Porthole....

WINTER WONDERLAND:
CRUISING TO THE WHITE CONTINENT IS WELL WORTH THE JOURNEY

Would my wife and I recommend traveling thousands of miles to see hundreds of thousands of penguins? Marco Polo would have said yes and so do we.

A cruise to Antarctica is most definitely a notch in a veteran cruiser's belt. However, it's also quite popular with first-time cruisers who see Antarctica as the last frontier. We chose to discover the White Continent aboard Orient Lines' Marco Polo, where we met fellow passengers who have cruised to Antarctica many times--often on the same ship--but just can't get enough of this unique cruise destination.

A land of superlatives, Antarctica often is described by veteran cruisers as an ideal combination of the wildlife of the Galapagos with the scenery of Alaska--indeed, many say it’s better on both counts. Offering everything from cute little penguins to huge icebergs that dwarf even the largest of ships, a visit to Antarctica is definitely one of cruisers' crowning travel experiences.

The two major reasons to head to the Antarctic region are the wildlife and landscape. Typical wildlife-spotting highlights include king penguins and other species, fur seals, elephant seals, several species of albatrosses and petrels, and awe-inspiring numbers and species of whales. Antarctica's landscape features icebergs, glaciers, towering mountains, rocky coastlines, and unique flora, including 350 species of lichens and hundreds of species of algae and mosses.

Of course, cruise passengers weren't the first to come across this great land. Long before cruise ships started heading across Drake's Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula, the continent at the bottom of the world captivated explorers. From the famed race to the South Pole (won by Norwegian Roald Amundsen in 1911), to Sir Ernest Shackleton's well-publicized survival story, early-20th century explorations has given way to 21st century cruise adventures. In fact, cruise passengers who visit Antarctica now number more than 20,000 annually.

"A lot of ships go to Antarctica, offering a wide range of itineraries, dates, destinations, landings, and prices," says Chuck Cross, owner of Expeditions, Inc., a company that specializes in Antarctica cruises. Most cruises visit the 1,000-mile-long Antarctica Peninsula for several days, with additional possibilities including the South Shetlands and the Falklands.

Our Antarctica cruise aboard Marco Polo also included nature-packed--and even more remote--South Georgia, where Shackleton and his crew were saved, and where he is buried in the old whaling town of Grytviken. Orient Lines is not repeating this particular cruise during Marco Polo's extensive upcoming Antarctica season, but continuing interest in Shackleton will possibly see South Georgia and other Shackleton points of interest (like Elephant Island) appear on the ship's itinerary again.

Marco Polo is a ship meant for exploring. It's equipped with two high-speed launches built as passenger tenders, eight inflatable Zodiac landing craft, and even a takeoff and landing area for helicopters on the top deck. Built in 1965 and christened as the Russian ice-breaker Alexander Pushkin, Orient Lines purchased the 826-passenger ship in 1991 and spent $75 million to turn it into a world cruiser that visits more than 75 ports annually, including an annual return to Antarctica, where the ship typically only sails half-full to more easily accommodate logistics and landings.

After an overnight stay in Buenos Aires, we transferred to Ushuaia, Argentina, at the southernmost end of South America. Known as El Fin de Mundo--the end of the world--Ushuaia is a thriving port town and the departure point for a majority of Antarctica cruises. A downpour prevented us from exploring the city before the ship departed, but we knew there was an overnight stay upon our return. As the late-setting sun ducked behind the towering mountains, the landscapes of Beagle Channel provides a touching taste of things to come.

By the next morning, the ship is out in Drake's Passage, where the convergence of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans can create chaos on the high seas. Our time in these waters--alternatively called "Drake's Shakes" or "Drake's Lake"--depending on conditions, was relatively calm, but the captain said we were quite lucky.

After a couple of days at sea, we arrived at South Georgia, the island where Shackleton eventually landed, climbed across, and found salvation for himself and his crew at a small whaling station. We enjoyed a nature-watching cruise by Zodiac (all tours and landings use these), as well as an interesting walking tour of the town, which featured dozens of curious penguins and seals, historic buildings such as an excellent museum and church, and a cemetery where Shackleton's grave made for many pictures.

Next, Marco Polo was supposed to stop at Coronation Island, with more Zodiac nature tours and landings planned. However, high seas all around the island obliged the captain to reluctantly bypass it.

We were disappointed, but learned that no matter which ship you choose when cruising in this region, the weather dictates the itinerary (indeed, Zodiac cruising off Deception Island would be canceled later in the cruise). In the end, the captain’s decision to cancel the Coronation Island adventure actually ended up giving us more time on the Antarctica Peninsula proper than was originally scheduled.

The next morning, Marco Polo anchored along the Antarctic Peninsula in calm and stunning Hope Bay, surrounded by shining blue icebergs and towering mountains with glaciers weaving their way right down to the water. The Zodiacs were launched and, by sheer luck, we ended up being the first non-crew boat to head for land, where we were the first to jump out and wade through about a foot of water onto terra firma.

There we were noisily greeted by thousands of penguins, along with a ship's photographer who captured a shot of us holding an American flag with the ship in the background. My wife and I have had thousands of pictures taken during cruises, but this print holds a special place in our hearts.

The penguin rookery where we landed was much like those on South Georgia, but being on the continent added to the experience. A short hike up an ice-dappled hill led to even more penguins, including tiny chicks just learning to waddle beside their mothers.

Next, the captain had arranged a surprise for the passengers--a visit to an Argentinian research station. Esperanza, as it's called, is home to about 75 residents including, Emilio Marcos de Palma, the first person ever to be born in Antarctica. Here, we received a warm welcome and a tour of their church, community center, school, and museum. It ended with a reception of tea, coffee, and Argentinian pastries. Many people also sent postcards that research station personnel postmarked "Antarctica".

Back on the ship, we cruised along the peninsula's stunning scenery before heading back into Drake's Passage back toward Ushuaia. Any sadness we felt at leaving Antarctica was outweighed by the anticipation of rounding Cape Horn on our return journey. Yet again, calm seas met our crossing and arrival at the somewhat anticlimactic tip of South America (or maybe we'd just found our sea legs and wanted more of a test of our fortitude).

Back in Ushuaia for an overnight on board, highlights included a sumptuous grilled all-you-can-eat dinner with plenty of robust red wine. Before the charter flight back to Buenos Aires the next morning, we took an excellent tour of Tierra Del Fuego National Park. Created in 1960 to protect the southernmost sub-Antarctic forests, the park is made up of glacial landscape, forests, mountain ranges, deep valleys, lakes and bays, a coastal area, plenty of fauna, and a great variety of birds. It was defintely this nature lover's dream come true.

So, were those long flights and potentially rough seas worth setting foot on Antarctica? As the Argentinians at the research station said when asked if they like it there...Si! Marco Polo would be proud.

Who Cruises Antarctica?

Each season more lines offer Antarctica cruises. For those just starting their search, Expedition, Inc. (www.expcruises.com and www.antarctica-journeys.com; 888-484-2244) is a great place to start. If you prefer small ships, Lonely Planet’s Antarctica (www.lonelyplanet.com) is a huge help for research and staying informed once you're there.

Itineraries change seasonally, but the following are Antarctica offerings for the upcoming 2005-2006 season.

*Orient Lines (www.orientlines.com): Marco Polo is an Antarctica veteran, returning every year.

*Norwegian Coastal Voyage (www.norwegiancoastalvoyage.us): Nordnorge is another excellent large-ship possibility that’s received rave reviews during its first few seasons in Antarctica.

*Radisson Seven Seas Cruises (www.rssc.com): Explorer II, operated by upscale travel outfit Abercrombie & Kent (www.abercrombiekent.com) offers a luxurious way to head south.

*Clipper Cruise Line (www.clippercruise.com): Clipper Adventurer features three Antarctica adventures this November and December only.

*Discovery World Cruises (www.discoveryworldcruises.com): Discovery cruises to Antarctica in December 2005 and January 2006, offering voyages that combine Antarctica with the Chilean Fjords, Falkland Islands, and the Amazon.

*Lindblad Expeditions (www.expeditions.com): Lindblad has a long legacy and sterling reputation in the region and the newly-named National Geographic Endeavour is a super ship for exploration.

*Quark Expeditions (www. quarkexpeditions.com): With five ships and the most departures of any line, Quark offers lots of variety and experience with their small ships.

*Holland America Line (www.hollandamerica.com): Rotterdam will sail 20-day South America & Antarctica departures in December 2005 and 2006, and January 2006.

*Princess Cruises (www.princess.com): Regal Princess will sail a 22-day South America & Antarctica itinerary in January 2006.

*Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (www.hl-cruises.com): Bremen and Hanseatic will sail a series of 12- to 24-day Antarctica expedition cruises December 2005 through March 2006.