Echoes of the Deep - Whale Voyage aboard Terra Nova Adventurer
All departures of this tripCRUISE ID # TERRANOVA_0494_WHALE_TNA_20280327
Ushuaia TO Ushuaia


This expedition is designed as a working platform for science.
Where conditions allow, we will deploy passive acoustic moorings for short periods to capture vocal activity and assess whale presence. Around feeding aggregations, spot recordings may be collected to better understand acoustic behavior in context.
$12,560
WITH SPECIAL SAVINGS APPLIED
FARES SHOWN ARE PER GUEST
Suites & Fares
CHOOSE START DATE
: March 27, 2028
Itinerary

Arrive in Ushuaia—the world’s southernmost city and a lively port rich in maritime history. After lunch, join your expedition team and fellow travellers for a short historical walking tour of the town before boarding your expedition vessel.
Once on board, enjoy a welcome briefing and dinner as we begin our journey down the Beagle Channel. This is your chance to get to know your expedition team, fellow guests, and the historians who will bring Britain’s Antarctic legacy to life throughout the voyage.
Our journey begins with the crossing of the legendary Drake Passage—one of the great milestones in polar travel. These two days at sea offer time to relax, settle in, and get inspired.
Outside on deck, keep watch for cape petrels, giant petrels, and the graceful flight of albatrosses riding the winds.
During the crossing, we’ll also conduct important safety briefings and biosecurity procedures as we prepare to enter Antarctica’s pristine environment. Keep an eye on the horizon—icebergs on the water mean we’re getting close.
As the ship finds its rhythm in the open ocean, excitement builds. Our expedition team begins a series of engaging presentations to prepare you for what lies ahead — from Antarctic wildlife and geology to IAATO landing protocols and Zodiac safety briefings. These sessions not only inform but spark curiosity, laying the groundwork for a richer experience on shore.
As the ship finds its rhythm in the open ocean, excitement builds. Our expedition team begins a series of engaging presentations to prepare you for what lies ahead — from Antarctic wildlife and geology to IAATO landing protocols and Zodiac safety briefings. These sessions not only inform but spark curiosity, laying the groundwork for a richer experience on shore.
Continuing along the Gerlache Strait, today emphasizes wildlife observation and data collection. Guests may participate in fluke photo-ID sessions or assist researchers with non-invasive tagging and biopsy procedures when conditions allow. Shore landings may complement at-sea work, offering insight into how whale behavior links to the broader Antarctic ecosystem. Evening debriefs provide an opportunity to discuss the day’s findings with the science team.
Your first day in Antarctic waters focuses on orientation and hands-on research. Guests may join the team on Zodiac excursions to observe whales and record behavior, while researchers begin deploying acoustic equipment. Drone flights could provide unique aerial views of whales and ice formations, and evening sessions offer a chance to review collected footage and data from the day.
Today is focused on active field operations, including potential Zodiac-based whale monitoring, acoustic equipment work, and drone flights. Guests can engage with the research process firsthand, contributing to behavioral logging and other studies. Evening sessions allow for video and data review, sometimes showing recovered tag footage or drone imagery collected during the day. Flexibility is key, as all activities depend on weather and wildlife conditions.
Your final core science day in the Gerlache Strait provides another opportunity to participate in ongoing research. Guests may assist with photo-ID, observe tagging or acoustic work, and join excursions that explore nearby shorelines. The focus remains on contributing to meaningful scientific study, with the chance to see how collected data fits into the larger picture of Antarctic whale ecology. Evening discussions wrap up the week’s research insights.
Today offers flexibility to return to areas where whales were previously observed or explore new sites along the Antarctic Peninsula. Guests may continue participating in Zodiac-based observations, fluke photo-ID, or acoustic monitoring. Optional activities such as kayaking among icebergs or short shore hikes may be offered. The expedition team monitors weather and ice conditions to ensure a safe and engaging experience.
Depending on conditions, today may include an attempt to cross the Antarctic Circle—a highlight for many guests. Whale research and ecosystem exploration continue, with opportunities for drone flights, behavioral logging, and photo-ID sessions. Shore excursions may complement at-sea observations. Evening discussions allow guests to review the day’s data and reflect on the unique Antarctic environment.
This day remains flexible to follow productive whale areas or explore new regions, based on research priorities and ice conditions. Guests may take part in field science operations or optional adventure activities such as guided hikes or kayaking. The day focuses on both scientific contribution and immersive Antarctic experiences, with evening sessions summarizing findings and sharing preliminary results.
Relive your adventures as you cross the Drake Passage, keeping an eye out for seabirds and whales along the way. Take part in final lectures or workshops, and enjoy a celebratory dinner with your fellow travellers as you reflect on the unforgettable journey.
As we chart our course back across the Drake Passage, there’s a shift in rhythm — a quiet mix of reflection and anticipation. With the landscapes of Antarctica still vivid in our minds, today offers time to absorb what we’ve seen, shared, and discovered. This evening we hope to reach the calm waters of the Beagle once more.
Arrive back in Ushuaia in the early morning. After breakfast, disembark with cherished memories of an epic Antarctic expedition and new stories to tell.
About the Ship
Name
Terra Nova Adventurer
Operator
Terra Nova Expeditions


A true veteran of the polar regions, Terra Nova Adventurer has spent decades taking explorers into some of the most remote places on Earth. With more than 600 polar voyages behind her and thousands of guests carried through Antarctica and the Arctic, she is a proven expedition ship built around what matters most: getting out there and exploring.
Now beginning a new chapter with Terra Nova Expeditions, the 98-guest Terra Nova Adventurer combines serious polar capability with the intimacy and character of a classic small expedition vessel. Refreshed cabins and public spaces bring a renewed sense of comfort onboard, while her ice-strengthened hull, expansive observation areas and expedition-focused design make her an exceptional platform for exploring Antarctica.
Step aboard a polar classic, reimagined for a new generation of adventure.
At Terra Nova, we believe expedition cruising should be adventurous, immersive and accessible. Terra Nova Adventurer brings that philosophy to life, combining exceptional value with a full suite of included adventure activities, expert-led exploration and meaningful opportunities to engage with the places we visit.
About Terra Nova Adventurer
Purpose-built for exploration, Terra Nova Adventurer is an ice-strengthened expedition vessel with an extraordinary history of operating across Antarctica and the Arctic.
After more than 600 polar voyages, she knows these waters incredibly well. Over the years, thousands of guests have explored the polar regions from her decks, building a reputation as a much-loved expedition ship with the capability, character and practical design that genuine polar exploration demands.
Today, she begins a fresh chapter as Terra Nova Adventurer. Carrying approximately 98 guests, she offers the intimacy of small-ship expedition cruising alongside generous public spaces, excellent outdoor viewing areas and the facilities needed for active days ashore.
Her cabins and public areas have been refreshed for Terra Nova, while retaining the character and proven expedition design that have made her such an enduring polar vessel. From her spacious mudroom and direct Zodiac boarding areas to her lounge, library and extensive open decks, the ship is designed to make exploring easy.
Onboard highlights include:
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A small-ship experience carrying approximately 98 guests
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A proven polar vessel with 600+ voyages across Antarctica and the Arctic
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Comfortable, refreshed cabins across a range of categories
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Expansive outdoor decks and excellent wildlife viewing areas
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Spacious lounge and library for briefings, presentations and relaxing between landings
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Dedicated expedition mudroom with convenient Zodiac access
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Restaurant and bar with relaxed, social dining
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Onboard gym, spa, sauna and Jacuzzi
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Expert-led lectures, workshops and expedition programming
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A full suite of adventure activities, including kayaking, snowshoeing, camping, photography, yoga and the polar plunge
Above all, Terra Nova Adventurer is a ship made for exploration. Capable, comfortable and full of polar character, she gives us the freedom to focus on what an Antarctic voyage should really be about: spending less time worrying about the ship and more time experiencing the extraordinary world beyond it.




