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 3 18 Nov 2023
Drake Passage (Cruising)
Use your days spent in the Drake Passage to familiarize 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 19 Nov 2023
Drake Passage (Cruising)
Day 5 20 Nov 2023
Antarctic Sound (Cruising)
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 Adélie penguins and a great many leopard seals.
Day 6 21 Nov 2023
Weddell Sea (Cruising)
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 colors 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 halos. Aboard, on shore, on the ice, you will be as close as possible to the colonies of Adélie 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.
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 13 28 Nov 2023
Drake Passage (Cruising)
Day 14 29 Nov 2023
Ushuaia, Argentina
Air travel
Santiago, Chile
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...
Cruise Benefits
Virtuoso Voyages offer exclusive benefits and experiences you can only get by booking with a Virtuoso Advisor.
Virtuoso Benefits on Your Sailing
Guests may also be entitled to the following complimentary benefits.
Please consult your Virtuoso travel advisor for restrictions that may apply.
$100 USD Shipboard Credit Per Person
PONANT Yacht Cruises & Expeditions: Virtuoso Guests will enjoy $100 USD shipboard credit per person; limit $200 USD per stateroom on all 2022 & 2023 voyages. Onboard credit will be applied to your shipboard account. Restrictions apply; please see Terms & Conditions for details.
Promotion(s)
To secure a promotion, contact your travel advisor.
PONANT’s 35th Anniversary - Save Additional 10% on Small Ship Voyages!
Valid for Travel Now Through 24 May 2025
We are celebrating! In honor of Ponant's 35th Anniversary - a very special offer for travelers!
Save 10% Additional off current Ponant rates!
Terms:
Additional 10% savings off current Ponant rates, in addition to the Ponant Bonus savings.
New bookings only, booked and deposited 06/01-07/05/23
Applicable on over 200 select 2023 & 2024 PONANT sailings.
Not available on PONANT | Smithsonian Journeys sailings.
Combinable with Ponant Welcome, Join-the-Club, and Ponant Yacht Club Savings.
Combinable with Virtuoso amenity of $100 per person onboard credit.
Not combinable with No Single Supplement or other Consumer incentives.
Savings applied at time of booking.
Discount Code: PONANT35
Subject to availability and may be changed or withdrawn without prior notice.
Save up to 30% with PONANT Bonus Fares!
Valid for Travel Now Through 26 May 2026
Save up to 30% off the cruise fare with PONANT Bonus Rates! PONANT promises early bookers are rewarded with the lowest possible fares - as PONANT's small expedition yachts fill up, the PONANT Bonus savings is reduced. Many departures open with 30% savings available! PONANT Bonus savings are already reflected in the published fare. Published fares are subject to change and will increase as availability reduces.
