Total Eclipse in the Weddell Sea
15 Days - Le Commandant Charcot
Come aboard Le Commandant-Charcot, for a 15-day exploration cruise that is as original as it is spectacular, in order to observe a total eclipse of the sun from the Weddell Sea ice pack. This cruise in the heart of the great White Continent will also be an opportunity to discover the eastern part of the Weddell Sea, unexplored and totally unknown to this day, as well as the imposing Larsen ice shelves. Come as close as possible to the Weddell Sea and the Antarctic Peninsula, a real refuge for wildlife. Uou may have the privilege of observing some of the Weddell seals, crabeater seals and leopard seals, Adelie penguins, papuan and chinstrap penguins, humpback whales, sea birds.
from NZD $24215pp

Home » 15 Day Le Commandant Charcot: Total Eclipse in the Weddell Sea
Itinerary Highlights:
- Enjoy a unique setting for the spectacular observation of a total solar eclipse from the Weddell Sea ice pack, in the heart of the only area in the world where it will be 100% visible.
- Follow in the footsteps of the history of the discovery of the Antarctic Peninsula and explore the eastern Weddell Sea, a completely unknown and unexplored maritime territory.
- Sail into the heart of the ice of the Weddell Sea, discovering the impressive Larsen Ice Shelf and its immense table top icebergs.
- Wildlife: Weddell seals, crabeater seals and leopard seals, Adelie penguins, Papuan, chinstraps penguins, humpback whales, sea birds.
Itinerary in Brief:
- Day 1: Ushuaia
- Day 2-3: Crossing the Drake Passage
- Day 4: Sailing Ice Floes
- Day 5: Total Eclipse Observation
- Day 6: North Antarctic Peninsula
- Day 7: Weddell Sea
- Day 8-9: Sailing towards Larsen Ice Shelf
- Day 10: Weddell Sea
- Day 11: North Antarctic Peninsula
- Day 12: South Shetland Islands
- Day 13-14: Crossing the Drake Passage
- Day 15: Ushuaia

Day 1: Ushuaia
Capital of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province, Ushuaia is considered the gateway to the White Continent and the South Pole. Nicknamed “El fin del mundo” by the Argentinian people, this city at the end of the world nestles in the shelter of mountains surrounded by fertile plains that the wildlife seem to have chosen as the ultimate sanctuary. With its exceptional site, where the Andes plunge straight into the sea, Ushuaia is one of the most fascinating places on earth, its very name evocative of journeys to the unlikely and the inaccessible…
Embarkation 11/30/2021 from 16h00 to 17h00
Departure 11/30/2021 at 18h00
Day 2-3: Crossing the Drake Passage
Use your days spent in the Drake Passage to familiarise yourself with your ship and deepen your knowledge of the Antarctic. The Expedition Leader will first present the IAATO rules of conduct that must be observed during landings in the region and will explain everything you need to know about the Zodiac outings. Lectures about the history and wildlife of the Antarctic will be an opportunity for you to learn more about this magical region, where every cruise is a unique experience. From the ship’s bridge, you will experience exceptional sailing moments before joining the naturalist-guides on your ship’s exterior decks to look out for albatrosses, cape petrels, and other seabirds flying over the Drake Passage.
Day 4: Sailing Ice Floes
Enjoy the absolutely unique experience of sailing to the heart of the ice floe, this vast expanse of virgin, immaculate ice. The landscapes are constantly changing, shifting from a smooth, flat wilderness to a chaos of ice, then to channels of open water. Your ship will sail along these naturally open channels and through the areas where the frozen layer is thinnest, offering you the chance to experience magic maritime moments in the midst of drifting sea ice. It will also often be an opportunity to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe: birds, seals and polar bears.
Day 5: Total Eclipse Observation
Beyond the Antarctic Circle, in the bewitching silence of the Weddell Sea ice pack, you have the privilege the unique privilege of entering the heart of the only area in the world where the total solar eclipse will be 100% visible. You will disembark on the ice pack to enjoy a magnificent observation of this natural phenomenon, as rare as it is exceptional. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is positioned and aligned perfectly in front of the Sun, covering it completely with a black disc. In the polar perimeter where the Moon's shadow is cast on the Earth, it is usually never quite dark. Thanks to this prodigious event, the full night will envelop you for a few moments of eternity.
Day 6: North Antarctic Peninsula
Throughout your time in the north of the Antarctic Peninsula, you will find yourself in the heart of a spectacular decor in subtle shades of blue and white, surrounded by exceptional wildlife. You will sail through the Antarctic Sound, named after Swedish explorer Otto Nordenskjöld’s ship, which was trapped by the ice during an important scientific expedition in 1902. The gateway to the Weddell Sea, this sound is filled with gigantic tabular icebergs and plates of sea ice drifting northward from the coastal areas of this vast sea. It is home to Adelie penguins and a great many leopard seals.
Day 7: The Weddell Sea
Amid the eerie stillness of the Weddell Sea, wend your way through a labyrinth of dense ice floe and majestic table-top icebergs. Sweeping ice platforms sculpt a landscape unlike any other, populated by fur seals, penguins, wandering albatross and other remarkable seabirds. The Weddell seal – king of this realm – will welcome you to his territory with a haunting cry that pierces the surrounding silence. You can recognise him by his dark grey coat and spotted belly. Weddell seals have the impressive skill of being able to stay underwater for more than an hour.
Day 8-9: Sailing Towards Larsen Ice Shelf
On the Weddell Sea, you will sail close to the gigantic Larsen ice shelves. These floating ice shelves help to prevent the erosion of the Antarctic ice sheet. Over the last fifty years, scientists have however observed regular collapses of these shelves, along giant cracks that can be several hundred kilometres long and deep. In 2017, a portion measuring more than 6,000 km2, so barely smaller than Corsica, had broken off the Larsen C ice shelf, forming one of the largest tabular icebergs in the world. This disintegration is believed to be due in part to global warming and melting sea ice.
Day 10: The Weddell Sea
Amid the eerie stillness of the Weddell Sea, wend your way through a labyrinth of dense ice floe and majestic table-top icebergs. Sweeping ice platforms sculpt a landscape unlike any other, populated by fur seals, penguins, wandering albatross and other remarkable seabirds. The Weddell seal – king of this realm – will welcome you to his territory with a haunting cry that pierces the surrounding silence. You can recognise him by his dark grey coat and spotted belly. Weddell seals have the impressive skill of being able to stay underwater for more than an hour.
Day 11: North Antarctic Peninsula
Throughout your time in the north of the Antarctic Peninsula, you will find yourself in the heart of a spectacular decor in subtle shades of blue and white, surrounded by exceptional wildlife. You will sail through the Antarctic Sound, named after Swedish explorer Otto Nordenskjöld’s ship, which was trapped by the ice during an important scientific expedition in 1902. The gateway to the Weddell Sea, this sound is filled with gigantic tabular icebergs and plates of sea ice drifting northward from the coastal areas of this vast sea. It is home to Adelie penguins and a great many leopard seals.
Day 12: South Shetland Islands
On the edge of the Antarctic Peninsula, 120 km (70 miles) from the White Continent, the South Shetland Islands offer surreal and mysterious scenery. On these volcanic islands of dark rock, the landscapes alternate between long, jagged and snow-covered coast and large, gently sloping bays. These lunar and wild lands are home to important scientific research stations and a large number of animal species: chinstrap penguins, crabeater seals or Weddell seals, Antarctic terns, giant petrels and elephant seals have taken up residence here.
Day 13-14: Crossing the Drake Passage
If there is one place, one sea, one waterway dreaded by tourists, researchers and hardened seafarers alike, it is undoubtedly Drake Passage. Situated at the latitude of the infamous Furious Fifties winds, between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands, it is the shortest route to connect Antarctica to South America. Seasoned navigators will tell you that you must earn your visit to the White Continent! As the Antarctic convergence zone where cold currents rising up from the South Pole meet warmer equatorial water masses, Drake Passage harbours a very diverse marine fauna. Don't forget to look to the sky to catch a glimpse of elegant albatross and Cape petrels, playfully floating about in the wind around your ship.
Day 15: Ushuaia
Capital of Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province, Ushuaia is considered the gateway to the White Continent and the South Pole. Nicknamed “El fin del mundo” by the Argentinian people, this city at the end of the world nestles in the shelter of mountains surrounded by fertile plains that the wildlife seem to have chosen as the ultimate sanctuary. With its exceptional site, where the Andes plunge straight into the sea, Ushuaia is one of the most fascinating places on earth, its very name evocative of journeys to the unlikely and the inaccessible…
Dates | Cabin | From | Special Offer |
---|---|---|---|
30 Nov 2021 - 14 Dec 2021 | NZD $24215pp | ||
Prestige Stateroom Deck 6 | NZD $24215pp | Contact us | |
Prestige Stateroom Deck 7 | NZD $25548pp | Contact us | |
Prestige Stateroom Deck 8 | NZD $26022pp | Contact us | |
Privilege Stateroom Deck 6 | NZD $30978pp | Contact us | |
Privilege Stateroom Deck 7 | NZD $32161pp | Contact us | |
Privilege Stateroom Deck 8 | NZD $33344pp | Contact us | |
Prestige Suite Deck 7 | NZD $42785pp | Contact us | |
Prestige Suite Deck 8 | NZD $43753pp | Contact us | |
Privilege Suite Deck 8 | NZD $46323pp | Contact us | |
Privilege Suite Deck 6 | NZD $46323pp | Contact us | |
Suite Duplex | NZD $65204pp | Contact us |
**Prices are per person based on twin / shared accommodation.
**Single supplements may apply
Cabin Details
Prestige Stateroom Deck 6
20 metres-squared, private balcony, private bathroom with shower and French bath products, individually-controlled air conditioning, minibar, television, iPod dock, safety deposit box, dressing table with hair dryer, direct line telephone, 110V American / 220V European outlets, WiFi internet access
Prestige Stateroom Deck 7
20 metres-squared, private balcony, private bathroom with shower and French bath products, individually-controlled air conditioning, minibar, television, iPod dock, safety deposit box, dressing table with hair dryer, direct line telephone, 110V American / 220V European outlets, WiFi internet access
Prestige Stateroom Deck 8
20 metres-squared, private balcony, private bathroom with shower and French bath products, individually-controlled air conditioning, minibar, television, iPod dock, safety deposit box, dressing table with hair dryer, direct line telephone, 110V American / 220V European outlets, WiFi internet access
Privilege Stateroom Deck 6
28 metres-squared, private balcony, private bathroom with shower and French bath products, individually-controlled air conditioning, minibar, television, iPod dock, safety deposit box, dressing table with hair dryer, direct line telephone, 110V American / 220V European outlets, WiFi internet access
Privilege Stateroom Deck 7
28 metres-squared, private balcony, private bathroom with shower and French bath products, individually-controlled air conditioning, minibar, television, iPod dock, safety deposit box, dressing table with hair dryer, direct line telephone, 110V American / 220V European outlets, WiFi internet access
Privilege Stateroom Deck 8
28 metres-squared, private balcony, private bathroom with shower and French bath products, individually-controlled air conditioning, minibar, television, iPod dock, safety deposit box, dressing table with hair dryer, direct line telephone, 110V American / 220V European outlets, WiFi internet access
Prestige Suite Deck 7
40 metres-squared, private balcony, private bathroom with 2 showers and French bath products, individually-controlled air conditioning, minibar, television, iPod dock, safety deposit box, dressing table with hair dryer, direct line telephone, 110V American / 220V European outlets, WiFi internet access
Prestige Suite Deck 8
40 metres-squared, private balcony, private bathroom with 2 showers and French bath products, individually-controlled air conditioning, minibar, television, iPod dock, safety deposit box, dressing table with hair dryer, direct line telephone, 110V American / 220V European outlets, WiFi internet access
Privilege Suite Deck 8
48 metres-squared, private balcony, private bathroom with shower and bathtub, butler service, individually-controlled air conditioning, minibar, television, iPod dock, safety deposit box, French bath products, dressing table with hair dryer, direct line telephone, 110V American / 220V European sockets, WiFi internet access
Privilege Suite Deck 6
48 metres-squared, private balcony, private bathroom with shower and bathtub, butler service, individually-controlled air conditioning, minibar, television, iPod dock, safety deposit box, French bath products, dressing table with hair dryer, direct line telephone, 110V American / 220V European sockets, WiFi internet access
Suite Duplex
48 metres-squared, private balcony, jacuzzi, private bathroom with shower and bathtub, butler, individually-controlled air conditioning, minibar, television, iPod dock, safety deposit box, French bath products, dressing table with hair dryer, direct line telephone, 110V American / 220V European sockets, WiFi internet access
Owner's Suite
114 metres-squared, private balcony with jacuzzi, private bathroom with shower and bathtub, butler service, individually-controlled air conditioning, minibar, television, iPod docks, safety deposit box, French bath products, dressing table with hair dryer, direct line telephone, 110V American / 220V European outlets, WiFi internet access
Specifications
- Length: 150m
- Width: 28m
- Draught: 10
- Ice Class: PC2
- Propulsion: LNG and Hybrid Electric
- Shipyard: VARD
- Classification: Bureau Veritas
- Flag: French
- Crew Members: 190
- Onboard Expedition Zodiac: 16
- Staterooms and Suites: 135 (including 31 suites)
- Panoramic Restaurant: 1
- Grill Restaurant: 1
- Swimming Pools: 2 (indoor pool and winter garden, outdoor pool)
- Spa, Sauna, Fitness Room: 1
Whats included?
- Accommodation aboard Le Commandant Charcot
- Bilingual French/English expedition team
- Activities/shore excursions
- Zodiacs, hiking, hovercraft, kayak, hot air balloon and snow mobiles.
- Lectures and presentations by expedition leaders and naturalist staff
- Complimentary polar parka for you to keep
- Waterproof boots on loan
- All meals during the voyage
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages - house wine, champagne and beer
- Park entry fees into protected areas
- Port charges
What’s not included?
- International Flights
- Travel Insurance
- Optional activities such as polar diving
- Transfers
- Tips for the local guide
- Personal expenses
- Any item not mentioned as included