The passengers have journeyed a long way to get here, including a likely tumultuous 36-hour trip through the 500-mile-wide Drake Passage, regarded as one of the world s roughest bodies of water. Some board Zodiac rafts for the short ride to shore, where, from a distance, they will observe and photograph nesting penguins. Others will set off in kayaks; if they re lucky, a curious fin whale or orca might pop up to check them out. Still others will snorkel, dive, snowshoe, or even take a submarine or helicopter ride. They will have the landing spot to themselves for a few hours, and thanks to a scheduling and communication system among all vessels in the area, they probably won t see another ship - though the penguins will see a stream of parka-clad intruders all day long.
Antarctica cruises are booming But can the continent handle it?
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Tourism in Antarctica is booming, but it s a complicated relationship
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Coronavirus fallout: Cruising into the unknown Cruises to nowhere an attempt to establish trust
What were called cruises to nowhere were undertaken in the past few months to show that cruises were feasible even in times of pandemic. But the term concealed sobering facts: such outings took place with a maximum of 60% of normal passenger numbers and strict hygiene measures. During the first cruises to northern Europe, on the Mediterranean and off Singapore, passengers were not allowed to leave the ships. Now, if local authorities allow it, passengers can again disembark. Nevertheless, cruise passengers have to remain together in their group. Those who leave them without permission are not allowed to return to the ship.