All the time needed to see Antarctica? Holland America Line this week unveiled an uncommon new possibility for getting there.
The Seattle-based line introduced an epic crusing to the White Continent that begins in Fort Lauderdale, Florida — a port 1000’s of miles away from the standard jumping-off factors for Antarctica cruises in Argentina and Chile.
Kicking off Jan. 25, 2025, the 47-night voyage will happen on the road’s 1,432-passenger Volendam and is a phase of a longer pole-to-pole world cruise that Holland America has been promoting since April 2023.
Like that longer voyage, the shortened phase is uncommon in that it’ll enable People to get from america to Antarctica with out taking a protracted worldwide flight.
For folks in and close to Florida who can drive to Fort Lauderdale, it will be accessible with out stepping on a airplane of any type.
That stated, there may be one large caveat for flight-avoiders: You will nonetheless want a world flight to return to the U.S. on the voyage’s conclusion. The cruise ends March 13, 2025, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
From Florida to Antarctica
The newly introduced cruise — considered one of a number of shorter segments of the beforehand introduced pole-to-pole cruise that Holland America has opened for bookings — will start with stops at Santo Domingo within the Dominican Republic; Santa Marta, Colombia; and Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, as Volendam heads southward towards the Panama Canal.
After passing westward by means of the canal, the ship will head southward alongside the coasts of Central and South America for greater than three weeks, with a number of stops in Panama, Ecuador, Peru and Chile.
This portion of the journey will embrace an in depth exploration of the Patagonia area and Chilean Fjords on the west coast of Chile.
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From there, Voledam will sail throughout the Strait of Magellan on the southern tip of South America to achieve Punta Arenas, Chile, after which Ushuaia, Argentina — the 2 essential jumping-off factors for voyages to Antarctica.
Associated: Is that this the final word Antarctica cruise ship?
Two extra days crossing the famously tough Drake Passage will lastly convey Volendam to Antarctica, the place it would spend 4 days crusing alongside the ice- and mountain-lined coast.
Not like on an expedition cruise to Antarctica on a small expedition vessel, passengers is not going to land on the continent. However passengers will be capable to view the scenic shoreline from the outer decks of the ship.
From Antarctica, Volendam will head up the east coast of Argentina to Buenos Aires. The ultimate stops earlier than reaching Buenos Aires will embrace the Falkland Islands off the coast of Argentina and Puerto Madryn, Argentina.
Montevideo, Uruguay, can be on the schedule because the ship heads northward.
Fares for the phase begin at $9,684 per individual, together with all taxes and charges — or about $206 per individual, per day.
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