Sure, it’s very special to be aboard the maiden voyage of any cruise ship. But imagine if that cruise ship happened to be headed to Antarctica to view a total solar eclipse? By Cailey Rizzo
Quark Expeditions is upping the game for the maiden voyage aboard its newest ship, the Ultramarine. When the cruise sets sail later this year for Antarctica, its first guests will revel in not only being the first to sail the state-of-the-art ship but in experiencing one of the most dazzling natural phenomena on the planet while they do so.
“After five years of dedicated work and considerable financial resources, we wanted the maiden voyage of this game-changing ship to be incredibly special,” Andrew White, president of Quark Expeditions, said in a statement. “What our guests will experience in our Total Solar Eclipse voyage (November 25 to December 14) can never be recreated in this lifetime.”
Because a total solar eclipse won’t happen again in Antarctica until the year 2039, this could truly be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Guests will enjoy the company of the world’s top three eclipse experts — including National Geographic photographer Babak Tafreshi, NASA scientists Fred Espenak, and “American Eclipse” author David Baron — aboard the ship’s maiden journey.
The 20-day journey starts in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Guests explore the city before flying to Ushuaia, Argentina, where they’ll board the Ultramarine. The ship will cross the Drake Passage and explore the South Shetland Islands before heading to Antarctica to view the eclipse. Ahead of the big day, guests can join presentations from the ship’s experts about astronomy, meteorology, and other related topics.
After experiencing totality, travellers still have a few more days at sea to enjoy destinations like the Falkland Islands before heading back to Ushuaia.
The 20-day experience starts at USD 24,495 (INR 18,31,993) per person and includes tons of perks like a helicopter excursion, all Zodiac boat cruises, and all meals and lodging while on board.
For more information or to request a quote, visit the Quark Expeditions website.
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