Chilean Fjords, Antarctica & Falklands

Pricing based on departure date: 5 February 2028

Set sail for the ends of the Earth on a thrilling journey through vast fjords, icy seas and extraordinary wilderness. This once-in-a-lifetime expedition showcases the raw beauty of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in unforgettable style.

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS

Puerto Montt, Chile
Puerto Montt sits beneath a skyline of snow-capped volcanoes. Volcan Osorno towering 2,652-meter (8,701’) above the town, erupted in 1835 and was described by naturalist Charles Darwin. The town sits at the gateway to a myriad of outdoor adventures including an exhilarating white-water rafting trip, tranquil fly fishing and scenic hiking in Alerce Andino National Park. Petrohue Rapids and Lake Llanquihue, are set within a rural landscape of sheep farms. A walk around town allows for an encounter into the South American way of life. A vibrant fish market, selling everything from seaweed to salmon to spiny crabs sits astride a street lined with craft stalls packed to the brim with brightly colored woolen ponchos. South American fur seals lounge along the seawall promenade as colorful fishing boats lay at anchor offshore. Puerto Montt is an eclectic mix of new and old, refined and rustic.

Castro, Isla Chiloe, Chile
PRONOUNCED: CHILL-OH-EY
Visit Castro -- one of the most interesting cities on Chiloé Island. The town is largely built of abundant local woods, and many houses are elaborately shingled in intricate designs. Even the cathedral is a beautiful, vaulted structure crafted of local hardwoods. The forest and the sea are the source of livelihood and much more in this rustic outpost. Chiloé Island sits about 1/3 of the way up the length of the country of Chile. It is about 100 miles long and about 40 miles wide, and it's unique within the country of Chile. First settled over 7,000 years ago, the island has seen its fair share of changing populations since that time. It was the arrival of Jesuit missionaries in the 1600's which really shaped and changed the culture and the look of the island. There are now over 150 wooden churches scattered across the island and 16 of these were designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition, there are colorful houses on stilts in the main city of Castro; there are penguins, ponies, and even a tiny species of deer.

Brujo Glacier, Chile
Entering Peel Fjord from the Sarmiento Channel in southern Chile, your ship veers into the branch called Asia Fjord. As you cruise deeper into the fjord, the water’s surface is dappled with floating ‘bergie bits’ of ice, and occasional larger growlers. Meanwhile the steep slopes on either side are tinseled with lacy waterfalls flowing from the snow-frosted peaks above. Ahead, two ochre slopes cradle a glowing blue-white face of cracked and fissured ice two kilometers across and hundreds of feet high, spilling with geologic slowness from the South Patagonian Ice Field far up the valley. Occasionally a huge shard of ice falls silently into the sea, followed seconds later by the delayed sound of its crack and thunder. You are in the midst of Chile’s Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, the nation’s largest protected region.

Ushuaia, Argentina
Once deemed too harsh for European settlement, Ushuaia's rugged beauty was the realm of its native inhabitants - the Yahgan People. Today, it holds the distinctive title of being the southernmost city on Earth, often referred to as "the end of the world." Situated along the banks of the Beagle Channel, Ushuaia unveils itself like an artist's masterpiece. A mosaic of vibrant houses adds a splash of color against the dramatic backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Dominating this breathtaking panorama is Monte Olivia, its jagged peaks soaring 4,530 feet above the landscape.

The Seabourn Antarctic Experience
This is no ordinary day— with no fixed itinerary, the day unfolds like a secret whispered by nature herself. Depending on weather, ice conditions and reported wildlife distribution during your voyage, your Expedition Leader will craft a bespoke adventure, guided by tides and instinct for you to discover.
Antarctica landings are limited to 100 people at a time.  You will be divided into groups for opportunities to get ashore and rotating between other activities. Daily activities and landings are subject to weather, ice and other conditions and subject to change.  This may affect the number of landings that can occur each day. 
EXPEDITION ACTIVITIES MAY INCLUDE ZODIAC CRUISES, NATURE WALKS, OR CULTURAL EXPERIENCES. EXPERIENCES IN POLAR REGIONS MAY ENCOUNTER ICY OR COLD CONDITIONS. GUESTS REQUIRING A WHEELCHAIR WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A ZODIAC.

At the very edge of the world, hop into the Zodiacs with Ventures by Seabourn team driver-naturalist for a journey like no other. Here, in the vast desolation of Antarctica, we'll explore among iceberg giants dwarfed by behemoth tidewater glaciers.

Zodiacs provide an astounding vantage point from which to experience this icy wonderland. Seascapes of wild blue, punctuated and pierced by mesmerizing ice forms sculpted by the Southern Ocean, captivate even those most widely travelled. Icebergs drift aimlessly, sheltering seals and penguins from killer whales on the prowl.

Some days may include landings. Whether a strenuous hike up to a glacier viewpoint or a short walk along a beach to admire penguins, the Ventures by Seabourn team guides your steps and your processing of this extraordinary moment. Both ashore and aboard the ship, biologists, geologists, glaciologists, and historians interpret this remarkable continent that teems with the hardiest of life.

Seabourn is a member of IAATO, a member organization founded in 1991 to advocate, promote, and uphold the practice of safe and environmentally responsible private-sector travel to the Antarctic. Potential highlights of your visit to Antarctica include:

Ice landscapes: The White Continent is etched and shaped by its abundant glaciers — raw power unleashed within a harsh landscape to soften and burnish its edges. Shades of blue and grey, set against a vast whiteness, create delicate patterns in the snow and ice. Expedition staff guide you ashore to point out the glaciers' activity and their icy footprints.

Penguins: Absurdly comical and utterly serious at the same time, penguins are a delight to watch. They waddle about, busily collecting rocks with which to build their nests. Here, they will lay eggs and raise their ever-hungry chicks. They create actual penguin highways, treading down the snow with their tiny, webbed feet. The mission of the moment could be preening, courting, stealing rocks from their neighbour’s nest to embellish their own, or even running away from their own chicks in search of a moment of peace — it seems every parent has limits.

Marine mammals: Crabeater or leopard seals rest on ice floes, and Weddell seals sometimes sneak ashore for a snooze on the sand. Watch for minke whales feeding on crustaceans and small fish, humpback and fin whales sifting plankton with their baleen mouths, and killer (orca) whales patrolling in search of unlucky penguins or hapless seal pups perched on the lip of an iceberg. These giants are not afraid of the Zodiacs and can often be sighted at close range.

Seabirds: Pelagic birds, such as petrels and albatrosses, soar merrily overhead in the Drake Passage. Years spent at sea make them happy, and gusty days are their best friend, allowing them to surf air currents and remain effortlessly aloft, through a process called 'dynamic soaring', so that they can watch us and delight in our presence as we do in theirs.

Human endeavours: The history of humans in Antarctica is brief. Research stations belonging to many different countries from all over the globe are manned — sometimes year-round and sometimes seasonally. Catching a view of these provides an interesting perspective on the world of science. Life for station workers can be easy and sociable or harsh and lonely, depending upon the circumstances. A few historic remnants of the whaling era can still be seen — the skeleton of a wooden boat tasked with delivering water to factory ships, mooring chains on the shoreline, or a rudimentary hut stocked for explorers. If you are lucky enough to glimpse these, consider them a last gasp of those who tried to commercialize this unforgiving continent.

Please note: Included Zodiac Experiences cannot be booked in advance. The ship's team will communicate finalized content and departure information. Dress warmly in layers with a windproof and waterproof outer layer; bring a warm hat, gloves and a scarf. Life jackets are provided and must be worn. Wildlife sightings are likely but are not guaranteed.

The Seabourn Falkland Island Experience
There is nowhere else in the world like the Falkland Islands. This archipelago is a remote, wind-swept place of stunning landscapes, dazzling white sand beaches, magnificent wildlife, and a rather gregarious mix of people. Over 200 islands surround the two main islands of West and East Falkland. These isolated and treeless shores are home to an overwhelming abundance of birdlife: albatross, penguins, caracaras, geese, and many others. Perhaps it was the very remoteness of the islands; the allure of its barren landscapes, pure in their austerity and colorful in their details, and the immensely large open skies that attracted settlers to its shores long ago, the islands have an accumulated a wealth of maritime and military history. More than three hundred shipwrecks litter its shores, while the stark white crosses of both British and Argentine soldiers stand as a silent reminder to the war of 1982. Numerous claims for the islands have been put forward in the course of their history. Nowadays the Falkland Islands are a self-governing British Overseas Territory.

Stanley/Falkland Is/Islas Malvinas
The lonely lighthouse at Cape Pembroke welcomes arrivals to Stanley. It alerts ships to the treacherous rocks, reefs and shoals for which the Falkland Islands have long been known. With a population of over 2,000 people, Stanley is the largest settlement on the islands. Its gardens, tea rooms, brightly colored houses and hotels lend it a slightly Victorian feel, seemingly suspended in time. The Anglican Cathedral, the southernmost in the world, stands prominently on Stanley’s waterfront.

The Falklands’ unique abundance of wildlife is evident in Stanley. Dolphins visit its harbor, while steamer ducks, kelp gulls, and other birds abound on shore. Southern sea lions can be spotted basking in the sun. Southern giant petrels often fly through town, oblivious to the human presence. Founded in the 1840s, the town was named after Edward Smith-Stanley, Earl of Derby, who never visited the islands.

INCLUDED SHORE EXCURSION: Bluff Cove Lagoon: Penguins & Tea

Discover breeding King and Gentoo penguins and the abundant bird species of the Falkland Islands on this scenic, off-road excursion to the privately-owned Bluff Cove Lagoon wildlife haven. After tendering ashore, you will be met by the Bluff Cove team and set out with your driver/guide by minibus. A 20-minute journey takes you through Stanley and across the rolling hills to Bluff Cove Farm. Here, switch to a 4x4 Land Rover vehicle. Your skillful driver will navigate the rugged off-road terrain for 20 minutes to the Bluff Cove Lagoon penguin rookery. A knowledgeable and friendly ranger will accompany you on a leisurely stroll through the penguin colony, which features a scenic backdrop of a large lagoon and a white, sandy beach that is occasionally patrolled by sea lions from the nearby island. This beautiful, pristine reserve is home to more than 1,000 breeding pairs of Gentoo penguins which protect the growing colony of King penguins and their chicks. Magellanic penguins, which burrow on the nearby island, can often be found on the beach. Bird species that frequent or nest in the area include skuas, upland geese, ruddy-headed geese, Magellanic oyster-catchers, South American terns, dolphin gulls, flightless Falkland steamer ducks, snowy sheathbills and southern giant petrels, among others. At the legendary Sea Cabbage Café on the beach, relax over tea, coffee and hot chocolate accompanied by delicious home-baked treats such as scones with diddle-dee jam and fresh cream. Bask in the warmth and aroma of the peat stove while the enjoying splendid vistas of waves crashing on the sandy beach and penguins porpoising in. The Bluff Cove Museum, also by the beach, depicts life in the Falklands and tells the story of Bluff Cove. You can find out about the farm, the nearby 1863 ‘sugar wreck’, the 1982 war with Argentina and the fabulous lagoon wildlife. You will have free time to take photographs, stroll along the beach and look around the museum. A small gift shop sells unique Bluff Cove souvenirs, including Bluff Cove tweed items made with the farm wool, and postcards that can be stamped and mailed from here. Look for samples of knitted, crocheted and felted local wool work displayed on the walls of the café and museum.

Don’t worry - it’s all included

• Premium spirits Complimentary premium spirits and fine wines available on board at all times.
• Tipping Tipping is neither required, nor expected.
• World-class dining All dining venues are complimentary, dine where, when and with whom you wish.
• Complimentary Wi-fi Complimentary Wi-Fi packages with unlimited minutes powered by SpaceX's Starlink.
• Suites All ocean-front suites luxuriously appointed, most with a private veranda.
• Entertainment Complimentary entertainment experiences, offering a variety of shows and live music.

Your Ship: Seabourn Quest

Seabourn Quest is the third iteration of the vessel design that has been called “a game-changer for the luxury segment.” True to her Seabourn bloodlines, wherever she sails around the world, Seabourn Quest carries with her a bevy of award-winning dining venues that are comparable to the finest restaurants to be found anywhere. Seabourn Quest offers a variety of dining options to suit every taste and every mood, with never an extra charge.
 

All fares are displayed in NZD, and pricing is per person based on twin share occupancy unless stated otherwise. Although all due care is taken to keep information as up-to-date as possible, pricing and availability are subject to change without notice: due to varying timing schedules of supplier automated update processes; currency fluctuations; fuel surcharges or government tax & fee changes and may not be guaranteed until paid in full. Gratuities may be an additional onboard charge depending on particular cruise line selected. Please ask your cruise consultant for any clarification of Terms & Conditions.