VOYAGES
Everything you need to know about your Antarctic voyage with Kensington Tours
By Kensington
VOYAGES
By Kensington
One of the most unique travel experiences around the globe can be found on the 7th continent: Antarctica. A rare and exceptional experience, setting off to the White Continent comes with a variety of options and variables based on your wants and needs, and we’re here to iron out those details for you. This is your ticket to Antarctica.
With an array of routings and vessel options available, our Antarctica Destination Experts will be your go-to gurus to distinguish which one is right for you. We partner with the highest caliber cruise lines in polar cruising, and our Destination Experts will work closely with you to select the ideal departure date, vessel, and routing to suit your exploration wishes. Then, we’ll combine this with pre- and post-cruise private-guided land experiences unlike any other.
Our breadth of itineraries covers all key routings, experiences, and amenities of interest, including heading to South Georgia to see king penguins, as well as crossing the Antarctic Circle. We have access to departures across the entire season from November to March and will help you discern the differences between traveling early in the season, mid-way through, and towards the tail-end. In essence, we’ll match you with your desired activities and wildlife sightings.
To fully experience all that Antarctica has to offer, you’ll make the journey on an expedition cruise vessel. With no traditional ports of call on these journeys, we know that the vessel you choose is of the utmost importance, so we work with best-in-class partners who will provide you an unparalleled on board experience, including Silversea, Hurtigruten, Quark, Albatros, and Swan Hellenic.
Your captain, crew, and expedition leaders will be the driving force of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, operating state-of-the-art technical vessels with stringent standards of safety and sustainability. Your Destination Expert will find out what means the most to you, and they’ll pair you with the optimal ship and cabin. Here are some fleet details they’ll tell you about:
Ship specifications vary from 100-450m length, 100 to 500 passengers, ice class 1B or higher, and 15-16 knot cruising speed.
Cabin configurations come in double, triple, quadruple, connecting, and solo traveler cabins. You’ll never need to worry about bunk beds or portholes.
Esteemed chefs offer on board gourmet dining options, and can accommodate diverse dietary needs (including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and kosher).
Premier ship amenities include stabilizers, lounges with high visibility, mudrooms, fitness facilities, waterproof expedition boots on loan, and expedition parkas to take home as a souvenir.
Luxury ship amenities will also include a full spa, ocean view saunas, helicopters, pools, and expanded yoga and fitness studios.
Premier cabins are a minimum of 18m2 in size, and feature individual temperature control, a TV, picture window, and a desk.
Luxury cabins are a minimum of 30 m2 in size, and feature heated floors, full bathroom, balcony, sitting room, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Some even come complete with a butler service.
A collection of adventures, including camping, kayaking, hiking, snowshoeing, flightseeing, heli-skiing, and cross-country skiing.
Zodiac cruises to get you up close to wildlife and in the ice flows.
Photography experiences with professional instructors, onboard photography processing labs, and individual coaching.
Citizen-science opportunities such as interactions with active researchers and field work such as sample collection, penguin rookery monitoring, ROV operation, and more.
Learning from highly qualified specialists aboard your vessel, including marine biologists, ornithologists, glaciologists, and historians.
Read now: Top 10 Extraordinary Polar Experiences in Antarctica
“Often after the end of a day of exploration and zodiac cruising, leaders will spend time with their guests over a pre-dinner beverage to discuss what they experienced that day,” says Bruce, VP, Cruise at Kensington Tours. “They share their many years of experience and tall tales of life in Antarctica. Many of the expedition leaders have sailed and lived in exotic locales around the world, and as a result, have exceptional stories and perspectives to unfold.”
What’s also special about an Antarctic cruise is how expedition leaders will adapt the itinerary based on wildlife location intel and proximity. While enjoying a gourmet dinner, your expedition leader may enter the dining hall and notify you of a special spotting. Guests can suit up and head out for a mini zodiac cruise right in the middle of the action. Don’t worry… the chef will keep your dinner ready for you when you return!”
Your Antarctic expedition is enveloped by a world of possibilities in Chile and Argentina before or after your cruise. Two of the most impressive yet logistically complex destinations in the world, our Destination Experts use their wealth of knowledge to map out and plan every detail for you. Our private guides will introduce you to local winemakers who will share their stories and insights as you sip bold vintages. They’ll guide you through an authentic Argentinian estancia where you’ll unwind with an asado lunch amidst the remote elegance of a traditional estate. They’ll introduce you to Chile’s remarkable expedition and celestial navigation, and lead the way on hikes through some of the world’s most unique landscapes in Torres del Paine.
The early season from October to November offers visitors fresh blankets of snow, perfect for camping and snowshoeing, with floating ice blocks and dreamy lighting resulting in a photographer’s paradise. Mid-season from December to January presents up to 20 hours of sunlight, glaciers calving, penguin chicks hatching, and seal pups coming out to play. Meanwhile, end of season from February to March is prime time for whale watching, and allows extreme explorers an attempt at crossing the Antarctic Circle.
Above all, your Destination Expert will be able to help you choose which time to visit is optimal for you – and plan an exceptional journey of a lifetime.
Experience authentic travel. Request a custom quote today and get one step closer to your personalized trip.
Speak to one of our Destination Experts at 1-888-903-2001