A once-in-a-lifetime discovery
Cruise past wildlife playing on ice floes, soar over seldom-seen valleys and uncover Antarctica’s history on the ultra-luxurious Scenic Eclipse II.
If a voyage into the stark white realm of the Antarctic feels like a dream of immense proportions, that’s because it is for many. Sail on Scenic’s -day Antarctica’s Ross Sea: Majestic Ice & Wildlife journey to make the dream a reality. The voyage showcases the region’s natural beauty in such a way that even experienced travellers will be in awe, while first-timers will be inspired to go further than most for a truly immersive exploration of one of the most remote areas on earth.
Departing from Hobart or Dunedin, the journey follows in the footsteps of famed explorers, such as Sir Ernest Shackleton, towards the Ross Sea, a deep bay in Antarctica’s Southern Ocean and gateway to the South Pole. Unlike Shackleton’s expeditions, however, Scenic Eclipse II allows guests to spot wildlife, take in epic landscapes and look at treasured relics from the verandah of their spacious suites. Guiding you through the experience is a -strong discovery team of experts, including geologists, ornithologists, glaciologists, marine biologists, historians and ecologists, who are on hand to point out penguins and seals frolicking on ice floes and share fascinating facts about minke whales as they breach.
Take the path of pioneers
On a shore excursion to Ross Island (if conditions allow), a Scenic-guided discovery tour visits the huts of early explorers, including Captain Robert Scott’s Discovery Hut. Learn about their adventures and the race to the South Pole that drove these pioneers to the frozen end of the earth.
Explore icy islands by Zodiac
Take a Zodiac to Franklin Island in the Balleny archipelago and you’ll have a front-row seat to a -kilometre-long chain of volcanic isles. Go solo and glide past ice shelves in a kayak or on a stand-up paddleboard.
Soar above an Antarctic desert
Get a bird’s-eye view of the McMurdo Dry Valleys – the largest relatively icefree area in Antarctica – in one of two on-board helicopters^. The arid terrain resembles Mars and is only accessible by air. It’s an unrivalled way for guests to gain a new perspective on Antarctica.