As many of you are already aware, due to our ship operator introducing the new dates and prices for 2014/2015, there has been a slight change in our departure date. Our Friends of SPRI Shackleton Centenary Voyage departs a day later than published. We depart on 21st November 2014 (not 20th November 2014). Our ship operator has increased the cost of 2014 voyages BUT we are delighted to say that by freezing the cost of this voyage at 2013 prices has resulted in a 6% saving for all our passengers on the Friends of SPRI Shackleton Centenary Voyage.
Our ship remains the almighty Akademik Sergey Vavilov and the voyage remains 19 nights/20 days. The voyage ends on 10th December 2014.
We are planning to hold a pre-voyage dinner in London on the27th September 2014 – a hundred years earlier to the day Shackleton left by sea to meet the Endurance in Buenos Aires. Details of this very special dinner with some surprises in store will follow, but please keep the date in your dairies as it will be a very important event.
We have had many enquiries regarding insurance for the voyage. While we can not recommend a particular travel insurance as we are not brokers we have been in touch with several insurance companies and feel confident that the options below offer sufficient medical and travel cover. We encourage you to read carefully through their terms and conditions before you take the insurance. We hope you will find these links helpful.
Insure and Go specialises in Travel Insurance for trips over £ 5,000, for clients over 65 and for clients with specific medical conditions
IMG Travel Insurance – Patriot Travel specialises in Travel Insurance and High Cancellation Premium for UK and non-UK residents
Quote link – https://purchase.imglobal.com
Brochure/Application – https://producer.imglobal.com
We are also pleased to announce that our ATOL license has been granted on the 1st October 2013 and will cover all British residents who book flights packages through us. Look for the ATOL logo to appear in our website soon!
As previously mentioned we are unable to put together flight and land packages until the end of the year however we are already in conversation with the airlines and ground suppliers and have some wonderful options for land travels pre and post voyage. We will be offering add on extensions to Buenos Aires, Southern Patagonia (El Calafate & Torres del Paine), Northern Patagonia (Bariloche & Puerto Montt), Iguazu Falls, Atacama Desert, Salta and the Norwest of Argentina and the stunning Wetlands of Esteros del Ibera. These itineraries will be between 3 to 5 day long for each destination, with the option to combine two or more destinations if you wish to take longer to explore Argentina and Chile after our voyage. We will be offering boutique accommodations and selected Estancias with off the beaten track itineraries and activities to suite all adventure levels. If you are interested to start receiving information about this contact Caro atcaro@ice-tracks.com / +54 2972 414196
Finally some of you have requested a suggested reading list for the Friends of SPRI Shackleton Centenary Voyage.
SOUTH: The Story of the Endurance Expedition – Ernest Shackleton -The seminal book on the Endurance Expedition.
The American on the Endurance: Ice, Seas and Terra?Firma Adventures of Willam Bakewell Edited by Elizabeeth Anna Bakewell Rajal (his daughter) a charming book and insight into one of Shackleton’s men.
Skating to Antarctica. Jenny Diski – Both a funny and haunting account of a first voyage to Antarctica!
The Life of Sir Ernest Shackleton 1924 Hugh Robert Mill – First official biography of the explorer
Shackleton and The Antarctic. Margery and James Fisher. Written in 1959 this is and authoritative biography of the explorer. Interviews took place when many of the Endurance men were still alive.
In Shackleton’s Footsteps. Henry Worsley – Henry Worsley will be joining us on board
Shackleton’s Boat Journey. F.A. Worsley – a harrowing account of Shackleton and his men crossing the Weddell Sea in the James Caird .
Elephant Island & Beyond The Life and Diaries of Thomas Orde Lees. John Thompson – one of the few accounts of life on Elephant Island as the men awaited rescue.
The Lost Men. Kelly Tyler-Lewis – Ten year’s research went into this brilliant account of the depot laying Ross Sea Party who we will be honouring.
Shackletons Forgotten Men. Lenard Bickel – again an account of the much less known part of the expedition.
The Quest for Frank Wild. Angie Butler. A biography of Shackleton’s right hand man. The book includes Wild’s memoirs. Angie Butler will be on board.
An Unsung Hero – Tom Crean. Mike Smith
Do look at http://www.kingsbridgebooks.co.uk for a wonderful collection of polar books and collectables.
Paul Davies owner of Kingsbridge books will be joining us!.
This expedition has been very successful from the very beginning. With the support of Friends of SPRI and the latest presentations at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge and at the Royal Academy in London, we are happy to announce that 18 months prior departure we have all Suites, Superiors and Twin Private cabins booked and confirmed. We have started a waiting list for upgrades and are eager to complete the selected team that will join us for this unique and historical voyage. If you have friends that may be interested this is the time to let them know. You can share this newsletter or just give them our contact details.
Shackleton Centenary Expedition’s New Logo
You may notice that we have a new logo for our unique voyage. Committee members have ruminated for sometime and finally agreed to this image based on Charles Sargent Jagger’s wonderful sculpture of Shackleton, sited on the side of the RGS building in Kensington. The image, somewhat ghostly, represents not only Shackleton but all the men that served under him.
Prices and Booking Details
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Centenary Voyage
Falkland- South Georgia & Antarctica
21 November to 10 December 2014
20 day expedition cruise
Day 1 Ushuaia
Day 2 At Sea
Days 3-4 Falkland Islands
Days 5-6 At Sea
Days 7 King Haakon Bay
Day 8-10 North cost of S.Georgia Is.
Days 11-13 At Sea South Orkneys & Elephant Island
Days 14 South Shetland Islands
Day 15-17 Antarctic Peninsula
Day 18-19 Drake Passage
Day 20 Ushuaia
DATES & RATES
Prices have been frozen (as per November 2013) for all Friend’s of SPRI
Triple Share Deck 3 USD 11,790.-
Twin Share Deck 3 USD 12,290.-
Twin Semi Private Deck 4 USD 13,490.-
Twin Private Deck 4/5 USD 15,290.- SOLD OUT
Superior Deck 3/6 USD 16,090.- SOLD OUT
Shackleton Suite Deck 4/5 USD 16,890.- SOLD OUT
One Ocean Suite Deck 5 USD 19,190.- SOLD OUT
Prices are per person based on double occupancy.
Single supplement is 1,5 for twin/superior cabins and 2 for the suites. Single supplement is not available in the Triple cabin category
Kayaking: USD 795.- max.16 kayakers (if you are interested please let us know at the time of booking. First come first served)
Payment Plan
Our Early Payment Plan saves you money on the total cost of the voyage. Please ask for details.
Deposit of ?1500 per person paid at the time of booking.
We will continue to keep you informed with updates about this unique and historical voyage. Please take a minute and update your subscriptions preferences below to make sure we will contact you with the latest information.
by Endurance we conquer
Best Wishes from the Ice Tracks Team
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