pilgrimage for penguins: a place to feed, to breed, and to rear young. Over 250,000 king penguins return to South Georgia annually, transforming its bays and beaches into a mosaic of motion and sound. Several other species of penguins, along with skuas, petrels, albatrosses, pipits and other birds nest along its shores. A few million fur seals hustle about like playful puppies, and hundreds of thousands of elephant seals gather in haul-outs so unimaginably immense they must be seen to be believed. St Andrews Bay, South Georgia Few places on earth are as immensely grand as St Andrews Bay. This is a place of such sheer vast scale that it must be truly experienced to be believed. Its wave-battered, windswept beaches border a broad plain left behind by retreating glaciers, their white snouts clearly visible at the base of the mountains. The desolation left behind by the glaciers didn’t stay vacant for long. The void was filled by literally hundreds of thousands of king penguins, gathering in one of the largest colonies on earth. Take the time to climb onto the crest of the moraine view to the unforgettable sight of a sea of penguins standing shoulder to shoulder. One of the largest Elephant seals haul-outs on the island is also here. In the early summer months, the beach seems carpeted by animals, an ever-changing labyrinth of massive gray forms and shapes. They growl and grunt while the wails and whimpers of fur seals fill the air from afar. Stromness, South Georgia The name Stromness is tied in history books to one of the greatest human endeavors of adversity and hope ever recorded. It was here that Sir Ernest Shackleton and his companions arrived in 1916 after an arduous 36-hour crossing of the island, traversing uncharted ice caps and treacherous mountain terrain, and finally reached this remote outpost of civilization. Stromness Bay on the northern coast of South Georgia once housed a prominent whaling station. Established in 1907 as a site for a factory ship, it was enlarged in 1912 when the processing moved on shore. Buildings were constructed, and the population of the station dramatically increased. In 1961, it was abandoned to the mercy of the elements, and today the station’s ghostly appearance has given way to the forces of nature. Fur seals have reclaimed the bay and the occupy the ruins. Often, hundreds of fur seal pups only a few weeks old congregate on the beach and around the station, playing, fighting, hustling and running among the remnants of the abandoned equipment. South Georgia Islands, Antarctica

Day 9 Feb 5, 2028 South Georgia Islands, Antarctica South Georgia may include the following experiences. The exact itinerary is subject to permissions, weather, ice conditions and time available. The daily program will be determined by the Expedition Team and is subject to site availability. Cooper Bay, South Georgia A wealth of wildlife and awe-inspiring scenery reward those who visit Cooper Bay, a hidden gem awaiting discovery at the southeastern-most extremity of South Georgia. Four species of penguins nest and breed at Cooper Bay, including the island’s largest chinstrap penguin colony, together with colonies of macaroni and gentoo penguins and a small number of king penguins. While macaroni penguins are the most abundant species on South Georgia, with numbers estimated at ten million, they are usually extremely hard to find. Elsewhere, they nest on inaccessibly high cliffs and steep rocky slopes, making Cooper Bay one of the few easily accessible locations. Giant petrels and both light-mantled and sooty albatrosses find safe nesting sites among the waist-high tussock grass that covers the steep slopes above the bay. Masses of fur seals swarm the beaches and are often seen playing in the kelp beds offshore. Cooper Bay was named after Robert Cooper, First Lieutenant of James Cook’s ship HMS Resolution that visited here in 1775. Drygalski Fjord, South Georgia Drygalski Fjord is one of the most scenic areas of South Georgia, and also one of the windiest. Its narrow, two-and-a-half mile (4 km) waterway is bordered by steep-sided rock walls crowned by spectacular snow-covered peaks rising to over a 3,200’ (1,000 m). At the head of the fjord looms the mass of the Risting Glacier. The sharply pointed ice pinnacles and deep blue crevasses of its massive face occasionally send huge blocks of ice thundering into the water. Despite its impressive and seemingly inhospitable appearance, Drygalski Fjord supports a surprising amount of wildlife. This is the main breeding area in South Georgia for snow petrels. Blue-eyed shags, Wilson’s storm petrels, and Antarctic terns are common visitors, and the fjord is also the northernmost recorded breeding site for Weddell seals. The fjord was named to honor Professor Eric Von Drygalski, leader of the First German Antarctic Expedition of 1901-03. Fortuna Bay, South Georgia Scenic Fortuna Bay offers both prolific wildlife viewing and a magnificent panorama from its beach of jagged summit peaks and the impressive expanse of the Konig Glacier. Named after the first whale-catcher to operate here in the early 1900s, Fortuna Bay was used by early explorers and sealers long before the establishment of whaling stations on South Georgia. It boasts a large population of elephant and fur seals along its mile-and-a-half (2km) long pebble beach. Seal pups congregate here in huge numbers. The curious pups run to and fro, playing frisky games and exploring the world around them, resembling a chaotic animal kindergarten. The bay also supports a colony of several thousand photogenic king penguins, the largest on South Georgia. The best-known human history of Fortuna Bay comes from the tribulations of Sir Ernest Shackleton. It was here that he and his companions descended to the bay in 1916, after a treacherous crossing of the island’s ice cap, to reach their rescuers at the Stromness Whaling Station. Gold Harbour, South Georgia Gold Harbour, its small, crescent cove framed by the glacier-covered peaks of the Salvesen Range, is regarded as one of the most beautiful areas in all of South Georgia. The prominent icefall of the Betrab Glacier hangs dramatically from the cliffs above, from time to time releasing a large ice block to fall thundering into the sea. The highlight of a visit to Gold Harbour is the large colony of king penguins that covers the length of the beach. Raucous penguin calls fill the air with never-ending whistles and chatters as fluffy penguin chicks roam the beach in search of their parents. A small gentoo penguin colony has tucked itself in amongst the grass nearby. Massive elephant seals, weighing thousands of pounds, lounge at the water’s edge, while leopard seals lurk off the beach in hopes of a careless penguin. Above, light-mantled albatrosses glide along the cliff faces as giant petrels hover over the colony. Grytviken, South Georgia Tucked in at the head of King Edward Cove and encircled by steep rugged mountains is the capital of South Georgia, Grytviken. It was established by the Norwegian captain Carl Larsen in 1904 as the island’s first land-based whaling station, and its name literally means “Pot Bay” for the number of seal- oil try-pots left here by early sealers. Over 300 people lived in Grytviken during its busiest years. Nowadays it resembles a ghost town strewn with the remnants of rusty oil tanks, oil processing plants and the skeletons of derelict whaling vessels. The house of the station manager has been restored to become the South Georgia Museum. The Lutheran church and the white crosses of the cemetery are restored to their former state and stand in stark contrast to the verdant green peaks above. A monument marks the grave of the heroic British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, affectionately known by his men as ‘the boss.’ Grytviken also has its own post office, selling unique South Georgia stamps, while across the cove is the British Scientific Station at King Edward Point. Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Salisbury Plain is a stunningly beautiful place to visit. It was deposited by retreating glaciers along the shore of the Bay of Isles, and resembles an open stage rimmed by a towering amphitheater of snow-capped mountains. Its name first appeared on British Admiralty charts in 1930 and likely refers to the similarly named feature back in England. Salisbury Plain is home to the second largest king penguin colony on the island. It is immense in size and overwhelming in numbers, with over 250,000 birds nesting, breeding, and molting on its shores. Penguins are everywhere, dotting the beach and covering the adjacent hillsides. A cacophony of trumpeting and chirping adult penguins and whistling chicks fills the air against a rhythmic backdrop of the surf crashing on the beach. One of South Georgia’s largest elephant seal populations also comes to haul out along this 1.8 mile (3 km) long pebble beach. Fur seals are here in great abundance, hustling between penguin congregations and clusters of massive elephant seals in a scene of controlled biological chaos! South Georgia Remote and forbidding South Georgia, the most rugged of all sub-Antarctic islands, digests the fury of the stormy Southern Seas. The island’s dramatic glacier-covered mountains rise sharply and are crowned by Mount Paget at 6,900’ (2935m). Some 50 percent of South Georgia is permanently covered by glaciers, nourished by the proximity of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The cold, surrounding seas in this area the most nutrient-rich on earth, and make South Georgia a mecca for wildlife. Amidst the vastness of the Southern Ocean, it is a place of pilgrimage for penguins: a place to feed, to breed, and to rear young. Over 250,000 king penguins return to South Georgia annually, transforming its bays and beaches into a mosaic of motion and sound. Several other species of penguins, along with skuas, petrels, albatrosses, pipits and other birds nest along its shores. A few million fur seals hustle about like playful puppies, and hundreds of thousands of elephant seals gather in haul-outs so unimaginably immense they must be seen to be believed. St Andrews Bay, South Georgia Few places on earth are as immensely grand as St Andrews Bay. This is a place of such sheer vast scale that it must be truly experienced to be believed. Its wave-battered, windswept beaches border a broad plain left behind by retreating glaciers, their white snouts clearly visible at the base of the mountains. The desolation left behind by the glaciers didn’t stay vacant for long. The void was filled by literally hundreds of thousands of king penguins, gathering in one of the largest colonies on earth. Take the time to climb onto the crest of the moraine view to the unforgettable sight of a sea of penguins standing shoulder to shoulder. One of the largest Elephant seals haul-outs on the island is also here. In the early summer months, the beach seems carpeted by animals, an ever-changing labyrinth of massive gray forms and shapes. They growl and grunt while the wails and whimpers of fur seals fill the air from afar. Stromness, South Georgia The name Stromness is tied in history books to one of the greatest human endeavors of adversity and hope ever recorded. It was here that Sir Ernest Shackleton and his companions arrived in 1916 after an arduous 36-hour crossing of the island, traversing uncharted ice caps and treacherous mountain terrain, and finally reached this remote outpost of civilization. Stromness Bay on the northern coast of South Georgia once housed a prominent whaling station. Established in 1907 as a site for a factory ship, it was enlarged in 1912 when the processing moved on shore. Buildings were constructed, and the population of the station dramatically increased. In 1961, it was abandoned to the mercy of the elements, and today the station’s ghostly appearance has given way to the forces of nature. Fur seals have reclaimed the bay and the occupy the ruins. Often, hundreds of fur seal pups only a few weeks old congregate on the beach and around the station, playing, fighting, hustling and running among the remnants of the abandoned equipment. South Georgia Islands, Antarctica

Antarctica photo — Day 12 Feb 8, 2028 Antarctica The Antarctic Peninsula unravels upwards towards South America, reaching out a beckoning finger to the adventurous, who dare to explore this untamed realm. Stretching up from the heart of the world’s southernmost continent, the Antarctic Peninsula lies a mere 620 mile from Tierra del Fuego and, for many, offers a spectacular first taste of the snow-blanketed landscapes and colossal ice sculptures, which make up Earth’s least-explored continent. Unseen by humans until 1820 - a blink of an eye ago in relative terms - this is an adventure sure to make your hairs stand on end, as you experience the thrill of the truly unknown and extraordinary. The vast peninsula is sprinkled with research bases, which are at the frontline of human scientific endeavour, pushing to study and understand this unique landscape, its exceptional wildlife, and the impact that humans are having on this pristine continent. Witness cathedral-sized icebergs up close, and blue-hued glaciers, slowly slipping from imposing locations like Hope Bay. Blanched mountain peaks cover the peninsula, and you’ll find thousands of adorable Adelie penguin pairs thriving undisturbed in this peninsula’s unique setting. Antarctica Antarctica port guide Search cruises visiting Antarctica

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Show all 32 cabin grades

Cabin grades and pricing
Name	Supplier code	Type
Prestige Deck 4	1	Balcony
Prestige Deck 5	2	Balcony
Prestige Deck 6	3	Balcony
Alizés Stateroom with balcony	A	Balcony
Alizés Prestige Stateroom with balcony	AP	Balcony
Deluxe Stateroom	D	Balcony
Superior Stateroom	6	Oceanview
Mistral Stateroom	M	Oceanview
Mistral Prestige Stateroom	MP	Oceanview
Prestige Deck 5 Suite	10	Suite
Prestige Deck 6 Suite	11	Suite
Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6	12	Suite
Privilege Suite Deck 6	13	Suite
Prestige Deck 5 Suite	4	Suite
Prestige Deck 6 Suite	5	Suite
Deluxe Suite Deck 6	7	Suite
Privilege Suite Deck 5	8	Suite
Privilege Suite Deck 6	9	Suite
Alizés Privilege Suite with balcony	APS	Suite
Deluxe Suite	DS	Suite
Deluxe Suite Deck 6	DS6	Suite
Deluxe Suite Deck 7	DS7	Suite
Deluxe Suite Deck 8	DS8	Suite
Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6	GDS	Suite
Grand Privilège Alizés Suite with balcony	GPAS	Suite
Grand Privilege Suite	GPS	Suite
Grand Prestige Suite on Deck 6	GPS6	Suite
Grand Suite GS – Deck 8	GS	Suite
Mistral Junior Suite	MJ	Suite
Mistral Prestige Suite	MPS	Suite
Owner's Suite	OS	Suite
Privilège Suite Deck 6	PS	Suite