Norwegian Epic Makes her Debut

No sooner had Norwegian Cruise Line’s new 4,200-passenger Norwegian Epic left the shipyard at St Nazaire, where she had become the largest ship ever built by that yard, than rumours started to circulate that Bernard Meyer of the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg was on board discussing with NCL executives what the design of future NCL ships might be. Simultaneously, NCL chief executive Kevin Sheehan announced that no more F3 class ships such as Norwegian Epic would be built. She will thus become a once-only ship with no sister ships. 

The acrimony that resulted from the dispute between NCL and the French shipyard now known as STX (earlier Akers) will probably also mean that STX is unlikely to build any more NCL ships and that Meyer Werft, who have built the majority of the NCL “Freestyle Cruising” fleet may well see NCL’s next order.

This would follow Regent Seven Seas, who left the French yard after difficulties with Seven Seas Mariner to order Seven Seas Voyager from the Mariotti yard in Italy. One of the things Regent got from this was single corridors on the Voyager compared to double corridors on the Mariner, which Regent did not really want because of its large stateroom and particularly bathroom sizes.

Meanwhile, as Norwegian Epic crosses from Southampton to New York, initial reports from journalists and travel agents who have seen the ship report on her many entertainment venues and their quality. We shall wait to hear the full story when she arrives in New York, where she is due to be christened.

LiveJournal Tags: Norwegian Epic

Slow Boat to China

NSB’s PSX Service includes five ships – MS/MV HANJIN BOSTON, MS/MV HANJIN BALTIMORE, MS/MV HANJIN DALLAS, MS/MV HANJIN MIAMI, and MS/MV HANJIN YANTIAN.
This service is now sailing slower to try to conserve fuel and the round trip is now approximately 42 days.
Itinerary and approximately schedule follows:

Port                   Days

Long Beach    -    0
Oakland         -    3
Seattle           -    5
Pusan            -  19
Yantian          -  23
Kaohsiung      -  25
Shanghai        -  27
Kwangyang    -  29
Pusan            -  31
Long Beach   -  42

These voyages are quite reasonably priced starting from EURO 85 per day plus port charges/fees and deviation insurance.

Warning to Canadians – Immigration in Seattle has been known to demand a visa as well as a passport from Canadians even though it is not really required so don’t be surprised if you are asked to obtain a visa if sailing to/from west coast US ports.

Companions Go at Half Price on Hurtigruten’s Norwegian Coastal Voyage

The North Cape beckons, the oft-lauded fjords await, the midnight sun lights the way around the clock, and Hurtigruten makes it easier to take in all these Norway treats (and many more) this summer with a 50% off the companion fare special running through Sept. 13, 2010. Passengers, able to choose from more than 100 departures of the Norwegian Coastal Voyage six-, seven- or 12-day sailings, take in Norway’s spectacular fjord-filled, 1,250-mile west coast between the charming Hanseatic port of Bergen and Kirkenes, close to the Russian border. Booking deadline is August 31; combinable offers include AARP on board cabin credit of up to $100 and 10% savings for passengers who sailed on any Hurtigruten ship in the past three years.
National Geographic Traveler magazine has placed the Norwegian fjords, a highlight of Hurtigruten’s Coastal Voyage, at the top of its list of the world’s most celebrated and iconic travel destinations – based on its survey done with the National Geographic Center for Sustainable destinations. Besides seeing many of these celebrated fjords, Hurtigruten passengers get to visit an eclectic array of ports (34 in all), including Trondheim, one of the country’s oldest cities and a thriving university town; Tromso, Europe’s largest town above the Arctic circle; the Lofoten archipelago, with peaked mountains and villages filled with rust-red fishermen’s cabins; and Alesund, destroyed by fire in 1904 and completely rebuilt in the Art Nouveau style.
Shore excursions range from touring to active explorations: the North Cape, sitting 1,000 feet above the churning Barents Sea and offering a top-of-the-world vista; a riverboat safari in Kirkenes; a visit to the UNESCO islands of Vega, where eider ducks are kept as pets; taking in the beauty of the Geirangerfjord, also a UNESCO site; a RIB safari to Saltstraumen to witness the world’s most powerful tidal current; an exploration of Lapland; and a Lofotr Viking Feast with traditional foods, singing and dancing; to name a few. Excursions can be booked before departure – 5% discount when pre-booking three or more (six or more on 12-day sailings).
Hurtigruten is a world leader in expedition cruising, sailing to the most remote of destinations including Antarctica, Greenland and the Arctic’s Spitsbergen as well as year round along Norway’s coast. Additional information on all of these adventures, as well as brochures and reservations, can be obtained from  The Cruise People 1.800.961.5536.

Holland – Great Lakes Freighter

Image via Wikipedia

Have a cancellation for a September sailing of PZM (Polish Ocean) from Holland to Burns Harbor (near Chicago) – single cabin.

Voyage lasts 16 – 21 days and includes passage through the St. Lawrence River, St. Lawrence Seaway, Welland Canal and Lakes Ontario, Erie and Michigan.

Must return the space to the supplier this week so let us know if you are interested a.s.a.p.

Fare including port taxes/fees and deviation insurance = $1935 U.S.

Edward Van Zaane Named Captain of NIEUW AMSTERDAM

 

Captain Edward G. van Zaane will be master of Holland America Line’s newest ship, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, currently under construction at Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. The 29-year Holland America Line veteran brought ms Amsterdam into service in 2001 and served at her helm on the line’s Grand World Voyages for nine years. He recently arrived at the shipyard in Marghera, Italy to oversee the completion of the ship including the arrival and training of crew, testing various ship’s systems and participating in sea trials.

“It’s invaluable to have an experienced seaman leading the introduction of the Nieuw Amsterdam,” said Stein Kruse, president and CEO of Holland America Line. “We are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our newest Signature-class ship and know that Captain van Zaane’s leadership will help ensure a successful launch and inaugural cruise season.”

“It’s a unique experience and the dream of any captain to bring out a new ship,” said Capt. van Zaane. “I’ve had the great fortune twice within 10 years, and I’m eagerly looking forward to launching this beautiful new vessel.”

Born in The Hague, Netherlands, Capt. van Zaane went to sea in 1977, first sailing in heavy-lift cargo ships and then a deep-sea research vessel before graduating with honours from the Maritime Academy in Den Helder, Netherlands.

He joined Holland America Line in 1981 as fourth officer in ms Statendam IV. Quickly working his way up the ranks, he served in many Holland America ships and was promoted to captain of Rotterdam V in 1994. Since then Capt. van Zaane has sailed on numerous grand and world voyages.

When not at sea, he resides in The Hague, Netherlands with his wife, actress and model Apollonia van Ravenstein.

Built at Fincantieri’s Marghera yard near Venice, Italy, the 2,106-passenger Nieuw Amsterdam — the 15th ship in Holland America’s fleet — will sail on maiden voyage July 4, 2010. After several 12-day Mediterranean cruises, Nieuw Amsterdam will embark on an autumn Atlantic crossing and will then sail seven-day eastern and western Caribbean itineraries from November through March of the next year. Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima of the Netherlands will christen the ship.

LiveJournal Tags: Capt. van Zaane,Nieuw Amsterdam

118 New Ships Since 2000 – Ship Sizes – The New Panama Canal

by Mark Tre’

The recent announcement by CLIA that 118 new cruise ships had been delivered since 2000 has led us to have a look at how the world cruise fleet is now made up and how it has changed in the last decade. The findings, along with progress now being made on a new Panama Canal, are rather interesting. Large ships, nay huge ships, have now become the norm. And like the trade of the world, the type of passenger attracted to each size of ship is surely quite different.

118 New Cruise Ships Since 2000
In January, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) published an interesting statistic. It said that 118 new cruise ships had been introduced to the world fleet since 2000. That is very close to one ship a month, every month, year round for a decade. While there has been a slowdown during the recession, orders are starting again and it is worthwhile to have a look at how this massive new fleet is composed. To do this, in order to give the fleet a different perspective, we are going to look at how the fleet is divided in the same terms used for cargo ships, working from the largest down.

The Capesize Ships
In cargo ship terms, Capesize ships are the next size up from Suezmax, the latter being ships that are too wide or deep for the Panama Canal but can still use the Suez. Capesize ships, however, always have to navigate via the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn. Length and beam are not a problem in the Suez Canal, but draught is limited to 62 feet.

As cruise ships carry passengers and not heavy cargoes, this is not a problem for them, as even RMS Queen Mary 2 has only a draught of 32 feet 10 inches, which means that there is really no such thing as a "Suezmax" cruise ship. In the container trades these ships tend to be known as "post-Panamax" (a Panamax ship can carry up to 5,000 twenty-foot equivalent containers while a post-Panamax can carry up to 12,000 (although there is also now a design for a 20,000-unit vessel).

Capesize cargo ships ten to carry large cargoes of low-value goods such as coal and iron ore, of ports they can serve is severely restricted by their size. The same is of course true of Capesize cruise ships that cannot enter many cruise ports because of their own size, but the huge advantage they offer is that they can bring down rates because of economies of scale. Indeed, the same applies to Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, which carry 6,000 passengers each but limit themselves to the same more on board activities such as ziplines and high diving and their ports, which they visit on a repetitive basis all the year round, feature things such as roller coaster rides and chair lifts. Despite the fact that they offer huge loft suites, these ships must cater to the mass market with their low unit costs in order to stay full.

Where Capesize cargo ships are typically above 150,000 tons deadweight, or about 100,000 gross tons measurement, Capesize cruise ships are of basically the same size, The first Capesize cruise ships were actually built in the 1930s, with the delivery of  Normandie for the French Lines and Cunard Line’s Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. These three North Atlantic express passenger ships were all too long and to wide to be able to use the Panama Canal, and were the largest ships to have been built to that time.

To-day’s Capesize cruise fleet thus numbers forty-seven ships either in service or on order. Starting with the 5,400 lower berth Oasis and Allure of the Seas, they work down through a quintet (the largest cruise ship order ever placed) of the 2,850-berth Celebrity Solstice class, a quartet of 3,100-passenger ships consisting of the Voyager of the Seas class, and three trios, the 3,600-passenger Freedom of the Seas class, 3,500-guest MSC Fantasia class and the 3,100-berth Carnival Dream class.

Then follow another pair, Disney Dream and sister, and the one-off 4,200-berth Norwegian Epic (which was to have been part of a pair until her sister ship was cancelled), to be introduced next week, and Queen Mary 2, another one-off, and one with a lot more space with only 2,620 lower berths. These ships are all above 1,000 feet in overall length and only one, Voyager of the Seas of 1999, was delivered before the year 2000.

To be added to these are twenty-two more. The eleven ships of the Carnival Conquest (six) and Costa Concordia (five) classes, all 952 by 116 feet in overall dimensions, are ten feet too wide for the present Panama Canal. Eleven more ships, of the Grand Princess class, including P&O’s Azura and Ventura, all 951 x 118 feet, also fall into this category. These twenty-two Carnival Corp & PLC ships were built to a short and stout design that precludes them from passing through the present Panama Canal, and they are all products of the Fincantieri shipyards in Italy. Only one of this lot, Grand Princess of 1998, was delivered before the year 2000.

So of the 118 cruise ships delivered since 2000 sixty-seven, or more than half, are too big to transit the Panama Canal.

The Panamax Ships
The next category down is Panamax, which is the maximum size ship that can use the Panama Canal (although new locks are due to open in 2015). Cargoes carried by Panamax ships are generally a little higher value and include grain, steel and minerals as well as thermal coal and iron ore. And Panamax cruise ships are more likely to feature alternative restaurants and big shows than ziplines and roller coasters. In fact, many offer more than just a repetitive 7-day itinerary and are more likely to be found on alternating 10-day circuits in the Mediterranean as just one example.
These ships have a maximum length overall of 965 feet and a beam of 106 feet and are able to squeeze through the present locks. This size is ideal for World Cruises as well, and can reposition easily between Alaska and the Caribbean. For example, where Queen Victoria and the new Queen Elizabeth can offer world cruises that transit both Panama and Suez, Queen Mary 2 is forced to sail all the way around the tip of South America to get from the Atlantic to the Pacific as she is too big for the Panama Canal.

The Panamax cruise fleet numbers eighty ships. Owners such as Norwegian Cruise Line (and its once-parent Star Cruises) made sure they did not build wider than Panamax and so this fleet includes half a dozen Meyer-built vessels of dimensions of 965 by 106 feet, while Celebrity Cruises has four St Nazaire-built ships of the same dimensions in the Celebrity Constellation class and Princess Cruises two St Nazaire-built ships of the Coral Princess class. To these can be added Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria, all of maximum Panamax dimensions.

Following closely behind are the four ships of the MSC Musica class, all just a foot shorter than Panamax, and the four Royal Caribbean ships of the Radiance of the Seas class, three feet shorter. Following at 960 feet are the four Carnival Spirit class and two ships each of the Costa Atlantica and Costa Luminosa classes. At 936 feet, or 29 feet short of Panamax are half a dozen Holland America ships, from the 2002-built Zuiderdam to this year’s Nieuw Amsterdam. Royal Caribbean’s five 915-foot "Vision" class ships (not including the now-lengthened Enchantment of the Seas) and the 921-foot Pride of America, complete the Panamax class above 900 feet.
Fully another forty ships follow at between 800 and 900 feet and Panamax beam, representing Carnival, Celebrity, Costa, NCL, P&O, TUI Cruises and at the lower end in terms of length, the ships of Aida Cruises (half a dozen at 817 feet), P&O Australia (three at 805-810 feet) and the Crystal Serenity at 820 feet.
There have been one or two exceptions to the maximum Panamax length of 965 feet. The laid-up s.s. United States, for example, was constructed in 1952 to be able to transit the Panama in an emergency, but her overall length is 990 feet. A couple of other ships to-day, the 990-foot Enchantment of the Seas, which was lengthened in 2005, gets around this as her bow was redesigned when she was lengthened to that it can be hinged up to bring her overall length down to 965 feet. The 970-foot Utopia, to be delivered in 2013, is the other.

The New Panama Canal
However ships may be classified today, the present Panamax definition will become redundant in five years when a third lane of locks is opened on the Panama. These new locks will allow ships of up to 1200 feet length overall by 167 feet in beam and up to 49.9 feet in draft to transit the canal. Essentially, this will allow most of the world cruise ship fleet to transit Panama.

There are sure to be some exceptions, however, as with the five largest units of the Royal Caribbean fleet their maximum width at the level of the bridge wings is 226 feet for the Oasis and Allure of the Seas and 184 feet for the Freedom class ships. This could leave the five Royal Caribbean ships as the last of the Capesize cruise ships, unable to use the new locks. How many other cruise ships might be affected is not yet clear.

 
Meanwhile, Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 may be able to conduct her world cruises using the Panama Canal after 2015, although that is not yet clear. One factor, that might also affect other cruise ships, is the height of the Bridge of the Americas at the Pacific end of the canal, which has a clearance under the main span of 201 feet at high tide. By comparison, the clearance under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge at the approach to New York is 228 feet, and Queen Mary 2 clears this bridge by only 13 feet.
This means she could be about fourteen feet too tall for the Panama Canal unless some height can be obtained from masts or her funnel, which was specifically designed to the maximum height to pass under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. By comparison the maximum height of the Queen Victoria is 179 feet from keel to top of the highest mast.

Handysize Ships
The next designation of cargo ships, called Handysize, carries all sorts of cargoes to and from ports all over the world, and again usually cargoes with higher values than either the Capesize or Panamax ships, including the likes of steel, project cargoes, copper, zinc and other valuable metals. Such ships are designed to maximum dimensions and maximum capacity to allow them to serve the vast majority of the world’s ports.

Within this grouping will be found all the traditional style cruise ships that we were used to until just a decade ago plus some new ships. Some examples of ships in this category, mostly ranging in the 600 and 700-foot overall length brackets, include the fleets of Azamara Cruises, Fred Olsen Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Phoenix Reisen, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, plus the most recent newbuildings of Seabourn and Silversea.

One point about all these fleets is that none of them do repetitive 7-day itineraries, which is the wont of the larger ships, and they offer itineraries worldwide that change according to the season, many of them never repeating an itinerary in a year.
A mixture of traditional and upmarket ships, the more traditional ones do not include many balconies but the newer middle-range ships such as the eight former Renaissance ships (now with Azamara, Oceania and Princess, with one to go to P&O soon as Adonia) offer a more discerning product. The new ships of Seabourn and Silversea, however, together with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Europa, serve the most discerning market of all with not only balconies but the best of on-board facilities.

These are indeed the finest cruise ships in the world, paying attention to every detail of service. They also cost more and attract a different clientele.

Small Ships
As well as the larger ships, there is a wide variety of small ships, ranging from the myriad of new river ships to the daily mail boat from Bergen to the North Cape to ships such as Cruise West’s Spirit of Oceanus, which now completes a globe-spanning world cruise of 335 days every year and a large fleet of expedition ships sailing to the Antarctic, the Amazon to Peru and the Northwest Passage, not to mention Alaska, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands.
But that, as they say, is another story for another day.

Some Cruise People, Ltd. Exclusive Offers

Brought to you by
The Cruise People, Ltd.
cruise@thecruisepeople.ca

12 Night Western Mediterranean Cruise in Azamara Quest

Starting At: $ 2949.00
Ship: Azamara Quest
Kotor is a true gem that can be found nestled on the sparkling Adriatic. There is something for everyone: museums, history, monuments, restaurants, medieval architecture, and ancient churches galore. Take in the sights at La Spezia, such as the historical gardens with their dazzling array of colours. It also boasts outstanding works in the Museo Amedeo Lia, featuring medieval and Renaissance art.

Singapore to Sydney

Sumptuous ocean-view suites and the luxurious freedom of an all-inclusive lifestyle. Exotic destinations, exclusive explorations, and uniquely enriching cultural connections. This is the secret allure of ocean travel. This is Silversea. $200 Shipboard Credit

13-Day Atlantic Coast Cruise

New this year: the wild beauty of Gaspé Peninsula, the traditions of the Innu nation at Sept-Îles, and a manmade glacier in Baie-Comeau, all in Quebec. $50 Shipboard Credit/Champagne/Strawberry/Photo/$50 Beverage Card

7-Day Eastern Caribbean Round-trip Miami

Sway to the rhythm of the tropics in lush surroundings among a colourfully diverse combo of cultural influences in the Eastern Caribbean. Prepaid gratuities & Dinner on us

One-time Turkish Cruise Ferry Involved in Gaza Deaths

Recntly Israeli commandos boarded a ship called Mavi Marmara (Blue Marmara) and under shipboard resistance to landings from helicopters ended up killing nine of the 400 Turkish passengers among the 581 on board. The ship was trying to break the Israeli embargo on shipments of aid and other items to Gaza as part of a "Free Gaza" peace flotilla. Some have argued that the attack by the Israeli Defence Force, which took place in International waters, was illegal.

While Israel named five suspected terrorists on board, others maintained that passengers were innocent activists and the arguments continue. The ship was seized by the Israelis and taken to Ashdod, from where the bodies and some 520 of the passengers were flown to Istanbul and others arrested.

The 1993-built Mavi Marmara had operated on routes between Istanbul and the Sea of Marmara but had been purchased by the Islamic IHH charity and registered in the Comoros Islands in May, just a few days before the attempt to break the Israeli embargo. Of the other five ships, one was Irish-registered, one each was American, Kiribati and Turkish and two were Greek-registered.
Meanwhile, Deniz Cruise & Ferry, the major Turkish owner involved in this trade, to-day operates not only ferry services around the Bosphorus but also cruises on the cruise ferries Ankara and Samsun. Since May 15,  Ankara, for example, has been operating 7-day Greek Islands cruises from Cesme, Turkey, to Piraeus, Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, Rhodes and Kos. This is in addition to Thomson Cruises’ new cruise operation from Marmaris with Thomson Celebration that began this spring.

This class of ship that Ankara and Samsun belong to has come into the news more recently as Kristina Cruises of Finland has purchased a sister ship, Kristina Katarina, which was built as Konstantin Simonov. Other ships in this series included Lev Tolstoy, Dimitry Shostakovich, Konstantin Chernenko, Mikhail Sholokov, Mikhail Suslov and Georg Ots.
Also from the same series, all of which came from the Polish shipbuilders Stocznia Szcecinska, is  Iskenderun of the Turkish Maritime Lines, making a fleet of ten such cruise ferries. One of this group, the original Konstantin Chernenko, became Russ, one of the first dedicated cruise ships to trade for Saga.

Deniz Cruise & Ferry is also known as a long-time operator of small cruise ships in the eastern Mediterranean, having chartered its original Ankara to Swan Hellenic Cruises as one of its first dedicated cruise ships.

The point of this story is really to show how close strife can occasionally come to the cruise shipping industry, especially in the eastern Mediterranean, where not that long ago cruise ships such as Aegean Pearl were used to evacuate Lebanese Canadians from Lebanon, just as an example. Ironically, that same cruise ship has now been purchased from Louis Cruises by Israeli operators.

Voyage to Antarctica… Exploring the End of the World

\"Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoary frost of Heaven, who hath gathered it? The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen." - Job 38:29

It is a land with little soil, where 96% of its mass is covered in ice, with no indigenous people, no indigenous government. No economic activity exists, except for that in small isolated encampments of scientists and from the incursion of tourism to the island continent.

Antarctica is a land of many superlatives. It is the driest place on earth, it is the coldest. Its land mass forms the largest desert on the planet. Its average precipitation is the lowest anywhere, and its mean elevation the highest of any other continent. It is the southernmost continent, its 14 million square miles almost entirely contained within the Antarctic circle, 620 miles south of the coast of South America. It is the windiest place on earth, the most remote. It has no time zone, since all time zones converge in its interior. There are no non-indigenous animals – no dogs, cats or other pets – as a matter of treaty. Over the continent, an atmospheric anomaly – a giant hole in the earth’s ozone layer.

The name Antarctica is derived from the Greek word antarktikos meaning "opposite to the Arctic." In 1959, a group of twelve countries devised the Antarctic Treaty – that document, now signed by forty-five countries, prohibits activities of a military nature or any commercial mining operations. Seven nations claim territories ( UK, Norway, Chile, France, Australia, Argentina and New Zealand) and two others, (the United States and Russia) have reserved the right to do so. The Antarctic treaty neither recognizes nor contests those claims. To-day, more than more than 4,500 scientists work there conducting research not possible anywhere else. The population tends to be seasonal, increasing to over 33,000 in its summer. In 2006, more than 28,000 tourists visited, carried there by the approximately 25 ships that have regular routes through the region.

Antarctica is the fifth largest continent, larger than both Australia and Europe. The Transantarctic Mountains split the continent in half. The ice pack averages a thickness of over one mile. Nearly 85% of the world’s ice and 75% of the world’s fresh water is frozen here – if it were to melt, ocean levels would rise approximately 200 feet; the Antarctic Peninsula has experienced an accelerated warming over the past 50 year of almost 5 degrees Fahrenheit, causing icepack and glacier melt and the appearance of plant life where none was previously recorded. Every visit to the continent will reflect its changing environment.

At one time, Antarctica was much further north. Fossils of trees, plant life and dinosaurs have been found, and large deposits of low-grade coal are present. Additionally, scientists have discovered more meteorites in concentration there than in any location in the world, many of which originated on Mars and have given tantalizing hints of life elsewhere in the solar system.

Most visits from travellers occur during the Antarctic summer from November to March, when there is typically 20 or more hours of sunlight each day. Sunglasses, hats and sunscreen are a must as more solar radiation hits the earth here than anywhere else – due to both the length of the day and the invisible, infamous hole in the ozone layer. During the summer, the coastal zone ice melts, making incursion by ice-hardened tourist vessels possible. The scenery is comprised of every shade of purple, blue, white and golden images and reflections against the water, which is filled with enormous icebergs. Winter visits by tourist ships are nearly impossible due to the shifting ice flows that can encapsulate a ship very quickly, stranding her in the pack ice that extends for more than 600 miles around the continent in the near total dark of the southern winter.

Antarctica is far from the lifeless void many perceive it to be. Summer is the mating season for penguins and the many species of seabirds. Fur seals and elephant seals breed here, and more than 200 species of lichens grow. The long days create spectacular lighting conditions for photography as the penguin chicks begin to hatch and the rookeries become a maddening cacophony of noise. As late summer approaches humpback, orca and minke whale are a common site. Antarctic expeditions offer some of the most unique and esteemed photography and wildlife viewing opportunities.

Most leisure expeditions to Antarctica originate in Ushuaia in Argentina or other South American ports in the Western hemisphere and either Hobart or Christchurch in the Eastern Hemisphere.

Interestingly, visiting requires no visas or other travel documents beyond the trip’s point of origin. It does, however require an eagerness for adventure, time (most journeys are fifteen days or more) and a budget within a wide range of $4,000 to $50,000, depending on the itinerary, tour company and ship accommodations.

Ships that visit range in size from small 20 person vessels to larger 900+ passenger cruise ships. Companies that bring tourists are almost uniformly conscientious of the ecological systems and maintain a rigorous respect for the environment. Visitors are inevitably accompanied by experienced naturalists that watch over both travelers and wildlife, ensuring that each keeps its appropriate distance from the other. Many such tour operators belong to an organization known as the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) that voluntarily restricts the number of persons who may land at any one time.

.

Inflatable boats known as Zodiacs provide much of the transportation for sightseeing as they shuttle from the ships, filled with travellers. Trips out in a Zodiac can be invigorating, rigorous and on most ships, completely optional for passengers. A few ships have on-board helicopters, allowing for visits to the interior. Biologists, ornithologists and experts in oceanography accompany many, if not all of the trips to enlighten and engage the passengers. Itineraries are well planned – and subject to change. Glaciers calving into the water, animal sightings, moving ice-flows, wind and water all conspire to keep everyone flexible and excited

Because of the small number of tours operating in Antarctica, the short length of the tourist season, and the capacity limitations of the IAATO, it is best for travelers to plan well in advance of their visit, as available space goes quickly. Working with an established tour operator and a solid travel consultant on your Antarctic adventure ensures the trip of a lifetime and an experience reserved for the lucky few.

©Copyright 2006 Travel Research Online. All rights reserved.

Insight into Global Warming Aboard Hurtigruten’s "In The Wake Of The Vikings" – Iceland-Greenland-Canada Sailing

Hurtigruten has announced the addition of foremost Greenland climate expert Dr. Jason Box as a guest lecturer on its 14-day “In the Wake of the Vikings.” Dr. Box, associate professor of geography at Ohio State University’s Byrd Polar Research Center, has travelled to Greenland 18 times over a span of 15 years, studying and witnessing the effects of global warming, and offers considerable experience and insights into the island’s geography and culture. As a contributing author to “Climate Change 2007,” which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in the same year, Dr. Box has appeared as an expert on CBS News, NBC’s Today Show and the Discovery Channel and been quoted in The New York Times and numerous other venues. This incredible odyssey, departing Sept. 26, 2010 from Iceland aboard the deluxe 318-passenger  Fram, encompasses some of Greenland’s and eastern Canada’s most spectacular natural and historical landscapes. Booking by July 31 means savings of 25% — reduced fares are US$4,743 to US$9,316 per person, double. Passengers who book suites also receive free round-trip airfare from JFK or Newark Airports.

Making use of multimedia lectures and Q&A sessions, Dr. Box will leave Hurtigruten’s guests with a clearer understanding of one of the world’s most discussed climate issues, global warming, and its effect on Greenland’s glaciers and climate. “We bear witness to a pivotal moment in Earth’s climate history with Greenland at the epicentre of that change — as its glaciers react to the planet’s warming,” explains Dr. Box. “During my lectures, I will be focusing on the current state of research undertaken by myself and other leading scientists and discuss some of the possible solutions and options available.” Other onboard experts from numerous disciplines, including geology, marine life, environment, history and culture, will also be on hand and will join the landings and shore excursions where passengers have the chance to get close to the culture, wildlife and communities of Greenland’s most isolated areas.

Before boarding the Fram in Reykjavik, Iceland, guests can take in some of the cosmopolitan city’s many museums and shops or sightsee among the glaciers, waterfalls and geysers just outside the city’s boundaries. Four days are spent exploring the eastern and southern villages of Greenland including visits to Køge Bay, where the Greenland ice cap races to the sea; Umivik, the starting point of Fridtjof Nansen’s epic first crossing of the Ice Cap; and Qassiarsuk, where Erik the Red in exile founded a colony that persisted for some 500 years. The ship then heads across the Labrador Sea, stopping in Newfoundland and then turning south to Halifax via St Anthony, Bonne Bay and Baddeck in Nova Scotia — taking time to visit three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: L’Anse Aux Meadows, where Norse settlers began to get a foot hold in North America; Red Bay; and Gros Morne National Park; among other excursions.

Sailing aboard Fram means large, comfortable lounges with panoramic windows and wonderful views from large outdoor decks; no need to dress up for dinner (unless you want to) and open seating; fresh seasonal ingredients, plenty of incredible seafood and a comprehensive wine list; multilingual tour directors; comfortable cabins – from the smaller inside accommodations to the large outside suites that offer TV, mini-bar, queen-size beds and numerous bonuses including a free bottle of champagne, two free shore excursions, complimentary wine with lunch or dinner and a free round of mini bar use; and a friendly and well-informed crew, ready to offer assistance and suggestions when asked. The public areas also include an Internet café, a wellness centre with saunas, work-out room and two glass-screened heated outdoor whirlpools.

All sailings include cabin category selected, three meals daily aboard ship, lectures, services of naturalist guides, specified land excursions and PolarCirkel boat landings, ship transfers, government fees, cruise taxes and port charges. Add-on airfares from dozens of North American gateways range from $100 to $600. Prices do not include airline fuel surcharges, air taxes and ticketing fees of $439 to $489.