Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic is offering two new Antarctica itineraries featuring shorter sailings and flights over the Drake Passage.
An eight-day itinerary flies guests roundtrip across the Drake Passage before and after their cruise while a 10-day itinerary crosses the Drake by ship with an air return from King George Island.
The eight-day itinerary will fly guests to the Chilean Base of Presidente Frey on King George Island, where guests will board the recently renovated National Geographic Explorer for the sailing. The ship will cruise Antarctica and on the seventh day return to King George Island, where guests will disembark the ship and fly to Puerto Natales, Chile, where they will overnight before heading home the next day.
The other new itinerary is aimed at travelers who want to experience a sailing of the Drake Passage one way and a flight back on the other. Guests will embark on the Explorer in Ushuaia, Argentina, and spend two days crossing the Drake to reach Antarctica, where it will sail for five more days. When the ship arrives at King George Island, guests will board a chartered flight and begin their journey home.
With the two new itineraries, Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic now has seven unique Antarctica itineraries and nearly 50 departures for the 2024-2025 season.
The Explorer underwent what the line described as a "dramatic revitalization" featuring Scandinavian design in June 2023.