WHY IT RATES: Aurora Expeditions has just launched five new Arctic and British Isles itineraries for 2023, and six innovative new Antarctica itineraries with dozens of departures to the white continent for 2023-24. The eco-friendly cruise line prides itself on its purpose-built vessels and pioneering approach to sailing, which out the adventurer in each of its guests, regardless of the destination. - Laurie Baratti, TravelPulse Associate Writer
Australia's 100% carbon-neutral adventure travel company Aurora Expeditions has announced its 2023/2024 Antarctica season and 2023 Arctic and British Isles voyages aboard the new Sylvia Earle, giving intrepid travelers even more options to explore the white continent and beyond.
Aurora Expeditions' new Antarctica season features dozens of departures across two purpose-built expedition ships, the Greg Mortimer and brand-new Sylvia Earle, which will make her debut voyage on the Subantarctic Safari Nov. 4 - 20, 2022.
"We are thrilled to launch our new Antarctica season, where we have continued to build on our pioneering heritage in exploring this region," said Hayley Peacock-Gower, Chief Marketing Officer of Aurora Expeditions. "Alongside our well-loved classic itineraries, we have continued to innovate and offer new and varied ways for our expeditioners to discover this awe-inspiring destination, whether it be via our numerous fly-sail options, voyages ranging from nine to 24 days, or the introduction of new itinerary combinations that are not offered by other operators in the market. In the Arctic and British Isles, Aurora Expeditions' expeditioners are also being given a wealth of new wild and remote voyages to choose from, all sailing on our brand-new vessel, the Sylvia Earle."
Aurora's new voyages feature six innovative itineraries including the Antarctic Explorer Express, a nine-day voyage featuring a condensed version of the longer itinerary of the fully-grown Antarctic Explorer Voyage, appealing to those seeking a briefer adventure to the Antarctic Peninsula. Travelers can now explore regions in Antarctica that most people who have visited the region have never experienced by venturing below the Antarctic Circle and attempting to forge a path through the ice in the Weddell Sea via the 18-day Circle and Weddell voyage.
In addition, Aurora Expeditions' 2023 Arctic and British Isles voyages will feature five new itineraries for travelers to choose from. The new Svalbard in Depth itinerary offers extra time for deeper and genuine exploration in this magical region where jaw-dropping icy landscapes and hope for unforgettable wildlife encounters await. The 15-day Iceland, Jan Mayen, Svalbard voyage offers a combination of breathtaking contrasts as passengers sail across the Arctic Circle to the High Arctic, while the Complete Northwest Passage voyage will attempt to sail the full length of the Northwest Passage from West Greenland to Nome, Alaska over a 30-day period. In the British Isles, a new Ireland & Scotland Discovery voyage will explore Ireland's rugged west coast, the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland Islands over 17 days.
"We look forward to bringing out the adventurer in each of our expeditioners across our upcoming voyages, with our Expedition Team helping to push their boundaries and inspiring deeper exploration, understanding and connection to some of the most important and awe-inspiring locations within the natural world," said Peacock-Gower.
The new season complements the previously announced new 2023 voyages, including the company's first expedition to the Islands of the Atlantic, including Cape Verde, the Canary Islands and the Azores. Other new highlight itineraries include the Northern Lights Explorer, offering superb opportunities to witness the natural phenomenon of the Aurora Borealis, and Across the Arctic Circle, combining three unique worlds on one unforgettable journey from Scotland to Norway.
To celebrate the season launch, expeditioners can enjoy early bird savings of up to 25% off bookings made by June 30. New itineraries include:
Antarctica 2023/2024
- Falklands~Malvinas and Antarctic Peninsula: Sailing from Santiago to Ushuaia Oct. 22 - Nov. 6, 2023 on the Greg Mortimer, this voyage travels to the Falklands~Malvinas, which is a wildlife hotspot and paradise for birders and is often a stop on a longer itinerary to the Antarctic. Expeditioners will enjoy an in-depth, five-day exploration of the Falklands~Malvinas, as well as experiencing the Antarctic Peninsula in mid-Spring when it is at its most pristine and ideal for landscape photography.
- Antarctic Peninsula in Depth: Sailing round trip from Ushuaia Nov. 28 - Dec. 12, 2023 on the Sylvia Earle, this voyage is the ultimate expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula that includes visits to well-known locations and opportunities for surprise discoveries, with nine full days to discover the wonders of the Antarctic Peninsula in the peak of summer.
- South Georgia & Antarctic Odyssey featuring South Sandwich Islands: Sailing round trip from Ushuaia Jan. 19 - Feb. 11, 2024, on the Sylvia Earle, this epic voyage will explore the famed white continent. Guests will enjoy two days discovering the Falkands~Malvinas, encounter the wildlife haven in South Georgia, and even sail to the South Sandwich Islands, a chain of seldom-visited volcanic islands located 460 miles south-east of South Georgia. Simply reaching these wild, far-flung islands is an adventure.
- Antarctic Explorer Express: Sailing from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas from Feb. 10 - 18, 2024 on the Sylvia Earle, this expedition is the younger sibling to the fully-grown Antarctic Explorer voyage, featuring a condensed version of the longer itinerary for travelers who might be short on time.
- Deep Weddell Following Nordensköld: Sailing round trip from Ushuaia March 24 - April 6, 2024, on the Sylvia Earle, this new voyage focuses on the Weddell Sea region more than any other of Aurora's voyages. The Weddell Sea region is renowned for vast amounts of ice - sea ice, pack ice and gigantic icebergs. For adventurous expeditioners, a visit to the area can be rewarding, most notably for its historical associations.
- Circle and Weddell: Sailing round trip from Ushuaia March 8 - 25, 2024 on the Sylvia Earle, Antarctic adventurers can aim to tick two boxes off their bucket list on this voyage. Here, travelers have the opportunity to visit regions in Antarctica that most people who have visited the region have never experienced - below the Antarctic Circle and attempting to forge a path through the ice in the Weddell Sea.
Arctic & British Isles 2023
- Svalbard in Depth: Sailing round trip from Longyearbyen June 26 - July 10, 2023, on the Sylvia Earle, this extended exploration of the Svalbard archipelago gives ample time to enjoy the best of this magical region, home to two arctic giants reign - the majestic polar bear and beguiling walrus. Be dazzled by jaw-dropping icy landscapes and hope for unforgettable wildlife encounters.
- East Greenland Explorer: Sailing round trip from Reykjavik Aug. 15 - 28, 2023 on the Sylvia Earle, expeditioners will explore Scoresbysund, the world's largest fjord system, where dramatic cliffs soar skyward, jagged mountain ranges sweep across the horizon and countless glaciers forge their way to the sea. Zodiac excursions will reveal steep-sided fjords filled with dazzling icebergs calved from Greenland's enormous ice cap, while keeping a lookout for whales. On guided hikes, stride across vibrant arctic tundra, keeping a close watch for musk ox and the elusive arctic fox.
- Iceland, Jan Mayen, Svalbard: Sailing from Reykjavik to Longyearbyen June 13 - 27, 2023 on the Sylvia Earle, expeditioners will explore the volcanic landscapes of Iceland and Jan Mayen as they follow the ice edge to the Arctic wonderland of Svalbard. Travelers will delight in the breathtaking contrasts as they sail across the Arctic Circle to the High Arctic attempting to reach N80º latitude as they keep a close watch for tail flukes as whales prepare to dive, or a pronounced blow as they surface for breath. Aurora's binoculars are constantly focused on the pack ice looking for the majestic polar bears, while thrilling Zodiac excursions reveal glacier-filled fjords and walruses hauled out on ice floes.
- Complete Northwest Passage: Sailing from Toronto to Anchorage on Aug. 24 - Sep. 22, 2023 on the Sylvia Earle, this epic voyage is inspired by Roald Amundsen's historic expedition, where we attempt to sail the full length of the Northwest Passage, carving our way west through the labyrinthine maze of waterways that hug the fabled islands of Arctic Canada until we reach the Beaufort Sea. Building on our classic Northwest Passage voyage, we visit historical sites explored by heroic explorers, meet the incredible folk that call this region home, and search for enigmatic wildlife found in this unique corner of the world.
- Ireland & Scotland Discovery: Sailing from Dublin to Aberdeen May 17 - June 2, 2023, on the Sylvia Earle, guests will explore the rugged west coast of Ireland while journeying through hundreds of islands and enchanting peninsulas to discover unique flora and fauna. Here, they will witness The Skellig Islands, including a 6th-century beehive hut monastery - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Scotland's equally wild and wind-ravaged islands in the west coast, we marvel at striking basalt columns at Fingal's Cave, revel in remarkable archaeological treasures and encounter some of the largest breeding colonies of northern gannets in the world.
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