Why HX was the best choice for my Antarctica cruise
Surprisingly, it's the silence I notice first. A heavy, deathly silence which feels like I'm wearing ear defenders on the world. I open my curtains to towering granite cliffs draped in snow, still navy waters viscous with ice, and gentoo penguins flinging themselves off snow-dusted atolls with gay abandon as giant albatross glide overhead. I'm speechless.
Antarctica, our southernmost continent, is dramatic, to say the least.
The coldest, driest, and least populated continent on the planet – unless you count the penguins who reside here in their millions – it's only possible to reach Antarctica during the southern hemisphere's summer, between late October and March. However, it doesn't feel like summer. The temperature struggles to get above freezing and the sun rarely sets, leaving a gloomy dusk smearing the horizon.
GH'S EXCLUSIVE HH HURTIGRUTEN ANTARCTIC CRUISE
As someone with an aversion to organised fun, I was a little apprehensive about my 10-day HX Hurtigruten Antarctica cruise. Would there be nightly bingo? Bun fights over buffets? Would I be expected to play shuffleboard with Margery and Mason from Maine? Forget the Drake Passage, the world's fiercest sea that we have to cross first, these were the things that were keeping me awake at night.
But I needn't have worried. With nearly 130 years of experience in polar exploration, HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) is well-versed in navigating extreme environments. Within hours of boarding, we congregate in the lecture hall to meet the expedition team led by Torstein Gaustad, a native Norwegian 'who grew up on the ocean' and his charming crew made up of scientists, marine biologists, naturalists and specialised wildlife experts. I quickly realise that this is not your standard cruise.
I'm sailing on the MS Fridtjof Nansen, the newest expedition ship in the HX (Hurtigruten Expedition) fleet. Built in 2020 and named after the 19th-century Norwegian polar explorer, it's one of the most environmentally friendly expedition vessels in the world. As well as running on hybrid-powered technology, the ship has stabilisers and a blunt bow that can deal firmly with rough or icy waters.
And being Scandinavian, it's not short on luxury either. There are three restaurants onboard, including Lindström, the fine dining option for suite guests. It has a lovely spa, a proper gym, a brace of outdoor hot tubs, and a large sauna with windows overlooking the ocean.
Sailing from Ushuaia on the southern tip of Argentina, it takes two full days to reach the Antarctic Peninsula. Luckily, the Nansen is like a sturdy ark and beautifully equipped to enjoy the sailing. That's if the Drake Passage behaves, of course. Lucking out with just three-metre waves, I make full use of the onboard science lectures, wildlife talks and activities during the crossing.
Waking up in Antarctica is an otherworldly experience. Not only do I feel a million miles away from home (albeit a mere 10,000), but gazing out over the stark monochrome landscape, I get a glimpse of what it must have felt like as an explorer discovering the frozen continent more than 200 years ago.
“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. It's a beautiful day in Antarctica!” announces Torstein over the tannoy. It's never less than a beautiful day in Antarctica, according to Torstein, who looks like he's living his dream life every single day.
We have five days in Antarctica and HX's itineraries are designed to really maximise the time here. Of course, the weather conditions dictate our schedule. But flexibility is key and the captain and Torstein work together to adjust our route based on the weather, wildlife sightings and ice conditions to give us the best possible trip.
GH X HX HURTIGRUTEN'S ANTARCTICA CRUISE
Passengers are separated into groups for expeditions –I'm a leopard seal– and we're allowed to join two a day, a landing and a cruise, both weather permitting. On my first expedition, I climb down into the Zodiac and sit nervously with 11 other leopard seals as the crew whizzes us around the ice floes.
Drifting away from MS Fridtjof Nansen – her livery of red, black and white resplendent against the monochrome landscape – we soon catch a glimpse of a 40-tonne humpback whale surfacing weightlessly in the distance, just as a flock of six or eight penguins fly across the icy water in perfect unison. Incredulous at the sight, I get a lump in my throat and my eyes tear up at the beauty of it all.
On an HX Hurtigruten Antarctica cruise, I'm not merely a passenger, I'm an explorer. And when I pile on my thermal layers, and pull on my snow boots and expedition jacket for these Antarctic endeavours, I feel every bit the adventurer as Captain Scott or Ernest Shackleton.
Join Good Housekeeping on an exclusive 12-day Antarctica adventure, sailing aboard one of HX Hurtigruten Antarctica's expedition vessels from Argentina.
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