Cruise
Smiling to the End of the World Onboard the Viking Polaris!
Article and photography by Michael Morcos
I was like a little kid in a candy store, I just could not get the smile off my face as we unpacked our bags. We were now at the starting point of what would be a ‘trip of a lifetime’ to the wonderous white continent of Antarctica and on a wonderful Viking cruise!
We were not new to Viking, on the contrary, cruising with Viking is always in our hearts, minds, and even our souls. Our many past sailings with this amazing cruise line company led us to venture on their beautiful and well-appointed river ships, sea ships, and even on the expedition ship, the Octantis, Polaris’ identical sister-ship. This much sailing with one company can only mean one thing, excellence on the waters! Time and time again, Viking is true to its high standards of service, well detailed and curated excursions, exceptional cuisine, and add to it a genuinely friendly staff, safety, and security, and a wonderful stress-free environment and you have what makes Viking a top favourite among cruisers with continuous awards and favourable reviews.
In this first of a two-part article, we will focus on Viking’s organizational excellence, getting to the Polaris and the briefly look at the ships’ amazing offerings while we will feature the beautiful Polaris, the sailing, and landings to the ‘last continent’ in a future article.
The journey is part of the trip
As a bonus to the ‘Antarctic Explorer’ cruise is a full day in Buenos Aires, and another partial day in the most southern city in the world, Ushuaia. First, getting to the end of the world from the northern hemisphere is no easy feat. To describe it backwards, going home from Antarctica took us two days of sailing and three flights in a row two make it one of the longest journeys we had ever taken. In a nutshell: Viking made the whole experience fun and relaxing!
Viking did a magnificent job of getting us to the ship and every step of the way was curated to perfection. The Viking arranged flights were on time and we arrived at all destinations with luggage in hand. Upon landing in Buenos Aires, we were immediately greeted by a cheerful and helpful Viking staff and our luggage was taken and placed on a luxury motorcoach with no delay, and we headed straight to our hotel in a very proper, upscale, and clean district.
Included in the Viking Antarctic Explorer cruise was a one-night stay at a hotel, ours was the Hotel Madero. This was a fantastic property to recharge and rejuvenate for the coming day. Our large and beautifully decorated Superior room included: two large comfortable beds, a clean and spacious washroom, a kitchenette, a relaxing seating area and large balcony that gave great views of the city as well as the garden area of Buenos Aires.
With roughly 24 hours before departure, we would waste no time discovering what is nick-named as the ‘Paris of Latin America’. Rightfully so, Buenos Aires had grandeur to it, with magnificent old-world architecture, grand boulevards, quaint neighbourhoods, and the fabulous Plaza de Mayo.
In speaking with the Viking staff at our hotel lobby about orientation and what to expect in the upcoming cruise, we also inquired if whether a Tango show was too touristic or made for locals? Without hesitation, she said absolutely a must in Buenos Aires, and that she herself and friends take in these shows often. Without a second thought, we would head to entertainment district for a dinner show and what would be a marvellous time. The food, wine, and Tango experience was way above our expectations. No less than 15 musicians, performers and dancers dazzled us, and we ended our day with great memories of this Argentinian capitol.
Sitting on my bed early in the morning was when I suddenly realized I was barely awake, but I was smiling uncontrollably. We managed to get a short but good nights sleep and were just hours away from embarking the mighty Polaris to head to the ‘last continent’. Our Viking chartered flight to Ushuaia was well organized and our bags were picked up from our room and sent straight to the plane while we would just head to the gates with tickets in hand and ready for departure. The journey itself was a thrill as we would board the plane on the tarmac itself and find that all the middle seats were vacant giving us ample room to stretch out. The three-hour journey was quiet and relaxing, and we would have magnificent views: especially of Patagonia, the high Andes and finally Ushuaia.
With little time, we would still be able to visit Ushuaia, what I would describe as a frontier town by the sea and the departure point for most Antarctica cruises. This little jewel had a laid-back feeling with plenty of shops and restaurants and it still had churches, schools, hospitals, and everything else for the locals that inhabit it and call it home all year long.
If it is true that smiling and laughing is good for your health, then this trip with Viking is exactly what the doctor ordered. The Viking Antarctica Explorer experience was literally ‘heavenly’. Our opulent stateroom was perfect, the public spaces were warm and inviting, the overabundance and wide variety of delicious and healthy food choices was always something to look forward to, the itinerary and landings were remarkable and the wonderful Viking staff made us always feel welcomed and safe at our brief home away from home.
