What does Antarctica sound like? ‘Magic. A silence that is not silent.’
Visiting this part of the world is unlike anything else – and doing so on a cruise ship offers the opportunity to immerse yourself in the scenery, ambiance and awe-inspiring landscape.
In a new instalment of the YouTube documentary Ship Shape, the Daily Mail takes a look behind the scenes of a 10-day expedition cruise in Antarctica.
With glaciers, icebergs, seals and penguins to see, Antarctica – the largest wilderness area on earth – has an appeal that speaks for itself. This is no ordinary cruise journey.
Hybrid-powered MS Fridtjof Nansen functions as a floating base camp to discover one of the most intriguing parts of the planet.
Guests can partake in educational activities, excursions, landings, penguin colony visits, ice plunge swims and even camping trips.
Exploring by kayak is another popular way passengers explore the surroundings from their cruise ship base, run by HX Expeditions.
Hotspots such as Brown Station and Paradise Harbour could be on the cruise itineraries, too.
Excursions are easily organised from the MS Fridtjof Nansen ship
Torstein Gaustad, the expedition leader on MS Fridtjof Nansen, reveals: ‘The guests come on board with a lot of expectations.
‘The first day starts with finding their way and then follows with two days at sea, crossing the Drake Passage. There, of course, the weather will decide how much the guests are up and about.’
There’s much to learn, too. Torstein adds: ‘On the sea days, we prepare them for Antarctica, both with lectures about the penguins, the whales that we have, the introductions to our citizen science projects.’
Assistant expedition leader Bob van Beers says in the video: ‘No matter how often you do this trip, it’s always a truly amazing experience.
‘I often tell people when they are interested in like a cruise like this, or if they would like to learn more, this is more like an expedition or wildlife safari than a big cruise ship.
‘A big part of the experience on most cruise ships is the onboard entertainments. Whereas here the ship is our base camp, which provides comforts while onboard.
‘But what makes these trips unique is the destination that we travel to and the experiences that the guests get to have off the ship.’
The ship even has a specialist ‘Science Centre’, where many of the staff work.
The sights are truly unlike anywhere else in the world when visiting Antarctica
Torstein Gaustad, the expedition leader on MS Fridtjof Nansen, says there’s much to explore
Tim Lardinois, the science and education coordinator on board, says this is the ‘beating heart’ of the ship – where passengers can learn about the region they’ve travelled to visit.
Animal lovers can rejoice, too – with everything from seals to penguins living in the area. Passengers and staff are always on the lookout for whales, too.
In the documentary, Torstein says: ‘Antarctica is the largest wilderness area on earth. It is a beautiful place that we need to preserve under the Antarctic Treaty.
‘It is dedicated to peace and science, and it is the only place that is truly accepted by all nations as a place dedicated to peace and science.
‘So I do believe that seeing Antarctica learning about it makes you want to preserve not only Antarctica, but polar regions, nature and wildlife.’
On board, there are different levels of cabins that the guests can book, starting from the polar cabins to the Arctic superiors all the way up to the expedition suites.
Hotel manager Mateusz Studzinski explains: ‘I think it’s important for the guests to experience the luxury of a ship, and also get a taste of the wildness during the landing – so when they come back from a landing, that gives them the opportunity to relax and get ready for the next day.’
And as with any cruise, dining options are always important.
The science centre on board allows guests to learn about the region and its conservation projects
Tim Lardinois, the science and education coordinator on board, is passionate about this learning
There are three choices on board – the main restaurant, Aune, is for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with buffet options available.
There’s also the Fredheim restaurant with street-style food, and then the Lindstrom restaurant with a focus on fine dining.
The Explorer Lounge serves wine, cocktails, soft drinks and more, open from 10am until midnight.
There’s a real care and consideration for the environment on these trips, too.
Environmental scientist Lois Fleming is on hand to ensure the natural environment is protected during landings.
She explains how guests walking through the snow can leave footprints – some of which are big enough for penguins to fall into, getting stuck.
As such, it’s paramount tourists pay attention to the impact they are having.
With the extreme environment, sometimes plans go awry.
It’s an extreme environment, so passengers are well kitted-out and prepared before excursions
But the team always have a plan B if the route needs to change due to glacier ice or weather conditions. Flexibility is paramount.
It’s nonetheless a special experience whatever the conditions may be.
As one guest reveals in the clip: ‘Every minute on this ship is pretty amazing.
‘The uniqueness of it and the respect they have of the waters and on the snow and the ice there of the Antarctica is just really fantastic.’
