The Southern Ocean
Soaring albatrosses and petrels fly around the ship as the vessel sails in the wake of Scott, Mawson, Shackleton and others south toward the Antarctic Circle and the Ross Sea. Encounter a dramatic drop in water temperature when you cross the Antarctic Convergence. This is the area where icebergs are portents of the frozen splendor of Antarctica ahead. Shipboard naturalists help you spot and identify seabirds and marine mammals that are indigenous to these waters. The ship's historian recounts the heroic tales of the Ross Sea and Antarctica.

Ross Sea region
Explore the Ross Sea region for six incredible days. There is so much to see and do here that, if the weather is favorable, landings are scheduled at any time of day or night. The program alternates wildlife viewing with visits to scientific bases and historic sites, and plenty of time to enjoy the breathtaking scenery. From the deck, keep watch for seals on the ice floes. You may also sight pods of killer whales. Weather, sea and ice conditions will determine our Ross Sea adventure, but here are a few of our possible landing sites and penguin rookeries:

Cape Adare: Views of the 4,000-meter Admiralty Range herald your arrival at Cape Adare, discovered in 1841 by Captain James Ross. Behind the broad open beach, you see the 1899 hut where Carsten Borchgrevink was the leader of the first expedition to over-winter on the Antarctic Continent. Cape Adare is home to 260,000 pairs of Adélie Penguins, the largest rookery anywhere of this species - an absolutely staggering sight.

Terra Nova Bay and Drygalski Ice Tongue: Located between Cape Washington and the Drygalski Ice Tongue, Terra Nova Bay was discovered by Scott in 1901-04. It is the site of the Mario Zuchelli Station, an Italian summer research station. The icebreaker navigates the spectacular Drygalski Ice Tongue, a 30- mile extension of the David Glacier. Franklin Island: With a backdrop of high volcanic cliffs, the landing site at Franklin Island is truly spectacular - the expedition geologist talks about the fascinating rock formations that resulted from ancient volcanic activity. The island is also home to some 55,000 pairs of Adélie Penguins and a sizeable population of breeding skuas.

Dry Valleys: Weather and ice conditions permitting, you enjoy a helicopter flight to one of the most spectacular and seldomvisited areas of Antarctica - the Dry Valleys. This remote area offers an amazing, otherworldly landscape of wind-eroded rocks and desert scenery more reminiscent of Mars than Earth.

Cape Royds: Visit the site of Sir Ernest Shackleton's hut, built during his 'Nimrod' polar expedition in 1907-1909. Our onboard lecturers discuss Shackleton's amazing expeditions. He was arguably one of the greatest and most heroic of all the Antarctic explorers. Shackleton and his compatriots are long gone, but their hut is far from deserted. The vicinity has been reclaimed by the original inhabitants of the area - thousands of Adélie Penguins - in the world's southernmost penguin rookery.

Cape Evans: At Cape Evans, visit the hut of Scott of the Antarctic that has been splendidly preserved by the Antarctic Heritage Trust. It stands as testimony to the rigors faced by pioneering explorers. Under the supervision of the New Zealand staff, you witness the living conditions almost exactly as they were when Scott, Wilson and Ponting occupied the quarters nearly a century ago. Mount Erebus with a plume of steam looms behind the hut.

Ross Ice Shelf: At the Ross Ice Shelf, which is roughly the same size as France, if conditions permit, the ship will sail between massive tabular icebergs, some nearly 60 miles long. You may have an opportunity to land by helicopter on top of an incredible 30-meter high ice barrier and navigate between 30 to 100 mile-long tabular icebergs calved by this remarkable glaciological feature.

McMurdo Sound: We anchor along the ice fronting McMurdo Station, the sprawling American facility in the shadow of Mount Erebus. Subject to permission, you tour the station that surrounds Scott's remarkably preserved 1901-1904 Discovery Hut. Depending on their busy schedule, New Zealand researchers may permit a tour of nearby Scott Base.

Cape Hallett: Dense pack ice will challenge the icebreaker at Cape Hallett, once the site of a research base established by the United States and New Zealand, during the 1957-58 International Geophysical Year. The scenery here is wild and spectacular. One intended landing site is near the former base, which is surrounded by over 55,000 pairs of Adélie Penguins. Weather permitting, board a helicopter for flight-seeing around Edisto Inlet, an amphitheater of glaciers and mountains.

Pack Ice
This is your final opportunity to photograph the icebreaker as she negotiates the pack ice, capture images of birds on the wing or snap panoramic views.

Southern Ocean
As always on these sea crossings, whales, dolphins and seabirds continually lure passengers to the decks. Meanwhile, lecturers recap the memorable and fascinating adventures of our 8500- kilometer journey to the Southern Ocean, Antarctica and the subantarctic islands.

Campbell Island
Sail into Perseverance Harbor, a sunken volcanic caldera that cuts across the island. Transfer by Zodiac to a small, unstaffed New Zealand meteorological station. Follow a boardwalk from the station over tussock grass to the hilltop lookouts where you may observe the courtship and nesting behavior of the huge Royal Albatross. Each austral summer, 15,000 of these magnificent birds nest among clusters of brightly colored megaherbs on Campbell Island.