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Peregrine Travel Centre

The Emperor Penguins of Weddell Sea

The Emperor Penguins of Weddell Sea

From AUD $40,160

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Description

The theatre of the greatest expeditions, a refuge for the rarest wildlife and an endless ice desert, the Weddell Sea promises you intense emotions during a voyage of exploration aboard Le Commandant Charcot, an enveloping cocoon that is widely open onto the exterior polar setting. This place is home to emperor penguins, these majestic birds endemic to the Antarctic, rarely observed and only in the most southern latitudes. The ultimate quest and the promise of all-new, unforgettable encounters.

From Drake Passage, as the wind blows and the waves crash against the stem of your ship, you will enter the southern seas, to the extreme and captivating Weddell Sea. Ice floe as far as the eye can see and gigantic tabular icebergs form the horizon of the colonies of Adelie penguins that populate this expanse. Contemplating these curious and quirky birds is a real privilege and the guarantee of an equally fascinating and touching show. Yet the ultimate challenge of this exploration is the search for and the encounter with their majesties, the emperor penguins. In this season, as the winter gradually makes way for the southern spring, you will perhaps witness a magical show, that of the largest penguins in the world waddling along the ice floe or the younger penguins learning to swim. It is rare to discover their elegance, so the encounter will be priceless.

During your exploration of the Weddell Sea, you will follow in the footsteps of the great polar epics like that of Sir Ernest Shackleton. Our passionate naturalists will also share the history of the gigantic tabular icebergs with you, including their birth in the heart of the immense Larsen Ice Shelf. The ice here boasts all possible shades and the white takes different forms in the surrounding reliefs. Let yourself be guided and set off on an adventure into the heart of incredible and unexpected nature. Your Captain and the expert naturalists humbly seize these moments to give you an experience that will remain unique.

It is a challenge and a privilege to sail upon the Weddell Sea; welcome to an extraordinary universe with compelling appeal.

Trip Name
The Emperor Penguins of Weddell Sea
Days
14
Overview
Vessel Type: Polar Luxury Expedition Passenger Capacity: 135 cabins Length: 149.9 meters Built: 2018/2019 Be the first aboard Le Commandant-Charcot, the world's luxury polar exploration vessel, and enjoy a unique sailing experience in the Arctic or Antarctic! With its hybrid propulsion combining liquefied natural gas (LNG) and electric generators, Le Commandant-Charcot has been designed to minimise the environmental impact of travel to the furthest latitudes.  The decoration of the ship, imagined by two internationally renowned design and architecture firms - the studio of Jean-Philippe Nuel and Wilmotte & Associés - is designed to be in harmony with the environment. The approach is contemporary with the desire to create a warm and elegant setting; stone, wood and leather recall the natural environment in which the ship is sailing. Equipped with just 135 staterooms including 31 suites with balconies and outside views, Le Commandant-Charcot welcomes you in an intimate and refined atmosphere. Outstanding gastronomy in the two restaurants, relaxation in the indoor pool surrounded by its winter garden, relaxation in the well-being area with sauna and Snow Room... Like on a private yacht, each of our guests is unique. PUBLIC AREAS Le Commandant-Charcot has many common areas that are designed and equipped to meet all of your needs while preserving the intimacy of each passenger. A 177 m² reception area includes: A reception/concierge desk, An expeditions desk, The ship’s administrative services, The sales office, manned by our Hospitality & Travel Manager officer, Our boutique which sells clothing, jewellery, beauty products, postcards and various accessories, The image & photo desk. The different lounges: A 302 m² main lounge including a 28 m² cigar lounge, a tea corner and a bar, with live music on selected evenings, A 400 m² panoramic bar and lounge, An open-air Bar. The recreation spaces  Fitness & Beauty Corner: Fitness room: Elliptic, running machines, bicycles...  Beauty Corner: Hairdresser, Massage rooms, Sauna, Snow Room, Nail Shop. Pool area: Indoor Pool and winter garden - Outdoor Pool Theatre: Capacity: 270-276 - Main show room for conferences and live entertainment on selected evenings - State-of-the-art audio and video technology. Leisure area: Public areas - Library - Medical centre. 16 Zodiac®.

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1 SANTIAGO
The day before embarkation – SantiagoTransfer from airport to PONANT selected hotel.In order to organise your transfer, please inform your travel agent 60 days before departure, your flight number as well as your arrival time and day.Meet and greet at the hotel by our local representative. Check-in from late morning.Lunch on your own and time at leisure in the afternoon.Dinner.Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2 - Day 2 USHUAIA
Embarkation Day – Santiago/UshuaiaCapital of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province, Ushuaia is considered the gateway to the White Continent and the South Pole. Nicknamed “El fin del mundo” by the Argentinian people, this city at the end of the world nestles in the shelter of mountains surrounded by fertile plains that the wildlife seem to have chosen as the ultimate sanctuary. With its exceptional site, where the Andes plunge straight into the sea, Ushuaia is one of the most fascinating places on earth, its very name evocative of journeys to the unlikely and the inaccessible…A light morning breakfast will be served before leaving for the airport for your Santiago/Ushuaia flight.Transfer to the airport.Flight Santiago/Ushuaia selected by PONANT in economy class.Seats in business class may be available, please contact your travel agent.Approximate flight duration: 3 hoursMeet and greet at Ushuaia airport (English-speaking assistance).Transfer to Le Commandant-Charcot.Embarkation.
Day 3 - Days 3 - 4 CROSSING THE DRAKE PASSAGE
Use your days spent in the Drake Passage to familiarise yourself with your ship and deepen your knowledge of the Antarctic. The Expedition Leader will first present the IAATO rules of conduct that must be observed during landings in the region and will explain everything you need to know about the zodiac outings. Lectures about the history and wildlife of the Antarctic will be an opportunity for you to learn more about this magical region, where every cruise is a unique experience. From the ship’s bridge, you will experience exceptional sailing moments before joining the naturalist-guides on your ship’s exterior decks to look out for albatrosses, cape petrels, and other seabirds flying over the Drake Passage.
Day 4 - Day 5 NORTH ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
Throughout your time in the north of the Antarctic Peninsula, you will find yourself in the heart of a spectacular decor in subtle shades of blue and white, surrounded by exceptional wildlife. You will sail through the Antarctic Sound, named after Swedish explorer Otto Nordenskjöld’s ship, which was trapped by the ice during an important scientific expedition in 1902. The gateway to the Weddell Sea, this sound is filled with gigantic tabular icebergs and plates of sea ice drifting northward from the coastal areas of this vast sea. It is home to Adelie penguins and a great many leopard seals.
Day 5 - Days 6 - 11 THE WEDDELL SEA EXPLORATION
Impassable, extreme and captivating: this is the best way to describe the Weddell Sea, much of which is covered by a layer of thick, densely packed ice. It is a challenge and a privilege to sail upon this sea. Polar exploration finds its full meaning here. Heading towards the South is a real quest, with the promise of highly-charged encounters with the continent’s endemic fauna. This is the kingdom of the emperor penguin, the largest penguin in the world, renowned for its elegance. Unlike other penguins that live on the rocks, the emperor nests on the ice floe which it needs for its reproductive cycle. It is therefore on the ice floe that you will be able to observe it walking around with its characteristic gait. In this southern sea, where the ice changes and is transformed constantly, there is never any monotony. The new reliefs and new colours ensure never-ending wonderment. You will sail into the heart of the immaculate ice floe, which is dislocated or densely packed, into an alley of icebergs. Among them are immense blocks of ice, tabular icebergs, that drift and illuminate the ocean with their cerulean blue haloes. Aboard, on shore, on the ice, you will be as close as possible to the colonies of Adelie penguins, Weddell seals, Mink whales, orcas, snow petrels.… With a little luck, you will get a glimpse of a rare Ross seal with its silver pelage or of emperor penguins, waddling along the edge of the ice floe. A sight that is as fascinating as it is emotional.
Day 6 - Days 12 - 13 CROSSING THE DRAKE PASSAGE
If there is one place, one sea, one waterway dreaded by tourists, researchers and hardened seafarers alike, it is undoubtedly Drake Passage. Situated at the latitude of the infamous Furious Fifties winds, between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands, it is the shortest route to connect Antarctica to South America. Seasoned navigators will tell you that you must earn your visit to the White Continent! As the Antarctic convergence zone where cold currents rising up from the South Pole meet warmer equatorial water masses, Drake Passage harbours a very diverse marine fauna. Don't forget to look to the sky to catch a glimpse of elegant albatross and Cape petrels, playfully floating about in the wind around your ship.
Day 7 - Day 14 USHUAIA
Capital of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province, Ushuaia is considered the gateway to the White Continent and the South Pole. Nicknamed “El fin del mundo” by the Argentinian people, this city at the end of the world nestles in the shelter of mountains surrounded by fertile plains that the wildlife seem to have chosen as the ultimate sanctuary. With its exceptional site, where the Andes plunge straight into the sea, Ushuaia is one of the most fascinating places on earth, its very name evocative of journeys to the unlikely and the inaccessible…
Day 8 - Please Note:
We are privileged guests in these extreme lands where we are at the mercy of weather and ice conditions. Our navigation will be determined by the type of ice we come across; as the fast ice must be preserved, we will take this factor into account from day to day in our itineraries. The sailing schedule and any landings, activities and wildlife encounters are subject to weather and ice conditions. These experiences are unique and vary with each departure. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while respecting safety instructions and regulations imposed by the IAATO.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
02-11-202315-11-2023AUD $46,890Prestige Stateroom Deck 6
02-11-202315-11-2023AUD $47,800Prestige Stateroom Deck 7
02-11-202315-11-2023AUD $108,780Suite Duplex
02-11-202315-11-2023AUD $129,400Owner's Suite
02-11-202315-11-2023AUD $48,730Prestige Stateroom Deck 8
02-11-202315-11-2023AUD $50,110Deluxe Suite Deck 6
02-11-202315-11-2023AUD $52,390Deluxe Suite Deck 7
02-11-202315-11-2023AUD $54,230Deluxe Suite Deck 8
02-11-202315-11-2023AUD $69,820Prestige Suite Deck 7
02-11-202315-11-2023AUD $72,110Prestige Suite Deck 8
02-11-202315-11-2023AUD $74,390Grand Prestige Suite
02-11-202315-11-2023AUD $78,990Privilege Suite Deck 8
16-11-202329-11-2023AUD $40,160Prestige Stateroom Deck 6
16-11-202329-11-2023AUD $40,940Prestige Stateroom Deck 7
16-11-202329-11-2023AUD $41,720Prestige Stateroom Deck 8
16-11-202329-11-2023AUD $42,910Deluxe Suite Deck 6
16-11-202329-11-2023AUD $44,880Deluxe Suite Deck 7
16-11-202329-11-2023AUD $46,440Deluxe Suite Deck 8
16-11-202329-11-2023AUD $59,800Prestige Suite Deck 7
16-11-202329-11-2023AUD $61,770Prestige Suite Deck 8
16-11-202329-11-2023AUD $63,720Grand Prestige Suite
16-11-202329-11-2023AUD $67,660Privilege Suite Deck 8
16-11-202329-11-2023AUD $93,200Suite Duplex
16-11-202329-11-2023AUD $110,880Owner's Suite

Inclusions

    • An all-new exploration into the almost inaccessible Weddell Sea, in search of majestic emperor penguins, amidst immaculate and dreamlike landscapes.
    • Outings and shore visits in a zodiac inflatables or hovercraft* with an reinforced team of naturalist-guides.
    • Conferences and information meetings on board with our passionate experts, specialists in the fauna, flora and history of the polar regions.
    • Landscapes: immense glaciers, table top icebergs, immersion in the heart of the ice floes.
    • Wildlife: the possibility to observe emperor penguins and Ross seals, Adelie penguins, chinstrap penguins, gentoo penguins, leopard seals, crabeater seals, humpback whales, Minke whales, orcas.
    • Many activities: kayaking, hiking or snowshoeing, polar plunge without suit, polar swim with drysuit, participative science. Discover all the activities in the “Ponant Activities” tab.
    • For your comfort, your cruise package includes an overnight in Santiago the day before embarkation, transfers and flights Santiago/Ushuaia (for details, see the “Included in your cruise” tab).

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