Category: Antarctica
…with Marketing Manager, Laura Ever wondered what its like to spend Christmas in a place as magical as Antarctica? Then allow our marketing manager Laura Radford to tell you all about her incredible voyage there last December in this special festive edition of Our Routes. Laura set sail on PONANT’s Emblematic Antarctica 11-day itinerary, returning just before the new year, having enjoyed a spectacular wildlife safari and a guaranteed white Christmas every day! WHAT DESTINATIONS DID YOU VISIT? The Antarctic Peninsula – I also spent time in Buenos Aires prior to travelling down to Ushuaia for an expedition cruise with PONANT. HOW DID YOU GET THERE? I flew to Buenos Aires, with touchdown in Rio en route. We then flew down to Ushuaia from Buenos Aires, and boarded PONANT’S Le Boreal, there. FIRST TIME OR REPEAT TRIP? First time visiting the White Continent, and certainly a bucket list destination for me!…
We put our pertinent polar questions to Senior Polar Travel Specialist, Lucy Lucy Yeoman has been a senior specialist at Polar Routes for over half a decade, and has had the incredible opportunity to visit the polar regions more times than most people could imagine! Rather impressively, Lucy’s grandfather visited Antarctica in 1926 as a deck-hand onboard Admiral Byrd’s expedition to the southern-most continent. She also grew up in Mexico, and so has been passionate about travel from a very young age. Lucy started selling cruises to the polar regions in the early 2000’s and on her first trip to Antarctica was truly mesmerised by its beauty and wildlife. Lucy recently celebrated winning Best Individual Expedition Cruise Seller/Travel Advisor at the inaugural Expedition Cruise Network Ltd. Awards! We asked her more about her passion for all things polar. When was your first time in Antarctica? In December 2003 I was lucky…
…with Senior Polar Specialist, Lidia The latest edition of our popular polar travel series takes us through a classic Antarctic Peninsula voyage. Our senior polar specialist, Lidia Stranc, loved meeting Neko Harbour’s “adorable” penguins and having her dining accompanied by amazing whale sightings from the comfort of HX’s modern ship, the Fridtjof Nansen. WHAT DESTINATIONS DID YOU VISIT? The Antarctic Peninsula. HOW DID YOU GET THERE? I flew from my home in the Azores to join the Hurtigruten flight from London Heathrow to Buenos Aires, and then the next day, we all joined a charter flight to Ushuaia. The same day we embarked the ship. FAVOURITE LOCATION? Neko harbour. The Gentoo penguins hanging out along the shore are just adorable, and hearing the ice crack and break off the glaciers is something I won’t forget. The whole place feels so peaceful and untouched. MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT? Eating dinner with 3…
We spoke with Dr. Verena Meraldi, the Chief Scientist of HX Hurtigruten Expeditions. She began working with HX in 2007 as a biology lecturer on Antarctica voyages, fuelled by her passion for the polar regions and the incredible species that inhabit them. In 2019, she took on the amazing challenge of becoming the cruise industry’s first Chief Scientist and designing the Science & Education programme for all HX vessels. Her extensive background working on expedition cruise ships has given her a thorough grasp of operations as well as the possibilities to integrate science into the voyages. This way, not only can she keep sharing her enthusiasm for microscopic life, but developing captivating onboard research projects that will enhance the experience of the guests while they’re away. How does a typical day start for you? Days are busy on board the ships, but for me they start with a cup of…
Lidia enjoys HX Hurtigruten’s next-generation expedition ship Our new ship review series Beyond The Bow takes a closer look through the porthole at the world’s finest expedition cruise ships, as experienced from the perspectives of our polar specialists. Whether you’re a seasoned explorer or a curious traveller yearning for an extraordinary adventure on the polar seas, our features are designed to be your go-to resource for first-hand expert ship reviews. HX Hurtigruten’s sister ship to the MS Roald Amundsen is MS Fridtjof Nansen, and together, they are the first hybrid expedition ships to operate in the polar regions. The ship’s hybrid technology and other efficiency improvements will reduce fuel consumption by approximately 20% and CO2 emissions from the ships by 20%. Our polar specialist, Lidia Stranc, shared her experiences after her Antarctic voyage onboard this fantastic vessel. What was your first impression of the Fridjtof Nansen? The ship is very…
…with Elite Polar Specialist, Charlie The latest edition of our popular polar travel series takes us to awe-inspiring Antarctica, where our elite polar specialist, Charlie Mason, completed his full continental set on a sun-drenched voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula. Charlie was treated to a record-quick Drake Passage crossing and some super landing sites for wildlife spotting! WHAT DESTINATIONS DID YOU VISIT? The main focus of this trip was to visit the 7th continent, Antarctica (with a good amount of time in Buenos Aires and Ushuaia before and after). HOW DID YOU GET THERE? We flew directly from London with British airways to Buenos Aires. We then spent some time there before flying on down to the end of the world, Ushuaia, where we embarked onto our expedition cruise. FAVOURITE LOCATION? The whole continent! Honestly, it’s too hard to choose a specific landing site, as they all vary so much, from…
Lucy sets sail on Hapag-Lloyd Cruise’s newest expedition ship Here at Polar Routes, we are excited to launch our new ship review series Beyond The Bow, a blog aimed at taking a closer look through the porthole at the world’s finest expedition cruise ships, as experienced from the perspectives of our polar specialists. Whether you’re a seasoned explorer or a curious traveler yearning for an extraordinary adventure on the polar seas, our features are designed to be your go-to resource for first-hand expert ship reviews. We’re kicking things off with a thoroughly modern classic in the shape of Hapag-Lloyd’s formidable vessel, the HANSEATIC inspiration. Our senior polar specialist, Lucy Yeoman, let us know her thoughts after her Antarctic voyage on this ship. What was your first impression of the HANSEATIC inspiration? We arrived in Ushuaia and boarded the ship that afternoon, where we were greeted by the Expedition Team and…
We spoke to Expedition Leader for HX Hurtigruten Expeditions, Torstein Gaustad. He has a strong bond with the sea, having grown up on the Norwegian coast. Travelling has always been a source of immense joy, as he loves exploring new destinations, immersing himself in the local culture, and gaining knowledge about the history and environment of each place he visits. In his role, he makes sure the guests get the best experience possible by sharing his knowledge and expertise. It is absolutely his dream job! How does a typical day start for you? With coffee! And a walk out on deck to check the conditions and take a moment to enjoy the view, while thinking of the day’s expeditions. After that, I go to the bridge to talk to the captain and the officers, to get the latest update on timings, conditions, and position and see if the operational plan…
It was a case of when Lucy met Lucy when, during another big trip to Antarctica, our Senior Polar Specialist Lucy Yeoman sat down to speak with Lucy Bruzzone, the Education Program Director at Cambridge University who spent a season in Antarctica working in the world’s most southerly Post Office at the historic Port Lockroy Station. Located on the scenic island of Goudier on the Antarctic Peninsula, the site has been open to visitors since 1966 during the Antarctic summer (November to March) and is now managed by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, which runs the site as a ‘living museum’ with a popular gift shop. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and what attracted you to work in this part of the world? Lucy B: I am a geographer by training and so I have always had an interest in the natural world, but also the human connection…
On her wonderful trip to the Antarctic this year, our Senior Polar Specialist Lucy sat down to speak with Swan Hellenic’s Polar Guide, Richard Simpson, to learn more about his working life of outdoor pursuits and expeditions to Antarctica. After a full career in the British Army where he was awarded numerous awards for exemplary service, Richard moved on to the military’s adventure training foundation wing where he worked instructing and leading small groups, before joining Swan Hellenic in his current role guiding passengers from ship to shore. Lucy: Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and what attracted you to work in this part of the world? Richard: I am a two-time Antarctic explorer, and I was given the opportunity to work with Swan Hellenic after they helped evacuate me and seven other teammates in the Antarctic Peninsula on our last expedition. When I was given this…
