Thirty-two days of adventure: experience the semi-circumnavigation of the Antarctic from Tierra del Fuego to New Zealand with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Following in the footsteps of famous explorers: when the European winter sets in, summer comes to life in the southern hemisphere and the penguin chicks see the light of day. Guests sailing with the HANSEATIC inspiration can look forward to an expedition characterised by a sense of discovery and pioneering spirit. From 28 Jan to 2 Mar 2025, the small expedition ship will embark on the emperor’s route among Antarctic cruises – the semi-circumnavigation of the Antarctic. 

When the small expedition ship of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises leaves the port of Ushuaia in Argentina, it will set out on a very special expedition adventure. In addition to impressive wildlife sightings, guests can look forward to a wondrous world of glaciers, lonely expanses and bizarre ice formations. The HANSEATIC inspiration will be self-sufficient at sea for 32 days – from the tip of Tierra del Fuego to New Zealand. The semi-circumnavigation of the Antarctic promises impressive natural phenomena, including tabular icebergs and the Ross Ice Shelf as well as the chance to observe emperor penguins. The ship will travel along the world’s most remote and icy coasts for more than four weeks without stopping at ports. The planned destinations include isolated places such as Stonington Island south of the Arctic Circle, a paradise for ornithologists, and Peter I Island, which is located between the Antarctic Peninsula and the Ross Sea. This expedition combines adventure, history and natural wonders and is considered one of the most fascinating cruises – one of the last great adventures.

Extraordinary expedition with a pioneering spirit 
For the almost 200 guests on this expedition, the journey will become the destination, especially in the face of the conditions created by ice and the weather. A wide variety of animal sightings – including elephant seals, leopard seals, fur seals, Antarctic minke whales, blue whales and humpback whales, numerous bird species and several penguin species – will make the expedition even more memorable. With a little luck, guests may also witness the proud emperor penguin, the species of penguin that lives the furthest south of its kind. Travelling in the wake of historic explorers, the adventure seekers on this expedition will follow in the footsteps of the first polar researchers, Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen, by visiting the old base camps. After 32 days, the expedition will end in Christchurch, New Zealand, and guests will return home enriched with a wealth of unforgettable impressions and new insights.

Expertise on board and ashore
On this expedition, the focus is on imparting knowledge about the fascinating polar region. German-speaking scientists and lecturers in various fields accompany the cruise and provide in-depth insights. In the ship’s multifunctional HanseAtrium, every landing is prepared, accompanied ashore and followed up again afterwards. In addition, guests can independently research and deepen their knowledge in the multimedia Ocean Academy.

With over 30 years of expedition tradition, a state-of-the-art expedition fleet and experienced crews, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is considered the leading provider of expedition cruises in the German-speaking market. The route and timing of the expedition are based on many years of experience in this particular cruising area – both on board and ashore. Captain Ulf Wolter will be monitoring the ice and weather conditions in the region for weeks in advance to get a sense of how they will develop and how the ice will drift. The ice determines the route and thus also the southernmost point that the ship will reach. 

With respect for nature
The new expedition class of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises – consisting of HANSEATIC spirit, HANSEATIC nature and HANSEATIC inspiration – features the highest ice class for passenger ships (PC6). Thanks to the many spacious outdoor areas, two retractable glass balconies and the deck track along the ship bow, guests can experience a sense of connection with nature at very close range. A total of 17 on-board Zodiacs enables landings in remote areas independently of ports.

Guests experience the beauty of this sensitive region as respectful visitors and observers. Acting responsibly towards nature and the environment is a top priority on all cruises. Every Antarctic expedition is subject to a comprehensive approval process by the German Federal Environment Agency. As one of the first members of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), Hapag-Lloyd Cruises actively promotes a respectful attitude to and protection of the Antarctic environment. Thus, the expedition class features the latest environmental technology and does not use heavy fuel oil, using low-sulphur marine gas oil 0,1 per cent instead.

Sample cruises

Expedition semi-circumnavigation Antarctica – the emperor’s route among Antarctic cruises: From Ushuaia/Argentina, including sailing through the Drake Passage, South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula, crossing the Antarctic Circle, cruising through Bellingshausen Sea, Amundsen Sea and Ross Sea, cruising off the Balleny Islands and the subantarctic islands of New Zealand to Lyttelton (Christchurch)/New Zealand.

For last-minue travellers (INS2502): From 28 Jan to 2 Mar 2025 (32 days), cruise only incl. charter flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, bookable in the GOLD fare from € 28,960 per person, double occupancy. For more information, visit www.hl-cruises.com/INS2502 

For travellers planning ahead (SPI2702): With the HANSEATIC spirit from 1 Feb to 5 Mar 2027 (31 days), can be prebooked at www.hl-cruises.com/preview/expeditions 

Reservations: International guests, as well as travel agencies, can make use of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ free-of-charge phone numbers when requesting or booking a cruise. United Kingdom: 08000 513 829, United States & Canada: 877 445 7447, Belgium: 0800 79 421, Netherlands: 08000 220 459; all other countries, please call +49 40 30703070 (English-speaking hotline) – or send an email to service@hl-cruises.com or visit www.hl-cruises.com/contact/international-partners for local agents.