Travel Articles: Cruise

Travel to Antarctica has always been for those eager to explore the very end of the world. Unfortunately, as the location has been ‘discovered’, more and more cruise ships are making this their destination. The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators says visits have risen from 6,700 in the 1992-93 season to 45,213 in 2008-09. …

I’ll admit I’ve occasionally been skeptical of the idea of expedition cruising. Sure, you’re traveling to Antarctica or the depths of the Amazon rainforest, but it’s highly unlikely you’re going to get stuck in pack ice like Ernest Shackleton or disappear into the jungle in search of a lost city of gold. And when one past passenger asked …

There are a lot of different ships in the Galapagos. It seems that every year, a few new ships are built while a few older ones retire. The Theory is among the new ships, but her operator is my single favorite. Over the years, Ecoventura has operated the Eric, Letty, Flamingo, Galapagos Sky, Origin and Theory. All but the Eric and Flamingo are …

We spent our last afternoon and evening on North Eleuthera, north of Governor’s Harbour on possibly the most beautiful, pristine beaches I’ve ever seen. The sand was white and perfect. The water was smooth and a vibrant Caribbean green. The crew took us to shore on the zodiac and set us free to wander for as long as we wanted. We were …

We docked at Governor’s Harbor where we would spend the afternoon and evening. Evan and I decided to go for a walk to the other side of Eleuthera and explore the white-sand beach on the rougher side. We walked through town, popping our heads in a few souvenir and coffee shops and then trekked up and over the hill to see the beautiful pink …

Life onboard the Liberty Clipper was very slow-paced. Jason, the cook from North Carolina was a pretty amazing cook, especially considering how small the galley was on the boat! (Jason even nailed my all my favorite meals, all in one day. We had biscuits and gravy for breakfast, Macaroni and cheese and pulled pork sandwiches for lunch and steak …

"Welcome Ladies and Gents for your grand adventure aboard the SS Legacy!" Our journey had begun and it appeared there would not be a dull moment onboard as the Heritage Team introduced themselves. Their goal: to make the Alaska Gold Rush come alive for us again. My sister and I had just arrive from Seattle that morning to Juneau. We …

Our Arctic cruise itinerary has been flexible, adjusting due to rapidly changing ice conditions. We end up with a couple of extra days at sea as we navigate the ice filled waters of the Davis Strait. Our onboard staff seem to have a limitless host of activities to keep us entertained. For Canada Day, they host an onboard marathon, complete with 26 …

I'm talking with our Arctic cruise expedition leader at the bridge, curious about our progress across the Davis Strait from Greenland to Canada. Suddenly one of my fellow passengers shouts "whale, 1 o'clock". I push open the door and shout for the kids. A second whale breaches at 2 o'clock, followed by several others. Within …

This morning we stop in Sisimiut, a picturesque village of colorful homes scattered on the hillside over the town. We walk around the town and visit the sled dogs that are housed just outside the town. I stop by the post office and spend a small fortune ($15) for two postcards and stamps. This afternoon we visit a mostly abandoned fishing …

Today during our Arctic adventure, we explore a glacier in the Sondrestrom Fjord via zodiac. The glacier is an impressive wall of ice. Kittiwakes fly around the nearby bird cliffs and the ice reflects brilliant blues and crystal clear prisms. This afternoon we stop for an unscheduled hike to a lake. A waterfall cascades beside our path as the 3 …

Today we arrived in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland and the start of our mother-daughter Arctic cruise. At nearly 70 degrees, we quickly stripped out of our layers and enjoyed the surprisingly warm temperatures and bright sunshine. The coastline is beautiful with colorful buildings dotting the hillside.

We transferred to the port and boarded zodiacs to …

The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. - Jacques-Yves Cousteau

Nestled between the Baja California Peninsula and mainland Mexico is the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez. Famous oceanographer and marine conservationist Jacques-Yves Cousteau called this area "the world's aquarium" …

Our first day on our Mendoza tour has been nothing short of perfect - we cooked a meal in a busy Argentine kitchen, toured the largest family winery in the country, mailed 3 cases of wine back to the US and ate more meat than I feel comfortable admitting.

There is a surprising abundance of trees, flowering bushes, tall grasses and expansive lush …

To discover new areas of the world and experience nature in its most primal sense is what drives me to travel. There are certain places where these experiences are like none other: the Galapagos, the Amazon, the African bush and of course Antarctica. We live in an age when travel is easy and you can even check in on FourSquare on Mt. Everest. But …

December 1, 2011 and December 2, 2011

The days were spent cruising north to Macquarie Island. The time was spent attending lectures, cleaning our gear for our anticipated visit to Macquarie Island. The sea was rough with swells up to 20 -22 feet which was enough to cause some passengers to stay in their cabins. Other passengers boldly ventured …

November 27, 2011

The Ross Ice Shelf came into view about noon. Size of France and is about 600 miles The vastness cannot be captured in with any lens. The icy cold winds coming off the shelf stirred my imagination about the explorers that had to tackle this massive piece of ice before beginning their journey to the south pole.

November 28th, …

NOVEMBER 18TH, 2011 -- 7PM



Tomorrow will be another day of crushing ice as Coulman Island is still 170 miles away. Due to the large ice floes and sea currents, we have traveled only half as far as yesterday. Now we are heading in a southeasterly direction because that is where the lightest ice is taking us. Ice charts are not always accurate so …

November 17th, 2011 -- 9:00 am

Yesterday we entered the pack ice about 8pm. The light was incredible as we photographed the snow petrels and Antarctic Terns fly among the pancake ice. The view from the fly bridge was surreal. Several times I had to stop taking photographs just to admire ice and the sunset. No image, no matter the number of pixels …

NOVEMBER 15TH TUESDAY -- SOUTHERN OCEAN 7AM

Last night we were warned to expect the worst and to secure our items in our cabins. Surprisingly, most of us, I believe, slept well through the night to awake to very calm seas. The Southern Ocean has been flat like a lake nearly all day. We are ahead of schedule and should be in the pack ice by …

Monday - Nov. 14, 2011

This morning we arrived at Perseverance Harbor, Campbell Island about 8am. Wind was 30 knots and temperature about 40 F degrees. The 100 passengers were divided into several groups by ability: ie. fast to slow walkers. The goal was to complete the 2.5 mile walk with 811 feet elevation gain to the top of the island to view …

Friday - Nov. 11, 2011

This afternoon we conducted bio security which entailed of vacuuming out our personal backpacks and outer gear to prevent pathogens from being introduced into the delicate environment of the Subantarctic Islands. Also, attendance of the zodiac briefing was required to ensure everyone's personal safety.

Pete McClelland from …

Tuesday - November 8, 2011:

Anticipation is increasing. Tonight, I will meet the other travelers at a welcome dinner, then, in less than 36 hours, we will be on the Kapitan Khlebnikov departing Lyttelton. From my past Antarctica trips, I recall an exhilarating yet scary feeling watching the land become smaller and smaller and finally disappearing …