MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Antarctic Dream” cruise next December

Magallanes Region businessmen have invested over four million US dollars in refurbishing and converting a former Chilean Navy support vessel into the Antarctic tourist cruise, “Antarctic Dream”.

Next December 20 "Antarctic Dream" fully booked and carrying 80 passengers in 40 double cabins plus a crew of forty will be inaugurating the Antarctic Shipping company cruises that are scheduled to visit the Magellan Strait, Patagonia's channels, fiords and glaciers, and the Antarctic insular territory.

Antarctic Shipping is offering two basic cruise options, one lasting 14 days and another of 21 days which will include the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. The 14 days adventure named Dream Expedition will have a cost of 6,995 US dollars per head.

"The former "Piloto Pardo" is undergoing a complete refurbish and is being prepared with state of the art communications and security equipment for sailing in Antarctic waters", said Hernán Middleton, Antarctic Shipping Manager.

Mr. Middleton and company investors this week visited Punta Arenas to inform mayor Jaime Jelincic of the overall project and revealed that next November there will be an official presentation of the different cruises.

"Antarctic Dream" will be the first private Chilean flagged vessel to operate in Antarctica having Punta Arenas as its home base", said Mr. Middleton, adding that for the inaugural cruise most travellers are from United States and Europe.

The original "Piloto Pardo" was built in Holland in 1956; two years later she was commissioned to the Chilean Navy mainly for Antarctic operations and was finally sold in 1997.

Mr. Middleton said that the forty cabins in suite displayed in three decks ("Piloto Pardo", "Shackleton" and "Amundsen") will all look out to the sea plus the main dining hall. Other facilities include pubs, fast food stand, gymnasium and sauna.

The "Antarctic Dream" will also be equipped with a landing pad and a helicopter plus Zodiac boast for sightseeing.