Luxurious Peninsula Expedition on L'Austral

Overview
Dates & Prices
Itinerary
Maps
Ship Information
Highlights

The Austral sails through waters that are sometimes frozen, and is often escorted by seals, humpback whales and other cetaceans – a unique sight creating quite unique sensations!
To reach the “sixth continent”, you will sail through the famous Drake Passage and reach the Polar Front, marking the meeting of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. The magic continues as you arrive in Neko Bay, discovered by the Belgian explorer, Adrien de Gerlache. Even further south, nestled at the heart of a polar landscape, high cliffs appear, signalling the entrance to the spectacular Lemaire Channel. Further on, the ancient whaling station of Deception Island will reveal its colony of Chinstrap Penguins.

Price includes Charter Flights - direct, non-stop private flights Buenos-Aires/Ushuaia/Buenos-Aires in Economy-class on LAN AIRLINES

Boot Rental available

20 November, 2013 to 30 November, 2013

Make a booking request for Luxurious Peninsula Expedition on L'Austral, departing on 20 November, 2013

Superior Stateroom €5343.00 EUR pp

AMENTIES Individually-controlled air-conditioning Cabin layout : king-size bed, or twin beds Shower Minibar Flat screen satellite TV Desk with stationery DVD, CD and Ipod™ players Video on demand Safe Hairdryer Bath robes Satellite direct line telephone 110/220 volts outlet French bath products 24hr room service Internet acces wifi

DeLuxe Stateroom €5993.00 EUR pp

Prestige Stateroom - Deck 4 €6643.00 EUR pp

Prestige Stateroom - Deck 5 €6943.00 EUR pp

Prestige Stateroom - Deck 6 €7243.00 EUR pp

Deluxe Suite €9193.00 EUR pp

Prestige Suite - Deck 5 €11593.00 EUR pp

AMENTIES Individually-controlled air-conditioning Cabin layout : king-size bed, or twin beds, communicating cabins available (Children welcome) Shower Minibar Flat screen satellite TV Desk with stationery DVD, CD and Ipod™ players Video on demand Safe Hairdryer Bath robes Satellite direct line telephone 110/220 volts outlet French bath products 24hr room service Internet acces wifi Another Flat screen satellite TV Sofa Armchair & Pedestal table

Prestige Suite - Deck 6 €12093.00 EUR pp

Owner Suite €12843.00 EUR pp

AMENTIES Individually-controlled air-conditioning Cabin layout : king-size bed, or twin beds, communicating cabins available (Children welcome) Bathtub or shower Minibar Flat screen satellite TV Desk with stationery DVD, CD and Ipod™ players Video on demand Safe Hairdryer Bath robes Satellite direct line telephone 110/220 volts outlet French bath products 24hr room service Internet acces wifi Another Flat screen satellite TV Large bathtub Sofa Table with 4 chairs Armchair & Pedestal table

10 December, 2013 to 20 December, 2013

Make a booking request for Luxurious Peninsula Expedition on L'Austral, departing on 10 December, 2013

Superior Stateroom €5629.00 EUR pp

DeLuxe Stateroom €6329.00 EUR pp

Prestige Stateroom - Deck 4 €6979.00 EUR pp

Prestige Stateroom - Deck 5 €7279.00 EUR pp

Prestige Stateroom - Deck 6 €7579.00 EUR pp

Deluxe Suite €9479.00 EUR pp

Prestige Suite - Deck 5 €11879.00 EUR pp

Prestige Suite - Deck 6 €12379.00 EUR pp

Owner Suite €13129.00 EUR pp

12 February, 2014 to 22 February, 2014

Make a booking request for Luxurious Peninsula Expedition on L'Austral, departing on 12 February, 2014

Superior Stateroom €6744.00 EUR pp

DeLuxe Stateroom €7444.00 EUR pp

Prestige Stateroom - Deck 4 €8094.00 EUR pp

Prestige Stateroom - Deck 5 €8394.00 EUR pp

Prestige Stateroom - Deck 6 €8694.00 EUR pp

Deluxe Suite €10594.00 EUR pp

Prestige Suite - Deck 5 €12994.00 EUR pp

Prestige Suite - Deck 6 €13494.00 EUR pp

Owner Suite €14244.00 EUR pp

Additional charges:

Safety and port taxes & Airport Taxes $540.00 EUR pp

Luxurious Peninsula Expedition on L'Austral itinerary:

Day 1: Ushuaia (Argentina)

Embarkation from 4.30pm to 5.30pm. Regarded as the world’s southern-most city, Ushuaia is the capital of Tierra del Fuego in the extreme South of Argentina at the end of Beagle Bay. This amazing little town of over 45,000 people is surrounded by mountains and fertile plains. The first inhabitants here were nomadic hunters and gatherers who arrived on foot to the Isla Grande over 10,000 years ago. Nature lovers will be bowled over by the Tierra del Fuego National Park and its amazing wealth of flora and fauna: beavers, albatrosses, guanacos, penguins... Here forests cover the slopes of the Andes mountains then give way to snow-capped peaks… a truly unique and unforgettable landscape.

Day 2-3: At sea – Drake Passage

To reach the mythical «White Continent» you will cross the notorious Drake Passage named after the famous explorer, Sir Frances Drake, who sailed in these waters way back in 1578. You will then traverse the Polar Front which marks the area where waters from the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans meet.

Day 4: Neko/Paradise Bay

Deep in Andvord Bay, we find this little corner of paradise at the foot of an immense glacier. Neko Bay is without doubt one of the most beautiful sights of the Antarctic Peninsula. Wildlife is as abundant as it is exceptional: sea birds such as gulls, Cape Petrels and Cormorants, as well as marine mammals like seals, orcas and whales. Excursions aboard our Zodiac® dinghies allow you to sail close to blue-tinged icebergs or disembark near colonies of penguins, observe leopard seals basking on the shore or watch the Antarctic Terns flying overhead.

Day 5: Pleneau Island/Port Charcot (Antarctica)

Day 6: Port Lockroy (Antarctica)

On the small island of Goudier, you will have the opportunity to visit Port Lockroy, discovered by the French explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot in 1903. Initially it served as a relief and repair base for whalers, but in 1944 Port Lockroy became a British base. It owes its name to Edouard Lockroy, a French politician and the partner of Jean-Baptiste Charcot during his expedition. You will be able to visit the small museum that retraces the life of the base in the 1950s. Since 1996, it has been open to the public during the short Southern Summer and is used for carrying out research on Gentoo Penguins. Nowadays, this base is the most visited site of the White Continent and, thanks to its little store and post office, it is the only place to offer you the opportunity to write to your friends and family and share this unique moment.

Day 7: Deception Island

Nestled at the heart of the South Shetland Islands, in the north of the Antarctic Peninsula, Deception Island is easy to recognise for its horseshoe shape. On the black sand of the volcanic beaches, there are remains of abandoned huts that have been overrun by the extraordinary wildlife, part of the treasure that Nature offers us there. It is on these beaches of ash that the largest colony of Chinstrap Penguins in the Antarctic Peninsula has taken up residence. Excursions aboard our Zodiac® dinghies will allow you to set foot on this expanse of land where more than 100,000 pairs of penguins, Elephant Seals and Fur Seals live side by side.

Day 8: The Weddell Sea (Antarctica)

A lengthy sail in the Weddell Sea will allow you to experience true silence, an extraordinary and enchanting atmosphere, unrivalled calm...You will discover a secret reserve of preserved treasure: Fur Seals, penguin colonies, Wandering Albatross and other giant Petrels. Here the huge icebergs and the endless ice cap sculpt a landscape beyond compare. The lord of the manor is known as the Weddell Seal. It is a record breaker, able to remain submerged for more than an hour. Its pelage is dark grey and it has a spotted belly. To maintain its access to the sea and be able to fish, the Weddell Seal has special teeth allowing it to make a hole in the thick ice.

Day 9 & 10: At sea, Drake Passage

At sea, Drake Passage

Day 10: At sea, Drake Passage Ushuaia

Disembarkation

Day 11: Ushuaia (Argentina)

Diembarkation

Cruise and Flights:

Air Package – For your peace of mind! FILGHTS PROGAMMES, PRE CRUISES & TRANSFERS (included in the price) Compagnie du Ponant has chosen to charter planes on LAN AIRLINES (national airline) for your Buenos Aires / Ushuaia / Buenos Aires flights, which offer the following benefits: • Direct non-stop Buenos Aires / Ushuaia and Ushuaia / Buenos Aires flights • All your luggage is taken on the same flight, guaranteeing that it arrives when you do • If there is a delay due to the weather or other reason, our ship will wait for you • Easy connections with main international airlines to Europe as the Ushuaia to Buenos Aires flight arrives at the international airport: Pistarini Airport (EZE). When you make your booking you can opt for: • A transfer to Ushuaia port to board your ship immediately and have access to the main lounge (your stateroom or suite will be ready for you anytime after 5pm). You will have lunch onboard and be at leisure to explore Ushuaia on foot in the afternoon. OR • An excursion leaving from Ushuaia airport to discover the Tierra del Fuego National Park. This includes a typical Argentine lunch. The excursion ends at the port in time for boarding. This programme includes (1): - Buenos Aires / Ushuaia / Buenos Aires chartered economy class flights - Luggage transfer - Excursion to Tierra del Fuego National Park including lunch, OR early boarding of the ship with lunch onboard. - The services of an English-speaking guide - Pier/airport transfer on disembarkation day (1) Package valid subject to availability.

L'Austral

This superb mega-yacht with 132 cabins is the result of the expertise of the Italian Fincantieri shipyard and French sophistication, as interpreted by designer Jean-Philippe Nuel. L'Austral has a unique atmosphere, a subtle blend of luxury, intimacy and well-being.

A sleek silhouette softened by elegantly smooth contours and large, arched windows opening up to the sea and the light: so many features come together to give L’Austral her distinctive shape. Precious materials, discreet elegance and a perfect balance between chic and casual, combine to make you feel as if you are on your own private yacht. A design blending tradition and innovation, where a nautical mood has been subtly recreated. Precious materials in smoothing neutral tones are brought to life with splashes of cheerful reds. So many personal touches create the spirit of a “private yacht”.

Cuisine

Loyal to the great French tradition, the haute cuisine on board is worthy of the finest restaurants, where discreet, attentive service is the hallmark.

Our two restaurants welcome you for breakfasts, lunch and dinner. The Gastronomic Restaurant, with a capacity of 268 persons, is situated on Le Liberté Deck and serves you French and international cuisine accompagnied by fine wine. On the Grill Restaurant, you will have the opportuniny to eat outside and enjoy buffet lunch and themed dinner.

Life On Board

Whether you want to join other guests in the theatre or games area (Wii™ consoles, etc), or relax on your own in a quiet corner of the library, L'Austral has been designed to meet the needs of every guest.

Everything has been done to preserve the independence of each guest to suit their personal tastes: lounges for lectures and shows, a spa in partnership with Sothys™, but also more intimate spaces such as the library and internet corner. Comfortable cabins, nearly all with private balcony, are available for families either as triples or as communicating cabins. There is also a games area with Wii™ consoles, children’s menus, and a baby-sitting service. Just as if you were on a private yacht, your time is your own to do as you please.

Fitted with the latest equipment (Kinesis Wall, running machine) and in partnership with the famous Sothys™ brand, the Beauty Centre on L'Austral welcomes you for some unforgettable moments of relaxation and pampering (beauty treatments, hairdresser).

Vessel Type: Luxury Expedition / Cruise

Length: 142 meters

Beam: 18 meters

Speed (average): 16 knots

Built: 2011

Capacity: 264 (in twin cabins, 200 in Antarctica)

To reach the “sixth continent”, you will sail through the famous Drake Passage and reach the Polar Front, marking the meeting of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.