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The operator of this cruise is a Full Member of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO), and as such, abides by some of the tourism world's most conscientious codes of conduct. We abide by, and go beyond the best practice guidelines for operating in Antarctic waters, as set by IAATO and by the Australian Antarctic Division. A large part of our responsibility to minimise environmental impact and raise awareness involves educating our passengers in ways to minimise their personal impact while still fully enjoying the wonders of Antarctica.
At the ends of the earth and far from the madding crowd, the polar regions are perhaps the last pristine wildernesses left on the planet. They're harsh, merciless environments of savage, eye-watering beauty and to unlock these inaccessible Edens it's essential to choose the right ship.
Unlike the rigorously scheduled liners plying the polar waters, we offer intimate, flexible itineraries aboard the Vavilov, Shokalskiy and the Kapitan Khlebnikov. Commissioned as ice-rated research vessels (Polar class in the Khlebnikov's case) rather than 700 berth Caribbean pleasure palaces, these small, superbly equipped ships are quieter and safer, offering passengers unequalled opportunities to experience these frozen worlds, not from afar, but up close and personal with as much time and space as required to satisfy your longings. Your companions will be travellers with similar ideals: We are now a major player in the polar market, not interested in just scattering passengers on any old clinical carbuncle of a cruise ship with people anatomically and mentally challenged to even leave the midnight buffet or gaming tables. In many cases we are chartering whole ships to ensure a positive group dynamic -critical in expedition travel. I am particularly thrilled with the Emperor Penguin voyage in November (09), this is something no other UK company has done and of this, along with our number one position in Spitzbergen, we are extremely proud.
Nowhere on the planet offers the photographic bounty of these frozen lands, and we have the experts to ensure you make the most of every opportunity, whether capturing an Adelie penguin diving from a sapphire-hued iceberg, a polar bear devouring a bearded seal on a floe, or by making sure you're in exactly the right place when five thousand king penguins waddle ashore on South Georgia's Salisbury Plain.
But the Polar regions are about much more than memory cards, mega pixels and manual focus. They are about landscapes so beautiful they make grown men - and women - weep, about wildlife encounters unequalled on earth, about thrilling adventures on foot, in kayaks and in Zodiac inflatables, and above all they are about ice. From searing white to jade green to cobalt blue, and from towering bergs as vast and as beguiling as Gaudi's houses to the crackling chunks of 10,000 year old glacial ice that cool your sundowners, ice is the constant backdrop to your adventure. The pioneers of polar exploration - Shackleton, McNeish, Mawson, Scott and Amundsen - were enchanted by the spell of the ice, and even though comfort levels have changed, the experience remains thankfully, largely the same. No-one arrives in Antarctica or Spitzbergen by accident, but those who do, are never short-changed: our Polar team looks forward to discussing these exciting voyages with you.
We take extremely seriously our responsibility to minimise our impact on these pristine areas. This operator is an Associate Member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and has agreed to abide by one of the tourism world's most conscientious codes of conduct. Our ship operator is also a member of the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO), which covers operations in Spitzbergen. We support various conservation initiatives:
Polar Bear Study: The polar bear’s migratory patterns have long been a mystery to conservationists. With money raised from expeditions and donations, we have made valuable contributions to the purchase of the expensive tracking collars – critical in monitoring their hunting and mating patterns.
Albatross Campaign: Almost half a million US dollars has been raised through staff and passengers towards the ‘Get the Albatross off the Hook’ campaign, aimed at stopping the death of albatrosses by long-line fishing.
Scott Polar Research Institute: We support the work of the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge. The Institute is the oldest international centre for Polar Research within a university.
Polar Ambassadors: Polar Ambassadors believe that the preservation and conservation of the polar regions is imperative. There are 10 simple things that you can do now that will make a difference. Our expedition team on each ship takes this very seriously, and look forward to explaining how everyone can become involved.
We have at our UK offices worked to reduce our carbon footprint through a reduction of energy use and energy conservation measures. We also actively reduce the waste produced by having active reduction and recycling policies in place. We run annual staff workshops on Responsible Tourism.
Global warming is a reality and to help you make a difference by reducing the carbon dioxide that is produced when you travel we offer a chance to carbon balance your flights. We encourage all our clients to do this and do so for all our staff travel. Go on do your bit!
The guides on these trips spend most of their lives on these old Russian survey vessels, cruising pristine Polar wildernesses. Travelling with such highly-qualified experts is a real education; one of the expedition leaders is regarded as the ‘god of polar bears’ and another is an acclaimed wildlife photographer. This company has a long heritage in taking hundreds of clients to the Arctic and Antarctic and the staff believe you’re a long time dead so don’t be surprised if you get woken at 4am and asked to go up to the deck to watch arctic foxes playing.
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