Cruise Description

The exceptional presence on board of the lecturer and guide Jonathan Shackleton, descendant of Sir Ernest Shackleton and family historian.

Embark on an extraordinary adventure to the seldom visited Ross Sea from New Zealand and walk in the footsteps of legendary polar explorers on this exciting expedition.

Sailing from Dunedin in New Zealand on board Le Soléal, start in Campbell Island, part of New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands, and discover the island’s spectacular endemic flora and fauna, including six species of albatross.

Your ship will then set sail for the Ross Sea. Amidst the drifting ice, calving glaciers and monumental icebergs, you will discover one of Antarctica’s most extreme and best conserved regions. This wild, remote, almost inaccessible icy immensity will invite you to step into the shoes of the great explorers: Ross, Scott, Shackleton… and discover the elements they faced during their quests. During this season, in the middle of the polar night, the temperatures could – and still can - drop to -30 degrees, forcing the famous crews to winter on neighbouring islands.

In this universe where everything seems more intense, and where the itinerary is shaped according to the ice, the lectures given on board by your team of expedition guides and naturalists will enable you to discover the history of this region and understand this extraordinary natural environment, the largest marine sanctuary in the world, an ideal observation ground for many scientists who have come from all over the world.

In the distance, the coastlines will project the contours of immense mountains that look like the Himalayas, while the neighbouring ice floe will let you observe orcas, penguins and Weddell seals hunting in the icy waters. You will in turn be able to chase one of the region’s most beautiful phenomena: the Southern Lights.

On your way back to New Zealand, enjoy some time on Australia’s Macquarie Island, and its impressive colony of king penguins, as well as the Snares islands and their unique wildlife sanctuaries, before disembarking in Dunedin. A truly memorable adventure not many have the chance to experience!

We are privileged guests in these remote lands where we are at the mercy of weather, ice, tidal and current conditions. Landings on certain sites and the observation of certain wildlife cannot be guaranteed. They vary from day to day, making each PONANT cruise a unique experience. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while complying with the safety rules and instructions imposed by the IAATO. Any disembarkation on the Subantarctic Islands is subject to weather conditions and on obtaining the authorisation of the local authorities. To preserve the wild environment of these islands, the number of visitors is in fact strictly controlled. Wherever possible, we will run Zodiac excursions around their shorelines in order to guarantee the best possible experience for all guests if it is not possible to disembark.