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Orient Lines’ Marco Polo -- Cruising to the White Continent
Would we recommend traveling
thousands of miles to see hundreds of thousands of penguins? You bet!
This past winter, we had the extraordinary opportunity to go to the last frontier--Antarctica--which is an ideal combination of the wildlife of the Galapagos and the scenery of Alaska. From cute little penguins to huge icebergs that dwarf even the largest of ships, “The White Continent” offers up a very unique cruise destination.
Our exploration started in Buenos Aires, an amazing city with a European flair and a bargain economy. It was a great way to recover from the long flights and to get in to the spirit of our adventure. We then flew to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in South America, and boarded our home for the next twelve days, Orient Lines’ Marco Polo.
Although there are several cruise
lines that include Antarctica on their itineraries, we thought the classic
Marco Polo lent itself well to the experience. Originally built as
an ice-breaker, the Marco Polo combines the power and comfort needed
to ply the often-challenging seas of Drake’s Passage with the luxuries
and amenities of elegant cruise ship travel such as Broadway-style entertainment,
spa amenities including Jacuzzis, sauna and massage and a casino.
Highlights of our time in the Antarctic region included: penguins, penguins and more penguins.....from emperor, to king, to adelie and macaroni; fur seals; elephant seals; several species of albatross and petrels; icebergs; glaciers; research bases; and the fascinating history of explorers that have come before us including Roald Amundsen and Sir Ernest Shackleton.
We have specific story angles and photography for Antarctica, South Georgia, Marco Polo, Ushuaia, and Buenos Aires..