Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Sapphire Princess 35 Night Antarctica Cruise from Fort Lauderdale Port Everglades, Florida

princess cruise antarctica

As soon as I boarded, I booked the Princess offered “Penguin Rookery Navigation” excursion. Since we arrived in Ushuaia early, this worked out well because Princess adjusted the start time of the excursion accordingly. We arrived in Ushuaia around 7 AM and stayed till 8 PM which gave us a much longer day in port than originally scheduled. The scenery was breathtaking, with snow capped peaks surrounding us on both side. Occasionally we had a glimpse of a hanging glacier or one that was marching its way into the ocean. This short introduction to Patagonia convinced me that I need to come back and spend a lot more time exploring this gorgeous scenery.

See Rockhopper penguins dive for food

Planned – Antarctica scenic cruising – Leave Bransfield Strait and plan to arrive in Charlotte Bay around 7 AM, crossing Gerlach Strait where we will see great scenery for around 1 to 1.5 hours beforehand. The weather was somewhat better with high clouds that allowed us to see the glaciers and the ice fields. The bay was quite calm as we cruised about 2 hours, taking in the spectacular views. The Sapphire Princess continued cruising through Bransfield Strait to King George Island and into Admiralty Bay.

Princess Cruises Rewards Visa® Card

Sail where ancient traditions and modernity co-exist in harmony on the #1 North American Cruise Line in Japan. Princess Cruises is also offering two cruise tours on its South America itineraries. The Iguazú Falls Adventure will bring guests to the world’s largest waterfall system and includes a visit to Rio de Janeiro. The Machu Picchu Explorer cruise tour features rail travel to the ancient Inca compound, Machu Picchu, and a tour of the historic city of Cusco.

princess cruise antarctica

What Is A Princess Cruise to Antarctica Really Like?

Stateroom photos are for sample purposes only -- actual design and layout may vary. There are also 14 or 15-day cruises offered aboard the Majestic Princess on December 19, 2024, covering Cape Horn and the Strait of Magellan. In February and March of 2024 and 2025, Sapphire Princess will sail reverse itineraries.

Also note that Princess held on to my passport once I checked in, and then returned it toward the end of the cruise. In Valparaiso I stayed at AYCA La Flora Boutique Hotel, a very well rated, lovely, little B&B in the heart of the old town. Owners Anne and Alex made me feel very welcome and clearly went out of their way to provide a personalized experience to all of their guests. More than 99% of the continent is permanently covered in ice and though it’s counterintuitive, the Antarctic ice sheet is actually a desert because the annual precipitation is so low.

2026 Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific cruise itineraries

In 1959 the Antarctic treaty was put in place to protect this unique environment. Now, countries from all over the globe have set up research stations and work in peaceful union all across the continent, sharing information and data. Let Princess whisk you to stunning cities and timeless villages in Asia. Each destination tells its own story through celebrated landmarks, popular markets, culinary secrets and traditions. Explore places like Bangkok, Hong Kong, Ho chi Minh City, as well as join our return to breath-taking Halong Bay, Vietnam.

Sail from Los Angeles or San Francisco on five- to 11-day roundtrip cruises, and stay overnight in Cabo San Lucas on select voyages for a taste of vibrant nightlife. Between the two ships, the line will offer port calls or scenic cruising at 26 destinations in 14 countries. Princess Cruises will feature 11 unique itineraries and 15 total Antarctica and South America departures. Princess Cruises announced it will deploy two ships to sail Antarctica and South America itineraries in 2024 and 2025. The voyages vary in length from 14 to 51 days, visiting some of the world’s most remote destinations. For a short window during the middle of the Antarctic summer, Princess Cruises scheduled sailings around South America that also included 4 days of scenic cruising in Antarctica.

Princess Cruises Unveils Four Antarctica Voyages for 2024-25 - Cruise Industry News

Princess Cruises Unveils Four Antarctica Voyages for 2024-25.

Posted: Wed, 09 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

So, what is a Princess cruise to Antarctica really like?

The Promenade level and the Sun level had outdoor deck spaces that wrapped around almost the entire ship. By sailing in the middle of the Antarctic summer during the midnight sun season, it also meant that the bridge had daylight visibility 24 hours a day. So while we were cruising at “night” to get to our next scenic stop, floating ice could always be seen from far off and avoided. In Summer 2024, Diamond Princess® sails out of Tokyo (Yokohama) with a variety of ways to enjoy the traditions and beauty of the region. There are five opportunities to see storied local festivals, including the popular Nebuta Festival. We also have sailings that arrive when Japan’s famed spring flowers are in bloom.

Passengers furious over cruise removing Antarctica from itinerary - Business Insider

Passengers furious over cruise removing Antarctica from itinerary.

Posted: Tue, 13 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

10 of 11 Antarctica Coral Princess Antarctica Cruise Reviews

I learned on this trip that an Antarctic itinerary is the hoped for plan but the weather dictates the reality. As Captain Todd said “it’s what we want to do, not necessarily what we can do”. This is true for any size ship, even the smaller expedition ships with the reinforced hulls. I describe my complete Sapphire Princess ship experience in a lot of detail in my post Finding My Blue Heaven on a Princess Cruise – A Detailed Sapphire Princess Review With Photos.

Unusually high winds in the Valparaiso harbor prevented the returning Sapphire Princess from docking until 1 PM. Continued high winds made the disembarkation and the embarkation process, along with loading and unloading the ship, more difficult than usual. The UNESCO listed old town in Valparaiso is a fun mix of colorful houses, lots of unique street art and interesting graffiti. I spent the afternoon wandering this neighborhood on my own (I felt quite safe doing that), followed by an exceptional dinner at the nearby Restaurant La Concepcion. If you are at all into foodie and wine experiences, I highly recommend eating there. Once again though, the captain was forthright and made it very clear that this was his wished for plan, but that the reality could be different, and it all depended on the weather and the sea conditions.

We then started crossing the Drake Passage toward the Falkland Islands. As we progressed through the channel the sea became rougher and we had 15 foot waves which made the boat quite rocky. It also made the second formal night a little harder to navigate while wearing heels. To say that the views were stunning is an understatement, and while I took a lot of photos, they don’t do it justice.

And it had to all fit into one 26 inch checked bag (and a small carry on for miscellaneous items). Instead, we had a bumpy day at sea as we cruised north along the wide Bransfield Strait. This was the roughest experience I have had on a big ship, and while it did not bother me, the captain did recommend that anyone prone to sea sickness should take their medication or remain in bed in their cabins. A very bad storm in the Drake Passage was spilling over into our area and produced high winds and high waves. This meant that it was not safe for our ship to do any kind of scenic cruising near floating ice.

For the first 150 years, Antarctica was visited by sealers, whalers and explorers, and its resources were mostly exploited. Delight in South America’s vibrant cultures and stunning landscapes and get swept away by the breathtaking beauty of Antarctica. Experience the thrill of sailing through the Strait of Magellan, the 19th-century treasures of Buenos Aires or cruise through the icy waterways of the Antarctic Peninsula. Explore the landscape of the California Coast and visit world-famous cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Santa Barbara. See iconic landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge, Coronado Bay and Griffith Observatory.

Extend your cruise vacation, and simplify your travel plans with a hotel stay at the beginning or end of your cruise. With a Cruise Plus Hotel Package, a Princess representative meets you at the airport and pier, transporting you to and from your hotel. The package includes the cost of your hotel stay, transportation, luggage handling and the services of the representative. One of the things I really liked about the Sapphire Princess was how much outdoor deck space there was for all the guests to use during the Antarctica scenic cruising days.

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