MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Antarctic Dream” ready for 2005/06 cruise season

Following two years of delay Antarctic Shipping confirmed n Punta Arenas that in the coming season 2005/06 the first Chilean cruise will be sailing to Antarctica.

"Antarctic Dream" the former Chilean Navy vessel currently in sea trials after having been refurbished in the Talcahuano shipyard is scheduled to leave on its first cruise November 5.

Apparently the overhaul of the vessel involved more than the six million US dollars originally estimated and two new partners joined the enterprise, Chilean born Mario Kreutzberger or better known as "Don Mario", who runs the top talk show for Hispanics in Miami and Christopher Schiess from Transoceanica.

"The vessel will first call in Valparaiso before heading for Punta Arenas, her operational base", revealed Guillermo Goldberg, Antarctic Shipping president.

This season's agenda includes cruises on November 5 and 26; December 17 and 30; January 14 and 28 and February 11.

The estimated cost per person of the cruise in 10,000 US dollars and includes a tour of the Patagonian, coast, Cape Horn, South Shetland islands, Antarctic peninsula and probably some Antarctic bases.

The 2,000 tons "Antarctic Dream" is 83 metres long, has four decks (Cape Horn, Piloto Pardo, Shackleton and Amundsen) plus 42 double cabins for 84 tourists.

The former Chilean Navy Piloto Pardo plus all the cruise tourism amenities has a landing deck for a helicopter and four Zodiacs with a 20 people capacity each.