A once-in-a-lifetime voyage takes guests far deeper than a cruise
Torstein Gaustaud’s office is unlike any other workplace on the planet. Each day he goes to work on the vast, white, silent, icy expanse of Antarctica. And most days he takes his new best friends with him – the guests on HX Expeditions’ cruises to the great southern continent.
Literally from the other end of the Earth – Trondheim, Norway, on the edge of the Arctic Circle – Gaustaud has been with HX since 2009 and is passionate about providing his guests with the best possible experience.
“Antarctica? There is a feeling to it – you can’t describe it. Being there, seeing it, hearing the ice cracking around you. You change. It is such a pristine part of the world, so untouched.
“People hear and see what we need to protect. It creates awareness of the polar regions, of what climate change can do. Guests come out of Antarctica with a feeling and a willingness to be part of that,” he says.
The first tour company to take travellers to the ice in 1896, HX takes more people on cruises to Antarctica and the Arctic than any other expedition company, its voyages designed to go beyond expectations and enrich guests’ understanding of our world.
Guests not only see the stark, mesmerising panoramas, they join activities and excursions that bring them close to Antarctica’s beauty and iconic wildlife, join talks with wildlife experts and - in the ships’ Science Centre – even contribute to vital research.
The company’s hybrid-powered ships, MS Roald Amundsen and MS Fridtjof Nansen, have been designed to give the best and most sustainable experience while providing luxurious comfort. HX’s smaller, nimbler expedition boats are perfect for exploring ice floes, spotting seals and penguins and landing in remote areas before returning to the ship to relax and refuel before the next adventure.
When you think of a traditional cruise ship, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the spas, restaurants and cafes, casinos and glitzy showbiz entertainment.
So what’s life like on an expedition voyage? Smaller, for a start – the HX fleet carry no more than 480 guests.
As one recent guest writes, “Our expedition to Antarctica with HX was like waking up to a new adventure every day. Imagine this: you’re in one of the most remote places on Earth and you don’t know what you’re going to do until the night before or, sometimes, just after you’ve had your breakfast.”
Days are packed with a range of activities included in the expedition. Zodiac cruises take guests close to towering icebergs and through crystal-clear, turquoise waters to reach spots teeming with wildlife. They land on the Antarctic mainland and surrounding islands, only feet from penguin colonies or watching seals in their natural habitat.
For those hungry for more, HX offers special activities like camping overnight on the ice and snowshoeing across the untouched snow.
“Camping in Antarctica is one of those bucket-list experiences that few can say they’ve lived to tell the tale. It’s not just any night out; it’s an adventure into the profound silence and untouched wilderness that is Antarctica,” our guest wrote.
The excursion is offered via a draw to keep the experience exclusive and minimise environmental impact. Once per voyage about 30 lucky adventurers (housed in 15 tents) get to experience the Antarctic night in its most authentic form.
HX is a strong supporter of Antarctic conservation rules, so not everyone from the ship goes ashore or on a Zodiac cruise at the same time. Guests are assigned to groups on their first day on board and each group is rotated so one day, you might be out first and the next day last, keeping it fair for everyone.
Sea days crossing the Drake Passage on an Antarctic expedition cruise are a chance to dive deeper into the experience before setting foot on land. HX has a commitment to scientific research as well as conservation, a philosophy which most guests embrace, and its onboard Science Centre offers the opportunity to peer through microscopes at samples freshly collected from the waters outside or and attend workshops led by the scientists on board.
These lectures cover a broad range of subjects from the historical exploits of polar explorers to the intricate balance of marine biology, and even tips on capturing the perfect polar photograph.
But there’s time to… er, chill. Perhaps in the onboard sauna, a place to unwind in the warmth surrounded by incredible landscapes outside the window, or at art workshops and, because this is a cruise ship after all, dining in stylish restaurants with vast windows offering panoramic views.
And to meet the locals. While landing on the ice is always a highlight – even for someone who’s done it as often as Gaustaud – the HX ships’ decks are also wonderful lookout points for wildlife spotting, guests wrapping themselves in their complementary HX polar expedition kit to watch and photograph whales or penguins cruising beside their ship.
More info: Houseoftravel.co.nz/hx-expeditions