Andrea’s Journey to the White Continent with Scenic Eclipse

Week One

Mon 20 Oct 2025

Flight Rockhampton to Brisbane to Sydney with Qantas. On time and good service. I do like Qantas for the longer domestic flights due to meals included, even if it’s sometimes just a snack.

Overnight: Novotel International.

Sydney super shuttle $12pp each way. Pick up area and they take your name and the transfer is billed to your hotel room account at the Novotel. It is a short 5-10min bus ride from the Sydney domestic terminal. Under 5min to the International Terminal.

Novotel’s facilities are good, friendly service and rooms are also a good size – probably just a bit older hotel from what you can tell in the rooms.

Tues 21Oct

Check in with Latam airlines Sydney direct to Santiago and onto Buenos Aires. Luggage checked all the way through to Buenos Aires.

Check in and customs in Sydney is pretty much organised chaos as most airports are.

Latam airlines were good. Paid for extra legroom seats (premium seating) and worth every cent to give you a bit more comfort on the long haul. I would recommend upgrading where you can on long haul flights just to be more comfortable.

Good service onboard with Latam airlines with 2 meal services and 1 snack service.

Arrived Santiago with a very easy transit through as an international connection.

We did not have to clear customs instead stayed in transit.

Rescanned hand luggage.

It took no longer than about 30-45mins to get through to next departure gate.

Arrived Buenos Aires.

Met in the arrivals hall by Scenic with a seamless transfer to our overnight hotel – the Sofitel Recotela.

There is nothing better than reliable transfer services and to see them standing there with a Scenic sign ready to pick you up after a long flight.

Distance from the EZE airport is approx 45mins to 1 hour.

The Sofitel Recotela is a lovely hotel with breakfast included, again booked with Scenic. It really is worth booking your pre and post nights with Scenic Tours as they do take care of the Transfers – both from the airport to hotel and hotel to ship the next day. A lot less hassle for you.

Wed 22 Oct

A tip is to try to arrive into a country in the afternoon/evening if you can (especially after a long flight). That way you can have an early dinner and then sleep.

After a good nights sleep

Breakfast at the hotel, and a Quick look around our hotel

we were transferred at 1.30pm from the hotel to the ship by Scenic in groups.

The advantage again of staying at a Scenic booked hotel is that you put you luggage outside your hotel room by 9am and they take it to the ship for you (already with your Scenic Eclipse luggage tags on) so you are not handling your luggage for the transfer.

The Sofitel also has a Scenic desk that you can ask any questions or queries you might have before you board. 0ransfers to the ship – again

prompt and faultless.

Buenos Aires cruise terminal is nothing flash – port immigration to scan your hand luggage was very quick

You are then taken onboard the very beautiful Scenic Eclipse ship and greeted with champagne and a hot towel where you can relax until it is your turn to check in with Scenic reception and checking of your passport.

You are then given an individual safety demonstration for your muster station and shown to your cabin to be met by your own private butler. They will arrange anything you need onboard – dining, spa bookings, shore excursions and restaurant bookings.

Time to unpack and start the journey. The big mirrored screen in your cabin is also your tv where the daily schedule can be found. This is called the Daily Wonder.

Your cabin has your Scenic jackets fit for polar regions already in the room (yours to keep), so you can start using them right away. Hence no need to pack your own big heavy jackets.

Your luggage is also already in your room after being picked up from your hotel earlier in the morning.

Scenic really do work hard to make everything a smooth process.

Our cabin is on Deck 7 – a Deluxe Verandah cabin. It is a spacious cabin with beautiful interior design and a large bathroom, bed and lounge area and a Balcony.

Also found in your cabin is robes, slippers, sewing kits, bathroom amenities, hairdryer, umbrellas, refillable water bottle, espresso machine, tea, water bottles are refilled daily. And a pair of binoculars for wildlife viewing.

But what is great about the cabin is that it has 2 sided adjustable slumber beds so you can adjust your head or legs to suit your needs.

Note also for cabin: A lot of information suggests you don’t need an adaptor however whilst they have usb ports the newer iPhone charger does not seem to fit this

I feel it would be best to bring an adapter.

Sail away drinks in the Scenic lounge and casual dinner tonight at Azure.

Burgers/ pasta/pizza

Spaghetti bolognese was very good.

Thu 23Oct & Fri 24Oct

2 Sea days on the way to Faulkland islands.

• Hint: if you have a long haul flight I suggest you look for cruise itinerary’s that have 1 or 2 sea days at the start of your cruise. It gives you a chance to find your bearings on the ship but also to relax, catch up on sleep maybe book into the spa.

Every evening the ship puts out the Daily wonder which lets you know what is on for the next day.

There is a printed copy put in your cabin but also can be found on your tv.

This morning I did a Gym session (gym was reasonable size with most gym equipment you would want for this length of cruise)

Breakfast at Yacht club – both buffet and ordered breakfast available.

Casual but still elegant dining.

Time for a coffee and then onto a Mandatory session regarding the Zodiacs and keeping Antarctica pristine and how to interact safely with the animals whilst not disturbing them.

Discovery talk in the afternoon- Wind, Ocean & Birds.

The Discovery team is amazing – all of them see very knowledgeable, passionate and friendly and actually all quite young but they are professional and take their jobs seriously. They also take the environment and our safety very seriously.

They have the best jobs and most of them are just out there doing what they love.

Their enthusiasm actually makes you want an outdoor job!!

Cruise trivia in the Scenic lounge, followed by a daily briefing about today and what’s coming up.

The daily briefing is held each evening and gives you a recap on the day as well as an update on the next day.

Meet the Captain- Drinks and Canapés in the Scenic lounge with introduction to the staff.

Dinner tonight was at Luminere – French restaurant, bookings essential. 8 course dinner paired with wines. Amazing dining experience with excellent service.

• Hint for choosing your cabin – depending on what type of cabin you want of course, but perhaps try to choose your cabin according to what else is on your deck level. For example Deck 7 where I am located has gym, Yoga and Pilates rooms as well as the Yacht club. Very handy for gym/ breakfast.

Friday

Gym session followed by breakfast at the Yacht club.

We actually got to see 2 whales slapping their tales. Not too many places you can say you get to see that from your gym window!

And it was a Right Whale as well, which are hard to find and quite unique to see.

Breakfast & Lunch at the Yacht club today.

R&R day – enjoy a rest or join in with any of the onboard activities. Start of the wildlife watch to keep an eye out for any amazing wildlife along the way.

Today we also had Biosecurity and Boot fitting to make sure our muck boots fit. Biosecurity was to check your outer layers of clothing – clean your boots, check pockets of clothing for any dirt/sand/seeds or residue and give the outer layers of clothing a vacuum. This was to get them bio safe for the Falklands. They will do this again before we get into South Georgia and Antarctica.

Onboard they also have a Critter Club if you spot any wildlife you can take photos and discuss it with other guests.

Daily Briefing and Dinner at Koko’s Asian Fusion.

Fantastic food and service.

Their food onboard really is next level.

Sat 25 Oct

Actually our 3rd Sea day before arriving to the Falkland Islands.

Quite a few enrichment lecturers regarding Penguins and Geology of the Falklands which are informative.

Always good to note if you miss anything that is held in the theatre for entertainment or lectures you can watch it later in your cabin via the tv.

I spent most of the afternoon relaxing in the cabin as the winds have blown up and sea is a bit rougher today.

They have an ample supply of tv and movies for you to watch.

Attended the Daily recap and Port talk.

Dinner tonight was Room Service. Lots of variety to choose from and prompt with their delivery.

Bought to our room by our very own private butler.

Sun 26Oct

Arrived in the morning to the Falkland Islands – West Point.

Disembarking was done in colour groups via the zodiacs. Winds when we arrived were up so we couldn’t go out as planned and were delayed approx 2 hours. They are very big on safety.

Finally we were able to disembark and take the zodiacs to a pontoon to cost Falkland Island West Point

Gearing up for landings means looking a bit like the Michelin Man- plenty of layers and jacket/gloves/beanie etc.

It is lovely to be on land after 3 days at sea. It’s a beautiful rugged island with some harsh conditions but also a lot of natural beauty and wildlife.

Walk was 2.2km each way to visit the Albatross/ Rock Hopper Penguin colony all living in perfect harmony. So many of them. Penguins were super cute and the Albatrosses, well they are very big birds.

Scenic are very big on protecting the wildlife – you have to walk your shoes through disinfectant before entering the animal colony.

As well as this you have to have your shoes sprayed with water, put through big brushes to clean them and disinfected before coming back onboard.

Headed then to another part of Falkland Islands called Saunders island where 4 different varieties of penguins can be found.

Overnight journey on the ship around to Port Stanley – also in Falkland Islands.

One thing with this adventure is that you do have to be flexible – the Scenic Eclipse staff are very adapt at changing the itinerary when the weather is not favourable so looking at regular updates of your daily wonder is required.

Mon 26 Oct

Day at Port Stanley – Falkland Islands. Probably the last stop of actual civilisation on this cruise.

A beautiful and colourful town with a real fishing village vibe. Beautiful quaint houses with brightly coloured roofs. It has approx 3500 people that live in this beautiful but sometimes harsh environment. Very British feel about it.

We turned up at the port to be greeted by some seals lounging on the jetty!

We did a very informative 2 hour morning walking tour organised by Scenic and were transported to the port by the ships tenders. Very well organised and a good guide. We learnt about the history of the island and the Falkland island war in 1982.

Finished the tour at the museum and then had lunch at a little English style pub called the Victory.

Everything on the island is in British pounds but they do accept US or Euro dollars or credit card.

There is an airport here as well with flights from Santiago or London arriving somewhat regularly.

This very quaint little place has everything you might need and I would imagine is a hub for the entire Falkland Islands.

It was a lovely day and I certainly enjoyed my land day here with everything very well organised by Scenic.

Back to the luxury of our ship for our next 2 sea days on our way to South Georgia.

Tues 27 Oct

Sea Day

Breakfast at the Yacht club

0900 Bio Security again with checking and cleaning your outer layers of your clothing for dirt/seeds etc before being able to go into South Georgia. This also meant checking the souls of your muck boots for any residue on them.

South Georgia are super serious about bio security to protect the environment and unique animals on this island.

Line Dancing in the theatre today was fun and tricky on a moving ship!

Not too many takers for this but a fun group anyway.

Bracelet making after lunch – made a special souvenir bracelet.

Enrichment lecture – A story of Endurance about Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition (Part 1). Very interesting to listen to the story of one of the first and very brave pioneers to explore Antarctica and what they endured back then.

Wellness Event- Pain Management & other life hacks.

Finish the day with Cruise Trivia and maybe a relaxing dinner and some night time entertainment from the cruise director singing her favourite Diva songs.

All in all a good sea day filled with diverse things for everyone to do.

Week One on the Scenic Eclipse is complete. A week full of luxury & amazing food and service onboard, while giving us unique wildlife and visual experiences outside.

I’m looking forward to another two weeks of stories to tell, and even better wildlife encounters.

Week Two

Wed 29Oct

Breakfast at the Yacht club.

It’s so easy to do breakfast there as it’s on our deck level. Staff are great there too and a good variety of food.

This is our last Sea day before reaching South Georgia.

Then a Wellness morning Stretch class this morning.

They do 2 sessions daily of Yoga or Pilates or Stretch classes and even a Sound healing class all included in your cruise cost.

You can also book private training or private yoga /pilates classes for a charge – bookings can be done through the spa.

Lunch at Azure.

Enrichment lecture: A story of endurance Shackleton’s Journey Part 2 – very interesting and what hardships the early pioneers had to endure to discover and be brave enough to explore with so little provisions compared to what we have today.

Cruise Musical Bingo – a lot of fun to bring groups of people together in the Scenic lounge on Deck 4.

Enrichment Lecture: The Big Ice or “Just Ice” by Simon, one of the Discovery team members

How does Antarctic Ice hold clues to the Earths climate past -and future.

Cruise Musical Bingo was great fun as was Cruise Trivia.

Thu 30 Oct

Awoke to snow capped mountains as we sailed into

South Georgia – Salisbury plain.

The view from the Yacht club window for breakfast was breathtaking.

Quickly ducked up to the bridge as they have the best window views up front!

The Scenic Eclipse had the best captains bridge policy, it is located on Deck 7 and if the door is open you may enter and have an amazing view from the front of the ship. If the door is closed then you cannot enter.

Tip: This is another reason Deck 7 is a good location because if they sight whales/wildlife or ice bergs you can duck up to the bridge to get the best views.

Arriving into South Georgia you could see blue skies, blue water, snow capped mountains and an abundance of wildlife on the beach – King Penguins, Elephant Seals and Fur Seals. You could even hear them from the ship – hundreds of thousands of them. White King Penguins and their brown furry baby penguins (because we are travelling at the start of the Antarctic season you will see the babies).

If you come later in the season the beach may be full of all white and grown up penguins.

You are given very clear instructions on how close you can go to the wildlife and certain ones you can get closer to than the others.

Again we are divided into groups (we are in the Blue group) and given your time to board the zodiacs for your beach landing. Time to gear and rug up with your layers and life jackets.

The Zodiac operators work very safely and your safety is their upmost priority.

Waterproof gear is a must – you do get wet on the zodiacs.

We arrived at the beach to be met by the sounds of the penguins (oh and also the smell, but it’s not that bad!)

Wow – what a sight.

King Penguins/Fur Seals/Elephant seals everywhere you looked. It was like New York City for Penguins!

How amazing to be in such a remote place with only wildlife surrounding you.

We were told the winds had picked up and they had to postpone the landings so we were given a shorter amount of time on land, but enough time to appreciate the experience. Again safety is first and foremost.

As some groups did not get to go due to the winds as we move to our next stop in South Georgia, those groups will be swapped around to go first at the next stop.

Again Flexibility has to be apart of your journey to these parts and weather plays a big part in what we do. Itineraries can change quickly.

Lunch onboard @ Yacht club.

We then travelled around to Fortuna Bay, South Georgia.

Geared up and back on the zodiacs into Fortuna Bay for a beautiful sunny afternoon with another abundant amount of wildlife.

We saw two male Fur Seals fighting for territory on the beach before the females arrive on shore and a cheeky female fur seal being very curious around the zodiacs. Watching the king penguins waddle down to the beach and go swimming was very cool.

Back onboard for a gym session or if you prefer an afternoon stretch class, before a shower and sitting in luxury in the Scenic Lounge for a few pre dinner drinks and music.

Always a great idea to attend the recap and briefing they hold every evening so you are ready for the next day.

Dinner – Koko’s Asian Fusion. Really beautiful Asian cuisine and amazing service. The Staff onboard are very attentive.

You really cannot beat doing this region on the Scenic Eclipse where everything is luxury, everything is taken care of and you are spoilt for choice onboard. Whist in contrast you have your remote, somewhat harsh but beautiful climate and amazing wildlife outside. It cannot get much better than this.

Fri 31 Oct

Woke to find we are tucked away in a place called Jason Harbour for the morning.

Again beautiful bay with snow capped mountains and blue skies.

We have been told that it is rare to have blue sky days at South Georgia so we are lucky.

Breakfast at the Yacht Club.

Which they have decorated for Halloween.

Geared up and onto the zodiacs for a 90min zodiac cruise around the bay.

We were able to see plenty of Elephant seals, Fur Seals and birdlife as well as lovely colours in the rock formations onshore.

This is a very special time to come to South Georgia and see the Seals. The Elephant seals are only here for a few weeks whilst they give birth and mate again before heading back out to sea – they will not be back here until around next Sept/Oct.

So it is important to choose your time of year depending on what wildlife you want to see for eg, you may want to come later if you wish to see the Whales.

Your discovery guides give you all sorts of information along the way. They explained when you start to see the clouds forming in a Circle / UFO shape that means a big change in the weather is coming, usually lots of winds.

In Jason Harbour we were able to see the Fur Seals swimming and playing in the water and some ice bergs. The water is beautiful here – so clear and blue. Even the big leaves of the kelp floating in the water look magical.

You sit in the zodiac and breathe in the clean and fresh crisp air and really take a look around you.

Take the time to stop taking photos and videos and just be in the moment.

You and your Scenic ship guests are the only people here in the Harbour!

Where else can you go that is like that?!

And the beautiful sleek Scenic Eclipse sits magically on the water in the background.

Back to the ship to warm up and have lunch as we move toward Grytviken for the afternoon.

Gritviken is an old Whaling station that still has all the old processing boilers and workshop in place. They have now converted this whole area into a Museum that has a very interesting guided tour.

Alongside this is the church, the museum/gift shop, old warehouse and sleeping quarters. There is even a post office where you can post a letter/postcard home.

And yes the South Georgia Heritage trust have people living here in the spring/summer months giving the guided tours.

Grytviken is also the final resting place for Ernest Shackleton the famous explorer in these parts, so you can visit his grave.

We had the afternoon to wander through the relics of the old Whaling station and marvel at the animals now making this place their home.

Melting snow creating little streams of fresh water for them off the snow capped mountains.

The rusted buildings/ships were a stark contrast to the natural landscape behind.

Dinner Sushi @ Koko’s

You watch the chef prepare the sushi in front of you and they have such a wide selection available – both traditional and western menu’s. Really an amazing dining experience.

You must book to dine at Sushi @ Koko’s

Sat 01Nov

Awoke to be docked in the calm water of a bay called Godthul. Yes we are still in South Georgia! This island is a home to many beautiful spots.

Morning breakfast at the Yacht club is becoming a bit of a tradition for us.

Morning zodiac cruise around the bay at Godthul.

More amazing wildlife, melting snow/waterfalls and lovely colours on the rock formations.

Even the tussac grass is amazing how it can grow in harsh conditions and provide shelter for the seals and animals onshore.

You see seals doing rolls in the water beside you and big Elephant seals swimming and snorting in the water. Lots of birdlife and a few penguins here (not too many compared to the others stops).

Conditions were good for the stand up paddle boards and kayaks so some guests got their invitation to join into those groups.

There was also the option of a 6km hike up elevated path to a summit for those that wanted to participate in that.

The water is still clear here but the colour is slightly darker than yesterday.

Lovely conditions – more cloud today but still a little bit of sun. Temps are 2-3 degrees Celsius but not windy, so actually very pleasant.

Back onboard for a barista coffee and then lunch at Azure.

We then relocated the ship for the afternoon excursion to Saint Andrews Bay. This bay is famous in South Georgia for being home to approx 500,000 King Penguins and at this time of year their little brown fluffy chicks.

And of course some Elephant and Fur seals. Now this is a sight to see!

Penguins as far as the eye can see. White and Brown everywhere.

We did a beach landing and walked up to a running stream to see some of them and then did a zodiac ride along the waterfront to see them stretch for miles.

There is so many of them you end up quite close or they will walk right past you (keeping a 5m distance is tricky but necessary. Even further distance is needed with the seals).

You see baby fur seals playing and penguins wave surfing on the beach.

Again with snow capped mountains in the background.

You really do have to take a moment and appreciate spectacle.

Maybe not taking a deep breath here – because there certainly is a smell!

Facing a bit of overcast weather and showers of rain this afternoon, so for now our blue skies are gone and the discovery team have said this is more like typical South Georgia weather.

Back on board to warm up.

Dinner and then some fun Halloween based Trivia and songs.

Sun 02Nov

Sailed into Drygalski Fjord – our last stop in South Georgia before heading off to Antarctica. You really start to see the icebergs in this part of South Georgia.

If you are up for a 1 hour zodiac cruise they take you around the fjord, however I opted to stay onboard and visit the Senses Spa and use some of their amazing facilities.

The Spa has their very own plunge pool set at about 5 degrees, a Steam Room, a Sauna room and a Salt room equipped with infrared chairs to relax in and lounges to lie on.

All this is complimentary included in your cost to visit as many times as you like during your cruise.

Of course they offer treatment rooms for massages, facials, pedicure & manicures. They also have a hair salon onboard.

These treatments are an additional cost.

The Senses spa offers a Female only side and a Male side which can also be Unisex.

Before lunch the Scenic Eclipse ship then does approx 1hr 30mins sail up the Drygalski Fjord. Beautiful scenery and glaciers with melting waterfalls underneath some of them.

This is the first time Scenic Eclipse has been into Drygalski fjord.

Lovely scenery which can be viewed from the Sky Bar on Deck 10 or the Observation lounge or deck outside of the Azure restaurant on Deck 5 or even from the Captains bridge on Deck 7.

The staff were serving hot chocolate with a dash of Bailey’s in the Observation lounge to warm you up.

Very relaxing and beautiful scenery and at the end of the fjord is done pretty spectacular glaciers.

Our time has come to an end at South Georgia but what an amazing 4 days here. You don’t have to be a total nature lover but you do have to hold an appreciation for nature to be truly grateful for this experience.

I certainly am.

We then sailed out of the fjord and into the open ocean to turn our attention towards Antarctica.

I cannot wait to get there and experience all Antarctica has to offer.

This afternoon onboard there are Documentaries and Enrichment Lectures about Shackleton & Conservation Stories of the Southern Ocean.

Attend the Afternoon Stretch class and a Geo Trivia event if you so wish.

Dinner: Night Market

Booking essential.

This is a special dining area inside of Koko’s and seats 8 guests. It is a Teppanyaki style dining and the menu changes every 3-4 days.

Tonight we enjoyed an 8 course Indian cuisine.

Really amazing food with each countries authenticity in each menu.

Onboard our cruise Night Market offered menu’s from the Middle East, Asian, Indian and the Philippines.

This is a must do when dining onboard the Scenic Eclipse.

Mon 03Nov & Tue 04Nov

Next 2 days are Sea days as we make our way down to Antarctica.

Time to experience the ship some more and appreciate the warm, friendly and amazing service of the staff onboard the Scenic Eclipse.

Time to sleep in, maybe watch a movie, or participate in activities onboard such as Wildlife Watch, Cooking Demo, Whiskey Tasting, Enrichment lectures and of course Cruise Trivia.

Or perhaps indulge in some spa treatments or a sauna.

Or if you want to get active there is the gym, Yoga/Pilates or Stretch classes.

I attended the cooking demonstration held in the theatre. Very insightful and tasty!

A BioSecurity check in the afternoon. With these checks you take all of your outer layers of clothing already worn or intended to be worn in Antarctica and check them for seeds/dirt etc. Check and vacuum them where necessary. Check all of your pockets and Velcro.

Also need to check your muck boots for traces of anything from South Georgia.

So far so good with the weather as well, seas are being kind to us so far.

Note: while I think of it, if I haven’t already mentioned it the wi-fi onboard is very good. Unlimited usage and whilst it is better in the public area’s compared to the rooms, it is still good enough onboard if you had to do work.

I should also note that Scenic Eclipse do offer you canapés each afternoon with your drinks when you are down in the Scenic lounge pre dinner.

Dinner: Room service

This is very good as well, they have a good menu and it is 24 hour room service.

The night time saw the weather blow up a bit at sea, so we did have some movement onboard. But learning what the actual conditions were outside, you then know why the Scenic Eclipse is one of the best ships to do the polar regions with for stability and comfort.

On our last sea day, we had a sleep in, attended an enrichment lecture about the Geology of Antarctica which was very good and participated in the Finish the Lyric song challenge and fast becoming a favourite amongst those onboard is again cruise trivia.

We have now started to see snow capped islands floating by as we near the Antarctic peninsula. The weather and conditions have smoothed right out.

By tomorrow morning we will arrive to Antarctica to a place called Brown Bluff.

Week 2 concludes. I cannot wait to share my 3rd and final adventure onboard the beautiful Scenic Eclipse and show you Antarctica.

Week 3

Wed 05 Nov

Brown Bluff, Antarctica

Arrival this morning to Antarctica!!! Wow this place is stunning.

We set foot onto Antarctica for the first time and had our photo taken with the flag to prove it!

First stop was Brown Bluff with a short zodiac ride to the beach to see the Gentoo penguins and the little tiny Adelie penguins. The Adelie penguins can only be found in Antarctica so it is truly special to see them.

They each share the beach but they never venture into each other’s territory.

They were quite busy today and we saw plenty of them swimming besides the zodiacs as well as busy on the beach. They would pick up one rock at a time and carry it back to where they were building a little pile of rocks as a nest. Hard work!

The ice is broken up all around the ship but the currents move fast and soon there was a lot of ice closing in around the ship. They ordered the end of the shore excursions and quickly got everyone back onto the zodiacs (12 on each zodiac)

– this was to ensure they could still get a clear pathway back to the ship for the zodiacs.

Again the Discovery Team work quickly to adjust to the ever changing conditions in this region.

Time for a coffee and quick lunch before I had the amazing opportunity to do a 30min Helicopter flight over this part of Antarctica.

The Helicopters are an additional cost but certainly a must do. You get a whole different perspective from the air and it did not disappoint.

From the air you can see how mountainous the area is and with the icebergs and broken up pieces of ice floating in the clear blue water, it really is a spectacle. You can see how thick the ice is and when the sun is shining on them the iridescent blue colour shines through.

I would highly recommend doing a Helicopter when onboard.

It is so cool because they can fly on and off even when the ship is moving.

This afternoon we are making our way into the Weddell Sea close to Snow Hill island in the hope that some guests will get to fly to the King Emperor Penguin colony.

It is another beautiful day with blue skies and barely any wind. Temperature started around -2 degrees Celsius which is good – we were expecting more like -7, so it is warmer than expected.

Daylight hours becoming longer down here – daylight from approx 4am through to 9.30pm

Spent plenty of time out on the open decks today watching as we sail through the ice.

The entertainment people – Kat and Jamie held a very special mini concert on the Heli Pad this evening.

A sunny beautiful still afternoon, ship had stopped, we were surrounded by sheets of broken ice and ice bergs – and they sang!

Such beautiful voices and songs and surroundings that truly was just a “life moment”.

Truly bought a tear to my eye.

Recap and briefing – very exciting news for those going to Snow hill tomorrow to see the King Emperor penguins. Looks like they might get this very rare chance.

Dinner at Elements- beautiful dinner and again amazing service.

One conversation with our private butler and he had booked our dinner reservations for the speciality dining for the rest of the trip. He certainly takes care of all of your needs.

Day 1 in Antarctica – wow, what a day!

Thur 06 Nov

Snow Hill island, Antarctica

The Heli’s are in full motion today because a lot of passengers are going to experience Snow Hill island and fly to where the King Emperor’s penguins colony is.

This is very exciting because there is only a small window in the season to see them.

There is also a lot of things that need to align perfectly for this to happen.

Firstly the Weddell sea must have enough broken ice for the ship to get through and close enough to the King Emperor Penguin colony to fly the Heli’s there.

Secondly there must be enough ice on Snow Hill that the penguins are still there.

Thirdly there must also be enough ice to land the Heli’s and people to be able to walk safely to the Penguins.

Fourth – the weather plays a big part and the conditions must be good enough to fly the Heli’s.

So you see why this is very exciting for passengers onboard who may have booked this itinerary and date in part, for the chance to see them.

We are doing a morning zodiac cruise in the Weddell sea around Snow Hill island to see what we can find.

There is even a chance we might see some King Emperor penguins here if they are out feeding.

As we didn’t do the Snow Hill Heli flights, our Zodiac morning cruise completed. And….we saw 1 King Emperor penguin (got to see one!) and a crabeater seal which was pretty good. Going in the zodiac through the “slush” ice and past icebergs was great.

Another beautiful sunny day with temps being -2 up to 1degree but with no wind.

Our weather has been awesome!

The problem with being here is that none of my photos are going to do this place any justice!

Lunch at the Yacht club

As we sat and had lunch the captain was spinning the ship around- it was like sitting in a revolving restaurant with amazing views everywhere!

Well we got very lucky this afternoon and after repositioning the ship the captain basically parked the ship on the port side along the ice. So we got to an ice landing and could walk straight from the ship onto the ice!!

This is really a unique thing to do down here and again our blue skies accompanied us.

It is so tranquil and beautiful. Our ship is moving out of the Weddell Sea currently and watching the scenery pass you by outside of your Balcony window in these calm waters is stunning.

Even saw the sunset over the waters filled with ice which was lovely – and it was about 9pm at night!

Dinner Sushi @ Koko’s

Another amazing dining experience. You watch the sushi chef prepare everything fresh in front of you.

Joined the Entertainment people in the Theatre to listen to their amazing voices for the nightly show

⁃ Show called The Elements.

Kat and Jamie do a great job onboard running the entertainment/Trivia etc and they too have to be flexible with ever changing itinerary’s.

I want to make a special note of the Entertainment team.

Every night either in the theatre or in the Scenic lounge they will perform music performances, musical game shows.

Their expertise is very diverse and the nights are fun.

Their Cruise Trivia that I have mentioned is always a big hit.

During the day they have sessions like bracelet making, knot tying sessions, puzzle Quests, games of bridge or board games.

There is plenty to to do onboard if you want.

Fri 07 Nov

Linblad Cove, Antarctica

Overnight we have sailed out of the Weddell Sea and making our way to our new location. We are still sailing this morning and once the Discovery team know our landing position (weather and distance travelled playing a big part in that), then they will announce our Afternoon activities.

So it’s a sleep in, late Breakfast or a Pilates/gym session if you prefer. Maybe catch up on some washing in the free laundry.

It’s a foggy morning so for now our sunshine is gone.

Enrichment lecture – delves into the Amazing life of the King Emperor Penguin.

What I love about the Discovery Team headed by Helena, is their passion for nature and certainly then the environment (not just here in Antarctica but everywhere).

During your cruise you learn a lot about the history of the explorers that discovered and endured hardships in this region.

You learn about nature and not just the animals but also the plant life down here. Honestly something as simple as kelp here is amazing.

How nature survives in these regions is amazing.

They even talk about the snow dogs the explorers bought down here.

Their passion is contagious and it truly helps you appreciate what you are seeing.

After lunch we ventured out into the zodiacs for a 90min cruise. We have stopped at Linblad Cove, Antarctica.

Our sunshine is gone but with that it gives another prospective to your viewing. It’s colder, the cloud/fog is low and we have snow! (Or maybe it’s Sleet), but wow how stunning.

It’s very light snow but going through the ice on the zodiacs when it falling around you is something else.

Who knew ice could be so interesting!

But when you hear about the glaciers and icebergs and how old some of these clear pieces of ice in the water are, it’s actually fascinating.

The water is so clear you can see not only the top of the icebergs but you can see the underside of them that is under the water.

The reflections are stunning.

We had some gentoo penguins keeping us company and swimming beside the zodiacs and we got to see a Leopard seal in the ice.

This is pretty special because they are hard to see but also because this is early in the season for them to be around.

Our discovery team zodiac guide today was Esteban – very informative. He also showed us how to do a time lapse video around one of the icebergs. This turned out so good – super cool!

What an afternoon – things here don’t necessarily get better. The sights we see are so awesome on so many levels, yet each day it’s different in its own right.

Another “pinch me I’m dreaming” moment.

Plenty of time out there this afternoon for the kayakers and SUP paddle boards as there has been on several occasions throughout this trip.

Back to the ship to warm up before a late announcement advising anyone that wants to do the polar plunge to go the the Azure cafe deck 5.

They muster there and then walk down to Deck 3 to do the plunge.

By now it is about 530pm and certainly not sunny outside.

50 or so brave passengers decided to do this – sorry, I was not one of them!

Some people might think they need to tick this off their bucket list but my bucket list does not have this on it!! 😂

Anyhow good on those that braved it and jumped in.

I was a spectator enthusiastically cheering them on though.

Dinner Azure Cafe

Lovely BBQ bacon burger – casual dining tonight but still great service and food.

Sat 08 Nov

Cierva Cove -Morning

Mikkelson Harbour – Afternoon

Antarctica

After breakfast we went on a zodiac cruise for about 90mins. We are in Cierva Cove and the sun is out partially today. It’s gotten colder (-3 to -4 degrees)

This cove is home to some very large icebergs in all different shapes, some blue from being turned over in the water.

We were treated to a humpback whale swimming nearby our zodiac-one of the first of the season. We were so close, it was truly awesome.

We also got to see some chin strap penguins up on a Rocky ridge in the distance which we hadn’t seen yet.

The humpback whale was certainly the highlight.

But in this cove the large icebergs do also steal the show!

The white and blue as the sun hits the icebergs is stunning. I am amazed how the scenery changes and how beautiful ice can be.

The blue you can see on them is the side of the iceberg that has been previously submerged under the water and is now showing.

Some will roll over completely and will be almost completely blue.

Some are huge and as the current moves them they rock back and forth and heave in the water – they truly look as though they are alive and breathing!

It’s hard to describe and even harder to capture in photos, maybe you just have to be here in person!

After lunch we moved to Mikkelson Harbour on Trinity island.

This afternoon I had the opportunity to do kayaking amongst the ice. I was a bit scared of falling off but you are completely kitted out with wet weather suit and gloves and boots. Underneath you have your warm layers. So I guess if you did fall you would be kept mostly dry.

This was such an awesome experience (and I didn’t fall out!!)

The seats are super comfy and we were out here for about 90mins with our kayak guides and zodiac back ups to keep us safe.

Being that close to the water and ice (and the gentoo penguins swimming close) was super amazing.

You could even see the krill swimming under the water.

We zig zagged our way through the broken ice trying to steer our kayak straight, getting better as the arvo went on.

It was so much fun and truly a must do down here.

If you are even more game, then do the SUP paddle boards. I wasn’t quite convinced my balance would hold me on a SUP, but the kayaks were fun enough!

What an afternoon.

But to top that off the wonderful chefs and galley staff of the Scenic Eclipse put on a Culinary Extravaganza tonight in the Yacht club.

Wow the beautiful food displays were just something else! Amazing detail and beautiful food. Some of it looked so good you didn’t want to eat it and destroy all of their the hard work.

The entertainment staff played live music in the yacht club – people danced and celebrated and it was all very festive.

They even formed a Congo line and danced around the tables.

Well done to everyone involved with making all the amazing food

The evening was followed with a game show called Liars club, and music in the Scenic lounge.

There is always entertainment in the evenings.

Sun 09 Nov

Port Lockroy, Antarctica

Our last and final day in Antarctica. You know, this cruise is a long one, but it is also sad that this is our last day here.

I have spoken to other guests and some have been here 3-4 times.

However each time is different- maybe different locations visited, certainly a variety of weather each time and depending on the time of year, different animals can be seen.

This is certainly a place you could visit more than once and experience something unique each time.

Our final place is Port Lockroy, which is a little island inhabited by about 7 humans and a lot of penguins. This is a British research facility so we got to see some new faces. They have a museum and guess what, a little gift shop! We made a purchase from probably one of the most remote gift shops you will find. Currency is GBP and they only take c/card. Yes Eftpos works here! 😊

You can also post letters home. If you like you get your passport stamped with a tourist stamp ( but check first that your country allows tourist stamps to be in your passport ).

How people spend approx 4-6 months living here on this tiny island I do not know but they seem to love it- talk about being dedicated to the cause.

We visited the island and then did one last short zodiac cruise watching the penguins swimming and diving into the water.

They truly have the right of way down here and how good to see them in their natural environment as they dominate this continent.

Today we had a true Antarctic experiment with temps about -2 degrees, overcast and snowing.

Coming back on the zodiac to the ship a final time I just sat and took it all in. Watching the penguins and the snow falling and just thanking this beautiful continent for the experience.

Back to the ship for a warm up and coffee. We will start sailing after lunch.

It’s time to head home with some sea days ahead as we make our way back to Ushuaia.

At our final stop in Antarctica being Port Lockroy, the daylight hours are now stretching from 4am to almost 10pm.

Relaxing afternoon onboard as we journey home.

Mon 10 Nov & Tue 11 Nov

Sea days

Travelling back to Ushuaia, these are our sea days.

More lectures and recaps to be had.

On our first sea day they had a special cruise trivia with Ned the captain as the host. They also had a Quinessential Afternoon tea in the Scenic Lounge with some amazing treats.

Followed by a Captains Farewell in the lounge which was very special.

Dinner in various venues.

***

Second day at Sea.

We have been lucky as we will be arriving into Ushuaia this evening to be docked ready for disembarkation in the morning. This makes everything smooth sailing into the Beagle channel on our last day.

The Beagle Channel is pretty awesome as you can see Chile on one side and Argentina on the other side.

Settle your accounts, pick up your passports and pack ready to disembark this afternoon.

Daylight hours dropping back to 5am to 9pm and temps around Ushuaia being 4-5 degrees.

Today onboard they have the usual twice a day yoga or Pilates or stretch classes.

Enrichment lectures are still going.

They are holding a 2min silence at 11am for Remembrance Day.

Kayak and paddle boarding – time to Photo share.

A final recap and end of voyage video was shown in the theatre on our last afternoon, which we will receive a copy of – all done during our voyage by our videographer. Wow it was amazing – he captured such great footage of our trip and from up high as well as he had a drone.

And of course a Finale Cruise Trivia and some final songs from Kat & Jamie in the Scenic lounge.

Bags packed and out side of cabin between 9pm-11pm.

Wed 12 Nov

Disembarkation day.

Luggage has already been taken from your cabin off the ship and to the airport.

Scenic disembark you in colour groups and you have a coach transfer waiting out by the ship. They take you into Ushuaia for a short time in the town to look around and then out to the airport.

As this is a charter flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, your luggage and yourself are already checked in by Scenic.

So from the ship in Ushuaia to Buenos Aires you will not see nor have to handle your luggage.

Such a smooth process!

A very Special thank you to all the staff onboard the Scenic Eclipse because it is their attentiveness and friendly nature that has made this cruise special.

As well to the Discovery Team – their enthusiasm for everything in nature Is contagious.

Thank you also to our private butler who made sure we had everything we needed, booked our dining venues, checked on us regularly, made sure our room was always serviced and bought us our room service.

The entertainment team Kat & Jamie and Albert Wilson the Eclipse musician that plays music in the Scenic lounge each evening.

They are all extremely hardworking staff and I am sure Scenic is proud to have them.

Wed 12Nov – Fri 14Nov

Flights home – losing 1 day due to time zone.

Our charter flight landed at EZE airport and I had a connecting flight international out of AEP airport.

Scenic also took care of my transfer between the 2 airports where we had a private driver and guide to take us to the other airport.

Now this is where Scenic shine.

Our transfer guide not only got us to the other airport they also escorted us into the airport and waited while we checked in. Then escorted us up to where we go through immigration.

Now that is being looked after right to the end! And it’s that feeling of security that makes their service outstanding!

Latam flight Buenos Aires/Santiago/Sydney.

Qantas Sydney/Brisbane/Rockhampton.