MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean vessel completes first Arctic cruise season

Cruise 'Antarctic Dream'

The Chilean cruise vessel “Antarctic Dream” is expected back in Punta Arenas next October 12 after having completed her first northern hemisphere summer season sailing in the Arctic.

The former Chilean navy ice patrol Piloto Pardo refurbished and converted into a small cruise spent this boreal summer taking travelers on fauna sightseeing particularly the species which only inhabits the North Pole, the polar bear. "During a hundred days the vessel sailed from the Svalbard archipelago in Norway to Greenland and Iceland on the lookout for marine mammals and other species of the region", said Mauricio Retamales, Antarctic Shipping CEO. "It's a kind of ecological safari, where the main prize is the polar bear" he added. But it's not easy and the company takes on board Norwegian and Dutch guides who have been in the business for decades. "I was on one of the cruises. He's hard to locate. The head of the expedition had the vessel stop and said "he'll come this way", but two hours later nothing had happened and remember it's light the 24 hours" recalls Retamales. "Then suddenly comes the polar bear, he's very curious and comes as close as 400 meters; it's wonderful to see him jumping on the ice pack but then he's bored and swims away, to hunt to have something to eat; we could follow him on the binoculars". Retamales revealed that this first North Pole cruise season has been a full success for "Antarctic Dream": 100 days, eight cruises, 592 passengers at an average fare of 5.200 to 14.000 US dollars. Besides it was the only non Norwegian or Dutch vessel among the twenty odd operating in the area. Arctic tourism has a seasonal turnover of 400 million US, according to Retamales. The former Piloto Pardo was originally built in Holland in 1959, and converted and refurbished in 1997, so she actually was considered a celebrity wherever she docked, pointed out Retamales. Antarctic Shipping CEO said the idea of the Arctic was born out of what to do after the Southern hemisphere cruise season which extends for 132 days. It was then it was decided to try in the north and it has been so successful that they will be back next year, and for a longer period. The company is also looking for a second vessel to target the Brazilian market. When Antarctic Dream returns to Punta Arenas in October she will undergo dry dock maintenance in preparation for the coming 2008/09 Antarctic season.